Kyle had never felt this helpless before.
The chains cut into his wrists, keeping his arms stretched above his head, forcing him to hang like some experiment on display. His ankles were bound, locked into heavy restraints bolted to the floor.
His shirt was gone.
The cold air bit at his skin, but it was nothing compared to the scalpel slicing across his chest.
Kyle clenched his teeth, refusing to make a sound.
The blade wasn't deep—it wasn't meant to kill him. Just to wound. Just enough to make his blood react.
Because that's what they wanted.
"Fascinating," Vance murmured, watching as droplets of crimson welled up from the cut. He stepped closer, adjusting his gloves. "Even minor injuries cause your body to prepare for a weaponized response."
Kyle hated that tone. That clinical interest. Like he was nothing but data.
One of the assistants—masked, nameless, faceless—lifted a vial, collecting the blood as it dripped from Kyle's wound.
Kyle snarled. "You want a reaction? How about I shove my blood down your throat?"
Vance sighed. "Still stubborn. You'll break eventually."
Kyle bared his teeth. "Try me."
Vance didn't blink. "Very well."
He stepped back—and the electric shock tore through Kyle's body.
The cuffs around his wrists and ankles flared with energy, sending a burning current straight into his muscles. His back arched violently as pain tore through every nerve, his breath choking in his throat.
His blood boiled. His vision blurred.
But he would not scream.
The agony lasted for ten seconds. Then twenty.
Kyle's body trembled, smoke rising from his skin. His fingers twitched, struggling against the cuffs.
Vance observed with mild curiosity. "Still conscious. Impressive."
Kyle's breathing was ragged. His head hung forward, sweat dripping from his temple.
"You call that torture?" he rasped. "My math teacher was worse."
Vance chuckled. "Oh, Kyle. We're just getting started."
The pain returned.
This time, it wasn't just electricity.
A needle plunged into his side, injecting something cold into his veins. A new kind of pain bloomed—like fire eating him from the inside out.
Kyle's jaw clenched so tight his teeth almost cracked.
His blood felt like it was turning against him. Like it wanted to tear itself free from his veins.
His fingers spasmed. His vision flickered.
Somewhere in the haze, he heard Vance speak.
"This serum should amplify your ability. Let's see what happens when we push it past its limits."
No.
Kyle felt it—his own power spiraling out of control.
The blood pooling beneath him twitched.
It moved on its own.
The chains rattled. The temperature in the room dropped. The scarlet mist rose from the wounds on his skin, taking shape—twisting, forming razor-sharp spikes.
The assistants backed away. Even the guards tensed.
Kyle forced a smirk.
"Looks like your little experiment is backfiring."
Vance, for the first time, looked genuinely interested.
"Fascinating."
He lifted a remote—and pressed a button.
Kyle's body collapsed.
Another shock. Stronger this time. More than just electricity—it disrupted his power.
The blood spikes shattered into droplets. The mist dissolved.
Kyle hit the floor, his body convulsing. His vision went white.
He barely registered the guards dragging him back into his restraints.
His body wasn't listening to him anymore.
He was fading.
Somewhere, in the distance, he thought he heard Gia screaming his name.
And then—
Darkness.
______