THE ROAD TO THE UNKNOWN...
The road leading to the abandoned facility stretched endlessly into the darkness. The tires of Ceil's car crunched against gravel as they approached the towering structure—a forgotten relic swallowed by time and secrecy.
Velena's fingers curled into her coat, her heartbeat steady but heavy.
She knew this place.
Not from memory, but from the shadows of her dreams—the ones where she woke up drenched in sweat, echoes of voices she couldn't recognize whispering in her mind.
Tonight, those whispers would become reality.
Lucian exhaled sharply as he stepped out of the car, scanning the perimeter. His hand lingered near his concealed weapon, every movement calculated. "This is a bad idea."
Ceil didn't reply immediately. His gaze remained locked on the entrance—a rusted metal door, slightly ajar, as if waiting for them.
Velena swallowed. "He knew we'd come."
Ceil finally spoke, his voice calm. "Good."
Without hesitation, he moved forward.
Lucian muttered a curse but followed.
Velena took one last breath of fresh air before stepping into the place where she had been created.
Or destroyed.
She wasn't sure which.
THE GHOSTS OF THE PAST...
The air inside was thick, stale, carrying the scent of metal and dust.
Dim overhead lights flickered as they walked through the narrow corridor, their footsteps echoing against concrete walls.
Velena's skin prickled with unease. This place was empty… but not dead.
It was watching them
Lucian kept his gun low but ready. "How do we even know where to look?"
Ceil's eyes scanned the walls, the ceiling, the floor. He wasn't just looking—he was calculating.
"We find the control room."
Velena nodded, but something about the way Ceil moved told her he wasn't just looking for files.
He was expecting something—or someone.
And he wasn't wrong.
THE SHADOW THAT NEVER LEFT...
They turned a corner.
And stopped.
At the end of the hallway, standing in the center of an old observation room, was a man.
No guards. No weapons in sight.
Just him.
Alexander Vasiliev.
Velena's breath caught in her throat.
He looked the same as he had before. Too much the same.
Unchanged. As if time had never touched him.
Ceil took a slow step forward.
"You knew we'd come," he said. It wasn't a question.
Alexander's lips curved into a slight smile. "O course."
Lucian tensed. "You set this up."
Alexander tilted his head. "I gave you a choice. And you made the right one."
Velena's hands clenched. "We're done with your games. Tell us the truth."
Alexander's smile faded. He glanced at Ceil. "You still don't understand, do you?"
Ceil's jaw tightened. "Then explain it."
Alexander exhaled, stepping closer. His gaze locked onto Velena.
"You were never supposed to wake up."
The words hit her like a shockwave.
Velena's fingers curled against her palm. "What does that mean?"
Alexander's gaze remained steady. "It means… you weren't just an experiment."
He paused.
"You were the experiment."
Silence.
Ceil's expression didn't change, but Velena could feel the energy shift. Something inside him had snapped into place.
Lucian took a slow step forward, his tone dangerous. "You erased her memory. Why?"
Alexander's eyes darkened. "Because if she remembers everything… she will become something none of us can control."
Velena's heart pounded.
She had come here for answers.
But she wasn't sure she was ready for them.