Wow guys…I'm so sorry for taking so long to update this!!! I honestly haven't had a lot of time to myself lately, especially with Vacation Bible School teaching and my waitressing job at the Outback. I have so much of this story on my mind!! Its so frustrating! I've been struggling with details…but I think I've finally figured everything out now.

The next chapter of Ink Stained Hands is partially finished, it should be up soon. (My other fic, for those of you who don't know ::wink:: Check it out!)

This is an AU, (Alternate Universe) of our fave Esca bunch. All standard disclaimers apply! I hope the prologue was suspenseful enough…now that I've left you hanging for weeks, lol. Please feel free to give me any criticism or thoughts in general about this fic in your review. I'm looking forward to them! I will most likely write replies to reviews this story, about every other chapter. Now, on with chapter 1!! Have fun kids…

***Esca-lover

**********

Chapter One: The Project

**********

New York City, June 2024

**********

Tires squealed as a midnight blue corvette raced into it's usual parking spot. Heads turned, and all the world seemed to stop and stare as a leggy blonde with a dangerously short skirt graced the street with her presence. Her shiny, black stilettos clicked on the sidewalk as she confidently walked toward the doors of a tall office building. A flirtatious glance was given to a passerby who had been eyeing her figure, and a wink sent to the security guard who caught her smoothing her perfectly tailored, rose-colored suit. She flipped her long, silky hair and laughed as the officer hurried to open the door for her. "Thank you," she voiced, flashing him a genuine smile from her ruby lips. As the guard watched her disappearing form, he couldn't help but chuckle. 'Ms. Aston, you're my favorite part of the morning,' he thought to himself. 'Hands down, my favorite part.'

Millerna Aston was employed by D.I.D.C., a company specializing in the development of new technology. The products created there ranged from high tech toasters to classified military weaponry. Each project had a code name, a headmaster, a team of hand-picked professionals, and unlimited funding. Employees engrossed themselves in their job, often working late into the night with minimal overtime pay. D.I.D.C. was a legend in the industrial world, and positions with the illustrious company were highly coveted. Occasionally, the organization offered a year-long internship to several promising college under-graduates. Ms. Aston, a twenty-four year old graduate from the School of Psychology at Harvard, was fortunate enough to receive one of these apprenticeships, and was currently involved with Project Dreamer.

**********

Project Dreamer came to life six years ago, in 2018, as a result of a government inquiry. Their request was not a simple one, for the U.S. desired a machine that could see into a persons' mind. With this piece of equipment, captured enemy spies could be interrogated thoroughly; informants and special agents would be able to identify perpetrators quickly with mental images; criminals would be caught, and innocents freed. Ultimately, the device would revolutionize the arts of war and justice. Many at D.I.D.C. were skeptical of the entire situation, and several openly opposed the idea. 'What happened to our right to privacy?' they would protest. 'Our thoughts are our own!' Nevertheless, the head of the company accepted the governments' challenge and placed a young, egotistical genius by the name of Dryden Fassa in charge. At the time, the twenty-five year old was already a renowned scientist for his work with NASA, as well as a blossoming businessman. Immediately, he immersed himself in the study of the human mind, visions and dreams. Specialists were consulted, while doctors were bombarded with questions. Even mental patients and drug addicts with a history of hallucinations were examined. Theories began to develop among Fassas' team, and by the second year into the project, a test subject was needed.

In the year 2020, a young woman by the name of Jayda Riley was chosen. She was the only survivor of a tragic car accident in 2016. Her parents and siblings were killed on impact, while she lapsed into a coma shortly after reaching the hospital. For four years Jayda laid motionless in her bed with no sign of recovery. Her living relatives could no longer afford the treatments necessary, and were faced with the difficult decision of removing life support. In a final, desperate attempt to save Ms. Riley, a cousin posted a small article in the local paper, pleading for money in order to maintain her life. The column caught the media's attention, and the story was aired on national television. D.I.D.C. contacted the family secretly and gave them an offer: Allow us to utilize Jayda's mind while she is still in a coma, and all medical expenses will be taken care of. The company also expressed that no physical harm would come to her. The project was simply for testing a machine. Should the young woman awake from her present state, she would be released, no strings attached. Her relatives agreed to the conditions, and decided that keeping their loved one alive was the most important factor. D.I.D.C. alerted Dryden Fassa's team that a test subject had been found, and Project Dreamer became a reality.

