On the 5th floor of Engram’s Onyx facility, a hum of activity belied the early hour of the day. It was said that SecOps never slept, a fact that was borne out as the night shift finished their reports and began to filter out of the offices.

“CALERO! VALENTINE! In here NOW!” a voice commanded, belonging to the one man most tried to avoid encountering.

The two agents entered as quickly as they could, but narrowly prevented themselves from running. David Szostak did not tolerate running in the office, or disorderly conduct in general.

“Sir!” Calero said, saluting sharply. Valentine saluted as well, and both stood silent as they waited for acknowledgement.

Accustomed to having his orders followed, and to having them wait on his word, Szostak continued to review the report in his hand before finally looking up at the two before him. His eyes moved from one to the other, and then back to the paperwork.

“Would someone care to explain how it is possible that we have a 7 hour gap in last night’s footage on 2?” he demanded, waiting expectantly.

“It was manually done from the terminal in Ms. Whisper’s apartment, Sir. The authorization codes were in order, so no alarms were triggered.” Calero replied, keeping her eyes straight ahead, and her hands folded behind her back.

“To add to that, Sir, it wasn’t her auth code, it was Raden’s. Far as we can tell, the code was entered after he arrived there yesterday evening, and the system was brought back online this morning.” Valentine reported, consulting his notes, and then looking up again from the paperwork.

“Thank you. Saxe had better get his people under control before they get themselves and the rest of us killed. I’ll take it from here, you’re dismissed.” Szostak replied, standing from behind the desk. “Good work. Both of you.” He added, nodding to his agents. Engram SpecOps division had been his command for 4 years, and these were two of his best. He prided himself on running a tight ship, and protecting the facility and its occupants. Gathering the files from his desk, he followed his agents out the door. It was time to pay a visit to Mr. Saxe.

As Calero and Valentine exited the elevator on the 2nd floor, they nearly collided with a hurried Troy Kerrick. He apologized profusely, but jammed the button for the 4th floor several times impatiently. He tried to keep his composure as he realized that the other occupant was Szostak, the last person he ever wanted asking him questions.

“In a hurry there, son?” Szostak asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think this thing will move any faster.”

“Yeah, sorry, Sir. Late for a meeting with Saxe, and he’ll have my hide if I don’t get up there.” Troy managed, trying to keep his voice level. Thankfully, Saxe had a reputation for being abrupt when he was kept waiting, and the staff knew better than to be tardy when summoned to his office. He was relieved that he could be truthful at least that far, and that it wouldn’t rouse suspicion.

“I see. I’m headed there myself, maybe you’ll be off the hook while I’ve got his attention.” Szostak chuckled, picturing the all-too-common scene of Saxe lighting up one intern or another for some misdeed. “Anything I need to know?”

“No, sir, I don’t think so.” Troy answered. You definitely do not need to know this! He thought, wondering how he would protect his closest friends this time. “Just missing a shipment for Special Projects, and nobody seems to have any idea whose lab it ended up in.” He sighed in exasperation. The shipment was indeed missing, but so were Whisper and Raden. Whatever it took, he would buy them some time.

“Again?” Szostak asked. “Whoever screwed this one up better pray they get those materials to the right place, or that they had clearance to open the package. These people sure don’t make my work easy!” He shook his head in frustration.

The elevator opened onto the 4th floor, and Troy walked alongside Szostak, grateful that he wouldn’t be the first one in the door with bad news. He nodded to the secretary, and took a seat in the reception area outside the executive suites to wait for Mr. Saxe to be available. Szostak strode across the room without checking in, and after a brief knock, walked straight into the office unannounced. Troy could only stare after him, unsure whether to be afraid or impressed.

Szostak walked briskly into the office, but stopped short. Raden sat across the desk from Dr. Saxe, looking mildly irritated at the interruption. Saxe himself folded his hands on his desk, waiting to learn what could possess the man to barge in unannounced.

“Good day, David, is there something you need?” Dr. Saxe addressed him casually, glancing only briefly back at Raden. “Had I known you were coming, I would have been able to provide more privacy.”

Szostak glared at Raden and then at Dr. Saxe, angry at finding the very subject of his visit sitting before him. “As a matter of fact there is, Doctor. I need you to get your people to respect protocol. How the hell am I supposed to do my job if this guy feels entitled to shut down security whenever he damn well pleases?!” He raised his voice, stabbing a shaking finger in Raden’s direction. “I don’t know what’s going on here, hell, I never do, and I’m supposed to prevent you all from getting your crazy asses killed!”

