Introduction
Reality Benders (Type Greens) have a certain mystique among GOC operatives. Some operatives even argue that it is impossible to terminate a Type Green, and it is suicide to even try. The kill record of our organization says otherwise. The key to terminating Type Green entities lies in finding and taking advantage of their few weaknesses. In 95% of cases:
- Greens cannot predict the future and can be taken by surprise.
- Greens have limited range and cannot affect what they cannot perceive.
- Greens cannot impose their will on anything if they have no will to impose.
- Greens have human foibles and can be manipulated emotionally and/or rationally.
Sequence
99% of Type Greens undergo the following sequence of psychological changes as their powers progress.
PHASE 1: Denial: The subject refuses to acknowledge their ability to warp reality. The Type Green will attempt to rationalize away their abilities by various means. In some cases, the Type Green will end here: their ability will be self-suppressed, and they will not proceed. However, most then proceed to:
PHASE 2: Experimentation: The subject acknowledges their abilities and begins to test the limits of their powers. In general, Type Greens tend to experiment in one of two patterns: slowly, methodically, and carefully, advancing a small amount at a time, or in a small number of sudden jumps. In any case, the subject will generally remain in this mode for some time, before proceeding to:
PHASE 3: Stability: The subject reaches the limit of their powers, and determines the boundaries of their abilities. The Type Green achieves control over their reality shifts, and can manipulate them as necessary. More importantly, they can choose not to utilize their abilities, if needed.
Phase 3 is usually characterized by attempts to live a "normal" life. The subject will continue in normal routines, and aside from necessary precautions to prevent losing control, will utilize their abilities only in private, and only in a manner that will not harm others. These Type Greens may be classified as Threat Level 1 (monitor, do not engage), but should be monitored closely, due to the risk of proceeding to Phase 4.
PHASE 4: The Child-God: Sadly, the majority of Type Greens will eventually progress to Phase 4. During this phase, the reality bender becomes obsessed with the power it possesses and will attempt to utilize it for personal gain at the cost of others. This phase is marked by reduced empathy for other humans, inability to accept personal faults, and increased megalomania.
Although warning signs are numerous, the key aspect of a Phase 4 is the use of their abilities to manipulate other humans. Teenage and young adult Type Greens will typically use their abilities for sexual purposes, while children will attempt to make strangers their "friends." Older adults may attempt to manipulate others for love or financial gain. Although a few cases have resulted where the Type Green then reverts to Phase 3, 99% of them will remain at Phase 4 until eliminated. For this reason, Phase 4 Type Greens should be considered Threat Level 5 (Immediate Threat) and eliminated immediately, as they represent a major threat to all aspects of the Fivefold Mission.
Termination
Any attempt to eliminate a Type Green must take into consideration the three factors for Dynamic Entry in close quarter battle.
Speed: Type Greens are able to quickly react to any threat. In order to ensure a successful kill, the operation must take no longer than one second from initiation of hostilities to termination of subject. This is the average time it takes for a human being to reflexively react to an unexpected threat or event.
Surprise: Type Greens are able to quickly adapt to known threats. It is recommended that a bluff play be carried out: an overt threat is to be presented to the subject for them to fixate upon, while the actual kill is carried out from an unexpected direction.
Violence of Action: The kill method chosen to eliminate a Type Green must ensure a successful termination on the first shot. Sniper weapons should utilize large caliber rounds, preferably hollow-point for maximum expansion, or armor-piercing, as needed. Firearms are, of course, a secondary kill choice: explosives are recommended, but may not be usable due to collateral damage risks. If firearms must be used, multiple shooters should be present, and all should aim for head shots, if possible, or center torso shots if necessary.
Example
(Names have been redacted for security purposes)
Subject Alpha ("Alice") was a 90 year-old Caucasian woman living on a farm house in Town A ("Anytown, USA"). Alice first came to the attention of the GOC following reports of "ghosts" haunting the fields outside her town. Initial covert investigation was able to rule out the presence of actual spectral entities through VERITAS scanning. Further investigation was approved. A GOC Special Observer ("Oscar") proceeded to Anytown with a full support team, posing as the cast and crew of the reality television program "Ghost Finders Inc."
