The fluorescent lights buzzed faintly overhead as Nila flipped through the archive drawers. Her fingers trembled, slick with sweat despite the chill of the air conditioning.
Project: Subject 04 – "Noir"
Age at Intake: 11
Parental Consent: FORGED
Status: UNSTABLE | Extremely Lethal | Not to be Released Under Any Condition
Her breath caught. The deeper she dug, the worse it got—torture reports, neurochemical scans, stress charts. And photos: broken bones, IVs strapped into arms too small, eyes hollowed out by rage.
A handwritten note was tucked into the corner of one report:
"Child shows extreme resistance to psychological breakdown. Recommend surgical memory wipe to ensure total obedience."
Her stomach twisted.
This wasn't science.
It was sadism.
A shadow moved in the doorway.
"What are you doing here?"
Nila froze.
President Ryuzaki stepped into the room, brushing imaginary dust from his coat.
"N-nothing, sir," she stammered, hastily closing the drawer. "I was just… checking records. Monitoring the experiment's progress."
He took a step forward. Then another.
Each footfall echoed like a countdown.
"You know the boy escaped," he said casually. "With his father."
She forced a neutral expression. "I heard."
"Were you involved in this?" His voice was soft—too soft. Poison hiding in silk.
"Not at all!" she said quickly. "Why would I be?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because I heard something interesting. That you were once a scientist. One who tried to shut this whole experiment down."
Silence.
He leaned in, his breath brushing her ear.
"If you do anything stupid—if you even think about crossing me…"
His whisper turned sharp.
"I'll kill you."
Then, just like that, he straightened, smoothing his coat.
"Send SWAT on city patrol. I want the boy captured."
Nila nodded stiffly. "Yes, sir."
As he walked away, her grip on the folder tightened.
She wasn't done yet.
---
The city air was strangely calm.
Kael sat beside his father on a bench outside the shopping plaza. Civilians laughed, vendors shouted over one another, and somewhere nearby a child cried over spilled popcorn.
"You forgot your real name?" Raegal asked quietly.
"That's..." He sighs
"How the hell did you forgot..?"
Kael didn't respond at first. His eyes scanned the crowd, alert for any sign of danger.
"I...."
Raegal nodded. "Your name is Kael. And mine is—"
"Raegal."
The word slipped out before Kael could stop it. His voice cracked.
"I remember."
Raegal smiled—not the hardened one he wore on missions. A real smile. Faint, but honest.
"It's been a long time. How about we do something normal?"
"…Ice cream?"
Kael blinked.
"O-okay."
They walked to a nearby stand. The smell of waffle cones and syrup hit Kael like a forgotten memory. He hadn't tasted sweetness in years. The White Room had stolen even that from him.
"Two chocolates, please," Raegal said.
The vendor nodded and handed them over.
Kael stared at the cone in his hand. He touched it like it might shatter.
"You used to beg for this every weekend," Raegal said softly.
Kael took a bite. The cold stung his tongue.
"…It's good."
CRACK.
Gunfire split the air.
Glass shattered. Civilians screamed.
SWAT operatives stormed the plaza, rifles raised, gas masks gleaming.
"ATTENTION! WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A TERRORIST IN THIS AREA. STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"
Kael's blood ran cold.
"They found us—"
Raegal dropped his cone and grabbed Kael's wrist.
"Come on—this way!"
They sprinted through the chaos—dodging banners, vaulting carts, weaving through crowds.
"Take this," Raegal muttered, shoving a pistol into Kael's hand. "Don't shoot unless I tell you."
Kael nodded. The gun felt familiar. Comforting. Dangerous.
"There!" a soldier shouted.
"MOVE IN!"
"Shit—" Raegal yanked Kael behind a pillar as bullets ripped through the air.
"Back exit!" Kael yelled.
They tore through a stairwell, bullets smashing into concrete behind them.
"They injected a transceiver into me," Kael panted.
"How long does it last?" Raegal asked.
"Years. Maybe more."
Raegal cursed. "Where?"
"Jugular. Left side."
He stopped and grabbed Kael by the collar. "Show me."
Kael hesitated, then pulled down his shirt. A faint scar lined his neck—small, barely visible.
Raegal pulled out a small device. It looked like an old remote, but when he pressed the button, it let out a low hum. A green light blinked.
"What was that?" Kael asked.
"A disruptor. Prototype. Won't kill the signal, but it'll block the tracking for a few days."
Kael nodded.
"I know a doctor," Raegal added. "A good one."
Before Kael could reply—
"DUCK!"
A bullet struck the railing behind him. Sparks flew.
"Where's the car?!"
"B3. Parking level."
Raegal pointed toward a window.
"Jump!"
"That's a two-story drop!"
"There are cushions. Trust me!"
"Jump."
A voice commanded beneath his ears
He looked back.
But it was too late-
They leapt.
Landed hard.
The cushions caught them.
"That hurt less than I thought," Kael muttered.
"Don't stop—run!"
They burst into the garage. Their car was parked nearby.
"I'LL DRIVE," Kael said.
"WHAT?! NO—"
Too late. He was in. The engine roared.
Raegal climbed in beside him as bullets ricocheted off the hood.
"Didn't know you were a good driver!"
"Shut up."
Raegal leaned back. "I know a kid who was in the White Room."
Kael turned.
"Where is he?"
"She," Raegal said. "She's at my place."
Kael blinked.
"She?"
Raegal nodded. "Yeah. Girls were in it too. Don't look so shocked."
Kael swore under his breath. "I never saw one in the rooms.."
"Different batches..?" Raegal said with a raised brow.
"Could be." Kael answered
---
Kael stepped into the unfamiliar house. Warm lights. Wooden floors. Family photos. Something he hadn't felt in years brushed against him—normalcy.
Then came a voice.
"Raegal! Raegal!"
A girl ran down the hall and stopped at the sight of Kael.
"You.."
Kael blinked. "Hello?"
"Her name is Aira." Raegal said.
"Let's go inside." Raegal commanded.
As they sat down, Kael muttered, "Mind telling me how did you two meet?"
Raegal sighed. "I took her in. She told me alot about the rooms, that's how I got you out."
"How did you get out though...?" Kael questioned.
Silence
Kael looked down, voice soft. "Where's Lily?" Changing the topic.
Silence.
Raegal looked away. "She… she died. In an accident."
Kael didn't flinch. Just stared at the table.
"I see."
"I'm sorry—"
"No, no. It's alright," Raegal interrupted with a hollow smile. "Let's have a good dinner."
He raised his glass. "Cheers."
"Cheers," Aira echoed.
"Cheers…" Kael whispered.
He smiled. But inside, he was breaking.
He's pretending to be fine,
Kael thought.
I know my father well.
---
That night, Raegal opened the door to a small room.
"Here. You two will share it."
"Don't get carried away. It's a bunk bed."
"Heyy!" Aira groaned.
"My bad," Raegal laughed.
---
Lights dimmed. Silence settled.
Kael lay on the bottom bunk, staring at the ceiling.
"Hey, Kael…" Aira's voice came from above. "What was your sister like?"
"She was...so cheerful."
"But after..they divorced I never got to..
meet her."
"I thought I could meet her just one more time..just one more time,
but guess life never gives you what you want huh?"
"You're a weird one, you know Kael?" Aira responded
"The strangest of 'em all." Kael replied.
--