Part I, Dr. Dimitri Lambda.
The cold could be felt throughout the installation. In that place I could hardly know if it was the weather or the ventilation system, it didn't matter anyway because all my senses were diverted towards that exquisite hot steam of roasted coffee. Nothing else mattered at that time so I decided to enjoy that little moment with a cigarette.
As I lit the cigarette and looked through that glass-reflector at that guy, who had unbelievably not moved an inch in the last 15 minutes, I wondered how much longer he would still be there.
The room he was in was simply made up of a desk and two chairs while one dim light illuminated only the table and a part of the subject chained to the chair. And to finish the gloomy white color of the room it was the stroke of luck. Nobody absolutely sane could spend more than 5 minutes in there, even for me it was uncomfortable to enter. All thanks to the fucking project of "White Torture". I don't know who will have thought of it.
Don't hesitate for a second and take a sip of my coffee, slowly approach me towards the mirror and whisper to the technician next to me.
"Slowly turn up the lights in the room. Then turn it off and turn them on to the maximum."
I wanted to get him out of his immovable routine and as the lights changed and concentration took hold of me, I was looking for a movement, just one. However, the bastard remained motionless.
I had no choice but to puff on my cigarette and concentrate for a brief second until I managed to watch him move his face to his corner and look at the glass where we were. Exhale the smoke and said cheerfully:
"Ok, let's begin!"
I entered the room slowly and calmly, there was no rush. I got to the desk and positioned myself in front of it, staring at it; The guy was staring into nothingness with his eyes lost. I stood and stood at the desk, sipping some of my coffee. Without any reply I coughed to make my presence known. It also remained immovable. I think I will have to use something more persuasive.
I grabbed the chair from the backrest and spun it around to the side, and to tell the truth the sound of the chair made more noise than normal, but it was enough for the guy to make a little jump.
"Excuse me, it won't happen again."
The only sign of life he showed was that involuntary drive. However, he needed something more. I put my right arm on my back and lit another cigarette, but not before taking out another. Take the pack and drop it with enough force to make it sound. The Agent this time quickly glanced at the sound. Apparently the guy was attentive and perhaps a little nervous.
I held the second cigarette in front of him. Finally in the midst of total silence and after a couple of puffs I kindly addressed myself.
"Go grab one and relax for a while, I don't come with bad intentions. I bring good news."
"… well … I think I need one …"
"I will do you a favor" - I light the cigarette, maintaining eye contact, however he was not able to keep my gaze.
He hadn't earned much, but the cigarette would serve as an excellent front door. I stood up and began to wander around the room as I addressed him in a characteristic friendly tone.
"Well, a friend of mine not very close indicated that you will have a unique opportunity… an opportunity that calmly and willingly will help us both, do you understand? If you help me, I will give you what you want."
I could see through the reflecting mirror that the guy, despite ignoring me, kept his eyes on me every second as if he wanted to beat me to pieces at that very moment. He was not cooperating and had to use something more effective. Luckily he still had an ace up his sleeve. I decided to move closer to me and enter his comfort zone, I went to his side and put my hand on his lower back as a sign of confidence, finally took a sip of my coffee and offered him a little.
"If you want, I'll give it to you, I've already had a lot. Coffee can help you relax despite its apparent effect."
The Agent tried to move his chained hands, however, upon discovering how limited his movements were by that, he simply made a sound of resignation coming from his windpipe as if he stopped speaking.
"To what I'm going. I made a couple of calls and they cost me a couple of favors but they gave me permission to talk to your family. But first things first. I promise to let go of your chains, give you this coffee and share a cigarette if you change you promise to talk a little bit. "
"…all right…"
More than five minutes had passed and he had not spoken more than three words, he had to try something more concise and the options were over. Untie his handcuffs and proceeded to put them away. Finally I sat back down and started the real interview.
"I introduce myself, I am Dimitri Lambda and I suppose you already know who I am."
"…if you are from Corvus… you come to try to make me cooperate…"
"Yes but… of course I'm from Corvus but I want you to understand that the things that have happened can change if you collaborate with us. I can assure you personally, even I feel just as nervous as you in this room" - At that moment I removed a couple of cigarettes and gave one to the Agent.
