In the tranquil still lab, the air thick with the sharp scent of reagents and chemicals, Max's hands snaked swiftly toward the equipment required for the most basic operations.
He had already determined the use of each instrument, his mind forming a precise checklist of every step that should be prepared in advance before beginning any scientific procedure.
He set the table methodically, filling a few stands with test tubes: some empty, others half-filled with reagents and chemicals necessary for the process ahead.
Glass lab utensils were arranged neatly beside the test tubes; flasks, beakers, rods, and other specialized tools all within arm's reach.
He gradually marked the reagents he needed once again, double-checking each one before he began.
Picking up the research file once more, he made the first new entry since recording the previous coded blueprint of his future projects.
'Subject X – Basic Structure and Reactions'
Donning a pair of safety goggles, he took a deep breath and began his task.
His first official step: diluting a few drops of the T-virus.
From John's memories and the system's guidance, Max had already learned how to replicate the small amount of T-virus he possessed into larger quantities.
However, the process demanded large-scale equipment and a variety of critical resources, most of which had already been ordered from Oscorp.
Their delivery, however, would only coincide with the completion of his personal basement lab.
Until then, he couldn't risk replication and had to manage the limited supply without wasting it.
As a result, dilution became his best and only option for now.
Even though the process was somewhat wasteful, it would still allow him to analyze the basic differences between the T-virus and more generic viruses.
Carefully, he picked up the test tube containing the virus. With a sterilized dropper, he snatched a few drops and transferred them into another empty test tube.
Gently setting the second tube in a stand, he reached for a common reagent, one proven suitable for T-virus dilution.
Still capable of reacting with it, this reagent would stabilize the virus just enough for initial study. He mixed them with practiced care until the test tube was filled to the middle.
If not for the guidance embedded in John's memories, Max knew he might have spent months just understanding how the T-virus interacted with standard chemicals.
Now, he could accelerate that timeline significantly.
Gradually, he separated the diluted virus into several more test tubes. Each of these would be exposed to various reagents to observe and record the resulting reactions and uncover the virus's properties in depth.
Once again, using a fresh, disinfected dropper, he added drops of different reagents and chemicals into each test tube, also introducing coloring agents into the mix to better visualize the changes.
While these reactions began to proceed, he began organizing his thoughts. He compiled a list of every reaction he intended to test against the T-virus, referencing all the known data available in previous studies.
These tests were necessary, not only to reinforce and solidify his understanding of the virus from John's knowledge but also for the sake of the future.
When his products eventually reach the market, he'd need to provide documented proof that they were harmless.
Medical boards and regulatory organizations would certainly detect the use of some unfamiliar agent in the formula, and these preliminary experiments would allow Max to fabricate a convincing story ahead of time.
Of course, he would never reveal the T-virus to the world in its raw, unrefined form. He intended to dilute it, break it down, and mutate it into a new, stabilized variant that would step proudly into the world, unrecognized for its origins.
The true T-virus, however, was far too potent and dangerous to ever be revealed. It would only bring chaos, paranoia, and distant hostility.
Even a miniature version of the virus might spark global uproar if not properly contained.
Eventually, he would need to build a force of his own, something akin to Umbrella.
Not all competition in the corporate world followed legal paths. Some stooped to levels far below acceptable, relying on sabotage, threats, and illegal tactics.
His attention shifted back to the tubes. The reactions were stabilizing now. The colors had begun to firm, revealing patterns he noted down meticulously in his file.
Next, he would proceed with more tests, utilizing everything this lab could offer.
Max's experiments stretched for hours. He remained fully engrossed in his research, leaving only once around lunchtime to grab a quick meal from the canteen, then promptly returning to his setup.
If anyone crossed paths with him in the hallway, he would merely nod in silent greeting, offering no interest in conversation.
His demeanor, though not rude, did stir quiet curiosity among many researchers in the Cell Labs.
Several considered approaching him with questions but their words never made it past their throats. Their voices remained locked in their thoughts.
Max noticed their growing curiosity, but he was far too absorbed in his work to respond. Besides, his research was too discreet and important to share lightly.
Still, the shift in attitude among the Cell Labs staff caused one of his brows to twitch in mild suspicion.
After a bit of thought, he concluded that Alex must have already informed them, at least vaguely about the mysterious "new subject" Max's family had discovered.
It would eventually be marketed as a groundbreaking discovery of the century.
He chuckled at the thought of these seasoned scientists quietly fuming, trying to suppress the itch in their egos to learn more.
They wanted answers but couldn't ask directly; held back by propriety, pride, or lack of clearance.
Still, they were leagues better than those self-important blockheads who didn't know their place and had the audacity to intrude.
Later that evening, Max finished his tasks for the day and began preparing to leave.
Before he exited the lab, however, he destroyed every remaining sample of the T-virus and disposed of all mixed products, neutralized with precision using chemical agents after recording every result in his file.
That file remained clutched tightly in his grip as he exited the lab, his body exhausted but his mind humming with momentum.
The next several days, exactly a week passed in a focused blur.
Max followed a strict routine: waking up early, breakfast with Martha, heading to the Cell Labs, conducting experiments, lunch, then resuming work until evening, clocking out followed by dinner and rest.
Within this cycle, he added one small but significant detour: a stop at Aunt Grey's café, just before heading into the Cell Labs.
It was a brief window of peace and warmth, something he couldn't quite explain, but that he found himself quietly drawn to.
For a while, his days continued in this pattern, unbothered and efficient, until a week later, when he received a call from Anna.
Her voice was calm, but her words held a weight that broke through his routine.
She had updates on the tasks he had assigned her.
Without hesitation, Max took a leave of absence from the Cell Labs that very day taking a sharp, calculated detour toward Sky Tower.
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