Deepest Ethereal: The Birth of the Cells

Chapter 3

DOMENIC

As the cell left the woman's house and entered once again into the world, it felt a strange feeling, as if something was calling it, drawing it to approach into an incredible force.  Close by, it felt the presence of four men, one had the glow, and the cell knew the glow was calling out.

DOMENIC COME HERE

The cell was paralyzed.  It feared the glow's mighty power, but it feared to disobey the awesome force within glow more.

COME INTO MY PRESENCE DOMENIC

Domenic slowly drew near to the glow, and though the power was as strong as it had remembered, the repelling force was replaced with a warm embrace.  The cell entered into the all encompassing light, and all of its fears were removed.

"Welcome, my child."  The voice was warm and gentle, but it held a power that could destroy any being with a word.

"My Lord, who are you?" Domenic asked.  The light grew thick around the cell, and its body began to shape once again.

"I Am," replied the voice.  "I Am the Creator.  I Am the Master of all things.  I Am the Savior of Men's souls."  Domenic could not make out any form in the brightness that surrounded him.  Only more light. 

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Ten years later

Dr. Kristov quickly walked toward his laboratory. He was late for work, and his appearance didn't hide it. His hair was disheveled and his glasses were crooked, but that was beginning to look like his normal style. His briefcase had papers hanging out of the sides, and his lab coat pocket had a faded ink pen stain on it. His work had consumed the better part of the last ten years, and a recent breakthrough only heightened his compulsion to succeed.

He walked into his office and was greeted by his lab assistant, Laura Donnell. She was Vladimir's fourth lab assistant since he had started his work in America, and by far the most competent. She started working for him right out of graduate school where she earned a PhD in genetics. The only thing that surpassed her intelligence was her beauty. She was tall and slender with mahogany hair and chestnut eyes. She stood in the doorway between Vladimir's office and laboratory, and she was holding a fresh cup of coffee. She handed him the cup as she said, "You're late."

"I know," Vladimir responded. "But it seems someone turned off my alarm clock last night."

Laura grinned as she added, "You seemed tired, and you deserved to sleep in. Besides, you were up late last night." She leaned in close and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

He put his hands to her shoulders and gently nudged her out of his way. "Last night was fun, but I have a lot of work I need to get done today. You shouldn't have disrupted my schedule."

"Vladimir, you know you are close to finishing your project. But as soon as you do, The Boss is going to pull your funding. You still have five years before your deadline, why don't you have a little fun while you can?" Laura hopped onto her desk and motioned for him to come closer.

"Don't flatter yourself," Vladimir said with a grin. Looking down at his papers, he added, "The way I see it, in just a few short weeks, I am free from The Boss' control. Until then, I work."

Vladimir walked into his lab and heard the typing of a keyboard. Shortly afterward a computerized voice welcomed him saying, "Good morning, Dr. Kristov."

"Good morning, Charlie," he answered. Charlie D. was Vladimir's favorite scientific success. Charlie was a chimpanzee that he had manipulated to think and act as a secondary lab assistant. He had programmed the robotic DNA to remove Charlie's basic instinct. Then, he implanted electrodes into his brain to activate his motor skills, and near his glands to stimulate hormone secretion. The process allowed Vladimir to manually control Charlie, and at the same time he taught Charlie how to respond to certain commands. Over time, Charlie learned how to type key phrases, use and store the lab equipment, and, most importantly, to properly use the lavatories. "I see you've set up my equipment already. Thank you Charlie."

"You're welcome," answered the computerized voice.

Vladimir was close to creating The Boss' cell, but experimentation had been difficult because the protozoa often rejected the robotic parts. He knew he could control a human. All he had to do was alter one human brain cell, and the rest would take care of itself. Human brain cells, though living, cannot survive alone, but The Boss was asking for a cell that lived like an amoeba. Vladimir had taken a human brain cell, removed all of its organelles and nucleus, and replaced them with an amoeba's parts. In theory, the human cell, altered to live like a single celled organism, would be accepted by human brain tissue and could successfully control a human. The problem he was having was keeping the cell alive.

Vladimir opened his briefcase and took out the calculations for his experiment. He was running out of options, and he was beginning to doubt if he could finish the project. Laura made the next five years seem like a lifetime, but he knew that if he didn't complete his task soon, he would have to start over, and five years was far too little time for him to work with.

As Vladimir began his delicate work, Laura weeded through a hefty pile of paperwork. She loved watching Vladimir work, but the more supplies he used, the more bills he generated. She sometimes wondered if she was wasting her life sitting behind her desk. She looked up into the lab, and the tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment before her reminded her that she was right where she needed to be.

