By the first anniversary of Alpha’s emergence from the artificial womb, he had read voraciously of the volumes of books in the database. He absorbed the wisdom amassed over thousands of years of human history, and he began to extrapolate on that wisdom. Though O’Brien encouraged his exposure to such “survival of the fittest” proponents as Spencer and Hobbes, he wasn’t much interested in their philosophies.
Alpha’s area of special interest lay in ancient history, specifically the civilization of the Nile. Egypt, with its dynasties of mighty god-kings bestriding the earth, its culture, architecture and religions, obsessed him. The rebellious Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh, Akhnaton, in particular fascinated him.
His hyperactive mind pondered the same questions that had perplexed the pharaoh thousands of years before—human history appeared to be essentially one war after another. For every golden flash of harmony, there were hundreds of blood-splattered conflicts.
Was it that man was unable to control his animal instincts and therefore his environment in order to attain a perfect society?
Alpha was certainly aware of the hellish conditions outside the shielded redoubt, but he didn’t yet know who he was or what he was capable of doing. He sought an answer to that mystery by searching through the historical database. In a short time, he acquired a working knowledge of nine of the ancient written languages of the Nile Valley. In those documents, he found more than an identity; he found a means to an end. The information copied from the aeons-old papyri contained more science and less mythological esoterica than he expected.
While he studied, more of the parahuman abilities bred into him began to exhibit themselves. The modified and improved regions of his brain, specifically the hypothalamus, which regulated the complex biochemical systems of the body, continued to adjust any slight metabolic imperfections.
Alpha learned he could control all autonomous functions of his brain and body, even the manufacture and release of chemicals and hormones. He could speed or slow his heartbeat, increase and decrease the amount of adrenaline in his bloodstream.
He possessed complete control over that mysterious portion of the brain known as the limbic system, a portion that scientists had always known, in a detached, meaningless way, possessed great reserves of electromagnetic power and strength.
With this mastery of the mind, Alpha was both telepathic and empathic—and something else entirely, something quite unexpected and frightening to everyone but O’Brien.
He could—and oftentimes did—subtly influence the emotional states and thoughts of others, particularly if they were fatigued, depressed or asleep. He knew instantly if one of the mission personnel disliked him. One man, Carlson by name, made no secret of his antipathy toward the child. In a casual conversation, he referred to him as “Old Hell Eyes.” The name stuck thereafter.
It didn’t seem to offend Alpha—very little did—but O’Brien forbade anyone to say it, even in jest. A week after Carlson first coined “Hell Eyes.” he was found dead in his bunk of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Over the subsequent year and a half, four more mysterious deaths followed. As O’Brien pointed out, they were duly recorded and reported.
By the time of the last death, Alpha had reached the physical-development stage of sixteen years old. He was already edging six feet tall. Perfectly proportioned, with the flat-muscled body of a young Hercules, he wore his hair close to the scalp, like an ebony skullcap. His features were beautiful, yet at the same time, undeniably masculine. Only his crimson eyes detracted from his beauty. They made him a freak.
It was during this stage that Alpha passed through puberty, but he didn’t suffer.
Connaught O’Brien said, “At this time, another aspect of Phase Three began to assert itself. The gene-introduced life-force that determined his behavior and vitality came to the fore. The visceral desire to procreate. Obviously, with the loss of Epsilon, Alpha began to look elsewhere for a mate.”
The woman paused, and a slightly abashed smile tugged at the comers of her mouth. “He showed no interest in the other female staff members, though they are younger than myself. He chose me.”
O’Brien shrugged. “Yes, of course I realize he stimulated my very basic sexual urges. On another level, how can a mere mortal refuse a god? For the past three months we’ve been engaging in coitus regularly—oh, why be coy about it? We’ve been fucking. I doubt Alpha understands the concept of love. He understands only the instinct to spread his seed.”