Chapter 2: Reborn

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General (POV)

The group of test subjects were taken to their individual Energy-filled pods. The pods were something Hydra discovered through a spy who had infiltrated the scientific team assembled by America to recreate the Super Soldier Serum. The spy had revealed that the renegade Abraham Erskine, and weapon manufacturer Howard Stark, had found out that a small air-tight chamber, powered by Vita-Rays, could help Erskine's new S.S.S. formula to stabilize further than before. This resulted in theoretically raising the success rate in the creation of a Super Soldier.

Although Erskine's team was the first to discover it, they were unable to implement it due to American politicians' belief that it was a waste of funds. Even though Erskine had provided proof of the project's potential and the US Army supported it, the politicians refused to fund it more than they already were. This allowed Hydra to exploit the situation and advance their own project using the same theory mixed with their own technology created with the Tesseract.

As the subjects were being placed inside the pods, the leading scientists conducting the experiment provided an explanation to the Hydra leader, who had chosen to be present throughout the entire testing process and was eager to witness the outcome of their efforts.

"After months of attempting to recreate the original Super Soldier Serum using the remaining papers that Dr. Erskine did not destroy, we have finally succeeded in developing 15 improved variants of the serum" says the scientist, pointing at the colored vials that are being connected to pods.

The mysterious Hydra leader, who seemed very interested in the serums, turned to the scientist and asked a question. "Although I have already read about these serums in the reports, I would like to hear from you personally about what makes them so special and why there are only 15 of them?"

The scientist momentarily pauses to consider how to respond in a way that piques the leader's interest, before finally answering. 

"The new variants we have developed are a result of an incomplete formula that was created by Dr. Erskine and animal DNA. We believed that incorporating animal DNA would create a better performing Super Soldier. However, we were only able to produce 15 variants due to the extreme rarity of the animal DNA we used to complete our formula. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find or recreate this DNA with our current technological limitations."

He paused briefly to catch his breath, then continued his explanation. "The serums we have developed are the result of months of trial and error in our quest to create the ultimate soldiers who can ensure the success of all Hydra's endeavors. The surviving test subjects will not only be stronger than any mortal man could ever dream of being (as the original formula intended), but they will also have enhanced senses, thanks to the infusion of deferent animal DNA."

The leader of the Hydra seemed satisfied with the explanation provided. He turned his attention back to the area where the preparations were being completed and said, "I truly hope that the results will be as good as you have promised so that we can use them to expand our influence around the world. I believe we can now start the experiment seeing that all the preparations are finished"

Nodding in agreement, the lead scientist instructs the rest of the team to power the pods with a mixture of Vita-Ray and Tesseract energy. They also closely monitor the control panel to ensure there are no errors. The pod doors close on the subjects and the only noise left is that of the machines powering up to fulfill their purpose. 

Looking through small windows on the pods, one can see the faces of people who are being tested. They react differently to the bright light that is slowly filling up their small space and the pain they have to endure because of the liquids that are being pumped into their bodies. Suddenly, the room lights up with a bright and colorful light, so bright that it's hard to see anything inside. Then, the room is filled with loud and terrifying screams that makes almost everyone present shudder with fear. The scientists and soldiers feel uneasy and scared at the thought of going through the same experience.

While all this is happening, Uriel is feeling an immeasurable pain so deplorable that his mind almost can't take it and is close to dying from being overwhelmed several times. It was taking all of his willpower just to make sure he stayed awake throughout the entire procedure. While he was screaming, he could feel his bones liquefying, reforging themselves. His muscles and organs, tearing themselves apart and being rebuilt in a stronger, more durable version of what they are supposed to be. He can sense his brain being expanded and shrinking several times as if it was growing and compacting itself to perform way better than anything ever imagined before.

