Tony paced the lab, deep in thought. The restrained terrorists remained unconscious in the secure holding cells, unaware of what awaited them. It was time to take the next step. Human experiments. He wasn't doing this out of malice. He justified his actions as a step toward advancing humanity's medical frontiers and to save himself.
"Legion, prepare the bio-lab. We're diving into uncharted territory," Tony said, his voice firm.
"Lab prepared, sir," Legion responded. "Chemical and biological containment systems are operational."
Tony descended into the lower levels of his lab. Rows of containment units and medical equipment gleamed under the stark white lights. Samples of diseases, some of the most virulent and deadly pathogens known to man, were secured in reinforced cryogenic storage. Well, he stole them from a facility using his drones.
"These bastards dealt in death," He muttered, looking at the terrorists through the observation window. "It's only fitting they contribute to life."
He pulled up the medical history and vital signs of his three test subjects. Two of them had strong constitutions, ideal for experimentation. The third, a scrawnier man, would be kept untouched, serving as a control for comparison.
"Let's begin," Tony said, putting on a protective suit. He picked up a vial containing a modified strain of the Ebola virus. The bio-nanites were designed to serve as a revolutionary cure, capable of identifying and neutralizing pathogens at a cellular level. But this was untested on humans.
For this, he needed results.
Day 1: The First Injection
Tony approached Subject One, a burly man who had likely spent his life building a tolerance to harsh conditions. The man stirred as he injected a cocktail of nanites and the modified Ebola strain into his bloodstream. Almost immediately, Tony observed the effects on his HUD.
The virus began replicating rapidly, attacking cells in its usual aggressive manner. But the nanites responded in kind, targeting infected cells with precision.
"Legion, monitor all vitals. I want detailed logs on cellular activity," Tony instructed.
"Vitals stable for now, sir," Legion reported. "Nanites are suppressing the infection."
The subject groaned, his body convulsing as the virus and nanites waged war within him. Tony watched with clinical detachment, recording every detail.
Day 3: Enhanced Strains
Subject Two was next. Tony decided to push the experiment further by introducing a cocktail of diseases... tuberculosis, smallpox, and a synthetic strain of influenza, alongside the nanites. He wanted to see if the nanites could handle multiple infections simultaneously.
"Arrgg! Aaarrrrgggg! Stop it! You fucking monster! My body is... arggggg... burning..."
The subject screamed as his immune system was overwhelmed. The nanites worked tirelessly, neutralizing pathogens one by one. Tony adjusted the nanite programming mid-experiment, enhancing their efficiency. He didn't care about that bastard's screams.
"The response time is improving," he noted. "Legion, increase the neural feedback loop to the nanites. Let's see if we can achieve faster adaptive responses."
"Feedback loop adjusted," Legion confirmed.
Subject Two's vitals fluctuated wildly, but after hours of observation, they stabilized. The nanites had contained all the infections.
Day 5: Complications and Discoveries
By now, Tony was starting to see the limitations of his creation. Subject One exhibited signs of organ stress, likely due to the prolonged battle between the nanites and the virus. Subject Two developed a resistance to the nanites, with some pathogens mutating faster than the nanites could adapt.
"This is the problem with biology," He muttered, pacing the lab. "It's chaotic. Unpredictable. But there has to be a way…"
He decided to alter the nanites' programming again, giving them the ability to rewrite genetic code. If the pathogens adapted, so would the nanites, but faster, with more precision. He even noticed how fast he was able to reprogram the nanites thanks to the boost from the Infinity Stone in his head.
To test this, Tony injected Subject One with another pathogen: an aggressive strain of HIV. The nanites successfully identified and neutralized the virus, but the subject's body couldn't handle the stress. Organ failure set in.
Tony sighed as the man flatlined. "Noted," he said grimly. "The human body has limits."
He threw the dead guy into the incinerator...
Day 7: Unexpected Success
Subject Two, however, showed remarkable resilience. The nanites adapted to the cocktail of diseases and began strengthening the subject's immune system. Tony observed that the man's vitals not only stabilized but improved beyond baseline levels.
