North of Siberia in the Arctic ocean lies an island guarded by military and off limits to visitors. Not that it is a top tourist destination, but rumors of the island’s secret operation have drawn interest. The former intelligent officer, now Russian President, put in motion his idea to develop minds through a dogmatic doctrine for future operations. Before he leaves office, Russia will be the leading world power. At least, that was his intention.
It was February 2, 2008, a couple weeks after the worldwide stock markets Black Monday and a few weeks before Cuban President Castro retired. On this day, Russia began construction on a private island facility that would soon house hundreds of young people. Dr. Bortnik would lead a small team of Russian scientists and doctors in an experiment on mind control.
There have been previous control groups in decades past. The first group volunteered. Then a second group unknowingly volunteered. The third was a group of scientists that thought they were running the experiments and now this fourth group of test subjects is one without previous thoughts or experiences.
The one constant through decades of experiments is Dr. Bortnik. The scientist holds a dual degree in psychology and is a master manipulator. When he led his first group of colleagues in an experiment of taking over the mind, he declared, “We can’t take over a mind without first destroying the mind that once was.” The first group of volunteers they experimented with wiping their minds clean enough to retrain or give a fresh set of memories. He didn’t have to remind anyone of the outstanding success they had in destroying minds. Their first study group consumed high amounts of hallucinogenics. Some died, while others never came down.
Many volunteers from the first group lived in poverty, or prison, so the good doctor considered them expendable. His answer to critics, when probed about lives lost, “Where do we stand with lives lost? We don’t. We bury them.” Life was a small price to pay when weighed against the gains.
“The greatest fear of the enemy should not be nuclear war, but the war we wage in their minds.” With that said, Dr. Bortnik continued to describe the horrible conditions previously tested in concentration camps. “Prisoners of war have undergone the torment of these tests long prior to us running them. We just reference them to compare our results.” To hear it now, it’s not much more than a litmus test. Dr. Bortnik ran experiments on his colleagues to see how much pain one person could take before divulging their secrets. This was running with the idea others could tolerate an equivalent amount before they broke or died. Those chosen never saw it coming. Survivors were so upset about being unconsenting test subjects that they refused to return.
The fourth is a new generation of minds to mold in an experiment known as “the program.” Babes were not lucky to be in the program, but parents in dire circumstances may have believed they were giving their child a better life. Parents had to agree to relinquish their child to the government as a condition for their child entering the program. Those running the program misled parents of their child’s role when they installed the thought their child was part of a quest for the greater good. IQ’s matter about as much as aspirations when only biased information is available. Dr. Bortnik often exclaimed, “Propaganda doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can be part of the audience.”
Many in the program turned 21 during the last quarter of 2029, but there were no celebrations. They held no sentiment for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions. Men and women developed from birth to adulthood in the program. Emotionless, focused killers were at the government’s disposal. “We are still drawing conclusions on the last subjects, but they may prove to be the most detrimental of all to our enemies.”
Dr. Bortnik was certain this group of young men and women would carry out any requisition given to them. He was so high from the excitement. This was the test with proven results. He arranged for top government officials to visit the facility. They would see firsthand the work of a genius.
Not long after, top officials, including the president, arrived at the facility. The Program’s pupils received orders for their first mission, orders to bring harm to all that harmed them. There was no failing the program, since no one could think for themselves. Hundreds of participants, 311 to be exact, destroyed the facility, Dr. Bortnik, his colleagues, the top officials including the Russian President, all while repeating, “This is only a test.”