The Taranis Formula

Killian was sitting comfortably in a leatherback chair, while carefully monitoring a nearby group of computer screens. It had been five months since his whole "YOU MUST DIE!" ordeal. And during that time, his body had completely healed. Well… mostly. His wounded leg had to be amputated.

Infection had set in, and it would have only been a matter of time before it managed to reach his heart. So, with no immediate access to proper medical care, Killian made the only logical choice left of him. Afterwards he petitioned his new ally, Mr. Freeze, to acquire the necessary antibiotics in order to properly treat himself.

Victor, as Freeze liked to be called, needed him alive. Which, in Killian's opinion, was a drastic improvement over their initial meeting. Killian's gamble on Freezes attachment to his daughter was a long shot, but it had paid off in the end. Although… it did take a good deal of convincing on Killian's part.

Gladly, Victor was no fool. And after hearing how Killian planned to save his daughter and what, if any risks would be involved… which Killian was more than happy to explain, Freeze became more intrigued than anything else. Most importantly, he proved intelligent enough to understand Killian's explanation.

'It has been nice to speak to a fellow scientist… although, I suppose he'll be leaving soon. His daughter's cure is almost ready, after all.'

Killian's… "cure" for Victor's daughter Nora, was via the creation of a serum called Extremis. It was an advanced form of genetic manipulation utilizing nanotechnology. It was something that Killian had dealt with extensively while in the MCU.

'Worthwhile research… when it wasn't blowing shit up, that is.'

That was the downside. The original formula was highly unstable, and any rejection reaction would result in… rather extreme results. Its stabilized version, however, was more than capable of saving Victor's daughter. And as it just so happened, Killian knew the formula.

'It should even help Victor himself.'

Looking towards the man in question, Killian could only frown. About a month in, Freeze had told Killian his story. It was a familiar tale that somewhat matched up with the story that Killian knew from having lived in his original reality. With one rather important change of note.

The fact that it was Freeze's daughter that fell ill, not his wife. In this reality, his wife passed away shortly after childbirth. Little Nora was all the man had left of his wife in this world. And when she fell ill, Victor did whatever was needed in order to save her.

'As a father should…'

It wasn't even all that bad. Victor only went against his employer's wishes by using cryogenic technology to save her. Technology that Victor himself had helped to create. Yet… when he needed his creation in order to save his nine-year-old little girl, Victor was refused. His employer claimed that it was still experimental and though that was true, it was also little Nora's only hope for more time.

'Being the desperate father he was, he did it anyway. And with desperation blinding Victor… that's where it all went wrong.'

Victor's employer, a man named Stanley Mannford had caught Victor in the act. As the technology was still in its experimental stage and the fact that Nora had not been cleared for stasis, Mannford ordered a pair of guards to remove her from the tank. He refused to wait. Even as Victor tried to explain that stasis removal was a delicate process, one that had to be handled with utmost care.

'The sudden temperature change would have sent her body into shock, killing her.'

Knowing this would mean his daughter's immediate death, Victor did his best to fight the guards off. The ensuing chaos caused an accident in the cryo-lab. One that left Victor changed. The man's body was now no longer capable of surviving in any environment above sub-zero temperatures. Thus, the specialized cryo-suit he wore.

There was a bit of good that came from all of that though. Victor's accident had drawn the attention of a certain billionaire philanthropist. Bruce Wayne. Or… as Killian knew him, Batman. Yes… THAT BATMAN! Killian's thoughts on the matter aside, though, it was thanks to Wayne's intervention that Nora was allowed to remain in cryo-stasis.

And to add a cherry atop the cake, Victor received the medical treatment he needed. A win all around, right? No… wrong. Unfortunately, one of the guards died in the fight. And with Wayne being who he is, that meant that justice… in his mind at least, had to be served. On Batman's suggestion, Victor was sent to Arkham Asylum for his crime, while little Nora was left waiting… frozen and alone.

'I guess Wayne thought that Victor could receive the mental support he would need, while there. Not that it matters now.'

Being away from Nora didn't sit well with Victor. After a few months, he soon escaped his imprisonment. Reappearing months later using the name, Mr. Zero … a name that thankfully didn't take, Victor soon recovered his daughter and returned the favor to his former employer, Mannford. Seven years had passed since then and Victor had never once stopped trying to save his daughter.

'That's how a father should be. How I wish mine had been…'

Taking a sip of coffee, Killian focused himself on his current task.

'Well, Victor… your wait is almost over.'

Killian had been hard at work synthesizing the stabilized formula of Extremis. It took some time, but it was nearly complete. In all honesty, it could have been ready before now, but its creation required specialized equipment. Equipment that needed to be acquired. By force, when necessary.

Fortunately, Victor had no qualms about such things. Victor was even generous enough to allow Killian the use of some of the materials he had laying around to repair his cryo-suit. Using them, Killian engineered a prosthetic leg to replace the one he amputated.

