by Luca Braña
The fourth level was a storage room. A large area filled with hardened crates full of supplies strictly for the lower levels, materials that are either of sensitive or volatile nature. Supplies for the upper levels are stored on their respective floors. The floor had two other purposes as well. One as an obstacle for any out-of-control test subjects, employing guards with plenty of cover; and as a buffer between the upper and lower levels, to make sure nothing compromising could be heard or sensed by the staff on the upper floors.
The fifth level was the actual laboratory of the facility. A very large floor with dozens of rooms filled with cutting-edge equipment, both magical and scientific. This floor served as a research facility where samples and results from the experiments discovered on the lower floors would go to be thoroughly checked by experts. The lab was a place that a businessman, like Mr. Whale, would surely never be able to fully understand, as it wasn’t his area of expertise, but he trusted the man he put in charge enough to take care of all the details. He himself just needed to study it sufficiently to understand the basic concepts so that he could show them in board meetings.
Politely greeting every staff member he came across, Mr. Whale checked the condition of the administrative floor. Everyone seemed to be working as they should, which was a good sign. Workers that slacked off are useless to him, especially in a project as important and sensitive as this one. Even if the administrative floor was the most relaxed section, it was still important work to make sure that all finances, supplies, and logistics were taken care of, and everyone knew that.
His office was located just behind a wall on the far end of this particular sector; a futuristic, sturdy-looking steel door labeled “Mr. Whale.” He would have preferred the beautiful craftsmanship of a wooden door, but even he had to follow security protocols; you never know when a catastrophe may happen, especially against the beings he is working against.
“Useless thoughts, this is not like me,” he murmured under his breath, figuring the pressure for being the figurehead of this project was getting to him. The magicians and engineers responsible for the security measures assured him that the Creators would be unable to even detect this place, so he should feel at ease.
Shaking his head, Mr. Whale stepped up to his office door, letting the scanners read both his fingerprint and retina. Watching as the machine acknowledged his identity, Mr. Whale stepped inside his office: a large, beautifully furnished room with a wooden desk. If he was to work here for an extended period of time, he needed comfort as well. Morale was a benefit both for the workers and for the boss after all.
Walking up to his desk and sitting down, he pressed a button to boot up his digital workstation and began to look at the reports that were in front of him—reports with a large, red mark of CLASSIFIED. The businessman chuckled, this almost looked like a document the government would give to an official, but considering the contents, the label was certainly very accurate.
Normally, one would consider having such documents placed atop their desk to be a very dangerous move. What if the cleaning staff were to come across it and, say, indulge in curiosity? Enter here: the wonders of magic. The document was magically sealed, only those with the cipher could open it. His own cipher was a ring he was wearing on his middle finger. A curious thing, red with a strange symbol in its center. Magicians always had a flair for the dramatic.
Opening the document, he scanned its contents, revealing details about the newest test subjects. Inside was a list of names and ages accompanied with small photographs of the children brought inside the lab for testing purposes, along with a note that a more detailed report will be forwarded to him, once initial testing and diagnostics could be done.
Mr. Whale nodded. This was an expected report since he had sent representatives earlier this week to find and acquire the needed assets. Orphans, juvenile delinquents, and even some teenagers—the tests would determine if either they could or could not be useful. To decide that, the sixth and seventh levels were of extreme importance.
The sixth level of this facility was a second laboratory, however, it differed from the fifth floor in that it was much larger, and both the staff and equipment were specialized in such ways that morals wouldn’t stop them. The Experiment Lab was the great focus of all of his efforts. It was where the magic happened, where the test subjects would go to have their genes unlocked through a battery of treatments… or to be deemed as failures and be freed. That particular level, along with the seventh, were the ones built with the most durability and highest security in mind, displayed by a much larger quantity of guards than all the other levels aside from the third; heavily armed and authorized to use lethal force if necessary.
Now finally, the seventh level, the depths of Project R.N.G. as well as its main resource. Named the Coliseum, it was the largest and most secure of the levels where the test subjects were housed. Large rooms with bunkers and the very base necessities for human beings. They were designed to be as uncomfortable as possible while still maintaining just enough relief to allow for sleep. The floor got the name ‘Coliseum’ because of a future project that the head scientist had in mind, and as such, there was a very large open area in the center.
Looking at the next page of the document, Mr. Whale took at a glance at the proposed methods of the ‘Hidden Gene Awakening Treatments’ for the subjects that were brought in. Starvation, electric shock, drowning, suffocation, burning, harsh environment, near-death experience, etcetera. These looked more like torture methods than any true treatment, but one thing was a fact: those years of experiments made prior to his presentation of the project showed that the best way to unlock the hidden genes was through a stressful situation—through trauma and
through adrenaline. Things that would evoke such a strong reaction from the human body, alongside the right chemicals, would trigger a response from the body to try to preserve itself, thus, awakening the hidden abilities of a human being.
