![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
youngerpetrelliOOC -- this came from one of my crazy theories about what the Company might be doing with Peter's DNA, why they didn't want to kill Sylar when they had him, and a number of other things. I had to write this up before it ate my brain. If no one wants to play in this universe, that's okay, but I had to get it out of my head ;)
Peter really hadn't been expecting anything when he sat at the computer, letting his mind wander instead of answering an e-mail from a friend from nursing school and idly wondering what was in the files the Company had on him. No one could really blame him for the soft gasp of surprise when new folder icons started appearing on his desktop, each one labeled "Petrelli, Peter" and sequential numbers beginning with 001. By the time they finished popping up there were a total of fifteen, which he realized was the number of weeks he had spent in the Company's grasp, plus another one labeled "Project Rubedo."
"Oh... shit," he breathed as he stared at the icons, his e-mail completely forgotten. After a long moment, he swallowed nervously and reached for the touch-pad, planning to open his antivirus software and scan all of the folders before going near them. Before he could even move the cursor to the program, it opened and started scanning the folders. "Whoa!" he gasped, pulling back from the computer and looking around the room before he turned back to it.
He reached out to touch the computer, at first feeling for an invisible hand before he convinced himself no one else was in the room with him. Nervously he laid a gentle finger on the touch-pad and thought 'pause' at the virus scan, giving an uncertain laugh when it did just that. A quick look around the room, then he bit his lip and thought 'resume'. When it did with no hesitation at all, he stood up and stepped away from the computer while it dutifully performed the virus scan. "Where the hell did I get this one from?" he mused, trying to run through a quick inventory of abilities. He'd picked up the phasing one from someone who was at Kirby Plaza, along with Niki's super strength -- this must have happened at the same time -- but whose ability was it?
He shook his head -- that wasn't all that important at the moment. Not when the contents of the Company's files on him had, for all intents and purposes, magically appeared on his computer. The virus scan beeped to indicate it had finished and declared all of the files free of infection. Peter realized he was trembling as he sat back down in front of the screen, caught somewhere between exhilaration at discovering the new ability and fear of what might be in those files. He finally swallowed and reached out to move the cursor to the first one, double clicked on the icon and bit his lip as the folder opened to reveal .pdf files of interviews, reports and medical exams, and video files. Of course the cells had been monitored, he realized, feeling stupid for being surprised as he watched the footage of himself curling up on his bed the first day he had been there.
He read through some of the reports and medical files, frowning at some of the more esoteric test results. From what he could see, the information there was far beyond his knowledge of medicine, and probably more in line with Mohinder Suresh's area of expertise. All he knew was that an awful lot of notes had been made regarding how he was a better find than Sylar and that if the Company got their hands on the latter again, they wouldn't need to keep him alive this time. A chill skittered down Peter's spine and he hurriedly moved on to the next folder, looking for similar reports.
Each folder was similar, although the medical reports grew more detailed and complex as time went on. Peter assumed that was due to the scientists having more time to study him and the many samples they had taken from him. He was only peripherally aware of the fact that he was no longer double clicking on the files to open them, too preoccupied with the uncomfortable feeling that they had been working on something bigger than he had originally thought. He finally finished skimming the folders with his name on them and looked at the last one -- Project Rubedo. What the hell was that supposed to be, anyway?
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, opened the folder to discover one large .pdf file, then told the file to open.
It beeped and flashed at him, "PASSWORD PROTECTED. ENTER PASSWORD HERE."
"Shit. Where am I going to come up with some Company password to get into this stupid file?" he muttered, then he frowned and looked down at the keyboard and back at the screen. "Okay... enter password," he said, thinking it at the computer at the same time.
"Oh crap..." he breathed as the 'accept' button clicked itself and the file opened.