Subject Alice was discovered to be living alone with two cats. She had been widowed three years prior, and her children all lived out of state. Subject Alice proved personable and charming, and often engaged the operatives in conversation and provided them with tea and home-baked cookies.
Oscar soon determined over the course of the next few days that Alice was the proximal cause of the apparitions, as they only appeared when Alice was either asleep, or not present. Upon engaging her in further conversation, he discovered that she was a lapsed Catholic, now agnostic, who expressed a desire to believe in an afterlife but was not satisfied by her faith. Agent Oscar theorized that Alice was a subconscious Type Green who was expressing her grief over her husband's death by manifesting apparitions of his ghost.
Following a lengthy philosophical discussion, including a discussion of Pascal's Wager, the apparitions increased in strength and clarity, allowing Oscar to obtain a clear photograph of the entity. He then presented the photograph to Alice for identification. To his surprise, Alice identified the photograph not as her husband, but as Subject B ("Bob"), a young man with whom she had been acquainted during her younger years.
Alice claimed that she and Bob had been romantically involved in the early 1940s, but their relationship had been suspended when Bob was drafted into the Second World War. During that war, Alice made the acquaintance of her eventual husband: a factory worker who had been classified 4-F due to a leg injury caused by an automobile accident. Two days after Bob received her "Dear John" letter, he was killed in Normandy during Operation Overlord.
Alice's heightened emotional state caused the apparitions to increase in frequency and intensity, including physical manifestations. After a GOC operative was injured by a Luger bullet fired by one of the "ghosts," Central ordered termination of the subject. Operative Oscar requested permission to attempt a nonlethal "Soft Kill," citing Second Mission (Concealment) concerns. Permission was granted.
No record remains of Operative Oscar's subsequent conversation with Subject Alice, but it convinced the Subject to manifest an apparition of "Bob" that night, the first time that she had manifested an apparition in her own presence. After receiving emotional closure with what she believed was the spectral entity of her old lover, the apparitions ceased manifesting entirely. Subject died three nights later in her sleep of natural causes. No further paranormal phenomena have occurred in the area since Subject Alice's death. Operative Oscar was commended for his actions.
Overview
There are over one hundred known instances of parathreats that operate by animating the corpses of the dead, ranging from simple prions to complex nanomachines. New ones are discovered on a regular basis, as diverse as the situations in which they are encountered. For this reason, Coalition operatives should familiarize themselves with the following three-step mnemonic (also known as the "SEX" method, for Secure, Evaluate, and eXterminate), for dealing with Type Gray outbreaks.
Secure
The first priority in any Type Gray outbreak is to Secure the area in which the outbreak is taking place. The following tasks should be carried out, in order of priority (most vital to least important). Individual situations will, of course, require revision of this general order.
- Establish Worst Case Scenario fallback plan. Coordinate with security assets re: authorized Response Level.
- Lock down the infested area and establish a secure perimeter. No persons are to be allowed in or out of this perimeter. Security personnel are to be informed to shoot on sight. Should GOC personnel be unavailable, local law enforcement or military assets may be commandeered under a standard cover story.
- Establish a headquarters within the infested zone. Said headquarters should be secure, and preferably non-adjacent to civilian defense points, so that compromise of civilian defenses will not threaten GOC assets.
- Locate and make contact with any remaining civilians. Do not attempt to move civilians to headquarters zone: any civilians surviving within the infested area are to be left in place.
Evaluate
Because of the large number of Type Gray threat entities, it is imperative to establish the nature of the particular Type Gray outbreak. GOC personnel are to liaise with any medical or scientific personnel within the infested zone, and make first-hand observations of infested threat entities. Analyze collected data and refer to GOC Type Gray database. If Type Gray threat is determined to be a Known Threat Entity, refer to the Sterilization Manual for the particular KTE.
Should data be insufficient, or if the parathreat is determined to be an Unknown Threat Entity, the following information should be recorded.
Note: Due to multiple breaches of quarantine, GOC personnel are no longer to attempt to capture a live specimen of either infested persons, or the Type Gray threat entity itself, until the infestation is pacified. All Type Gray threat entities under observation and study are to be destroyed immediately upon determination of an effective Kill Method.
