Archael remained silent, meeting Joenie’s gaze directly, his expression calm yet unreadable. Though he knew they deserved answers, Archael couldn’t bring himself to explain. After all, he had already subdued “that man” and locked him in the underground cell.

With a quiet sigh, Archael met both siblings’ eyes, his tone resolute.

“Come with me, then.”

Bending down, Archael scooped Leticia into his arms in a swift, princess carry, securing her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Moving quickly, Archael stepped toward the exit, his steps purposeful and unhurried.

“Wait! Hey! You!”

Reine’s voice rang out as she and Joenie hurried after Archael, their footsteps echoing down the room as they tried to keep up with him, who had already disappeared through the doorway.

The siblings struggled to keep pace with Archael, moving through the pitch-dark corridors and relying solely on the faint sound of his footsteps. Each turn brought a chilling realization that something was very wrong with the house. The darkness enveloping every corner was unnaturally thick, as though it swallowed any trace of light, leaving no sign of the usual glow from windows or even the faint outlines of furniture.

"F*ck! Ouch!"

Reine hissed, crouching and clutching her knee with one hand.

Joenie tightened his grip on her arm. 

"What happened?"

"My knee bumped into something."

Ahead of them, the footsteps suddenly stopped. Archael’s calm voice echoed through the darkness.

"Rory, turn on all the lights from hallway one to the basement."

In response, a robotic voice spoke from somewhere nearby. Within moments, bright lights flickered on, flooding the hallway and causing both siblings to squint in surprise.

"Turning on all the lights from hallway one to the basement. Completed."

Archael cast a quick glance back.

"Apologies. I forgot you two can’t see in the dark yet."

Archael resumed walking, his stride steady and assured as he moved forward.

Joenie’s brow furrowed at the odd phrasing. Yet? He couldn't help but wonder what Archael meant by that. He pushed the thought aside and gently helped Reine to her feet. With a reassuring nod, Joenie steadied her as they both hurried to catch up, following Archael’s lead toward the basement.

With the lights now on, the siblings felt even more unsettled by the stark appearance of the house. All the walls were made of metal, bare and sterile, devoid of any pictures or decoration. The place resembled a bunker or a military base rather than a home. Every corner they turned revealed more metal walls and a complete absence of windows.

Archael finally halted in front of a door, standing still with Leticia in his arms, patiently waiting for the siblings to catch up.

Once the siblings reached him, Archael opened the door, then gestured toward them.

"After you."

The siblings exchanged uneasy glances before looking toward the open doorway. Beyond the door lay a steep staircase, leading down into darkness. Realizing this must be the basement, Reine hesitated. Basements and darkness were not her preference, so she grabbed Joenie and gave him a little push forward.

Joenie chuckled softly at the familiar gesture. She was still his little sister, as annoyingly endearing as ever.

Joenie took the lead, stepping cautiously onto the staircase. The faint light from the hallway above illuminated the first few steps, allowing him to descend carefully. Reaching the bottom, Joenie’s foot met the basement floor just as a wave of blinding light flooded the room, filling what had once been total darkness.

As their eyes adjusted to the brightness, the siblings squinted, making out shapes in the vast basement space. The room was enormous, packed with equipment. Reine’s gaze scanned over the machines and instruments, recognizing them immediately as medical equipment.

Reine froze, struggling to process the sight before her. It was unbelievable. Why? How? Her mind raced. Why does this place look like...

At the far end of the large room, past the array of medical devices, stood a huge cage. It contained an unsettling assortment of items—everything one might expect to find in a young girl’s bedroom. A pink, frilly bed, topped with a mound of stuffed animals piled up against the headboard. A fluffy pink carpet sprawled beneath the bed. A small desk cluttered with children’s drawings.

In the middle of this cage-like bedroom, a man sat bound to a metal chair, his mouth taped shut. Archael moved swiftly past Reine and Joenie, who were still frozen in shock at the sight of the equipment. The siblings exchanged a confused, almost panicked glance before following Archael.

Archael paused directly in front of the man tied to the metal chair. Leticia was still nestled securely in his arm, her small fingers clutching the fabric of his coat. Without sparing a word, Archael extended his free hand, his movements quick and purposeful. With a harsh tug, he ripped the tape from the man's mouth, the adhesive peeling away with a sharp, tearing sound. The abrupt motion caused the man’s head to jerk violently to the side, his neck straining against the force.

