NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: The Experiment
Chapter 4: The Experiment
The walls of the Protectors' headquarters were cold and sterile, a stark reminder of the reality RagRocK was stepping into. Gone was the relative comfort of his family home, replaced by the hum of machines and the clinical efficiency of the staff. He was led through a series of hallways by a stern-faced officer who gave no indication of what lay ahead.
"This way," the officer said curtly, opening a large metallic door.
RagRocK stepped into a cavernous chamber filled with advanced equipment. The air smelled of antiseptic and metal. A group of recruits stood in a line, all of them wearing identical expressions of apprehension and determination. He joined them, standing tall despite the nervous energy crackling in the room.
An older man in a white lab coat entered, his presence commanding immediate attention. His sharp eyes scanned the group, and his voice was steady, practiced.
"Welcome to the experiment," the man began. "I am Dr. Ashwin Rao, the head of genetic augmentation research. Each of you has volunteered for this process knowing the risks involved. Let me remind you that not everyone survives. Those who do may not walk out the same as they walked in."
The recruits exchanged uneasy glances. RagRocK's jaw tightened, his resolve unshaken.
Dr. Rao continued, "The purpose of this experiment is to unlock dormant genetic potential within you. The results are unpredictable. Some of you may gain abilities beyond your imagination. Others may... not." He didn't elaborate on what "not" meant, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
"Step forward when your name is called," Dr. Rao instructed.
One by one, the recruits were called. Each was escorted to a separate chamber, their faces a mix of fear and anticipation. Finally, it was RagRocK's turn.
"RagRocK Anand."
He stepped forward, his heart pounding as he followed an assistant into a brightly lit lab. The room was dominated by a cylindrical pod surrounded by monitors and tubes filled with glowing green liquid. The assistant gestured for him to lie down on a flat surface connected to the pod.
"Relax," the assistant said, though her tone did little to ease his tension.
RagRocK lay down, feeling the cold metal beneath him. Restraints locked over his arms and legs, and a mask was placed over his face. The pod closed around him with a hiss, sealing him inside. The hum of machinery grew louder, and the liquid began to fill the chamber.
"Beginning genetic activation," Dr. Rao's voice crackled through a speaker.
The liquid enveloped RagRocK, cool at first but quickly turning warm. His body began to tingle, and then the pain hit—sharp, searing, as if every cell in his body was being torn apart and rebuilt.
He screamed, the sound muffled by the mask. His vision blurred, and his mind spiraled into chaos. Memories of his family, his brother's sacrifice, and the faces of the Vaekrans flashed before him. He clung to those images, using them as an anchor to endure the agony.
Outside the pod, monitors displayed erratic readings. Dr. Rao observed with a mix of fascination and concern.
"He's reacting strongly," one of the assistants noted.
"Good," Dr. Rao replied. "Let's see how far he can go."
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Hours passed. RagRocK was barely conscious when the pod finally opened, releasing a wave of steam and the acrid smell of chemicals. He stumbled out, his body trembling, his skin slick with sweat.
"You're alive," Dr. Rao said, sounding more like a scientist observing a test subject than a man speaking to another human.
RagRocK fell to his knees, gasping for air. His body felt different—stronger, heavier, as if a latent power was thrumming beneath his skin. But he had no time to process it before an assistant helped him to his feet and led him to a recovery room.
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The recovery area was filled with other recruits, some groaning in pain, others lying deathly still. A few seemed oddly calm, their expressions unreadable.
RagRocK scanned the room, noticing that not everyone who had entered the experiment was present.
"Where are the others?" he asked a nearby recruit, his voice hoarse.
The recruit, a young man with bloodshot eyes, shook his head. "They didn't make it."
RagRocK's stomach churned. He turned his attention to those who remained. Among them, ten individuals stood out, their posture and aura exuding newfound strength.
One of them, a woman with fiery red hair, caught his eye. She moved with a predator's grace, her gaze sharp and calculating. Another was a burly man whose muscles seemed to ripple unnaturally, as if alive. Each of the ten survivors seemed transformed in their own unique way.
Dr. Rao entered the room, his presence silencing the murmurs. "Congratulations to those of you who survived. You are the ten chosen—the Primes. Your abilities will manifest in time, shaped by your individual genetics. From this moment on, you are no longer ordinary humans. You are weapons, the last line of defense against the Vaekrans."
RagRocK listened, his mind reeling. He had survived the experiment, but what had it made him? What kind of power had been unlocked within him?
As the other Primes began to test their newfound abilities, RagRocK stood still, his fists clenched. Whatever lay ahead, he knew one thing for certain: his journey had only just begun.
End of Chapter 4
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