Location: Germany, private biomedical research centre
“Welcome to our Research centre, this is where we do sponsored research for the enhancement of human abilities and genetic research.” “This research station is part of operation Hushed Casket, and is a joint project of certain powers that be, which shall remain unnamed.” The professor was a classic scientist out of sci-fi movies with lab coat and all. He led them through the door of a small building. Though it looked small none of the seven men following made a comment. They had all come very far to get here, and to be able to take part in research of such high level was amazing.

They proceeded through that building to the complex below. “This is called the Vault, and it is in place so that incase of emergency we can activate lockdown to stop anything from going in, or getting out.” Indeed the huge metal door in front of them looked like a vault; it was made of two semicircles. “Stand still please.” The professor’s voice interrupted their thoughts. What looked like a halo of light formed on the wall and rapidly scanned up and down. “Scan complete, please proceed” a computerized voice droned on.

The two halves of the door split and with that the seven proceeded into the world of hi-tech research.

They had been picked because they were not only near the top of their separate fields, they had demonstrated creativity, and most important they were all single and were semi private people. To join this project they had to sign a contract that barred them contact with the outside world except for a short period once a year, or to do field testing.

Basically the company was the result of someone’s great idea to fund a research group to come up with new technology, all projects had to be vetoed by the board and approved before funding was given, and sometimes the lab would be designated a task to create a piece of equipment for a specific purpose, but generally it was left alone. As long as there were results the board and the powers that be were satisfied.

“ Will you commit to this program?” they stood in a line, the lights were shining in their eyes, they were separated by soundproof walls. Their questioner sat in the darkened, with a blinding light shining straight at them. Toughened though these men were drops of cold sweat popped up on their backs, after this decision there was not turning back, they had waited for a long time and had come far for such a chance as this, but was it worth it. “You will be confined to this facility for most of each year, you will be allowed to see your family only for a short time, as far as the outside world is concerned your name and identity can change, and at a moments notice we can make you disappear as if you were never born.”

One by one the seven said yes, and handed over their military dog tags, their trip into the unknown had now truly begun.

“Welcome to Operation Hushed Casket” a man in a suite told them. The had all accepted and been formally greeted into the organization, from now they were no longer free men, they were part of Operation Hushed Casket (OHC)

One year went past and they grew familiar with the procedures and began to thrive in their environment, thriving in their own field.

Morning, Shadow or Hades as he was named by his master before he left, although he did not use that name, he preferred to be called by the name Mr Dark, it was the name on one of his numerous passports. Logging into his computer he checked his inbox “hmmm, interesting job to do today” smiling to himself he though “what do they think I am, a tour guide or something?”

The newbie he went to meet was certainly inquisitive and Dark took a slight liking to him, they guy was so boyish, excited and full of questions. “sir if this is a research lab, I can understand the top secret security thingies but why the emphasis on guns and fighting and stuff.

Shadow sighed; this guy is so green, oh well here goes. “ok kido here is the lowdown,
a) More than one TJ lab exists on this planet earth
b) We do compare research but since it is different fields and we don’t share everything
c) Each of us wouldn’t not mind having some of the other’s research
d) All of us have agreed not to reveal military weapons or technology that is too powerful
e) The deal we struck among each of us is this, if you can get in grab the research and get out then you are home free, if you get caught then we get to interrogate you and stuff but we will return you alive
f) Even thought people don’t know that we are TJ labs, they still know a lot of expensive stuff is here and we always get terrorists or other people who want the powerful stuff that we have stashed away here, so we not only keep the most powerful stuff for ourselves but we also drill all our people in combat etc.
Listen I would love to show you around more but I am due for a project, so see you later.”

Hades entered his office, and logged into his computer
Hmm my human enhancement program is ready for testing, and the formula for me friends is also ready. Now load the program into the equipment and to run the final test. His train of thought was interrupted by the beeping of his computer informing him that he had an internal message. It was the Director of the department, a man who did not fully trust him or his friends for some unknown reason. The message told shadow to report to the director’s office when convenient. Shadow dutifully gathered a disk or two and went to the office.

