Chapter 65: Should I Be Happy

The soft hum of the lab’s lights filled the space as Dr. Naomi Wells moved between her terminals. Late nights were becoming her norm, but the steady rhythm of work was a comfort she had come to rely on. Tonight was no different—until she heard the quiet click of the door behind her.

“Dr. Wells.”

The voice was unmistakable. Dr. Marcus Vance stood at the threshold, his silhouette cutting through the sterile light of the hallway. Naomi straightened immediately, caught off guard by his presence. Vance wasn’t one for small talk, and he certainly didn’t make casual visits to the labs this late.

“Dr. Vance,” Naomi said, her voice measured. “Is everything alright?”

Vance stepped inside, his gaze sweeping across the data screens before locking onto her. “Everything is fine. In fact, I’m here to discuss a new opportunity.”

Naomi raised an eyebrow but didn’t interrupt.

“You’ve done exceptional work,” Vance continued, crossing his arms. “Particularly with the molecular studies. We’ve noticed your diligence. Dr. Mercer and I believe it’s time to increase your responsibilities.”

Naomi’s pulse quickened, though she kept her face neutral. “In what capacity?”

“Effective immediately, you’ve been granted Level 8 clearance,” Vance said, his tone as casual as if he were announcing an upgrade to lab equipment. “We need someone with your skills for a highly classified project—something that requires discretion and expertise.”

“Level 8?” Naomi’s voice betrayed her surprise. Only a handful of researchers had that level of access, and it came with significant trust from the higher-ups. She had been working towards this moment for years, but the suddenness of it was… unexpected.

Vance nodded. “You’ll be assisting with the study of Levi Blackwell. His case has grown more complex over the past six months, and we need someone with fresh eyes on the data. Dr. Kyros and Dr. Mercer have other priorities. We believe you’re ready.”

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Naomi stood frozen for a moment, processing the weight of the assignment. Levi Blackwell—the infamous Class 5 metahuman. She had read some of his earlier reports, but only the surface-level ones available to lower-clearance personnel. The idea of delving deeper into his abilities… it was both thrilling and unnerving.

“You’ll find that Blackwell’s case is… extraordinary,” Vance said, his voice dropping slightly. “But I trust you’ll understand the importance of handling the information with the utmost care.”

Naomi nodded, her throat dry. “Of course. I won’t disappoint you, Dr. Vance.”

Vance gave a curt nod, his usual warmthless smile in place. “Good. I’ll have the files sent to your terminal by morning. I suggest you start reviewing them immediately.”

With that, he turned and left, the door sliding shut with a soft hiss.

Naomi let out a slow breath, her heart still pounding. Level 8 clearance. Levi Blackwell’s case. She glanced back at her screens, her previous work feeling trivial in comparison to what lay ahead. The promotion was a sign of trust, a reward for years of dedication, but it also came with a weight she couldn’t ignore.

The file titled “Blackwell: Regeneration Study” appeared on her screen before she even left the lab.

Naomi returned to her quarters with a single focus—Blackwell’s file. The promotion had left her restless, too curious to wait until morning. She had heard a bit about Blackwell, about the Galewood incident, about his power. But the reports she’d seen were never more than fragments.

Now, with full access, the truth was in front of her.

As she opened the first file, the depth of data was staggering. In just six months, the Academy had conducted an immense amount of testing on Levi—documenting his regenerative capabilities after injuries, some severe, others minor. He had been put through grueling tests to measure just how far his body could go before breaking down.

The results were unlike anything Naomi had seen. Levi’s healing wasn’t just accelerated—it was complete. Wounds that should’ve taken days or weeks to heal for an average metahuman were repaired in hours, sometimes minutes. And despite everything, there were no signs of fatigue, no cellular damage.

As she read deeper, Naomi realized the Academy had already pushed Levi far beyond what most subjects would endure. Burn tests, blade tests, even controlled accidents to test his resilience. And every time, Levi’s body responded the same way: it regenerated.

What stood out to Naomi was that no matter the injury, Levi’s cells didn’t age or deteriorate. It was as if his body was resetting itself, immune to the passage of time or the damage inflicted on him. The Academy had been careful not to use the word immortality yet, but the data was pointing in that direction.

Naomi’s fingers hovered over the touch screen, her mind racing. She clicked on a video file of a recent test. Levi had been subjected to a simulated explosion—an attempt to mimic the force of what he had survived in Galewood. The explosion would’ve been fatal to anyone else.

The footage showed Levi’s body twisted and broken, his skin scorched. But within a little bit, it started repairing itself. Bone snapped back into place, tissue knit itself together, and Levi stood again, whole, after just half an hour. But interestingly enough his blood would just stay wherever it splashed out to.

Naomi leaned back in her chair, her mind spinning. This shouldn’t be possible.

The Academy hadn’t just discovered a metahuman with extraordinary healing abilities like Elias with his abilities. Levi was something else entirely—a being whose cells didn’t seem to conform to the natural laws of life and death.

But as she delved deeper into the reports, a wave of discomfort settled over her. The level of testing, the invasive experiments—it went far beyond scientific curiosity. The Academy was obsessed with understanding Levi’s power, and in doing so, they had treated him like an object, not a person.

Naomi’s jaw tightened. She had agreed to help with this project, but reading through these files made her question the ethics behind it.

She quickly shut the file, her thoughts in disarray.

For now, she had to focus on the data. But the more she learned, the harder it was to ignore the unease gnawing at the back of her mind.