The first test run went horribly, and no positive feedback occurred. The device they had created was a failure, so it was back to the drawing board. Countless attempts to modify the machine were made, but to no avail. Two years had passed since Jayda's arrival, and no progress had been made. Dryden grew impatient and in a fit of temper fired all but two of his current team. Faced with a new dilemma, he set out to find younger, more creative employees, hoping to finally gain the edge he needed.

Amano Susumu was a twenty-five year old engineering graduate from Yale who was decorated with several distinguished awards for achievement. His mechanical skills were off the charts, and his intuition was usually right. He was a tall, slender, good-looking young man with smooth, shoulder-length, brown hair and dark eyes. He was never seen wearing anything except khaki pants and a button down shirt. While socializing, he was a laid-back, funny guy; But when faced with a job, he became serious and intense. His energy and passion for work was just what Dryden Fassa was looking for. Amano was hired as the top engineer for Project Dreamer in 2022.

Jajuka Ambiko was a part of the original Dreamer team. Biology and anatomy were his specialty, and the twenty-nine year old had a deep concern for all living things. He was a quiet man, who was often very protective of those around him. His solid frame and large hands gave him a powerful stance, while small, wire-rimmed glasses, flowing golden locks, and a short beard seemed to soften his appearance. An air of mystery surrounded his past, but no one could question his expertise in the sciences. Jajuka brought a voice of patience and reason to Fassa's group, and his opinions were highly valued.

Balgus Ganesha was also a member of the first Dreamer group. He was a war veteran who had served D.I.D.C. for many years as a security specialist. Not only was he a master of marksmanship and hand to hand combat, his ability with computer systems was phenomenal. He could hack into any site necessary to obtain the right information, and knew enough about spy equipment to start his own F.B.I. team. His well built, tall stature and graying hair demanded authority, while a large scar through his left eye was testimony to hardships endured. The fifty-nine year old was proud to serve with Dryden's team, and played a vital role in their safety.

Amano's design for the visionary device involved chemical manipulation. As a result, Celena Albatou, an outstanding chemist who graduated from Princeton, was hired several months after Susumu's arrival. She was a graceful, smaller young woman with short, naturally curly hair. Her lab coat was always immaculate, while her desk was never disorganized. The twenty-four year old was the picture of responsibility, and always had her formulas ready to be tested. At first glance, Celena seemed calm and sophisticated. Unfortunately, her attitude completely contradicted her appearance. She was not afraid to voice her opinions, and would become easily irritated by those who knew nothing of her field. All personality issues aside, she was a top notch professional, and a necessary part of Project Dreamer.

All the time, effort, and paperwork put into the project had to be recorded, and Yukari Uchida appeared to be the least logical choice. Her flashy red hair was always in a new style, ranging from braided pigtails to unruly buns. Her bangs were constantly in her face, while her clothing screamed individuality. She was a short, spunky, twenty-two year old who needed a job to get her through college. Why Dryden hired her in the first place was a mystery that eluded the rest of the team, but after a few months they were genuinely shocked. Yukari's secretarial work was incredible. She had recorded every cent the project had spent, including multiple fast food runs. All the blueprints and notes were alphabetized and color coded, and a rolodex of important contact numbers was created. The girl even tape recorded several important sessions. Without her, Project Dreamer wouldn't have been complete.

The six individuals toiled endlessly to achieve the desired results. Finally, in 2023, a break through was made. With their invention, the team was able to project fuzzy images from inside of Jayda Riley's mind. The crew was ecstatic, and improvements were made as rapidly as possible. Once Dryden was satisfied with the overall performance of the test model, he decided to call in a psychologist who would be able to lend a hand when deciphering Jayda's mental images. He hoped to take the project to a whole new level, and that's where Millerna Aston arrived on the scene.

The year is now 2024, and Project Dreamer is in full swing.

**********

Millerna ignored the cat calls as she walked past the cubicles and opened the door to Lab 139 using her employee scan card.

"Hey everyone, sorry I'm late," she called as she stashed her purse under her desk. "Traffic was murder."

