Chapter 5: The Breakout

The request from The Ark to delay the transport of Ivan Terovich had come too late. A month had passed since the UN insisted on seeing the creature, and now the time had come for the notorious warlord to be transported to the underground laboratory in West Virginia, where world leaders awaited. Security was tight, yet the looming anxiety was palpable among the scientists who understood the risks.

As dawn broke over the horizon, a black helicopter thudded its way across the landscape, cutting through the crisp morning air. Inside, Ivan was secured in a cage forged from pure alloy—indestructible, or so they believed. Sedation was critical; the scientists had prescribed a staggering 200 milligrams of Hydromorphone every hour to keep him subdued during the flight. They justified the dosage, knowing that the creature's body had adapted to the LE, but even they harbored doubts about the risks of administering such an amount to a human—even one as altered as Ivan.

As the helicopter soared over the sprawling forests of West Virginia, the pilot glanced nervously at his instruments. "Everything checks out," he called to the soldiers stationed in the rear of the aircraft, who were tasked with maintaining vigilance over the caged subject. "We'll be on site in ten minutes."

But unbeknownst to the crew, Ivan Terovich was no longer the mindless beast they believed him to be. The combination of the LE and the Hydromorphone had created something more potent—a creature with human-like intelligence and primal instincts, capable of strategizing and planning. As the sedative coursed through his veins, he was momentarily subdued, but with every passing second, his body adapted, building a resistance that the scientists had not foreseen.

Ivan's eyes fluttered open as the helicopter approached the designated drop zone. His senses, heightened to an unnatural degree, drank in the scents around him—the metallic tang of the helicopter, the stench of fear radiating from the soldiers, and the rich, earthy aroma of the forest below. He focused, honing in on the vibrations of the blades above and the voices murmuring just outside his cage.

With a sudden, feral determination, he began to exert himself against the confines of the cage. At first, it was subtle; a subtle shift, a low growl that resonated deep in his throat. The soldiers exchanged wary glances, but no one had yet noticed the change. Then, with a surge of strength, he launched himself against the bars, the alloy cage shuddering under his force. The soldiers instinctively stepped back, eyes wide with realization.

"Hey! What's happening back there?" the pilot shouted, glancing over his shoulder. The sound of clattering metal and frantic voices reached his ears, and panic ignited in the cramped space.

Suddenly, Ivan's fury exploded forth. He hurled his body against the cage with such ferocity that it rattled the entire helicopter, sending a shockwave through the cabin. Metal shrieked and screeched as one of the bars bent under his might. With a final, deafening crash, the cage broke free from its moorings, teetering dangerously on the edge of the helicopter.

"Brace for impact!" the pilot yelled as the cage slipped from its hold, crashing down into the heart of the dense forest below.

Time slowed as Ivan plummeted through the air, the cage twisting and tumbling before it finally crashed to the ground, landing on a thick bed of moss and fallen leaves. The impact reverberated through the trees, and for a moment, silence enveloped the area.

The soldiers aboard the helicopter were thrown into chaos as the pilot struggled to regain control, the sudden shift in weight almost sending them into a nosedive. Alarms blared, and the soldiers yelled for assistance, all while their mission hung precariously in the balance.

On the forest floor, the cage lay crumpled, and Ivan pushed against the remnants of his prison, instinct taking over. The adrenaline coursing through him heightened his senses even further. He let out a primal roar that echoed through the trees, shaking leaves from their branches and sending birds spiraling into the sky.

With one final heave, he burst free from the cage, muscles coiling like springs as he leaped into the underbrush. Ivan was free, and in that moment, he was no longer just a test subject. He was a predator unleashed, and the world would soon know the terror of what had been created in the name of evolution.

In the helicopter, the soldiers regained their composure, adrenaline pumping through their veins as they scrambled to report the incident. "Subject has escaped!" one yelled into the radio, urgency evident in his voice. "We need backup and a containment team on the ground—now!"

But even as they made their frantic calls, Ivan was already merging with the shadows of the forest, a chilling intelligence guiding his movements. They had wanted to see him; now, they would face the consequences of their choices. The hunt had begun.