The whole process only took around 10 minutes but for everyone involved it felt like hours of pure physiological and psychological torture. When the machines were powered down, all that was left was pure silence, nobody wanted to be the first to move. They all waited in fear and anticipation of what would appear once the doors to the pods opened. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the doors slowly opened with the inside of the pods shrouded in a mist that was pouring out and spreading throughout the room floor. once the doors fully opened and the mist was gone, it could be seen that in most of the chambers were grotesque figures of what once were humans. Deformed monstrosities, puke-inducing body remains, and in two cases, burnt flesh. 

Out of 15 different experimental subjects, only three showed any signs of success. The first one looked like a huge muscular man with most of his clothes torn. The second one had the appearance of a beautiful woman with long claw-like nails and colorful scales that would randomly appear and disappear on her body. The third one appeared to be the most normal-looking of the three, with only a few improvements in his looks and had a body that looked like that of a young world-class swimmer.

Slowly, all three test subjects stumbled out of their pods, riping the restains off themself as if they were made of cardboard. Only once they were fully out, did the scientists and soldiers seem to react, with the soldiers raising their guns to point at things standing in the middle of the room. 

The lead commander of the soldiers started shouting, "DO NOT MOVE! ALL OF YOU STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND DO NOT MOVE OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE ON YOU!"

It was only then that the subject regained some focus and started looking around them, mostly at the soldiers pointing their guns at them. The muscular man seemed to get angry and growled at the soldiers. The woman narrowed her eyes at the people in front of her and started hissing with a long tongue coming out of her mouth. The young man just looked at everyone with a blank look, almost as if insinuating that they were unimpressive in his eyes. Just when it seemed that a fight was about to start, the three test subjects felt imminent danger coming from a small raised platform where a single man was standing.

When the Hydra leader saw all three subjects eminently turn to look at him, he smiled intensely and said, "Impressive! Truly remarkable! To be able to sense such a small but deadly amount of bloodlust even when it's only pointed in your general direction and not directly at you is truly remarkable!" He then started to laugh loudly in a way that made the subjects very unnerved.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! EXCELLENT! THIS CAME OUT BETTER THAN EVEN I EXPECTED! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He continued laughing for a few seconds longer before he looked back at the three, still with a big smile on his face, and said, "Do not resist for I do not think you will survive the onslaught of energy beams shot from our weapons and I believe you would not like to die so soon after your rebirth, no?"

The two of test subjects feeling threatened, seemed ready to attack until the third, the young man, placed his hand in front of them and without looking away from the Hydra leader said, "Don't let your feeling overwhelm you, calm down and listen to what they say for now. Your lives are more important than the fear you are feeling right now." He then slowly looked at both of them and said, "As long as we stay alive, we will get our chance to escape in the future." After listening to what the young man said, the two other test subjects seemed to calm down a little but did not let down their guard completely.

That seemed to be enough for the young man as he turned back at the Hydra leader who was still smiling. When the leader saw that he had their attention again started speaking, "Exceptional! You are truly astonishing! You were instantly able to take control of the other two test subjects without much effort. I wonder what makes you so different? What is your name?"

The young man said, "Test Subject No. 053" The leader seeming unsatisfied asked again, "Not that one, what is your Real name?" The young man then pondered for a second before saying, "My Real name is Uriel" Again, the leader seemed to not be completely satisfied says, "Is that all? do you not have a last name? Or is there a reason you do not want to say your full name?"

Uriel answers, "After today, I don't think my old name completely matters anymore." After Uriel finishes speaking he stands still and just continues looking at the leader directly at his eyes.

The leader, finally satisfied started ordering the scientists and soldiers that did not dare interrupt their leader earlier. "Take them back to their cells and prepare to start testing their limits in the morning. To truly see what they are fully capable of I want them to be fed and rested for tomorrow's testing." 

It was only after he stopped talking that everybody started moving and followed his orders. The soldiers carefully started restraining the test subjects and never stopped pointing their guns at them. Slowly, one by one, the test subjects were being led out of the room but the Hydra leader never moved his eyes away from Uriel. Once Uriel was out of sight, the leader said to himself, "With these test subjects in my control, I finally have pawns powerful enough to deter that insignificant Dr. Klaus Schmidt and his disgusting research on mutants."