"…first… I need to know if they are alive."
"That I can assure you."
"Lies… ¡LIES!"
"Easy. I understand your situation but please remember what we talked about."
The Agent sighs and calms down considerably.
"I need to talk to them before I start agreeing terms."
I was in a very particular situation, the guy knew how to play his cards. And I mine. Yet he must remember why he was here, not out of mercy. By duty.
"You will talk to them but there is a small condition…"
"¡No!… no conditions, I just need to talk to them…"
"Well if it's what you want so much you will have it but just remember not to talk about this…"
I go for a mobile and dial the lucky number. As he dialed, the ring became increasingly long and undefined, everything depended on his answering. It rang again and I was wondering, maybe I called at the wrong time?
Finally the ring stops and I hear a sweet female voice from the other end of the line.
"Hello?"
And without more she passed the cell phone to the Agent.
* * *
"I hope that the sweet talk has helped you clear your mind. Now, remember that I am willing to help you to speak to your family every month, and that you have a better life condition for your service to Corvus."
- "How do you assure me it will be like that? There is no way that people like you can keep their word… I have already seen and lived it before."
"As long as you cooperate I assure you that your family will be fine and that you will have a couple of comforts such as a room for you alone…"
"…I don't know… you lie…"
"You must understand that the world you knew no longer exists. There is something that you don't know yet. There are people who will really make you suffer. You must understand, to what extent you believe that all this has been in vain, to what extent they depend on you."
Since he depended on them, on his family. It really made my stomach churn to think about how that man remained sane even in the face of all these adversities. It made me feel guilty in a way. But I had to leave the last chip on the field before all this ended.
"I know there have been a lot of news and that you can hardly believe me but I will leave you my card, if you change your mind, say out loud what it says and I will assist you to keep my word."
What was special about that card? the truth is that almost nothing, simply if the correct word was recited, the GPS would be activated and it would mean that OSI is willing to cooperate.
The word was "Corvus Ocultus".
Part II, Agent OSI
Again I was handcuffed to in a typical interrogation room. White as usual. I really didn't know why this time, but to tell the truth, that room only showed the true nature of these bureaucratic bastards. I must concentrate. I feel the data, its energy but I can't quite see it. Like the dim light on me.
Despite the feeling of loneliness that caused me the endless sessions in the white room, this time there was something different: I managed to feel a slight tickling in my body, I knew what it meant but I ignored it. Those desires to send everything to shit, that usual tremor that grew every day. But that tingling continued, this time it was different. I do not know what to believe; In this place I had nothing left but that tickle and the hope of seeing them again.
Finally I feel an even tingling sensation followed by a change in the lights. These light up until they cannot. Her first mistake and my first discovery. They maintained control over each operation inside the facilities, including the electrical system. During the first 15 minutes the failures would be ideal for running away, however problems would arise when those errors are reported and they fall on me in less than I could suspect. I must have thought how to turn off the lights and go on the run.
For that she had to make time, despite not knowing what time it was. Although he would know soon.
I concentrate and feel again, like in the old days, when my eyes were not the only way to see. After a couple of tries with no further result, I simply decide to look towards the true origin of the tickling.
I just manage to observe my sad reflection in that pale room reflected in that… glass?… but because… yes, definitely. They are there.
It really was like that, it didn't take more than five minutes and the room opened, just through that well-secured door, which worked with cards, a stubborn bitch entered a bit sloppy but with his head held high and a smile on his mouth. I just need time, I must look for a hole in your security. Turn off the lights and take away is card.
Lost in a trance of information, I can slightly make out that this bastard is in front of me touching and drinking his coffee in his failed attempt to get my attention. I just need time and I will have it.
I feel like a little tingling begins to take over every inch of my body. Normally it would panic, however there was no time to go back. His security system would easily fall against infallible hacking techniques, although the biggest problem would be infecting that computer that recorded everything that happened inside this room.
In that moment of full concentration I feel a metallic thunder that echoes to my ears, my body for a second thought about jumping but every second that I spent looking for data, my body fell asleep even more. However, that sound was strong enough to interrupt my consciousness and return to that stupid room next to a bastard who doesn't know how to sit.
