Angelica Rivera was a Doctor who was working with the military in the development of a serum that would be able to create the 'perfect soldier' by enhancing neural and cellular activity.
Imagine having a way to boost your athletic performance, muscle strength, endurance, oxygenation, focus and alertness while decreasing fatigue. To enhance your sensory function and boost the pain suppression. Imagine all of these assets stored in one ordinary human.
With a total of 20 test subjects, it had proven to work by enhancing all the points previously mentioned, but their bodies could not take in the chems for long, so their system would start to fail just few minutes after the serum was administrated, causing them sensory withdrawal resulting in their inevitable deaths.
The project, although it began with a promising start, was going to be shut down and be considered as a "failure" by the financiers, meaning the militants, when the doctor noticed that all the test subjects were male. What if a woman was the solution?
[Program Facility]
I closed the door behind me, finally getting out of my office after infinite hours of research with what I thought was definitely going to be the answer to everything. The problem was not the serum, it was men. Their system couldn't take it. No matter what I did, no matter what I tried, whatever I did in attempt to modify it for them, didn't work. They kept rejecting it.
It was after hours of staring at the ceiling that I got a silver lining. It isn't ideal - I know - but having the soldier be a woman was the solution, that was - of course - until I figure out a way for men to survive it.
Whilst I made my way through the white corridors, I saw my colleague - Dr. Wheathley - talking with the military men that supported and financed our project, and if you ask me they didn't seem to be very pleased. Who would be? We lost 20 subjects in a month, all of them great soldiers with a long life ahead of them, diseased for a stupid error that we couldn't bring ourselves to fix.
My partner, on the other hand, said this was all part of the process. That they had sign a contract that absolved us from any responsibility. 'This is an experiment after all' is his lazy reply. I guess I have yet to convince myself of it, because no matter how hard I tried to think that way, as I see it, we were the ones using them as lab rats.
I lift my gaze to meet the men before me when a raised voice caught my attention. Not that it was particularly odd for the General of the British special forces - Gen. Macmillan - to be bitter and harsh with Wheathley, but today it seemed to have tripled. I guess whatever answer he was giving to him was not satisfying enough this time. My eyes then traveled towards the other militant. His face was unfamiliar to me, but he seemed to be American, at least that's what his uniform told me.
"General MacMillan" I called him, making him turn his head towards me.
"I'm Dr. Rivera, Remember me? I'm the one helping Dr. Wheathley with the development of the PCED (physical-cognitive enhancement drug)." I greeted him with the fondest smile I could come to elaborate, presenting my hand as a friendly greeting. To my delight, my plan worked and the atmosphere visibly pacified after that.
"Dr. Rivera, it is nice to see you again" he replied with a caring smile as he stretched my hand.
"General, I know that perhaps it's too late, but I may have an answer for you. It's just a variable that hasn't been tested, at least not yet" I managed to say and he frowned, prompting me to elaborate.
"None of the test subjects were female." is my reply. The other general glanced at MacMillan, not being able to control the mocking smile that was already forming in his face.
"If you would allow me to elaborate?" I ask, receiving a nod as an answer.
"Part of the PCED comes from a hormone that is secreted by females during pregnancy. Unlike men, females may endure its effects because it is naturally produced from our (female) bodies" I explained.
I see both Macmillan and the General beside him frown. That is when my heart started beating fast. It all made sense in my head until now...
"Right" Macmillan said. "Let's say the 'woman' thing is going to work. Do we have the test subject?"
"No, but-"
"Then there is nothing to discuss" The other general scowled, silencing my voice.
"I know having a woman as the enhanced soldier is not ideal to you. I know you say women are the weaker sex, but with this, you will notice no difference of gender. It doesn't matter who does the job, the important thing is getting the job done." I boldly reply, feeling my face hot and probably red.
"You don't have the test subject, Doctor. If you don't find a way to prove us you're right, this facility is going to be shut down, as simple as that" he shot back.
"Bu-"
"This project has done nothing but cost us money and has showed no results. Unless you miraculously find a way to make it work, this is the end for you" he continued, and he seemed to be enjoying himself.
I opened my mouth but every word that managed to get out, came out as a pathetic stutter. I couldn't bring myself to articulate any coherent word. I felt so desperate, I didn't know what to do. Everything was crumbling before me. I knew it was going to be impossible to find a woman with all the requirements in just one day - hours- as the matter of fact. My eyes scanned through the floor, seeking an answer I knew I wouldn't be able to find, unless...
