The naval ship loomed over the harbor like a floating city of steel.Its massive hull gleamed white beneath the cold Russian sky, cutting through the mist with silent authority. Gray Williams stood at the foot of the boarding ramp, his slim frame swallowed by an ill-fitting black suit, his eyes tracing the sheer size of the vessel in awe. This was no ordinary ship it was power made physical.Beside him, Dr. Anya Volkov adjusted her coat against the wind."Impressive, isn't it?" she said softly.Gray nodded. "It's... overwhelming."Before they could step forward, a sharp command echoed across the deck. Ten naval officers snapped into formation, boots striking metal in perfect unison. From between them emerged a tall man in a decorated admiral's coat, his presence commanding silence without effort."Welcome, Gray Williams," the man said, smiling thinly. "I've been expecting you."The officers saluted. Gray stiffened, then returned a respectful nod as the admiral stepped forward and shook his hand. His grip was firm possessive."It's a pleasure, sir," Gray replied.The admiral patted his shoulder with calculated familiarity. "Come. We have much to discuss."As they entered the ship, Anya peeled away toward her laboratory, glancing back once before disappearing down a corridor. Gray followed the admiral through a maze of guarded halls until they reached a chamber that reeked of luxury polished wood, red carpets, armed guards lining the walls like statues."Please, have a seat," the admiral said.Gray lowered himself into the chair, his eyes scanning the room. Every detail whispered danger."Offer him a drink," the admiral ordered one of the guards."I'm okay, sir," Gray said quickly. "I don't drink."The admiral paused. "Very well."He folded his hands and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't expect a black man as young as you to be that smart. I'm amazed." He smiled, though the warmth didn't reach his eyes. "Now, let us be direct. Do you know who I am?""No, sir," Gray replied."I am Admiral Viktor Aleksandrovich Sokolov." His eyes gleamed. "And you may be wondering how I obtained your contact information. That, however, is irrelevant."Gray swallowed hard."Ever since I saw you on the news in Japan being awarded for sustainable and unlimited energy supply through electromagnetic energy, I was amazed by your work. I know we could work together for the betterment of Russia and Nigeria. I want you to build something for the government of Russia as well.""What exactly, sir?" Gray asked."A smart nuclear weapon," the admiral said with a smile. "For the protection of this great country."The words hung heavy in the air.Admiral Sokolov continued calmly. "For the Russian government. Doing this would make our countries become partners, as you have done with Japan.""Then we should inform my country, Nigeria," Gray said carefully. "If that's what this is, a treaty will need to be signed between both countries.""That won't be necessary," the admiral replied with a dismissive wave. "I want it to be a surprise between the two countries." He leaned forward slightly. "And I hear you've been working on something extraordinary."Gray's heart pounded. How did the admiral know so much about him? "I... I haven't invented a nuclear weapon before, sir. Besides, the one I'm creating now is only a prototype. It's not completed, and I don't know if it will work for sure. It will take me a month or two to complete."Admiral Sokolov leaned forward menacingly. "Then complete it. You have one week."Gray hesitated. "But sir...""If you fail," Admiral Sokolov said softly with an evil tone and grim look, "you will disappear. No one will ask questions. No one will know where you are."Cold flooded Gray's spine. His heart and thoughts raced—Japan, Nigeria, his dreams, and he had just met a beautiful girl like Dr. Anya Volkov. Why had he accepted this offer? History screamed warnings he'd ignored.Then suddenly, the admiral burst into laughter."Oh, you should have seen your face!" he said, wiping his eyes. "Relax. I won't kill you."Relief crashed through Gray's body."Just finish the weapon," Admiral Sokolov added. "You'll be paid. Handsomely.""Yes, sir," Gray said, exhaling."Good. This is Captain Alexei Sokolov—my son. He'll escort you to your laboratory, where you'll be working with Dr. Anya." The admiral smiled again. "My eyes are on you, Mr. Williams."As they left the admiral's chamber and headed toward the laboratory, Gray discreetly typed on his AI assistant, M.E.E.L.I.S., through a holographic keyboard projected from his smartwatch. "How long will it take to complete the 3D weapon in a rush?"The AI responded immediately: "Calculating... roughly five days, sir.""Good," Gray typed back. The captain watched him but said nothing.The corridors felt narrower as Gray followed Captain Alexei toward the laboratory. Every word the admiral had spoken echoed in his mind. Yet when he thought of Anya, something steadied him."This is the lab you'll be working in now," the captain said."Thank you," Gray replied, but the captain had already left.Inside the lab, white light flooded the space—vast, pristine, filled with equipment beyond his wildest imagination."Gray?" Anya called.He turned, grounding himself in her presence."Can I trust you?" he asked suddenly.She froze, startled. "Yes," she said after a moment. "Why?"He opened his laptop and pulled out a sealed case. Inside lay vials and digital schematics."I've been working on this