When Fii awoke, she was in a different place. She found herself lying on a futon mattress inside a small, dimly lit room. The only light came from a tiny window above, and the air was damp and stale.
"Where am I?" she whispered, groaning. Her head was still foggy, and her body ached all over.
A door opened, and Dr. Edith appeared, holding a glass of water. "You're awake," she said, smiling. "How are you feeling?"
Fii scampered away, pressing her back against the wall. She inspected herself, noting with relief that her wounds had healed, even her broken rib. However, her entire body felt sore, as if she had gone through the worst workout of her life.
"W-what happened?" she asked, her voice trembling. "How long have I been out? And where the hell am I? What do you want from me?"
"The basement of the clinic. We're in one of the spare rooms," Dr. Edith explained. "You've been in a coma-like state for three days, ever since you underwent the transformation. As for what I want from you, well, that's a little more complicated."
Fii stared at her in disbelief, her mind reeling from this new information. "So, it wasn't a dream, then? The clinic, the vaccine, everything that happened there... It actually happened?"
Dr. Edith nodded. "Yes, and it seems to have worked," she said, her lips curling into a smile. "Congratulations, Fii. You're a metahuman now, the very first to be created in a laboratory. Isn't that exciting?"
"Not as exciting as my fist hitting your face!" Fii lunged at the doctor, throwing a punch.
The doctor yelped in surprise and ducked, narrowly missing the punch. Fii's fist hit the wall behind her, leaving a small dent in the metal panel.
They both stared at the wall in shock.
Dr. Edith stepped back, her hands raised defensively. Her glasses slipped down her nose, and she pushed them back up, a slight tremor in her hands.
"Okay, maybe we should take things slower," the doctor said, her voice quivering. "Let's just calm down and talk this through. I can explain everything, I swear."
Fii stared at her fist, her knuckles throbbing. Shouldn't she have broken her hand? Not that she'd been in many fistfights before, but she was sure that punching solid metal shouldn't end well.
"What the hell is going on?" she demanded, glaring at the quack doctor. "I want answers. Now."
"And you'll get them," Dr. Edith assured her, letting out a shaky sigh. "I'll tell you everything. But please, can we just sit down and discuss this like adults? I promise you'll get the full truth."
Fii narrowed her eyes, considering the woman's request. After a moment, she relented, sitting on the edge of the futon. Dr. Edith took a seat across from her, fidgeting with her hands.
"Start talking," Fii ordered. "The whole truth, no bullshit. Or I'll make you eat your clipboard."
"O-okay, that's fair." Dr. Edith nodded, swallowing hard. "As I said, I'm a scientist—Geneticist to be exact. I used to work in the metropolis, in one of their top-secret research facilities."
She paused, collecting her thoughts. "My area of expertise is genetic engineering. Specifically, I specialized in gene therapy and CRISPR technology."
"You already lost me with all that mumbo-jumbo. I'm not some HighRise like you," Fii scowled, her patience wearing thin. "Stop using big words and talk like a normal person."
Dr. Edith sighed. "Sorry. Let me explain. Gene therapy is a type of medical treatment that uses DNA to help cure or manage illnesses. CRISPR is a technique that lets us edit genes and change someone's DNA. Both are forms of genetic engineering."
"Oh. Sounds fancy, I guess? Okay, so you do what, play around with people's bodies?"
The doctor's eyes flicked away, guilt evident on her face.
"Sort of, yes," she admitted, avoiding eye contact. "I was hired to develop a treatment for a deadly genetic disorder. But what I really wanted to do was to unlock the secrets of metahuman DNA. The abilities and powers they possess..."
She trailed off, running a hand through her hair. "Anyway, it was a long shot, but I thought that if I could succeed, the benefits could be groundbreaking. I made a lot of progress in my research, but I needed to run clinical trials on live subjects. The bigwigs in charge of the project...they didn't approve of my methods, and when the ethics committee shut it down, they fired me. Said I was wasting valuable resources and funds on a wild goose chase."
"That doesn't explain why you're here in the slums," Fii pointed out. "Why not just go somewhere else?"
"It's not that simple," the doctor sighed. "The metropolis has strict regulations regarding genetic experiments. The only places I could continue my work in secret were the slums or overseas, and I wasn't willing to leave my home behind. Besides, I didn't have the right connections, or the funds."
Dr. Edith wrung her hands together, her gaze fixed on the floor. "So, I took what I had and started my own clandestine research facility. The Aether Clinic is just a cover-up, a way to hide in plain sight and gain access to potential subjects."
She lifted her head, her expression solemn. "It took years of work and sacrifice, but I finally succeeded. I managed to create the world's first artificial metahuman. Now I can prove to the metropolis that my theories were correct all along. They'll have to take me back after this."
