Omegaverse: Origins

Alpha

Lance was extremely tired, following the traces of that Delta that had been wreaking havoc recently had been a nightmare. For the duration of his missions he couldn't go back home at all, it was always a priority to take them out before things got messy. Most often he would try to capture them, in order to procure more useful samples to the lab, but there were times where he would kill them if it couldn't be helped. This time he'd k.o'ed one and brought that mysterious boy back. During the investigation he hadn't seen the Delta's son at all, he felt that it was a huge blunder for him, it had been a shock but at least he got it done. As he opened the door to his family's house a fluffy husky pup jumped at him wagging his tail. 

"Archie, stop that, down boy!" A deep voice chastised the dog. It was a man wearing pjs, his black hair was shaggy and messy, clearly he had just left his bed. 

"Dad, I'm home, sorry it seems I woke you up" Lance picked up the puppy, the small dog began to lick him enthusiastically.

"Ah, no matter, it's no big deal. I'm glad you're back safely. Would you like to have some milk or something to eat perhaps?"  His father began to turn to the kitchen. 

"Thank you dad but I'll have to refuse, I just really wish to go to bed, I'm not really that hungry right now.  Ah! almost forgot, you have to call the lab, Doctor Rogers said there is an anomaly and he wants your opinion."

"An anomaly! well well, I don't feel sleepy at all anymore! Do you know what it is about"  His father's eyes became abnormally bright, brimming with expectation, just like a kid on christmas morning. 

"No idea, you'll have to ask him yourself, good night! Don't wake me up ok? I have a 2 day leave so if I sleep for two days that would be the best...!" Lance yawned as he hurriedly made his way to his bedroom. 

"Aye, boy don't just ignore your old man!  Ah!  Archie, what did you just do on the carpet?! bad puppy!  damn it." 

----

Lance took off all his clothes and got into bed, he really was tired as soon as his head touched the pillow he fell asleep. 

In the dream Lance was a small child again, a group of people wearing white coats were smiling at him. 

"We've finally made it! This is subject No.238 although he still has problems of dissociation with humans and is not able to express his emotions well, but he doesn't have violent outbursts  and is well behaved,moreover he is quite clever , is able to follow directions obediently and unlike those failed Gamma he is nearly as strong as the Delta. I present to you ladies and gentlemen, the first successful specimen of human evolution. This is..."An Alpha"! 

People surrounded him, his small body unable to defend itself. As he was about to run away he was suddenly held in some adult's arms. 

"Doctor Taylor? picking the subject up like that, it really surprised me"  One of the researchers, and old man with a long beard gave a small laugh. 

"Professor Jones, I just... he was scared so I couldn't help myself. " As he spoke the small child in his arms snuggled himself closer, not wanting to look at all those adults around him.  In his short life no one had bothered to care for him other than as a research material, always the subject of many tests where he often had needles inserted or had blood taken, all sorts of painful experiments were carried on his body for as long as he could remember. It was the first time he experienced being protected. 

"Ah well, Doctor Taylor is still young, I'm sorry it must still be difficult for you, having to deal with things that look so much like us" A stout woman with short frizzy hair sighed in a condescending tone. 

"Profesor  Adams, this boy is not a thing, he is a human child, no matter how you look at him. And deserves to be protected as such. Unlike the Delta he is not violent and is able to feel fear." He patted the child's hair and said some soothing words to him. 

"He is indeed different from Delta, but you shouldn't get too attached to him. This "child" is the only successful sample we have. We don't know how he will turn out in the end..." The one called professor Jones warned Taylor. It just so happened that Taylor was his most promising student at the university college where he taught. So promising indeed that he had specially recruited him for his team. However Doctor Taylor was perhaps still a bit naive in certain things.

"It is our wish to prove the government that "Alpha" are a success right? He won't be able to grow up normally here in the lab, no average human child would. So even if you can only consider this for the sake of the experiment why not let me take care of him? My wife and I would be able to give him a home, a family and a normal life. That and... he's ours originally as well, so."

"Is that really so?! This sort of thing, he's not wrong about the idea of providing the subject a more regular environment to obtain results but... I thought no one knew from which sample the subjects came from?" Doctor Rogers, a  messy looking young man who appears to be suffering from premature balding raised his voice in exaltation. 

"It's not really a secret, we just discourage our staff from looking into it. Knowing the details of how their embryo turned out after being adulterated by that disturbing Delta DNA is a most unpleasant experience even if they donated it voluntarily to the cause. But truthfully in almost all cases the procedure failed or produced defective subjects so there was no need to forbid it since no one was willing to check. Well... it is a bit unorthodox since usually we never allow the subjects to leave the lab. But in this case it is probably the best course of action to ensure the subject won't have abnormal behavior like those Delta later on..." Doctor Jones tugged his beard as he considered the situation.

"That is completely outrageous!  How can we allow our only successful subject to be unprotected where we can't monitor him? Please reconsider, Doctor Jones, you are the head of this lab, you can't approve of something so irresponsible!"  Professor Adams messed up her short hair as she glared at Doctor Taylor. 

"Enough, I have made this decision so of course I will  follow through, if something happens I will take responsibility. This is  the what I've decided is the best course of action for the sake of the research. Jack... ah, Doctor Taylor,  may be a bit willful but he is a diligent young man and his wife Rosario is also a very talented researcher, I'm sure they will look well after our little alpha." Professor Jones smiled dotingly at Taylor, even though he still felt a bit reluctant he had already carried out all the required exams. Since the child's body was stable enough it was then an important matter to make him emotionally stable as well. 

"Thank you professor! I will do my best, for the research and... for Lance's sake as well." Doctor taylor rubbed the child's head. Actually when they had news that there was a very promising subject he'd began investigating all about him and found out about their biological link by chance, since then as he kept hearing about him he gradually grew more attached to the child and told his wife who also worked at the research center about his existence. Seeing the boy themselves but being unable to interact with him or take him away was gnawing at them for a long time, the feeling of guilt didn't let them sleep at night and they often discussed ways to take him back.

"Puah, he actually named it! named the subject already... ahh this is a mistake, A huge mistake I'm telling you! The stout Professor Adams angrily protested and left the conference room in big angry strides. 

The boy felt as a big palm carefully patted his back. "It will be ok son, mom and dad will look after you from now on, everything will be alright... 

---

But Lance had not felt at ease, he was always wary of his existence as an experimental subject. Moreover he was the only person of his kind in this world, he was alone, so lonely, so...

In that instant he remembered the mysterious boy that smelled of strawberries and the warmth of his hand that seemed to fit so well in his and his body relaxed, that memory eased Lance's mind and he went back to a peaceful sleep...