090 GENSYN INDUSTRIES
"Private purchase, Division 3 clearance," Zairgid replied, holding up a black card. The machine blinked green, and the glass gate slid open.
The lobby was quiet, too quiet.
The air slled faintly of antiseptic and ionized tal. Transparent elevators moved along the walls like bubbles in slow motion. Behind a crystalline counter stood two clerks in silver coats, their expressions neutral—almost artificial.
"We're here for Genomic Elixirs," Zairgid said.
"Please specify the category," one of them replied in a smooth, synthetic tone.
"Strength enhancent—Series G, batch 3A. We want the concentrated strain."
The clerk's pupils flickered as if running calculations. "That formula is restricted to licensed combat professionals or research institutions."
Dan leaned closer. "We're with the Superheroes Intelligence Agency Training Division. You can check my badge," he said before showing his SIA badge.
A mont of silence. Then the wall behind them opened, revealing a hidden corridor glowing in sterile white.
"This way, gentlen."
They followed her down the passage.
Frosted glass walls displayed sealed tanks filled with floating biological masses — organs, limbs, even half-ford alien creatures suspended in nutrient gel.
Dan slowed his pace, feeling a twinge of unease.
"What are these?" he asked quietly.
"Prototype synth-organisms," the clerk replied without turning. "Failed geno fusions with alien sub-specie genes."
"Fusion…with humans?" Dan gasped in horror.
Zairgid nudged him with an elbow. "Don't look too hard. They say so of those things used to be volunteers."
"Seriously?" Dan asked.
Zairgid laughed. "These are probably just props to make the place appear more scientific… it's the common corridor for heaven's sake…. Why would they put alien experints there as display."
"You've got a point", Dan added.
They approached a secured counter where a black vial awaited them. The vial shimred faintly with tallic light—liquid power condensed into molecular precision.
"A vial of GenSyn Strength Elixir, Series G, concentrated strain," the clerk said. "One million aur."
Dan transferred the funds without a word.
The clerk handed over the case. "Do note, sir, side effects may include rapid muscle decay, bone density instability, or temporary loss of consciousness. GenSyn assus no responsibility for genetic anomalies."
Dan was cautious. Before taking the elixir, he scanned the vial with his identification app.
Na: GenSyn Strength Elixir, Series G
Description: A next-generation strength-enhancing formulation designed to promote accelerated growth of ta-strength.
Side effects: Manageable.
The information cald him.
The details matched what he had expected—there was no hidden risks, or deceptive labeling. According to his Identify scan, the elixir was safe for use.
Dan smiled with approval.
Zairgid laughed lightly. "Yeah, yeah. What doesn't kill you will make you stronger."
"There is one more thing," the clerk added. "We require a blood sample before administering the elixir."
Zairgid frowned. "What do you an administering? We have to take it here?"
"These are controlled substances," the clerk replied. "We must confirm personal compatibility. It's company policy."
Dan nodded. "Fine. It doesn't matter where I take the jab."
A door slid open behind the counter, and a nurse stepped out—tall, curvy, and eerily perfect.
For a mont, Zairgid blinked in disbelief, until he noticed that her eyes weren't seated properly in her sockets—they floated slightly above, tethered by thin optical threads.
"Holy crap," he muttered. "I'm never flirting with a nurse again."
Dan sat down as the android nurse approached. Her movents were precise, her tone devoid of emotion. A thin needle extended from her wrist, drawing a small sample of his blood.
Monts later, a screen lit up, confirming compatibility.
Without a word, she prepared the injection and administered the elixir into his arm. The fluid burned cold as it coursed through his veins, a sharp contrast to the sterile air around him.
When it was done, the nurse retracted her instrunts and gestured toward the exit. "You may leave now."
They walked back through the corridor.
As Dan passed the glass tanks again, sothing flickered at the edge of his vision. One of the half-ford creatures twitched—its warped eyelids peeled back, and for an instant, a single milky eye stared directly at him.
He said nothing. It was probably his imagination or… side effects of the elixir. But deep down, he felt it again—
power always ca with a cost.
Suddenly, a sharp sting pierced Dan's forehead. His vision blurred and his knees gave out before Zairgid caught him just in ti.
"Hey—Dan! You alright?" Zairgid shouted, but Dan couldn't answer.
His body convulsed once, then went limp in his arms.
The clerk stepped out from behind the counter, her expression unchanged. "There's nothing to worry about. It's one of the docunted side effects of the elixir. Please, bring him into our infirmary for observation."
Two nurses appeared almost instantly, pushing a levitating stretcher.
Without a word, they lifted Dan's body onto it and guided it down a white corridor. The doors sealed behind them with a hiss.
Zairgid started forward. "Wait—I'm coming with him."
"I'm afraid that's not permitted," the clerk said calmly, blocking his path. "Our dical facilities are restricted. Do not worry—we have the best care in lrose City for such cases. Your friend is in good hands."
Zairgid clenched his fists but hesitated.
He knew she was right—no regular hospital could handle a reaction to GenSyn's elixirs. Whatever was happening to Dan, only this facility could stabilize it.
Reluctantly, he turned away. The clerk's polite smile didn't fade until he was gone.
As Zairgid walked back through the silent lobby and out into the neon-lit streets, a chill ran down his spine.
He couldn't shake the feeling that leaving Dan there had been a mistake.
-----
Dan woke to the rhythmic hum of machines. His body felt heavy, wrapped in cords and sensors that blinked in steady pulses of green and amber. An IV line fed into his wrist, cold fluid threading through his veins.
"Where… the hell am I?" he muttered, blinking at the sterile white ceiling.
A calm voice answered from behind the partition. "You're in the ergency wing of GenSyn's dical facility," a woman said, stepping into view.
She wore a white coat with the GenSyn insignia pinned neatly at her collar. Her expression was composed, her smile professional.
"My na is Dr. Stacy Qiltera," she introduced herself. "I'm in charge of your case."
Dan's mory stirred—he rembered the injection, the burning sensation, then darkness.
"Right… the Strength Elixir. I was affected by the side effects," he thought. "GenSyn must've brought here for observation."
He didn't protest why he was brought here but asked, "Why am I still here? Can I leave now?" he asked.
User Comments
0 comments from readers