The danger of such an interruption could easily lead to severe mental problems. But not as serious as the ones that guy was suffering with his chair. He finally apologized, but before trying to insult him, I took a brief moment to digest the amount of useless data I had obtained after a little trip.
Once calm, I start to think again about how to enter that network, rather, how I would get to that laptop. All thoughts were completely blurred from mind after feeling that disgusting but comforting smell of burnt tobacco. When I begin to become aware of the prolonged concentration I had suffered, I perceive the danger. I look and analyze its origin and again think "Wasn't there someone else qualified?" It didn't matter, the headache of surfing a huge data network made me seriously think about asking him for one of his cigarettes. But I remember how every member and human being I've seen lately is fighting for the wrong cause with the wrong means.
He offers me a cigarette with a fake smile on his face. Something to relax before re-entering the network, like a ghost. He believes that I will cooperate, however a cigarette would not demonstrate that his true nature… first had to be tested and that would take me a long time… and the latter could be achieved if I cooperated, it was difficult for me to admit the fucking reality but due do it if I wanted to stay alive. However it would not stop me from being cautious… finally I reply with still quite a few doubts in my thoughts
- "…well …I think I need one…"
While I lit the cigarette, the bastard was watching me non-stop, looking for something and knowing exactly. For that same reason, avoid eye contact as much as possible. The windows of the soul would show my weakness.
- "Well, a friend of mine not very close indicated that you would have a unique opportunity…"
They were just lies. He knows very well what he is facing. And again he was just hanging around the room keeping his attention fixed on me. I know I was looking for something but I don't know what. However the feeling of insecurity was still continuing and I knew very well why… people like him are not to be trusted.
The guy comes over and drinks his coffee, brings his hand to my back and says:
- "If you want, I'll give it to you, I've already had a lot. Coffee can help you relax despite its apparent effect."
Is it a fucking joke? Am I handcuffed how do you want me to take it ?!
However, despite hating him, it was still strange to me that he had been the only person who did not seek to torture me or force me to speak after a long time. At that precise moment he decided to continue what was going… finally.
- ""To what I'm going. I made a couple of calls and they cost me a couple of favors but they gave me permission to talk to your family. But first things first. I promise to let go of your chains, give you this coffee and share a cigarette if you change you promise to talk a little bit. "
This bastard knew exactly what would happen if he let me think for a long time. All feeling faded and I just kept my full consciousness in the real world again. I regretted every second that bastard talked about my family. However, they were the same false ideas as always. I shouldn't trust, but I should talk to him, I needed to know how much more I knew about my family, I needed to know if they were well and I had to do enough time. So, as if forced, he replied dubiously.
- "…well…"
The guy unchained me and sat down in front of me again, this time he took a slightly more upright posture and his tone of voice became drastically deeper.
"Let me introduce myself, I'm Dimitri Lambda and I assume you already know who I am."
I started to feel a continuous tickling from the other side of the glass. It was good news.
The interview had only just started and the video of this was being transmitted to the computer. They would most likely make a written transcript. They were lazy so they would most likely print it out. That would be my only chance.
I had to concentrate and get this over with as soon as possible, so I answered his question.
"…yes, you're from Corvus…you've come to try to make me cooperate…"
Dimitri raised an eyebrow. He had found out. And we both knew that his tricks would no longer work. After that he took a breath and answered.
"Yes but…of course I'm from Corvus, but I want you to understand that the things that have happened can change if you cooperate with us, I can assure you personally, even I feel just as nervous as you in this room."
At that moment he handed me another cigarette.
As he showed his uneasiness by smoking, I thought to what extent what he said was true. All the people before him had already tried and all had failed. I took a puff of my cigarette and cleared my mind. Finally I decided to go for a bigger bet.
"…first…I need to know if they are alive."
The guy didn't take the time to think and answered with total certainty.
"That I can assure you."
That quick answer made a mist of thoughts and feelings take over me, a glimmer of hope returned to me. They had played like that before and they would do it again in order to make me cooperate. I could not accept that kind of insolence.
"Lie…YOU ARE LYING!"
I refused to trust him, I needed proof. Dimitri answered me with an incomprehensible calm. He answered with more conviction but his falseness was still noticeable.
