Deep beneath an unmarked military compound, hidden from public knowledge, Department 77 operated in secrecy. The dimly lit lab was filled with the hum of machines, bio-containment pods lining the walls, and researchers in hazmat suits meticulously monitoring the grotesque results of their latest experiments.
Dr. Edwin Langston, the lead scientist, stood before the board of high-ranking officials from the military, the Bureau of Justice, and government-backed private sectors. His face was lined with exhaustion, yet his sharp gaze reflected the ambition that drove him.
"We've made promising strides in animal trials," Langston reported, clicking through a series of holographic displays. Images of mutated test subjects appeared—wolves with hardened exoskeletons, jaguars with enhanced reflexes, and apes displaying unnatural intelligence and aggression.
The room murmured in interest. General Reynolds, a grizzled war veteran and one of the military representatives, leaned forward. "And what of human trials?"
Langston hesitated before answering. "Minimal progress, sir. While the alien DNA fuses well with certain animal specimens, human compatibility has proven… difficult."
The board members exchanged glances. The Director of the Bureau of Justice, Richard Caldwell, adjusted his glasses. "Define 'difficult'."
Langston sighed and gestured toward a large containment pod at the far end of the lab. Within, a deformed humanoid figure twitched unnaturally, its veins pulsing with an iridescent glow.
"The prisoners we've used as test subjects suffer extreme rejection of the DNA strain. Most die within hours, their bodies unable to handle the cellular restructuring. Those who survive..." He motioned toward another screen, showing footage of a test subject in a containment cell, screaming in agony as his body grotesquely twisted, insect-like appendages bursting from his back. "They become unstable. Their minds... break."
A tense silence filled the room.
One of the shadowy corporate officials, Marcus Voss, folded his hands. "This is expected. A failed formula is merely a stepping stone to success. We need more viable subjects."
Langston nodded, already anticipating the push for escalation. "If we were granted access to Super-powered individuals for testing, we might see better results. Their genetic structure is more adaptable than baseline humans. If we succeed, we could create the ultimate soldiers before the war truly begins."
The request sent a ripple of unease through the room. The board members were powerful, but even they understood the weight of such a decision. Supers were assets, valuable in combat—turning them into lab rats could have disastrous consequences.
"This is dangerous ground," Caldwell muttered, exchanging a glance with General Reynolds. "We can't risk destabilizing our own forces."
Voss smirked. "Destabilization? Or evolution?"
The room fell into heavy silence.
Finally, Admiral Theresa Grant, a cold and pragmatic leader, spoke. "Table the discussion for now. We cannot afford to move recklessly. Continue experimenting with prisoners. Improve the formula. When the time is right, we will revisit this… proposal."
Langston nodded, masking his disappointment. He knew they would come around—when the war escalated, desperation would drive them to take risks.
As the meeting concluded, the board members dispersed, leaving Langston standing in the sterile glow of his lab. He turned to one of his assistants, eyes sharp with unrelenting determination.
"Prepare the next round of trials. If human subjects aren't working... then we'll push the boundaries further."
The assistant hesitated. "What do you mean, sir?"
Langston's lips curled into a chilling smile. "We're done playing safe. Start testing on enhanced hybrids—the animals with stable integrations. I want to see what happens when we push beyond the limits of nature itself."
And with that, Department 77 edged closer to unleashing something beyond their control.
Inside Department 77, the sterile halls buzzed with calculated precision as researchers continued their work. The failed human test subjects had either perished or been locked away in high-security containment cells, awaiting further study. Now, Dr. Edwin Langston was shifting his focus.
He stood before a reinforced observation chamber, watching as one of their hybrid test subjects—a panther infused with Insecticoid DNA—stalked its enclosure with unnatural grace. Its sleek black fur had a chitinous sheen, and its eyes glowed with a predatory bioluminescence.
Langston turned to his assistant. "Initiate the stress test."
The assistant hesitated but obeyed, pressing a button on the console. Three automated drones emerged, targeting the panther with live ammunition.
The creature moved in a blur, faster than any normal feline. It dodged the gunfire, leapt onto one of the drones, and ripped it apart with razor-sharp claws that cut through metal like paper. The remaining drones attempted to counter, but the hybrid was too fast. Within seconds, all three drones lay in pieces.
Langston smirked. "Now imagine that with human intelligence."
His assistant gulped. "It's... impressive, sir. But still uncontrollable."
Langston nodded. "For now." He turned away from the enclosure. "How are the other hybrid trials progressing?"
The assistant pulled up a holographic display, showing footage of different animal-human-Insecticoid hybrid experiments.
