The next day, Youri woke to the alarm that echoed through the chamber at exactly 7:30 AM. It sounded like an old mechanical clock—cold, hollow, and impossible to ignore. One by one, the lights embedded in the ceiling flickered on, bathing the chamber rooms in sterile white. Across the hall, the other subjects rose from their beds as well, each moving with practiced stiffness before standing silently in front of their glass walls.
Youri glanced at them briefly, taking in their hollow stares, when suddenly the glass in front of him shimmered. A projection of Malden appeared, crisp and towering. He held a tablet in one hand, adjusting his glasses with the other before speaking.
"Welcome to your first day at Altex, today you will be issued a subject name and from now on you will be called by that name, every time your name is called you have to appear in front of the glass, that goes for every morning to, for the daily inspection, your new given name is EH36, it was a request by your seller that you receive the number 36 so take that as a gift."
At the sound of 36, a faint smile tugged at Youri's lips. The number echoed in his mind, pulling him back to memories of Six—his brother—and the code name 35. It was small, fragile comfort, but it was something.
Malden continued without pause.
"To day you will be your first test, oh, and also let me introduce you to your neighbors, to your left you have EH17, one of the oldest subjects we have, he is a taught one, but the new treatment has taken a toll on him, in front you have EH26, he has been around for quite some time to, he enjoys the white in here, and to his left is another new subject, has has been around for three years actually, meet EH33, he is a little shy so don't mind him, I'd say hopefully you get along, but unfortunately they are not much talkers, so for the time you have out of the experimental room you are free to enjoy the glow of the chamber room."
With that, the projection vanished, leaving behind only the reflection of Youri's own face in the glass.
He sat back down on the bed. Time inside Altex felt distorted—unmeasured, suspended. Minutes blurred into hours without sound or indication. Eventually, a sharp hiss broke the silence. From a slot in the wall, a metallic arm slid forward carrying a tray. On it sat two plates and a metal cup. One plate held a thick pile of mash-like protein, dull and gray. The other contained a translucent green, gelatinous dessert. Beside them lay a strange utensil—a spoon with forked prongs at the tip.
It had been over a day since Youri had eaten. After a moment of hesitation, he picked up the utensil and began eating the protein mash. It was flavorless, heavy, and unpleasant. Bite after bite, realization settled in. This place was built for one purpose only—human experimentation. Everything else, even food, existed merely to support that goal.
He had barely finished when Malden's voice echoed through the chamber speakers.
"EH36, you are next."
Youri rose immediately and stood in front of the glass. Footsteps echoed through the hall as two men in white coats approached. They were identical—tall, broad-shouldered, and imposing. Their coats covered dark trousers as they moved in perfect unison. The only visible difference was their shirts: one patterned with red dots, the other with black dots. Both had blond hair slicked neatly back, faint mustaches, and identical gray eyes behind thick black-framed glasses.
They stopped at Youri's chamber. The glass was tapped twice, and the door slid open.
"Come out EH36," said the man in the red-dotted shirt.
"Doctor Malden is waiting for you," followed the other.
They flanked Youri from behind, guiding him down a vast corridor lined with smooth white panels. The hallway opened at intervals, revealing wide glass windows that displayed the endless void of space beyond. No one else walked the corridor. Only the quiet rhythm of their steps accompanied them.
They stopped before a metallic door. It hissed open automatically, revealing an operating room.
At its center stood a sleek operating table, surrounded by advanced robotic surgical arms, their joints locked in place, waiting. Above, circular surgical lights glowed brightly, illuminating every surface evenly. Around the room, high-resolution monitors displayed medical scans and floating digital models—organs, neural patterns, streams of data. Metal carts lined the walls in perfect order.
To the left, standing on a chair, was Malden.
He turned as the doors opened, tablet in hand, then placed it carefully onto a nearby cart before stepping down.
"Welcome EH36, I see you already meet the twins, let me introduce you, to your left in the red shirt you have Jean, and to your right in the white shirt you have Zayn, aren't they grate!?"
Malden smiled broadly.
"They are living prof of human alteration, almost identical all the way to they're last strand of hair, looks wise you would never know witch is witch, if only they're personality's were the same to, but there is no advancement with out setbacks."
Jean and Zayn pushed Youri forward toward the operating table. They laid him down and secured his limbs with restraints.
"Alright then lest start the fist test," Malden said, pressing a button on his tablet.
The robotic arms came alive. Their tips glowed as sharp lasers formed, descending toward Youri's body. One by one, they cut—precise, surgical, merciless. Pain exploded through him, unimaginable in its intensity. Yet Youri did not scream. He did not cry. He remained perfectly still, eyes open, breath steady, as the machines dissected and sampled his body.
Malden watched from his chair, Jean and Zayn standing behind him. All three stared in silent disbelief at the boy's expressionless face. Instead of fear, there was endurance. Instead of resistance, acceptance. It unsettled them.
As the robotic arms finished their work, Malden glanced down at his tablet—and froze.
Youri's DNA readings scrolled across the screen, forming patterns Malden had never seen before.
Unique.
Extraordinary.
For the first time, the smile on Malden's face faltered.