Genesis

Genesis is a 2011 short story by J.G. Taschereau that was included in Tales of the Other Universe: Volume 1. It details the creation of the pseudo-Legend that would become The Baggins and how his dark side came to be.

Synopsis
On a research laboratory on Tanaka Island, Dr. Alex Shaw reviews data regarding the last failed round of experiments on genetically altered human beings run by his company, HarkerCorp. As the threat of funding being pulled looms over them, Shaw and his team of scientists prepare for a final set of human tests to create a surviving specimen. The next few weeks were spent producing nine modified humans who were to be unlimited by necessities such as food, water, or even air. The results of the last batch are poor and most subjects died immediately after their modifications. Some lingered on, but eight of the nine ended up dying. The last subject, who among other modifications received increased insulin production, ultimately survives. The researchers are awed by their creation, who was labeled on their list as subject BAGG-INS.

After being transferred to another room, the subject was monitored by the scientists who attempted to speak with him. They were startled to discover that he could speak telepathically and also read their thoughts. The subject constantly asks existential questions to them, identifying the scientists as his creators, but cannot understand his own existence. He spends the following weeks being trained to use his advanced brain to manipulate objects, all while asking for an answer as to what his purpose is. Finally he refuses to cooperate, and the scientists begin to worry about their lack of control over someone so powerful. Shaw insists that he be destroyed, knowing that Harker intends to use him as a weapon and that if he ever turned against his masters he would be unstoppable.

Alarms sound throughout the facility as the subject breaks free from his restraints. The scientists decide to flee with their lives, knowing they could do nothing to stop their creation. As they flee, they pass the control room and plan to initiate a self-destruct sequence to destroy the facility and hopefully the subject with it. The subject appears, killing one of the scientists as he activates the self-destruct sequence. The others flee to the surface of the largely underground building, but two others are killed on the way. On the surface, the exits are sealed. Shaw heads to the emergency exit while the other remaining scientist, Dr. David Forth, attempts to send a message off of the island from an office. Logging into the communications network, he sends an incomplete message:

THERE HAS BEEN AN INCIDENT AT TANAKA ISLAND. THE SUBJECT HAS ESCAPED AND THERE HAVE BEEN HEAVY CASUALTIES. THE BAGG-INS

He is killed by the subject before writing the word "Project", referring to the name of the program they had been completing with the subject. As Shaw finds the emergency exit sealed, he is confronted by his creation. Feeling the imending explosion rising from beneath the facility, Shaw laughs as both of them are engulfed in a fireball.

The island is later visited by Jonathan Harker, inspecting the remains before the island would be bombarded with missles and sunk into the ocean. He communicates with Benedict, explaining that it seems the subject is dead. Benedict disagrees and suggests that he escaped and is free somewhere in the wild. He tells Harker that all he can do now is wait for the world to end as the subject fulfills its purpose to destroy.