Match of the Millennium

A lone figure in a knitted sweater sits on an armchair in an otherwise dark room. Cool lighting from thirteen monitors - configured in two banks of six flanking a single, much larger one - reflects off of the lenses of the dark-skinned man's glasses. A cup of warm coffee sits next to a dictaphone on the desk beside him. "Imogen, copy monitor five to main screen." The video playing on the fifth monitor on the left starts playing on the main monitor. The man considers it before picking up the dictaphone and starting to record. "Initial field tests have demonstrated that the 'Hunter' project is succeeding across metrics. The combat exercise in the jungle showed that the Hunter is fully capable of engaging with armed forces in asymmetrical scenarios." As he watches a conversation between a brunette in disheveled security uniform, Ayala, and Braun, he suddenly leans forward in his chair. "Oh - Imogen, rewind clip, ten seconds. Let's hear that with sound." << "He's not lucky... he's bait." >> The man sits back, resting a hand on his chin contemplatively. "Remarkable, if it's true. It appears that despite its inherent bloodlust and base carnivore instincts, the Hunter is capable of the level of improvisational thinking required for traps. It's a shame that this group did not return alive. Imogen, monitor six to main screen." He leans back, taking a sip from his coffee as night footage from the casino plays on the main screen, showing a vicious engagement between John Doe, Homura, and two deadly frog-like creatures. The director looks pensive before leaning forward again with his dictaphone. "There. The way that they communicate, there. The exchange appears more social than tactical. Their behaviour in the infiltration field test was unusual - but their performance in terms of combat was exceptional. Imogen, give me a reading on subject John Doe." << Subject John Doe is in stable condition. Blood loss has ceased. Motor functions nominal. Coronary BPM: none detected. >> "Excellent. Play back my conversation with Lisa Hamilton from earlier." << Which conversation would you like me to play? >> "The first."

----- COMMUNICATIONS LOG, DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, 14:22 ----- LISA: << Atticus? Atticus?? Open the damn door already, Atticus! >> DIRECTOR: << That's hardly a professional tone, Doctor Hamilton. Can I ask why you're interrupting me? I'm coordinating several operations at the moment. >> LISA: << Because this can't wait. Why didn't you tell me that Ouroboros had escaped containment? >> DIRECTOR: << Because Ouroboros hasn't escaped containment. Ouroboros was released as part of a field test. >> LISA: << A *field test?* With an island full of civilians? >> DIRECTOR: << Well, yes. Civilians quite capable of defending themselves. In fact, they - >> LISA: << They killed it. I know. Do you have any idea what kind of waste that represents? >> DIRECTOR: << Several million dollars' worth - if we didn't have multiple backups. It was a prime opportunity to test the project's survivability. >> LISA: << Well, your giant snake was killed by two unarmed girls. I doubt that's going to look good to your investors. >> DIRECTOR: << One of which was a genetically-engineered killing machine, and the other of which turned into a scorpion hybrid. You're right, though - it was ill-suited to the scenario. We'll need to make enhancements to that one. >> LISA: << Megafauna are a thing of the past for a reason, Atticus! Where is Sullivan's squad, anyway? >> DIRECTOR: << I'm still waiting for communications from them. I believe we'll have to assume that their transport was destroyed by the phoenix. >> LISA: << ...Jesus... >> DIRECTOR: << How did your meeting go? >> LISA: << Weren't you watching? >> DIRECTOR: << Of course. >> LISA: << Then you know that it was a disaster. They took out all twelve Zacks. I only managed to get back with the real Zack. >> DIRECTOR: << And what happened to your passkey? >> LISA: << My passkey? ...Shit. >> DIRECTOR: << Yes. Left it behind, did you? >> LISA: << Look, no one will know what it's for - >> DIRECTOR: << Nevermind. I have a contingency plan in case they find us. For now, we'll have to assume that the timetable is narrowing and escalate accordingly. >> LISA: << ... Escalate, how? >> DIRECTOR: << We're going to need to test Project Hunter. >> LISA: << What?! After Project Wraith already escaped containment?! >> DIRECTOR: << Let's not protract needless mistruths, Lisa. PrimoGen is composed of some of the most elite bioengineers on the planet. It represents billions in investment. None of our employees are unprofessional enough to allow specimens to 'escape containment,' are they? Certainly not... twice. >> LISA: << ... Sure. >> DIRECTOR: << And retrieving Project Zed will be a suitable infiltration test. >> LISA: << But if someone interferes... >> DIRECTOR: << That's why it will be tonight. Now, get back to your research. You said that you were verging on a breakthrough if you could get access to the original, so go ahead and impress me. >> LISA: << Right... thanks, Doctor Blaine. >> DIRECTOR: << That's the professional decorum I like to see, Doctor Hamilton. >> ----- END COMMUNICATIONS LOG, DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, 14:26 -----

