Biological Progression

Ten years. Ten wasted years I'd spent within the sterile prison walls of Genesis Labs. They called me Subject 007, a sterile designation that stripped me of my identity, my past a forgotten melody. My name is Kai Tanaka, and according to Dr. Emilia Vance, the head researcher with a smile that never reached her icy blue eyes, my sole purpose was to be the key to Project Lazarus.The rhythmic hum of the ventilation system was the only constant companion in my solitary confinement. Every day was a monotonous cycle of blood draws, scans, and forced ingestion of mysterious concoctions that left a metallic tang on my tongue. My only human interaction was with Dr. Vance, a woman whose calculated demeanor sent shivers down my spine.But today, the air crackled with a different kind of tension. Dr. Vance entered my observation cell, flanked by two security guards whose expressions mirrored the unease I felt coiling in my gut. Today was different."Subject 007," she announced, her voice laced with a hint of anticipation. "Project Lazarus reaches its culmination today. We test the final iteration."My heart hammered against my ribs like a frantic bird trapped in a cage. Project Lazarus. The whispered rumors that traveled through the labyrinthine ventilation shafts, the nervous chatter amongst the guards – it all converged on this very moment. Project Lazarus, they said, was the key to human immortality. But at what price?Dr. Vance gestured towards a metallic contraption wheeled into the room. It resembled a sleek pod, its translucent surface revealing a network of glowing tubes filled with an emerald green liquid."Get him prepped," she ordered the guards, her voice devoid of warmth. They approached cautiously, their hands hovering over the restraints securing me to the steel examination table.Panic surged through me. I wasn't just Subject 007 anymore. I was Kai, a man stolen from his life and thrust into this scientific purgatory."No!" I roared, straining against the restraints. "I'm not your lab rat anymore!"But resistance was futile. The guards overpowered me with practiced ease, their movements swift and decisive. My struggles were met with a cold efficiency that chilled me to the bone. Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes, a silent protest against the violation of my body.They strapped me into the pod, the cold metal biting into my skin. Dr. Vance pressed a button on a nearby console. The pod hissed to life, and the emerald liquid surged through the tubes. A wave of nausea washed over me as an icy coldness invaded my body. My vision blurred at the edges, the sounds of the room morphing into a distant echo.Then, darkness.When I awoke, a sickening disorientation washed over me. My body felt foreign, a shell that moved with a sluggishness I didn't recognize. The pod was open, and I stumbled out, legs wobbling like a newborn colt.Dr. Vance stood before me, a predatory glint in her eyes. "Welcome back, Subject 007," she said, a cruel smile twisting her lips. "Are you ready to see what Lazarus has wrought?"I stared at her, a primal fear gripping me. The metallic tang was back on my tongue, stronger than ever. But something else lingered too – a strange hunger, a primal urge that sent shivers down my spine.As I took a tentative step forward, the sterile white walls of the observation cell seemed to shrink. The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed with an almost unbearable intensity. My senses were hyper-aware, the sterile scent of the lab replaced by a metallic tang that permeated everything.Suddenly, a loud screech echoed through the corridor. My head snapped towards the sound, the predatory hunger gnawing at me with an insistent urgency. Dr. Vance's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing her face."What was that?" I rasped, my voice hoarse."A…minor malfunction," Dr. Vance stammered, her composure seemingly unraveling.The metallic shriek came again, closer this time. My body tensed, the predatory urge pulsing through me with a raw intensity. I lunged towards the source of the sound, a guttural growl erupting from my throat. This wasn't me. This… this was something else entirely.Dr. Vance and the guards stumbled back, their faces etched with terror. The metallic door separating the observation cell from the corridor warped inwards with a sickening groan. A hulking figure emerged, its silhouette shrouded in the dim hallway light.It was a guard, but not the one who had restrained me earlier. His eyes glowed with an unnatural red light, his skin stretched taut over a grotesquely swollen body. He roared again, a sound that sent shivers down my spine.My primal