"What if I am the one?" I muttered, slowly lifting my eyes towards Macmillan and completely ignoring the way Wheathley eyed me with complete and utter astonishment.
"Doctor, we -" The other General began, but was soon silenced with Macmillan's raised hand.
"Are you aware of what you're asking for?" Macmillan questioned as he stood with his greatest authority before me, his blue eyes scanning my face as he waited for my final answer.
This was it. Whatever I choose to say, there is no turning back. Acceding to this meant the end of the life I knew and starting a new and hostile one. I would have to keep up to their expectations, make no mistake. Kill...murder...end lives...for a greater good. I had to believe it in my bones, it was all for the greater good. The war had spread though Europe, and pushing it back was the imminent action. We had to contain it. We cannot let them spread to civil areas, it will throw the world into oblivion. Rejecting it was a coward action, I knew it. If I dare, this could mean a second chance for the project. I would only be a temporary substitute.
"General, my father served with you once. I know you are aware of that. I also know that you are aware that I served as part of the medical team in the Special forces brigade before my father died. I know I can be of use. I may still need to learn some things for this matter, but like I said, the drug is going to take care of that. All I ask you is to have a little faith in them. Give them a bit more time. If I survive, then you will be getting your male enhanced soldier in no time, and you can discharge me with all rights. No need to explain."
He kept examining my features for more than one silent minute, which was doing no good to my nerves, before giving me one and firm nod in approval. "Proceed then, Doctor" He said, making the other General open his eyes in shock. He then turned around and headed towards the main test area, the other general managing to rip his feet from the floor and following his comrade.
My eyes then trailed back to Wheathley as his face appeared into my line of view, his eyes wide as plates, showing a mixture of shock and anger "Are you out of your bloody mind? What the hell are you thinking?"
"Wheathley...I know this is insane"
"Oh- it is. Believe me it is" he replied quickly, interrupting my sentence. "Do you even know if it's going to work?"
"... I promise you it will work. I know it will."
He remained silent, still shaking his head in disapproval. "I hope you're fucking right" he sniped, glaring into my eyes. "Otherwise I will be burying you in a few hours" he added relentlessly before walking towards the test chamber.
I watched him in shock until his white lab coat disappeared behind the glass doors. I filled my lungs with air until I could bear no more, and let it out in a huge sigh. "God. I hope I'm right" I muttered, starting to move my own feet.
"Are you ready?" Wheathley asked as he prepared the serum just beside my chair. The room was dead silent, all you could hear were whispers. The two Generals expectantly standing not far away from me.
"What do you think?" I replied, glaring into his eyes. He stared at me for a bit longer before addressing me one nod and turning to the team. "Is everyone ready? are the readings operational?"
"Online and working" One of them responded from the control area.
"Vital signs?"
"She's a little nervous..."
Wheathley turned to me and gently placed his hand on top of mine. "Good luck, Partner" he said with a sadden smile before walking towards the control area.
I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my fingers into the chair when the liquid poured into my veins. It felt like it was burning them to ashes. I tried to control the urge to scream and transmit the burning pain I felt spraying through my body. I sensed an immense amount of pressure in my neck going towards my head. Then suddenly, everything stopped. I couldn't hear, see, smell...All my senses shut down and before I could think of anything, everything came back like a bang I slowly opened my eyes again and relaxed my fingers from the arm of the chair. I looked up to my colleagues and noticed they were all staring at me with expectancy. Everything did felt different. My senses were a bit more sharped now.
"Well?" I asked while raising a brow to my colleague.
"What are her readings?" Wheathley stuttered as he beckoned the doctors for answers.
"As it should be" one doctor confirmed as he stared at the monitor. "...all is enhanced and everything looks stable."
With hastened movements, Wheathley walked towards the other doctor and leaned his face to the monitor to see the results himself.
"Remarkable" Wheathley stammered as he took off his glasses and he scanned all the data the computers were eagerly generating. "Most test subjects didn't even reach this level of stability"
The generals exchanged glances before quietly and obviously commenting about me. Then Gen. MacMillian formed a victorious grin on his face as he returned his face to me again. I guess he was pleased with the results.
"So" I stood up and General Shepherd took a step back as I advanced towards them, General MacMillian, on the other hand, took a step forward to me. I stopped and formed a slight grin as I raised a brow. "When do we start?"