Chapter 72

The Dark One’s Respite 2

-:-

2 Days Later

Theo’s Hideout

Theo loved a wide variety of music genres.

Be it rock, metal, classical and even music with lyrics that he didn't understand.

It also didn't matter to him if it had vocals or it was purely instrumental as long as it sounded good.

He also didn't care who was the artist behind the song because how they lived mattered little to their artwork.

At the moment, Theo was sporting a pair of headsets that was playing an anime opening song with a singer using a very loli-ish voice while he worked on his new project.

He never actually watched the anime but the song was surprisingly catchy.

As Theo hummed to the song, his ‘project’ screamed at the top of his lungs and would probably be kicking and thrashing if it wasn't for the restrains that held him in place.

Aside from Theo, there were 9 other individuals in the hideout.

Two of them were female and the rest were male.

All of the 9 were naked and were strapped to an standing X-cross that could normally found in BDSM porn videos.

Following through with the BDSM theme, they had ring gags in their mouth in order to prevent them from biting off their tongue and clear tubes that were shoved into their genitalia and anus. This was in order for all of their excrements to go straight to a compact incinerator when they eventually piss and shit themselves.

Lastly, there were hooks that kept their eyelids from closing.

The 9 also had IV’s stuck into multiple parts of their body which gave them life saving nutrients.

Out of the 9, one was lying on a X-cross table in front of the other eight while Theo sliced his skull open and poked his brain.

Naturally, this was done without anesthesia.

Just in case Theo accidentally pokes something he shouldn't have, a large vat of omnigel would flood the ‘project’ and forcefully heal every damage Theo has inflicted.

Every time this happened, Theo switched to the next ‘volunteer’ and ‘play’ with the poor sob.

All in all, it was not proceeding well.

While he did enjoy the screams of his ‘playmates’ for the first few hours, the lack of progress in his ideal form of mind control frustrated him a fair bit.

The human brain was not a computer that anyone can just install a control chip and call it a day.

A brain’s mental synapsis was so much more complicated than that.

‘Why is Theo even trying to get into the whole mind control business when he can just make robots?’

The answers were simple.

Robots worked within a well defined parameter. They don't have a human’s instinct, wisdom and versatility to work their way around a complex problem.

AI was also out of the question

Why?

A few years ago, a certain incident with Mechanicus where one of his AIs who was affected by some mysterious magic nearly caused a ‘Judgement Day’ level apocalypse.

Naturally, the superheroes saved the day, but it wasn't a happily ever after ending.

Governments all over the world has passed laws banning any research and development pertaining to Artificial Intelligence.

Quite a few countries outright banned Mechanicus from entering their territory.

Among all of the superheroes, Mechanicus was distrusted the most.

While Theo could make his own AI with defenses against magic, he was no fool to risk the Judgement Day scenario.

Quoting a line from a famous movie

‘Judgement Day is inevitable’

Theo knew he was being superstitious, but he swore to himself that the potential end of the world will never come from his hand.

There was actually a solution to the AI dilemma.

He could just do what he has always done and directly control his machines.

The main problem to this was the load on his brain.

At the moment, he would need at least a hundred times more than his current equipment to actually feel any form of strain.

However, there was a limit to how far his control signal could reach.

If he wanted a global organization similar to Jabir ibn Hayyan’s Hassan i Sabbah spy network, he needed agents that could think for themselves, act accordingly to an ever changing scenario and unquestioning loyalty to him.

Jabir did this with his clone army.

Theo’s solution to this was cyborgs.

Unfortunately, he had very little acquaintances that he could trust completely. And he had even less people that were willing to sacrifice themselves without hesitation for him.

He needed his sacrificial pawns to have enough free will to act like normal humans, but subservient enough to follow his will without question.

Thus mind control.

Which was why his current dilemma was particularly infuriating.

In his annoyance, Theo accidentally sliced something he shouldn't have. Alarm’s rang out as his playmate’s vital signs began dropping.

And as per usual, the pain and agony made the volunteer piss and shit himself.

Theo quickly pulled out all of the stuff he stuck into the poor slobs brain and immediately injected large amounts of omnigel into his system.

Barely a second later, the poor slob was completely healed. He was unconscious due to the severe pain of the omnigel, but he was alive nevertheless.

“*sigh*.... Good job man. You can take a break now” said Theo.

At Theo’s words, a few drones carefully picked up the X-cross and placed it in a standing position with the rest of the other volunteers.

Given how they were arranged, the volunteers looked like hunting trophies. In a sense, they indeed were.

Theo checked on the volunteer’s condition and made sure that all of the equipments that were keeping them alive were working correctly.

While Theo did this, the volunteers desperately pleaded for their lives…. Or at least that was what Theo thought they were doing.

Thanks to the ring gag in their mouths, it was impossible to understand what they were saying.

With a satisfied nod, Theo left his hideout and ate at a nearby eatery.

His meal comprised of fried chicken and a loaf of bread.