“I apologize, Sir.” Raden said, spreading his hands in a conciliatory manner. “I assure you, I didn’t make the decision lightly, and I was already planning to make a full report. I was about to begin, but it is not my decision whether or not Dr. Saxe would like this disclosed. I had hoped to make that determination before coming to see you.” he explained.

“David, I know you’re a very busy man, but if you could come back this afternoon, I would be better prepared to answer your concerns and questions.” Dr. Saxe said, standing from behind the desk. “The nature of our work is not always conducive to best practices, but please understand, I do value your expertise, and I will see that you are briefed.”

“Fine. Suit yourselves. But don’t think I’ll let this go. Believe it or not, I do care for the people in this hell hole, and I aim to see that you all stay in one piece. See you after lunch, Doctor.” Szotak turned and left, shaking his head in frustration.

“This had better be worth it, Raden. Szostak is royally pissed, and I won’t hear the end of it. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn’t pull a stunt like this if you didn’t have a damned good reason.” Saxe said, returning to his chair.

“While I don’t have all of the answers, you need to know the situation at this point. I am uncertain how much time we have.” Raden answered, glancing down to refer to his notes. “Aldrich, this concerns Whisper, as well as everyone in the facility.”

“Spit it out, Raden, what have you gotten yourself, and the rest of us into? You know full well that I have need to know clearance, and that I can and will ensure that the information reaches whoever necessary.” Dr. Saxe kept his eyes on Raden, unnerved by the uncharacteristic hesitation. He knew the man to be one of the most brilliant minds in the facility, no, the most brilliant. It wasn’t like Raden to mince words.

“I’ll do my best, Aldrich. As I informed you through my message a couple of nights ago, I acquired samples of Whisper’s blood, and I ran some further tests. As you have also been made aware, she has been troubled by disturbances in her sleep that have never had an explanation, until now. Before I continue, I’m going to need to ask you to violate further protocol, and to probably further enrage SecOps.” Raden stood, placing his file folders on the desk. “I’m afraid that I have some information to give you that you would be more inclined to believe a demonstration of, rather than an explanation.”

Needing no further prompting, Dr. Saxe rose and went to the door, locking it securely. He entered his personal code into the lock, ensuring that he was the only person able to release the lock from the inside. He returned to the desk, pressing a button to lower the steel shades over the large windows that made up one wall of his suite.

“You need not worry about anyone listening, or watching, my office is a SCIF, I field calls from the President here.” He explained, taking his seat again.

“Very well, I trust your judgement, Aldrich.” Raden said. As his long-time friend’s eyes widened in very real fear, Raden transformed.

“The hell?!” Dr. Saxe shouted, getting to his feet again as he fought hard not to reach for a weapon.

“There is no easy explanation. You are aware that Whisper was found in a location where it was not possible for a civilian to be. At your direction, she was brought here, presumably deceased, and was subject to examination. Engram has records of what the examining physician saw, and Doctor Martask has worked closely with Whisper all of these years, trying to understand the events of that day.” Raden began, keeping his distance, and keeping his tone level.

“Yes, Raden, I know these things. I’m waiting for the part where you’re a damned...whatever you are!” Doctor Saxe exclaimed, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

“Doctor, please. I will not harm you, I have never done wrong to anyone here, nor would I. My appearance is different, but I am the same man you have known for the last 12 years. I am trying to get to the point, but context is necessary, and I would appreciate it if you would stop looking at me as though I had killed someone.” Raden sighed, and sat himself, hoping the gesture would help ease the tension.

“I’m sorry, Raden. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I just don’t understand how you have been here more than a decade, with absolutely no sign that you were anyone but the most brilliant son of a bitch I’d ever met. Now it makes more sense.” Saxe returned to his chair, trying to settle his nerves.

“I understand how upsetting this is. It is why I chose to show you, rather than merely tell you. Something tells me you would not have believed me, even though you know I have never been untruthful.” Raden continued. “If there was not so much at stake, I would not have chosen now, or in this way, to come forward. Now to the point I have been trying to reach. Whisper is one of my people. I apologize that I cannot go into detail on that at this time, especially surrounding the circumstances that brought us here. Quite simply, I followed her. I did not arrive immediately, and when I did, no one was there. When I traced her here, I applied for work, allowing me to remain at her side. However, I realized that something had happened to her. She had lost her memory, and she had been altered. What you do need to know is that I have identified the source of the nightmares she has been suffering, and that it presents a serious threat. For now, that threat is contained, but I do not yet have enough information to determine when, or if, that will change.”

