Decrease

Wednesday - September 22

I turn my head back to watch what's unfolding. Then the chamber top begins to slide open. Dr. Querish, along with Monica, begins to help the person inside the chamber to sit as they awake. Unable to see who the person is, I become nervous and curious as to whom it will be. Then, to my astonishment, I'm taken aback. I whisper, "Victor." Then I feel someone taking my hand. I turn, and it's Georgia. She smiles at me and says, "The miracle of life is happening right before your very eyes, Jonathan. Isn't it wonderful?" I can only nod my head in agreement.

As Ted, Georgia, and myself watch Victor come back to life, I can only wonder why no one helped Claire. Maybe it's because they can't bring someone back who was entirely incinerated.

Victor tries to stand erect, but becomes weak and immediately vomits.

"Don't worry, John. Coming back to life isn't easy. Victor's body is adjusting to fresh air and it'll subside within a few hours," says Ted.

As I continue to watch Victor come alive, I finally realize why I was kept out of the loop. I turn to Ted and say, "You never told me about this Ted, because you knew what was going to happen in the future. You all knew, but you had to keep me in complete secrecy because I'm the one who holds the key to life. It's my blood that will save humanity, isn't it?"

"John, when Raymond discovered how diseases and slowing down the aging process could be conquered by his discovery, the world could never know of its power. Can you imagine how the wealthy would have stormed the CDC to have this formula for their worldly gain? It wasn't meant to eliminate death. It was meant to eliminate diseases, natural-born diseases, so that humankind could live more abundantly; and also, so that people could finally see that there's something to live for, to become involved in helping one another. But there were some who wanted the formula to make their lives more advantageous; more prosperous financially. Hence, that's why there was so much secrecy, John. But Dr. Dorsey paid the price for his discovery. He was murdered for it. By the time we discovered his body, it was too late to renew him. Raymond died a hero. Raymond died in order to save humanity."

"I wish I had known him."

"You did. But you were too young to remember."

"He loved you like a son, Jonathan," says Georgia, "and he loved Claire, too."

"Claire?" I ask.

Georgia looks at Ted. Ted nods his head to her and she continues saying, "I could never conceive Jonathan, and Victor's sperm, well... Claire was manufactured in the lab. She was made for you. After several sperm tests of different donors, a cell was finally produced and Claire was born. Because she was born in a lab, she was never sterilized and neither were you. It was important that humans reproduce naturally, and not in some godforsaken tube. As Claire began to age, we knew, we all knew what we had to do in order to get humanity out of the hopelessness it was engaged in. Jonathan, you and Claire were the new Adam and Eve. It was through the birth of your son that a new race of humanity was to begin. Your son was to be the beginning of a new world."

"How... how do you know about our son?"

"John, you and Claire were both watched like a hawk. There were so many scientists, doctors, and undercover agents whose only job in life was to protect you and Claire."

"A lot of good that did!" I yell. "Claire and our son still died because of this secret operation of yours. How are their deaths going to help humanity now?"

Georgia smiles, takes my hand and says, "Their deaths are the future." Perplexed by what Georgia said, she just continues to smile.

"John, come over here," orders Ted.