As Jasen reached his door, he paused.
His kinetic vision picked up a single heat signature standing just outside the threshold. His psychic sense followed a mind later, brushing against a familiar presence—focused, predatory in the way a hunter waits before a strike. Not violent hunger, but lustful obsession.
This familiar sensation was no one else but Ela.
Jasen's mind raised. Why was she here now of all times? Well it is also my birthday, so maybe she is here for that. But what might she do?
Then another two sharp knocks echoed through the corridor. Jasen exhaled slowly and opened the door.
Ela stood there in her commando armor, with her usual posture, shoulders relaxed, head tilted slightly, bright purple eyes. Her smile was wide, cheerful, and perfectly rehearsed.
"Hello, 13," she said. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you," Jasen replied evenly. "Is that all you wanted?"
Ela laughed softly. "Of course not."
She leaned against the doorframe, glancing down the hallway before lowering her voice.
"Sula, Matriarch Yelara and I are leaving the facility tonight. Supposedly our assignment here is complete."
Jasen's eyes narrowed just a fraction. "Leaving? Like for good?"
Ela nodded. "That's what the Matriarch said. No orders to return, and I doubt they plan on saying goodbye." She reached into the back pocket of her belt, and produced a small data chip, holding it between two fingers.
"So," Ela continued in a sly tone, "I wanted to give you something before we go."
Jasen didn't take it immediately. He just stared at the chip and her hand. What was she planning? "What is it?"
"The truth," Ela said simply. "The secrets of this place and on you. You've always had questions. This will answer some of them."
Jasen studied her face. His psychic sense brushed against her surface thoughts, layered, intentionally masked. Whatever her motives were, they weren't simple. He wouldn't be able to know more unless he actually touched her.
"Why give this to me?" he asked.
Ela stepped closer, lowering herself to his height. She placed a hand lightly on his face and caressed it intimately. Then she went in for a kiss. It caught Jasen off guard.
For a brief moment, a pulse of eezo energy rippled through the air. It was Ela's blue biotic energy flickering around her body, purple eezo energy radiated responding instinctively from Jasen's side. The resonance wasn't emotional. It was biological and almost psychological. Like two tuned frequencies brushing past each other.
As her lips parted Jasen's lips. She stared at him, her bubbly smile turned into one of lustful hunger. Jasen felt her powerful urge to meld with him and feed of him. But he also felt the restraint Ela was possessing. He could tell in this moment she was holding herself back.
Then she placed her head on mine. "Because you're different, your very special, and I know we will meet again." she said.
Ela withdrew her hand. "Grow strong, 13," she said softly. "I can't wait to see how strong you become." Then she turned and walked away down the corridor, her footsteps echoing until the silence returned.
Jasen closed the door and sat on the floor. His mind was racing.
That woman is definitely dangerous. She is either a very patient Ardat-Yakshi or she's into grooming. Either way she is a predator. It felt like she was saying get nice and big for me. That way I can enjoy you more later.
But that feeling she had with me to meld with her was powerful, it was like looking at a dark world that was gonna swallow me whole. But that kiss, it was something different. Can't believe my first kiss in my new life is with a older woman.
Then Jasen immediately activated his omni-tool. He didn't know if this omni tool could read data on a chip, but it doesn't hurt to try. The chip slid into the holographic interface with a soft click.
SCANNING DATA…
DECRYPTION IN PROGRESS…
ACCESS GRANTED
The holographic display expanded along his forearm. Lines of classified files unfolded before his eyes.
His mind focused as files and lines of text appeared.
PROJECT ASCENSION:
PRIMARY SPONSOR: THE ILLUSIVE MAN
SECONDARY SPONSOR: ( REDACTED)
OVERSIGHT: CERBERUS
BASE FACILITY : (REDACTED)
Jasen's jaw tightened. So it was Cerberus, and that means this is a Illusive man project.
A lot of information is redacted. Makes sense. This place had no logo's, and whenever people talked about the person running this whole operation, they would always whisper something about a benefactor.
So that must mean this project was completely off the books. Jasen then scrolled to the subject list and what he saw next confirmed what he saw in that vision.
