Unknown Depths

Chapter 5: Horror

Diane never thought that Ivan was a madman underneath that regal demeanor he was normally. The whole training regimen given to them was similar to those of special soldiers she once took on in the virtual world. Although she was fit enough to be able to keep up with it, she was more or less questioning what was the purpose of this whole thing.

If Ivan claims them to be, why do they need to toil this hard? Weren’t they random people selected by the main brain to satisfy this request? Or there was something more he did not say, as the main brain explanation had made them unable to ask more?

For a time, she cannot be certain. So she pushed her questions behind and did as she was instructed with no questions asked. After all, her experience has let her know this is the most logical and most effective way to live well in the society they are in.

Growing up in this fast-paced and merit-oriented society, Diane learned not to complain and work hard on her own. While the world asks for the results, she likes the process more. Even if it was a little painful at first, Diane liked the feeling of working on everything.

She did not have this kind of fulfillment after she had her compatibility test years ago. The moment she was determined to be a future resident of the elite districts, she was not able to move this intensely as she was given an accelerated education that made her graduate at sixteen. Forget long distance running or self-defense classes, all she saw after she turned ten was numbers, charts and whatever data the main brain thinks is suitable for her development. Thankfully, she has not forgotten to train her body for health concerns, else she will be dead before she gets to finish the month-long training assigned to them.

Wiping her forehead, Daine looks at the rather impressive rock climbing wall she is about to climb up. She had just finished the obstacle course within the time limit and is now challenging the one they had dubbed as the hardest part of the training. Though it really isn’t the hardest for her.

Like a spider, Diane scaled the wall skillfully. The wall was rather steep and they were no longer given safety harnesses like they did a week after they arrived here. Instead, each of them has developed their own way of passing through various courses. Like, in this wall, Diane likes to use her speed to climb up, using momentum to steady herself, and if it doesn’t work, she has a spare dagger to make things easier for her.

Reaching the top, Diane finally passed that day’s allocation of exercises for herself.

Panting, Diane tapped the small button placed on the wall she had just scaled. It was her signing off of the place. Afterwards, she walked to the side to get the paraglider that was placed there for whoever wanted it. In fact, there are not just paragliders there, there are some parachutes and some other things that could help fasten their way down or just make them comfortable on their return.

Making a small momentum, Diane did not hesitate to jump. Traditionally, paragliders need wind to work, but as they are in an indoor place and wind is impossible to be strong, the paragliders they used are more like a small version of an early airplane. It has small propellers on its back to give it flight ability and smooth use.

Diane landed on the landing area where Micheal was already waiting for her. For the month they were staying there, the two of them had developed a tacit understanding with each other. They have yet to talk in depth about their abrupt partnership, but both of them, more or less, had measured each other’s tolerance and bottom lines to make things work.

It wasn’t that they did not want to talk with each other or they planned to hide their cooperation. It was more like they did not have the energy to do so. They are too spent to even think of finding each other. Others who were also in the same situation as them, so there are fewer occasions for talks to even happen during this period.

“Hey.” Micheal was first to call out.

Diane nodded at him in acknowledgement before following the guy to the table that served as their lounge area in that location. At times they eat here and gather here. Sometimes, in this place, they exchange some intel on what they noticed in this place.

“So what are your findings today?” Micheal said as he took a peek at the others who were slowly arriving at the place one after another.

“There is nothing that stands out today. But I saw something in the ceiling that did not make sense.” Diane said as she recalled the thing she saw. “There was a small pinhole or something attached to the ceiling that blinked once in a while. I don’t know what that thing was, but so far it seems I am the only one who has noticed it.”

“So that was why you used the paraglider for days in a row now.” Micheal had a look of understanding as he somehow had an answer to his unsaid question. “That thing might be the main brain doing its thing. But better to take note of it anyway.”

“So what did you find today?”

“Nothing. As much as I raze the ground to see more than what we already found, there was nothing else that stands out other than making me question when and why this place even existed.” Micheal replied. “There is really no need for us to be doing this in the programmed lives we had.”