A wolf with enhanced muscle density, displaying strength beyond anything seen in nature.
An eagle with heightened intelligence, responding to complex verbal commands.
A chimpanzee with partially formed exoskeletal plating, showing resistance to bullets.
Langston's ambition burned in his eyes. "The board will come around soon enough. Once we prove that the hybrids are stable, they'll approve testing on Supers."
The assistant hesitated. "And if they don't?"
Langston gave a cold, knowing smile. "Then we proceed anyway."
---
Meanwhile, deep within a restricted sector of Department 77, a containment pod began to shake violently. Inside, one of the human test subjects—a death row prisoner injected with an advanced Insecticoid strain—convulsed violently.
The alarms blared. Security personnel rushed in, only for the pod's glass to crack. The subject's skin hardened into an armored shell, his eyes turned pitch black, and a low, guttural growl escaped his lips.
Then, he snapped his restraints.
The experiment had just entered Stage 2.
Department 77 – Restricted Sector
The alarms blared, red lights flashing violently as security personnel scrambled into position. Inside Containment Pod 09, the mutated prisoner thrashed against his restraints, his exoskeletal plating thickening, his fingernails elongating into razor-sharp claws. His breathing was ragged, his chest expanding unnaturally as the transformation continued.
Dr. Edwin Langston observed from the reinforced control room above, his expression unreadable. "Stage 2 has begun. Prepare for full lockdown."
CRACK.
The pod's reinforced glass finally shattered, and the prisoner lurched forward, his new form a grotesque mix of human musculature and Insecticoid chitin armor. His once-human eyes were now pitch-black voids, and mandibles twitched from the sides of his jaw, clicking together with unsettling precision.
"Containment breach in Sector C-7!" A frantic voice rang through the intercom.
"Deploy the response unit!" Langston ordered.
The security team, clad in advanced exo-suits, stormed into the chamber, rifles raised.
"Non-lethal containment authorized!" their commander barked.
They opened fire, electrified net rounds and stun munitions zipping through the air. But the creature—Designation X-09—was too fast. It moved in blurred motion, zig-zagging between shots before lunging at the nearest guard.
A horrific shriek filled the room as the creature's claws pierced through the man's armor like butter, lifting him off the ground before hurling him across the chamber.
"FALL BACK!" another soldier yelled, but X-09 was already upon them.
Two men went down instantly—one had his helmet ripped clean off, the other was slammed into the steel wall so hard his spine snapped audibly.
The remaining soldiers panicked, switching to live ammunition. Bullets pinged off the creature's hardened exoskeleton, only slowing it down rather than stopping it.
Up in the control room, Langston remained eerily calm. "Fascinating. He's adapting even faster than expected."
His assistant was sweating. "Dr. Langston, we need to trigger the emergency purge! If this thing escapes—"
Langston held up a hand, silencing him. "Not yet. We're learning valuable data. Let's see how far it can go."
The fight below escalated. A guard managed to get behind the creature, unloading a high-voltage taser blast into its back. X-09 seized up, twitching violently, before collapsing onto one knee.
For a second, it looked like they had won.
Then its exoskeleton split apart, revealing a secondary layer of hardened tissue beneath.
The creature slowly turned its empty, black eyes toward the guard who had shocked it.
And smiled.
Then it moved.
Faster than any human eye could track, it closed the distance, its claws piercing straight through the soldier's chest.
Blood splattered across the steel walls.
From the control room, Langston finally gave the order. "Activate the purge."
A deep mechanical hum filled the air.
Emergency turrets descended from the ceiling, charging up plasma rounds designed to incinerate anything inside the containment chamber.
The creature, sensing danger, let out a monstrous screech and dashed toward the exit—but it was too late.
BOOM.
A massive wave of blue plasma fire engulfed the room, searing through metal and flesh alike. The soldiers—what was left of them—were vaporized instantly.
The monstrous X-09 let out one final, ear-splitting roar before being consumed by the flames.
Then silence.
As the fire subsided, the charred remains of the room came into view. The walls were blackened, bodies reduced to smoldering husks.
Langston exhaled. "Clean up the mess and send the remains to the lab for analysis."
His assistant turned to him, eyes wide with disbelief. "This is insane. That thing wiped out an entire squad in under a minute! It was nearly unstoppable!"
Langston smirked, eyes gleaming with twisted ambition
Department 77 – Bio Weapons Division
Inside the stark, sterile laboratory of the Bio Weapons Department, the flickering lights cast long shadows over rows of complex machinery and unmarked test tubes. Dr. Edwin Langston moved through the space, scrutinizing the data on his tablet, his face a mask of calculation. His eyes landed on a set of monitors displaying the latest attempts to recreate alien Bio weapons from the Insecticoid technology.