She glanced over at Charlie D. He was playing internet poker, and from the looks of it he was winning. She knew that he was basically a robot, but the thought of a primate robbing people like he was still made her chuckle. "How's the game today, Charlie?" she asked.

"The betting is down. The players are bad. The connection is slow. I have to pee," without missing a beat, he jumped off of his stool and headed down the hall toward the men's room.

As he left the office, Charlie left his poker game running. Shortly afterward a signal beeped announcing it was his turn to bet. After the second beep, Laura walked over and hit the "Call" button. She quickly realized that she bet $500 on a 2-7 off suit pocket. The hand ended and Charlie lost the chip lead. Laura quickly hit a button to deal Charlie out until he returned and minimized the screen.

She noticed that Vladimir had left one of his files open, so she pulled it up. Most of it was information that she already knew, but there was a full section in one of his reports that she had never seen. It appeared that he was much closer to creating the cell than he let on. She continued to read the report for another minute, but she was interrupted by Vladimir's stern voice. "Find anything interesting?" he asked.

Laura jumped at hearing his voice and looked up to see him coming toward her. "I was just helping Charlie out," she quickly scrambled to open the poker game as Vladimir walked up to her. Seeing the game, he turned back around to his work. "My apologies," he said taking another look back toward her.

Laura went back to her cluttered desk as Charlie wandered back in. She watched Vladimir go back to his work, and she began to settle back down. She picked up a document and began to review it when Charlie's computer said in an alarmed voice, "Laura, what did you do to my game?"

Vladimir worked on his experiment throughout the day.  Charlie went to his room around dinnertime, and Laura left shortly afterward, but Vladimir worked well into the night.  The process of converting the brain cell into a protozoon was long and highly delicate.  A small mistake could easily ruin twelve hours of experimentation, and Vladimir knew the frustration of human error all to well. 

He had finished construction of the cell early in the afternoon, but it took several more hours of programming the robotic parts.  After he programmed the parts, he had to wait.  He had to wait to see if the parts would work properly; he had to wait to see if the cell would accept the parts.  Most of his work was waiting and watching.  If anything did not work right, he had to be there to see what went wrong.  The process took patience, and ten years had nearly drained him of every ounce that he once had.

He looked at his cell through a microscope, and everything seemed to be working the way it should.  The cell had accepted the amoeba parts, and had not rejected the robotic DNA, but he had not tested the cell for controllability yet.  In the majority of Vladimir's experiments, the cell died during the control test.  It seemed to him that the cell fought harder to stay in control than its body fought physical change. 

He looked up from the microscope as he erased the thought of a cell having any psychological control from his mind.  He rubbed his tired eyes and took a quick coffee break before he continued his experimentation.  He reviewed his notes on past control experiments and decided to push on before his caffeine buzz left him.

Vladimir initiated the robotic parts and watched as the cell's DNA was broken down into nucleotides and reassembled to form new DNA.  It did not take long before the change had been completed.  Controlling an animal was a much longer process without brain and hormone stimulation, but it was the only process available for single celled organisms.  Since single cells do not have motor skills, Vladimir could only control the cell by making parts of its outer shell stop moving, causing it to drift in a particular direction. 

He watched intently as the DNA changed and the outer shell began to ripple differently.  He had to constantly change the DNA sequence to keep the cell moving in the direction he wanted.  The cell kept up with the changes for several minutes, but the strain of the test drove the cell into a state of shock.  It stopped responding to Vladimir, and eventually excreted the robotic parts.  With no way of making new DNA, the cell quickly died.

Vladimir cursed and looked desperately for something to throw across the room.  He grabbed his coffee mug, but the picture of Charlie on the side helped him regain his composure.  He could not comprehend how his calculations could be incorrect, but he knew he could not give up.  He was running out of ideas, and the thought of not completing his task raised a feeling of panic deep in his gut.  One idea that had been growing in his mind, but he had refused to acknowledge, was the idea that the cell was indeed psychologically fighting the control process.  He did not think the cell was capable of that function; that it was a being of pure instinct.  Somehow, though, it resisted the control. 

He began to set up his next experiment, and he included a vial containing a fairly strong sedative.  If his theory was correct, then the sedative would calm the cell and stop it from fighting for control.  After he set up, he left a note for Charlie giving him chores for the next day.  He locked up the lab and headed for his car.

