The artificial sun of the Verdant Bio-Dome blazed overhead, casting a warm golden glow through the lab's transparent alloy panels. Even in the simulated autumn cycle, the concentrated solar energy left a faint prickling heat on exposed skin.
Inside his reinforced bio-lab, Dr. Mordecai Thorne paced restlessly across the cold, gleaming floor. His sunken eyes flickered with unease, a rare crack in his usual composure. Though he was confident in the leverage of the Necro Parasite Spores, the approaching deadline had stirred a gnawing anxiety—Kael Voss was no ordinary apprentice, and the stakes of his plan were too high for miscalculation.
Suddenly, the soft hum of footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing steadily louder as they approached the lab. The rhythm was distinct—light yet deliberate, a cadence Dr. Thorne had memorized during Kael's years of training.
Recognition sparked in his eyes, and Dr. Thorne's lips curled into a sharp, eager smile. He hurried to the auto-sealing door, slamming his palm against the biometric scanner. With a faint hiss, the door slid open, revealing the figure he had been waiting for.
Kael Voss strode forward slowly, his tactical suit still bearing faint scratches from his months of seclusion training. The six miniature vibration sensors attached to his limbs glinted softly, a silent testament to his enhanced capabilities. His sharp gaze swept over Dr. Thorne, cool and unyielding.
As Kael drew near, Dr. Thorne forced his excitement into a mask of paternal warmth. His gnarled hands folded behind his back, and the violet bio-toxin tendrils beneath his skin receded slightly, hidden by his lab coat.
"Punctual as always, Kael," he said, his voice smooth as synthetic silk. "I'm pleased you didn't entertain any foolish thoughts of fleeing—prudence suits you. Come in; we have much to discuss."
His expression softened into an approximation of kindness, like a seasoned manipulator donning a familiar disguise.
"Rest assured, the lab is free of tricks—no neural suppressors, no energy traps," Dr. Thorne added, noticing Kael's wary glance at the lab's interior. It was a subtle taunt, designed to goad the younger man into lowering his guard.
"Hmph. If I'd been afraid, I wouldn't have come at all," Kael retorted, his tone sharp but controlled. As if genuinely provoked, he stepped past Dr. Thorne and entered the lab.
Dr. Thorne's eyes flashed with satisfaction as he moved to seal the door—only to freeze at Kael's next words, spoken without turning his head.
"Close that door, and I'll assume you're planning to corner me. Our discussion ends immediately."
Dr. Thorne blinked in surprise, hesitating for a heartbeat. Then he stepped back from the control panel, feigning nonchalance. "I come with sincere intentions, Kael—no harm will befall you here. If you prefer the door open, so be it."
He settled into his reinforced bio-synthetic chair, while Kael grabbed a sleek metal stool from the corner and plopped down across from him, unapologetically casual. The two stared at each other in silence, the months of separation hanging between them like a tangible barrier.
Kael studied Dr. Thorne closely. The scientist had aged dramatically—his ashen hair was thinner, his skin sallow and wrinkled, as if the weight of his genetic decay had finally caught up. He looked every bit a man on the brink of collapse, not the formidable manipulator who had once held Kael's fate in his hands.
Could he have been telling the truth? Kael wondered. Was his only goal really to use Kael's Perfect Gene Sequence to repair his shattered DNA, with no hidden agendas? Doubt gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside—complacency would be fatal.
His gaze darted around the lab, and suddenly his pupils contracted. In the shadowed corner near the gene-sequencing console, a hooded figure stood motionless, its form blending into the darkness. It was the bio-engineered combat droid Dr. Thorne had brought back with him—silent, lethal, and nearly invisible to the untrained eye.
Dr. Thorne, meanwhile, had finished his own assessment of Kael. He nodded approvingly, his smile widening. "You've grown since we last spoke—both in stature and in poise. I remember when you first arrived at Aurora Peak, a scrawny frontier boy with stars in his eyes. Now you carry yourself like a true disciple of the Seven Luminaries."
The casual, nostalgic tone threw Kael off guard. He couldn't fathom Dr. Thorne's angle, but he tensed inwardly. This man was a master of deception, his experience spanning decades of manipulation—Kael dared not let his guard slip.
"Your guidance has never been far from my mind, Dr. Thorne," Kael replied, softening his tone and adopting a respectful demeanor, as he had done in his early apprenticeship. "If you have a task for me, I'm ready to listen."
"Excellent—your gratitude honors me," Dr. Thorne said, rising from his chair. He took a step toward Kael, his hands outstretched. "Now, let me verify your progress with the Cellular Activation Protocol. A quick scan of your neural and genetic signatures will suffice."
Old fox, Kael cursed silently. Trying to play the benevolent mentor to catch me off guard. He leaned back, dodging Dr. Thorne's outstretched hands with practiced ease.
"Patience, Dr. Thorne," Kael said, his smile polite but firm. "I can confirm I've reached the Fourth Tier of the Protocol—exactly as you requested. But before we proceed, wouldn't it be wise to hand over the antidote for the Necro Parasite Spores? I'd feel much more at ease cooperating without a biological time bomb ticking in my cells."
Dr. Thorne's expression shifted to one of feigned surprise, as if he'd completely forgotten. "Ah, right! The antidote—age has clouded my memory. I'd intended to give it to you the moment you arrived."
He reached into the pocket of his lab coat and pulled out a small silver vial, its surface etched with intricate gene-sequencing patterns. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to Kael.
Kael fumbled slightly, as if caught off guard, and barely managed to catch the vial. He brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply—the sharp, metallic scent of activated nanobots and genetic stabilizers filled his nostrils. He glanced up to find Dr. Thorne watching him with an amused smirk.
Doubt flickered through Kael's mind. Could it be a trap? But the spores would awaken in three days—without the antidote, he'd suffer a slow, agonizing death. Dr. Thorne still needed him for his immortality plan; it made no sense to kill him now.
Resolute, Kael uncorked the vial and swallowed the clear, viscous liquid inside. He sat back, closing his eyes to focus on the subtle changes in his body.
Dr. Thorne returned to his chair, lounging lazily as he made small talk—rambling about the bio-dome's environmental cycles, the scarcity of rare bio-materials, and even Kael's long-lost friend Gareth. It was a deliberate distraction, designed to keep Kael's mind off the antidote's effects.
After a few minutes, Kael felt a brief, sharp twinge in his abdomen—then it was gone. He activated his Fourth Tier sensory enhancement, scanning his cells with microscopic precision. The Necro Parasite Spores, once dormant in his DNA, had dissolved completely, neutralized by the antidote's nanobots.
Relief surged through him, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. The first major threat had been eliminated.
Dr. Thorne noticed the change immediately. When Kael opened his eyes, the scientist's smirk widened. "You see, Kael? The spores were merely a... motivator. Without that gentle push, I doubt you'd have mastered the Fourth Tier so quickly."
"Your 'motivation' is appreciated—though I'd prefer not to have it repeated," Kael replied, his tone lighter now that the weight of the spores had lifted. He was still wary, but the antidote had bought Dr. Thorne a sliver of credibility.
"Now," Dr. Thorne said, leaning forward, his eyes glinting with renewed urgency. "Shall we proceed with the scan? I need to confirm your genetic stability before we move to the next phase of our arrangement."
Kael's smile faded. He knew the risk—letting Dr. Thorne get close could give the scientist the opening he needed to subdue him. But he had no choice but to play along—for now.