Research on the most powerful humans on the planet seemed to indicate that all of them had gone through some form of trauma in their early childhood, allowing for them to unlock their hidden powers. However, this only happened to a precious few, certainly not enough people to put up a fight against the Creators. If this project succeeded, then they would have a whole army of incredibly powerful children that they could shape into loyal, brave soldiers that would fight for the greater good of all humanity. Additionally, should the scientists find a way to make all the humans in the world be as powerful as them, they would need not fear the Creators any longer!
Mr. Whale could already see the massive boost in both his economic power and fame. He would go down in history as a hero for all of humanity, the one who dared to stand up against the threat everyone thought was impossible to overcome.
“Everything seems in order,” he murmured to himself while looking again at the profiles of the newest batch of children, his stare resting on a blue-haired boy. Truly, he would have preferred to conduct these kinds of experiments on adults who could understand the necessity of this all, but for the greater good, sacrifices had to be made. For a moment, he wondered what sort of power he would have if his hidden gene was unlocked in his childhood. He shook his head. The last page of the document had a request for a meeting with the head scientist at his earliest convenience, so he should get to that.
Pressing a button near his desk, he spoke, “Please inform Dr. Gacha that I would like to speak with him in my office.” Mr. Whale relaxed in his chair to wait for the man, and soon enough, a request for entrance appeared in his terminal. Touching the screen to accept the request, he was greeted by a serious looking individual.
Project R.N.G.’s head scientist was a man of few emotions, a youthful visage despite bolstering a healthy sixty years on his shoulders. His hair and beard were whitened by age—the only tell of his seniority. One would be mistaken to assume him to be a harmless old man, however. The steel of his red gaze told you to not take neither him nor his intelligence lightly, a
nd indeed, the man walked up to him with only the slightest of nods as a polite greeting.
“Mr. Whale,” the man’s nearly emotionless voice spoke as he sat down in one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk, looking straight in his eyes. Mr. Whale had to stop himself from shivering. There was something about him that made Mr. Whale feel uneasy, nevertheless, they had business to deal with, so he spoke up.
“Dr. Gacha, I saw your report about the latest batch, what is it you wish to talk to me about?”
“Yes, it’s about the next phase of Project R.N.G.” He took a tablet from inside his coat and began swiping his finger across it, his eyes briefly scanning the data it contained, before placing the device on top of the desk. With a glow, a three-dimensional projection of the seventh level appeared. It was different from the current schematics, in that it had a large arena in the center where the open area had been. “As I told you before, the next phase’s focus would largely be on the seventh level, and with the new test subjects brought in, I believe we finally have the numbers to start it.”
“Oh, I see, that’s certainly good news! But, wouldn’t you need time for the new batch?” Mr. Whale decided that this was definitely positive news. The next phase, according to Dr. Gacha, would help test the hidden gene’s power potential, as well as develop them for the future indoctrination needed to turn these hosts into perfect soldiers.
“Of course, the new subjects will be experimented on and treated during the period of time it will take to prepare for the next phase. It will be a tight schedule, but we can accommodate for it with more intense versions of the current treatments.”
“Very well then, but is that wise? The last batch produced many failures,” Mr. Whale said with a nod, causing the scientist to frown at the mention of the last batch.
“It was unfortunate, but our project does rely heavily on luck after all, just like a… gacha game. Sometimes you get good rolls, sometimes you get rejects that should be disposed of, to try to salvage something. Fortunately, the other batches before this proved to be useful. Only time and experiments will tell if this one will be viable or not.” The doctor took the tablet from the table and pocketed it back in his coat.
“However, that was not the only reason I came here. We finally found a way to catalog all the different kind of powers unlocked through the R.N.G. treatment. As you know, when the treatment succeeds, the subjects show a variety of different abilities, neither being quite the same as the other. If you’d accompany me to the lower levels, I can show you what I mean,” Dr. Gacha spoke in a neutral tone, looking the businessman in the eye. Mr. Whale frowned; he wasn’t particularly fond of going to the lower levels, but if it was necessary, he would do it.
“Very well, let us make haste.”
2
The fifth level of the Project R.N.G. facility, the laboratory, was a very clean and sterile place, yet it contained a scientific beauty that even a businessman like Mr. Whale could appreciate. The staff, both scientists and guards, gave them nods of acknowledgement and immediately returned to their work, a show of how disciplined and dedicated they were.
“As you know, Mr. Whale, in this lab we analyze any samples and results acquired from the lower levels, to better understand what caused them and if we can replicate them.” The head scientist gestured towards one of the many rooms, whose insides could be seen through the large glass windows.
“Those people were hand-picked by me, the best in their respective field, and ambitious enough to turn a blind eye to the darker aspects of our research. If this works out, the entire team will receive much prestige, but I digress. We have arrived at my office,” he said, moving in to allow the digital scanner to identify him, giving them both access to the room.
Dr. Gacha’s office looked like any other lab. A little more conservative on the number of devices present, but each was clearly handpicked for his personal use in case he ever needed to do an in-depth analysis by himself to either contest or clarify a result given by the scientists that worked under him. True enough, his dedication to the work provided many great insights to the project.