instincts kicked in, overriding any lingering confusion. This monstrous figure, this twisted parody of a man, was the source of the metallic tang, the embodiment of the hunger gnawing at my insides.Ignoring Dr. Vance's panicked shouts, I launched myself at the creature. My movements were faster, more precise than I ever remembered them being. I slammed into the creature's chest, the force of the impact sending it staggering back. Its claws raked across my arm, leaving deep gashes that bled a dark, viscous fluid.The pain was negligible. In fact, it seemed to fuel the predatory hunger, a twisted satisfaction coursing through me. The creature lunged, its red eyes burning with feral rage. I sidestepped its attack with unnatural agility, the metallic tang intensifying with each surge of adrenaline.The guards reacted at last, their tasers crackling with blue energy. But the creature was too fast, too strong. It snatched one of the guards mid-charge, its powerful jaws crunching through bone with sickening ease. The other guard, his face pale with terror, dropped his taser and fumbled for a pistol.Before he could fire, the creature was upon him, its claws tearing into the unfortunate guard's chest in a flurry of violence. The metallic tang on my tongue grew almost unbearable, a primal scream rising in my throat.Suddenly, Dr. Vance lunged forward, a syringe glinting in her hand. She aimed for the creature's back, but it reacted with inhuman speed, twisting its body to block the injection. It roared again, its maw snapping inches from Dr. Vance's face.The sheer ferocity of the creature sent a primal terror through me, a primal fear that warred with the relentless hunger. In that split second, a flicker of my humanity resurfaced."Doctor!" I roared, a sound that seemed to surprise both myself and the creature. It turned its bloodshot eyes towards me, a flicker of something resembling curiosity crossing its monstrous visage.That hesitation, however brief, was all I needed. I lunged forward again, this time aiming for the creature's exposed neck. My fist connected with a sickening thud, the creature stumbling back with a surprised snarl.Seizing the opportunity, Dr. Vance lunged forward with renewed determination. This time, the syringe found its mark, plunging deep into the creature's back. The creature spasmed, its red eyes flickering with confusion before dimming. Its heavy body slumped to the floor with a meaty thud.Silence descended upon the once-sterile corridor. My chest heaved with ragged breaths, the metallic tang slowly receding from my tongue, leaving a metallic aftertaste. Dr. Vance stared at the fallen creature, her face pale as death."What… what have you done?" she whispered, her voice trembling.I looked at my hands, now slick with a mix of my own blood and the creature's dark ichor. A horrifying realisation dawned on me. I had fought alongside the creature, the predatory hunger almost consuming me. But somehow, some sliver of humanity had pulled me back from the brink."I… I don't know," I choked out, a mixture of fear and confusion swirling in my gut.Dr. Vance scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting back and forth between me and the fallen creature. "We need to get out of here," she hissed, urgency lacing her voice.The metallic screech echoed once more, this time closer, followed by the unmistakable sounds of chaos erupting further down the hall. More… more of those creatures.I didn't need Dr. Vance to tell me twice. This wasn't about revenge or escape anymore. It was about survival. With a silent nod, we turned and fled down the sterile corridor, the metallic tang a grim reminder of the monster lurking within me, and the terrifying power that coursed through my veins.We navigated the labyrinthine corridors of Genesis Labs, Dr. Vance leading the way. The sterile environment was no longer a source of comfort, but a chilling reminder of the horrors unleashed within its walls.Alarms blared throughout the facility, red emergency lights strobing with an unsettling rhythm. The metallic shrieks echoed closer, accompanied by the guttural roars of the transformed guards."Where are we going?" I gasped, pushing myself to keep pace with Dr. Vance."The control room," she panted. "We need to shut down the project."My mind struggled to comprehend the situation. The project that turned men into ravenous beasts? Was that the reason they kept me here all these years? My memories, fragmented and hazy, offered no answers.We burst through into a large chamber filled with rows of blinking consoles and technicians scrambling in panic. In the center of the room, a holographic display flickered with a bioluminescent