The Truth Behind Project Paragon

Mia felt like the air had been knocked out of her.

"Engineered?" she whispered, shaking her head. "That's impossible."

Dr. Evelyn Langston studied her with a knowing smile, as if she had been waiting for this moment. "Is it? Have you never wondered why you've always been different? Why you've survived things that should have broken you?"

Alexander stepped protectively in front of Mia, his voice dangerously low. "You're lying."

Langston sighed. "I have no reason to lie. You already have the files, don't you? Marco may have been a monster, but he was also a visionary. He saw potential in what we created."

Victor, who had been standing near the suite's desk, started scanning the documents lying around. His face paled as he read the notes. "Alex… she's not bluffing."

Mia felt her hands tremble. "I don't understand… what are you saying?"

Langston stepped closer, her eyes softening. "You were part of something much bigger, Mia. Decades ago, we began an experiment—selecting individuals with rare genetic markers, enhancing them in ways that would make them stronger, more resilient, and…" She trailed off, tilting her head. "You are the final result, Mia. The pinnacle of our research."

Mia shook her head. "I'm just a person. I have a family, a past—I grew up like everyone else!"

Langston chuckled softly. "That's the beauty of it. You were never meant to know. Your parents were chosen carefully, and everything about your life was designed to ensure you reached your full potential. Marco knew this. That's why he was obsessed with you."

Alexander's fists clenched. "You experimented on people?"

Langston's expression didn't waver. "We elevated them. Imagine a world where disease is eliminated, where humans can reach their peak potential. That's what Paragon was meant to be."

Mia could barely process what she was hearing. Was her entire life a lie? Was she created? "And what about Marco? What was his role?"

Langston's face darkened. "He saw Paragon as a tool for control. He wanted to create a new elite—stronger, faster, smarter. But you were the one thing he could never control."

Victor interrupted, holding up one of the files. "There's something else. Marco had contingencies. He wasn't just watching Mia—he was preparing a way to use her."

Mia's blood ran cold. "Use me how?"

Langston exhaled. "That… I don't know. But I do know that Marco's vision for Project Paragon didn't end with him." She gestured to the screens. "There are others involved. More dangerous than Marco ever was."

Alexander pulled Mia behind him. "Then tell us who."

Langston hesitated. For the first time, there was fear in her eyes. "If I do… you'll never be safe again."

Mia stepped forward, her voice steady despite the chaos inside her. "We've never been safe."

Langston studied her, then nodded. "Then listen carefully. Because everything you thought you knew is about to change."