A dimly illuminated laboratory at the secretive GoreCorp base. Shelves piled with vials of unknown substances and full of high-tech equipment take up the space. Detailed charts and blueprints detailing many experiments adorn the walls. There's a peculiar feeling of youthful vitality combined with a sense of urgency in the atmosphere. Rae (20) is still the intimidating yet mysterious figure she would later become. At the same time, two far younger and more innocent individuals, Lucas Greene (14) and Jed DeLuca (15), are seated in a corner, nervously watching as Rae gets ready to conduct one of her numerous experiments. Rae is meticulously setting her instruments, her white lab coat starkly contrasting to her deep, penetrating eyes.
"This will enhance your reflexes and physical abilities." She holds up a syringe laced with a blue liquid. "This innovative formula attempts to maximize human capabilities. You have to be at your best for the forthcoming tasks." With a mixture of curiosity and anxiety, Jed says to Rae, "You think that this stuff is going to make me better? I mean, I'm not interested in working as a test patient.
"Jed, it's not about being a test subject," smirks Rae. It has to do with evolution. We're pushing beyond what's believed to be possible. You're going to do phenomenal things.
Lucas attempts to hide the worry, but his eyes betray him. "Rae, is this safe? You did try this already, after all?
"Safety is relative," she replies with a confident yet unsettling calm. "The result is what counts. You want to be at the top, I promise you. You have a chance to prove yourself."Rae slips the needle gently into Jed's arm while she is speaking. His face displays a mix of determination and unease as he flinches just a little but stays still. Despite the situation at hand, Lucas watches with his hands grasped in his lap, his youthful confidence and admiration for Rae pouring through.
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As the serum was injected, Jed winced and said, "This better be worth it." I don't want to look..."
Rae:.cutting in, her voice becoming icier, "You're not going to become like anyone. You'll progress. More powerful. More capable.
After the injection, Rae keeps an attentive eye on Jed, tinkering with different controls and screens while collecting data. As Jed's body begins to react to the serum, his breathing gets a little more difficult and he shifts around in his seat. In an attempt to lighten the situation, Lucas says, "Hey, Jed, remember that time we broke into that abandoned warehouse?" I felt that that was quite fun. This can't bring us down.
Jed: "Yeah, I remember," he said, faking a tiny smile under. Back then, we were unstoppable. We'll see if that makes us even more invincible, I guess.
"You two have such fire in you," says Rae, flashing Lucas a rare, almost genuine smile. "It's what sets you apart. Just keep in mind that fire may burn as well as illuminate. Use it wisely."
Lucas and Jed exchange a look, a silent link of naive defiance and companionship, as Rae continues with her assignment. Between them, there's a flare of brightness that hasn't been muted by the harsher realities they'll soon encounter—a sense of closeness.
Rae's voice echoes softly in the background as the scene fades away, providing an ominous reminder of the price they have to pay for their ambition and chosen path.