Mr. Desai was suspended inside a cylindrical glass tank, his body hooked to numerous medical sensors and digital cables.
His face was pale, his eyes closed, and his skin covered in thin frost. A computer screen next to the tank displayed his neural activity, showing that the Vow was extracting his memories of the activation cipher.
"Mr. Desai!" Vikram shouted, slamming his fist against the thick glass.
Desai's eyes slowly opened. He looked at Vikram through the green liquid inside the tank, his lips moving, but no sound came out.
"I'm going to get you out," Vikram said.
He stepped back and gathered his Prana, letting the bio-electricity build in his right shoulder. He threw a powerful right cross, his fist hitting the glass with a loud crack.
The glass shattered. Green liquid spilled across the floor, and Mr. Desai collapsed into Vikram's arms, coughing and shivering violently.
"Vikram..." Desai gasped, his hand clutching Vikram's wet jacket. "You... you shouldn't have come. It's a trap. Devendra... he wanted you to open the door."