Fii gaped at her, dumbfounded.
Great. So this HighRise quack doctor chasing empty cans had dragged her into this mess. And now, she was supposed to be grateful?
"Wow, you're a real piece of work, aren't you?" Fii's face twisted into a scowl. "Do you even know how messed up this is? You scammed me and other people out of our trust, all so you can do your freaky experiments? You're not even a real doctor, are you?"
"Well, technically I'm a PhD, not MD," Dr. Edith mumbled, averting her eyes. "But I know enough about medicine to—"
Fii slammed her fist on the metal wall, creating a loud bang that echoed in the small room. Dr. Edith jumped, startled by the sudden outburst.
That second hit actually hurt Fii's hand, and she cradled her fist.
"Don't lie to me," she growled. "If you're not a doctor, then what's with all that shit you were rambling about? That vaccine nonsense? The needles? All the other crap you spewed to get people to trust you? You're no better than the Gully Rats I fought earlier."
Dr. Edith's expression changed to one of indignation.
"It wasn't a lie, exactly," she objected. "Like I was about to say. I know enough about medicine to qualify as a highly competent pharmacist and nurse. I didn't lie about giving people vaccines. The shot I gave you does contain a vaccine. It's just mixed in with the rest of the experimental cocktail, and I might've altered some of the ingredients a bit, but I—"
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Doesn't matter," Fii interrupted, rolling her eyes. "It's still messed up. What if something bad happened to them? What if they got sick or died?"
"That's improbable. The worst they might suffer is a fever or temporary nausea. There are no adverse effects on the human body from receiving the experimental serum if no immediate reaction occurs. That's why I was waiting to observe the results of each patient before letting them go. For the record, no one died, or had anything worse than a mild headache."
"Still pretty shitty, doc."
Dr. Edith cringed at the accusation, shrinking into herself. "You're right. I didn't consider the emotional toll it would take on you. But this is my life's work, and I'm desperate to finish what I started. I can't apologize enough, but I need you to understand. This is bigger than just you or me, it's the future of humanity. I'm not proud of the methods I've used, but the end result will be worth it, I swear."
Fii looked at her skeptically.
This quack doctor would make a great saleswoman. She certainly talked a good game.
"So, what now?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You already got what you wanted from me. Do I get to go home after this?"
Dr. Edith hesitated, averting her gaze. "It's a bit more complicated than that," she mumbled. "I mean, I can let you leave, but then you'd be out there without proper training. You don't know how to control your new powers yet, and there's no guarantee you won't accidentally hurt someone or worse...yourself. The risk of death or permanent injury is too high to ignore. You need to stay with us until we can fully understand and safely control your abilities."
"Are you kidding me? I'm not staying here so you can poke and prod me some more!" Fii shook her head vehemently. "This is ridiculous."
"I know it's a lot to take in, but I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't necessary. Please, try to understand. This is for your own safety as much as it is for the greater good. I'm not saying that you need to stay here for the rest of your life. Just maybe for a few months, until I can make sure that you're fully capable of using your powers responsibly. That's it."
Fii pondered Dr. Edith's words, weighing her options. On the one hand, she wanted nothing more than to get out of this creepy place and forget she had ever met the crazed ‘doctor’. But on the other hand, the idea of leaving without any clue how to control her newfound powers was frightening.
What if she hurt someone by accident? What if she accidentally crushes Rao's hand? Or the children she plays football with?
"You'll get free home-cooked meals every day and a generous payment of ChitCreds by the end of it." The doctor's gaze shifted to Fii.
Fii's ears perked up at the mention of food and money. "W-what'd up you say?"
Dr. Edith pushed up her glasses and smiled. "I said, you'll get home-cooked meals and a generous payment for the trouble I put you through. One of my nurses cooks wonderful curries and biryanis, and you can't get that anywhere in the slums."
Fii's stomach grumbled at the mere mention of food, and she bit her lip to conceal a grin.
"How much are we talking, exactly?" she asked.
Dr. Edith grinned triumphantly. "Five thousand ChitCreds, in addition to having my top-notch staff monitor your physical health while you train your powers.
Five thousand?! That’s a lot!
The two women locked eyes, neither wanting to be the first to look away. Finally, Fii broke the silence, unable to resist the offer any longer.
"Fine," she relented. "But you have to stop with your weird experiments. No more using innocent people to test your crazy ideas. I'm not gonna stand for that."
The doctor nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up. "Of course! Of course! Since you've reacted positively to the serum, I have no further need for new test subjects. I don't have enough money to fund further tests anyway, so my focus will be purely on helping you."
She extended a hand to Fii. "Do we have a deal, then?"
Fii eyed the outstretched hand with a mixture of wariness and anticipation. She still had a bad feeling about all this, but she did need the money.