Nature of physical and mental changes in the infested personnel.
All Type Gray entities work by animating deceased matter. However, the amount of physical and/or mental faculties remaining after infestation vary between Threat Entities. Initial observation of infested individuals should establish three facts:
- Remaining physical capacity: Speed of movement, agility, and strength.
- Remaining mental capacity: Ability to solve problems, collate data, sensory capacity.
- Social characteristics: Remaining pre-death personality or memories, presence of hive mind or internal factions.
In most cases, Type Gray entities cause a 50% or more loss of physical capacity and reduction of mental capacity to simple hunger. Hive minds and internal factionalism have been recorded in less than 10% of cases. In most scenarios, a Type Gray infested human is slow, mindless, and violent.
Method of Transmission.
Many Type Gray threat entities are non-transmissible: infestation must take place directly towards dead flesh. However, many others can be transmitted through bodily fluids, through localized energy life forms, or through magical/religious means. Until said means of transmission are determined, all GOC personnel are to utilize Class 1 Isolation Gear. Note: following the outbreak of the Memetic Cognitohazard Type Gray threat entity KTE-5321-Blit-Gray, "Eyeblight," all Class 1 Isolation Gear has been revised to include visual distortion lenses. In addition, the GOC team on-site are to determine whether the Threat Entity is transmissible to humans only, or (should the Entity be able to infest animal or plant life) which forms of life are vulnerable to infestation.
Effective Kill Method.
In past experience, the following kill methods have been proven effective in Type Gray outbreaks.
- Immolation: 99.9%
- Destruction of Brain: 72%
- Bodily Trauma: 54%
- Toxins: 3%
- Other: 2%
Assessment of Effective Kill Method (EKM) should be carried out in the following manner.
- Locate a single Type Gray infested human and establish a kill zone. Test subject is to be secured, if necessary, to ensure sharpshooter accuracy.
- Establish perimeter, including fall-back plan and fire support.
- Sharpshooter armed with scoped rifle, including underslung launcher, fires two rounds into center of mass. Assess result. If method is effective, cease testing.
- Sharpshooter delivers headshot. Assess result. If method is effective, cease testing.
- Sharpshooter loads and fires incendiary grenade. Assess result. If method is effective, cease testing.
- Sharpshooter loads and fires chemical grenade loaded with "Zee-Be-Gone" toxin cocktail. Assess result. If method is effective, cease testing.
- If standard kill methods prove ineffective, withdraw to headquarters and contact GOC high command for further instructions.
eXterminate
Following establishment of security, and determination of an Effective Kill Method, GOC Strike personnel are to sweep the infested area according to standard "Clean and Sweep" protocol. Personnel are to report back every two minutes with status update. Should 25% of sweeping personnel be lost, mission is to be aborted, GOC personnel withdrawn, and Response Level 3 assets deployed to incinerate infested zone. Should losses exceed 50% at any point during withdrawal, remaining personnel are to be considered expended, and immediate Response Level 3 operations carried out.
Introduction
A Regenerator (Type Red) is an overarching designation for any individual who possesses the ability to reconstitute damaged tissue and limbs. Contrary to popular belief, a Type Red is not indestructible. Numerous methods exist for disabling the regenerative ability of a Type Red, or liquidating the Type Red despite their abilities. In some cases, Type Reds will self-terminate through uncontrolled use of their abilities: however, most cases will require intervention by an operative.
Forms
Flawed Regeneration: This form of Type Red is low threat and can usually be engaged by a single operative. When injured, instead of replicating the lost tissue, the Type Red's body will instead fill the gap with a material unsuited to the area. For example, if a Flawed Regenerator experienced the loss of an arm, there is a chance it will be replaced with a large growth formed from tooth enamel. This form of Type Red will typically kill itself via accumulated minor injuries, if left alone.
Limited Regeneration: This form of Type Red possesses the ability to slowly reconstitute lost tissue, and in some case limbs. Limited Regenerators can prove dangerous in combat situations, as permanent injury is difficult to maintain. See Techniques for more information on how to permanently liquidate them.
Full Regeneration: This form of Type Red possesses the ability to regenerate lost tissue and limbs in a matter of seconds, making liquidation or permanent injury impossible. See Techniques for information on how to incapacitate this form of Type Red.
