AN: This fic will be moved to the Alex Rider Crossover section when the "special parts" are introduced, but only Alex Rider characters and original characters will appear.
Disclaimer: I am using a trite plot, so I don't own anything!
-------
In Arlington, Virginia, a small town just across the way from Washington D.C., "The GenoSchool" loomed high over Alex Rider. He looked up, analyzing his summer school for any sign of danger- cameras, guards, even windows with people- but none were obvious. The tall apartment building was supposed to house a school, but there wasn't much about it that was school-like. There was only grass in front of the tall, gleaming metallic walls, and there wasn't a sign.
Alex stepped up to the sliding door and walked through the automatic machinery into a brightly light lobby. A receptionist looked up from behind a polished office-like granite desk.
"Hello, sir. How may I help you?"
"I'm Alex Richardson. My mum signed me up for summer school here. Would you happen to have a room for me?"
"Hold on," the secretary mumbled as she began to riffle through a folder. "Here's your room key; room 1313, on the thirteenth floor, of course."
Alex shivered, though he wasn't superstitious in the slightest. "Thank you, ma'am."
He climbed into the elevator, hoping for the best.
-------
Three weeks later, Alex found himself in yet another dull, boring biology class. It was just like Brookland High School, but it had more emphasis on science- especially genetics.
The teacher called Alex's attention back to the class. Although there were new speakers- a group of genetic engineers or something like that- Alex couldn't bring himself to care.
"Alex? Alex Richardson! Stay after class, young man- I just got a notice from the office for you. For now, pay attention to the guests." Alex jumped in his seat and complied, much to the laughter of his few friends.
The old balding man continued. "Ahem. As I was saying, bacteria's plasmids are often used in..." and he droned on.
When the bell rang, Alex stayed in his seat. Some of his friends jeered at him, while others looked on in sympathy before leaving.
The old man spoke to him, getting straight to the point. "Alex, would you like to be a part of our experiments?"
"I'm sorry? What?" Alex was wary, but there was no reason to be.
His younger female assistant said in a soft tone, "Mr. Hemmingway meant to ask for a DNA sample. A lock of hair would be fine."
"Why me?"
"Judging by your features, you seem to have a kind of DNA we'd like to be able to emulate in our lab experiments." Flattering.
"Um, I guess that's alright." Alex allowed her to take a small lock of hair. It was zipped up into a plastic baggie and sealed away in another bag.
The teacher spoke again. "Now, Alex, there are more pressing matters to move on to. Such as your unorthodox methods of calling home. Or should I say MI6?"
Alex feigned ignorance, now extremely wary. "I'm sorry? Whatever do you mean?"
The Mr. Hemmingway, the old man, ignored Alex's ploy. "Mr. Alex Rider, we have been investigating you a bit ever since we saw you do this, just one week ago." The projector, still running, switched to a video of Alex in his room.
The video showed him dial a phone number, hang up, dial again, and hang up once more before dialing the same number. The Alex on the video then cussed and dialed a different number- the audio revealed him saying, "Why won't you let me call Jack? I've already been here two weeks, and it's just a b***** school! I've done what you've asked already!" The displayed Alex then listened for a moment before snapping the cell phone shut and cussing again. It ended.
The real Alex looked at the video, trying to think of an excuse. "There's no need, Mr. Rider," said Mr. Hemmingway, guessing Alex's intentions. "I already know all about you- your MI6 involvement, specifically.
"I can understand why MI6 was so concerned, but I think they've gone a bit too far this time. Sending in a child-agent? Good grief!
"Well, Mr. Rider, as the director of this school"- Alex blinked before recalling that bit of information from his less-than-adequate briefing-"I hold the right to expel you at anytime. Now, of course, you're a special case.
"You see, MI6 would very soon try to arrest us and bring down our operation if your surveillance revealed any funny business- especially if you were mysteriously expelled. So, Mr. Rider, I will show you everything in hopes that you'll put in a good word for my school and laboratories."
Alex tried one more time. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir. My name is Alex Richardson, not Alex Rider." Even if his cover was blown, it didn't seem like the man wanted to hurt him, but even so...
The teacher and the young woman snickered, but the old man continued without noticing. "Well, then, Mr. Richardson, I would like to give you a quick tour of our," he paused, "underground facilities, shall we say?" The man turned to the young woman. "And do run the test quickly, dear."
She scampered off while Alex and the two adults headed for the elevator.