"Fascinating," Tony said, leaning closer to the monitors. "Legion, is the immune system now operating independently of the nanites?"
"Confirmed, sir," Legion replied. "The nanites have reprogrammed immune cells to respond with heightened efficiency."
Subject Two regained consciousness, his eyes wide with panic. Tony observed him silently, debating whether to reveal the truth.
"Who… what did you do to me?" the man rasped, his voice trembling.
Tony crossed his arms. "I made you better. Consider this your contribution to humanity. When my research is complete, people won't have to fear disease anymore. A cure, if you will, for the fragility of the human condition. You should be grateful that you are going to die for the betterment of your species, you son-of-a-bitch."
As the week drew to a close, Tony turned his attention to the third terrorist. This one hadn't been touched by the experiments yet. He was healthy and scared.
"What's your plan for me?" the man asked, his voice shaky.
"I'm gonna put a tumor in your head and then operate. You see, I got this little tumor in my head which can't be removed. No doctor or technology exists at present that can help me. And I thought to myself, if it doesn't exist then I simply have to find a method or develop something to do the impossible. Maybe you would volunteer and become one of my experiments," Tony explained sarcastically. "The world thanks you!"
"What are you saying?!" the third man started shouting. "You crazy bastard. You insane freak! Let me go!"
"Ha! Says the one who killed countless innocents..." Tony was tired of the endless babbling and felt annoyed. "Drug dealings, human trafficking, organ trafficking, weapon smuggling, assassinations, money laundering... For one reason or another. You also sent attacks against important infrastructures such as schools, factories, and hospitals to undermine and destabilize whole economies just to sell or extort. So, yeah... I'm gonna be that crazy insane freak who will cut you open for the sake of progress." He casually began drawing up plans and setting his machines to work.
"I don't believe you. I- I-I-I-"
Tony didn't look at the third guy and was distracted by the massive amount of information he was reading, drawing, and writing down.
"But here we are, unfortunately. Do you think the third-world or fourth-world countries are getting aid, vaccines, or medical care? And yes, they exist and it's horrible," he exclaimed. "For years I was content that my father had supported the technological side, but did nothing to solve the world hunger, poverty, and lack of infrastructure. His resources could have helped many more people than were benefitted. But politics and fuckers like you stopping him at every step..." Tony muttered darkly while drawing schematics. "But not me. When I'm done here. No one will be able to stop the progress... Fuck politicians, fuck governments, fuck corrupted bastards like you... I will remove anyone who stands in the way of humanity's evolution."
Day 20: Progress Amid Chaos
Holograms floated around Tony, depicting complex molecular structures, genetic sequences, and real-time results of the experiments. Thanks to Subject Two's resilience, Tony had achieved a breakthrough: the nanites had evolved beyond just fighting diseases. They had created a blueprint for human augmentation—a roadmap to a new phase of humanity.
"Legion," Tony said, studying the data from Subject Two. "Cross-reference these immune responses with known pathogens. Identify the patterns that allow the immune system to operate autonomously after nanite intervention."
"Processing, sir," Legion replied. A moment later, the AI provided its findings. "The nanites have successfully rewired T-cells and B-cells to operate with heightened adaptability and response times. Additionally, they've integrated synthetic pathways to produce antiviral compounds and enhanced cytokine production."
He smirked. "They're making their own cures now. Fascinating."
With this data, Tony synthesized a formula: Aegis Serum. This serum, derived from the nanite-influenced immune cells of Subject Two, was designed to enhance the human body's natural healing capabilities. It could cure chronic illnesses, repair damaged organs, and eliminate diseases at a cellular level. In theory, with a little tweak, it could even reverse aging.
"This is it," Tony muttered. "The next step. Not just curing diseases but rebuilding humanity at its core. Fuck! I'm a genius. Hahahaha! Only 20 days and this is the result... Time to take the next step. Let's push the limit to the next level, shall we?"
[Ring! Ring!] A sudden call took his attention away. He took out his phone. It was from Natasha.
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