"It's murder everyday Milly," Amano teased, as he sipped a cup of black coffee. Millerna rolled her eyes at the tall engineer and decided to hold her tongue for the time being. She glanced around the small laboratory, looking for the rest of the team. Celena was sitting at her desk, apparently going over chemical statistics; Balgus seemed to be checking the security cameras in the room; Yukari, her desk a mess, was chatting loudly on her cell phone while painting her toenails; Amano was lounging by the coffee pot, and Dryden apparently hadn't arrived as of yet. Jajuka was staring silently at the large piece of machinery in the middle of the floor. The visionary device was truly an impressive sight. It's base was made of titanium, and boasted buttons and levers to control different parts of the machine. It was also hooked up to several computers, which made tracking and printing data possible. The holding tank was a cylindrical tube that was 7 feet tall. It was made of a thick glass, and rested on top of the base. This tank was filled with liquid oxygen, while various chemicals enhanced test results, as well as provided nourishment to the test subject. A titanium cover sealed the top of the cylinder, and had several wires and tubes connected to the base. While the data this machine produced was amazing, it would never have been possible without Jayda. Millerna walked over to Jajuka and stood beside him.

"She looks so sad," the older man sighed, wiping his glasses. Floating inside the holding tank was the body of a young woman with straight, waist-length hair. She was dressed simply in a long, cotton nightgown, it's folds gently flowing around her bare ankles. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing shallow. Jayda Riley had yet to recover from her coma, and remained in peaceful repose as she lent her mind to science.

"Good morning Jayda," Millerna whispered and placed a hand to the glass. "Did you dream?" The young psychologist turned to the printer connected to the visionary device. In it's tray lay two images. The first picture showed a pair of hands holding a thin chain of some sort. The second displayed a young man's face.

"What do you make of them?" The biologist asked, leaning over her shoulder.

"I'm not sure…I'll have to see the video footage," she replied, and placed the scans on her desk. "Dryden keeps track of that, doesn't he? Where is he anyway?"

"He'll be in shortly," Celena announced curtly from her desk, never looking up from her work. "I suggest you keep yourself occupied until then." Amano gave the chemist an annoyed glance, while Millerna glared at her.

"Yes ma'am," she saluted sarcastically and slid into her leather desk chair. The blonde looked over the image scans again, this time more thoroughly. The first picture was familiar. "Yukari," she called. "Do you have the folder of Jayda's previous scans?" No reply, the red head was still gabbing on the phone.

"-So ya, he was totally stoked about the whole thing until-,"

"Yukari??"

"-For real!! I sooo know what you mean! But I still don't understand how-,"

"Yukari, hello???" Millerna tried again.

"-and the mold…talk about gross! I've never seen anything like-,"

"UCHIDA, GET OFF THE CELL ALREADY!!"

The quirky secretary ceased her babble and blinked at the irritated blonde. "What??" she remarked innocently, clicking off her phone. "You need something?"

"Jayda's previous mental scans, can I have them?"

"Sure, no prob," Yukari grinned and reached into a filing cabinet. She pulled out a bright red folder and tossed it haphazardly onto her co-workers desk. "Whatcha need them for?"

"Well, I think her visions are repeating themselves again. See?" Millerna motioned to the first image of hands clasping a chain. "She's had this picture in her mind for the third time in four months. Now this other image…," she began as she held up the scan of the young man's face, "…seems to be new. I don't believe we have any like it in the archives."

"He's kinda cute," the younger girl giggled. At that, Amano strolled over and decided to join the conversation.

"Come on…as cute as me, Yuki?" he said playfully, and pulled on one of her bright red braids.

"Cuter," she laughed and wrinkled her nose at him. The two of them had been flirting shamelessly for about two weeks, and Millerna couldn't help but smile at the pair. Just then, Dryden walked through the door with several envelopes in his hand.

"Alright people, enough chit-chat. I don't pay you to have fun, do I?" he chastised and passed out their checks. "Remember to sign for these at the front desk. Now then, what have we got for today?" Everyone took there place at a small round table.

"The chemical report came back without any problems," Celena spoke matter-of-factly. "There are no glitches from my end." Dryden nodded appreciatively.

"Good. Next?"

Amano cleared his throat. "I tweaked the wires a bit, so from here on out the device will run more efficiently. We should be able to receive clearer video footage, and cleaner image scans."

"Great job, Susumu. I know I hired you for a reason. Jajuka, are all the biological stats in order?"

"Yes sir, everything is running smoothly. Jayda is responding well to the new chemicals. Her body is accepting the liquid nourishment and her breathing continues to be stable," the quiet man responded.

"I've double checked the security cameras in the room after last weeks break-in at the main office. We should be set for now, although I do have a few suggestions on keeping this lab secured," Balgus said in his gruff voice.

"Alright, I'll be interested to hear what you have in mind. We can discuss that at a later time." Dryden adjusted his glasses before asking, "Millerna, any news?"

