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A Clear Pill Chapter 9
🕑 Added 2025-10-10 15:05:43 +0000 UTC“ Leonard Speaking”
‘ Pill Leonard Thinking’
Warehouse, Washington DC
It had been a week since Leonard had sent those invitations. While most of the invitees opened the invitations, their attitude was ambiguous. Still, he had learned that a couple of those invitees did move to attend his conference at the end of the month. Leonard looked at the screen where several other invites to talented programmers, business professionals, doctors, scientists and other such talents were waiting to be sent.
‘Looks like many are interested in my invite-based conference. Still, there are some who might need help. It looks like a trip is in order.’
Leonard looked at the latest whereabouts of Mike Ross, a talented lawyer who just left Seattle due to exposing the corruption in the judiciary. While the public would have praised such a lawyer, no law firm would hire such a whistleblower. Currently, he is interviewing for a job at one of the high profile law firms in New York.
Leonard smirked, “Even after he was disgraced, he did not go to a lower-grade firm. Unfortunately, it is a futile venture.” He looked at the clock. It was still early in the morning. And, New York wasn’t far from Washington. Another glance at the board made two names more clear.
Leonard pondered, “Yeah…I’ll have to do something about the situations of Dr. Sofia and Colonel Giselle.”
No matter what problems you face in the US, money can help you solve them. Ironically, tax evasion and other financial crimes that can harm a large number of people, often go unreported. While his recent research was costly, he earned back his money in the stock market. His previous ten million dollars have swelled to thirty million. Not enough for his long term goals, but perfect for his current needs.
As he packed his bag, Leonard looked at the large tank on the side of his lab. An axolotl floated lazily in its tank, its pale skin luminous under the laboratory light. It blinked with that strange calm. Leonard had acquired the axolotl just two days prior. This was the first pet he had since he went to college. He had named this one Jerry. It was not just a pet, but also a research subject. He had wanted to get to research right away, but now, he had to leave for a while. He decided to give some instructions before leaving, “MedBud, take a small sample from Jerry and start sequencing his DNA. I have also left my sample. I want both genomes completely sequenced by the time I come back.”
With that, Leonard took a jacket and drove to the airport.
MacLaren’s Pub, Manhattan, New York
Mike Ross sat at one of the stools nursing an Old Fashioned. He had found himself in pubs and bars more often than he would have liked. Still, his day, interviewing at various law firms around the city, felt longer than ever. He came to the bar to unwind, but his mind kept going to the responses he received.
‘We don’t have an opening, please contact us later.’
‘Your portfolio is too varied. We don’t have confidence that you know enough about any one branch perfectly.’
‘Our clients prefer older lawyers with more experience.’
These comments kept swimming in his head, making his alcohol induced headache worse. Still, he appreciated the honesty of the last law firm he visited.
‘No one would hire you. You have proven yourself to be a security risk. I have heard about you. They say you are too aggressive in pursuing justice. Take this as advice. There is no justice in law. Lawyers only have the ability to help their clients using, bending or even twisting justice. Someone like you, who wants to point out injustice will certainly make a lot of enemies, and no one wants those enemies to target their companies.’
Mike smiled wryly. His father was a policeman, who died protecting a restaurant owner during a shootout. While the shooter was caught, Mike learnt that he was just hired to shoot up the restaurant. No one knew of his employer. The judge soon dismissed further enquiries in the case. Justice was absent in his fathers case. During his studies, he found many such examples where justice was missing. He learnt other things like psychology, body language analysis, and the basics of forensic science, hoping to help other people attain justice. Yet, his crusade against injustice had led him to this point. No firm hired him, no client approached him. His proud law degree now seemed like wastepaper.
“A gin with tonic, add a twist of lemon as well.”
Someone pulled up the stool at his side. Mike looked at the man. Well-fitted shirt and trousers, a jacket over the shirt and a file in his hand. While the man wasn’t tall, he held an air of maturity and intelligence. He had slicked back hair with a slight beard. However, the most striking feature of the man was the eyes. He had bright, almost luminescent eyes that shone with intelligence and wisdom. The man looked at Mike, and Mike felt that the man did not approach him by coincidence. His next words confirmed the guess.
The man smiled softly, “Hell Mr. Ross. I am Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. Do you have some time to talk?”
Mike smiled wistfully, “The only thing I don’t lack right now is time. If you had approached me two weeks ago, that would not have been the case.”
Leonard smiled, “Yeah…I heard what happened. But you don’t seem like someone who would give up at a setback.”
Mike sighed, “While I do have a lot of time, I would rather not waste it. Why were you looking for me?”
