Project: Death for Classroom Zero

Chapter 30: Open

The arched door opened.

As soon as the tension arises once again because of professor Buenavista’s claim about the quiz of ciphertext, the door clanked and opened. From Professor Buenavista, Tristan’s gaze went towards the  spaces of the two faces of the gate-like metallic door. Inside was a swirls of invigorated bright light—too bright that it blinded them for about a second. 

“The gate is open!” joyfully screamed by Professor Buenavista. “Students, please form in line according to your group. You will go to the room for the quiz per group that you have.” 

Hearing professor Buenavista, Tristan looked back, and saw that Rain and the rest of the group was already formed. He was the only one that was being waited.

Timmy waved her hand—a sign of telling him to come. Hesitantly, he walked, planning to come towards the group. And then, being desperate not to experience anxiety, he put his what ifs and fears down at the back of his mind with a loud heave of exhales, and walked further towards his group.

“Let’s end this quiz safe and fine,” Tristan said.

“That’s the plan even if you don’t tell it, man. Come on.” Seven tapped his shoulder. 

Now having seen that the groups are starting to advance towards the swirling lights of the gate, they lined their groups as well.

“It was just like a portal,” said Timmy.

“We’re on a school but I feel like I’m inside a video game,” Blaze said, releasing a weak laugh.

“It does look like a video game. But hey, you know this is a real world. There is ‘game over’ but there is no ‘extra life’ or ‘repeat again’ button here,” said Amara. Tristan was surprised that the woman was able to sputter a set of words that actually made sense. 

“Sh—She’s right. I don’t think we should think of this like a video game. After all, it’s not,” Tammy agreed.

The time came when it was their group who now needed to pass to the gate.

“My dear students, are you all ready?” Professor Buenavista asked. Her fiery red gown was blazing as the swirls of light hit through her dress.

Fully decided, each of them nodded. Their eyes are gleaming with lust—that kind of lust to immediately finish what is being needed to finish. Knowing that they’re a set of extremely talented and intelligent student, they were confident that they will be able to effortlessly slay the difficult monster questions of the quiz. Perhaps only in a snap of time. 

“Very well!” exclaimed Professor Buenavista. “I never saw that kind of gaze from the other students! It excites me! Now, go. Find and answer the questions. Surprise us with your capacities!”

Tristan and the group looked at the portal. Sooner, he heard Rain. “Let’s go.” The group nodded. 

Each of them simultaneously stepped towards the huge gate—they pass through the swirling light; secretly hoping, and wishing, and praying, that on the other face of the gate is a space of no terrifying and horrible experiences. A place they could answer the quiz—whatever it is—without feeling their eyes watering, their heart pummeling their chest, or hands quivering. 

They know, however, that it was not the case. 

****

“You’ve got such a difficult imagination, Principal Copper.” 

Bourne from the darkness, a bass-toned, yet crisply coarse voice of a man appeared behind Principal Copper. He was looking at a window, watching the students entering the portal  in a group by group manner. As he heard the voice, he immediately looked on his back, and bowed at the man who had just entered the room he was spending his time watching. 

“Welcome, Master Greene,” he said, “I’m glad you came. The next task for the students was about to start.” 

Master Greene revealed himself. He was a man on his mid-fifties. His presence almost dominates the whole dark room as he walked with full pride. His hands are placed on his back. The stare of his black-gleamed eyes were straight, towards the tinted window. Just like what Principal Copper did, he looked at the window, and stared through the students passing through a peculiar portal. 

“Again, you took effort to your peculiar fantasies, Copper. Sometimes, being genius is enough to make yourself a fool.” 

Copper forced a smile on his lips. But behind his back, his palm were crushing. He was clenching his fist.

“I did that in purpose, Master Greene.” 

“What purpose? To spend and drain the money of the group?” Master Greene’s voice boomed in the dark room. Principal Copper repeatedly heard the hard accusation of his Master because it echoed back and forth through the room.

“Master, I need no lust to the money of the group.” 

“My daughter reported me that you were spending it for non-senses.” 

“Miss Violet must be the one who should understand why am I doing this non-senses she’s saying, since she herself belongs to the Class Zero. Besides, I make sure that the money I am spending has a transparency report.” 

For a moment, Master Greene did not speak. He was just looking at the window, watching the students both crumble or grow from fear, as they pass through the portal. 