He started reading the file, icicles tracing down his spine as he realized what exactly Project Rubedo was, and how his DNA had allowed the Company to go forward with it. Even more chilling was the postscripted report of what appeared to be a successful trial on "Subject 001". Half-panicked, he sent the file to print, just in case someone either traced his access of the information or had other safety measures embedded in the file. Then, while it printed he hurried to get dressed. This was too big to handle on his own, and too much of a potential disaster to sit on. If the full project hadn't been put into motion yet, perhaps they had time to stop it -- and if "Subject 001" was a full success, life was about to get far more interesting than any of them were prepared to deal with.
Once he was dressed he stuffed the printed file in a large envelope and then into his messenger bag; burned the files to DVD's which he added to the bag, then erased them all from his computer. It was only after he finished that he realized again he hadn't touched the touch-pad. "Whoa..."
He picked up his phone and hit 1 on the speed dial, waiting impatiently while it rang. When Nathan finally answered he didn't wait for a greeting, just said, "I'm coming over there right away -- we've got big problems and I need to know if it's okay to be there right now."
"Pete? What? Right now? Okay..." and an instant later he stood in Nathan's study, clutching the bag. "Jesus, Pete, don't do that," Nathan growled, then he saw the look on Peter's face. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"The Company's using my DNA to give people powers, Nathan. Some kind of gene therapy -- and they've already started human trials!"
Author's Notes
Rubedo = a term from Alchemy. It's the third stage of the Magnum Opus, and means: reddening: unification of man with god, unification of the limited with the unlimited.
Alchemy terms are used, of course, because Bob is in charge of the Company at the moment, and his ability is turning things into gold, one of the best known goals of alchemists.
I also play the person who is "Subject 001", and know what ability he's going to have. It's totally evil, totally fitting for his personality, and I think I've built in enough checks and balances to keep him from being too powerful, depending on who he's dealing with. Heh.
Please keep in mind, this uses Heroes universe science, where smashing a case full of virus samples isn't an instant disaster. I am NOT an expert and have done no research in gene therapy or anything like that. I'm pretty damned sure it doesn't work like this, but again, Heroes universe science for the win!
Peter really hadn't been expecting anything when he sat at the computer, letting his mind wander instead of answering an e-mail from a friend from nursing school and idly wondering what was in the files the Company had on him. No one could really blame him for the soft gasp of surprise when new folder icons started appearing on his desktop, each one labeled "Petrelli, Peter" and sequential numbers beginning with 001. By the time they finished popping up there were a total of fifteen, which he realized was the number of weeks he had spent in the Company's grasp, plus another one labeled "Project Rubedo."
"Oh... shit," he breathed as he stared at the icons, his e-mail completely forgotten. After a long moment, he swallowed nervously and reached for the touch-pad, planning to open his antivirus software and scan all of the folders before going near them. Before he could even move the cursor to the program, it opened and started scanning the folders. "Whoa!" he gasped, pulling back from the computer and looking around the room before he turned back to it.
He reached out to touch the computer, at first feeling for an invisible hand before he convinced himself no one else was in the room with him. Nervously he laid a gentle finger on the touch-pad and thought 'pause' at the virus scan, giving an uncertain laugh when it did just that. A quick look around the room, then he bit his lip and thought 'resume'. When it did with no hesitation at all, he stood up and stepped away from the computer while it dutifully performed the virus scan. "Where the hell did I get this one from?" he mused, trying to run through a quick inventory of abilities. He'd picked up the phasing one from someone who was at Kirby Plaza, along with Niki's super strength -- this must have happened at the same time -- but whose ability was it?
He shook his head -- that wasn't all that important at the moment. Not when the contents of the Company's files on him had, for all intents and purposes, magically appeared on his computer. The virus scan beeped to indicate it had finished and declared all of the files free of infection. Peter realized he was trembling as he sat back down in front of the screen, caught somewhere between exhilaration at discovering the new ability and fear of what might be in those files. He finally swallowed and reached out to move the cursor to the first one, double clicked on the icon and bit his lip as the folder opened to reveal .pdf files of interviews, reports and medical exams, and video files. Of course the cells had been monitored, he realized, feeling stupid for being surprised as he watched the footage of himself curling up on his bed the first day he had been there.