Expanding Regeneration: To date, seven Type Reds of this form have been discovered and incapacitated. Engagement by anything less than a Response Level 5 effort comprising multiple Strike Teams is not recommended. Expanding Regenerators possess not only the ability to regenerate lost tissue and limbs, but also generate further limbs and organs, often drastically increasing in size during the process. This combination makes Expanding Regenerators formidable opponents. Further information on how to incapacitate this form of Type Red can be found in Techniques.
Reincarnation: Type Reds of this form are highly elusive and dangerous, as they cannot be liquidated in the traditional sense. No known threat entities of this form are confirmed, though many entities have been spuriously claimed to be Reincarnators. Several potential threat entities are monitored by the Coalition, but determining whether or not a PTE is a Reincarnator could theoretically take multiple lifetimes of observation.
Sources
Consumer (A): Most Type Reds still require raw material and energy to reconstitute lost mass and tissue. This means a very high metabolism, and that means a lot of food. In these cases, it may be valuable to monitor their patterns of movement and identify their sources of material and nutrition. This will allow a Strike Team to better select a location to stage an ambush from.
Converter (B): A few Type Reds are capable of converting inorganic matter into material their body can use to regenerate. These entities are far more versatile than ordinary consumers, and can sustain themselves in most environments. Depending on the materials they consume and how they convert them, they may be more durable than ordinary Type Reds.
Conjurer (C): Exceedingly few Type Reds of this variety exist. Those that do are highly dangerous because they can generate the necessary matter and energy to reconstitute themselves without needing to feed, and they cannot be exhausted.
Identification
Initial identification of Type Reds usually takes place when an observer reports a person suffering an injury that heals unusually quickly. An Assessment or Strike team will then engage the target, move them to a secure location, immobilize them, and administer a sharps test. A small incision is made to the subject's palm, and the rate and nature of rapid healing assessed.
Capture
Type Reds are difficult to liquidate in the field. Operatives will often have to capture the subject before transferring them to another location for final liquidation.
- Injury to the legs is effective against Limited Regenerators and some Full Regenerators.
- Alternatively, multiple and repeated injuries to the body will often incapacitate some Full Regenerators while their body repairs the injuries.
- A knife, stake or other sharp object can be forcibly embedded into the brain. Although the Type Red will attempt to regenerate brain and skull matter, the sharp object will prevent full regeneration. Recommended point of insertion is the base of the skull, through the brain stem and upper spinal cord.
- In the case of Expanding Regenerators, liberal application of fire is recommended. This may make it difficult to capture or transport the still-burning subject.
Techniques
Incineration: The Type Red is placed into a mobile incineration trailer, which is then primed and ignited. Depending on the level of regenerative abilities, multiple applications of fire may be required. In extreme cases, incineration may be required in perpetua.
Submersion: The Type Red is placed in a sealed container which is then completely filled or immersed in water. This will cause the Type Red to drown, regenerate brain functions and subsequently drown again, rendering the Type Red effectively incapacitated. An alternative to this method replaces the water with earth, concrete, molten metal, or another solid.
Corrosion: Similar to Submersion, but replaces the water with high molar acid.
Erosion: The subject is reduced to multiple smaller pieces by cutting or abrasion. In some cases, this can be effective on its own. In other cases, Erosion may be used to enhance the effectiveness of one of the other liquidation methods.
Poisoning: Cold Iron is capable of inducing rapid metal poisoning, and the manner in which it does so can liquidate many Type Reds, as it will prevent cellular regeneration, and will deprive the host's vital organs, including the brain, of oxygen. A single bullet is enough to kill most subjects, given time.
Complete Destruction: A regenerator cannot regenerate from injury if they have nothing to regenerate from: Should a Type Red survive all other attempts to eliminate it, GOC High Command may give the order to deploy a small nuclear payload with the goal to destroy the subject. Destruction must occur completely on a cellular level, at a speed that the subject cannot regenerate at. Even if the subject survives the blast itself, it is predicted that radiological damage to the DNA will essentially render the subject a large mass of tumors.
Note: Extreme cases may require the use of multiple methods in rapid succession.