A very weird meal for someone who has millions of rooks in his bank account but Theo has always prefered meals that had a ‘home cooking’ vibe to them.

Fast food had a fearsome reputation for contributing to the Commonwealth’s obesity epidemic with all of its artificial preservatives.

Restaurants would have been nice if it wasn't a hotbed of paparazzi.

4/10 times Theo ate at a decent restaurant, some annoying news reporter would approach him as if it was purely coincidence.

Dealing with such annoyances was frustrating to say the least.

As such, Theo made a conscious effort to eat at places where public safety was questionable. So far, it has worked wonders.

While Theo was munching on his fried chicken+bread combo, he mused on his next course of action.

As far as he knew, modern technology was still incapable of an effective mind control. The brain was simply too complex for even the most sophisticated control chip to handle.

Nanomachine technology would be ideal if it wasn't for the massive problem of supplying energy to microscopic bots that perform the functions that outstrips even the most powerful supercomputer.

Swallowing his pride as a midas alchemist + technomancer, Theo asked for outside help.

He went back to his lair and used his ‘illegal’ phone to make some calls.

The first one he approached for advice was the frog faced doctor.

“Hello doc? This is Theo. Got some time to chat? I need some advice.” said Theo

“Kid! It’s been quite some time! I’m always welcome to chat, but if you're looking love advice, you came to the wrong guy. I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker” replied the Doctor.

“I figured as much. With a face like that, I doubt you have any women linning up”

“That's where you're wrong my little metalic friend. The power of money attracts a lot of filthy social climbers. I suggest you get ready coz they're coming for your wallet”

“Roger that.... and you know that you're giving love advice right now, right?”

“Hahahaha. Touche. Anyways, I don't mind giving you advice, but I can't do it face to face at the moment. I’m enroute to a job you see.”

“I don't mind. Just tell me what you think over the phone.” said Theo as he explained to the doctor his desire for a science based mind control device.

After listening to Theo, the doctor remained silent for a couple of seconds before speaking.

“You know I’m a doctor right? It’s my job to save lives, not to turn them into mindless zombies” said the doctor with a sigh.

“Don't worry doc. I have no intention of turning anyone into mindless drones…. I just want them to be ‘partially’ brain dead. As long as they have absolute loyalty to me, they can have as much free will as they want” replied Theo.

“*sigh*..... It seems that your trip around the world twisted you quite a bit.”

“I don't think so. It just opened my eyes to a more practical method of destroying evil. Anyways, any suggestions to my predicament?”

The doctor groaned.

“You didn't hear this from me. The thing you want is very similar to the Commonwealth’s MKUltra project. I’m sure you heard of it” said the doctor in a grim voice.

Indeed he has.

MKUltra was a project back in 1953 where the Commonwealth made efforts to develop mind control techniques via drugs, machines, hypnosis, torture, magic, etc.

“Hold on…. Wasn't it revealed in the 1970’s that MKUltra was a failure?” asked Theo.

Once again, the doctor remained silent for a few seconds

“Kid… do you know how magic works?” asked the doctor

“Yeah. Magic is the effect of collective belief on reality via a substance called mana. This is why no matter how illogical their action is, as long as many believe it as such then…..” said Theo as he suddenly realized something. “Good god…. The mass hysteria when the MKUltra was revealed!”

When MKUltra was revealed to the public, many news outlets reported on it causing a widespread panic throughout the Commonwealth.

Quite a few delusional individuals firmly believed that they were subjected to the MKUltra. These fools only added to a problem that no one knew for sure existed or not.

“That’s exactly it kid. That mass hysteria was specifically designed to make MKUltra a success. Based on my sources, there’s a couple of labs still running. Where they are, I don't know.” said the Doctor.

“I see…. So you’re telling me to replicate it. Not a bad idea. However, based on what I can gather from our conversation, it seems that MKUltra is magic based. How am I supposed to pull it off?” asked Theo

“For that, we move into the main reason why the MKUltra plan required a mass hysteria. It was in order to create the precursor of the modern day Brown Theory. And that is to mix 2 completely different branches of power into 1. This branch is called ‘Technosorcery’ namely science and magic. Most people don't know of it, but the fierce belief that ‘a science based mind control exist’ via the MKUltra fiasco allowed it to exist.”

“I see…. Interesting. But my power is purely science based. How am I supposed to do that?”

“Unfortunately, I can't help you there. You’re going to have to find someone who’s skilled in magic based item crafting to do that.”

“I see…. Well I better start looking for one.” replied Theo

Theo and the Doctor chatted for a bit before hanging up.

With the doctor’s words in mind, Theo proceeded back to his lair and picked up 2 items that symbolized the fruits of his labor for the past few months.

He then proceeded to the HAA campus.

While it was still too early for him to reveal himself to the HAA higher ups, and by extension, the paparazzi, Theo decided that advancing his mind control project was priority.

“Time to visit my favorite beef jerky”