“What kind of a threat? What are we dealing with?” Saxe asked, beginning to realize the gravity of the situation.

“It, or rather he, is a living being. I believe that he is seeking Whisper, and myself, and that he would like very much to see us destroyed. He has been using her unconscious mind as a means to torment her. Last night, I was able to shield her from him, and I am confident that I can mask our location for the present time. It was for that reason I disarmed the security system for our floor. I could not risk anyone witnessing this, and having others learn the truth. I am truly sorry for the issues that this has caused for you, and more so that you, and Engram itself, are now embroiled in this. More than this, I am not able to explain, but know that I will do everything in my power to protect all of us.”

Dr. Saxe exhaled deeply, letting go of a breath he hadn’t been aware he was holding. “Do you have reason to believe that this thing, this being, is coming here?”

“I believe that if he finds us, that is very likely. Still, I don’t think it is possible for him to do so, at least not yet. If he possessed that power now, he would not have hesitated to use it. There is much I need to do, and I will be working to learn the extent of the situation. If the threat becomes imminent, I will work with you and Szostak, and with anyone necessary to protect us, and the world.” Raden explained. “I must ask that for now, this does not leave this room, and that it is not disclosed to Mr. Szostak. He is a good man, but the more who are aware of this, the greater the chance of unauthorized people hearing of it, or seeing something they should not.”

“In spite of my better judgement, Raden, I agree. I should be on the phone to the Pentagon right now, I should be briefing the President. But until we know more, I won’t report this. If this thing of yours decides to go find something better to do, I don’t need to end up locked up in the psych ward somewhere.” Dr. Saxe rubbed his temples, his head pounding from the stress.

“I appreciate your discretion. We have been friends for many years, and I would like to believe we still are. That I still enjoy your trust, and your confidence.” Raden closed his eyes, and again allowed himself to take on his familiar appearance. “I am trusting you with my life, and Whisper’s.”

“Of course, and I’m sorry again for my reaction. In my line of work, it’s probably more surprising that something like this hasn’t happened sooner. You’re a pain in the ass, you know that? What am I going to tell Szostak?” Dr. Saxe asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Tell him that I admitted to breaking protocol, you wrote me up, and that the big secret is an affair between personnel.” Raden chuckled, reaching out to shake his friend’s hand.

“Are you trying to tell me something else? An affair? You? Wait. Don’t answer that. Please.” Aldrich laughed in return. “Get out of here, I need to think.”

Raden turned and walked out, surprised to see Troy in the reception area. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I was…Raden?! I could ask you the same thing! I’ve been looking all over for you! I came up here to cover for you and Whisper when you never showed up for work!” Troy said, throwing his hands up and getting up to leave. “Guess I don’t need to see Saxe after all, and I should thank you for that. Do me a favor. If you plan on vanishing again, warn me!”

“I will, my friend, and I’m sorry to have worried you. Come with me to the lab.” Raden didn’t wait for a reply before he left the reception room, heading for the elevator.

They got in, and once the doors had closed, Raden once again opened the panel, and pressed the button for Zeta lab. “Whisper will be waiting for us, and there will be time for questions then.”

“What the heck is that? I thought we were going to the lab?” Troy looked over Raden’s shoulder, confused and frustrated. “When is someone going to tell me what’s going on here?”

“We are, Troy. We’re going to my personal lab, not Whisper’s. I apologize in advance, but there will be things I cannot answer, even with your clearance. You’ll have to trust me.” Raden replied, turning to look pointedly at Troy. “All things considered, that probably will be difficult, but Whisper and I will need your help.”

“Look, I don’t know what all this secrecy is about, but Whisper is my friend. She is my closest friend, if we’re being honest, and I won’t let anything happen to her. If you need me, and if she needs me, I’ll do whatever I can.” Troy answered, meeting Raden’s gaze.

Since the early dawn hours, Whisper had been sitting at Raden’s workstation, pouring over data. Her scientist’s mind took in the information, piecing together details as well as it could. There were still so many unanswered questions, but she could now approach it from a new perspective. These were not abnormalities in her blood, or Raden’s, they were the factors that were inherent to people not of this world. She needed to understand, to learn things she had never imagined possible. Last night had been too difficult and painful, and far from getting to ask Raden the myriad questions that she needed answers to, she had instead been completely overwhelmed. Even now it was difficult to wrestle with the truth, and to accept what she had seen as more than the product of her troubled mind. She shook herself out of her thoughts, and rose to collect another printout.