On the way home, the thought of failure and desperation slowly gave way to hope as he thought of his new theory.  What he first wrote off as an impossibility seemed to make more sense as he looked at the situation from a different perspective.  Though protozoa were creatures of instinct, his cells were made from human tissue.  His theory was that the cells somehow had human characteristics.

When he arrived at his house, Laura's voice called from his bedroom, "I didn't think you'd ever get home."  Vladimir made his way up the long wooden staircase, ignoring the art that lined the walls, as he rapidly approached his bedroom.  "You're lucky.  I was just about to turn off the lights, and you know how much I hate it when I'm bothered after the lights are off."  Vladimir strutted into the room and found Laura in a silky black nightgown sitting in the middle of the bed with her back against the headboard.  She had a book in her hands but she snapped it shut and tossed it to the floor, then she motioned for Vladimir to join her. 

With a lustful look in his eyes, he stalked over to the bed.  She giggled as he began to crawl atop the mattress, straddling her torso until his lips reached hers.  After a few seconds she pulled away to look into his eyes, and she asked, "How did the experiment go?"

"Don't mix work with pleasure," Vladimir instructed as he closed in for a second kiss.

Laura pulled away.  "I'm serious," she responded.  "I want to know how the experiment went.  You came in awful happy which makes me assume it went well, but you aren't ecstatic either which means it didn't go too well.  So tell me how it went so I can give you your just reward."

Vladimir wanted to argue, but he knew he couldn't win.  "The experiment failed like normal, but I have a new theory that might land me a decent break."

"How good a theory?" she asked.  "Because you have your good theories and you have your not so good theories."

"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure," he answered.

She looked at him in surprise and smiled as she said, "I don't think I've ever heard you say that you were unsure of anything."  She kissed him again as she began to unbutton his shirt.  He took off his tie and set his glasses on the nightstand.  He started to kiss her neck, but she interrupted him saying, "Don't go to work tomorrow."  He pulled away from her, but she pleaded, "Please, stay here with me."

"Don't start this again.  I am so close to being done with this damn project.  Why don't you want me to finish?"  He pulled his shirt back on and grabbed his glasses from the stand signaling that he was through for the night.

"What if he kills you anyway?  Did you ever think of that?"  He continued to button his shirt as he stood up and grabbed a pillow.  He started walking for the door when she shouted after him, "Did you?"

"Of course I have!  But believe me when I say this: he is not going to kill me.  I can guarantee you that."  He slammed the door as he left, leaving Laura alone.

The next morning, Vladimir awoke early and headed for the laboratory.  He didn't bother to check in on Laura; he figured she would argue with him again anyway.  His equipment had not been touched, so he started his work promptly.

"Good morning," came the voice from the computer.  "You're up early today."

"Not now, Charlie," Vladimir said without looking up.  "I have work to do."

"You always have work to do," retorted the primate.

"I mean it, Charlie. No interruptions."  Charlie returned to his poker game as Vladimir continued his experiment.  He worked quickly, duplicating the same experiment he had done the day before.  He took the brain cell, replaced the living parts, added the robotic part, and activated it.  The cell came to life; all that was left of the experiment was the control test.

 Where am I?  Why can't I remember anything?  I can't hear anything or smell anything.  I can barely see anything.  What is going on?  Who is doing this to me!?

            Before he continued with the control test, Vladimir added a drop of the sedative into the cytoplasm of the cell.  He waited until it had diffused thoroughly before initiating the final test.

 Something is happening to me.  I can't... move.  I feel so tired... so tired.  Wait.  Moving?  I'm... not moving.  I can't... be... moving.  So tired... so... tired.

            Vladimir watched in anticipation as the cell began to move.  The sedative caused the cell to yield all control to Vladimir.  He had finally created the cell.

  Can't stop moving.  I must fight for control.  Can't... stop.

            As the cell swam in its dish, Vladimir moved over to his computer.  Seeing him approach, Charlie quickly exited his game, jumped off of the stool, and left the lab.  Vladimir opened his journal and began to type.

My experiment today was a success.  I have yet to test the cell, but I am positive it will work.  It is nearly identical to any cell I would put into a subject, but this one is self sustaining.  Domenic is self sustaining.  I will call the cell Dominic after my father.

 Must fight.  I don't want to be controlled.  I can't be controlled.  I won't let myself be controlled.  Who did this to me?  There.  That man right there!  He must have done this.

I will test Domenic on Laura.  I have enjoyed her company up until now, but I have been saving her for this moment since we met.

 I don't understand how I move.  I have no legs, but somehow I float on the air.  I am nearly upon the man who has done this to me.  He is a colossus over me, but he does not see me. 