"Deal," she agreed, shaking the doctor's hand firmly.
"Wonderful!" Dr. Edith exclaimed, beaming. "You won't regret this, I promise. This is the start of something incredible."
Fii nodded, though she wasn't nearly as convinced. Still, five thousand ChitCreds was more than she could ever earn in a year doing the odd jobs every day. Maybe she could put it to good use, like helping her neighbor fix her leaking roof or buying better shoes for the kids she played football with.
Wait, could she become a superhero like the ones on TV? That'd be something else, wouldn't it?
"Um, so...what exactly is my superpower? Am I just stronger now, or something?" Fii asked, her enthusiasm getting the best of her.
The quack doctor rubbed her hands together, a gleam in her eye. "Oh, no. I mean, yes, you are stronger, but that's just normal for any metahuman. All of them have at least a form of superhuman strength and endurance in order to accommodate their powers. What you have...is something that's never been seen before. Gravikinesis."
"Gravi-what now?"
"Gravitational manipulation. In simple terms, you can control gravity, hence the levitating incident earlier."
Fii blinked in confusion. "What's...gravity?"
Dr. Edith looked at her as if she just asked what a chair was. She opened her mouth to reply, then snapped it shut with a frown.
"You know what? We'll get to the details later. It's a complicated scientific concept, and I'd hate to confuse you and ruin the magic of it," she said dismissively. "For now, just understand that you'll be able to fly, lift things with your mind, and a bunch of other cool stuff."
Fii's jaw dropped in awe. "No way."
She tried imagining herself flying through the air, like those planes in the sky. Would it feel like the opposite of falling?
"Way," Dr. Edith chuckled, rising to her feet and reaching for the door.
"Come on, after you eat, we have a lot of work to do," she said, motioning for Fii to follow. "What's one of the things you slum-dwellers say around here?... Ah! Scrap today, shine tomorrow."
A HighRise knows their slang? Well, the Aether Clinic had been around for months already. It wasn't unrealistic.
"Scrap today, shine tomorrow," Fii repeated, a hint of unease settling in her chest.
What had she just gotten herself into?
----------------------------------------
Edith entered her office, closing the door behind her. Her shoulders sagged, and she leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath. She could finally relax. At least for a little while.
[How did the meeting with the subject go, Doctor?] Helix's digital voice questioned.
She glanced over at her computer, its screen alight with a variety of data graphs and charts. A small camera sat atop the screen, acting as one of Helix's "eyes". She gave it a weary smile.
"Well, she's agreed to stay with us, thankfully," she replied. "It wasn't easy to convince her, but I think she's starting to come around. Now, we can begin her training in earnest."
[That's good to hear, Doctor. You seem to be relieved.]
"Of course I'm relieved, Helix. This is the culmination of everything I've been working toward, the pinnacle of my life's work. She's the proof of concept."
She turned her attention to a series of images displayed on her computer monitor. They depicted various brain scans, taken during the early stages of Fii's metamorphosis. The alterations in neural activity had been nothing short of astounding, but it was within the expected parameters for a metahuman.
"I still can't believe it. A synthetic metahuman with a stable genome. And to top it off, the power she manifested was gravity manipulation. Gravikinesis. Literally, the ability to manipulate and control gravity itself. I don't think any other power listed in the metropolis database compares to it. Not even close."
Helix remained silent.
She continued, her thoughts racing. "At first, I wasn't sure how she'd react, but once I told her that she'd become a superhero, her resistance practically melted away. Then again, I suppose the possibility of becoming a hero appeals to anyone, no matter who you are."
[I understand that you said that in order to coerce her, Doctor. However, I fail to grasp why you would appeal to such illogical sentiments. Are you really going to make her a superhero? You have already gained the data you needed. What more is there to gain from this endeavor?]
Helix had a point. The proof that her serum worked and was stable was the only data she needed. Once the metropolis had finished verifying its validity, she'd be allowed to resume her former position at the city's central research facility, where she belonged.
But she'd be a fool to think everything would work out that easily. After all, she hadn't forgotten the circumstances leading to her current exile in the slums. No doubt, there'd be plenty of opposition and bureaucratic red tape to wade through once she presented the findings to her peers, at the very least.
No. She needed more. More than the measly data collected from Fii's transformation. She needed undeniable evidence of its success, which meant putting Fii through her paces in order to maximize the potential of her powers.
Edith needed to let them all know that the most powerful superhero in the world wasn't a natural-born metahuman, but a girl made in a lab, with her serum. What better leverage was there than that?
"Data and proof gets my foot through the door, Helix. But in order to walk through, I need a hero to open those doors," she replied, grinning. "And, why settle for an ordinary hero when I can have a superstar?"