The heavy vacuum seal of the chamber hissed and gave way. Subject 0.2 stepped out into the open lab. It didn't look around in wonder. It didn't show aggression. It simply stood there, waiting for the next variable to process.
The subject didn't look at the knife. It looked at Vance's wrist. In a blur of motion that defied biological reaction times, 0.2 closed the gap. It didn't grab the knife. It gripped Vance’s forearm and twisted. A sickening crack echoed through the room. Vance screamed, dropping the blade.
Vance pulled a small, silver pocket knife from his coat and held it out. "Subject 0.2. Assess and neutralize the threat." Unnatural Instinct [Ongoing] - Version: 0.2
"Sir, we haven't finished the behavioral mapping," Kaelen protested. "Open it. I want to see the 0.2 patch in action."
"Stop! System override code 9-9-4!" Kaelen shouted, his voice shaking. The heavy vacuum seal of the chamber hissed and gave way
The subject froze mid-stride, its hand hovering inches from Vance's throat. It turned its void-like eyes back to Kaelen.
Subject 0.2 stood up. Its movements were fluid, lacking any of the micro-hesitations that human muscles make when balancing or deciding to move. It approached the glass. "Open the chamber," Vance commanded. It didn't show aggression
Kaelen pressed his palm against the glass barrier, his fingers twitching to a rhythm he didn't recognize. On the other side, the subject—labeled 0.2 —sat perfectly still. It looked entirely human, save for its eyes. They weren't reflecting the room's fluorescent lighting. They were absorbing it.