August 1941, in a hidden command bunker deep within the wilderness of England. A group of men in military uniforms sits gathered around a long, dimly lit table in a room filled with shadows. The air is thick with tension and the faint hum of equipment. The walls, lined with maps and strategic plans, bear the weight of a world at war. The only sound is the low murmur of voices and the occasional rustling of papers.
A man in a lab coat, his hair graying at the temples, steps forward with a clipboard clutched in his hands. His eyes scan the faces of the assembled officers, high-ranking men from the British Army, Navy, and Air Force. Clearing his throat, he speaks with a crisp, precise tone.
"Greetings, gentlemen. If I may, I’d like to skip the formalities and get straight to the heart of the matter," he begins, his voice steady and measured. "I believe we would all appreciate focusing on the bones of the situation, given its urgency."
There’s a slight nod of agreement from the men around the table, their expressions grave. The scientist takes a breath, steadying himself before continuing.
“In regard to the debriefing on Chemical Psi-Zero-Nine, we have uncovered some startling developments,” the scientist began, his voice growing lower, each word measured carefully, as if revealing a secret held too long. “As you know, all twelve samples were the final word of the genius mind of Professor Armand Leclerc.” He paused, allowing the name to hang in the air like a wisp of smoke, drawing every eye in the room.
He continued, his voice more focused, almost conspiratorial. “Leclerc was not merely a chemist, gentlemen. He was a brilliant biologist, and if more… fantastical reports are to be believed, he was also a psychic and a student of alchemy. He was a man who had a foot in two worlds: one of hard science and another of the arcane.”
The officers exchanged uneasy glances, murmurs rippling through the room. This wasn’t the standard briefing they had expected; there was something more at play here, something darker.
The scientist continued, “Professor Leclerc was shot dead by the Gestapo mere moments after the French Resistance secured the twelve samples of his so-called ‘miracle substance’—Psi-Zero-Nine—and smuggled them to the Allied Forces. The Nazis considered his work of the utmost importance, so much so that they risked significant resources to secure him… but they were too late.”
He paused, surveying the room, the flickering light casting deep shadows on the walls. “As you may know—or perhaps some of you do not—six samples were entrusted to the British government, while the remaining six were sent overseas to Canada. We did not want to keep all our eggs in one basket, you understand. The strategy was to mitigate risk, to ensure that even if the enemy discovered one cache, the other would remain secure.”
The officers nodded slightly, understanding the logic behind the move, though their expressions betrayed growing concern.
The scientist adjusted his glasses and continued, his tone shifting to a more somber note. “Now, I’ll start with the bad news. We have not been able to replicate Psi-Zero-Nine. Our current level of understanding is… insufficient. Despite our best efforts, the compound is far beyond our current scientific capabilities. And, as per our orders, all twelve samples were to be used exclusively in the super soldier development program. There are no reserves, no backups—what we have is all we will ever have.”
A murmur swept through the room, the reality of their situation sinking in. The scientist held up a hand to quiet them, a hint of determination in his eyes. “However, there is good news, gentlemen. The initial results, which appeared underwhelming and even disappointing, have now proven to be incorrect. We initially believed that only one man among the twelve recipients had been altered significantly. But we are now all too aware that all twelve have been changed… in ways we could have never foreseen.”
He glanced down at his clipboard, flipping through several pages of notes. “We were prepared for enhanced strength, heightened endurance, or even advanced reflexes—traits we assumed would align with the traditional concept of a ‘super soldier.’ But what we are seeing goes far beyond these expectations.”
The scientist cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses as he began, "I am sure you are all aware of what was thought to be the only successful recipient of Psi-Zero-Nine, Albert Baker?" He paused briefly, scanning the room. "Well, in the following months, we have learned that every soldier who was injected with Psi-Zero-Nine has, as I stated previously, developed powers."
A murmur swept through the room, and a British officer shouted with enthusiasm, "A whole bloody unit of British Brawlers! That's dynamite!
