The pale ceiling lights were still on, casting an artificial glow over the room. Though it was already morning, the atmosphere felt heavy—like the night hadn't fully ended. They had all woken from restless sleep, the silence between them almost louder than words.
Riven sat on the lower bunk, hair messy, eyes squinting in irritation. He looked around the room, then spoke sharply.
"Where did that guy sleep last night?"
Lirael turned toward him.
"That guy? You mean Peterson?"
Riven nodded slowly, frowning.
"Yeah. I didn't see him come in with us. There's no bed touched that could've been his either."
Nyssa stood up, rolling her sleeves.
"Maybe he has his own room. Or... maybe they separated him from us on purpose."
Veyra, combing her fingers through her hair, smirked slightly.
"Or maybe he's just not one of us. Haven't you noticed? His presence... it feels different."
Serin glanced toward the door, worry crossing her face.
"I thought I heard footsteps during the night... but they were too fast. Not like any of ours."
Kael stepped forward calmly.
"If he's different—more important—they'd definitely keep him under tighter control. Maybe even isolate him."
Elior stayed silent, eyes locked on the wall, clearly deep in thought.
Lirael murmured under her breath, barely audible.
"But if he's not like us... then why was he with us in the first place?"
Before anyone could answer, the metal door slid open with a soft click. A uniformed officer stepped in.
"You're requested in the main hall. The next phase of testing begins now."
They exchanged uneasy looks. Their questions about Peterson remained unanswered—but something even more pressing was now waiting ahead.
The hallway leading to the laboratory was cold and silent. The footsteps of Lirael and the others echoed together in a rhythm filled with tension. Metallic gray walls shimmered faintly, and the sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air.
They stopped in front of a large door marked "TESTING CHAMBER – UNIT 02." A technician in a white uniform stood waiting.
Technician:
"One at a time. Lirael goes first."
Lirael swallowed hard, then stepped into the chamber alone. The room was stark white and nearly empty, except for a metallic chair and a few glowing blue scanners.
Inside stood Dr. Rehn, one of Dr. Varn's assistants, stationed at a console.
Dr. Rehn:
"Please sit. We'll begin with a genetic scan. But first... your pendant. You'll need to remove it."
Lirael's hand rose instinctively to the glowing pendant around her neck. It pulsed gently, emitting a soft, warm light. She hesitated, looking at Dr. Rehn, then slowly unclasped it.
The moment it left her skin, the air in the room seemed to chill.
Dr. Rehn carefully took the pendant and placed it into a sealed containment tube.
Dr. Rehn:
"Interesting... microactive energy source. Possibly the reason Resonance didn't fully affect you."
Lirael:
"It's... something I've had for as long as I can remember. I don't even know where it came from. But I always feel... wrong without it."
Dr. Rehn gave a slight nod, then powered up the scanning device beside her.
Meanwhile, behind a glass wall, Peterson watched the procedure from the observation room with Dr. Varn.
Peterson:
"She's different. I can feel it."
Dr. Varn replied quietly, his eyes fixed on Lirael.
"Because she's more than just a hybrid, Peterson. She may be something beyond what we expected. And that pendant... it's not from Earth."
Outside the testing room, the six others waited in tense silence. Metal chairs lined the cold wall. Riven paced back and forth. Nyssa leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. Elior sat quietly, tracing patterns on the floor with the tip of his shoe. Serin clasped her hands tightly, while Veyra looked relaxed—but her eyes never left the door.
Finally, the door slid open.
Lirael stepped out. Her face was pale, but she stood tall.
Kael was the first to approach.
"What did they do in there? Was anything... off?"
Lirael nodded slightly and sat down.
"Just scans. But they asked me to take off my pendant. They said it might be connected to why the Resonance didn't affect me."
Riven scoffed.
"So they're more interested in that thing than in us? Figures."
Serin looked at Lirael, concern in her eyes.
"Are you okay? When you walked out… you looked a bit—empty."
Lirael tried to smile.
"Just tired. But it felt strange. Like... something inside me dimmed when they took the pendant."
At that moment, a lab technician stepped out and called,
"Next: Kael."
Kael looked at the others for a beat and nodded.
"If I don't come out in five minutes… bring grenades," he said dryly before walking in.
The door sealed shut behind him.
After a few minutes of waiting for Kael, Lirael stood slowly. Her face was still pale, but her eyes now held a sharper focus—like something had just clicked in her mind.
Lirael:
"I'm going to the restroom for a moment."
Nyssa looked up.
"Want me to come with you?"
Lirael quickly shook her head.
"No, it's fine. I remember the way."
She walked calmly down the hallway they'd passed earlier. But instead of turning toward the restrooms, Lirael quietly slipped into a dim side corridor, footsteps light and cautious. Something tugged at her—a feeling she couldn't explain.
Suddenly, the echo of heavy boots approached from around the corner. Lirael quickly ducked behind a large metal pillar.
Peering through a narrow gap, her breath caught.
Peterson.
He was striding past, wearing a thick black jacket with the hood pulled up. At his sides walked two men in dark tactical vests—soldiers, clearly high-ranking. Their voices were hushed, but Lirael caught fragments of their conversation.
Soldier:
"...will be taken to the sub-level before nightfall. Dr. Varn wants you to oversee it directly."
Peterson:
"I know. But they're not ready yet. One of them... could disrupt everything."
Second Soldier:
"That's why you need to stay close."
Lirael's heart pounded. Peterson's voice—it sounded cold. Calculating. Nothing like the quiet, distant boy she had met on the road.
As the three of them passed, Lirael pressed herself against the wall, barely daring to breathe.
Once the footsteps faded, she slowly turned, her body trembling—not from fear, but from the weight of realization.
Lirael (whispering):
"Who are you really, Peterson?"