As she reached for the papers, the door opened, admitting Raden and Troy. She waved absently as she took in the latest results. She was fascinated, lost in the implications of what she was looking at. Raden peered at the papers as he approached her.

“I see you’ve wasted no time. What have you been working on?” Raden asked casually, favoring her with a smile. “Anything to share with the class?”

“I don’t know where to begin!” Whisper answered, as excitable as ever. She had exposed the sample of Raden’s blood to multiple pathogens, and so far, none could overcome the unique cells that were present in their blood. “If this is accurate, all of the work we’ve been doing goes out the window. This is all that’s needed.”

“Yes, and no, Whisper. You know as well as I do that this cannot be shared with the world, or with anyone but a select few. Where money and profit are concerned, you know what the result would be, and that isn’t something we can allow.” Raden answered. “However, I have informed Doctor Saxe, and we are going to need Troy’s help as well. There are still things we need to have answers to, and it needs to be done without arousing suspicion, or drawing unwanted attention. Show him.”

Whisper handed over the original sheet, comparing Raden’s blood and her own. She stood next to him as he reviewed it, and Raden joined her. Troy poured over the data, trying to understand what it meant. “What is this? What am I looking at?” He asked, looking between the two of them. “I’ve been at this a long time, and I’ve never seen anything like this. Is it another virus?”

“No, it isn’t a pathogen, don’t worry. These are samples of mine and Whisper’s blood.” Raden said matter-of-factly. “Have a seat Troy.” he added, gesturing to the chair Whisper had been using at Raden’s desk.

“You knew about this?” Troy asked Whisper. “I don’t understand.”

“No, not until last night. I didn’t want to believe it either, at first, but now I just want more answers.” Whisper replied, sighing softly.

“Believe what, exactly?” Troy pressed her. “You say these are blood samples, and I knew they found abnormalities, but I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Troy, I think you may understand better than you realize.” Raden interjected. “You’ve seen Whisper’s file, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but what are you getting at? Sorry if I sound like a broken record here, but I’m going to need more than hints here.” Troy answered, continuing to study the paperwork.

Raden opened one of the drawers, and pulled out another folder. “This is everything Engram knows about Whisper.” he said, removing two photographs from the folder and handing them to Troy. “When they found her, there were no vital signs. From everything Dr. Martask could determine, she was dead. The first image was taken when they encountered her. The second, here at the facility when they arrived.”

Troy scanned the pictures. The first depicted Whisper, bloody, wounded, and unmoving. The second photo showed her lying on the exam table, after Dr. Martask had cleaned the wounds. He had not seen them before, and he shuddered as he saw the condition she had been found in.

“Notice the time stamps, if you will.” Raden prompted.

“Wait...6 hours? How?” Troy asked, as he began to realize what Raden was saying. He was sharp, and had spent enough time in Special Projects to understand how much was kept from the public, and the world at large. He was pragmatic, he knew that science was uncovering much that would have seemed impossible a short time ago. He was fascinated, and eager to learn. “Are you saying she just...got better?”

“She healed, yes. Look at her. Do you see any scars? Any sign that this is how they found her?” Raden asked.

“Now that you point it out, no. I don’t know why I never thought of it.” Troy looked at Whisper, as if seeing her for the first time. “These cells, what are they?”

“They are natural, for us. For our people.” Raden answered, reaching for Whisper’s hand. He stroked her fingers, and pulled her closer to him. “We identify them as I-Cells.”

The truth dawned on Troy then, as he looked at Raden, and then at Whisper. “Holy shit…” he said, his voice nearly a whisper. “So you’re….” he trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.

“Let’s move to the lounge, and I’ll explain.” Raden said, leading Whisper through another door and into a well appointed break room. Troy followed, and sat across from the two of them, as they seated themselves on the sofa. “I apologize, this will be new to Whisper as well, and I want her to be safe.”

Whisper looked up at Raden, her expression loving. “Please don’t worry about me, I need to know, I need to understand. You know who I am...don’t you.” She said quietly, the words more a statement than a question.

“I do.” Raden answered. “But that is a more private matter, which I will help you understand tonight when we are alone. There is much I wasn’t able to tell you last night, because I was worried, and you were so upset. There will be more questions, but I need you both to listen, for now. Time is short, and we cannot stay here too much longer, or people will begin to notice our absence.

