Test Subject

8 years later.

D.H. Headquarters.

"Are you happy Miss Havishma?" Electro 28 questioned.

The duo stood on a lofty area, watching down at the experiment stage as the White team fixes the equipment. The D.H. operates with a lot of teams. The Blue squad operates only during clinical emergencies. The Rain squad was created during the uprising, and ever since, they serve the Chief. Electro squad, the milliary crew. and the White squad, the technical team.

Every noble individual from the Realm was present, including the Prime: the ruler of Winter Weir, the Chief: the head of the D.H. and the people: a Group of individuals that helps to oversee Winter Weir. Though Winter Weir is ruled by the Prime. He doesn't have all the power to make whatever rule he wishes. The People, also have a say. They also have the power to select and impeach the Prime, at least after a thorough investigation. They also judge crimes committed by serving individuals.

Everyone waited long, and once again, the Z syrup was completed and the first test is to take place.

"What is there to be elated about?" She replied without looking at him.

"Six years ago you were relieved from your duty as the squad leader of the Electro squad to concentrate on your experiment. And now you are finally going to get your squad…"

"Only if the experiment today is successful," she chipped. "And I believe the deciding factor rest on their shoulder," she added, pointing at a group of people standing at the end of the stage.

Among them was the young Coco that joined the D.H. eight years ago. He was looking muscular and grown-up. And had a thin scar over the middle of his left brow. He looked into the crowd and saw Jesselyn waving at him with a smile. He smiled back before looking away.

Miss Havishma walked down to the stage. She stopped in the middle and looked at the crowd.

"Greetings, ladies and gentlemen. I am Miss Havishma, an agent of Department H," she started.

"After a great deal of research and work in the laboratory, the Z syrup that we first tested 10 years ago, is done. And these noble men and women, have offered themselves as subjects. A brave act, I must commend, considering the last failed test.

"We will now proceed to the next stage," she bows her head a little, before moving to type into a computer.

Electro 28 walked up to her. "Chief and Prime looked impressed," he stated.

"Well, let's hope this works," she said without looking at him.

He stared at her, concerned. They used to be teammates and he thought he knows her well, but ever since her last mission eight years ago, he had noticed that she always crawl into her hole and puts up a big wall whenever she was in a conversation with others, which she wasn't like before. He is worried that something is wrong with her. And besides that, she has also been hiding her health report which all agent has to check in by the end of every week. He knows this because he is the one she used to ask to report in for her. He slipped his hand into his pocket and returned to his position.

Miss Havishma went to assist the young Coco into the machine that injects the syrup.

"How are you feeling agent?" She questioned, helping him out of his shirt.

He sighed. "I'm half naked in front of all these people that I barely even know. Not so good," he quipped.

The side of her lips lifted a little bit before falling back down.

"Well, I should tell you that it will get really hot in there, so you might end up completely naked," she said before she gently slap him on his back.

He jolts as her cold palms meet his back. She ushered him into the machine, inserting some tubes that were connected to a small box in his neck. He gasped sharply at the piercing pain.

His heart was racing. He looked at the others that were also being laid into the machine. He could tell by just one glance that they too were scared. The one directly next to him had tears in his eyes. He couldn't blame him. They were told that the success rate of the Z syrup was zero.

Miss Havishma leaned in to address the patients. "This is the moment those extra three years of training should shine," she spoke. "There's a mic, speak to me through it."

With that, she retreated to where the White squad was. They were then enclosed in the machine. A glass wall was also descended in front of the crowd.

"Starting the process, now!" She clicked a button which made an orange liquid flow through the tube and into the machine the agents were.

"1 percent completed,"

The machine started to buzz louder and louder. With every second gone, the louder it becomes.

"10 percent completed," she spoke again. She stayed quiet for some seconds before speaking. "Subject 1, can you hear me?"

"L-loud and clear Miss," he answered immediately.

"Subject 2?"

"It's really hot in here. After all this is over, we should go out on a date. Maybe to the beach."

