Pssht...
Air hissed out of the syringe as Rory expelled the excess. Then he stuffed a towel into the disabled veteran's mouth.
"Bite down. This might hurt."
Using a light-wave scanner to locate the median cubital vein in the arm, Rory glanced at the man. Once he nodded, Rory slowly inserted the needle.
The pain was immediate and strange.
Rory pressed down on the arm to stabilize the vein and steadily pushed the radiation-virus serum into his bloodstream.
"Mmghh!!"
The pain worsened, spreading from the arm outward. Redness bloomed, turning to a purple hue until it covered his entire body.
Rory removed the syringe and set it in a tray, then grabbed a camcorder to document the results.
"Significant rejection reaction. Subcutaneous tissue shows signs of congestion."
"Pupil dilation, erratic breathing, unconscious state."
"Heart rate 197, cardiac function still active, possible serum integration success."
"Hair loss noted. DNA restructuring in progress, wait... unexpected mutation occurring!"
From the man's elbows, knees, and shoulders, bone spurs began to grow, an outcome Rory hadn't anticipated.
Originally, he assumed the serum would maintain human physiology. But this mutation clearly strayed from human parameters.
Next, from his severed arm, an extended bone blade sprouted, long enough to match the length of his other arm.
Rory quickly set the camera down, grabbed a flashlight, and rushed over to the table. He held the man's jaw and shouted, "Stay conscious! Can you hear me?!"
The man's pupils constricted slightly, but there was no further response.
"Listen! If you can hear me, then stay lucid. If you lose control now, you're going to die."
When a human's physiology changes significantly, there's a chance they'll become a chimera, a creature whose consciousness has been overtaken by foreign genes.
That's why many villains behave like completely different people after gaining powers, their original minds are gone.
Surprisingly, the veteran seemed to hear Rory. The bone spurs slowly retracted, and his body returned to normal.
After an hour, the red tint faded from his skin. Hair, eyebrows, and even body hair regrew, though now they were white.
Rory suspected it was due to the mouse serum. Possibly, everything had turned white... even down there.
After two hours, the man's heart rate normalized. It was as if nothing had happened.
Frowning, Rory reviewed the data on the monitor, particularly the brainwave readouts. According to this, he should already be awake.
Sure enough, when Rory turned around, the veteran groaned and opened his eyes.
"Ugh... I'm... not dead?"
"Sorry, looks like your family won't be getting the bonus payout," Rory quipped with a grin.
He undid the restraints and tossed a pair of shackles over.
The man frowned. "What's this for?"
"Just a precaution. I'll be observing you for a week and running a psychological evaluation. If nothing goes wrong, I'll let you go."
To ensure mental stability after mutation, strict observation was necessary.
After extracting blood samples, Rory had two super soldiers escort him to a holding cell, then began preparing for the next trial.
The convict volunteer lay on the table and asked softly, "Sir... will I turn out like him?"
"No idea. Depends on your luck."
Rory suspected the veteran's mutation was linked to his missing arm. During genetic reprogramming, the serum likely prioritized repairing the most damaged area, resulting in that bone blade.
It was all unpredictable. The serum seemed to adapt based on the subject's flaws.
"2:08 PM, the 26th. Radiation Virus Serum N1, Human Trial #2. Subject: Payne. Age: 36. Weight: 155 lbs. Heart Rate: 129. Serum concentration increased to 51%."
Rory repeated the same steps.
This time, the subject didn't grow any bone spurs, but his skin hardened abnormally.
Unlike Luke Cage, whose skin was still flesh-like, this man's skin felt like steel, devoid of elasticity.
"Radiation-virus serum really is like a blind box... what you get depends on the whim of Lady Luck."
Three hours later, Payne slowly opened his eyes.
"Sir... I feel... much stronger."
His consciousness was clearer than the veteran's. He could talk normally as soon as he awoke.
Rory nodded, then grabbed a scalpel and ran it along Payne's arm. Shhk! It left only a pale scratch, the skin remained unbroken.
His abilities were similar to Luke Cage's. Just how similar, they'd have to test later.
Rory released the restraints, tossed him a set of cuffs and said, "Put these on yourself. You'll be quarantined for a while. Once you pass all the checks, I'll allow a home visit."
Hearing that, Payne bowed deeply. "Thank you, sir. Truly. If, and I mean if, my powers can be of use, I'd do anything for you."
His goals had been simple: reduced sentence and a visit home. The powers were a bonus, and his gratitude showed.
He had a rare character: even after gaining superpowers, he remained grounded, without ambitions of abuse. Rory found this incredibly valuable.
"Don't worry," Rory smiled. "If you pass the tests, not only will I clear your record, I'll even give you a proper job."
Payne bowed once more and followed two super soldiers back to the holding cells.
Both subjects had to be kept in isolation, with no chance for contact.
After the experiments, Rory compiled and compared their genetic data.
Both showed significant mutations. But because the mutations were unpredictable, Rory still preferred the simplicity and control of the Super Soldier Serum.
He deleted the formula for the radiation-virus serum and placed the remaining batch in cold storage.
To him, rogue mutants would never be as useful as an organized military of enhanced soldiers.
The next day, Rory resumed Super Soldier production while visiting the holding cells daily to collect data.
The veteran's name was Anthony. His ability was to grow a bone blade from his arm, about 30 cm in length.
CT scans showed it originated from the inner forearm bone, extending backward like a concealed weapon. The blade had steel-like hardness and slow regeneration properties.
His physical strength was enhanced, comparable to standard super soldiers, but far inferior to Luke Cage.
Payne's abilities included strength augmentation and iron-hard skin. Like Luke, but his transformation was trigger-based, normally average, but once activated, he'd become nearly invulnerable.
After compiling their data, Rory left the lab and just happened to see Luke Cage being loaded into an armored vehicle.
He asked, "What's going on?"
"Good morning, sir. Luke Cage is attending a hearing. Afterward, he'll be transferred to the Raft for permanent detention."
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150 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter
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