Leonard handed the file to Mike. Despite his slightly intoxicated state, Mike looked at the contents seriously. As other patrons trickled into the bar, Mike finished reading the file. He looked evenly at Leonard.
Mike spoke, “Based on what you have provided, she seemed to have crashed an illegal human trial. The company behind the trial, framed her for the entire incident. Even the police have been bribed, otherwise it would have taken longer to convict her. The only silver lining is that she has been sent to a humane prison. What do you want to achieve with a trial?”
Leonard challenged, “A full acquittal. Think you can achieve that?”
Mike smiled genuinely, “With what you have provided, I can even counter sue the state of Philadelphia. Still, there are so many other good lawyers with much better resources and connections. Why come to me?”
Leonard smirked, “Think of this as a test. Your character has already impressed me. Now, your abilities must follow suit. I’ll get someone to protect you. Should you succeed, come meet me.”
With that, Leonard quickly drained his drink, paid the bill and stood up from the stool.
Mike remarked, “You will step on a lot of toes if you do this.”
Leonard smirked back, “You don’t need to fear stepping on toes, if you can crush them completely.”
Mike smiled a little. He decided to take the case. While he did not know about the pay, his spirit was more active than before. As Leonard left, Mike’s eyes went to a small red card, clearly an invitation. It was simple but tasteful. On the back, he saw a word written in bold font.
‘CHALDEA’
Leonard quickly left the bar. After hailing a taxi, he reached the airport. Normally, he would simply get on the plane, but he had another task to complete. Taking out his modified smartphone, he dialed.
San Francisco Memorial Hospital, San Francisco
A delicate, blond haired girl rested on the bed, her face covered by a mask. Life support equipment was connected to every part of her body, keeping her stable for now. At her side, a beautiful but tough woman sat, holding her hand.
Giselle’s mind still played the contents of the call she received two days before.
‘We are sorry for your condition, but we cannot provide aid.’
Giselle had exhausted all her connections. While she understood her friends’ dilemma, 500k was a large amount after all, her understanding will not solve her daughter’s struggle. Her daughter, as if sensing her disturbance, woke up to comfort her.
“Mom, don’t worry. You told me that I am a good girl. And God always helps good people.”
Giselle couldn’t help but shed tears at her weak voice. Suddenly, her phone rang in her pocket. Taking this call as an excuse, she hid her tears and left the room for a minute.
Giselle sniffled, “Hello, who is it?”
A youthful voice came from the other end, “Good evening Colonel Blanco. My name is Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. I would like to hire you.”
Giselle bristled, “What nonsense are you prattling on about! I don’t have time for a job. I am stressed as is. I did not apply for any job and I don’t want any right now…”
Before she could continue, Leonard interrupted, “Are you sure? The job is really great. As a bonus, I could even send you an advanced salary. It might be lower than many other people for now, but it should be enough to treat your daughter and live a slightly comfortable life during her recovery.”
Giselle stilled at that. She did not believe the job part, but she really hoped it was true. She whispered, “Why do you want to hire me? What do I have to do? And, when can I get the salary?”
She could even hear him smiling through the phone. He continued, “I want you to be my Chief of Security. Your current job is simple. I want you to protect two people, one is Mike Ross, a lawyer who will soon appeal the case for your second charge. The other is Dr. Sofia Vasquez, a biologist, who was recently put behind bars for selling drugs and using drugs to cause an epidemic in a small town. I’ll send you detailed files soon.”
Sofia started, “I can protect Mike, but I cannot protect Sofia. She is in prison after all…”
Leonard interrupted, “First of all, you don’t have to personally protect them. You have had such a decorated career. You must have connections among retired soldiers who can protect Mike. And you would certainly know people, who know other people, who might know people in the prison system. They can protect Sofia. This is as much a contract as it is a test. Protect these people well and you would be permanently hired. Else, you will work to the bone to return this money to me.”
Suddenly she received a message informing her of a deposit of $250K in her account.
She wept happily, “Thank you so much. I don’t know how I could ever repay you”
Leonard quickly replied, “ The hospital has a policy. They will accept a payment in installments. Pay half right now and they would start the operation. The rest can be paid later on. Now, do everything you must, but protect those people till the end of the month. I have sent you an invitation to a conference. We will meet then.”
As the call disconnected, Giselle quickly checked her mail. There was a new mail, with a bold font. The title on the invitation caught her attention before she went to pay the surgery bill.
‘CHALDEA
Philadelphia Detention Center
Rain battered the windows as Mike Ross stepped into the prison’s legal wing, his briefcase snapping open on the counter. The guard eyed him suspiciously, but the paperwork bore every clearance mark possible.
Inside, Dr. Sofia Vasquez sat in a gray prison jumpsuit.
