Dopass.com

My Daughter,

In the months since I last wrote, much has occured. I fear that little of it is good, but some of it... is wonderous! How can I explain?

I last wrote of the terrorist attack on Los Angeles, do you recall? The city burned and the stories say something green and luminous fell from the sky. I now know that these are not stories! I have seen it for myself!

The city was evacuated mere days after my last writing, but your cousins and I could not leave. No, my child, we were not trapped; we had obligations. Our army has grown considerably and managing our efforts often requires that we meet in secret. Staying within this city, which is now mostly abandoned, makes that easy. We travel through the storm drains to remain invisible to the UAVs that patrol the city's skies, but otherwise this city is ours and its resources are at our disposal.

There is no radiation here, as the government claims. We survive fine. In truth, I feel better here than I have felt in many decades. Nor am I alone in this; all of us who have been changed by the so-called disease have recovered our full health and vigor. The blind have regained thier sight and the crippled now walk sure and strong. It is nothing short of miraculous! I believe that thing that fell from the sky, that device, has reason to affect us so, but it did not tell me so when we spoke.

Ah, how I must sound to you. Have no fear my dear, your father has not gone mad. At least not yet. The device, as we call it - even though it appears biological in nature - is possessed of some sort of intelligence. We came across it in the storm drains. It sat at the bottom of a massive sink hole - or what we thought was a sink hole, in truth it turned out to be a crater. It is about the size of a city bus, perhaps 30 feet tall and 9 feet wide. It is shaped roughly like an egg, though its shape has changed every time I have visited it since.

At first, when I approached the device, it showed no evidence of... I was about to say life, but perhaps activity is the proper word. Yes, it showed no evidence of activity. Eli stepped boldly forward and impulsively touched the device. Immediately the crater was filled with a bright green light that quickly dimmed into a dull glow coming from the sides of the device. In the back of mind I heard a "voice." It did not "speak" with words, but rather fully formed thoughts entered my mind - thoughts that were not my own.

The device indicated that we were in no danger, but at the same time it could not explain our presence and demanded answers. It wanted to know why we had not adhered to the "protocols," but in moments it had its answer, even though none of us spoke. It.. apologized! for entering our minds. It had thought us to be something other than we were. In our minds it explains that we should not be here. On this planet! That we were trespassing on our own world! We grew angry and it read this in our minds, exclaiming - to itself! - that procedures had been violated. Again the blinding green light filled the crater and we had to avert our eyes, but then the light... changed. It did not dim but somehow our eyes could bear the sight of it and we returned our gaze to the device. My family had drastically changed in the scant few seconds of blindness. Now, like me, they possessed the green skin of the disease, but unlike me - or so I thought - their eyes blazed with an inner light! A bright green light like that cast by the device! From the looks on their faces I could see that I must also possess these glowing eyes. As our panic blossomed a soothing thought cascaded through our minds - the device at work - and we felt as if it all happened for a reason.

I could offer a cliche about this being our destiny, but I will not. Instead I will simply say that this device had reason to change us, somehow. I cannot explain why it did what it did, for it refuses to communicate so directly now, but ever since that day we have found ourselves in perfect health. I feel as is the process started by the disease so many months ago has reached its culmination in me, thanks to this machine. I have somehow... adapted, to something. I cannot explain it any more than I have. none the less, it is wonderous!

We have begun to bring all of the afflicted to the device so that it changes them in turn. Though it never speaks to us as it did that first time, it changes them all without complaint. What it does when we are not there I can only guess at, but I suspect it moves with a purpose of its own. You might find it odd that I do not fear it, but you have not stood in its presence or felt its power coursing through you as I do, every day. This device means us no harm. In truth, I believe it completed these changes in me to ensure I survive, but survive what? I admit I *do* fear the answer to that question.

Our numbers swell here, in the city. Many of our new recruits are more like followers. They have taken to wearing the same tattered rags and robes I do, as a sign of respect. Their devotion moves the rest of our army as well. I suppose I should stop it - I am not a holy man or a healer, but it feels right. At least now our army will have a uniform. We truly are a movement, now. If only we could stay here; I feel like we could do much for our brethren with this device watching over us. Alas, it can't be; I could not find you if I remained solitary and its a moot point; we have no choice but to move on.

A small band of ours, out scavenging supplies from the abandonments, were spotted by UAVs in the night. Our eyes are not always a boon you see, they stood out like tiny flashlights for the cursed machines to see. Already the streets above us echo with the footsteps of soldiers. Their numbers are yet small and some have suggested we attack them and be done with it. We do have an advantage in that scenario since we number enough to be called an army, but we have no training and such provocation would only bring more soldiers. We will have to move on, to survive.

We have heard rumors that Las Vegas was also evacuated. As I write this, our best and brightest are scavenging specific supplies from the city. Some have already returned bearing the respirators and goggles I have asked for. Tomorrow I will lead this army into the desert and in a few days, we shall see Las Vegas with our own eyes. With the supplies we gather today, we will be properly outfitted for whatever we may find.

If the rumors are right, I expect to find another of these devices. Perhaps it will tell us more, or perhaps it will change us further. I have not told the others, but I have another reason for traveling to Las Vegas. I have heard that the military base there might house another shadow camp where our kind are experimented on. It is my hope that this is true and that I will find you there. I will tear that base to the ground with my bare hands to find you, my daughter. You can count on that.

Your Father,

- Michael Mendoza