"Calm down, I understand your situation but please remember what we talked about."
The guy was right, I was acting very erratically and I needed to focus, so I decided to go all out. Before answering I took a breath and tried to calm down.
"I need to talk to them before we start agreeing on terms."
At that precise moment I saw how his facial expression changed slowly, almost unpredictably but enough to know that he was in trouble.
"You will talk to them, there is a small condition…"
Time was becoming an increasingly important factor, and dialogue was becoming a real double-edged sword. I had to be careful and much less erratic.
"No… no conditions, I just need to talk to them…"
With that last statement he really knew that there would be no other way to make me talk, no other condition to put on the table. It still made my stomach turn how much longer this would last, when the opportunity to get out would come.
Dimitri, knowing that I wouldn't talk any other way, simply limited himself to warning me if I talked too much.
"Fine, if it's what you want so much, you'll have it, but just remember not to talk about it…"
He took a small cell phone out of his pocket and quickly typed a series of numbers. Every moment that passed my heart accelerated and I thought about the truth in this man's words, I thought about when all this would end. And if not, let it not be in vain.
The cell phone rang and Dimitri found himself looking at the glass. As the seconds passed and the bell rang more and more, was able to observe how his face, which despite being almost unchanged, slowly changed every time the line rang and no one answered. Maybe this was his trump card.
Finally the ringing stopped and the seconds passed slowly in complete silence, Dimitri's face was totally serious and the seconds passed… one…two…three and everything froze at the precise moment when from the other side of the line a sweet and unforgettable voice was heard saying
- "Hello, is anyone there?"
* * *
"I hope the talk helped you clear your mind. Now, remember that I am willing to help you talk to your family every month, and have a better living condition for your service to Corvus."
"How do you assure me that it will be like this?"
-"As long as you cooperate, I assure you that your family will be fine and that you will have a couple of comforts like a room for yourself…"
"…I don't know… you're lying…"
"You must understand that the world you knew no longer exists. There are people who will really make you suffer. You must understand to what extent you believe that all this has been in vain, to what extent they depend on you."
"…"
"I know there's been a lot of news and you can hardly believe me, but I'll leave you my card. If you change your mind, say out loud what it says and I'll be there to keep my word."
"We'll see about that…"
At that moment the light in the room went out. I threw the hot coffee in his face and quickly grabbed the chair and hit him hard on the head with it. I quickly searched his collapsed body and took his card. I knew for sure that the security doors still had reserve power. I had 13 minutes left.
I quickly grabbed the chair to continue my escape; I opened the door and hit the first bastard next to the door with it. I left the chair behind and started running with all my strength. I had waited long enough and it had worked. As usual, the white walls always indicated the closest path to the exit, and luckily, they indicated that at the end of this endless hallway was my freedom. Without thinking twice, I started running until I couldn't run any further.
I finally reach the door at the end of this endless hallway. There are 9 minutes left. The moment I try to slide the card through the door switch, the door opens and two burly bastards dressed in black and wearing gas masks tight enough to hide their faces point their rifles in my face.
I couldn't understand what was happening. What had happened. I clear my mind and quickly realize that they wouldn't be able to get through that door either of them. I drop the card and while these bastards look away from me, I crouch down to mid-height and charge at the first one in front of me. I quickly deflect his rifle so that he gets out of my direction while I knee him in the stomach hard enough to make him cry. However, I wasn't fast enough. At that very moment, the second one takes his electric baton and hits me hard enough on the back to make me fall completely paralyzed to the ground while he yells at me.
In the opposite direction as I writhe in pain, Dimitri quickly comes running with a blue bruise all over his forehead, to tell the truth he didn't look happy at all. Finally he stops in front of me and says with a tone that exclaimed hatred and fury in each of his words.
"Take him away from here!"
"Corvus Ocultus!" I screamed without any other choice.
"…son of a…good guy. Time for a happy trip."
At that moment the guy who was still coughing from the knee strike takes out his electric baton and looks at Dimitri, the latter nods. After that, he hits me hard enough to make me lose consciousness.
Original: Acuerdo Suspicaz, Entrevista al Agente OSI
Date: 21 Jul 2017
Author: DimitriTiwatLambda
Translator: Yorick1
