Sanctify

Hayden stepped back as Jenna moved to the other side of the capsule, across from Dr. E. But, as if the word was simply an echo, Noriko didn’t move any more. So, Dr. E sent Jenna and Hayden out of the room, up to the lab to search the files and for updates. She explained that it would take some time before the consciousness would be strong enough to find its way through her dreams and surface, so the other two left reluctantly.

Once alone, Dr. E sighed and sat back, watching over Noriko, who made quick progress from being motionless to moving her fingers, her toes, and, eventually, her arms and legs shifted rather restlessly. With the preservation liquids out of her system, Dr. E made sure to pump her full of nutrients. Once Dr. E hooked her in, Dr. E looked for clothes and other items, along with personal things that Noriko had before being put asleep. About two hours later, the muscles around Noriko’s eyes moved and Noriko opened her eyes, blinking to clear her vision. Dr. E sat closer and brushed Noriko’s hair with her fingers, fondly. “Noriko, do you know who I am?” Dr. E asked softly.

Noriko’s eyes focused on Dr. E and she gave a slight nod. “Evelyn, daughter of Professor Egas,” she stopped and looked around. She sat up but it was too quick and she almost rolled off of the capsule bed.

“It’s alright, calm down, Riko,” Dr. E also reached out to keep her seated.

Noriko sat up straight and stretched. “Where am I?” she asked, frowning to see the dim room.

Dr. E took the opportunity to check Noriko’s vitals as she explained, “After the technicians put you to sleep in the capsule, they relocated you to an underground facility. My dad stayed here, overseeing you, and then I transferred in to work with him. Mom visited sometimes, too,” she added, casually.

Noriko nodded, “Where is Professor Egas, your father? Did he retire?” she added, searching Dr. E for signs of foul play, but found none.

Dr. E sighed and removed the needle from Noriko’s arm. “You’ve been asleep for 40 years. Dad tried to stay but,” she paused and shook her head, “he insisted on attending my Ph.D. graduation and, that’s when Sanctus struck.”

At that name, Noriko’s eyes widened. “Sanctus is still active?” Dr. E nodded. Noriko shook her head, “That’s not possible. We took him out and put together anti-viral measures to ensure the safety of the net. Everything should be still in place. Di said,” Noriko stopped, her mouth running faster than her mind.

Dr. E nodded and replied, “You need to shower and get dressed. We have a lot to catch up on. But before that,” she held up a towel and offered it to Noriko, “you remember the protocol, I’m sure?”

Noriko stood, slowly, and stretched again. She took the towel and walked along the wall to a door. When she opened it, she saw a hot-tub-like dip in the room. She hooked the towel on the rack and shut the door behind her. She stepped into the hot water and sat on the small circle in the middle. Using her buoyancy, she laid down and let the water bubble around her. With the white suit melting away from her skin, she felt the familiar chemicals cleaning away at her skin. Closing her eyes, she took careful breaths as the small platform she laid on moved up and down, allowing all of her skin to encounter the liquid.

When she heard the bell, she sat up and walked over to the shower on the wall. There, hot distilled water poured over her, burning away the chemicals that may have lingered on her skin. The white material had kept her skin insulated but she needed to be completely cleaned from the stale air that had surrounded her for so long. She could still feel the burning in her lungs from when she felt all of the oxygen gone from whatever had kept her, which woke her faster than everything else she could slightly hear.

She looked up to see water flood over her. “Diane,” she whispered, remembering the sudden appearance of an older Diane in her dreams before she woke and saw Dr. E. Noriko closed her eyes, trying to think back on the sudden dream.

Mavis had been playing basketball with Topher as Diane and Noriko watched on the grass. The game had reached a pretty exciting moment but Noriko felt a jolt and turned to see a much older woman with Diane’s eyes staring at her.

“What’s up with you?” Noriko had asked, playfully nudging her, but where Diane’s body usually fell away, Noriko touched warm skin. It was sudden, brief, and yet, enough. With her hand on Diane’s arm, Noriko demanded, “What’s going on?”

