Project Oracle Pt. 01

Chapter 1.1 - Awakening

Alex woke up. Her head felt about to split open. "AAAARH!" she screamed holding her head, her ears were ringing.

Her vision was hazy. She saw shapes rushing towards her, grabbing her, someone bent over her face and said something comforting though she couldn't exactly make it out, everything went pitch black again.

The next time she woke, she was sitting in a chair. The room was blindingly white. Where was she? She tried to stand up. Her heart skipped a beat when she discovered she was strapped down to her seat. "Keep calm Alex. What have you got yourself into?"

Looking down, she realized she was wearing nothing but a hospital gown. Her arms were buckled down with padded leather straps. Another strap was below her chest and further straps secured her legs and feet to the legs of the chair, which appeared bolted to the floor.

"Where am I? let me go! LET ME GO!!"

"Good morning, Dr. Milton", a calm male voice answered. Alex began to struggle, but the chair wouldn't budge.

"Please calm down. No one is going to hurt you."

"Why am I tied up then? Who the hell are you? Show yourself!"

"I would show myself if I were nearby. My name is Professor David Goldstein."

The name rang a bell. Where did she know that name from? But it couldn't be.

"Bullshit. Professor Goldstein is dead!"

"On the contrary my dear,I'm dead as much as you are! "

"Let me go. What happened to me?"

"Please don't struggle. If you are calm, my assistants will release you soon. You are here because you met with an unfortunate accident. Luckily, no lasting harm was done. You are a brilliant scientist, Dr. Milton. I have a proposition of a lifetime for you. If you accept to be part of my project."

"This is one fine way to make a proposition, PROFESSOR Goldstein, or whoever you are. Kidnapping a woman and holding her prisoner!"

"My dear Dr. Alexandria Milton, my apologies for our...um....... unorthodox methods. But you will understand the need when we meet tomorrow. You must be starving. My team will now enter your room with food and medication. You need to regain your strength. I beg you to keep calm and cooperate. We are not your enemies. "

The door opened and three people in scrubs entered. One woman was pushing a trolley of food while the other two well-built men proceeded to unstrap their prisoner.

Alex kept limp as they lifted her up, she timed it perfectly, one powerful kick and the trolley and attendant went flying, she managed an upper cut to one of the men's jaws and flung herself over the others shoulder, kicking him in the spine as she went. She bolted at lightning speed towards the door, jumping out into what appeared to be a corridor in a hospital. She was too late to see the guard with a taser standing ready, all she remembered was the incredible white-hot pain in her neck as the electrodes hit her.

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Chapter 2- Project what?

When she came to again, she was back on a hospital bed. She looked about and tried to get up, only to find she was bound once again with leather straps. This time to the railings of her bed.

Alex looked around for a few moments fumbling around with the limited movement she had until she got hold of the remote for her bed. She managed to lift her torso enough to see right ahead at the door. A television was mounted on the wall. It showed only white noise.

"Dr. Milton", The voice of the professor through the intercom.

"Let me go. How can you do this to me you ba#tards?"

"Please, don't be upset. I asked you for your patience and cooperation yesterday. If you continue to be violent, I fear we shall have to abandon our project, which would be a real shame".

"What project?"

"Why, Project Oracle."

It all came back to her in flashes.

Alexandria was a brilliant scientist. She earned her PHD in biomedical engineering at the age of 24. Her latest research was into prosthetics and bio compatible polymers, which would enable artificial organs and even whole limbs to be permanently attached to the human body. Two years ago, she joined MaxPharm, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical corporations as deputy head of research. She soon fell into a romantic relationship with the equally, young, and brilliant Dr. Jacob Brown. She and Jake were a match made in heaven, good looking, fit, athletic and brilliant at what they do. Jake's work sometimes crossed hers, but mostly, his projects were shrouded in secret.

It was at his apartment one night that Alex stumbled across his work laptop open. Red alert after alert came pinging onto the screen while her lover was out getting dinner. She couldn't resist opening the latest email which sent chills down her spine.

Half an hour on Jakes computer was enough to make her sick.

"What the hell Jake? What kind of twisted evil is this? Are those real people?", she asked.

"Please Alex, it's not what it seems. It's not evil. Please, forget this".

She stormed out of the house and drove as fast as she can. She didn't reach home.

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Chapter 3- A proposition

"People will be looking for me. You can't keep me like this,"she said choking.

"Oh, but we can Dr. Milton, we have all the time in the world. No one is looking for you. Your family, friends and even your lover. They all have received closure."

"What do...," Her mouth fell open as the television monitor came alive.

It was a local news report showing a horrific accident. It took a second for her to realize that the charred remains were of her red Porsche. A large semi-truck was rolled over on the road. Footage showed a body bag being loaded into an ambulance. Further reports followed including paper articles with her smiling face. Interviews with her friends and relatives, all about the beautiful and brilliant young scientist whose life was so tragically ended.

"Stop it, STOP IT" she wept, and screamed. "What have you done?!"

