Elara straightened up and clapped her hands, the sound echoing through the metallic lab. "Alright," she said, brushing stray strands of tangled hair from her face. "I'm not really the gadget person like Vance - you all know he's the one who can never stop tinkering with things. Last time we spoke, he mentioned he's made progress on your prosthetic, Isaac."

Isaac's hand instinctively went to his missing arm. For a second, the stoic mask he usually wore cracked. Regret, hope, and a flicker of determination flashed across his face. He nodded quietly. "That's… good to hear."

Elara gave a small smile, then clapped her hands again. "Anyway, let's go one by one. I've prepared something for each of you."

She reached under a counter, rummaging through boxes until she pulled out a small container and handed it to Isaac. Inside were a handful of dull grey pills.

"Take one before things go south," she instructed, tone suddenly clinical. "It'll sharpen your focus and increase the limits of your phasing. Less nausea, more control. You'll still feel like hell the next day - hangover, dizziness, mild existential dread - but it could save your life in a pinch."

Isaac studied the pills with a wary expression. "So… drugs that make me slightly better and then punish me for it later. That about right?"

"Exactly," Elara replied brightly. "You get it."

He pocketed the container with a nod of appreciation. "Thank you, Elara."

Next, she turned to Sven, holding another identical-looking box - though the grin tugging at her lips betrayed something else entirely.

"I'll be honest," she said, eyes glinting mischievously, "I couldn't think of much to improve your combat performance. But this…" she shook the box, "…will certainly enhance your other performance."

Sven blinked, then broke into a wide grin as the others collectively groaned.

"These are extremely potent," Elara continued. "Do not take more than one, unless you want your 'little friend' to explode. I mean that literally."

Sven flinched at that, then took the box reverently. "A gift from heaven," he said dreamily, clasping it to his chest. "Maybe I'll save it for Seraphina-"

He didn't get to finish. Nadya and Kai's hands came down simultaneously, one sharp slap to the back of his head.

"Stop being a creep," Nadya scolded.

"And don't sleep with the woman who kidnapped me and sold me off for torture," Kai added dryly.

Sven only laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Can't promise anything."

Elara ignored the chaos with a sigh and moved on. "Next, Nadya."

From a nearby tray, she lifted a series of small transparent patches. "For you, I also wasn't sure how to aid your ability, so I made these. Apply one to your skin, and it'll sober you up within sixty seconds. It extracts alcohol directly from your bloodstream - great if someone tries to ambush you mid-binge."

Nadya's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. "You're telling me I can drink, sober up, and drink again?"

"Technically..."

"Perfect."

Elara blinked. "That wasn't really what I had in mind."

From beside her, Sven leaned in. "Can I get a few of those? We could trade, you know, pills for patches-"

"No," Nadya interrupted instantly, clutching her new treasure protectively. "Mine."

Elara just shook her head, muttering, "You people are ridiculous."

Then she turned to Amina, her expression softening. "Now, for you."

She handed the young healer a neatly labelled bottle filled with shimmering capsules. "These are concentrated supplements. Take them after using your healing ability or when you feel drained. They'll replenish your energy and prevent the cellular degradation your ability causes."

Amina held the bottle with both hands, almost reverently. "Thank you… truly."

Elara gave a faint smile. "Don't thank me. Just try not to overuse your mutant ability."

That left three. Takeshi, Lenny, and Kai.

Elara hesitated for the first time, turning her gaze to the silent swordsman standing off to the side. "Takeshi," she said. "Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make for you. I saw the footage of your fight with Thundercutte, it was like two deities tearing a city apart with wind and lightning."

Takeshi said nothing. He simply dipped his head slightly, a silent acknowledgement.

"I figured you didn't need any external enhancements," she continued. "Or want them."

He nodded once, wordlessly confirming it. His hand rested casually on the hilt of his blade.

"As I thought," Elara said with a small chuckle. "You're already a walking death sentence anyway."

Then her grin returned, seemingly relieved that Takeshi didn't seem to mind. "Now, Lenny."

The giant green mutant perked up immediately, his reptilian tail thumping against the floor like an eager dog.

"You," she said, pointing at him dramatically, "get my finest work."

Sven groaned. "Of course he does. He's not even part of the Outlaws."

"Yeah," Nadya chimed in, "we should just make a handbag out of him, maybe a pair of shoes too."

Lenny's eyes widened in horror, and Kai burst into laughter, clapping the big guy on the shoulder. "Relax, they're joking. And you could crush both of them if you wanted."

"R-really?" Lenny asked hopefully.

Both Nadya and Sven glared.

He laughed nervously. "No, probably not."

Elara cleared her throat. "Anyway, I've made a special suppressant for Lenny. It'll keep his mutant form in check and allow him to stay in human form. One dose a day should last the full twenty-four hours."

Lenny's eyes widened further. "Wait - seriously?"

She nodded. "Each pill costs thousands in raw materials, and that's before accounting for my time and expertise, making it worth tens or hundreds of times that much. But don't worry - the Association's footing the bill through Shadow and the boss."

His excitement dimmed slightly at the mention of cost, but the reassurance brought it back.

"It would've been easier as an injection," Elara added, "but your scales are basically armour. Even in your human form, you should still have enhanced strength and durability - though you'll be weaker than usual. But…" she adjusted her goggles, "…any sudden emotional spikes or adrenaline surges could override the suppressant. So, if you get angry-"

Kai smirked. "He turns into a big green monster. Sounds familiar."

That got a round of laughter, and even Lenny cracked a grin, nearly in tears as he accepted the box of suppressant pills. "Thank you, Elara. I'll… I'll cherish this and really try not to get angry unless necessary."

"Good," she said, patting his arm.

Finally, all eyes turned to Kai.

He leaned against a lab counter, cigarette dangling from his lips, eyebrow raised. "So," he drawled, "what could you possibly have made for me?"

Elara's smirk returned - sharp and mischievous.

"Oh, you'll like this one," she said. "I promise."

And from beneath her desk, she lifted a sleek black case, the kind used for something very dangerous.

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