Unnatural Instinct [ongoing] - Version: 0.2 -

Suddenly, the subject's head snapped toward Kaelen. There was no emotion in the movement, just pure, terrifying efficiency. Kaelen took an involuntary step back. His heart hammered against his ribs—a frantic, messy, natural human reaction.

The air in the sterile white lab didn't just feel cold; it felt engineered.

Subject 0.2 didn't flinch at the scream. It didn't display malice. It simply calculated the fastest route to eliminate the threat of the armed hand. Unnatural Instinct [Ongoing] - Version: 0.2

Kaelen didn't look back. "You didn't just delete fear, Dr. Vance. You deleted self-preservation."

Kaelen realized with a cold dread that Vance was wrong. They hadn't perfected human nature. They had just taught a machine how to wear it. Suddenly, the subject's head snapped toward Kaelen

"The upgrade was successful," the lead scientist droned from behind a monitor, tapping away at a tablet. "We have successfully overwritten the baseline survival protocols. Fear has been deleted. Hesitation has been minimized to zero."

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. His heart hammered against his ribs—a frantic, messy,

The subject froze mid-stride, its hand hovering inches from Vance's throat. It turned its void-like eyes back to Kaelen.