"Please, Dr. Milton, your old life is finished. I am proposing an exciting new one, with limitless opportunities, if you are willing to listen. "

"And if I reject your proposal?"

"You'll join your body double in your grave".

Everything went silent. The lights went out. She wept herself to sleep.

The next morning, (or so she thought, for there was no clock, or windows) Alex woke up to find she was no longer bound. There was a breakfast tray next to her, she was starving and wolfed down the meal. She then examined her room. It was locked of course. She went to the attached bathroom to find all her personal care products down to the exact same color toothbrush she used. Someone had done their homework well. After a long shower contemplating her next move, Alex came out to find another surprise in the closet.

Examining the closet, she found the clothes she was wearing last, a perfectly cut business suit. All laundered and ironed. Her shoes, watch and jewelry were all there. She dressed up and did her long black hair in a bun, she applied some light makeup which, unsurprisingly was her usual brand.

Examining herself in the mirror, even under the circumstances, she couldn't help admiring what a beauty she was, tanned, tall, athletic with green eyes and jet-black hair. "Click" the door unlatched. She braced herself but nothing happened.

Cautiously, she opened the door, to find the brightly lit corridor empty. At the far end was an elevator she walked towards it.

"Dr. Milton," a male voice rang out from behind.

She turned to find a young man. Looking barely 20 in a lab coat. His name tag red "TED"

"Ha... Hi...I'm Ted, Technical re... research assistant,"he said timidly, putting forward a hand. Alex shook it, she was a bit amused at this young man's shyness. But she was used to the reaction.

"Hello Ted. So, you are one of my kidnappers?"

He stood their open mouthed.

"I've been asked to escort you to the Temple. The professor is waiting for you".

"Well then, please lead the way," she said mockingly.

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Chapter 4- The temple

The elevator ride took forever.

"I.....I've read all your papers Dr. Milton". Said the young man, admiringly.

"Really? What interests you most?"

"Your breakthroughs in prosthetics. How you managed to attach artificial limbs permanently to patients."

"Its still just fingers and an ear". She said, trying to be modest.

"Where are we?"

"We call this place the Facility. It's a top-secret research station a mile beneath the Nevada desert."

"Who are you working for? The Military?"

"No Ma'am. We want to make the world a better place. Not even the military know about us," there was a sense of pride in his voice.

The elevator came to a halt, opening to another blindingly white corridor. They walked through what appeared to be airlocks, which were wide open, some lights flickered. They walked into a decontamination chamber, Alex was used to these, but the scale of the doors and the sheer number of barriers were next level.

"What's so well protected? And why is everything wide open?"

"We've had a situation Ma'am. Professor Goldstein will explain," he said briskly.

Alex was taken entirely by surprise when they suddenly stepped into a gigantic amphitheater. It was poorly lit with flickering fluorescent lights. In the middle was a tall stage, twenty feet above the ground with steps from all sides. She looked up but could only see blackness, the ceiling was so high she couldn't even see it.

All around were rows of seats and control panels, the floor was wet. Papers were strewn everywhere. Cables and wires dangled. "What happened?"

"Dr. Milton!"

It was the professor; he was older than the photos she had seen. The famous Professor David Goldstein, Neuroscientist, who died in a car crash over twenty years ago, at the height of his career. Now he appeared to be in his seventies, tall, lean, and almost completely bald. He walked briskly towards her holding out his hand. She took it hesitantly.

"What is this place?" she asked, looking around nervously.

"This my dear,is the Temple, where the Oracle resides"

"The Oracle?"

"Come to the control room, I'll explain".

She followed him.

"Sit."

"I know you have read some of our research, tell me what you think."

"It's all vague to me. But you are crazy. No one can see into the future," she said.

"But you can my dear! And do much, much more. The power of the human mind is line none other. We, are restricted as long as we are tethered to our bodies, but if that connection were to be broken and controlled, there is nothing that can stop you from breaking the barriers of time and space"

"This is all fantasy."

"There have been sacrifices. But think, just think of the implications. The lives we could save, the crimes we could prevent. We, have the power to end wars before they even start, to make the world a safer place for all humanity."

"You are chasing an impossible dream,Professor Goldstein" she said with her hands on her hips. Surely this man was senile.

"On the contrary my dear, we have already succeeded!"

This was unexpected. But Alex knew not to lose herself. She remained unmoved and said, "Then why do you need me for? This is beyond my field of study anyway."

"For you to understand that you need to know how the Oracle sees the future. The human body has millions of nerve endings, our nervous system is by far the most complicated computer in the known universe. There is only one instance where the human brain approaches its full potential: The human Orgasm."

"Orgasm?" Alex said with a raised eyebrow, a bit amused.

"Yes, more specifically the female orgasm. The female's ability to successively orgasm within small time intervals."

"Oh, really?" Alex was getting uncomfortable talking to this fatherly looking man about orgasms.

"But my dear Dr. Milton, we've gone much further, enabling our subjects to reach what we like to call a Hyper Orgasmic state, which can last for days on end. Unimaginable levels of neural stimuli result in the subject's mind free to transcend space and time. Seeing the future and much more!"