since college," he said. "A serum. It failed on me before... but I know you're an intelligent doctor, and with your help, it's going to work out."Her eyes widened. "Are you talking about a super-soldier serum?""No," he replied quickly. "It's more like..." He sighed. "Yes. But more advanced."She listened as he explained. "It comprises tiger DNA for speed, strength, flexibility, and sense of danger. Starfish DNA for regeneration. All various DNAs merged together with other energy-strengthening and blood cell regeneration chemicals. Those animal blood types are O-positive, and mine is too. I studied them for months before I started my experiments. I won't be skinny anymore. I can use my strength to help those who are weak and make the world better."His words flowed with passion and precision."I wanted to make something similar for special soldiers back home in Nigeria," he continued quietly. "To protect, not destroy. But that's when I got the email from the admiral."Anya's voice trembled. "I'll help you. If it makes you strong and healthy... I'm in." She smiled warmly.They worked nonstop. Five days blurred into one—calculations, tests, exhaustion, hope.Finally, on the sixth day in the morning, after many failed attempts, the serum was complete and ready for use.Anya wanted to inject Gray with penicillin first, but he stopped her. "There's no need for that. My life has been filled with pain because I'm weak. I prefer if you inject it into my veins—it would be more effective and merge directly with my genes.""Are you sure?" Anya asked, the syringe trembling in her hand. "It could kill you.""We came this far not to stop now," Gray said with a bold smile. "It's worth the risk."She injected him.Nothing happened.Seconds passed. Then minutes. Then hours.Gray collapsed into a chair, burying his face in his hands. "All my research... all for nothing."Anya knelt beside him. "It's not the end, Gray."He nodded slowly. "You're right. That's why I made other versions—one with cheetah DNA and one with jaguar DNA—while you were asleep. I always have a Plan B for everything I do." He smiled with confidence."That's smart, but are you sure about this?" she asked."Please inject them all into my body," he said as he sat in a chair.After she injected him, this time he felt intense pain in his veins up to his brain. He screamed and then went unconscious. Anya panicked, unsure what to do. She laid him on the ground and performed CPR. When he regained consciousness, he said weakly, "Thank you."She hugged him tightly. "Thank God! I thought you were gone for a second there.""Yes," he added. "Thanks to you, I'm still alive.""Bad news—it didn't work. You still look skinny," she said."But all my calculations were correct. What went wrong?" he said in frustration, still thinking about what the admiral had said. If he couldn't be strong, he couldn't stop the admiral if he decided to kill him.He went to the desk. "I'll just have to finish one more with gorilla DNA. This one must definitely work."Anya looked at him, seeing the frustration and desperation in his eyes. She held his hands. "Please stop. You can't continue to destroy yourself. You may create an incurable disease just because you don't want to be a weakling. I believe you'll figure it out. You're a smart guy. Just take a rest or focus on something else." She smiled.His face lit up. "Yes, you're right. I'm a smart guy. I'll figure it out later, but for now I still have a job I haven't completed yet." He turned to her with a smile. "Thanks, Anya. You're the best."She blushed. "It's nothing. So what's next now?""I need to complete the weapon I was brought here to make for the Russian government. I designed it while you were asleep, and it will be completed soon," Gray replied.Anya looked at him. "That was smart and fast. What is it, and what do you call it?""It's a nuclear bomb—3D," he replied seriously. "Drone Drill Detonator."She nodded. "And what does it do?""I don't know yet," Gray said with a nervous smile as he set it to be automatically made by his AI system. "I used my electromagnetic technology—the same one I used to invent the unlimited energy supply generator—on it. I'll just wait till it's done and tested." He changed the subject, turning to her. "You've been asking all about me, but I don't know much about you."Anya sighed softly as she sat down. "There isn't much to tell. I'm twenty-five. I earned my master's degree two years ago, and I've been working here as a doctor for a year and a half. Life has been hard for me. I lost my parents in a car accident when I was twelve. I was taken in by Admiral Viktor Aleksandrovich Sokolov—back then he was a captain and a close friend to my father. Even though I got this job, it doesn't feel like I'm accepted at all." Tears dropped from her eyes down her cheek."I know how that feels," Gray said calmly. "I lost my dad when I was seventeen on my elder sister's birthday. Life wasn't the same for me, my mother, and my eldest siblings, because I'm the last boy of the house. My mom, any time she looks at me, sees my dad in me." He showed her a picture of his father on his phone."You do look like him," she said."It was so hard. I couldn't bear it. Then eight months later, I lost my elder brother before I wrote my high school final exams. It threw me into trauma, but I overcame it. Even though I was bullied in high school and in the university, it never stopped me from my dreams, because I always remember my dad's