It was only temporary, though, as Extremis possessed massive regenerative abilities. Enough for him to completely heal all his prior injuries, not to mention, regrowing his lost limb. And while the stabilized variant he was working on was less powerful, it would still prove to be more than capable of doing the job. And… it was almost ready. In just a few hours, it would be viable.

"Victor."

Calling out for Mr. Freeze, Killian turned his head to look behind him. Noticing the man in question walking towards him, he slowly rose to his feet.

"What is it, Killian?"

Looking upon his stone-faced benefactor, Killian responded.

"We have a few more hours until the serum achieves viability."

Understanding Killian's intentions, Freeze nodded his head.

"I'll begin prepping Nora."

--- Four Hours Later ---

Nora awoke surrounded by people in white coats. Her small body shivering from the cold, and her mind still groggy from her long sleep but recovering quickly enough. Once aware of her surroundings, she panicked and soon began calling out for her father.

"Daddy!?"

Freeze walked up slowly, soothing her in his monotone voice, gently assuring her that everything was going to be ok. It took some convincing however, as the child didn't recognize her father at first. He had changed a great deal from the man in her memories, after all.

Victor was patient though, and far kinder than Killian had ever seen him. And although Killian wasn't one for sentiment, he found the scene of such a reunion to be quite touching. Shaking his head, Killian walked up to the father, daughter duo.

"Victor, we can proceed whenever you're ready."

Handing him a handheld monitor, Killian continued.

"That said, we shouldn't wait too long… given the patient's illness."

Killian didn't really need to remind Victor of that last part… the man knew full well that the longer they waited, the sicker she would become. So, with time now being a factor, Victor nodded. Speaking in his now all too familiar monotone, Freeze spoke the words Killian had been waiting on.

"Alright, let's begin."

---

Working quickly, but with great attention to detail, the two men moved Nora towards a pre-prepared operating table. As they moved, Victor explained what was about to happen to his daughter. Although she was afraid, Nora seemed to understand that afterward, she wouldn't be sick anymore. Stroking her hair, Victor spoke softly.

"Nora, I'm going to give you a sedative. It's going to make you very sleepy, but there's no reason for you to be afraid. It won't hurt… and when you wake up, you'll feel much better. I promise."

Killian was the one that suggested the sedative, as even the stabilized variant of Extremis would cause intense pain. That was one of the side effects of rewriting someone's genetic code. And putting a young child that was already in pain to begin with, through something he had seen break the minds of trained soldiers was… unnecessary to say the least.

Knowingly harming children was one of the few things that Killian wouldn't do. And although some might call it a weakness, it could also be said to be Killian's sole redeeming quality. One that stemmed from his first life's upbringing. In fact, he even viewed it as a necessity.

Primarily because there was only one thing Killian was truly certain of. That he had no desire to be anything like the man that raised him. A monster wearing human skin. And the only way to prevent such a thing… in his mind, at least, was to impose certain restrictions on himself.

"Shit."

'Some memories don't fade away, no matter how many lives you live, do they?'

Shaking his head to forcefully chase away painful memories, Killian soon spoke.

"Alright Victor… let's do this."

--- Twenty-Four Hours Later ---

It worked. Just as Killian promised. Nora made a full recovery. Her illness was completely cured. And thanks to "Stable- E", or rather, the stabilized version of Extremis, her body was now immune to all disease… and highly resistant to injury. Not to mention a few other perks.

It was also used by Victor. It turned out that Killian's hypothesis had been correct. Extremis was able to correct the genetic mutation caused by his accident. Thanks to that, he no longer had to wear the cryo-suit. It also meant that just like his daughter, Victor also enjoyed the other benefits Extremis offered.

Killian had dosed himself, as well, and now had a brand-new leg as a reward for his efforts. Everyone got what they wanted in the end and that could only be counted as a win in Killian's opinion. Especially as, in his experience… it almost never worked that way.

'I will miss Victor, though. It was… nice, having a friend to speak with.'

Victor had decided months ago to take Nora away after her recovery, and after taking his own dose of Extremis, he had done just that. Not that Killian blamed him, as the man had made more than a few enemies during his stint as a supervillain. Dangerous enemies. And with months to plan his getaway, Victor and Nora were probably halfway to wherever they were going.

Not that Killian knew where that was, as he had thought it wiser not to inquire. Besides… it was none of his business. With Victor's absence leaving Killian alone in the villain's former lair, he calmly walked over to a nearby computer tower.

"Alone at last! And… with Victor and his people out of the way, I don't have to worry about keeping secrets anymore."

Reaching the tower, he removed its back. Hidden within were five small vials of luminescent red liquid. Each labeled with the numbers one through five. These were all advanced versions of a formula based on Extremis, custom made by Killian himself. He had hidden them there earlier in the month, after completing them in secret.

The serum was something he'd created and used in the MCU, and it was BY FAR, his most dangerous creation. Its capabilities had gone beyond even his own original estimations. And now, he was going to use it again. Filling a syringe with the serum from the vail labeled with the roman numeral for one, he injected its contents into the side of his neck.

