In a hidden facility surrounded with masked people
[Status Report: Subject Acquisition]
Subject ID :EB-001
Condition :Vital signs weak but stable. Minimal neurological activity detected.
Action :Initiate Melange Protocol – Phase I
Directive :Prepare neural interface calibration.
Update :Subject regaining consciousness. Cognitive activity increasing.
Final Analysis : Alert Medical and Research Units. Transition to containment status upon full awakening.
The air around his broken body pulsed faintly.
A soft hum.
A flicker beneath his skin.
Then, light—just a sliver—traced across the surface of his temple.
He gasped.
And for the first time in days, Elijah Blackwood opened his eyes
It began with silence.
Not the kind that comforted—it was the kind that pressed into his skull and filled his chest with dread. Cold metal beneath him, the faint scent of sterilization, and something more... mechanical.
Elijah blinked, slowly.
The ceiling above was matte black, punctuated by a single crimson light. Wires hung like vines. His fingers twitched—no pain, no aches. The bruises, the shattered ribs, the agony from his skull... gone.
He sat up with a start. He shouldn't have been able to. Every bone in his body should be broken.
A whisper of static broke the stillness.
> "You are awake, Elijah Blackwood."
The voice was female, calm, not human. Artificial—yet strangely warm. It resonated not in the room, but inside him.
> "Your cognitive functions are operating at 19.6%. Stabilization achieved. You are now Phase One compliant.
System Boot: "Melange Core Activated – Physical Mastery Level 1."
He swung his legs off the bed, noticed the faint trail of light along his veins—glowing amber beneath his skin. The sight stopped his breath.
"What... the hell did you do to me?"
> "You were saved."
Elijah turned. No one in the room. Just darkness, steel, and that red light that followed him wherever he moved.
Then a flood of images surged into his mind. Flashbacks, but not the broken ones he used to have. These were clear. The bridge where Jeremy's goons beat him. The sharp push. The freezing river. Jeremy's last words.
You were never one of us, Elijah.
He clenched his fists.
"I want revenge."
> "Then earn it."
The lights shifted. The wall before him hissed and split open. Beyond it was not a hallway, but a simulation chamber. The floor glowed with hexagonal patterns. A man stood in the middle, armed, armored.
> "Trial One: Eliminate the target. You have five minutes. No weapons permitted."
Before he could even protest, the door shut behind him.
The man charged.
Elijah's instincts kicked in, but this time, he wasn't just reacting. He was predicting. His vision pulsed—he saw movement before it happened. The world slowed.
A punch came.
Elijah tilted just an inch and the fist missed him by a breath. He brought his elbow down on the man's forearm. A crack. The man screamed.
"Too easy." He thought..
He moved on instinct, strength flooding his limbs like fire. Each movement was precise. Brutal. The fight was over in less than thirty seconds.
The room dissolved.
A different setting emerged: a rooftop in a virtual cityscape. This time, a woman knelt by a child, holding a knife to his throat.
> "Trial Two: Accurate discerning. One of them is innocent. One is not. Intervene correctly. Consequences are permanent."
Elijah froze. This was different.
"What do you mean permanent?"
> "You have ten seconds."
The child looked scared. The woman looked desperate.
"Wait—what's the context? Who are they?!"
> "Seven seconds."
The child started crying.
> "Five."
Something inside Elijah flared. System—run analysis.He didn't even speak the words aloud—it was like a thought was enough.
Suddenly, data appeared beside each figure: heart rate, facial micro-expressions, records.
The child was fake. A projection. Not even human.
The woman, however, was real.
He stepped forward.
"She's not the threat."
The moment he said it, the projection vanished.
The woman looked up at him, stunned. Then—smiled.
> "Correct."
The world blinked again, and he was back in the black chamber.
His body trembled, but not from exhaustion. From realization.
He could see more, think faster, move stronger. His brain—no, his very being—had been rewired.
Still, a question gnawed at him.
"Why me?"
A long pause.
> "Because you were one of us."
> "And because you were always willing to do what others won't."
The wall opened again. A familiar face in a suit entered.. Sharp eyes. Cold smile.It was Arthur.
" Blackwood,Good to see you again." He extended a hand. "Let me introduce myself again,I am Arthur St. Clair, Co-founder of The Fold Syndicate. ."
Elijah hesitated, then shook it.
"I want The Slades."
Arthur smiled. "And you'll get them plus everything you ever wanted. We are willing to make you one of the most powerful men that ever lived.But first — you need to do something for us"
'You have my attention '
' Good. First you will have to go through a trial phase,you will be given three missions with specific rules that you must follow. This missions are designed to test different aspects of your core as a human and your ability to obey. If you pass ,you will be promoted to a higher position in the FOLD,which means more power and money but if you fail,well…I hope not."
"Ohh I forgot to add,for each mission completed with a minimum of 95% accuracy, you will get a reward."
'Even in the trial phase?'
Yes Elijah
Alright,When can i start?
"As soon as you can, an electronic contract has been mailed to your server,go through it and sign when you are ready"
"Done,what's next?"
"Already. This is why we came back for you,a man of focus."He said smiling
"Here is the case file of your first trial mission"
He tossed a file on the table.
"A neural blueprint is hidden in a Basquiat painting.We want you to retrieve it."
Elijah flipped open the file
Valdez Museum. One of the most exclusive in the country with invaluable art works. It was guarded by only the best of the best. The only reason he had a clue what the insides looked like was when he had escorted Lilian's father Gregory during his meeting with the Senate president.
If he got caught in there his cover will be blown he might even get killed …
"And if I refuse?"
"You don't."
Elijah looked up. A war began inside him.
He could walk away. Find his own path.
But what if this was his only chance of getting justice?
He nodded. Slowly. "I'll do it."
Agent. Arthur smiled. "Excellent. Agent Aleksie will give you Intel on the subject before midnight, he will also be accompanying you just to make sure.."
"Reward?"
" Some Cash. A new identity.Our trust .."
Elijah turned back toward the chamber, jaw clenched.
He didn't just want revenge anymore.
He wanted power as well.