After the tour of Eden facilities we all went up to the Overseer's office, which was on the 47th floor. It was larger than any of the offices on the lower levels, and it had an almost "working from home" feeling about it. The Overseer sat at his desk and I sat across from in him, where I assume that his subordinates and colleagues sat when giving updates or receiving orders.
Me: I want to thank you for letting me take a tour of your facility, I enjoyed it.
Overseer: As did I in getting to allow someone to participate in a tour. I want to thank you as well for showing such an interest.
Me: Of course, your facilities have interested me for a while now. My first question is this: where does all of your funding come from? Obviously the law firm downstairs provides you some income, but I doubt it would be enough to pay for all this, plus eleven more.
Overseer: Some of it has been provided by myself personally through the claiming of a particularly large inheritance. Some additional funding is provided by a supporter within the American government itself. A few other facilities have cover much like this one that helps provide income as well.
Me: So when was the first facility built, and how long was it before you began to make more?
Overseer: We had the first finished for the most part during 1999, work was already beginning on the others but slowly. It took us most of the remainder of that year to finish up the last details on Facility 1. After that particular incident in the Millennium; the other facilities stalled temporarily so we could make sure. Within two months we felt assured that Facility 1 was a success and so continued on to make the others.
Me: So why are you based here if the first facility was built in England?
Overseer: Part of Project Destiny, the starting part is located here. I wanted to oversee it as much as possible personally. It is also because a vast majority of those involved in this battle tend to be in America. In fact, I notice a fair amount seem to be from the east coast, too.
Me: That is a valid point. So how do you keep track of all your different operations, the number you have in this building alone must require a lot of time and oversight.
Overseer: Each department usually has it's own head to report to who will gather the information and file it to me. It takes a while to look through which is why I don't have time to regularly post and comment many times. Each facility also has their own head when I'm not there. Their own sub-overseer I suppose we could put it as. Who will help manage the projects there and report directly to me.
Me: So how much does each person know about projects they aren't involved in? They clearly know other projects exist, but if they wanted to could they learn of another projects focus or successes?
Overseer: Likely not, for security reasons we tend to keep as little information shared as possible between the sections. Certain projects tend to mix together so more info will be shared but never outright knowledge is given. The heads however tend to know more to aid further with the planning but even then they don't gain the full picture.
Me: So you're the only one with the full picture?
Overseer: Correct.
Me: So now for one of the bigger questions: How do keep your facilities safe from the product?
Overseer: The perception filter plays a key role in that but also so does the way we manage our operatives. We tend to make sure they don't go on a direct path back to facilities. They are usually required to meet up with a security member from a facility on the way back. They'll usually make sure that no one else is with them or following them as well as perform a psyche evaluation on the operative. But I do think that the fact we haven't yet taken a full on offensive role against The Product has tied in to the lack of danger.
Me: So it's more of a common sense and good fortune routine than an actual secret defensive weapon. I'm sure some people will be disappointed to hear that.
Overseer: Well we do have manners of defense prepared but we haven't yet been required to use it.
Me: It's always good to have a back-up plan. I suspect if I ask you won't tell me exactly what that defense is?
Overseer: [chuckles lightly] I'm afraid not. I'm sure you understand.
Me: Of course, what about the other supernatural creatures that have a tendency to spring up and terrorize people, do you have projects dedicated to them or are you focusing exclusively on the Product for now?
Overseer: We do have some small projects putting time into learning about them. The Product is our sole focus but as seen by what Aura said in her story. Those other beings were involved too. We try to be more discreet with our investigations into them though. These facilities are aimed at defence from The Product. We're not overly keen on testing the effects of attention from the others.
Me: I noticed on the post where you invited me to this facility that you recently had a problem with some of your scientists involved with testing the Azoth. Would you care to elaborate a bit on what happened?
Overseer: Ah yes, Dr. Fei Wong has been a long time colleague in this project. Occasionally my employees will recruit new workers into our midst. I will usually screen them myself too. I made a mistaken in treating this too personal as I had good faith in his judgement and didn't screen the new scientist he employed two weeks ago. Dr. Gordon Knox it turns out was someone not affiliated with this project but with someone else's efforts to fight back against The Product. Corporate Espionage even in this fight it seems. He tried to steal a sample of The Azoth and somehow much to my disappointment got past the other scientists. Fortunately security was not lacking in their own job.
Me: That seems like an interesting turn of events, do you know who he was working for?
Overseer: Operative: Spiral is currently investigating the matter. I'm aware of the existence of a few government agents that are fairly well-known and have interest in The Product but I strongly doubt that people like Fisk have anything to do with this. It's likely someone low down. It's possible it might not even be a government agent. As you've no doubt seen. There is a structure for many who serve Him now. Their own corporate ladder for lack of a better term.
Me: I've noticed. How did you find runners and proxies to "rescue" before you began your blog?
Overseer: Mainly through operatives out in the field and again through our employees keeping an eye on the news of different locations. Especially different towns local news. It's interesting how much that involves The Product fails to make mainstream news. Some were easier to locate due to their insistence on wearing symbols like that Operator symbol on their clothing.
Me: Why did you begin all of this, what was your thought process or end goal behind starting the facilities?
Overseer: [there is a slight pause] I'd like to say it was out of a sense of justice or "that it was the right thing to do." I do feel attached, I do feel a great pride in what I'm doing. But admittedly it started off so I could prove that I could. The standard drive behind most actions a scientist will take, even if some won't admit that. It is always what fuels the desires of a scientist, to prove that they can.
Me: (Slight chuckle) That's what fuels an alarming number of people, I'd suspect. Tell me about Eden Eight, how, or possibly why did it fall?
Overseer: Le Fay, short for Morgan Le Fay was the sub-overseer of that particular facility. It was her actions that led to a lot of my current decisions when it comes to security. She put too much of her personal bias and judgement into the role. Far, far too much. In her rash decisions; she ended up bringing in those on the Agent level of servants. Ones that had no real desire to change and to make matters worse. She had given them directions, she had made the location known. They called The Product to that facility and he destroyed it.
Me: Why would she take such action? Surely even personal bias can only account for so much of such drastic actions.
Overseer: I'm not quite sure. I have a feeling her desire for the project shifted in some way. Her contacts with me seemed to bear a tone of hostility in those last few days before the fall. But, she died with the fall of that facility so I'm not quite sure on what exactly changed.
Me: Well, you'll remember the posts she made in November, do you have any idea how she's still alive, or who might be impersonating her?
Overseer: That I'm not sure on. Although there is one possible theory: Le Fay was always (he pauses) fearful of the possibility of things to come. Worried about what could happen in the future if this project was to fail, what could change in times to come. She feared the future. When my operatives investigated the ruins of Facility Eight, Le Fay's body was found in one of the labs. Near one of our hypnotic devices. These devices were electronically operated. Bear in mind this is just a theory and to me it sounds unlikely but, I sometimes wonder if her mind was fragmented into the electronics, and that recently The Manufactured Newborn, as it is known, came into contact with her. It seems impossible though so I don't quite know what to make of these comments. Regardless, whoever it is has clearly learnt to manipulate a perception filter as I am still incapable of seeing them.
Me: Let's see, that's all I have on my agenda, unless there's something you'd like to add for the record?
Overseer: That seems to be all that comes to mind for myself, too.
Me: Very good, do you mind if I use this office for my Interview with Aura as well?
Overseer: Not at all, feel free.
Me: Thank you, and thank you for your time.
After that Aura came in and I interviewed her as well, I'll try to have that post up later today.
See you around
FreedomCaged
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