017 - Creeping Death

[Tullaryx]

Power surged through the power converters as magickal energies continued to gather unabated around the tuning forks situated around the huge, underground dungeon-laboratory. Scientists and mystics monitored systems for any fluctuations that might endanger the experiment. Lionel Johnson sat in his private observation booth looking over the testing area and the shielded rooms which held the people conducting it. His consigliere stood next to his seated form quietly speaking on his headset to several agents making their weekly reports.

"Tell each of them that I want concrete proof and leads this time," Lionel reminded Anselmo who continued to listen to each report coming in thru his headset. "My reach maybe growing as I speak but sending an agent to every lead, no matter how tenuous its validity, is starting to raise interest in their activities from people we don't want interest from. For the moment at least."

"I have emphasized your instructions to all agents, sir." Anselmo quickly answered then returned his focus to his current task.

The experiment, or spell test, in the laboratory below his observation booth continued and even he could feel the rise in magickal energies in the facility. It was something that hasn't been done for decades. His own research and studies these past years only brought up one other instance when a spell of similar power was attempted. An attempt foiled by inquisitors and agents of the British crown. Like his own world this one also had their Guy Fawkes Day. This particular insurrectionist just happened to settle on setting off a massive spell to topple the Crown instead of gunpowder.

It wasn't a spell of destruction his people were trying to test and hopefully succeed in pulling off, but one that could send him back to his own world. A goal he's been at for years since he was accidentally sent here by his mentor. If the spell succeeds and a more stable interdimensional gateway could be established then he could fully concentrate on establishing more influence on his current adopted home.

"Power levels are at 90 percent and rising. Frequency fluctuations nearing red levels." Lionel heard one of the scientists call out over the speakers.

"There's a change in the weave of magick in the room." It was one of the mystics coming through the speakers this time around.

"Sir, fluctuations are holding steady just below red level. An aperture is beginning to form." Lionel didn't need to hear the announcement to know what was happening. It wasn't a gateway but he could definitely tell there was something forming in the middle of the test area.

"Something is coming through the opening." Another of the mystics told him through the speakers.

"What is coming through? Or is it a person?" Lionel asked as his attention remained riveted on the ever-growing hole which seemed to be coming out of the maelstrom of magickal energies in the middle of the laboratory.

"We don't think it's a thing or someone, sir." one of the scientists replied. "Our readings show nothing solid. It looks to be some sort of transmission. We can't get a full reading on it. The transmission seems to be encoded in some way or, at the very least, degrading as it passes through the aperture."

"Continue recording and keep the vortex stable for as long as possible," Lionel's excitement over the initial test was barely contained. The vortex which now swirled in the middle of the testing area was just big enough for a bowling ball. Still not large or stable enough for human testing, but it would do for now. The fact that he was able to receive some sort of transmission from the other side gave him some hope.

A klaxon suddenly came to life as flashing red lights and sirens came to life in the facility. Scientists and mystics scrambled to their stations and began trying to find the cause of the emergency. From his vantage point Lionel noticed one of the mystics had collapsed into a heap as others tried to resuscitate the man.

Second stage emergency alarms came to life and his observation booth suddenly went into a biolevel delta safety mode. All corridors which led to the laboratory below suddenly went into vacuum seal. His own booth switched to circulating air from a separate source within the compound. Anselmo he already noticed was preparing to have his escape helicopter revved up to take him away.

"Is the transmission coming from the vortex being sent to the back-up server?" he asked his consigliere who was almost done with all the necessary preparation to solve their problem.

"Every bit of data from the experiment has been sent to the back-up servers." Anselmo answered as he inputted the codes which would begin the cleansing process. "Sir, when you are ready with the codes."

Lionel took the handheld tablet computer from his consigliere, but hesistated in inputting the codes which would begin the cleansing process. His attention was still focused on the event unfolding in the rooms where the scientists and mystics running the experiments were located.

It was less than a minute since the first mystic collapsed when a scientist did the same. He didn't know if something from the other side was coming through to creep into the rooms with the scientists and mystics but whatever it was he saw death when it happened. By the time Anselmo had given him the tablet to input the codes into at least 1/4 of all the staff in the lab was down. The rest were beginning to panic as they realized they were sealed in the rooms with the recently dead.

Lionel didn't like losing valuable people, but the experiment wasn't a failure. The next group should be able to learn much form the notes and data collected from this initial experiment. What he regrets losing was the lead mystic who led his coven into beginning the interdimensional spell. It looks like he'll need to find another one of similar ability.

"I think we should be off, Anselmo," he rose for his chair and handed over the tablet pc back to his consigliere with codes inputted. "Make sure to have the cameras continue recording for as long as they can withstand the cleansing. There may be something to glean from it once I get back to the San Francisco property.

Anselmo just nodded in agreement as he followed his master into the private elevator which led to the helipad which rose out of the ornate swimming pool of San Simeon Castle high in the hills above the California Central Valley. Lionel didn't see it first-hand but would see it soon enough once he reviewed the footage of the laboratory and the last few moments of the remaining staff before the acid bath cleared the room and the flames scorched what was left. The vortex had already collapsed into itself before Lionel left his observation booth.

The creeping death which took some of the staff he'd see much later have another effect on the bodies of those who succumbed to it. But for now the man who was beginning to earn a whispered reputation within circles of power but still remaining unknown was just worried that his quest to return to his own world was going to be delayed. He didn't see the twitch of dead fingers then followed by the screams of those who saw...
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