Diane deigned not to say anything. She knew in her heart the truth of Micheal’s words. Although it was unfair as it took away her remaining family due to the ‘flaws’ identified by the system, their lives were really programmed like a good working algorithm.

They spoke no more and waited for the rest to arrive in the area before they proceeded to the place Ivan told them to meet him. Today was said to be the last time they would be here. He didn't tell them enough details as to why, but asked no more like they did at that official meeting.

Who told them to be unable to question things when the main brain was involved?

When the last person arrived, a girl from district, arrived panting; the girl from district A led them all to the area where their guides were waiting.

Anna, who was assigned to Diane, smiled when their eyes met. It was unknown as to why she and the others still served them when they were hotel staff, but Diane was glad that the woman was there to help her out with miscellaneous things. A familiar face is better than a total stranger.

Anna briefly asked her about her usual preference. Be it from her living habits down to her quirks, she asked her all sorts of things. Diane was puzzled about the reason as to why she was asked about them. She glanced at Micheal, who acted like everything was normal. Perhaps it is a thing of the rich. Diane could only think that it was like that so as to not be suspicious of other intentions every so often.

Ivan was already in the hall where they were escorted in. He smiled at them with a professional smile that might come out as genial to those who are not familiar with the nature of his profession or personal disposition. At the moment Diane saw him, an overwhelming feeling washed over her. Making her feel afraid and scared at the heaviness and the coldness that seeps deep in her bones all of a sudden.

Her feelings intensified, especially when Ivan’s eyes fell upon them. She was almost unable to control herself from shivering and shaking at the onslaught of emotions that seemed to be stuck in her throat. It almost made her feel a familiar ache that the psychiatrist identified as a phantom of the accident where they lost their parents.

“Ah, welcome to you all,” Ivan said as he gestured to them to take a seat. “I see that everyone was well. We can now proceed to the next part of the project. Though before all that, I have some questions that I would like you to answer.”

Diane tensed in her seat as she tried to make her presence as bleak as possible. She does not want to be under that guy’s gaze, let alone talk with him. And thankfully, the man did not pick her up amongst the people he called out.

Micheal was among those who were called though. Although the two of them do not share much relationship, as someone whom Diane somehow placed her trust in, Micheal’s well-being was a subject of her concern. With an erect ear, Diane was not willing to miss anything out of this exchange to keep surveillance of this partner of hers.

“.... say what do you guys think of our lives now?” Ivan said with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Diane did not know his face well, but she could see that the madness inside of the man was seeping out at that very moment. It was subtle and minuscule. If she was not aware of a dangerous individual locked up in that institute, she would not have noticed it. No wonder she was scared of this guy right at that moment and not like before.

“....it is too organized.” of the four people who were called out. If Diane remembered the characteristics of each district well, this person could either be from districts F or G. He had enough muscle but lacked in the looks department, so he might be from there.

“Yes, everything is organized.” Ivan said this as he fiddled with a pocket watch he retrieved from his pocket. “Everything is cataloged. From one's birth down to their life careers. All is done in an orderly manner to make sure society’s gear will continue to be well-oiled and working. But what else stands out from this norm we all have?”

“Inability to improve social caste.” Said the man from district B. “Your birth decides your early years, and at seven one’s rise and fall is cemented. A default that has existed way too long for one to question or even think deeply why something like it even exists.”

“Quite an answer,” Ivan said as he gave a glance at the man from district B. “As expected from you, who came from district B. Yes, this is a social phenomenon that was way too deep-rooted for anyone who lives in the society we are all living in. But after that, what comes next? Will this existing norm be a perpetual thing for all time? What about the world outside from what we all know?”

“We are trapped in the system.” The same girl who came last from their exercise said as she placed a hand on the amputated right arm of hers. “What is in the world outside matters not for us. Our living is already satisfactory despite some of us will forever stay beneath everyone else. At least life is guaranteed and the basics are provided.”

“Seems that you know what comes after falling beyond the established districts.” Ivan looked coldly at the girl. “But indeed life here is satisfactory, as you said, as there are far worse things than the lowest of the lower currently has. Which comes to another question. Why are we so incompetent at asking the right questions?”