“Sit down Shadow.” The director sat in his tall backed black leather chair. “let us cut straight to the point, as you are aware, the government has made a request that we upgrade certain weapon systems and the board has decided to put you along with some others into this project, as this one is rather urgent you may be allowed to keep one or two projects on the back burner but nothing big. Second, to carry out such an upgrade and research we need to cut back on some funding somewhere, and as you know in this department the most funding has been going to your human enhancement project.” “Director” “Wait Shadow, I have not finished yet, which to date has had no human trials yet, so the board has decided to cut the funding for that in two weeks. I however have requested a meeting with the board of directors in a week and a half’s time to review your project, to decide whether we are going to keep it on the back burner, freeze it or to scrap it. You are a brilliant scientist Mr. Dark, but as we all know from history not all projects are a success.”

“So I have 10 days? After which I have to present my project before the board?”
“That is correct.”
“Mr Director, pardon me for being direct, but you don’t like me or my projects do you?”
“That is correct Shadow, personally I do not totally trust you as I know far to little about your research projects or that of your friends for that matter, so I would be more transparent and I would also watch it if I were you.”
“Thank you Mr. Director, I will take your advice.”

Shadow left the office in a hurry. On the way back to his office he gathered the other six to meet in his office. He briefly outlined the situation and told them what he would do.
His plan was understandably meet with exclamations of “What?” “No, not you, anyone but you, how about me?” and so on. “My friends you may try to change my mind if you wish but please out of respect for me, respect also my decision. “Very well.”
So they settled arrangements and put plans into motion.

The next day all of them entered Shadow’s lab. He strapped himself into the cylinder and activated the program. Then after sealing the lab, the other six left. To wait for 6 days, six agonizingly, painfully long 6 days.

The day of the Board meeting drew near but no Shadow. The time for the meeting came but still no Shadow. The director cleared his throat, and began “I called this meeting into being for a few reasons, firstly to accommodate and fund and give sufficient resources to the new project we have been assigned to, we need to divert funds and resources from somewhere, and as you are all aware from the figures in front of you the biggest project going on is one overseen by Mr. Dark, and the particular project is titled “Human Enhancement Project” and its aim was to enhance humans via genetic modification for military purposes, from Mr. Dark’s reports, he has tested in on mice and chimps and found that in some areas there was as much as a 50% boost in reflex speed, he also reported that in the cases of chimps there was a marked increase in intelligence.”

“Surely then that would mean that the project should continue on and at increased speed, what could be better than a generic formula that could boost our soldiers reflex times.” That was Dr. Gordon, he was a heavy weight and the international CEO of O.H.C I and O.C.H II. The director silently ground his teeth as Dr. Gordon continued “In fact I have been most impressed by the achievements of some of the scientists here, Mr. Darks being one of them, the fact that he and six others are able to consistently keep multiple mediun to large research projects on the go and also produce results, and I have personally witnessed some of their projects and they are always of the finest quality and tend to exceed expectations, take the modifications that Mr. Dark made to our gas masks, and the modifications that Mr. Claw made to our guns, where would our extra edge in military power be without such advances?”

“I agree sir, but as we all know that we are all human and it is not reasonable to expect all projects to be perfect, no matter how promising they may seem, and in fact I conducted a backup check using one of the serums that Mr. Darks was going to use for human testing on a subject and the result was that the subject died a horrible death as his body was attacked by an immune system that went haywire. The fact that Mr. Dark was so confident in his project that he insisted that he be the first test subject, may also explain his absence, I sent people to search for him but he has locked down his lab most securely using systems that he invented in his spare time, thus our people are trying to gain access to the lab as wee speak. However until such times as that I suggest we mothball the human enhancement project until Mr. Dark’s whereabouts and state of mind and health can be determined, in fact as this new assignment is classified as highly urgent, and the predicted resources needed are so vast that it is with regret that I would push that we freeze all of Mr. Dark’s research projects until he is fully recovered.”

There was whispering around the board room, which murmured assent especially when the Mr. Dark’s reports were passed around followed by the photos of the unfortunate subject that the Director has selected.

