After the marks appeared on Silas's body—clear proof that he possessed an ability—David stepped closer, his eyes sharp.
"Silas," David asked calmly,
"what do you feel?"
Silas hesitated before answering.
"I feel… cold," he said. "And a little pain, around my neck."
David froze.
Hamza's eyes widened.
"That's impossible," he said sharply. "How can you feel pain?"
Before anyone could speak again, Amina screamed.
The sound was sharp, filled with fear.
Everyone turned toward her.
"Amina—what happened?" David asked.
Her hands trembled as she spoke rapidly.
"Silas doesn't just have an ability," she said. "His nervous system is intact. Fully functional. He can feel pain."
Silence crushed the room.
Before they could react—
BOOM.
An explosion thundered from outside the base.
"How did they find us?" Ripper shouted. "This place doesn't even have GPS!"
Amina suddenly looked at Silas.
Her eyes changed.
She ran toward him.
"Amina, stop!" David shouted.
Ayaan stepped in front of her instantly.
"Amina, what's wrong with you? Why are you running toward Silas—"
The sentence never finished.
In one clean motion, Amina drew her blade and killed Ayaan.
Blood hit the floor.
David and Hamza rushed toward her, but Amina ignored them—her focus locked only on Silas.
Ripper activated his speed ability, moving faster than the eye could follow, placing himself in front of Silas just in time.
David and Hamza restrained Amina, forcing her to the ground.
"Why did you kill Ayaan?" David yelled. "She was your closest friend!"
As he held her down, David noticed something moving on her arm.
A small creature—
like a mechanical dragonfly.
His eyes sharpened.
With one swift motion, he cut it off.
The creature fell, twitching.
"She was being controlled," David realized. "A parasite."
Before he could examine it further—
Robots stormed into the base.
David didn't hesitate.
"Hamza. Ripper," he commanded. "Get out. Take Silas and Amina. Take Ayaan's body with you."
Hamza turned and ran toward Ayaan.
The moment he touched her body—
"DON'T TOUCH IT!" Ripper shouted.
Too late.
A dark virus spread across Hamza's hand instantly.
Without hesitation, Hamza severed his own arm.
They ran.
David stayed behind.
Silas screamed, tears streaming down his face.
"David! Don't stay—come with us!"
David turned back one last time.
He was smiling.
"Kid," he said softly,
"you're a miracle. Live."
"I'll follow you later. Run."
Silas screamed his name, but Ripper and Hamza didn't stop.
No emotion showed on their faces.
When they reached the lower tunnel—
The entire passage collapsed.
The exit was sealed.
Silas understood then.
David had chosen to sacrifice himself.
For them.
For him.
Silas broke down, crying uncontrollably.
He looked at Ripper and Hamza.
Still—
no grief.
No pain.
No tears.
In a world without pain…
Silas was the only one who could feel it.
---