[6]

As I gradually awakened, I felt as though I had been pulled out of a dream, my surroundings drastically different from what I remembered. With each blink, my eyes widened in realization—I was somewhere completely unfamiliar, a sterile environment that screamed science lab.

A shiver ran down my spine as I took in the coldness of the room, the icy glass surrounding me adding to my sense of unease. Glancing down, I felt a small sense of relief that I was clothed this time, but that relief was quickly overshadowed by the dread settling in my stomach.

It didn't take long for me to realize that I was trapped inside some sort of cryogenic test tube. Panic surged through me as I frantically searched for a way to open it, but it soon became clear that there was no mechanism for escape. The only options were for someone to release me or for me to break free, but the container seemed too sturdy for me to even consider the latter option.

Filled with desperation, I ignored that thought as I slammed my closed fists against the container, the sound of my own hoarse cries echoing throughout the room. It felt like an eternity since I had last used my voice, and the almost gravel-like, animalistic sounds that ripped through my throat actually felt quite painful.

With each slam of my fists against the icy glass, the cold seeped deeper into my bones, draining my strength with every passing moment. The adrenaline that had fueled my desperate attempts at escape was no match for the freezing temperatures that surrounded me. My breath came out in ragged pants, visible puffs of air in the frigid air of the cryogenic chamber.

Fatigue weighed heavily on me, my back pressing against the cold metal behind me only intensifying the chill. I felt stiff and weak, unable to muster the energy for another attempt to break free. However, as my eyelids eventually began to droop with exhaustion, a strange sensation gradually washed over me, slowly crawling up my limbs and enveloping my entire body.

Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, a surge of energy suddenly jolted through me, causing my eyes to snap open. In that instant, the cryogenic chamber erupted with ice, spikes and icicles erupting from the floor and ceiling in a chaotic burst as the glass and metal was either shredded to pieces or encased in frigid structures. The room transformed into a frozen tundra within the blink of an eye, the icy landscape spreading in all directions.

As I gazed down at myself, my eyes widened in disbelief. I marveled at the sight before me, taking in the surreal transformation that had overtaken my body. It was as if I had been broken down and rebuilt into a stunning ice sculpture, every inch of my form covered in shimmering blue-white ice.

Eventually, I reached out a hand, almost afraid to disturb the shimmering glacier that had enveloped me. About the only thing I could do was assume it felt cold as hell just like the rest of my body, but as my temperature had been drastically altered, so did my tolerance level to it all. I was no longer fazed whatsoever by any of it.

Pushing all of that aside, however...

With a determined resolve, I stepped forward onto the icy floor, my body feeling strangely light and powerful within the frozen sheath that had encased me. Each step forward seemed to echo through the silent chamber, the only sound being the soft crunch of ice beneath my feet.

I made my way over to a very large set of double doors, their metallic design towering over me. Focusing on the newfound power and confidence I felt within myself, almost innately, I manipulated the inner workings of the ice encompassing my chosen exit. Then, before I could even fully blink, all of it exploded outward, showering the newly-revealed corridor with chunks of frozen debris.

As I burst through, the echo of my footsteps filled the corridor beyond. The metallic walls loomed around me, casting eerie shadows in the dim light.

Walking down the corridor, an unsettling silence enveloped the area. The only sound was the soft crunch of ice beneath my feet, remnants of my icy confinement within the room from before.

Turning a corner, my eyes fell upon the elevator at the far end of the hall. Just as the doors began to slide open, a dark-skinned woman emerged, clad in a scientific-looking white coat. Her attention was completely absorbed by the clipboard in her hands.

Unaware of my presence until it was too late, she suddenly lifted her head, her expression one of startled surprise as our eyes met. I couldn't help but notice the fear that flashed across her features, mingled with a sense of recognition that left me curious and wary.

We stood there for a moment, locked in a silent exchange. The tension between us was palpable, the air thick with apprehension and curiosity. Eventually, I reached down to pick up the fallen clipboard, maintaining eye contact with her as I did so.