“To answer your question, Troy, you are correct. We are not human. We are called Lumhin. Our coming here was not planned, but it served a purpose better than we had hoped. For 12 years, we have been able to remain here undisturbed.

“I longed every day to tell you the truth, Whisper, but it was safer for us if you did not know. When you arrived here, something happened, you lost your memory, and when Engram found you, there were so few I-Cells in your blood that Dr. Martask was convinced it was something you had been exposed to, that it was external. I realized then that you were vulnerable, and that your presence here needed to be protected very carefully. I protected you, ensured that no one but Dr. Martask was allowed to perform any type of medical procedure on you. It was not until I looked at your blood again that I saw what I had hoped, and had waited all these long years to see. Your I-Cells have completely replenished, to the same levels as my own. You are awakening. As you have recovered, it has allowed the nightmares to worsen, because it has made you more accessible to the one causing them.”

“I need to stop you there, Raden.” Troy interrupted. “Look, I know better than to doubt you. But are you saying it’s a person causing the dreams? That this is some kind of attack?”

“Yes, Troy. He is called Tenebris. I cannot explain further now, but he is dangerous. I fear that he altered her in some way, but it appears to me that it has been a favor, rather than a curse. It sheltered her all of these years. I was not completely certain it was him until I observed the dream last night, and I was able to shield her from him.” Raden explained.

Whisper sat transfixed, listening as Raden spoke. Images flashed through her mind unbidden, unrecognizable and yet familiar. She closed her eyes, holding her head in her hands as they came, faster than she could process.

“Whisper, are you alright?” Raden asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I….Raden….I’m seeing things...pictures... I think I am remembering things. I don’t know what they are, but it feels...right somehow.”

“I suspect I understand…” Raden trailed off for a moment, considering. “If I am correct that Tenebris altered you in some way, then it would stand to reason the effects would be wearing off after I shielded you. Perhaps whatever was done, is being undone more quickly.”

Troy sat in silence, watching the two people who were family to him. He had no living relatives, having lost his parents in an accident when he was young. Science had been his life, his love, his reason for being. If they were not human, so be it. It didn’t matter, they were his friends, and he loved them. “How can I help?” He asked.

“Dr. Saxe is aware of part of this, of the fact that there is a threat. He will eventually need to know more, but we cannot afford for others to learn of this yet.” Raden replied, turning to look at Troy. “There will be things that we need, that you are in a unique position to help us acquire. Troy, you have access to Deep Storage, do you not?”

“I do, yes. What do you need?” Troy answered, getting to his feet. “Say the word, Raden. I will do anything I can to help.”

“I need to see the items recovered when they found Whisper. While I also have clearance, it would raise far more questions coming from me. Now that I find myself on Szostak’s radar, I will need to be more careful for the time being.” Raden explained, favoring his friend with a smile.

“On it.” Troy answered. “I have some work that will give me the perfect excuse to go down there.”

“What about me?” Whisper asked. This was about her, all of this was because of her. She needed to help, needed to know so much more. “I may not be good at all this sneaky stuff, and I’m an awful liar, but there has to be something I can do.”

“Whisper, there is indeed something you can do.” Raden replied, a roguish, and uncharacteristic grin spreading across his face. “You are going to help me create a scandal.”

“You’re not human? Sure. You’re in trouble with Szostak? Fine. But a scandal? This I’m scared to know.” Troy laughed, shaking his head.

“I love Whisper.” Raden told him. “I have for a very long time. But what better way to offer an explanation for secrecy than this?”

“Fair enough, Raden.” Troy answered. “Speaking of secrecy, if we don’t want half the facility asking questions, I think we should get back upstairs. We’ve been down here for hours.”

“Good point.” Whisper said, getting to her feet as well. “Everyone knows I’m a workaholic, but you two should make an appearance. I’ll see you tonight, Raden. And Troy, thank you, for everything.”

“I told you, we’re in this together.” Troy answered, heading to the elevator with Raden. “Catch you later!”

As the doors shut behind Raden and Troy. Whisper wandered back to the lab, and to the workstation. As her eyes found the images of her blood and Raden’s, more images came unbidden to her mind. A lab she didn’t recognize. Blueprints. A voice, saying to her that her work was forbidden, and it would never be completed. Fire. She put a hand to her head again, slumping into the chair. As if in a trance, Whisper began to draw.