For a moment, the restrained man stayed still, stunned by the sudden rush of air against cracked lips. The man's eyelids fluttered shut, and a muffled groan escaped. The cool metal restraints dug into his wrists, and a sheen of sweat trickled down his temples. Shallow gasps escaped as the man desperately tried to remember where this place was.

The tied-up man's wild gaze darted around, breaths coming in ragged bursts while struggling to focus on the blurry figure in front.

"What... what the hell...?"

The words came out slurred, barely more than a whisper. The man swallowed hard, attempting to moisten a parched throat. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled nostrils, slowly clearing the fog clouding his mind.

Recognition flashed in the restrained man's eyes upon locking onto Archael’s cold, unyielding stare. A surge of fear jolted through him, causing the man to thrash against the heavy restraints. The metal cuffs bit into pale wrists as panic set in, breaths turning shallow and rapid in a desperate attempt to break free.

But all that met the man’s wild gaze was Archael standing silently, Leticia held securely in one arm.

"Who... who the hell are you?"

The man’s voice rasped out, barely louder than a whisper, as if his throat had forgotten how to produce sound. Sweat trickled down his forehead, mixing with the grime that covered his face. His gaze flicked to Leticia, then darted back to Archael.

"What... what do you want?"

The man’s voice grew louder, tinged with panic. Metal cuffs clinked as he twisted his wrists, trying in vain to free himself from the restraints.

“Who sent you here? Was it the Syndicate? The military?”

Each question came out in a frantic rush, his desperation rising with every word. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the room as the man struggled, his eyes wild with fear.

“Tell me, damn it! Who are you working for?”

Archael remained still, his gaze unflinching as he observed the man’s panicked attempts to break free. For a moment, the only sound was the ragged breathing of the man, who strained against the heavy metal chair.

"Listen... whatever you're here for, we can work something out."

A forced smile spread across the man's cracked lips, though the fear behind his eyes was unmistakable.

"I have connections. Powerful connections."

The man’s voice dropped into a desperate whisper, his eyes darting to Leticia in a futile attempt to appeal to her innocence.

"You don’t know who you're messing with. Release me now, and we can make this all disappear. I can help you. Just tell me what you want.”

Archael’s gaze remained cold, unreadable. Without responding to the man's pleas, Archael turned his head slightly, directing his attention to Leticia, who remained silent in his arms.

"What do you want me to do?"

Archael’s question, directed solely at Leticia, came out steady and calm, yet carried an undercurrent of something darker.

Leticia’s small fingers tightened their grip on Archael’s coat, her eyes fixed on the bound man without a hint of emotion. The man’s eyes widened in panic as he realized the decision was not in his hands.

“Leticia! Sweetheart... tell him to let me go. You know I’ve always taken care of you.”

The man’s voice trembled, attempting to sound soothing, as if trying to remind Leticia of past affections.

“You remember, don’t you? I’ve done everything for you. Please...”

Leticia’s gaze remained locked on the man, her expression frozen in a cold, detached stare. The silence that followed stretched into an eternity for the bound man.

The man’s forced smile faltered, and a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes. Realizing that pleading was getting him nowhere, the man’s composure crumbled.

“Damn it! Do you have any idea who I am?”

The man’s voice erupted into a shout, filled with a mix of frustration and fear. The man yanked futilely at the restraints, his wrists bleeding where the metal dug into his skin.

“I’m not someone you can toy with! If I don’t report back in 24 hours, they’ll come looking for me, and you’ll be dead meat!”

The man’s eyes bulged with rage as he tried to intimidate Archael, veins pulsing visibly along his neck. Yet, Archael’s expression remained calm, unbothered by the man's threats.

Reine and Joenie finally approached, having snapped out of their initial shock. Reine’s eyes darted over the machines lining the dimly lit room. The cold metal surfaces gleamed under the harsh fluorescent lights. There was something unnervingly familiar about the setup. As her gaze swept across the blinking monitors displaying neural patterns, her fingers instinctively reached out, brushing against the cool surface of a nearby console.

"What... what is all this?"

A chart on the screen displayed a pattern she recognized. Her breath came shallow and quick, her fingers tightening around the edge of the machine. The rhythmic waves, the patterns—they were nearly identical to the readings she had studied years ago.

