[Ding~ Congratulations on meeting Carlton Drake, a core supporting character in the Marvel universe. You have gained 1 plot point.]
The moment Luke laid eyes on the group of people in the lab, the familiar system prompt echoed in his mind.
Even though it was just a single point, Luke couldn't help but smile faintly. That meant only six more points to upgrade the system, he was getting close.
Inside the sterile laboratory, the group, including Carlton Drake and several scientists, were gathered around a transparent containment unit, intensely observing a rabbit.
None of them noticed Luke's arrival. Their full attention was on what they believed to be a breakthrough, like explorers witnessing the discovery of a new world.
Carlton Drake, in particular, looked enthralled. His eyes gleamed with ambition as he watched the alien symbiote bond seamlessly with the rabbit. A bolder, more dangerous idea formed in his mind.
Human trials.
If the symbiotes could integrate with animals this smoothly, then what about humans?
What if this was the next stage of evolution?
If humans could bond with symbiotes, perhaps they could venture into space without limitations, no need for suits or oxygen tanks. They could become more.
Stronger, faster, superior.
That was Carlton Drake's dream, humanity's accelerated evolution, with himself at the front.
"We can't wait any longer," Drake said with unshakable resolve, turning to a woman in a lab coat with glasses and a ponytail. "Start preparing for human trials immediately."
She flinched. This was Dr. Dora Skirth, the lead scientist on the team. Her expression shifted from surprise to concern.
"Our data isn't even close to being ready for that," she said quickly. "We're still in early animal testing. Jumping to human trials now would be not only reckless, it would be unethical!"
But Drake was unmoved.
He responded coolly, his tone sharp: "For the advancement of mankind, sacrifices must be made. Animal tests are too slow and yield limited data. Begin human experiments tomorrow."
His voice carried a tone that silenced any rebuttal.
But before she could protest further, a lazy voice echoed from behind.
"Well, you know what?" the voice drawled. "I actually agree. We should start human trials immediately."
Drake froze.
So did the scientists.
They all turned toward the lab door, surprised and confused.
There stood Luke, leaning casually against the doorway, arms folded, wearing a half-smile that looked both harmless and slightly amused. At his feet was Doggo, trotting in behind him, breathing heavily with effort.
The husky had been putting on even more weight lately. Without transforming, even just walking was becoming a challenge.
Drake narrowed his eyes at the odd pair. A thin young man and a lazy, overweight husky? They looked anything but dangerous.
Yet... how had they gotten in?
"Who are you?" Drake demanded, his voice icy as his hand subtly moved to press a button on his communicator.
Without waiting for a response, he whispered into the device, "All units, report to the lab immediately."
As CEO of the Life Foundation, Drake had access to a formidable security force, all well-armed and highly trained.
He had a bad feeling about this strange visitor, and his instincts were rarely wrong.
Luke, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest. He smiled faintly again, this time because he heard Bumblebee's voice in his earpiece.
"Boss, we've got three guards inbound, two from the left hallway, one from the right. ETA, twenty seconds."
Luke gently nudged Doggo with his foot. "Get to work, buddy. Two on the left, one on the right."
The command only deepened the scientists' confusion.
Drake frowned. Talking to the dog?
Was this kid mentally unstable?
The lab fell into a stunned silence, until Doggo suddenly began to change.
His fur shimmered with a green glow as his body rapidly expanded, nearly scraping the lab's ceiling. No flames this time, just three large heads growing from one thick, powerful neck. All of them looked oddly like his normal face, dumb, round, and slightly cute, except now the size itself made it seem terrifying.
Extremis had given Doggo control over his transformation, and he was showing off.
Before their eyes, his enormous frame began to split at the neck, and from one dog, there were now three, identical in size and shape, each more than two meters tall, covered in shimmering green fur.
They looked comically fat.
But their strength was no joke.
One charged right, the other two darted left.
Just as the armed guards stormed into the lab, Doggo's copies were already upon them.
One of the guards managed to fire twice, but the bullets thudded uselessly into the green beast's thick hide. Before he could reload, he was engulfed.
The others didn't even have time to react.
They were swallowed whole in less than three seconds.
The one who managed to fire was lifted with Doggo's massive jaws. With a gentle tilt of his head, the man's body slid down his throat, vanishing without a sound.
The lab went dead silent.
Carlton Drake, for the first time in years, looked pale with fear. His mouth opened slightly as he backed away, trembling.
"You... you... what the hell are you?" he stammered, pointing a shaky finger.
The three-headed Doggo calmly trotted back and merged once more into a single form, then plopped onto the floor lazily as if he hadn't just eaten three fully grown men.
Drake and the other scientists could only stare horrified, and completely baffled.
How? How did the dog's stomach not even bulge?
Where had the security guards gone?
With the monstrous husky blocking the exit, none of them dared to move. They huddled against the far wall, frozen in fear.
Only Drake seemed to muster a shred of composure, but even he didn't make a move.
Luke, meanwhile, walked forward calmly toward the containment chamber.
Inside, the rabbit hosting the symbiote stared back at him. Oddly enough, there was something intelligent in its eyes.
Almost human.
Luke raised an eyebrow, somewhat intrigued.
Just then, the system chimed in again.
[Ding~ The symbiote Phage is moved by the sincerity in the host's eyes. It has chosen you as its master and will follow you for life.]
[Ding~ Phage fears being separated from the host. Infiltration ability awakened: It can now breach any barrier to reach you.]
…
Luke blinked.
Wait, what?
He hadn't even done anything!
He was just looking at it!
But apparently that was enough for the symbiote to choose him as its lifelong host.
He chuckled inwardly.
Well... that was unexpected.
Though if he were being honest, he felt slightly underwhelmed by the name.
Phage?
Really?
Not as cool as Venom, Riot, or Carnage. Still, at least it wasn't named something gloomy like Agony. That would've been too emo for his taste.
Suddenly, the rabbit stirred.
The symbiote within it leapt out and slammed against the glass, writhing with urgency.
Everyone stared, confused.
And then.
The black mass began sliding through the glass, penetrating the thick transparent layer as if it weren't even there.
"What, what the hell is this?" one of the scientists gasped.
"That's impossible!" shouted another. "The symbiotes couldn't breach glass before!"
But this one was doing just that.
Even more terrifying, Luke slowly raised a finger and was reaching out to touch it.
The entire lab held its breath.
What is he doing?
…