Her dark brown hair and slightly tanned skin, coupled with her soft features gave her a kind beauty. But her beauty was marred by her hollow but defiant eyes.
Mike sat down across from her, as she watched vigilantly.
Mike started, “Good evening Dr. Vasquez, I am Mike Ross. I will be your new attorney.
Sofia frowned, “What do you mean by that? I did not hire a new attorney. Especially after that fool got me these chains.”
Mike nodded calmly. He understood her skepticism. No one helped her when she was fighting for herself in the courthouse. Even he would have trouble trusting anyone, especially a lawyer.
“I understand your feelings Dr. Vasquez. To be honest, none of the people you know hired me. Your university, your mentor, even your family, has mostly cut ties with you as soon as the first verdict came. I don’t think anyone has even visited you since.”
Sofia snarled, “Did you come here to mock me?”
Mike replied, “Not at all Dr. Vasquez. I simply came here to make sure you get the justice denied to you. Please take a look at this file.”
Sofia quickly looked through her case file. It had most of the information she knew and some that was completely unknown to her. By the end, she had settled into a melancholic frown, contemplating the information she had received. Looking up at Mike, she started, “ I have two questions: Who hired you to free me, and how did you come across this information?”
Mike smiled slightly. He replied, “I was hired by a Dr. Leonard Hofstadter. I don’t think you know him, and I don’t know how he is connected to you. But he asked me to get you a full acquittal by the end of the month. It is a help for you and a test for me.”
Sofia’s eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar name. She asked, “Do you think he is connected to the company behind that experiment? Maybe a whistleblower?”
Mike shook his head, “ I don’t think so. His modus operandi is not like that of a whistleblower. Still, he asked me to save you? Maybe he wants something.
Sofia asked impatiently, “He asked you to save me without a catch. Do you even believe that? He must have some motive.”
Mike paused before saying, “I don’t know his motivations. But I will still appeal your case. You are innocent. Maybe he has some motivations, but he still decided to save you. So, I will give him the benefit of doubt. Maybe, this would give you some clue.”
He slid a sealed envelope across the table. One word was written on the flap: Chaldea.
Sofia sighed. She sat down on the bench once again, before Mike started to discuss the case once again.
Warehouse, Washington DC
Leonard stood in his lab once again. He adjusted the microscope feed, magnifying the axolotl’s stem cells. The quantum imaging lattice — a device he invented while developing the SynthBrain — shimmered faintly beside him. The cube of light mapped genetic bonds in three dimensions. Displaying it as holograms. Quickly zooming at specific DNA sections, Leonard marveled at the convenience of his creations. It wasn’t just an electron microscope. It was a window into the architecture of life.
‘As time goes by, I am becoming more like Iron Man. I have an AI like him, I have a lot of money, even though it's not at his level, I have created revolutionary technology and now, I even play with holograms.’
Human DNA, more specifically his human DNA, spiraled and danced in mid air. On the side, the axolotl’s regenerative genes shimmered, their regulatory sequences loose, flexible, and unshackled. The Axolotl genome is about ten times the size of the human genome, with a lot of repeating sequences and trigger genes.
Leonard stood before it, mesmerized.
‘An animal that never grows old — never loses its regenerative gift. It can regenerate everything, from limb, to brain. Even its DNA does not usually degrade. Truly, a marvelous creature. And complex too. It doesn’t have enough features to be so genetically complex. Thankfully, the Pill allows me to study it more thoroughly’
His hands moved with surgical precision as he began matching patterns, aligning, overlaying, and calculating binding efficiency.
“Sequence 4A to 7C... link through Methyl Relay,” he murmured. “Trigger through Supergene Cluster.”
‘In my own DNA, I found that there are many Trigger Genes that have gone dormant now. Only atavistic development could have allowed their expression. Like this one for example.’
Leonard highlighted a specific gene in his genome. He had found a similar one in the axolotl DNA as well. According to MedBud’s calculations, it seemed to control muscle fibre degradation. What he could infer was that ancient human beings did not lose muscle easily. Their bodies, hardened by the harsh environment, kept its strength even after long stretches of inactivity. But as humans started to change their environment, wearing clothes and using fire, this gene should have gone dormant. There were many such genes, like the one that helped heal the body faster. He even found a gene similar to tardigrade genes that prevented DNA breakdown to some extent. But as human society developed, many of these genes became dormant. These biological processes that were regulated by the body on its own, slowly lost their function.
‘Regulation isn’t the problem. It’s control. Humans evolved to limit themselves. What if I could unshackle that restraint — tune the system to efficiency, not fear of mutation?’
Leonard kept working. Matching various genes to counterparts in other organisms, studying both the similarities and differences. Every touch of his rewrote the nature of humanity itself.