The director sits back in his chair, sipping his coffee, until the communications log finishes playing. His head cocks to one side. "Imogen, show monitor eight on main." The monitor shows a black and white image of Rodrigo and Sarah standing over a deceased, reptilian-looking creature. The director's head cocks to the other side. "Fast forward." The video accelerates, showing the pair leaving before returning, carrying boxes of food supplies past the dead creature. "The Wraiths have always hunted in pairs in previous tests. Where is his partner...? Wait - slow playback." With the playback slowed, a blurry shape moving across the wall behind Sarah and Rodrigo is visible. Then, two more shapes - and two more. The director sits back, smirking as he activates his dictaphone's recording function. "It appears that Project Wraith have been deviating slightly from expected behaviours in an attempt to pursue their prey back to the herd. Releasing them into the wild before the arrival of the other subjects has been proving enlightening. I believe that they will prove the most valuable of our current bioweapon lines. It would be interesting to see how their tactics would synergise with those of the Hunters. Actually -" The director pauses before turning off the dictaphone. "Imogen - have a team prepare Hunter Alpha for deployment." << Complying, Director. >> "Hmm - Imogen, do we have a drone with eyes on our insider?" << Located, Director. >> "Put it on main screen. The director leans forward as a video of Tom, Lou and Steve holding a meeting with the members of the New Fighting Generation comes up on the main display. "Let's have sound on that, Imogen." << Adjusting... >>

TOM: << Okay, ladies, gentlemen, and all of our other friends... >> LOU: << Look, there's no need for that crap, Tom. Let's just cut to the chase. This isn't match hype, this is a mission. It's life or death. >> TOM: << Well, look, Lou, I know that I was a sergeant in the United States Army earlier in my career, but I like to be polite. >> LOU: << Really? I thought those stories were from Call of Duty Black Ops. >> TOM: << I really shouldn't have discussed them with you in the first place, Lou. Okay, everybody! Listen up. We're splitting those of you who aren't in the tournament into three groups. Toxique, Rhythm Renegades, your job is to stay here with Steve while he repairs the radio mast. >> STEVE: << Yo. >> TOM: << Shock and Roll, Wild Things, Big Game Beta and Dead by - well, I guess it's just Homura since Jay Dee got kidnapped, but you're going to find this lab with me in one of the Jeeps to rescue John Doe and Zack. Whoever stole the Jeep has been joyriding it all over, so we should be able to find it by the tire tracks. >> LOU: << And Hollywood Heat and Atlantis will be going up to the caldera of Mount Zack with me to hold the finals before confronting Junko. >> COCO: << Wait a minute, how come I don't get to go confront Ju - >> "Imogen, mute main screen." The director sits back, tapping his dictaphone thoughtfully against his chin before speaking into it. "Bizarrely, despite their circumstances, the external test subjects apppear to be insisting on continuing their fighting tournament to its conclusion. Perhaps they are in a state of denial. They have just concluded what would popularly be known as the semi-final stage. The waterbender and the so-called 'dragon' were up against the knight and the witch and proved victorious. Meanwhile, the chimera and the Gear were defeated by the brawler and the stuntman with the sword. It appears that their final will be taking place at the volcano, the very place that the fire bird has been basing herself. This seems reckless at best and a suicide mission at worst. Perhaps they believe that by following the demands of the phoenix, they will be granted mercy. Personally, I doubt it." Something catches the director's eye on one of the monitors - the brunette in security uniform, visible on one of the facility's exterior security cameras. The director leans back in his chair, setting the dictaphone down, then takes up a microphone from the desk. "Imogen, I need to broadcast to the full facility." << Understood, Director. Patching you through in three, two, one... >> "All PrimoGen employees, this is Director Blaine. We are about to begin an off-site data backup. All science personnel, please log out of your workstations within the next five minutes and assemble at your stations within ten. All security personnel, assemble in the mission room for briefing. Captain Sullivan will be meeting you shortly." The director switches off the microphone and sets it down, steepling his fingers with his elbows on the armrests of his chair, and takes a deep breath through his nostrils before exhaling. "Imogen. Prepare Contingency Protocol Osiris for deployment. Ten minutes." << Please provide confirmation code. >> "Confirmation code Zeta Alpha Gamma Kappa." << Confirmed. Preparing viral agent for deployment. >> "Thank you, Imogen." The director rolls up his sleeve as he unlocks a drawer under his desk and removes a syringe and phial from it. "And set my office and all communications to Do Not Disturb for the next fifteen minutes."