Author's note: Hunt character mentioned in the note was taken from Cleric Wolf's EQ fan-fiction "House of Cards". Thanks, Wolf!

Chapter III

Next morning, back in the office, James continued analyzing his findings. This time he decided to take a closer look at Martin's research notes, which fortunately had been written in English, in a concise style. James started to work on one of the older notes, which read:

Project name: Prozium I

Evaluation: Extremely dangerous, aborting the experiments as soon as possible is required.

Experiment subject: J. Hunt

Observed effects: aggressive behavior, psychosis. Subject poses great danger.

Below were other notes, written so hastily that Crow had trouble reading them. However, he succeeded after few attempts and could read the following:

There must be a way... Maybe they'll finally listen to my suggestions and will stop aiming at destroying emotions entirely. Prozium I was way too strong, therefore caused brain damage. Hunt was doomed.

Crow read this note several times, understanding now why Vice-Council wanted to find Stein so badly.
The investigator read carefully the other notes, looking for further clues, hidden between chemical formulas and scientific terms. Finally he found another note:

Project name: Prozium II

Evaluation: Success. Can be implemented for common use. Note: the doses have to be adjusted individually.

Number of subjects: 1000

Observed effects: suppressing emotions to acceptable level. Note – five subjects, after ceasing their dose suffered from following symptoms:
nausea, hallucinations, dizziness. Two cases of fever noted. All subjects recovered after few days.

At the bottom of the page there was only one sentence written, which read:

This might be the remedy...

"Research, which is absolutely vital." murmured James, while staring at the notes.

Just after a moment, the telephone rang.
"James Crow, II Department."
"Crow, I've got some news for you." It was Miller
"What news?" The young investigator starved for every bit of information.
"I've got the result of post-mortem examinations of Revan. Guess what they found out."
"Poison." James voiced his suspicion.
"Exactly! It was cyanide, which Revan managed to take before the security got him."
"So this trace seems to be a dead end for now," Crow concluded. "But I'll have to take another one. I need some help here."
"Yes" Miller listened.
"Do you know someone who speaks German?" James asked.
"German? Oh dear, the language is extinct – as the thousands of other languages. Ninety percent of mankind was wiped out in the World War III – and the languages they had spoken were wiped out with them."
"Well, not quite." James disagreed. "I've found in Stein's flat numerous notes belonging to him, written in this language. I think Stein wants to conceal something and for this purpose he uses a language, which only he can understand.
After all, in contrast to us, he remembers the pre-war times.
"So, you're looking for someone of German origin, who is old enough to remember the times before World War III. – Miller said – Well, I don't know such a person. At least not in my Department.
"All right, I'll continue my search then." Crow answered
"Don't lose the track, Crow. You know your main task." Miller answered and hung up.
"Yes, I do." James muttered, "I do."

Wondering, where he might start his search, the investigator checked the database access, just for sure. As a result he saw only a blue screen, reading:

DATABASE MALFUNCTION. ACCESS NOT AVAILABLE.

Crow stared at the screen and sighed, excluding at the same time next Tetragrammaton branches from his field of interest. As he concluded, he could forget about the Clerics, The Police Force, The Security and his own department - The Investigations. Finally, there remained two: The Medical Section and R&D.

Hesitating for a moment, Crow decided eventually to dial R&D's extension, concluding that it would be more sensible to start his search from Stein's department.
"Eric Simpson, V Department". A calm voice was heard.
"James Crow speaking, from the II Department." James answered. "I'm investigating the disappearance of Martin Stein and want to talk to as many staff members as possible."
"James Crow," the other man was thinking. "Yes, I remember. We received Vice-Council's orders and authorization message yesterday. We'll do our best to help you."
"Good. I'll come to talk to you in ten minutes." James hung up.

The investigator was about to leave, when he suddenly realized, that he almost forgot to print that German document, stored on Martin's CD. He quickly printed it, grabbed, enclosed it to the rest of the notes, took the folder as well and left his office.

James went along the wide, but gray and unfriendly corridors of his department, passing and greeting his co-workers. Crow found Miller's words extremely accurate: the II Department was the brain of justice. Considering combat skills, the investigators were no match for the Grammaton Clerics – even the Second Class - since they undergone only the standard weapon training. But without II Department tracking down sense offenders would be much more difficult – if not impossible. As a result of progressive specialization, which began right after Preston's unsuccessful revolt, the job, done formerly by Clerics, fell on James Crow and the other investigators. The Tetragrammaton structure started to expand and the Clerics were reduced to the role of incredibly efficient killing machines that struck whenever they were given the target.

Once in the R&D Department, James saw for the first time the Tetragrammaton laboratory. Lots of people in white outfits could be seen as they were performing their research. Just after a while James noticed a staff member who didn't look busy and decided to question him.
"James Crow, II Department" The investigator introduced himself and then went straight to the point. "What's your name?"
"Henry Swift" Answered the questioned man
"I'm investigating the disappearance of Martin Stein. "
"Disappearance?" The staff member looked at the investigator, apparently clueless. "The only thing I know is that he was here day before yesterday."
"That's true," Crow interrupted. "But the thing is, he hadn't left any notice or any information about his current whereabouts. He hasn't been at his unit as well."
Henry Swift only shook his head.
"Who in this department knows Martin and could give me the information needed?" James decided that the questioned man knew indeed nothing.
After a moment of thinking, Swift answered:
"Ask Michael Dorn, the tall, thin, white-haired man who stands next to the computers. He worked together with Martin."
"Thank you." James answered and looked in the mentioned direction. After a while he spotted a man, who matched the description and headed towards him.
"James Crow, II Department. Are you Michael Dorn?"
"Yes" The scientist nodded. "How can I help you?"
"I'm investigating the disappearance of Martin Stein," answered the investigator. "And I need all the information you can provide me with." He added.
"Such as?"
James prepared his notebook and asked:
"For how long have you been working together?"
"For ten years" Michael answered.
The answer was noted.
"As far as I know Martin is a skilled chemist specialized in Prozium." James continued.
"A brilliant one," the scientist agreed. "And yes, Prozium was his main object of research."
"Did he give you any hint about not coming to work?"
"No" Dorn said. "Day before yesterday he told me that he'll bring me next day results of certain experiments I asked him about."
"Can you speak German?"
Michael remained silent for the moment and, after a while of thinking, he answered:
"I'm of a German origin, but, to be honest, I hadn't been that much in contact with the language."
"Can you translate?" Crow insisted.
"Translate what?"
"This." James handed Michael his findings and added, "If you open the book, you'll see Martin's notes. I have to get them translated as soon as possible. The same goes with this document and the folder."
The scientist flicked through "Father's Word" and saw the mentioned notes. He also took a look at the printed document and at the folder. After reading few of the notes, he eventually said:
"I think I might give it a try. But I'll need two days."
James, after a moment of hesitation, answered:
"All right, I'll come for them day after tomorrow."
Michael nodded.
"Damn" The investigator thought. "I'm stuck for two days."
Crow was about to head towards exit, but suddenly another question appeared in his head. He decided to voice it:
"Had Martin ever had any doubts about what he is doing?"
"Doubts?" The scientist asked with a shadow of confusion apparently showing through the wearing off Prozium. "There's no room for them, is it?" Michael looked at the investigator cautiously.
"No" Crow answered. "There isn't."
In this moment Dorn's watch started to beep, reminding him about taking his next dose. As investigator Crow left the laboratory, Michael opened the book.
"There is no room for doubts. Or is it?" A new thought like an uninvited guest appeared in Michael's mind.