In the dimly lit underground base, the sound of gunfire reverberated off the concrete walls. A lone figure with dead, fish-like eyes moved with mechanical precision through the man-made terrain, dodging the bullets of the sentries who pursued him.

"Thung!! Thung!! Thung!!" The sound echoed

The young man's dead, fish-like eyes scanned the artificial terrain as he moved with machine-like precision. Sentries fired at him as he took cover behind a tree, but he quickly peeked out, fired a shot, and destroyed his target before returning to cover.

With lightning-fast reflexes, he maneuvered through the jungle terrain, using every obstacle like logs and trees to his advantage. His movements were fluid as though he had been programmed to navigate the terrain flawlessly.

He fired off shots with deadly accuracy, his face remaining emotionless and devoid of human feeling. The sentries struggled to keep up with his movements as he moved through the terrain with the skill of a seasoned veteran.

"BoooooMMM"

On the other hand, with a poker face, a tall, muscular man observes this from the control room, where all sentry controls are located. There are several people in the room analyzing the subject's performance as the man watches from an aerial view of a football field terian. He is dressed in a military uniform of sorts adorned with numerous badges and holds a cane in one hand.

"Humph," he grunts.

"He has received excellent training. How long until Project Alpha is finished? We need to get this project up and running as soon as possible. I've asked several times, but there has been no progress other than B-1x." he said in contempt

The group of elderly men in lab coats all flinched at the general's harsh tone. The head professor stepped forward, papers in hand, ready to answer the general's questions.

"B-1x is still in development," he said, his voice measured and professional.

"As you can see, the 5-year Alpha project initiation was a modest success, but this specimen is a valuable asset. He is the first clone to survive three years without decommissioning. It will take time, sir. The program will be completed in two years."

The general turned to face the doctor, his eyes narrowing in scrutiny.

"If he shows promise, I might be able to use him. You only provide one clone in three years, and most die before reaching the age of 2.5 years. I'm thinking about taking this one next year because clearly there is no sign of the quantity which we need," he said, looking at the doctor with a sly smile.

The doctor, with a stiff yet stern expression, looked at the papers in his hand before responding.

"B-1x is a high-value asset, and we need to study him to perfect the Alpha project. I cannot give him to you. It's critical to study why the cloning project is failing and fix it. Furthermore, you have no authority over the project management."

The muscular general stared the professor down, his expression is cold and unyielding.

"How dare you," he said loudly.

"That is not your concern. I have class 1 authority over this project. You cannot tell me what to do."

With a slow pause and clear disdain in his voice, he continued,

"You are replaceable. Remember that Dr. Hector”

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The doctor did not back down and stared straight back at the general.

"That's true, but I am leading the development of the project. This is a delicate process, and rushing it could result in billions of dollars going down the drain. Do not tell me what I can and cannot do because I know how to get this project fully operational without delay. Take the specimen, and I cannot guarantee any progress in the Alpha project."

“BOOM”

Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the room and the last sentry was destroyed on the battlefield. The control room was filled with the sound of alarms, indicating that the test run had concluded clone, B-1x, stood in the center of the terrain, covered in cuts and gunshot wounds, blood dripping from his arms and shoulders. He remained emotionless as he waited for further instructions.

A smirk appeared on the old general's face seeing b-1x splendid test run.

"It seems he is indeed a high-asset, doctor. I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but listen carefully," he said, towering over the professor with his height difference, amusement, and disdain on his face.

"We, the council, know what you have done. You will answer why there has been no progress aside from B-1x. The cloning program should have been operational by now, yet you have only one specimen to show for it."

With a pause to survey the lab, he added,

"I expect no further delays."

The professor clenched his jaw, his eyes blazing with anger, but he knew better than to provoke the general any further. He took a deep breath and said,

"Understood, sir. We'll do our best to deliver results."

The general glaring and getting as close to stares in his eyes

“Don't do something that you will regret, Doctor Hector”

The general walks out of the room without looking back.