With sad eyes that tears fell from and, the woman had replied, “Help me, Riko. Save me, only you can,” and she uttered words that woke a side of Noriko that she had long put to sleep. Something clicked as the dream fell away and Noriko was alone in the darkness. She heard voices, as if underwater, and then felt her lungs burn from lack of oxygen –

Noriko opened her eyes and gagged. The memory caused her empty stomach to flip. Nothing came out, but Noriko still felt the pain and desperation of her friend. In an instant, she saw a familiar face on an unfamiliar body. After that, Noriko recalled what she could about the dream. Something about Diane’s mesmerizing brown eyes and urgent plea hurt her deep. And Noriko knew that she would do any and everything to save her best friend.

“Best friends?” Hayden asked, completely floored to see the capsule empty and Dr. E cleaning up, putting away tubes and wires, as if it had been a routine check up and the patient had left. Jenna, on the other hand, leaned against the capsule, staring at the ground, her arms crossed across her chest.

Dr. E nodded, “Look, Hayden, I don’t have all the answers. The last time I saw her, awake, was quite some time ago. And during that time, Diane was her best friend. All I have are files my dad had on her. That’s all I have to go on,” she added but continued moving.

Hayden looked to Jenna and then shook his head, “You’re actually excited about this, aren’t you?”

Dr. E nodded, “Of course I am. After being raised on stories about her intricacy, I can only imagine how amazing she is to talk to.”

Jenna turned to Dr. E and asked, “Should I wait to meet her?”

“Because you guys have similar faces?” Dr. E teased, and then dismissed the concern with a wave of her hand, “She knew what was going on when she entered the program. The Silence Program was different from the others. Heck,” she added, rolling over on her stool, “she’s different from the others. Let’s just take it as it goes. I mean, it’s not like we have much time to work. From what I know, there’s no backup coming.”

A door opened and Noriko stepped out of a steamy room in only a towel. Hayden froze for a moment and then turned away. Jenna looked up and swallowed. Only Dr. E moved to Noriko and handed her plain gray scrubs, like those of a long-term hospital patient’s, which Noriko put on easily, before Dr. E led her over to the others.

Dr. E had Jenna and Hayden step away as she checked Noriko over, looking for any remaining residue. She found none, but appreciated the moment alone with Noriko before she took a step back and asked, “You feel okay?”

Both Hayden and Jenna tried not to seem over curious as Noriko nodded and replied, “I feel alright.”

Dr. E smiled, “Good. I know you might want some time to figure things out, but it might be easier to be told or have your questions answered. Also,” she added, sitting down but staring up at Noriko with excited eyes, “maybe you can shed some light on some of the mysteries we’re facing today.”

Noriko nodded, “I’ll try.”

Jenna and Hayden moved closer, neither willing to get too close. Dr. E smiled and introduced them, “Riko, this is Hayden, he’s a trained Shadow operative.” Hayden nodded but Noriko only stared at him with unresponsive eyes. “This is Jenna,” Dr. E added, shifting the light so that Noriko could see her clearly.

Recognition brushed over Noriko’s face before a frown replaced it. Jenna nodded and let out, “Hi.”

Noriko turned to look at herself in some metal near her before she turned back to Jenna. “Evey,” she asked, without turning to Dr. E, “is she my Shadow?”

Dr. E smiled, “One of them.”

Noriko looked over Jenna and asked, “How are you?”

Dr. E held back a giggle as Hayden watched them intently. Jenna shrugged and replied, “I’ve been better.”

Noriko nodded, “So have I. Interesting.” She turned to Dr. E and asked, “Where are the others? Diane, Topher, and Mavis?” From the surprised expressions of the three before her, Noriko added, “I saw and heard Diane just before waking up. Did she step out for some fresh air?” she added, looking around. “And who is Jordy?” she added, scratching her arms unconsciously.

Hayden looked for help from Dr. E, but she held up her hands, “You guys should explain to her what’s been going on. I’m just here to make sure she’s alright.”

Noriko frowned and glared, hard, at Hayden. “What’s going on?” she demanded, an edge in her voice Jenna didn’t even know she could have.

Hayden sighed and stepped back a step, “It would be easier if we could show you. Can you climb stairs yet?” he added, eyeing the other capsules.

Dr. E winced and stepped closer to Noriko, “I know things are a bit weird. I promise, we’ll figure this out,” she added, and hugged Noriko, who only frowned. She didn’t like the fact that no one she was familiar with was around her when she woke from the sleep she was forced in to. She had found a little comfort in seeing Professor Egas’ gentle eyes, but found that Evelyn was very much quite unlike her father. It wasn’t what she liked, but Noriko had a feeling she would have to jump through their hoops just to figure things out.