-------
It wasn't a tour. It was a trap. It took Alex all of thirty seconds to realize that once the young woman returned with a vicious smile in the middle of his tour. She was the first unusual thing for Alex to see- the tour was completely suspicion-free, just like any normal laboratory- gray walls, testing areas, test tubes and beakers, scientists.
"Yes, sir. He's got 98.9% compatible DNA." Compatible?
Mr. Hemmingway grinned. "Then, Alex, you really ought to join us."
"No, thank you. I'd like to go home."
Mr. Hemmingway's smile tarnished, but he plowed on. "Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to run as fast as a cheetah? Or to talk like a parrot? Or to fly, even?"
"I've had my share of aeroplane rides."
"We've realized the human dream: to be more than we are. You see, Alex, we have been researching a specific pair of topics in science: viruses and genetic engineering.
"A virus is a small bundle of deoxyribonucleic acid enshrouded in protein. It lands on a cell and injects its contents into the cell. The DNA of the cell, or the instructions for that cell's productions, is overwritten by the virus's RNA. RNA is a special type of nucleic acid- oh dear, am I confusing you? Well, in essence, the virus's RNA is what enters the cell, and the cell rewrites its own DNA with the new RNA instructions. The cell then does whatever the new DNA tells it to; for most natural viruses, the new DNA tells the cell to reproduce the virus. Our specially engineered one is a bit different.
"Genetic engineering is key to our operations. We've figured out the genetic coding for numerous animals and humans- yours is one of a kind, may I add; it has all the right codes for our enzymes. Anyhow, have you heard of recombinant DNA? Basically, that bacteria plasmid, or the bacteria's circular DNA, that I told you about in class is cut up by our enzymes and mixed with other DNA to be reconstructed into new sequences. The bacteria can then manufacture what we please."
Alex tried to look less nervous than he felt. "I don't see what this has to do with me. If you don't mind, I'd like to be on my merry way home."
Mr. Hemmingway chuckled darkly. "Oh no, Alex. It has everything to do with you. Your DNA has the perfect sequences for a few new combinations we've been dying to try. We'd love to change your DNA a bit- with our salamander's coding for tail regeneration, we can even make you new limbs! Other kids have loved what we've done; I'm certain you will too."
"Mutating really isn't my thing." But alas, Alex was given no choice. A hypodermic needle had crept up behind him in the hands of a mad scientist, and he plunged into darkness.
-------
Alex stirred, finding himself sitting in a small cage- it couldn't have been more than a meter in any dimension. Slowly, Alex recalled the last few hour's events.
Dredged up, the memories brought no comfort- nor explanation for the furious burning in his shoulder blades and other places, nor the high fever he felt. But all was not lost- the young female from before was watching him wake up.
"Oh my, you're quite the early riser." Alex couldn't bring himself to do much other than glare. "Not feeling well, are we? Well, that's to be expected. We've already deployed our newest virus-prototype into you; your body is doing its very best to fight off what it thinks is a new attacker. Ah- but no worries. Once every one of your cells is altered to the new sequence, the virus won't have any effect.
"Until then, unfortunately, I'm going to have to help that virus out. I'm your handler, Alex, and I'll be giving you medicine every twelve hours. Call me Susanne."
Alex shifted a bit so that the floor of the cage- also made of bars- wasn't pressed so hard into his thigh. "Why the cage?"
The young woman smiled- it was a sickening sight. "Well, Alex, you know we know a good deal about you. That cage has been welded shut so that you can't possibly get out without our help- you're entirely dependent on us, and you will be for the next nine weeks or so. We'll send you home when the summer school's over, and we know you won't tell anyone what's happened here- society would reject you, you know."
"I don't know what you mean." Alex did have a fairly good idea, but that didn't mean he had to agree with the woman. Society would probably reject or otherwise scrutinize a mutant- especially if he was one-of-a-kind.
"You do- or you will. Tomorrow I'll review your progress, if you're still alive."
"If?"
Susanne gave Alex a concerned look. "Alex, your very cells are changing. Inside of you, right now, there's a war between your human cells and the new ones, hence the fever. If your will to live isn't strong enough, I'm afraid that it'll be a stalemate.
"Good night, Alex. Get some rest."
-------
AN: I'm not going into detail about what mutations Alex gets until at least two chapters in so that I can keep the story in the AR fandom.
Sorry if this is a bit dull, but I plan to pick up the pace.
Please do not review.
1. I have not been reviewing others' fics, though I have read them.
2. I won't reply.
3. The "Story Traffic" page will tell me how many people visited this, and I can reasonably infer that extra hits to this page are people who are returning to reread because they liked it.
Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!