The scientist raised a hand to temper the excitement. "Not quite," he replied. "They have all manifested very different powers. Take the Canadian, Christophan Warrick…" He cleared his throat again, his voice taking on a tone of gravity and wonder. "…now known as Agent Leaf. Warrick, initially believed to have shown no effects, has demonstrated remarkable regenerative abilities. He was effectively dead on the beaches of Dieppe, riddled with bullets, but within hours, he had fully healed, his body knitting itself back together."
He paused, letting the weight of the information sink in before continuing, "And that's not all. Agent Leaf also possesses the ability to alter his appearance at will, down to the cellular level. He can become anyone—anyone he has seen or encountered. His transformations are perfect, indistinguishable from the real thing. He can mimic voices, gestures, even personal tics. He's a living chameleon, a shapeshifter in the truest sense."
The room erupted in murmurs, the military men exchanging glances filled with disbelief and intrigue. One grizzled veteran, a pipe clamped between his teeth, muttered under his breath, "Good God… a man who can become anyone… think of the intelligence work he could do…"
The scientist nodded, allowing a small smile as the room buzzed with a new energy, the potential of what had just been revealed beginning to dawn on them all.
An American soldier spoke next in a terse, gruff voice, "The American Super Soldier program has been slower than we'd like to admit. Tell me, what about the other soldiers? Who are they, and what can they do?"
The scientist nodded, turning to address the officer. "Yes, the American program has indeed faced its share of setbacks. But as for the soldiers injected with Psi-Zero-Nine, their powers are as varied as they are remarkable."
The scientist paused, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Before I go on, allow me to explain why Psi-Zero-Nine has next to no consistency," he began, his tone more deliberate, as though he were carefully measuring each word. "The reason, in part, is the same reason we can't replicate it. Psi-Zero-Nine is what we might call a 'psyche-reactive' formula. For lack of a better term, it is psionically charged and interacts uniquely with a person’s psyche. It doesn't merely alter their physical form or enhance their abilities; it plays on what they either see themselves as or the self they wish to become."
He paused again, letting the gravity of his words sink in before continuing. "Some of our more… unconventional consultants, those versed in the mystical arts, even claim that Psi-Zero-Nine is a type of alchemical substance. They have compared it to a philosopher's stone in terms of raw power—a catalyst that turns personal dreams into reality, making the impossible possible by harnessing the very essence of a person's inner self."
The room remained silent for a moment, the weight of his explanation hanging heavily in the air, each officer absorbing the implications in their own way.
Thomas "Tommy" Hargreaves - Code name: Tommy Gun
"Tommy possesses enhanced accuracy and targeting abilities, with superior senses across the board. His hobbies include a love for hunting, which seems to complement his newfound skills rather well."
Reginald "Reggie" Cartwright - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Reggie has displayed enhanced manual dexterity, mental comprehension, and a unique psionic empathy with machines. He was an aircraft mechanic before the war, and now it seems he can communicate with the machines themselves—understands them in ways no one else can."
Harold "Harry" Pembroke - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Harry's powers manifest as a deep animal empathy and communication. He can understand and converse with animals and even shapeshift into various animal forms. He was a photographer, but more importantly, a dedicated naturalist."
Arthur "Artie" Fitzroy - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Artie has the ability to amplify and alter his voice, ranging from subsonic to sonic waves that can shake apart steel. He was a former opera singer—a rather fitting background, given his vocal talents."
Geoffrey "Geoff" Whitcombe - Code Name: Storm Bringer
"Geoff is able to generate and control wind, rain, lightning, and other elements of the weather. He comes from a long line of weather readers and farmers, and his connection to the elements seems almost hereditary."
The scientist continued, "The Canadian recipients are as follows."
William "Billy" MacLeod - Codename: Wildman
"Billy has enhanced strength, toughness, and durability. Additionally, he possesses a unique plant empathy, allowing him to command plants to move and grow in ways that defy nature. It's almost as if he can coax the very earth to bend to his will."
