Pursuit and Investigation

After getting military support, the clinical trials commenced with full force. A few of the laborious and lengthy processes were expedited. Isaac monitored the trial's progress while improving his reaction speed.

He had already unlocked nine genetic base points along his spinal cord and isolated their frequency to connect them into a genetic ability chain. The tenth and final point was located in the brainstem, and after activating it, his reaction time after testing became 0.05s on average, while top-tier athletes have shown reaction times of about 0.15s.

Late one evening, Isaac finished his work at his newly refurbished lab. The place was dimly lit, with only the sounds of the squeaking gates breaking the silence. He gathered his belongings, ready to head home after another long day of training and research.

As he stepped outside into the cool night air, Isaac's heightened senses picked up the sound of a van approaching. He turned to see a dark van screeching to a halt a few meters away. The doors burst open, and several men dressed in black jumped out, moving with precision.

Isaac's heart raced, but he didn't panic as he assessed the situation. These men were here for him.

One of the men stepped forward, raising a hand in a placating gesture. "Dr. White, we need you to come with us. No one has to get hurt."

Isaac narrowed his eyes, taking a step back. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The man smirked, his eyes cold. "That's not important. What is important is that you cooperate. We have orders to bring you in, and we intend to follow those orders."

Isaac felt a chill run down his spine. He had no intention of going with them willingly. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

The leader's expression hardened. "Have it your way. Take him."

The men advanced quickly, spreading out to surround Isaac. His mind raced as he calculated his next move. One of the men lunged at Isaac, swinging a baton. Isaac dodged effortlessly, his body moving almost before his mind registered the attack. He grabbed the attacker's wrist, twisting it with precise force, causing the baton to drop. Isaac followed up with a swift kick, sending the man sprawling.

Another attacker came at him from the side, but Isaac sidestepped, using his momentum to throw the attacker off balance. He could sense the movements of the others, each step and breath feeding into his mental map of the scene.

Despite his superior reflexes, Isaac didn't have the confidence to take on all of them at once. He needed to create an opening to escape. He spotted a stack of crates nearby and dashed towards them, using his agility to leap and maneuver through the industrial landscape.

"Don't let him get away!" the leader of the group shouted.

Isaac darted through the factory yard, the attackers hot on his heels. His mind worked in overdrive, analyzing every possible route and obstacle. He reached a tall fence and vaulted over it with ease, landing smoothly on the other side and entering an alleyway.

As he ran through the narrow alley, Isaac heard the distinct click of a gun being cocked. His mental perception alerted him to one of the men aiming a tranquilizer gun at him. The dart flew towards him, but Isaac's enhanced reflexes allowed him to dodge it with a quick twist of his body.

He kept moving, but some of the attackers were faster than he had anticipated. Two of them caught up; their movements were coordinated and precise. Isaac dropped into a low stance, ready to defend himself.

The first attacker swung at him with a baton, but Isaac dove and countered with a powerful uppercut that sent the man reeling. The second attacker attempted to tackle him, but Isaac used the man's momentum against him, throwing him to the ground with a swift judo move.

Isaac didn't wait for them to recover. He sprinted down the alley, his senses on high alert for any further threats. He could hear the men regrouping behind him, but he was determined to put as much distance between them as possible.

Reaching a more populated street, Isaac blended into the crowd, using the cover of civilians to obscure his escape. He kept moving, not stopping until he was sure he had lost his pursuers. Panting, Isaac leaned against a wall, catching his breath. His mind raced with questions. Who were those men? Why were they after him? He knew his work had attracted attention, but this was a level of threat he hadn't anticipated.

He took out his phone and called Happy Hogan, Tony Stark's trusted bodyguard and head of security.

"Happy, it's Isaac. I need your help. Now."

Happy arrived within minutes, his black SUV pulling up to the curb where Isaac was waiting. He stepped out, scanning the area, before motioning for Isaac to get in.

"Get in, kid. We'll talk on the way," Happy said in a stern manner.

Isaac quickly climbed into the passenger seat, and Happy drove off, keeping a vigilant eye on the rearview mirror.

"You alright?" Happy asked, glancing at Isaac.

"Yeah, just a little shaken. They came out of nowhere," Isaac replied, still catching his breath.

"Who were they?" Happy asked, his tone serious.

Isaac shook his head. "I don't know. They wanted to take me and said they had orders. But they didn't say who they were working for."

Happy nodded, his expression grim. "We'll figure it out. First, we need to get you somewhere safe."

They drove in silence for a while, with Happy taking a circuitous route to ensure they weren't being followed. Eventually, they arrived at a secure Stark Industries facility.

"Alright, you're safe here," Happy said as they got out of the SUV. "We'll set up additional security measures, and I'll inform Tony about what happened."

Isaac nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "Thanks, Happy. I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. Just stay put and stay safe. We'll handle this," Happy replied, giving Isaac a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

As Happy walked away to coordinate security, Isaac found a quiet corner to sit and reflect on the night's events. His mind was still racing, but he collected himself. He knew that he would face dangers with the exposure of the energy restoration elixir, especially since its development time was so short.

"I will not let anything slow me down, now that I have another chance," murmured Isaac to himself with some determination.

He stayed the night in the facility and was escorted in the morning to Stark Industries' lab. 

He met briefly with Pepper, who reassured him that they were looking for the culprits before going to the lab. He didn't want to wait, so he decided to investigate himself, and he knew where to start.

Dr. Jonathan Greaves, who was caught in the previous incident, was under surveillance but still allowed to continue his work at Stark Industries. Isaac found him in one of the labs, engrossed in his research.

"Dr. Greaves," Isaac called out, his voice steady. "We need to talk."

Greaves looked up, his expression wary. "Dr. White, what brings you here?"

Isaac Greaves with a steady gaze, monitoring his emotions with the mental magnetic field ability to gauge the truthfulness of his responses. "I was attacked last night, and I need answers. Who do you work for, and do they know anything about the people who tried to take me?"

Dr. Greaves hesitated. "Look, I don't have all the answers," Greaves began cautiously. "But I do work for an organization that monitors significant scientific developments. They were interested in your project, but they never mentioned any plans to attack you."

Isaac leaned in, maintaining eye contact. "I need more than that, Greaves said. Who are they? Do they have any connections to other groups that might want to harm me?"

Greaves swallowed hard, his fear spiking. "The organization I work for is called Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. They operate in the shadows, monitoring potential threats and advancements that could destabilize the balance of power. They've been keeping tabs on Stark Industries for a while when you were picked up on their radar, but I swear, I didn't know about any attack."

"And I don't think they have the motives to attack you," continued Greaves. "Some of the superiors of the department are higher-ups of the military, and since you are cooperating with them, they won't resort to something this drastic."

Isaac scrutinized him for a while before concluding that he was telling the truth. He couldn't sense any deceitful intentions.

"I need to get in contact with this Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division you are working for," said Isaac with some severity.