Kalen

Orders were clear. Capture the hollowed. Alive.

 Not dead. 

But orders are written by people who never had courage to bleed for them. It leapt at me. Fast. Violent. I didn’t have time to think, only react. I moved. Flame surged from my palms. Just instinct. 

It hit the ground. Almost burnt. Twitching once. Then nothing.

Hollowed. Dead.

Its blood splattered across my face. I wiped it with the back of my hand and reached behind my ear for the cigarette I’d stashed before deployment. Lit it. Inhaled. 

It was over.

"Kalen, report! Status?"

I didn’t answer immediately. “Target neutralized,” I said, smoke escaping with the words. “Dead in the process”

A pause. Then began the yelling. 

“Kalen. You were told to bring it alive. That was class A. Do you understand what you’ve cost us?” 

I scoffed. “A cracked skull and maybe half my torso, if I hadn’t.”

“You’re not authorized to make that decision. This is a direct vio—”

I pulled the communicator from my collar then crushed it. Tossed the remains into the smoking corpse.

Let them yell into the void.

I turned toward the outer gates. Standard protocol. The sector wouldn’t reopen until I confirmed it was clear. Say the words. Walk away.” 

And I am done. 

But something felt off.

RESTRICTED — AUTHORIZED ENTRY ONLY

The door was supposed to be sealed during breaches. It was the protocol. But it wasn’t. It seems to be locked - from the inside.

That wasn’t right. Even I need clearance to access this. Only Tier 2 and above and few bounds were allowed. But none of them should be here now.

Not during a breach.

Not without a clearance. 

The cameras had gone out. Drones too. Signals jammed by the Hollowed. Perfect time for someone to slip in.

I stepped closer. Didn’t open it. Just stood there.A slow exhale, smoke trailing from my lips.

Someone was inside. And whoever it was, they weren’t supposed to be.

I didn’t report it.

Not yet.

Elian

The air shifted as we moved deeper. It wasn’t cold. Not exactly. But it felt wrong. Too still.

“Used to be a maintenance” Felix said “Before they turned into this” 

“This?” I asked. But part of me already knew.

He didn’t answer.

“How far does this go?” I asked. 

“Far enough to hide what they are doing.” He shrugged. “We are almost there”

Lights flickered on. Emergency-grade. Dim. Barely enough to see. 

Glass tubes. Dozens. Each one filled in some liquid.

And inside - people? Barely.

They floated, surrounded by wires and tubes. Breathing masks placed over their faces. Arms and legs strapped into place.

Thick black fluid passed slowly through tubes into their veins.

They weren’t unconscious. Some twitched. Others blinked.  A few…screamed. Silent. 

One body was already bloated, the skin blistered and peeling. Another had open sores filled with wriggling white larvae. My stomach churned.

“They’re alive?” I whispered.

“For now” Felix answered, his voice flat.

“Gifted?”

“Yes. This is where they make more,” he said. “Artificial Gifted. Or try to. Most don’t make it.”

It wasn’t a lab. A graveyard. I pressed my hand to the nearest glass.

The woman inside turned her head. Barely. Her eyes met mine. Just once before passing out. 

I backed away. Numb. 

“This… “ I couldn’t find the words. “This isn’t right.”

Felix nodded. “No. It’s not.” He turned toward the next hallway. “There’s more.”

I followed.

Because now, I needed to know. All of it.