Slowly, hours turned into days. The warehouse filled with the hum of computers and the rhythmic whirring of cooling fans. Leonard kept studying, matching DNA, removing any kinks out of his imperfections. As the new DNA strand started to take shape, he had eliminated all the genetic noise in humanity.
He studied the tardigrade’s DNA-repair proteins, the neoteny factor in the axolotl that prevented full metamorphosis, the metabolic efficiency of arctic foxes, and the oxygen adaptation of Tibetan yaks. As his study deepened, he kept comparing and improving the DNA, without changing the essence of humanity. There were limitations, sure. Anything that required special organs, symbiosis, or parasitism was eliminated.
Every breakthrough he achieved enhanced the genome. Every simulation brought him closer to a genome that could withstand anything — disease, decay, even time itself. By the second week, his eyes were red, but his mind was clear. The MedBud monitored his vitals silently. At some point, he even dissolved a Pill into a cell culture, slowly studying how the genes react to the Pill. That breakthrough was important as the Pill excited certain genes, even in cells with a normal genome. In all his experiments, MedBud proved to be a great assistant, using the SynthBrain to its utmost limit.
It took Leonard three whole weeks. Two weeks before his first Chaldea conference, Leonard had created something valuable. Something that could fuel medicine research, eugenics, genetic engineering and various other fields for decades. He activated the central system. The screens synchronized, displaying the final sequence — a digital helix glowing gold and blue.
‘This is it. The Ideal Human Genome, the upgrade of humanity. It is efficient, resilient, and unbreakable. Once the body is modified to this, it will shed all genetic weakness. No more cancer, AIDS, autoimmune diseases. With this, humans will ditch the randomness of evolution, becoming something greater. With this, I have officially conquered evolution itself.’
He leaned closer to the display, the reflection of the genome fractal shimmering in his eyes.
‘Previously, humanity evolved to survive chaos. I’ll evolve to master it.’
He turned to the metallic chamber — still skeletal, wires coiled like veins waiting for life.
“MedBud, prep the injection arrays. We will have a final stage of troubleshooting. After that, we’re going to rewrite the blueprint. Cygnus, simulate the biovibration field and exotic radiation experiment.”
The AI informed, “Sir, procedure carries 89.7% risk of irreversible mutation.”
Leonard smiled, “Let me tell you something Cygnus, no one has achieved anything great without taking risks. If the gods feared fire, they would just be mortals.”
AN: Thank you to Darren Burns for your support.
Comments
TyrantGod
It will be nice if BTTH gang members appear in later chapters too. And by antagonists I think if you use some of the more famous tv or movie antagonists which there are several example of like Frank Underwood (HOC) , Senator Barcken (Castle), Bobby Axelrod (Billions) etc it will bring more excitement to your story than creating a random OC opponents Btw is the Mike Ross of suits or someone else entirely?
Writ Haven
1) Leonard will stay at Caltech for some time, but it will not become his base. He wants to be global, so I was thinking of a base, possibly in Washington or even Europe. 2) While it's true that the TBBT gang is a group of qualified scientists, they will be too different from the enhanced Leonard. They may be useful, especially Howard with his connections to NASA and MIT. 3) There will be a reunion between Paige and Sheldon. But it will take some time. Currently, Paige is busy with her job at CERN, while Chaldea is in its infancy. 4) Chaldea is disruptive, so Leonard will have to face many antagonists. It may be corporations, scientists or politicians. 5) There will be a confrontation and closure between Leonard and his mom. I have already written some scenes for that. 6) After the Chaldea meeting, Leonard, with Mike's help will set up an umbrella group called Chaldea Enterprises. This will control every industry he dips into.
TyrantGod
1) Will Leonard leave Caltech soon afterward for his projects or his base will be from Pasadena? 2) Will he use any of the BTTH gang for his projects? Not as inner circle but as workers or assistants at least (they all are very qualified scientists) 3) Will you show Paige and Sheldon reunion? 😂 Leonard reaction will be priceless regardless of his enhancements (comedic angle) 4) Will you add characters from other shows as antagonists? Frank Underwood being one of their adversaries for example will be interesting. 5) Will you also show Leonard and his mom confrontation soon? Karma 6) Will Leonard firm a corporation soon?
Haku
Just aquick thought while watching TV xD But I admire what you did so far greatly. Looking forward to the rest of the story
Writ Haven
They will be involved for some time. Currently, he is on a sabbatical and it's the last month. Soon, he will return to Caltech.
Haku
Hey, i really love your story. Currently i watch tbbt and thought what would the gang do without leonard? I dont know if you are going to involve them into the story. But if so, a little peek what they are doing would be great