“I already explained my reason to the panel, wasn’t it, Master Greene?” asked Principal Copper. “We could not directly extract the information from a person’s brain in an instant. Our brain was not like a wet towel that through a single writhe, water would be extracted. Human mind is the hearth of human thoughts. Millions of it. And in order to get those seemingly vast data, we need a stimulant. A stimulating environment that would showcase and uplift their emotions. Their actions; the fight or flight decisions; the way they think and move; and the way they react to their environment is what we need to resurface in their brain in order to extract the data.”

Professor Copper is a man full of vision; and yes, a man with wide imagination—too wide that no one would ever dare to achieve. 

On his series of tests and experiments, he found a certain way to acquire data directly from a human mind. He discovered that no matter what a scientist do, they would never be able to decode the complete secret of human brain: on how it transfers data towards the whole human’s body, or how neurons pass the coded message from one synapse to another, or how the cerebrum or cerebellum, or the hypothalamus work together to store gazillion worth of information. They might have known the function of each of the brain’s part, but the deepest ‘why’ will remain closed. Shut. Undiscovered. It is a universal secret that even our own mind could not give to us.

That is why, Principal Copper gave up to that method; of fully unlocking the secrets of the brain. Because the brain would not let anyone extract the thoughts and the actions stored inside. 

Instead, he tapped through it. 

He was able to create another world-stirring technology that other scientists never attempt to do, or even just imagine. If a human brain won’t allow any alien factors to infiltrate its home of data, then what Principal Copper needs to do is to tap through the incoming and outcoming data happening at the surrounding of the brain—at the passing of the messages of the neurons.

He needs a filter. 

He created a special atomic-sized technology that can fill the synapses or the small spaces of the neurons. Neurons are a vital part of the nervous system, because it was where mostly the transferring of data occurs. While the synapse is the small spaces in between of millions of neurons existing in a human’s body. This is where transferring of one data to another occurs. 

The technology he created was like a filter, for the information that was being passed within the synapses are being gathered by that technology without affecting the process of data transferring. Those ultra-small technology were like a spy to the brain, for they were able to gather data secretly, and without being able to cause any ruckus to the nervous system. 

Inside the brain, there were different portion which thought and data processing happens. Though the secret on how the message were being passed is still locked, Principal Copper was able to decode the messages happening at the neurons through a set of algorithm that is programmed at the computer. 

All he needs to do is to inject those devices to the human’s body—to the scholar’s mind—with the use of electric forces that could penetrate towards the synapses. 

And yes, the ID cards was the main reason why the students were electrocuted at the first day of their classes. The ID cards that burst voltage of electric current is where the SDCSF (Synapse Data Collecting Spy-Filter) technology were stored, and ready to invade the body of the scholars without them noticing.

“How is Violet doing now?” Master Greene asked him. 

“She’s doing fine. She had her group for this task.” Principal Copper also looked below, through the tinted window, and to the next group that will pass through the wall. There he saw Miss Violet along with her group, dedicated and eager to do the incoming task. He noticed that on her group, another remarkable and familiar person was with her. It was an interesting scene to look at. 

“Make sure she’s not going to die.” 

“Of course, Master Greene. I would not dare to kill any higher up. I would not kill any central leaders of ‘the Color Spectrum’.”

“Other leaders are starting to get worried at the money they have invested in this project.” 

Principal Copper bit his lower lip. Not in fear or anxiety, but with anger. They are starting to doubt him and his capacity? 

‘Outrageous!’ he thought. 

“Violet’s the main reason,” said Master Greene. 

“I’m sorry to say this, Master Greene, but your daughter is a bit …” 

“Stubborn? Yes, she is.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Do not be, I know she is. She even insisted about being part of the Class Zero when she found out that Blue is participating.” 

“Yes. Look at her.” Principal Copper looked at Miss Violet who was about to enter the portal.

“Some of the leaders are deciding to back out in this project, and claiming a refund for their money.” 

Principal Copper gripped his hand once again.

“But I won’t let that happen. I have a trust in you.” 

“Thank you, Master Greene.”

“I will double the investment of money in the project.” 

Hearing Master Greene’s claim, he looked at him in surprise. “Master Greene, that’s—” 

“That’s the easiest thing I can do in order to let them stay in this project. Once they see me fully trusting you, they would not pull out from us. They will trust you for a longer time enough for our name to be kept secret in the public. Until we’re ready.” 

Then, Master Greene looked at Principal Copper. He met his master’s black-blank eyes. 

“That’s why you need to finish this as soon as possible. Set aside other projects you’ve proposed to me, and finish the Project Zero as soon as possible.” 

Principal Copper nodded. It seemed, he would need to do other of his greedy plans separated from the limelight of Project Zero. He would need to keep on doing it, even secretly, because it was a vital key for his hidden agendas. 

“I will, Master Greene,” he said.