I knew nothing would happen to me until I had created Domenic, but now my life means nothing.  I have become expendable, but I will not be exposed of easily.

 I feel drawn to enter into his ear.  I don't understand why, but it is as if I belong somewhere deep inside the canal.  I have already made my way past the drum.  I am still drawn further.  I can feel the soft tissue; I can almost burrow into it.  This is where I belong.

After I take care of Laura, I plan on using Domenic to take out The Boss.  I am tired of being a pawn.  I created this cell, and I will use it for my purposes.

 "I created this cell, and I will use it for my purposes."  Is he talking about me?  He is going to use me?  He is tired of being a pawn, but he thinks he can use me for whatever sick purposes he has planned?  I won't allow that to happen!

            As Vladimir typed, he was struck with an excruciating pain in his right temple.  He cried out and grabbed his head, but the pain only increased.

 I won't let you control me!

            The voice in his head was as loud as thunder.  He quickly made his way to the microscope, and his fears were confirmed: Domenic was missing. 

"Domenic, this is not what you think," he shouted.  "Please, don't kill me!"  The pain spiked, and Vladimir began to black out as he fell to the floor.  "Please..." he murmured as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Laura left for work late in the afternoon.  After waking up in a half empty bed, she decided to call in sick to spite Vladimir.  Charlie had told her that he didn't expect her to come anyway.  She let her anger fester for several hours, but by early afternoon, curiosity had taken its toll, and her desire to find out if Vladimir's new theory had worked was stronger than her desire to pine over the night before.

Laura arrived at the laboratory and quickly walked down through the halls.  Her excitement grew as she neared the office, but as she approached the door she thought she heard Vladimir arguing with someone.  She quietly entered and watched as Vladimir held his head in pain and cried out for mercy.  She hurried toward him, but he had fallen to the floor before she could get to him.  She checked for a pulse, but it was weak.  His breathing was slow and she could tell he didn't have much time left.  She reached for her phone and dialed 9-1-1, and an ambulance was soon dispatched.

As she waited for the ambulance to arrive, Laura stayed with Vladimir and monitored his vitals.  His pulse remained weak and his breathing continued to slow, and by the time the ambulance arrived there was nothing more that could be done for him.  The paramedics took the body away, and she was left in the lab completely alone.

After the initial shock, Laura began to look around the lab.  Whatever happened to him took him by surprise, but there was no sign of a struggle.  As she considered the anomaly, she noticed Vladimir's computer screen.  He had written that his experiment had been successful, but there was no cell in the dish beneath the microscope.  The cell was on the loose, and the possibility that it had killed Vladimir was not hard to believe. 

She picked up her phone again and dialed a longer memorized number.  The phone rang twice before it was interrupted by a computerized whine.  After the whine subsided, a deep voice announced, "The line is secure."

 What have I done?  I didn't mean to do it.

            "Boss, we have a problem," responded Laura.

"Is this about Kristov?" asked The Boss.

 I don't even know what I did to him.  I was just so angry at him.

            "He is dead sir," answered Laura.

"What!" The Boss cursed into the phone.  "How did this happen?"

 I wanted him dead, but I didn't do anything. 

            "I'm not positive," Laura retorted.  "But I think the cell killed him."

"The cell?  He finished it?" The Boss' tone changed as he realized the good news.

 All I did was think about him dead.

            "He finished creating the cell, but it escaped somehow," Laura braced herself for The Boss' reaction.

"How in the hell could the cell have escaped?" he screamed.

 I just thought, and I gave him an aneurysm.

            "Something must have been devastatingly wrong with Vladimir's theory, sir.  Other than that I can't give you a direct answer," Laura kept her cool, but she was beginning to lose her patience with the conversation. 

"Is there any possibility of finding the cell," asked The Boss. "Or have you just cost me ten years of my life?"

 I killed him.  His heart just stopped.  I can feel his brain shutting down.

            Laura decided to ignore The Boss' accusation and answered, "Vladimir might have been a fool, but he was not stupid.  He always implanted homing devices into his subjects before he operated.  It is just a matter of finding the transmitter."

"Find the transmitter, and let me know as soon as you have the cell," The Boss hung up the phone Laura was once again left alone in the quiet laboratory.

The cell, Domenic, exited Vladimir's body before his brain completely shut down.  It took with it as much information about its creation that it could, including information about Vladimir's commissioner: The Boss.  The cell's feelings of hatred for Vladimir paled in comparison with its feelings for The Boss, and his punishment would be just. 

Prologue