He read through some of the reports and medical files, frowning at some of the more esoteric test results. From what he could see, the information there was far beyond his knowledge of medicine, and probably more in line with Mohinder Suresh's area of expertise. All he knew was that an awful lot of notes had been made regarding how he was a better find than Sylar and that if the Company got their hands on the latter again, they wouldn't need to keep him alive this time. A chill skittered down Peter's spine and he hurriedly moved on to the next folder, looking for similar reports.
Each folder was similar, although the medical reports grew more detailed and complex as time went on. Peter assumed that was due to the scientists having more time to study him and the many samples they had taken from him. He was only peripherally aware of the fact that he was no longer double clicking on the files to open them, too preoccupied with the uncomfortable feeling that they had been working on something bigger than he had originally thought. He finally finished skimming the folders with his name on them and looked at the last one -- Project Rubedo. What the hell was that supposed to be, anyway?
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, opened the folder to discover one large .pdf file, then told the file to open.
It beeped and flashed at him, "PASSWORD PROTECTED. ENTER PASSWORD HERE."
"Shit. Where am I going to come up with some Company password to get into this stupid file?" he muttered, then he frowned and looked down at the keyboard and back at the screen. "Okay... enter password," he said, thinking it at the computer at the same time.
5 o L V 3 E + C 0 4 G u 1 A
"Oh crap..." he breathed as the 'accept' button clicked itself and the file opened.
He started reading the file, icicles tracing down his spine as he realized what exactly Project Rubedo was, and how his DNA had allowed the Company to go forward with it. Even more chilling was the postscripted report of what appeared to be a successful trial on "Subject 001". Half-panicked, he sent the file to print, just in case someone either traced his access of the information or had other safety measures embedded in the file. Then, while it printed he hurried to get dressed. This was too big to handle on his own, and too much of a potential disaster to sit on. If the full project hadn't been put into motion yet, perhaps they had time to stop it -- and if "Subject 001" was a full success, life was about to get far more interesting than any of them were prepared to deal with.
Once he was dressed he stuffed the printed file in a large envelope and then into his messenger bag; burned the files to DVD's which he added to the bag, then erased them all from his computer. It was only after he finished that he realized again he hadn't touched the touch-pad. "Whoa..."
He picked up his phone and hit 1 on the speed dial, waiting impatiently while it rang. When Nathan finally answered he didn't wait for a greeting, just said, "I'm coming over there right away -- we've got big problems and I need to know if it's okay to be there right now."
"Pete? What? Right now? Okay..." and an instant later he stood in Nathan's study, clutching the bag. "Jesus, Pete, don't do that," Nathan growled, then he saw the look on Peter's face. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"The Company's using my DNA to give people powers, Nathan. Some kind of gene therapy -- and they've already started human trials!"
Author's Notes
Rubedo = a term from Alchemy. It's the third stage of the Magnum Opus, and means: reddening: unification of man with god, unification of the limited with the unlimited.
5 o L V 3 E + C 0 4 G u 1 A= Solve et Coagula, the primary dictum of Alchemy in Latin, meaning Separate, and Join Together
Alchemy terms are used, of course, because Bob is in charge of the Company at the moment, and his ability is turning things into gold, one of the best known goals of alchemists.
I also play the person who is "Subject 001", and know what ability he's going to have. It's totally evil, totally fitting for his personality, and I think I've built in enough checks and balances to keep him from being too powerful, depending on who he's dealing with. Heh.
Please keep in mind, this uses Heroes universe science, where smashing a case full of virus samples isn't an instant disaster. I am NOT an expert and have done no research in gene therapy or anything like that. I'm pretty damned sure it doesn't work like this, but again, Heroes universe science for the win!