Reine’s fingers traced the familiar peaks and troughs on the monitor, and for a moment, the cold basement disappeared. Instead, she was back in that old, cramped university lab.

The air smelled of antiseptic, the flicker of fluorescent lights casting shadows on the worn linoleum floor. Fifteen-year-old Reine was hunched over a monitor, eyes wide with excitement. The room was filled with the steady hum of machines, the scent of old books, and the soft rustle of lab coats.

Cherra stood nearby, her arms folded, watching Reine with an amused smile. Cherra was two years older, already in her third year of university. Cherra had been one of the few students who didn’t treat Reine like some freakish child genius.

Reine’s fingers danced across the keyboard. Her eyes flickered to the neural mapping chart on the screen. 

“This is it! I’m telling you, this is it!”

Cherra’s brows lifted, but she leaned in closer, curiosity piqued. 

“Alright, alright, Einstein. Show me what you got.”

Reine’s hands were shaking slightly as she pressed the final key. The screen lit up with a burst of data, neural pathways mapping themselves out in a dazzling display of lights and colors. Reine’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open.

“Holy shit! This... this actually works!”

Cherra straightened, her eyes narrowing as she took in the rapidly shifting patterns. 

“Wait, are you saying you’ve managed to enhance the neural signals?”

Reine spun around in her chair, practically bouncing with excitement. 

“Yes! It’s not just mapping them. It’s amplifying the damn signals! I can increase the brain’s processing power by at least 20%. Imagine what this could do for cognitive therapy or learning enhancement!”

Cherra’s smile faltered for a second, a flicker of something unreadable passing over her face. She quickly masked it, stepping forward to pat Reine on the shoulder. 

“You really are something, kid.”

Reine froze, her grin fading. 

“Wait. What if...”

Cherra tilted her head. 

“What’s up with that scary look in your eyes?”

Reine’s fingers gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white. 

“If this gets into the wrong hands... Hell, Cherra, imagine what they could do with this. We can’t let anyone find out.”

Cherra frowned, her arms folding tighter across her chest. 

“Reine, it’s not completed yet. It’s not like—”

“No! You don’t get it!” 

Reine’s voice was rising, her eyes blazing. 

“I’ve accidentally created something that could turn people into fucking supercomputers, okay? If they try this on humans...”

Cherra stared at Reine, her face serious now. 

“So, what do you want to do?”

Reine’s shoulders sagged under the weight of her decision, her voice heavy and resolute.

“Delete it. Burn everything. Wipe the data clean.”

Cherra hesitated, her brow furrowing as she glanced at the data. Her fingers lingered over the edge of the terminal, unsure.

“But… this could change everything. It could launch your name into history.”

Reine’s gaze snapped to Cherra, her eyes sharp and unyielding.

“Promise me, Cherra. Promise you won’t tell anyone. This dies here. Between us.”

Cherra’s lips parted as if to protest, but no words came. Her hand hovered over the console, shaking slightly. Finally, her eyes lifted to meet Reine’s. The uncertainty lingered in her expression, a mix of awe at the discovery and dread at the consequences.

“I… yeah. I promise.”

“Reine... what’s wrong?”

Reine jerked her hand away from the console, her breath coming out in shallow gasps. The memories crashed over her like a tidal wave. She turned to look at Joenie, who was watching her with concern.

Reine’s throat tightened as if someone had clenched a fist around it. Joenie’s eyes darted between Reine and the cold, gleaming machines that filled the room. 

Joenie then turned to Archael, his frustration was palpable, his brows furrowed deeply as he tried to make sense of the bizarre situation. 

"Who the hell is this guy? What’s going on here? And what’s with that cage?"

The bound man, who had been trembling moments ago, seemed to find a new surge of strength as his gaze landed on Reine. A mocking grin spread across the man’s lips, his demeanor shifting from fear to twisted confidence.

The man’s eyes gleamed as he let out a harsh scoff.

“Hah!”

Joenie’s jaw tightened. His knuckles turned white as he fought to restrain himself.

"What the heck are you scoffing at?"

“Pft... hah... Hahahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!”

The man’s laughter erupted uncontrollably, shaking his entire frame.

“And here I thought the military had sent someone to tie up their loose ends. But no... it’s just you.”