Kilgrave's ability was undeniably dangerous. But it was dangerous because it targeted people directly. In the hands of a decent individual it might turn them into a hero. But when someone immature like Tessa possessed it she saw it as nothing more than a tool to control boys who did not like her or to lash out at girls she resented.
However when Kilgrave's insanity was paired with such a power the result was pure chaos. Especially now after Sebastian had humiliated him in the restaurant. If Kilgrave suspected Sebastian of being a spy he would start his investigation there. And that meant Alisha could be forced to face some of the most dangerous criminals imaginable.
In the end the power itself was secondary. What really mattered was whether Kilgrave lived or died. Sebastian did not believe such an ability could be transferred easily to another person. Either the potion came with irreversible side effects or the agent's effects were only temporary.
As he entered a narrow alley near Tech Pioneer Sebastian glanced around to confirm he was alone. Taking a deep breath he drew his wand from his waist. He slowly waved it in front of him adjusting his magical output with precision. Then gathering his focus he channeled his full strength into casting the concealment spell.
"Camuflo Totalis."
The tip of his wand lightly tapped the crown of his head. It felt as though an egg had cracked over his scalp. An invisible icy liquid flowed down his body. Within moments Sebastian realized he had vanished. The Disillusionment Charm had worked perfectly. He could not even see his own hands.
"Sigh."
Sebastian let out a sigh of relief. Originally he had only wanted to test whether he could cast the Disillusionment Charm now. In fact he had a backup plan ready. But clearly his magical recovery was progressing faster than expected. The Disillusionment Charm considered moderately difficult had been successfully cast.
Shrouded under the spell Sebastian did not hesitate. He immediately headed toward Tech Pioneer's building. It was not midnight yet. There were still employees working overtime inside which made blending in much easier. He passed through the main gate and the security checkpoint without incident. He entered the building.
Noticing a building layout diagram posted on the wall Sebastian could not help but be thankful for the company's thoughtful design. It spared him the trouble of wandering aimlessly in search of his destination.
Just as he confirmed the floor he needed he paused to consider whether to take the stairs. Right then the nearby elevator dinged open. Two researchers stepped out and exited the building. The moment they left an invisible figure Sebastian stepped silently into the elevator.
As the doors closed Sebastian pressed the button for the twenty first floor. The laboratory level. When the elevator doors opened again he stepped out. He walked past the two on duty guards unnoticed. He moved quietly through the corridor observing the dark unoccupied labs on either side.
Eventually he found the only lab still active. One with researchers working late into the night.
He slipped inside without a sound. One of the researchers seemed to sense something. He looked toward the lab entrance instinctively but saw nothing. Shaking his head he chalked it up to fatigue from overworking. He turned back to his task.
Yawning and stretching the researcher resumed his focus on the experiment. Meanwhile Sebastian had quietly approached a desk near the edge of the lab. The computer had not been shut down. So he carefully moved the mouse and began scanning through the files.
After a quick read Sebastian understood the project.
The higher ups at Tech Pioneer had assigned their researchers a classified task. Analyze a set of living cells and genes that were clearly different from those found in average humans. The objective? To identify the unique properties. Through that develop pharmaceuticals capable of granting special abilities by modifying human cells and genes.
The result was of course a success. It must be said that although the scale of Tech Pioneer was not large the scientists working there were quite skilled. Not long after Sebastian had killed Kilgrave just a few months in fact a preliminary research formula for a potion that could grant Kilgrave's power was already in place.
Of course this potion came with significant side effects. It was only effective for a limited time.
For those who used it the secretion of body hormones and their physiological balance would be disrupted. Regulation would become difficult. They would likely suffer from various health issues as a result.
After consuming the potion individuals could temporarily gain abilities similar to Kilgrave's. However the strength of these abilities varied depending on the user's physique. The strong could approach Kilgrave's power level. While the weaker individuals could barely affect anyone at all.
As for the duration of the effect the maximum was about a month. While the minimum could be less than a week. In short this was a very rudimentary drug. Far from ready for mass use.
Because of this the initial version of the potion was not considered a priority. This oversight allowed Tessa who had come to visit her father to steal a sample. She used it herself.
While there were no direct explanations provided this situation had a subtle undertone. It suggested an underlying connection possibly with Hydra.
Of course what was worth mentioning here was that the documents indicated that the cells and genes used in the research had come from the corpse of a deceased power user. While the name was not explicitly stated Sebastian knew very well that the body belonged to Kilgrave.
He breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Kilgrave was truly dead there would be no problem.
If Hydra had provided Kilgrave's cells and genes it meant that Kilgrave's body had indeed been taken by SHIELD.
Sure enough his previous act of killing Kilgrave had been reckless. It was impossible for SHIELD to ignore such a bold action. They would have certainly intervened. Kilgrave's body would have been contained by them. This also meant that Hydra had obtained Kilgrave's body tissues and cells and genes.
Although there was no direct evidence to support his theory Sebastian was fairly certain that this was the case.
Now a question lingered in his mind.
Since Kilgrave's body was not here should he just leave? Or should he destroy this place completely hindering Hydra's research on Kilgrave's abilities?
According to the data the plan to study Kilgrave's ability was not given much importance by the leaders of Tech Pioneer.
The project itself had been researched before. It was believed that it was impossible to replicate Kilgrave's power. Because of this the project was discarded. It was handed over to the researchers at Tech Pioneer a mid sized company.
However due to an unexpected turn of events a breakthrough was actually made. But the result came with major flaws. It required further development.
The researchers at the institute all agreed to keep this a secret. To prevent the higher ups from intercepting their work.
When the researchers below make progress the higher ups tend to take over the successful projects. They push for rapid implementation without the necessary improvements.
On the surface there seemed to be no progress. But in reality a significant breakthrough had occurred. This is also why Tessa was able to steal a potion right under her father's nose.
How could a few scientists focused on their research possibly pay attention to a child?
If the project had been taken more seriously by Tech Pioneer there would not have been a chance for Tessa to steal the potion. Even if she had stolen it it would have likely been discovered. Recovered quickly.
Referring to the clues revealed by the information in the computer Sebastian wanted to understand the key here. He made a decision.
He did not plan to leave silently like this. Nor did he plan to destroy everything here. He wanted to take all the information and defective potions as his own!
Recently in Sebastian's recovery potion plan he listed some of the most important potions. They were also the most difficult to recover. The top three were Felix Felicis and Amortentia and Veritaserum!
The effects of these three potions could be described as irreplaceable and powerful. But they were also extremely difficult to recover in this world. When combined they required a lot of materials that were not available in this world. Making them almost impossible to replicate.
However the research on Kilgrave's cellular abilities made Sebastian feel a sense of familiarity. Perhaps he could take it back and study it. Replace one or several materials in the Veritaserum.
In fact as Sebastian guessed the true master behind Tech Pioneer was Hydra. Hidden within SHIELD. After obtaining Kilgrave's body tissue someone inside Hydra proposed the idea. To study Kilgrave's abilities to replicate them in their own Hydra warriors.
But the mind of this part of Hydra was focused on the Insight Project. Its leader Alexander Pierce the former director of SHIELD did not value the project to study Kilgrave's ability. Most of the scientific research power was placed on the Insight Project. This made the Kilgrave research plan just a mere side project. Eventually abandoned.
Like throwing away unwanted items it was handed off to the numerous technology companies Hydra secretly controlled. They were just mid tier companies like Tech Pioneer who continued the research. As a result due to a series of coincidences Sebastian stumbled upon a great opportunity.