skerrick
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Dr. Beverly Trans rubbed the bridge of her nose. She had no idea why this was failing. All the calculations showed her formula should work. All the simulations said it should work. And yet, the results had proven the exact opposite. The lab mice lay dead on the bottom of their cage. Most of them had suffered cardiac arrest. Others had burned through all their energy in seconds. One of them had even exploded. Only one of the mice had survived, and it had only been able to eat a single formula-soaked pellet.
She went back to her computer. The enhancement formula should have increased almost everything about the mice. Their strength, their speed, even their intelligence. She had set up the special cage anticipating they would be able to break out of a normal one. And yet, it had failed. Just like all the other test groups.
She checked and double checked her numbers. It was all there. It all lined up. She knew it should have worked. She sighed and looked at the one remaining mouse. Then she cocked her head to one side. It looked different somehow. Sleeker. Its fur was a tiny bit more lustrous. It was also moving a little bit faster than it had before. Dr. Trans thought about that.
Could it be so simple? She went to the various analysis devices she had trained on the reinforced cage. Sure enough, all of the mouse’s abilities had been enhanced just a tiny bit. That was something. At least it was not a total failure. But that got her thinking. What if…
She had the computer bring in more mice and dropped dividers between them. Then she gave each one different portions of the formula. The results were immediate. Those who got larger portions did far worse than those who got less. She repeated the experiment several times and her face lit up.
It was all a matter of preparation. Of priming the body to handle the incredible power the formula would give. Get too much, and it would burn itself out from the excess power. But if you took in small amounts, the body got used to it. It would build up the means to handle more and more power, allowing slightly larger doses each time.
She plugged the new data into the computer. The only change it showed was the length of time it would take to achieve the desired results. No, with this new data, she might be able to push it even farther. Give the body more power than she had thought with her initial tests and simulations.
This would work. This was going to work. She knew it would. She ordered a new batch of the formula prepared. But not for the mice. No this one was for herself. This was what her years of research had brought, and she would be damned if she trusted anyone other than herself with it.
When it was brought out, the formula was a clear, viscous liquid that sat in a glass container. Thinking about all the power she would get from that, she almost downed it right then and there. But no, that would just kill her. She needed to be patient. So she was. She ordered a single needle. Not even a syringe, but a needle. When it arrived, she dipped it into the formula and pricked herself.
A few moments later, she felt it. She felt her body change, just a tiny bit. Everything looked and sounded a little clearer, and it felt like her body had gotten a little lighter. Her smile grew even wider. This was going to work. This was going to change the world.
And she could hardly wait to really get started.
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The birth of a hero? Or a villain?
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