The glint in his eye was unnerving. This man was evidently crazy, and she was his captive.

"I have no background in what you say. You've made a wrong choice professor. I have nothing to contribute to your Oracle project."

"Oh, but you do, Alexandria. "

"All my work is with Jake, who is already part of your, your scheme." She said bitterly, Was he in on this? She didn't want to look weak so didn't ask.

"Come, I'll show you".

They left the control room and walked though the puddles of water. "What happened here? Is that where the Oracle is kept?" She pointed at the podium in the center.

"Yes. That's where she was. We had to terminate the operation,"said the professor not looking at her or the podium.

"Why?" Alex was running to catch up to him.

"The Oracle gains powers unimaginable to any human. No barrier can stop the power of the mind once fully harnessed. It's not easy for a person to handle such power without they themselves losing control. This is why the intelligence, temperament, morals, integrity, and willingness of the subject is paramount. Its not just about physical fitness and endurance."

Alex's hart leapt as they rounded the massive podium a gurney with a body bag came into view. Two men in full body suits were pushing it when the professor called them out to stop.

Her knees were trembling as they came near. She knew the Oracle was the person inside.

The Professor looked at her as if to ask "are you ready?" Alex nodded.

One of the men pulled open the zipper.

"Oh god!" she gasped at the grizzly sight and staggerd a few steps backwards.

The woman in the bag was deathly pale. She was completely hairless. Dozens of wires covered her bald scalp. Here eyes were wide open with a grey film covering her pupils, Her nostrils were plugged and mouth wide open.

She wore a rigid transparent collar around her neck, a corrugated tube exited the base of her throat, a Tracheotomy, which was used by her to breathe. Several other tubes exited the side of her neck. A thin white tube entered her chest. Alex had seen such tubes in patients before, they were used to inject nutrients directly to the heart.

The woman was young and petite; her perky small breasts lay with wires attached to her nipples and areolas. Another short tube exited a stoma on the right side of her abdomen. Brownish green faces had dribbled out of it, Alex stepped back as the stench hit her.

The Oracle wore what looked like a metal chastity belt with several tubes and wires running between her slim legs.

"You monster! How could you do this to a person? I'll die rather than be part of this!"

"Please understand. The young woman you see was part of an extremist religious group, who murdered hundreds of innocents. We gave her a chance to redeem herself, to forsee the future and prevent attacks, the process took years and we thought she was trustworthy, she did well at first but it was all a ruse. She soon got violent and sought to take her revenge on us and the world. We had to stop her!"

"No wonder she hated you! What have you done to her!"

"The Oracle process consumes the entire nervous system. A highly advanced life support system is needed to keep the Oracle alive. Once they are committed, there is no going back. It's a life sentence within the life support chamber. "

He gestured towards the podium.

"The Oracle experiences orgasms beyond the wildest imagination, no human will ever experience such pleasure and power."

"I implore you Dr. Milton, don't judge us by her, you are a far more superior being. Both physically and mentally. You can be a god."

"What? You don't mean to say......." she had begun to suspect it for some time now. She stepped back in horror.

"Yes Dr. Alexandria Milton. I want you to become the Oracle!"

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Chapter 5 -- On My terms

All she remembered was running from the Temple. No one stopped her. She got lost in a corridor and collapsed into a weeping heap. Images of the dead girl, attached to those infernal tubes and wires flashed by, she could almost smell her. How could she become like that?

It seemed like hours later that she was found, she yelled kicked and screamed at her captors, to no avail, she was no match to the six massive attendants who manhandled her onto a gurney and jabbed her with an anesthetic.

Once again, she wasn't tied up. She was wearing a hospital gown and back in the same room. She got up and paced, calculating her next move. There was no way out of this, that much was clear.

She was done for, either way. She didn't eat or drink, nurses came and went, she didn't bother looking up at their faces. She fell asleep in a ball.

"What have you done Jake? What kind of a monster are you? I thought I knew you, you bastard!" she cried at an invisible Jacob.

There was no way of telling how much time had passed. They were underground, there was no clock. She had made up her mind. She informed the next nurse who visited her that she needed to speak to Professor Goldstein.

"I've made up my mind. I'll do it. But it'll be on MY terms," she said. The professor was intrigued.

"You're not in a position to bargain Dr. Milton," he said calmly.

"You said the subject needs to be willing. I'm telling you what I need to be a willing subject."

"Go on," said the professor.

Alex got out her bed and began pacing.

"I want a full re design of the equipment that's going to be attached to me. Its crude and invasive. I won't stand for it. I'm an engineer and I want to be part of your team. You'll treat me like the scientist I am and not as your prisoner."

"You must make sure my body won't deteriorate. Call it vanity, or whatever you like, but I want to look the same and have full function of my limbs.I will not be a floating corpse in a glass tube."

The professor looked up at the girl with admiration. What a strong woman she is, she will be the perfect Oracle.

"I'll have to discuss it with my team and of course the Syndicate. But I'm sure they will agree."

"Thank you, Professor. We can start once you have confirmation."