AFTER THE REVELATION...
Velena's heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears.
"You weren't just an experiment. You were the experiment."
Alexander's words echoed in her mind like a haunting melody she couldn't silence.
Her body felt frozen, unsure if it was the biting chill of the facility's air or the sheer weight of the truth crushing her.
Ceil stood beside her, his sharp gaze fixed on Alexander. Though he remained silent, his presence was steady—a grounding force against the chaos within her.
Lucian took a step forward, his voice sharp and demanding. "What the hell does that mean?"
Alexander, calm as ever, watched them like a predator who already knew the outcome of the hunt.
"You don't understand now," he replied, his tone deliberate. "But you will."
Velena clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. "I don't need riddles, Alexander. I need the truth."
His gaze shifted toward Ceil, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "Are you sure you're ready to hear it?"
The tension in the room was suffocating.
Ceil's jaw tightened. "Talk. Now."
Alexander's expression darkened, his voice almost taunting. "The real question is… how much of your past do you already know?"
A chill ran down Velena's spine as flashes of memories erupted in her mind—cold laboratories, disembodied voices, and a single number burned into her identity: Subject 07.
She exhaled shakily. "I'm not her anymore."
Alexander took a slow step forward, his voice softer but no less sinister. "Aren't you?"
Ceil's posture shifted subtly, his body leaning protectively toward Velena.
Alexander's gaze didn't waver. "You weren't supposed to wake up."
Velena's breath caught in her throat.
"And you," Alexander continued, his piercing gaze now fixed on Ceil, "weren't supposed to find her."
The silence that followed was deafening.
For the first time, Ceil's steady demeanor cracked, but only slightly. His expression remained unreadable, though Velena knew him well enough to sense the tension in his stance.
Lucian, ever impatient, growled, "Enough with the theatrics."
Alexander smirked, his tone as smooth as silk. "I wasn't talking to you."
His eyes bore into Velena's once again.
"You were meant to stay lost, Subject 07."
Pain stabbed through her skull—images flashing faster now. Scientists. Needles. A voice repeating: You are not human.
Before she could speak, Alexander turned back to Ceil.
"And you… you've just rewritten everything."
The smirk on his face widened as shadows curled around his figure. "Now the game has changed."
And just like that—he was gone.
THE ESCAPE...
Ceil moved instantly, his voice sharp. "We're leaving."
Lucian scanned the dimly lit corridor, his weapon ready. "We don't know if he's alone."
Velena stood frozen, Alexander's words playing on a loop in her head.
"You weren't supposed to wake up."
Ceil grabbed her wrist, his touch snapping her out of the fog. "Focus. Now."
They retraced their path through the facility, but the atmosphere had shifted. The walls felt closer, as though the building itself were alive and watching.
Then it came—a sound.
Soft. Mechanical.
Ceil yanked Velena back as a bullet whizzed past, grazing the air where her head had been.
Lucian swore under his breath, raising his weapon. "We've got company!"
Gunfire erupted, the sound ricocheting off the metal walls.
Ceil didn't let go of Velena, pulling her along as they sprinted down the corridor.
Her thoughts were a blur, but one thing was clear—Ceil wasn't letting her go.
The escape felt endless, the gunfire relentless, but they didn't stop until they burst out of the facility and into the cold night air.
The car was waiting, engine running. Lucian slid into the driver's seat without a word.
Ceil shoved Velena into the backseat before climbing into the passenger side, his expression grim.
Lucian gunned the engine, and they sped off, the facility disappearing in the rearview mirror.
THE DRIVE BACK...
The silence in the car was heavy, broken only by the hum of the engine.
Lucian's hands gripped the wheel tightly. "That wasn't just a warning," he muttered. "He let us go."
Ceil's fingers drummed lightly against his knee, his eyes distant.
Velena stared out of the window, her reflection faintly visible against the darkness outside.
Lucian glanced at Ceil. "So? What now?"
Ceil smirked faintly, though there was no humor in it. "Now we figure out how to play his game—and win."
Velena didn't react, but her fingers curled into fists in her lap.
Deep down, she wasn't sure they were the ones in control.
A MOMENT ALONE...
Back at Ceil's penthouse, Velena stepped onto the balcony, the cool night air brushing against her skin.
The city lights stretched out below her, a sea of glittering gold and silver.
She didn't hear the door open, but she felt his presence before he spoke.
"You should rest," Ceil said, his voice low and steady.
Velena let out a bitter laugh. "After tonight? Rest isn't exactly an option."
Silence settled between them, heavy but not uncomfortable.
Ceil leaned against the railing beside her, his eyes scanning the city below. "You almost died back there."
She turned to him, surprised by the bluntness of his words.
"I wouldn't be the first time," she replied, her tone light, almost teasing.
But Ceil didn't laugh. His jaw tightened, his expression unreadable.
Velena sighed, her gaze dropping to her hands. "Why did you do it?"
Ceil tilted his head slightly. "Do what?"
"Back there," she said, meeting his eyes. "When the shooting started. You could've just—"
"I didn't," he interrupted, his voice firm.
Velena blinked, startled by his sudden intensity.
Ceil's eyes softened, just barely. "You don't leave people behind. Not if you can help it."
She studied him carefully, searching for something in his expression.
There was no arrogance. No smugness. Just sincerity.
It unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
"You're overthinking again," Ceil said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Velena narrowed her eyes. "And you're avoiding."
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Finally, Velena turned back to the city lights, her mind racing.
She had spent years surviving on her own, trusting no one.
But tonight, someone had chosen to protect her.
And as much as she hated to admit it—
She wasn't sure how to feel about that.