The doctor couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt wash over him. The clone's face was devoid of any emotion, a stark contrast to the lively personality that he had tried to imbue in him during the development process. The doctor is speechless as he just stares at the papers and then stares beyond the glass panel to see b-1x. The face of the clone is devoid of any emotions which breaks his heart as he looks at him with prying eyes.

After the test run was completed, a team of doctors approached to take B-1x to the medical ward to treat his injuries. Once he was deemed stable, he was led to his assigned quarters under heavy security measures. Dr. Hector accompanied him to the door, which had multiple security checks including the retina, facial, and fingerprint scans. The door opened with a sharp

"Zing"

As they entered the room, and then closed it with a heavy noise

"Thud" as b-1x was left to his own devices.

In his high-tech office, Dr. Hector sat in front of a see-through desk that displayed holograms of b-1x. He stared at the clone with a mixture of sadness and regret.

"I forced this on you," he said to the hologram, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I couldn't save you before, and now I've trapped you in this prison. I'm so sorry, Aiden. I can only hope to find a way to free you from this life I've created for you." Tears glistened in his eyes as he spoke.

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Meanwhile, Lying on the bed and staying still with a poker face. B-1x was thinking of the next time doctor will visit him. B-1x contemplated his existence. He longed for the connection he felt with Doctor Hector, the only person who seemed to understand him.

Everyone else demanded his absolute obedience, leaving him feeling like he had no purpose beyond following orders. With a yearning for companionship, B-1x stood up and made his way to a corner of his quarters that was out of sight of the cameras. He carefully removed a loose metal plate and retrieved a book, the only gift he had ever received, from Doctor Hector. As he read through the pages, a barely noticeable smile crossed his lips.

On one page, B-1x came across the mention of the Dracule family and wondered what it would be like to have a family. He pondered,

"What does having a family feel like? Am I allowed to have one?" He thought

After reading for several minutes, B-1x returned the book to its hiding spot and replaced the metal plate. He then made his way to the camera's view and played a game of darts, attempting to distract himself from the thoughts of loneliness that crept into his mind.

“Thud”

The sound of the dart hitting the target dead center echoed in the room, a satisfying thump that reverberated in B-1x's ears. He had been practicing this routine daily since the doctor advised him to hide the book - a gift that he had given B-1x, thinking it would be nice for him. The book was full of stories. It was a portal to a world beyond his monotonous existence, and he cherished it

A flashback occurred in B-1x's mind as he reminisced in his thoughts of the past recalling his very first encounter with the doctor. He remembered the first time the doctor spoke to him. He had been standing there like a statue, unable to comprehend the sudden shift in his routine.

"How are you doing, B-1x?" the doctor asked, his voice gentle and soothing.

B-1x just stared at him with a blank expression, unsure of what to say. It was the first time someone had ever talked to him aside from giving orders. The doctor must have sensed his hesitation, for he continued speaking in a reassuring tone.

"Don't be so stiff, B-1x," the doctor urged.

"You can talk. You have pretty much memorized and can speak 30 languages. Talk to me."

B-1x spoke in a low, mellow voice, saying "I'm doing fine," but his expression remained unchanged. It was hard for the doctor to gauge how to talk with B-1x at first, but over time, he learned how to communicate with him.

Days went by, and every third day or so, the doctor would escort B-1x to a place with no surveillance. They would talk about many things and spend a few minutes before heading back to B-1x's quarters. B-1x couldn't explain it, but it felt like a certain emotion he couldn't describe. His void world started to feel a little colorful. The world outside his quarters was a place he had never seen before, full of new sights, smells, and sounds. The conversations with the doctor were a respite from his daily routine, a glimpse of a world beyond his monotonous existence. He would do his best to meet the doctor by doing excellent on every task and activity, even if it meant getting hurt in the process.

"Thud,"

B-1x muttered to himself as he missed the center by a layer. He snapped back to reality and went to the training section to do his mandatory workout, hoping the doctor would come to see him later. The world outside his quarters was still a mystery, but the book was amusing keeping him company for now.

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