“We are trained not to think,” Micheal answered with rather repressed emotions beneath his answer. “The whole system does not want us to think further than what this society needs. If one comes down to it, our whole lives are geared to be fuels for an already tested machine called society. And the executioner of all of this was the constant of our life, the main brain.”

“Excellent answer!” Ivan was delighted at Micheal’s answer and Diane could see the manic glint in his eyes was a little more pronounced at that moment. She had the impression of seeing something similar to it long ago but was unable to truly recall it. But it did make her afraid of what it would bring her.

“Indeed, everything we have is dictated by the piece of technology created by our ancestor’s efforts.” Ivan chuckled like he was telling a particularly good joke in place of the factuality of his words. “Made for the comfort of men and their descendents to live well in an orderly manner that will not place them in anything that will wipe them out in this world we all live in. Not knowing that this has caused a stagnation that will ultimately lead to what they fear the most."

Startlement filled in each person who was in the room. Diane could see an enlightenment in Micheal's eyes before it settled on horror, something she cannot decipher with the little context she got. But seeing that he looked at her in worry made her know that things were turning to a very dangerous threshold. They all sign up.

Perhaps Ivan understood that Micheal understood what he was implying, that he did not give him a chance to say anything else. With a wave of his hands, the guides assigned all of them invited next to them and had them all restricted in their movements in ways it did not require to use any form of physical b*****e. Diane looks in horror as Anna places a hand on her shoulder that makes her feel the unchanging temperature of the woman's skin.

Their guides are not humans at all.

"There is no need for fear." Ivan spoke out, as some of the guests had the same sinking realization as Diane. "Why fear of them when your whole life you've never been afraid of the main brain? They are by-products of those that failed to become the main brain we all know. Made with superior abilities and skills, they provide everything that makes your lives easier."

One of the people from district E shouted something out of fear. He was being incoherent in his words, but everyone could somehow understand what he was trying to convey. But before he could say more, he suddenly collapsed for no reason.

Alarms filled the room at his sudden collapse. Ivan was not surprised and only said that the guy was okay and his life was not in danger. But his words held no power over them and panic spread among themselves.

Diane was already frozen at the turn of events as Anna was still smiling unchangingly beside her. She felt so insecure, like a young child who needed someone's protection. Unfortunately, there was no such existence in this very room that would provide her with that protection.

Desperate for some peace of her mind, her eyes once again searched for Micheal among the crowd. Not knowing she was having a panic attack or that she had consumed something that had messed up her senses, she lost consciousness with Micheal also dropping down like a puppet without his strings.

Waking up later on was a very messy affair for some reason. She was laid on a rough surface that was more rough than the road pavement she and her siblings used to lie on after they were done playing tag. It felt quite itchy with small poking sensations of objects she could remotely pinpoint until she opened her eyes.

She was laid on some dried leaves of some plant she only recognized from the education she received. Though this certain plant was very different from what she knew, she just thought it was a variety she did not know of. Rare are plants, they are still well cataloged for all to read about.

Her head was throbbing like she had somehow collided with something solid in a drunken fit. Nursing her head, her eyes became wide at the sight before her eyes. Everything was a stranger to her.

The sky was orange in hue in contrast to what she knew of. The sun was bigger than she remembered, with it colored in red of a red giant her science class had once showed them. And the one that shook her was the darkened plants that surrounded her. Darker in color to capture more of the energy of the red sun, they look all ominous and terrifying.

Without thinking, she stared blankly at everything with little comprehension as to where she was currently. In the whole Butterfly City there is no such place in her knowledge. From district A down to district L, there is nothing that remotely looked similar nor was there any trace of this place even existing. Making her pretty little head more aching as she struggled to understand everything she could.

But no matter what she does, she fails to make a logical explanation of where she is now.

"Michael." Blurting out her partner's name, Diane felt an even deeper fear deep inside her as she searched for her surroundings, for the guy or anyone of her friends invited. Raising herself from her now half-lying position, she surveyed all directions for any trace of them.

But she saw nothing that indicated they were near her.

She is alone in a strange place with all the questions running in her mind.