tarted coun

ck. No phone. No windows that opened. Just smooth walls, a white bed, and the low mechanical hum

h

understand: this plac

s wat

nce. It didn't budge.

he w

. She tapped her fingers in rhythm to distract herself from the gnawing silence. She ran her thu

e door

t a slow, del

d

Masked - a sleek, black covering that veiled the top half of his face, not t

y st

tensed like it knew somethin

ted, like a man who knew his

as intensity beh

te

nly one," he

low. Smooth li

linked.

t. The only one selected for Phase Two. You

press against her r

e I was Sub

ne through twen

her more than any threat could have. As if those others

w?" she

we be

He didn't touch her. Didn't even gesture toward

"You will listen. You will not interr

muscle twitched in her jaw, but

onti

child - but precision. My child must be conceived under specific physical and psychological c

he didn't understand

Adaptive intelligence. Your file stood out - not because of wha

ld spread u

ut - fertility," s

t design,"

s voice. No madness. Just

hormonally, emotionally. You will undergo conditioning. Not drugs. Env

reath catch. "So

nt variable in a decade-

ble - didn't waver. He was wat

say no?" she as

head slightl

her. "You think I

hink the moment you stepped into the car, you decided something in yourself was

harder than

cruel. But because t

elet. The faint glow still

en panel slid open silently, revealing a glass scre

adapt to what your body reacts to. You'll be monito

ped back.

not

achine," she

you agreed to help b

or the first time, she thought she saw something huma

eli

aps obs

you, Emily. I want to red

em. Not awkward. Just heavy - like

he door but di

tomorrow. For now,

pau

his," he said. "But do no

shut be

e center of the room, t

ain, did her knees buc

arity that this wasn't a game