"Nothing yet, but I'd like to take a look at last night's video footage. From the scans I received a few minutes ago, I'd say she's clearly trying to remember something important from her past," she answered and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Another repetition?"

"Yes, but a new image was produced as well. I have the scans on my desk if you'd like to look at them."

"I'll get to that later this afternoon, thank you. Uchida, I trust you're running up your phone bill again?"

The college student winked at him. "You know it, Boss."

Dryden leaned back in his chair, satisfied with the briefing for the day. "Nice work, people. We'll view Jayda's video clips in exactly one hour. Meet in Vid-Lab 4. Dismissed."

**********

There was a dim light in the room, only shadows could be seen. Movement. She was moving towards a dark…box? Or a chest of drawers maybe. A small, pale hand reached out and pulled on the top half of the mysterious object. Definitely a chest of drawers or a desk. The hand ventured inside the compartment it had opened and removed a yellowing envelope. It looked old. She unsealed it, and gazed inside. A thin chain lay there…a bracelet, or a piece of jewelry perhaps. The item was gently taken out. The pair of hands dropped the envelope, and clasped the chain tightly. Movement. The drawer was now shut, and the yellowing paper remained on the floor. The faint light faded to blackness. Nothing.

"Lights up please," Dryden announced. He turned to look at his crew. "Any thoughts?"

"This is all taken from Jayda's perspective, right?" Yukari questioned.

"I believe so," Millerna stated. "While some of this vid-clip should look familiar, we've never viewed the first images of the memory before. It's like she's rewinding her thoughts and going over them more thoroughly."

"I agree," Celena added. "We've seen the envelope before, but only from it's spot on the floor."

"Plus, we now know how Jayda obtained the piece of jewelry," Amano commented. Millerna toyed with her hair thoughtfully.

"I'm not so sure that that's the whole story. Yes, she pulled it from an ancient envelope that was found in a drawer. But was it her drawer? Her mothers? Was she keeping the item safe by stashing it there?"

"Perhaps she had lost it," Jajuka offered. "By the way Jayda was clutching it, it seemed to have some importance." Balgus shifted in his chair, slightly irritated by the conversation. He was a practical man, and all this psycho analysis babble-talk was getting on his nerves.

"Is that really the point here? I thought building a superior machine was our primary goal, not fantasizing realities about some girls dreams. The picture seemed a little shady, and the images slightly blurred. I think we should focus on nailing those issues down before we start analyzing visions," the older man finished, and crossed his arms over his chest. Dryden sighed heavily and ran a hand through his thick, brown hair.

"Yes Mr. Genesha, the mechanical issues still have a few kinks, and working out those kinks are our primary goal. But Jayda is part of our team, and I think it's only fair we try to help her in any way we can. Six years ago, when the accident first happened, the doctors explained that if she ever came out of the coma, she may have amnesia. If we can piece together these memories for her, then perhaps, if she ever recovers, she'll know who she is." The war veteran mumbled something under his breath and remained quiet for the rest of the meeting.

"Unfortunately, there is no second bit of video footage," Dryden informed the group. "It seems that the image of the young man merely flashed in her mind. The print out is all we have to go on." Millerna passed the scan around the room.

"All I can tell from this picture is that he's happy," Yukari muttered to herself. "He's smiling, right? Grumpy people don't smile." Amano, who was sitting next to her, snickered softly.

"Wow, Yuki, did you think of that all by yourself?" he whispered to her. She glared at him fiercely before elbowing him in the ribs.

"Punk!" she growled. Millerna caught none of this, and was engrossed with her own thoughts.

'Who are you?' she pondered, now holding the image in her hands again. 'What do you know about Jayda?'

"Well boys and girls, I think that sums up our Vid-Lab excursion for the day. Take twenty for lunch, and it's back to work," Dryden declared. A collective groan was heard as the seven left the room. Life could be so hard.

**********

It was late. Everyone had gone home for the night. Even the janitors were finished with their cleaning. All the lights were shut off, including those in Lab 139. And as a young woman remained motionless in her watery prison, a single tear escaped from her closed eyelids.

I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems,

Got to open my eyes to everything…

Visions swirled in her mind, but one thought was felt with every heart beat:

Bring Me To Life.

**********

Ta-dah!! What do you think? Questions and comments welcome. Review or write me an email, I love hearing from people. Till next time, God Bless!

P.S. I don't own Escaflowne or Evanessence (the lyrics at the end). Peace all!