The observation chamber was silent, save for the quiet hum of containment fields and monitoring equipment.
Damian stood at a control panel, his expression neutral, but his mind was focused on every detail of the upcoming test.
Grace Walker lay in only her underwear, strapped to a reinforced examination table, unconscious but breathing steadily.
Her vitals were displayed on the holo-screens above, a mixture of stable heart rhythms and neurological activity.
Kessler stood at the front of the chamber, hands clasped behind his back, eyes locked onto the subject.
"We stand on the precipice of progress," Kessler said, his tone calm yet charged with underlying excitement. "Today, we take the next step toward controlling the evolution of Conduits."
Several scientists and researchers stood in attendance, including Beth, Anabella, and a few others, ready to document the process.
Damian wasn't concerned with Kessler's speech his mind was already analyzing the procedure itself. After this was something he might use on himself if the result were satisfactory.
A First Sons technician approached the table, holding a reinforced syringe filled with blue-glowing liquid; the extracted and refined RFE solution.
"Administering the first injection."
The needle pierced Grace's arm, and the moment the liquid entered her bloodstream, her body jerked violently.
Her vitals spiked instantly—heart rate accelerating, brain activity fluctuating wildly.
The energy spread throughout her body, seeking the latent Conduit gene, activating it one cell at a time.
"We have a reaction!" one of the researchers exclaimed.
Damian, standing by the vitals display, watched closely.
His ability showed him that 5% of her abilities were unlocked.
Her body absorbed the energy without rejection—a positive sign.
Kessler nodded approvingly, signaling for the process to continue.
"Prepare the second injection."
Another syringe of liquid RFE was injected into Grace's bloodstream.
This time, the reaction was more violent.
Her body arched off the table, her muscles tensing as energy surged through her system.
The monitors flickered.
10% ability unlocked.
15%.
Her fingers twitched involuntarily, and then—
The table shook.
Beth stepped back. "What was that?"
Grace's eyelids fluttered, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Her vitals were still holding steady, but her nervous system was destabilizing.
"She can take more," Damian noted, adjusting the controls. He would push her body to its limit without breaking it.
If she died, retrieving her body would be complicated.
She needed to live.
"Increase dosage to three times the current concentration. I wish to see if she can withstand a higher concentration," Kessler commanded.
Another injection, this time stronger.
20%.
30%.
Her vitals wavered, her brain activity spiking dangerously.
And then her power erupted instinctively.
The observation room trembled as a wave of invisible force rippled outward from Grace's body.
Beth, Anabella, and the other researchers were flung backward—colliding with the floor, their chairs, and lab equipment.
Only Damian remained standing, though he made a show of stumbling slightly, pretending to be affected.
Kessler stood his ground, a slight smirk playing at his lips.
Grace's eyes snapped open, glowing with a faint violet hue.
The metal restraints on the table bent outward, as if a great force was crushing them from the inside.
The infiltrator pretending to be Beth scrambled to her feet, panic in her eyes. "We need to sedate her!"
"Not yet, this is getting interesting," Kessler said. "Let's see how far she can go."
As Grace's powers continued to develop, her mind reached outward.
Damian felt something brush against his thoughts—an unfamiliar presence, erratic, instinctual, and unrefined.
It seems that Grace had just unlocked her telepathy ability and it was running wild.
The air in the room felt heavier, as if unseen hands were pressing against everyone's skulls.
And then a researcher grabbed his head and screamed, "Get out of my HEAD!"
A shockwave of mental energy surged outward, causing some of the weaker researchers to drop to their knees, clutching their skulls.
Damian endured it, pretending to be overwhelmed like the others.
Her abilities were unstable but… growing.
He could see the potential.
Kessler watched intently, taking note of every reaction with a cold indifference.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, Grace's power faltered.
Her body slumped forward, her mind drained from the rapid awakening.
Her vitals stabilized, but she was unconscious again.
Kessler exhaled through his nose, deep in thought.
"A partial success," he said finally. "We've proven the method works, but the efficiency is… lacking. As it stands currently, this method is less useful than the Ray Sphere."
He turned toward the research team. "Continue refining the process. I expect improvement. Have the security teams gather more subjects to test upon. You need to test whether a slower dosing rate might improve the results. Report to me if there are any changes with this subject."
The experiment was over.
As Kessler gave his final orders, Damian looked down at Grace's unconscious form.
Her abilities were raw, painful, and erratic, but the potential for use was undeniable.
If he could cultivate her, guide her, and consume her once she reached an acceptable rate of potential then she would be invaluable.
Her Telepathy could make information-sharing effortless and eliminate the need to meet up every couple of days.
Her Psychokinesis could enhance the combat efficiency of himself and the other Superior Minions.
If he could refine her abilities, Savage Minions could become self-sufficient. Mixed with the dolphin-like intelligence and Sasha's tar mind control, Savaged Minions receive a brain capable of independent thought within their mission parameters, making it easy to leave them unsupervised.
But for now, he had to be patient.
For now, Grace was Kessler's experiment, and he couldn't make any moves on her.
But one day soon, she would belong to him. Until then, Kessler was the boss.