Experiment X

Unauthorised Acess of X

The result had been exactly what she wanted: vivid, luminous violet eyes. But she had paid the price. Changing her eye color had destabilized her vision, a fact that became apparent as she grew older. It was a side effect her five-year-old self hadn't foreseen, but she had never regretted it. Even now, with her eyesight compromised, she didn't regret it. That was why she had poured herself into the study of genetics, driven by the need to heal what she had damaged, to fix the body she had changed too soon.

Aria's hands sliced through the water, each stroke measured, her muscles working with a rhythm she had perfected over years of swimming. Here in the water, she could feel each breath, each movement, with a clarity that often escaped her in the lab. The rhythm, the control, it was a reassurance—a reminder that she could still move, still work with precision despite her faltering vision. And perhaps, if her theories proved right, if she could just figure out how to stabilize Specimen X's genes, she could reclaim her sight.

She imagined, in scientific terms, how she might isolate his adaptability trait. An adaptive gene sequence, she thought as she turned her body in the water, moving from one end of the pool to the other. How would it interact with human genes? Would it splice in neatly, like a puzzle piece, or would it rebel, destabilize my cells? She would need to design a safe delivery mechanism, something that could control the initial interaction, stabilize the gene so her cells could adapt gradually.

It was all hypothetical, and yet the thought of seeing clearly, of no longer feeling her world blur and fade at the edges, made her pulse quicken. If only she could grasp the elusive adaptability of Specimen X's genes. The mystery of his biology was a double-edged sword, holding both answers and dangers in equal measure. She could alter her own genes, yes, but would they evolve the same way? Or would they warp, contort into something unrecognizable, something dangerous?

As she neared the pool's edge, she paused, holding onto the cool ceramic tile and pulling off her goggles. She blinked as her surroundings became slightly hazy, her usual blurred vision returning in the absence of her goggles' adjustments. She placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heartbeat slow, and closed her eyes.

In the stillness, her mind wandered back to Specimen X. His words echoed, reminders of things she had rarely considered: that boundaries were not immutable, that structure itself was a constraint she might challenge. But what boundaries could I dare cross? she wondered. The field of genetics was limitless, its potential held only by the ethics and caution of those who wielded it. But here, she had a choice: to hold fast to her ethical constraints or to risk everything for her own ambition.

The facility had placed strict protocols on the handling of Specimen X's cells, making it impossible for her to experiment with them freely. But what if she found a way to extract his genetic material, undetected? Just a single sequence, just enough for a small test. The thought lingered in her mind, tempting her, its allure too strong to shake. The clarity of perfect sight, of restoring what she had lost... she could taste the possibility, feel it just within reach. And the water around her held her, a silent reminder that here, she could be anyone, do anything. Here, in her sanctuary, she could let herself imagine, could believe in the possibility of reclaiming her vision.

Finally, she hoisted herself out of the pool, the water streaming down her body, cool and grounding. She wrapped the towel around her shoulders, letting herself take one last breath, filling her lungs with the cool, humid air. She was acutely aware of the tension easing from her body, her mind settling into a kind of resolve she hadn't expected.

She had to test her theories. There was no way around it. Specimen X's genes were unique, unlike anything she had encountered, and if there was even a chance—however small—that his adaptability could restore her sight, she had to pursue it. She would be careful, she would keep her testing confined, controlled. She would find a way to extract his genes without setting off alarms in the facility's monitoring system.