After a certain point, I dragged my gaze away from her visage. For a moment, I expected her to immediately make an attempt at running away, but she never did. Instead, the woman was frozen in place, and I used that time to begin examining the contents of the clipboard.

My mind raced with questions. Who was this woman, and why did my presence seem to unsettle her so deeply? What potential secrets did these documents hold, and how could they relate to my own overtly-vague circumstances?

As I perused the contents of the clipboard, my eyes quickly caught onto the details outlined in the background file. It seemed to be a dossier of sorts, detailing various aspects of my physical appearance and characteristics. According to the file, I stood at a height of 5'10", with several other physical traits noted down in meticulous detail.

But what truly caught my attention was the name or rather the designation - Project Omega. The mere mention of it sent a shiver down my spine, a sense of foreboding washing over me. It seemed to resonate with the newfound powers I had discovered within myself, confirming my suspicions that this project was somehow linked to me.

Before I could delve deeper into the file, my gaze snapped up to meet the woman's, who seemed taken aback by the intensity of my stare.

As the woman's eyes met mine, I couldn't help but feel a surge of power coursing through me, my voice ringing out for the first time in this strange, new form. "What am I?" I demanded, my voice smooth yet echoing in a way that surprised even myself.

My demand hung in the air, the weight of it palpable as I awaited her response. When she finally managed to gather herself enough to speak, her voice trembled with fear, barely audible above the deafening silence that filled the room.

"Project Omega," she stuttered, the words barely escaping her lips. "Y-you are Project Omega."

The name resonated within me, sending a chill down my spine. It was a label that seemed to carry a heavy significance, one that I couldn't fully grasp. What did it mean? Who had bestowed this title upon me, and for what purpose?

"What does that mean?" I pressed, my voice surprising even myself with its smooth yet echoing quality. While it was the second time I had spoken since my transformation, the sound of it seemed to reverberate through the air, echoing off the walls of the corridor.

Her fear was palpable as she struggled to find her voice, a nervous trickle of sweat running down her brow. "Project Omega... it's one of the projects we've secretly been working on at Cadmus," she began, her words coming out in a shaky rush. "Not long after Superman halted Zod's attempt to terraform the planet into a twisted version of their original home, Krypton, had Project Omega been given the funding to start. However, due to the experimental nature of the work, it eventually became progressively more difficult to work on the project. The success rates, amongst quite a few other things, was just..." The woman trailed off, but I got the gist of what she was saying pretty quick.

As she spoke, a torrent of emotions surged within me - shock, doubt, and a burgeoning sense of curiosity. Specific keywords during her explanation most definitely caught my attention, and I was genuinely at a loss for words. While not much of it seemed to show on my face, the subsequent silence had the effect of encouraging her to keep talking, no doubt also fueled by her unusual fear of me.

The woman took a deep breath, steeling herself as she continued to divulge the information she had been privy to. "Project Omega was meant to be a culmination of various ideas," she explained, her voice steadier now, albeit tinged with a hint of bitterness. "It was conceived as a nigh-unstoppable champion, a contingency plan in case the heroes of Earth were either incapacitated or there simply wasn't anybody else left to put up a fight. But it wasn't just that. Project Omega was also intended to serve as a bodyguard for Lex Luthor himself, our main employer and the founder of Cadmus."

A flicker of distaste crossed her features as she mentioned Luthor, a brief moment of courage allowing her to speak candidly of the man. "Luthor's ego knew no bounds," she added with a touch of scorn. "He wanted Project Omega to be more than just a protector. He wanted it to be a symbol of his power and influence."

She paused, collecting her thoughts before continuing. "Project Omega was considered a last resort—a failsafe in case all other plans failed, an end to everything if the situation demanded it."

I absorbed her words with a sense of disbelief, the weight of their implications settling heavily upon me. I was meant to be a weapon, a guardian, a pawn in some larger game orchestrated by a man whose motives I could only begin to fathom.