The Chairman of the meeting raised his hammer, Bang, Bang, Bang. The room went silent. His voice boomed around the room like a tolling bell of doom. “Let us vote on the motion put forward by my Director Barnsley, all those in favor….” His voice trailed off as he seemed to freeze in mid sentence. “Continue, what have you stopped, I vote in favo…” The director’s sentence was cut short by a voice sharp quiet but sharp enough to cut metal “That will not be necessary Mr. Director” there in the door stood Shadow, flanked by his other six friends.

The Atmosphere in the room suddenly got very very tense, Mr Barnsley looked slightly pale but seemed to compose himself, whereas Shadow aka MR. Dark looked calm, he had the calm look of rage, not an irrational impulsive type, but the most dangerous type, the cool, cold, sharp, calculating type. Shadow’s eye seem to sear right through the director, and if looks could kill, well lets say there would be nothing of the director left except maybe atoms if Shadow felt lenient.

“Greetings, board members. Now where should I begin?” “You could begin by explaining how your human enhancement project failed so miserably, even though all the preliminary tests were all so successful, and how you managed to waste so much money.”

“My dear director, aren’t you presuming a lot? As I recall, this is the meeting where I was top present my project infront of the board for review.”

“Review? What review? What is there left to review..” The director’s explosion was cut inhalf by Shadow’s loud, projected, booming voice. “That is enough for you Mr. Director, the fact that I am standing here alive, well and of sound mind despite repeated attempts by you and others to either destroy my experiment or kill me outright is my first success.” He turned to the Chairman of the board. “Now if I may continue.” The chairman nodded. The director said “But..” but was silenced with a look from the chairman.
“Thank you. Now as I was saying, the fact that I am here is another step towards the project succeeding. My director has accused me of not being transparent enough aobut my project, he knows that for the enhancement to occur certain serums need to be injected into certain areas of the body, then during the final test where I myself was under the needle in the chamber, he had the audacity to go into a sealed lab with is access card and poke around break the seals of two cryogenic storage chambers and take a needle and extract some of the serum that was due to be injected into me. It was a good thing that the apparatus automatically added some from the backup supply otherwise I would not hve survived, or if I had I could have possibly be seriously deformed. By the way, by cracking the storage chambers you just destroyed the sample serums for all the army test subjects, totaling 6 months of work.” He paused for breath, but seeing that the Director looked like he was waiting to kill him, he hurried on. “Ladies and gentlemen, and Mr. Director this is how my “Boost” works.”
“Firstly an organic acid is injected into the nervous system that eats away the core of all the nerve cells and fibers of the body, which is immediately followed by another serum which replaces the original with an organic superconducting material, thus nerve impulses now take half the time to travel around the body than they did. The human brain would be overloaded by this so to prevent that from happening, a replacement fluid is injected into the spine which will enhance the synaptic connections of the brain and also make the whole system more efficient. Separately, in a time consuming process muscles cells are modified so that they have a greater endurance, speed and strength to size ration than they did, in some cases I was able to tweak it so that the muscles can further burn lactic acid. The eyeballs are lasered to perfection so that 20/20 vision is achieved, and the genetic structure of the eyeball is changed so that not only can the person now see better in light and darkness, but also his eye can adapt to changes in light levels with amazing speeds. Bone marrow is injected with a serum that will boost the oxygen carrying capability of the blood, the potency of the immune system is enhanced, as is the healing capability and speed when faced with small wounds, the sensitivity of the eardrums is also enhanced all these changes sometimes come with an added boost to IQ levels.”

“originally each change was contained in separate serums but I have been able to combine them into one serum, each part of the serum’s DNA is encoded with the changes needed. Each solution is specific to one user as the amount or change in each person differs, that was why you ended up killing you test subject as the boosted immune system was reconfigured to recognize only my cells, thus they attacked the cells of your subject.”

“the fact is, ladies and Gents is that I can now probably kill everyone in this room, and the guards that come running without sustaining heavy damage, you can hit me with the most potent heart paralysis dart that would kill most people, if I am given sufficient shock within 4 and a half minutes, my heart can restart and I will wake up suffering no brain damage what so ever. Now if you must divert funding away from this project I agree, as to all intents and purposes my research is complete for the time being, but I would ask that I be given funding to give my friends the injection too, they have all agreed and their formula and serum were the only ones that survived the directors prying fingers.”