words: 'Keep going, be better, be kind, and be good at what you do no matter how hard it is.'""That's good advice from a good father," she said with a smile."Yes, and that's what kept me going. But even though I haven't achieved my goal, I will never give up, because one day I will." He paused. "So, do you have anyone—like a boyfriend or someone you care about?" she asked politely."No, I don't," he replied. Her face lit up. "But I did before. She left me because I was financially unstable. Many girls asked me out, but I declined each of them because I thought she was the one. But then she left me for someone she thought was better. Then I got a scholarship in Japan for my bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees. Now she's regretting everything because she can't contact me anymore. I pray she gets a better life too, and I hope one day someone will love me for who I am and not what I have."Anya blushed but said nothing. Then Gray asked, "And what about you?""No, because I haven't met the right partner yet."Meanwhile, in the ship's operating room, Captain Alexei walked toward his father, the admiral, and stood at his right hand, looking outside at the ocean as the ship moved gradually. "Father, do you think it's a good idea to trust a black guy?" he said firmly. "It's been five days now. No word from him about the nuclear weapon you told him to build.""That's true, son," the admiral said. "I'll just have to call him myself, and he'll be done in no time because he still has the fear in him." He grabbed a walkie-talkie to call Gray.Back in the lab, Gray and Anya continued their conversation. Gray said with a smile, "Don't worry." Looking into her eyes as he wiped the tears off her face. "You're beautiful. You'll find somebody who truly loves and cherishes you, and if you give me the chance, I will too. And one day, the world will recognize you for your work and intelligence—for saving lives—because I've seen it at work too."The smile on his face and his hands on her face made her fall in love with him. She was astonished by his words. As they gazed at each other, they leaned in for their first kiss.A sharp beep interrupted them.Gray turned to the screen. A holographic design of the 3D nuclear weapon popped up. The AI M.E.E.L.I.S. system said from his computer: "Models completed, sir."Then his walkie-talkie rang. He picked it up and placed it to his ear. The admiral said sharply, "Is the nuclear weapon ready, boy?""Yes, and it's ready for testing, sir," Gray replied quickly in panic."I told you," the admiral said, turning to his son. "I'm on my way."The admiral smiled, nodding as he, the captain, and four naval soldiers left the ship's operating room.Two minutes later, Admiral Viktor, Captain Alexei, and the four naval soldiers walked into the lab just as Gray brought out the weapon."Finally, my nuclear weapon is ready," the admiral said with a smile.Gray replied nervously, "Excuse me, sir... your weapon? I thought it was for the govern—"He was interrupted.Captain Alexei stepped forward. "You got a problem with that?""No," Gray said quickly, lowering his head.Admiral Viktor smiled. "What a small thing for a nuclear weapon. What is it called?""3D—Drone Drill Detonator," Gray replied."A small weapon with a big name. We should test it," the admiral said. Facing the lab window of the ship, he added, "What a coincidence. It seems luck is on my side today. Let's test it on that remote island, shall we?" He ordered through a walkie-talkie, "Tell them to stop the ship."The four naval soldiers escorted Gray and Dr. Anya out of the lab and onto the deck of the ship."Fire it," the admiral ordered. "Let us see your creation."Gray did as he was told. Using the remote control, he activated the drone.The drone flew toward the center of the island and drilled down.Within two seconds, a violent shock shook the island because of the electromagnetic energy technology he used on it.The explosion erased the island in seconds, leveling it into the ocean.Silence swallowed the ship.Gray stared in horror. "You've got to be kidding me. What have I done?" he said to himself. He had given hell a blueprint."Well done, boy," Admiral Sokolov said, patting his shoulder. "Now you'll make more.""It's too dangerous, sir," Gray whispered. "It could destroy everything.""That's the plan, boy," Admiral Sokolov replied, smiling."But that weapon could cause chaos in the world," Gray said in fear."Hmm, that means you can't work for me anymore," the admiral said with a smirk as he pointed a gun at Gray's forehead.Before Gray could say or do anything, he felt the cold metal before he heard the gunshot.Anya screamed. "No!"The captain smiled and said to himself, "Serves you right, black boy."Gray fell into the ocean, into darkness, as his body sank deep into the water.Then the admiral turned to his son, the captain, and said, "Contact the best scientists in Russia right now. They will make more of this weapon.""Roger, Father," the captain replied.The admiral then faced Dr. Anya."You will work with them," he said coldly. "You will tell them how he made this weapon, and you will make it more deadly and more advanced, by any means necessary, because you were there when he made it. Is that clear?""Yes," she replied, lowering her head as tears dripped from her eyes.Shaking his cane into his left hand and gripping it with his right, a grim smile slowly spread across his face."It is time to take control of the world."