The voices of the test subjects were being broadcasted to the crowd. She turned off the speaker and shook her head.

"Subject 5?" She called out. "Subject 5?"

But there was still no reply from the young Coco. She tapped some buttons before speaking.

"Turn off the machine of subject 5…"

"I don't think you should do that," he finally replied.

The crowd put their hands together for them. The last time the experiment took place, the subjects died after 10 percent of completion.

"Plus, I think I am claustrophobic, I hate it in here…"

She smiled a little before nodding at the agent standing next to her. Everyone was silent as the machine went off, especially Miss Havishma who bites on her thumbnail.

Finally, it was opened by a member of the white team. It let out a cloud of smoke before revealing a motionless body, he was dead.

Miss Havishma's hands were over her mouth. She just needed one of the tests subject to be alive. They opened the second, third, and fourth machines, but it was all the same outcome.

The fifth one opened, and the body fell out, hitting the ground with a thud. They all thought he was dead until his cough echoed.

Miss Havishma exhaled and threw herself on a chair. The chief had warned her that it was going to be her last mission for the D.H. if it failed. After years of sleepless nights, she finally found another.

Electro 28 walked up to her. Before he said anything, she pulled him in for a hug. He was shocked at first, before letting himself also sink into the other's touch.

The last surviving subject was helped out of the place by the blue team, the medic team.

"Miss Havishma," a voice called out.

She turned to look at the caller, it was the chief.

"Allow me to congratulate you, on not losing your place here at the D.H."

She smiled and nodded.

"Though I think it's too early to be celebrating now."

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go check to make sure everything is well with the subject," she added before walking away.

…

The agent slowly opened his eyes. His vision was a little blurry. He tried to raise his hand, but it was too heavy for him to lift.

"I wouldn't advise moving at the moment."

Miss Havishma walked in and sat on a chair next to his bed.

"How are you feeling?" She queried.

"Like I don't own this body," he answered.

"Yeah. It'll be that way for a couple of days. You'll get used to it eventually."

He sighed and then slowly looked around the room. It had other beds like the one he was on, but there was no one on them.

"Where are the others?"

"They…" she stopped. "They didn't make it. You are the only survivor."

He closed his eyes and let the information sink in. He had trained alongside them for eight years. They were more than just comrades. With them, he felt like he finally found someone to call his friends. But they were all gone now.

"Now what?" He asked Miss Havishma.

"Well, we had a patient that pass the first stage but died some days later. So I suggest you just rest for the time being. And cheer up. Because of you, the creation of the Storm troopers will be possible."

She smiled and tapped his shoulder before walking out of the place. The agent closed his eyes.

As she stepped out, Electro 28 was there with his back to the wall. She stared at him for a while before turning. He followed behind her as she strode forward.

"Damiano is here. And he asks for you in the briefing room," he stated.

"What does he want this time?" she mumbled to herself before walking into the room.

"Damiano," she called out.

He turned around with a wide smile revealing his teeth. He had two bodyguards standing behind him, wearing thick sunglasses. The man called Damiano was richly dressed. And his upper teeth were all gold. Damiano is the CEO of the Quantum Realm Corp. He has a lot of influence on Winter Weir and also in the D.H. He was part of those who voted that Miss Havishma gets her squad.

"What are you doing here?" Miss Havishma questioned.

"What sort of question is that love?" He stepped closer, sizing Electro 28 up. He then turned to Miss Havishma and grinned.

"Don't you have better things to attend to attend to at Quantum Realm Corp?" She asked again.

"I do. I always do… but I also need to know where my money at," he claimed.

"Didn't you watch the broadcast? If you did you'll know it's in progress," she punched back.

Damiano walked forward until he was only inches away from her. "It's taking way too long love. You don't want me to withdraw my hands, do you?"

She held his stare while she spoke. "We are getting there. So why don't you get back home and do what you always do?"

He smiled and took a step back. "Progress. I want more progress," he demanded before leaving the room.

…