Placing the syringe on a nearby table, he soon felt the serum, which he had codenamed "Taranis" begin its work. Pain spread throughout his body, as his bones began to break, only to heal moments later. Blood began pouring from his nostrils, as his head felt ready to explode.

"AHH!"

Killian dropped to his knees as his muscles warped and his skin literally boiled. The pain was excruciating, but the stabilized version of Extremis ensured that there was no real damage. That was of little comfort now, however. Nearly two hours later, the pain subsided, and a reddish glow illuminated his veins. As the glow faded, Killian felt a tingling sensation run across his body.

"Finally…"

Killian knew from having gone through this before, that the tingling sensation he felt meant that the process was almost over. After ten more minutes passed, his body began to emit small arcs of crimson colored electricity. With it, the changes to his body were finally over.

Taking a deep breath, Killian rose to his feet, taking stock of the changes. Flexing his muscles, he let out a deep breath to calm himself. Then, reaching towards a nearby table, he threw it clear across the room using only one hand and very little force.

"Strength enhancement… optimal."

The serum changed his body's physiology. Killian's bone, skin, and muscle density had all been increased to superhuman levels. Meaning that he could now perform feats of strength and durability that would easily surpass the norm.

'Next up...'

Walking towards the same screens that he had used to monitor Nora; Killian ran a program he'd created for this exact moment. Words and images passed by with astounding speed. After the screens went dark, he closed his eyes and perfectly recalled everything he'd seen.

"Mental enhancement… optimal."

Impressive though his strength was, the first dose's true strength lay in its ability to enhance mental function. Well beyond the norm, at that. In essence, it allowed for vastly increased memory and cognitive function. He was basically a human supercomputer. Well… almost.

Walking towards a medical supply cabinet on the far wall, not far away from Nora's cryo-tank, Killian took out a scalpel and ran its blade across his hand. Observing the changes, he soon noticed an abnormality. It took five minutes for him to heal.

"Tissue regeneration… sub-optimal."

Lower regenerative abilities were to be expected, as the regenerative capabilities of Taranis were lower than those of Extremis to begin with. It was a given. They were, after all, NOT the same formula. Even so, it should by no means take five minutes for him to heal. Wielding the same scalpel as before, Killian cut his palm a second time.

'Hmm…?'

He cut his hand open like his skin was made from paper… yet another abnormality to take note of.

'My skin should be much tougher. Given my strength, I should be able to cut myself… but not this easily.'

Keeping track of time, four minutes soon passed, and his hand was still bleeding.

'My regenerative abilities shouldn't be this low. I should have healed by now.'

"Somethings wrong. Was it the serum, perhaps?"

After thinking for a few seconds, Killian shook his head.

"No."

'All other aspects of the serum are functioning normally. So… if it's not the serum, then it must be the scalpel. Still… better to test both, than fall short later.'

Looking around, Killian walked over to a metal examination table and slammed his hand into one of its corners with such speed and force that it's side caved in. It looked to be steel, the same kind the scalpel should be made of. If it were the same, it would have injured him, and yet…?

"Not even a scratch."

'So, I was correct… it's not the serum.'

Lifting his hand, Killian began examining the scalpel beneath another nearby table's medical lamp. Noticing a golden sheen to the metal, something that shouldn't be found in steel. Killian found himself growing curious. Walking back to the medical supply cabinet, he searched through its contents.

Finding three other medical instruments made from the same metal, he stowed them away in a duffle bag for later study. Looking about, Killian decided that his time here was up, but first… he needed money. Enough to hold him over for a while.

"Thankfully, I now have the ability to obtain whatever I need."

Smiling, he stored the four remaining vials of serum safely into his tote bag. It wasn't time to use them yet. His body would require at least one year in between each dose. Without that period, his body would overload. Soon after, his organs would fail, while his new abilities would begin going out of control. Then… he WOULD die. Painfully.

'I can wait. The strength it'll grant me is worth it.'

Laughing quietly to himself, Killian whispered.

"Maybe this time, I'll make it to the fifth dose…"

Walking towards the exit, duffle bag in hand, Killian raised one of his hands towards the computer towers that housed his research. A sharp tingling sensation ran through him. Soon after…crimson-colored arcs of electricity erupted from his outstretched hand. A flash of light and an explosion of sparks followed.

'Well… that should take care of any lose ends, Victor notwithstanding.'

Turning on his heel, Killian walked out of the lair and onward through the blood bank that sat above it. Standing outside, he breathed in the fresh night air. Walking across the street to an ATM, he touched its interface screen, sending a surge of energy running through it. Utilizing his newfound abilities, he focused his mind to interface with the machines control system.

Seizing control of its programming, Killian shut down its camera, then proceeded to withdraw thousands of dollars for his personal use. After he was done, he reset the ATM and walked away with no one any the wiser as to what he'd just done.

"Well now… I think it's time for a little late-night shopping."

---

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