Unfortunately, people do not see happiness in everyday things that make up their lives, and do not appreciate what is given to them. People do not notice death in peacetime either, and behind the transparent veil of everyday affairs, it steals unnoticed on the heels of a person. It is in war that you quickly understand the price of life and freedom, since the thin veil of peaceful existence instantly burns under the onslaught of hatred, fear, pain, and cruelty. Only then you begin to truly appreciate the amazing gift of life.”
“Mikhail Alexandrovich,” a timid female voice interrupted the thoughts of the head of the scientific center.
“Is it time?” Reznikov turned to the young laboratory assistant, who, in his opinion, had no place in this hell.
“The whole council is assembled. We are waiting for you.”
She helpfully handed her supervisor a white coat, and the scientists headed down the long corridor of the military hospital filled with gurneys and stretchers. It was an active military medical institution. Operations were regularly carried out within its walls: limbs were amputated; the wounded were prepared for transportation to their homeland. This building was old. Thick walls, small windows. Several departments, about three hundred places for the wounded, a morgue and a large room that used to be a bomb shelter. At the moment, the deep basement was the secret object named "1-03". The staff of the military hospital were employees of a secret facility.
The lab assistant's name was Lyubov. Apparently, this young girl, who had just graduated from university, was seconded to the facility as she had the professional qualities of a researcher working with biomaterials. Although it sometimes seemed to Mikhail that she got into her place thanks to other skills that were not related to scientific activity. Of course, he did not think so seriously.
***
The assembled scientists, doctors of the sciences in various fields, were much older than the newly-minted head, but this did not bother Reznikov at all. He knew his worth and knew that the project he was overseeing now was doomed to success. The others would soon realize it. Mikhail was given instructions back in Moscow, which had to be followed and regularly reported to the capital on the implementation of activities carried out during scientific work. The main requirement was based solely on the use of humans as biomaterials, and the task of the scientist was not to touch cybernetics and mechanics but to focus only on the knowledge and capabilities of genetic engineering and medicine in general.