The Orion Project (Rewrite) (indefinite hiatus)

Chapter 52

Doctor Seraph could only stare blankly at Arcturus after he reported his findings.

"He really plans on leaving, eh?" He said with a bored tone.

"I think so, yeah. He's ordered his men to gather their things and get ready to leave. What are you gonna do?" Arcturus cautiously asked.

"Mm...nothing."

"Sir?"

Hydros turned to the window in his office and clasped his hands together. "I plan to do nothing. Let them leave if they wish, they are of no consequence to my Project."

He waved him off. "You may go Arcturus, thank you for the information."

Arcturus shrugged and left his office, closing the door behind him. He turned back to his desk and tapped a few buttons on his desk and a door opened to his right. A tall, hooded figure, glided into the room and bowed slightly to him.

"You have been a substantial investor since the beginning of my research." Doctor Seraph stood.

"You have given me power, knowledge, money, life, a family, everything I could possibly need. And now, I call upon you again."

"What is it that you desire?" The person's voice was masculine, silky smooth, almost angelic, despite the torn and tattered robes they wore.

"Can you intensify the strength of the Assecula? In all of the Zealots that have them?"

"Of course, it is child's play."

"I'll send the Zealots to the medical wing and you and your cohorts will have time to do your...whatever it is you do."

The figure turned to leave but Seraph stopped him.

"Oh, and don't go too far with the enhancements, will you? I want obedient soldiers, not mindless zombies, okay?"

"Of course, it shall be done."

...

"Why are we doing this again?" Devon asked a nurse.

"It's a routine procedure, to make sure everything is working properly. I wouldn't worry about it too much." She smiled.

"Alright."

He, Jason, Blake, and Jackson were sitting on some examination tables as they were getting prepped for something they weren't expecting.

"So...the procedures we've gone through," Blake started. "There could be, complications?"

"No, I wouldn't say something like that." The nurse said. "But Doctor Seraph wants to make sure everything is working properly."

"You said that already." Jason said. "There has to be more to it than that."

"There is." Doctor Seraph entered the room. "With what happened to Alyssa, I want to see if there are any similarities between you all."

"What about the others?" Devon asked.

"They'll be in once you are all finished, don't worry, it won't hurt a bit." Doctor Seraph smiled. He nodded to the nurses and they quickly gave the three of them anesthesia. Once they were under, he sent the nurses away and three hooded figures silently entered the room.

"You may proceed." Doctor Seraph said.

They slightly bowed to him and stood over the Zealots. They quickly removed the three's shirts, exposing their chests. A small vial of sticky, black liquid materialized in their hands and they each dropped three small drops of it on their skin.

It quickly spread until it formed a spider like lump under their skin. The three figures placed their hands on the lump and started to chant.

"Byros, Envalde, Anaros, Ingeniu, Ostran."

The lump started to squirm and move, wriggling under the three Zealot's skin like a worm in dirt. It grew two sizes larger and its 'legs' reached farther across their chests, almost reaching their sides. The three figures slowly ceased their chants, bowed and retreated to the doorway. They bowed to Doctor Seraph before they left.

"Yes yes, thank you. You may go." He waved them off. He walked over to his Zealots and tidied up their uniforms, watching as the creature in their chest writhed under their skin before it faded away, as if it was never there to begin with.

"Now, let's see how well this works." He grinned.

...

Devon put his helmet on and turned to Doctor Seraph. He slotted his rifle and sword on his back and nodded to him.

"I'm ready sir."

"Good. I've sent you the coordinates for your next assignment. My intelligence believes that a group of rogue mercenaries have taken over a Zenithian outpost near the southern coast."

Devon nodded.

"Reports indicate that they're impersonating the soldiers there and using that power to rule over a nearby village. Eradicate the threat, I want them all dead."

"Yes sir, I'll make sure they regret the day they were born." Devon said as he entered the airship behind him.

Doctor Seraph watched him leave with a smirk on his face. He turned to his left and watched Blake and Jason also leave for their own assignments, their airships close behind Devon's.

"Well," Doctor Seraph chuckled. "Ain't that something?"