"The Bio Blade—still unstable," Langston muttered under his breath. The blade-like weapon, made from the reformed alien compound, was a beautiful, sleek design, but its edges were too volatile—flickering in and out of existence. A deadly concept, but unrefined.
A nearby technician, visibly anxious, stepped forward. "The plasma blaster malfunctioned during the trial. The power surge was... unpredictable. We've had multiple failures in adapting the Insecticoid bio-energy systems."
Langston's lips twisted into a thin smile. "Unpredictability is the nature of innovation." He stared at the readouts, eyes glinting. "We'll fix it. Push forward. Failure only makes progress that much sweeter."
He turned away from the failing experiments, his mind racing as he walked through the secure corridors of Department 77. His next goal was clear—something bigger, something more potent than these failures. Langston needed to assess the potential of certain individuals in the ongoing war effort.
Inside the darkened conference room, he sat down with the board members of the military and the Bureau of Justice. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Langston went straight to business.
"I want access to the footage and records from the Wilderness Program. The students' performances, their abilities. In particular, those from the program that were introduced to the alien insectoids' crash site. I need to see how they fought back when their power restrictions were lifted."
The board members exchanged glances, some of them skeptical, others intrigued. One of them, a higher-ranking officer in the Bureau of Justice, raised an eyebrow. "You want to review the Wilderness Program? That's classified. Those records are not up for general review."
Langston remained calm, his voice unwavering. "We're at the precipice of a war. I need to know who among them has potential, and if we can extract that potential—legally or illegally. I need to assess them for future Bio Weapon experiments."
The room fell into silence.
"You're suggesting using them for the next phase of our experiments?" one of the board members asked, cautious.
Langston smiled thinly. "Exactly. If I can isolate the key attributes from the students—perhaps even from their biological makeup, we can make significant progress."
He paused, allowing the words to settle in the room. He wasn't just talking about enhancing Bio Weapons. He was talking about creating super soldiers, with abilities far beyond normal human limits. Some members of the board were starting to consider the strategic advantage this could bring.
As Langston's request for the footage was approved, he leaned back in his chair, a glint of anticipation in his eyes. His fingers slid across the surface of the tablet, clicking through to the Wilderness Program records. A new video popped up—one of the first unfiltered footage of the students in action, their powers unleashed against the alien insectoids.
Logan stood out first—his movements precise, controlled. Langston watched intently as the young man used his forcefield with remarkable finesse, protecting his team while taking down several Insecticoids with ease. Langston's eyes narrowed as he watched Logan's gray Desert Eagle and his SVD come into play, noting his calm demeanor under fire.
Then came Matthew, working in tandem with his custom modifications. His synthetic tech seemed to work like a charm—his carapace-like armor shielding him from blows that would have been fatal to anyone else. The EMP pulse he had installed in his vehicle neutralized several Insecticoids on the battlefield.
And then there was William, with his lean Titan physique and brute strength. His movements were predatory, taking out several alien creatures with ease, the raw power in his punches causing ripples in the air.
Finally, Langston paused as he watched Jessica, her half-Titanoboa transformation in full display. Massive serpentine movements and increased strength turned her into an unstoppable force as she decimated multiple Insecticoids in seconds. Her coiled form darted with precision, crushing enemies beneath her, moving faster than anyone expected.
Langston could feel the tension in the air. These individuals had something special, something that could be extracted, enhanced, and weaponized. They were perfect candidates.
The next few moments were critical. Langston made his notes quickly, unable to take his eyes off the footage, realizing that Logan and his team were more than just lucky survivors—they were combatants, trained by the Wilderness Program to face threats like the Insecticoids.
After a few tense moments, Langston turned to face the board once again, ready to push forward.
"If you want an edge in the war, these students—Logan, Matthew, William, and Jessica—are exactly what you need. We can enhance them. Use their abilities. Make them soldiers for the coming conflict."
One of the board members cleared his throat. "We'll deliberate. But you know as well as I do, Langston, that using supers in this way... it's a dangerous proposition. We can't just put them through the same experiments we've done with prisoners. These kids have too much potential."
Langston's smile didn't falter. "Potential is exactly what we need."
However, after a few moments of intense debate, the board ultimately declined his request, opting to table the matter for the future. The risks were too great, and the moral implications of using young, untrained supers in such dangerous experiments weighed heavily on them.
Langston, undeterred, stood up, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. He already had a backup plan. He was patient—he knew that in time, these students would come to him. And when they did, he would be ready to take them.
The war was only just beginning. And Langston had the key to victory.