“I thought you wanted me to take a look at the subjects themselves?” Mr. Whale asked while looking around his head scientist’s office, giving in to curiosity despite having been here many times before. The scientist nodded his head and gestured for him to come closer to his desk, which was located in one of the corners of the room.
“The seventh level is currently being prepared to receive the newest test subjects. Going there would just give both of us needless distractions. As such, I decided to make some use of the failures,” Dr. Gacha replied blandly, his left hand reaching for a button that appeared from inside his desk. “Thanks to this, my team now has an easier time cataloging the different kinds of hidden powers that all humans have inside of them.”
The moment Dr. Gacha pressed the red button, the room seemed to change. The center space of equipment disappeared in a wave of arcane symbols and in their place appeared seven giant tubes, mechanical in nature, each filled with fluid of a different color…
And the dead bodies of children.
“I assume there’s a good reason for this?” Mr. Whale asked calmly, even as he paled in shock. He already knew the price of his project, and had already accepted what had to be done, but the suddenness of it caught him off guard. Not to mention, the bodies inside the capsules were in terrible condition.
“Of course. Each of these subjects had powers that worked in different ways and were deemed failures because their powers were either unable to be controlled, or because of a bodily condition prior to the treatment, such as cancer or insanity...” Dr. Gacha said as he walked over to the leftmost capsule, one whose fluids were a cyan blue color. He took a moment to look at the body, before turning back towards Mr. Whale, who was trying his best to focus on the capsule itself rather than the body inside.
“This subject’s experimentation gave him the ability to become stronger, faster and more durable than a normal person, with reflexes and increased thought processes to match. He was able to put a dent in solid metal with his bare hands, seemingly without effort. Not even our physically strongest guard can do that. His speed and reflexes allowed him to dodge bullets fired from regular pistols, something hard to achieve with conventional training.” The scientist sighed. “Imagine what level he would have gotten to with proper training, with the indoctrination to be a loyal soldier! Alas, he was deemed a failure because the experimental treatment also triggered a fatal retrovirus. We made calibrations to avoid this in future test subjects, of course.”
“So, I assume there are more children whose powers are similar to his?” Mr. Whale asked, fascinated at the tale of such an incredible amount of power. A child! Even the strongest of the factions of Neon City had to train for decades to get to such levels.
“Indeed. Many of the present subjects, those who are currently receiving the treatment, displayed the ability to become stronger through a form of energy that they are able to activate or deactivate at will, while others permanently gain the increased attributes without the need to expend energy on them. We call this category, the ‘Enhancers,’ subjects whose powers allows them to surpass the limit of normal human physical prowess.” Dr. Gacha made his way to the next capsule, once again stopping to look at it as the body floated inside the orange-colored fluid.
“Our world is one where both magic and science exist in equal amounts and can thrive together. Indeed, this project is as scientific as it is magical in nature, and as such, some power can’t be properly explained with just science, such as the case of this subject.” The scientist turned to Mr. Whale, who was looking at the capsule with curiosity. “This subject showed the ability to use telekinesis, being able to lift and control objects several times heavier than himself with ease and also showed some limited form of mind reading. His powers came completely from the mind, and thus, we decided to call this category of subjects, the ‘Mental.’ Unfortunately, the subject was a
lready suffering from terminal brain cancer by the time he was admitted to this facility, and thus, deemed a failure.”
“I see, but what use could someone with mental powers have against the Creators?” Mr. Whale questioned, as while he thought telekinesis in itself was powerful, mind reading would not be so useful against beings who could easily destroy their world with a snap of their fingers. The scientist just shook his head while his face, for a moment, slipped into a smirk.
“You wouldn’t know how useful it would be, to always know exactly what your enemy is going to do. Creators still have minds, so theoretically, they could also fall prey to mind readers like any other living being. They would make excellent spies, as well,” the scientist said as he moved towards the next capsule, one with a red fluid. Curiously, the capsule was completely empty.
“Why is this one vacant, doctor?” Mr. Whale asked wondrously. He hadn’t noticed it before, thanks to the shock of the capsules and their contents, but this one, indeed, does not have a body inside it. The doctor turned to face his boss, a smirk still present on his face.
“That’s because the subject who would be stored here for study is still alive. You see, Mr. Whale, this subject so far is our biggest stroke of luck, an ultra-rare pull if you will. The individual is currently the most powerful and successful experiment we have done in this project yet. From inside his body, books came into being. Red books full of arcane secrets and knowledge even our magic researchers found highly complex to learn quickly. But for the subject himself, they were as easy to read and understand as a grocery list,” the scientist explained with calm excitement, obviously pleased with this particular result.
“A high stroke of luck indeed! If we could get more like him, then…” Mr. Whale trailed off with optimism. Magic users are not uncommon in their world, but the discipline it took to be a high-level mage was enormous. If they could make soldiers who could learn powerful arcane arts with ease, his project would undoubtedly be a success.