Leonard "Len" Tremblay - Codename: Shakes
"Len, who was once known for a minor stutter, can now generate vibrations by touch or through waves that can shake objects apart. This newfound ability gives him incredible power to destabilize structures or machinery with a mere touch."
Norman "Norm" Beauregard - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Norm is a hockey player and winter sports enthusiast who has developed enhanced physical parameters of all kinds. He is immune to cold and the negative side effects of freezing temperatures, with seemingly limitless stamina. He thrives in the cold where others would falter."
Douglas "Doug" Caldwell - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Doug, a sculptor by trade, has the power to shape, animate, and control various earth and metal elements with his hands. He can even transform them temporarily into golem-like creatures—animated constructs at his command."
Kenneth "Ken" O’Malley - No Code Name Yet Assigned
"Ken has developed natural electromagnetic powers. He can manipulate ferrous metals and generate electrical pulses using only his mind. A former electrical engineer, he now commands forces that could disrupt enemy technology or even the human body itself."
The scientist paused, letting the gravity of his words settle into the room. "These are not just soldiers; they are something far more, gentlemen—living weapons, each unique in their abilities and potential impact on the war."
There were quiet murmurs among the gathered men.
“What have we done?”
“This will even the odds against the monsters the Germans are making!”
“So many super soldiers… this is going to change the course of human warfare.”
A voice, stoic and stern, cut above the others, silencing the room as Winston Churchill spoke. “What is important right now,” he began, “is that these men be treated as assets and fostered with a sense of goodwill. We have made them, and we have a duty to their well-being, and to the well-being of the world we have brought them into.”
The room fell silent, the weight of Churchill’s words hanging in the air. The men exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of their actions, and the responsibility that now rested upon their shoulders. The Prime Minister continued, his gaze sharp and unyielding, “These men did not ask for this. They have been changed—by our hand, by our need. We must remember they are human first, soldiers second. We must guide them, protect them, and, if necessary, stand beside them as they face whatever trials await them.”
He paused, letting the silence stretch, his words settling like stone in the hearts of those present. “They are not just tools of war,” Churchill added quietly, but with an intensity that carried across the room. “They are men who have volunteered to put themselves in harm’s way for the sake of freedom and peace. We owe them nothing less than our deepest respect and our unwavering support.”
The murmurs faded into solemn nods and firm resolve. Churchill had given them their directive, and it was clear there was no room for ambiguity. The path ahead was one fraught with uncertainty, but it was one they would tread with caution and honor, guided by the principles they had sworn to uphold.
“We have changed the world,” Churchill concluded, “now it is our duty to ensure it does not change us for the worse.”
The scientist waited for several moments, allowing Churchill's words to resonate through the room. Then, with a calm yet purposeful tone, he spoke again. "There are already plans in motion to create a unified force comprised of these men and other special individuals who have joined the Allied forces," he announced, his voice carrying a quiet resolve.
"They have been officially dubbed 'Specials' and will serve as part of the newly established Allied Forces Special Operations Unit," he continued, glancing around the room at the assembled military leaders and officers. "These men—and others like them—will be given the best training, equipment, and resources we can muster. In return, they will be expected to face the worst that the Nazis can unleash upon us, with all their super science, occult power, and monstrous creations."
The air in the room seemed to thicken with a sense of gravity and purpose. The enormity of what lay ahead settled over the gathering like a heavy fog. The Specials, forged in the fires of war and shaped by Psi-Zero-Nine and other extraordinary means, would stand as the vanguard against the terrifying unknowns that the enemy was already wielding on the battlefield.
"The road ahead will be difficult," the scientist added, his eyes scanning the faces before him. "But these men are our best chance to even the odds and push back against the darkness threatening to engulf Europe and the world. They are more than soldiers—they are symbols of hope, of courage, of a future where humanity’s light still shines bright against the shadows."
A wave of murmurs ran through the room again, this time filled with a new intensity—a mix of fear, hope, and determination. The scientists, generals, and officers all understood what this meant: a new kind of war, one that would test not just their strategies and weapons, but the very limits of what it meant to be human in the face of unfathomable power.
