Chereads / Savage Force / Chapter 2 - Adrenaline junkie pt 2

Chapter 2 - Adrenaline junkie pt 2

Dreg burst into laughter. "Very funny... janitor job... ha ha!"Michael gave a nervous chuckle, questioning if he was in the right place."Mr. Tanner," an electric voice echoed through the room, sharp and precise. "Please come in."Michael clumsily stood up, clutching his files, and approached the door. As he passed, another young man caught his attention-a guy about his height with a grouchy face and blonde hair that accentuated his playboy features. His clothes looked expensive, and he seemed to radiate an air of confidence. The man glanced back at Michael, sizing him up before striding away.Inside the interview room, Michael found himself face-to-face with a seated Japanese American woman. Her cold stare was even more chilling than Biggie's. She looked young, and very pretty, with glasses perched on her nose, and wore a corporate outfit paired with a skirt. The room was quiet for several minutes as she seemed engrossed in something on her tablet."My name is Miss Akira," she finally spoke, her voice crisp. "I'll be assessing whether you're eligible for this position.""I'm Michael Tanner. Nice to meet-" Michael began, but she cut him off sharply."I know who you are," she said, her eyes still fixed on the tablet. After a brief silence, she asked, "Do you have any experience in sports?"Michael hesitated. "I'm great at eSports," he said excitedly but quickly noticed the blank stare on her face. "I, uh, p-p-played some football in junior school," he added, his tone faltering.Meanwhile, in another room filled with over 20 monitors, people in white lab coats were intently observing the candidates, typing furiously into their devices. Among them stood a man who commanded attention-dressed in a fitted black suit, he appeared to be in his later years but was still fit and strikingly handsome. His silver hair added to his aura of wealth and power. This was Mr. Olsen Gregor Anderson, the head of Remax Co. Industries."Mr. Anderson, the results are in," one of the lab-coated men called out, handing him a tablet. Whatever Mr. Anderson saw on the screen left him visibly impressed."I want him!" Mr. Anderson declared loudly, his voice echoing through the room.Back in the interview room, Miss Akira received a message through her transmitter and continued the interview with renewed focus."Do you know why you're here?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.Michael, still slightly shaken, replied, "I'm here for the job. I really need it... you see, my mom has been worried, and-"Miss Akira cut him off again. "Do you know why you're really here?" she repeated, her tone more probing.Michael's nerves got the better of him, and he blurted out, "Are you going to kidnap me and perform experiments on me against my will?"Miss Akira's expression shifted, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. Sensing her unspoken question, Michael quickly added, "That's what the rumors say.""We won't kidnap or experiment on you... at least not against your will," Miss Akira replied with a hint of a smile."Phew, that's a relief," Michael sighed, but then her words sank in. "Against my what?" he stammered, a look of concern creeping across his face."Calm down, I was just joking," Miss Akira said, though her serious expression suggested otherwise. Michael tried to relax, deciding to hear her out."You've been diagnosed with a rare condition... actually, 'rare' is an understatement," she began, her tone clinical. "Your body possesses a recessive gene-one that dates back thousands of years before Homo sapiens. This gene produces a unique type of epinephrine, known as ADRB0, also referred to as the Savage Gene."Michael's mind was reeling. "I think you've got the wrong guy. I'm not special or anything," he said, waving his hands in a flustered attempt to dismiss her words. "No, no, definitely not me."But Miss Akira's cold, unwavering gaze told him she was dead serious.Miss Akira pulled up an image of a human brain scan on her tablet and showed it to Michael. "This is a regular person's brain scan," she explained, then swiped to the right, revealing an image of a brain with an enlarged medulla and hypothalamus. "And this is yours."She looked directly into his eyes, waiting for his reaction."I always knew I had a big brain," Michael quipped, trying to lighten the tension.Ignoring his joke, she continued, "You have no adrenal glands. Instead, most of the cells in your body are bonded with the ADRB0 gene. But these genes are dormant, and if activated improperly, they could pose a danger to both you and those around you."Michael listened attentively, feeling a mix of curiosity and unease as she spoke."We need to train you, conduct some tests. Your genes are part of something far bigger than you. You have the potential to revolutionize the world."For a moment, Michael was drawn in by her words, the idea of being part of something extraordinary. But then reality hit him, and he snapped out of it. "What if I declined?" he asked cautiously.Miss Akira's expression hardened. "You could decline, but what would your mom think?" she replied, her voice cutting. "I've read your file. You're a lazy slouch who plays games all day, can't hold down a job while your family teeters on the edge of bankruptcy. How long are you going to keep on being a burden?"Her harsh words stung, and Michael felt a pang of guilt as she handed him a contract.Michael skimmed through the contract, his eyes widening when he saw the benefits. The amount of money offered was staggering. "$11,000 per month?" he asked, barely able to hide his amazement."Yes, we are," Miss Akira confirmed. "All you need to do is sign the contract."Michael hesitated, the pen hovering over the paper. "Can I think about it?""I'm sorry, but this offer is only available now," Miss Akira replied, her tone flat and emotionless. Then, with a hint of a smile, she added, "If you don't sign, we may have to experiment on you against your will."Though she said it as a joke, her expression remained serious, and Michael couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.After a moment of contemplation, Michael sighed and began to read through as much of the contract as he could. Despite his initial doubts, the terms didn't seem too bad. "I'll do it," he decided, though a small voice in the back of his mind whispered that it seemed too good to be true. He picked up the pen and signed the contract, adding a little smiley face next to his signature.Miss Akira took the contract from him and gave him a stern look. "You need to be here by 5 AM tomorrow," she instructed."5 AM?!" Michael blurted out, horrified. It was already 11 PM, and he had planned on playing games until 5 AM. But one look at Miss Akira told him she wasn't joking.As he headed home, Michael replayed the bizarre events of the day in his mind. The thought of his bed was the only comfort as he tried to process everything that had happened.