The base was alive.
From the observation cradle where Lin lay bound, he could feel vibrations in the steel floor — the hum of turbines, the thrum of submarine docks, the clatter of boots echoing down hidden corridors. The place smelled of oil, ozone, and something faintly sweet, like old blood.
He had been moved deeper underground, past pressure doors and magnetic lifts, into a vast, dimly lit chamber that resembled a cathedral built for Titans. Cables as thick as tree trunks hung from the ceiling, pumping coolant and energy into his restraints.
> [Status: Contained. Energy Dampeners at 65%.]
[System Scanning Environment…]
Images flickered in his vision — not from his own eyes, but from nearby cameras his system was quietly hacking. Hallways, labs, storage bays. Scientists hurrying, carrying tablets. Security teams armed with experimental weapons.
This is no simple base, Lin thought. It's a nest of secrets.
---
Project Aegis – Titan Containment Wing
Dr. Keller walked briskly down the observation corridor, a cluster of scientists at his side. He stopped before a sealed door marked Restricted: Titan Containment 2.
Inside, behind reinforced glass, something moved — not as massive as Lin, but monstrous nonetheless. A creature like a giant crustacean fused with a centipede, its limbs twitching weakly as IV lines pumped glowing fluid into its body.
"It's still alive?" one of the junior researchers asked.
"Barely," Keller said. "Recovered from the Philippine trench. We've been testing dampeners on it. The hatchling will give us far better data."
---
Below – Lin
Through his system's stolen feeds, Lin saw the creature: a smaller Titan, bound and sedated, its exoskeleton cracked where humans had cut into it.
> [Alert: Other Titans Detected in Containment.]
[Note: Humans experimenting on subdued Titans.]
Something deep inside Lin rumbled. Not rage exactly — but a recognition. They're not just observing. They're trying to control us.
A voice crackled over the intercom, jolting him back to his immediate surroundings.
"Specimen," the voice said, calm and clinical. "If you understand sound, move your head."
Lin's eyes narrowed. Slowly, deliberately, he tilted his head to the side.
Gasps erupted behind the observation glass.
"It understood," someone whispered. "It's responding."
Keller's voice was steady. "Record it. Increase vocal interaction protocol."
---
Project Aegis – Observation Deck
Keller leaned toward the mic. "Do you know what we are?"
Lin stared at him, unblinking. His system translated the question into meaning, but he did not answer in sound. Instead, he raised one massive claw and tapped the steel floor — once, twice, three times.
A pause. Then one of the scientists murmured, "Is it… trying to communicate?"
Keller's eyes narrowed. "Get the resonance boards online. If it's trying to talk, we'll hear it."
---
Below – Lin
> [System Suggestion: Limited Communication Possible.]
[Skill Unlocked: Resonance Pulse (Primitive Communication).]
Lin inhaled slowly, his chest vibrating with low-frequency sound. The walls trembled. Words formed not in language but in intent — a deep pulse that made the humans clutch their ears.
I… see… you… the pulse said.
Panic flickered in their eyes. Keller alone stood still, lips parting slightly.
"It's intelligent," he whispered. "Far more than we thought."
---
The Darker Wing
Through his system's covert vision, Lin glimpsed more: cold storage rooms, Titan embryos in stasis tubes, ancient bones marked with runes, and a map glowing on a holographic table.
At its center was Skull Island, marked with a flashing red icon. Data lines led to two other points: the Antarctic ice sheet (CLASSIFIED) and a trench in the Pacific. Each pulsed with Titan energy readings.
Lin's claws curled against the steel floor. So this is your plan, humans. You want to own the monsters. Even the King.
But if he was to rise above them all, he needed patience. And information.
His system chimed softly.
> [Progress Toward Evolution: 70%.]
[New Mission Fragment: Observe Human Titan Projects. Identify Weaknesses.]
---
Project Aegis – Observation Deck
"He's stopped moving," a scientist whispered. "But his energy's… stabilizing. Almost like he's meditating."
Keller's gaze stayed fixed on the Titan's glowing eyes. "No. He's thinking."
---
Below – Lin
He lowered his head slowly, his eyes flicking toward one of the surveillance cameras. For a heartbeat, his dorsal plates glimmered — not bright, but enough for anyone watching to feel the hairs on their neck rise.
In that flicker was a promise: I see you, too.
Somewhere far away, a storm rolled over Skull Island, and a giant ape raised its head, sensing a shift in the world's balance.
---
To be continued…
⚡️ Next Chapter Tease:
Lin begins actively manipulating the humans — sending mixed signals, giving them data while secretly scanning their systems. Meanwhile, Project Aegis plans to move him closer to Skull Island for "field tests"… unknowingly walking him straight toward Kong.