The Research Facility

To Ch. Insp. Edric Rossman:

I've found new evidence concerning the case of the Valetudo Research Center. After two years on the trail of the facility, I think we've finally pieced together everything. This vital evidence reveals that, as we suspected, the research facility, was experimenting on human subjects. The note was found beside Mr. Chase's decayed body. Here is the note:

My name's Leon Chase. Everything I've written here is from personal experience. After what I've been through, I only wish it is not repeated. I hope this serves as a warning to others.

"He's...regaining...consciousness...!" "Should...commence...operation?" "No...subject...not...stable..."

As I opened my eyes, everything seemed incredibly blurry. I couldn't remember anything at all. My mind felt completely blank. Three white figures loomed over me. I could vaguely make out their shapes, but they seemed like scientists. I wasn't sure if I was hearing things, but they seemed like they were talking. As my vision began to adjust, I noticed the red stains on the lab gowns of the scientists. Panic began to build up within me. As my head was strapped down in a position where I held a very limited view, I couldn't see the faces of the three men. Instead, I saw the most horrfying thing.

In the background, I saw bodies littered around carelessly on the floor, mutilated and abused. But the most notable abnormality is that everybody had two large holes in the back of their head. I began screaming hysterically. I saw the third scientist motioned for someone to restrain me. An assistant entered the room through a door I couldn't see. He quickly injected me with a liquid, which I quickly began to realize was a sedative -- and a strong one, too. I felt my nerves calming and I ceased to struggle against my captors. They restrained me to the operating table. Finally, the first scientist spoke.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Chase?” I was perplexed; how could this madman possibly know my name? "What the hell's going on?!?" I demanded. Then, the third scientist spoke. "Has no one told you what happened?" "You're answering my questions with more questions. It's not helping me understand a thing!" The second scientist then bent down and stared at me. I could still vividly remember his face. He looked like he was in his 30's, his face, a deathly pale. His blue eyes seemed to stare right into my soul. "To put it simply, you're dead. At least, everyone thinks you are." "I believe we should continue this conversation after we complete this operation, before Mr. Chase's sedative wears out," said the first scientist. "Oh yes, don't try to struggle, it'll only make things worse for you."

The operation was no less terrifying. At least they had the decency to give me some anesthesia. I'm not quite sure what they did, but from the sounds I heard, it seemed they made quite a mess of my body. Their operation was very crude. They didn't drain the blood, so all of it was pouring down my face. As they were attaching some mechanical devices to me, the anesthesia wore off. I blacked out from the mere pain.

When I came back to my senses, the three scientists were no longer there. I was still restrained, but I was free to move my head around. I also noticed there were two tubes sticking out the back of my head. I began wildly turning my head around, looking for some desperate way of escaping this nightmare. I heard, no, sensed, a voice in my head. It sounded like the first scientist's voice. "Stop swinging your head around! You're still recovering from the operation!" I wondered how he saw me, since he was no longer there. Either way, I stopped. "It's time we explained to you what's going on," said the second scientist's voice. "What you're hearing is actually signals transmitted directly to your brain. Mr. Chase, could you explain to me how hearing works?" "Uh, it works by turning vibrations in the air to sound by sending signals to your brain?" I said aloud, unsure of my answer. "Exactly! The same concept applies here, only it sends signals directly to your brain." "Now, let's tell you what happened..."

I couldn't believe a thing they said. According to them, a few days ago, while I went to the cafe to grab an expresso, they spiked my drink with a coma-inducing drug. My family brought me to the hospital. After a few days, the hospital declared me dead. Once I was buried, the research team that had kidnapped me now went to retrieve my body.

Why me? Why me of all people? They didn't answer that. Maybe, because, there was no reason... "Let me explain. We're about to recreate what we call the Thalamus Effect. The thalamus is a region of the brain that's linked to the senses. If we can successfully access it, we can create things from the thoughts in your mind. You'll be able to actually see, hear, feel, you get the point. And the way we'll do that is..." "Is how?" I asked. "By scaring the hell out of you."

The blood was completely drained from my face. And I thought I was scared out of my senses already! Apparently, these madmen want to scare me even more. Great, just great. "Mr. Chase, I want you to relax. During our past observations, you were able to successfully lucid dream multiple times before, making you a great candidate. So, just relax and try lucid dreaming." As I slipped away, I was suddenly transported in a different world. The whole area was just plain white. I heard the first scientist speak again. "I'll be probing your brain and bringing out your darkest fears. Let's begin."

I saw the whiteness shift into another world. The atmosphere was bone-chilling. Around me, was a deathly black fog. It seemed like a scene from a horror movie, only that you see, feel, and hear everything around you. I walked around and realized where I was: the cemetery. I walked further up and saw my parents and friends lined up in two parallel rows, all in open caskets. In front of each casket was a plaque. I knew what was on each of those, the date and cause of death. I didn't dare glance at them. Instead, I kept walking forward. I didn't know what to expect at the end. When I did reach the end, however, it surprised me. And horrified me.

In the center was a mausoleum-like structure. As I entered it, the door slammed loudly behind me. There were some torches on the walls that gave light to the building. In the center was a tomb. I leaned forward to read it. It said: "Leon Chase, 1989-2011". But... the year now is 2011...

Suddenly, everything seemed to get sucked into a black hole. Now, I realize, all those dead, mutilated bodies with holes in their heads, they were subject to the same experiment as me! Then that means... "You've done it, Mr. Chase! Thanks to you, we're one step closer to utilizing the human brain to it's fullest. But now, you know too much. It's time you died."

No. There was no way I'm going to let myself die in the hands of these madmen. I began to violently tear against the restraints. "Rethink this, Mr. Chase. Those tubes in your head are what keep you alive. The moment you tear free from those tubes, you'll die. Please, keep that in mind."

I knew, either way, I'd die. I began to gnaw my arm free from the restraints. Attendants rushed in the room. As they were about to reach me, I gnawed myself free from the restraints and made my mad dash towards the exit. I felt an almost unbearable pain as the tubes disconnected from my head. I saw the attendants running towards me. I stumbled towards a dark secluded area of the facility where I lay in now as I write this note. I'm now disoriented and losing massive amounts of blood. I know I can't escape, that I'll die here. The end had come for me. I only wish someone would find this note and bring light upon the horrors that these monsters subjected me, and countless others, to. Goodbye.

--END OF NOTE--