SUBJECT STATUS FILES: 001–013
SUBJECT 001: Decommissioned
SUBJECT 002: Terminated
SUBJECT 003: Terminated
SUBJECT 004: Terminated
SUBJECT 005: Terminated
SUBJECT 006: Terminated
SUBJECT 007: Decommissioned
SUBJECT 008:Decommissioned
SUBJECT 009:Terminated
SUBJECT 010: Terminated
SUBJECT 011:Terminated
SUBJECT 012: (REDACTED)
SUBJECT 013: Currently in Progress
Terminator is another fancy word for dead, the question is what did they do with the decommissioned subjects? And why is Subject twelves file redacted. Jasen red through the files, there were so many children. Some were taken in from orphanages or off the streets.
Then the total funding for the project flashed next.
PROJECT ASCENSION BUDGET: Currently 200,000,000+ CREDITS, with estimate growth to 2.5 Billion Credits.
Jasen exhaled slowly. What the unholy fuck. They spent two hundred million credits killing and experimenting on kids, and now they have me. But it's not surprising. The Illusive Man had spent 4 billion credits to resurrect Commander Shepard. Two hundred million on a secret genetic project wasn't surprising, but it was still horrifying.
And they project it to go up to at least 2.5 Billion. They could solve so many problems with that money. Instead they want to be the xenophobic Nazi's of humanity. Which is funny. They talk so much in the games about being human first, but they throw away their humanity quickly to get results.
Jasen's eyes shifted to the next file.
SUBJECT 12 – REDACTED
When he opened the file Almost everything was blacked out. Even the picture. the only thing of note is that subject 12 is a girl, and possesses incredible strength, stamina, durability, and regeneration.
So she is a tiny super soldier. Lord only knows what the scientist did to her.
Then he opened his own file.
SUBJECT 13 (Currently in Progress)
FINAL MALE SPECIMEN – PHASE ONE
HYBRID HUMAN MODEL
His throat went dry, as he continue reading
DNA CONTRIBUTORS:
– Human Female (REDACTED)
– Asari (Matriarch Yelara)
– Krogan (Warmaster Korgath)
– Salarian (Dr. Vorath)
– Donor X (REDACTED)
Jasen stared at the names. This can't be, but at the same time it makes sense. They were my donor's. Which made sense. They been watching me since day one. So his theory was correct. He figured Korgath, but not the others.
Jasen realized in this moment he wasn't just enhanced. He was engineered to the last strand of his DNA. His strength, regeneration, biotics, perception, intelligence, came from deliberate genetic design. Carefully selected traits spliced into a human framework.
But two donors were hidden. His human origin, and Donor X.
All he could find is that the human female, has a strong tie to the project. While donor X is alien but still redacted.
This is great I'm a test tube baby. Jasen began to question his existence and his own humanity. Was he still technically human or was he a freak?
No...Noo...Nooo. Stop with that thinking Jasen. You are you, it doesn't matter if your all human or mixed or whatever. You have bigger concerns then this. You have to find out more and then go from there. then you can have a mental breakdown or existential crisis later.
The file continued.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE: Create a superior generation of humanity capable of rivaling and surpassing alien species within 100–200 years. Establish dominance through biological evolution.
Jasen felt his hands clench. The Illusive Man wasn't trying to protect humanity. They were trying to replace it with something else. I can understand why Korgath is here. His research tied to potential genophage solutions, and since he want's me to deliver this data chip to Okeer. That solidifies the super soldier route to overcome the genophage.
Vorath's presence made no sense. Unless he was hear to keep a eye on the project or Korgath. On his file it says. "Gene splice oversight." So that makes me think since he was also on the same team as Morgan Solace to make the genophage. What else can he do.
Yelara's role labeled "biotic optimization and genetic compatibility specialist." Was everyone here a damn geneticist. I can't think of any reason an asari Matriarch would want to be here. Unless the Asari want to start making super soldiers. Which alone is a scary thought, but with their experience and long lives, they wouldn't need a human center project.
The only thing I can think of is that Matriarch Yelara was doing this of her own volition. But the main question is why?
But Donor X… No species, name, or origin.
Just one line: CRITICAL TRAIT SOURCE – CLASSIFIED
Jasen shut the file. He had the truth. But the truth didn't change his goal, It only confirmed it. This place wasn't just a research facility, It was a inhumane factory, and he was the product.
He looked toward the door, his omni-tool glowing faintly against his skin. A line said: PHASE TWO WILL COMMENCE ON June 13th, 2166. But there was no more material to read from.
Whatever Phase Two was, he wasn't staying long enough to find out.
Tonight, he was leaving.