The air in the underground facility hummed with the sterile chill of filtered ventilation. Twelve figures cloaked in black lab coats sat around an oval steel table with their faces obscured by flickering holographic screens, displaying the same image: Vice President Lincoln Carter, 28, deceased. Cause of death: Unknown.
"Seven days," spoke a voice from the head of the table—designation HQ-1, fingers steepled under his chin." No decomposition. No rigor mortis. Core temperature dropping to negative twelve degrees celsius. Explain this!"
"We've ruled out cryogenics, poisoning and known pathogens. His cells aren't breaking down, they're... hibernating." A woman—HQ-3—tapped her datapad.
"Bullshit!" Muttered HQ-7 as he slammed a fist on the table." Nothing hibernates after death. Unless he wasn't human to begin with."
A long pause followed afterwards, until—
"The media is asking questions, and they are accusing us of withholding information." HQ-5 said, brows furrowed tightly.
"Why wouldn't they? The freaking Vice President is presumed dead." HQ-7 growled.
"Handled it already," HQ-1 said flatly." Statement goes out today."
"I wasn't aware we were releasing a statement." HQ-5 narrowed his eyes.
Just then—a holographic video appeared on the center of the oval table—a legal affairs scientist in a press conference.
"Vice President Lincoln Carter, discovered dead in his apartment—has been buried by the Council of the Helium Quirks. His death was as a result of a brain tumor." His voice was emotionless." This case is now closed to the public. Any unauthorized inquiry into this matter will be treated as intrusion into Council affairs and will carry severe consequences."
The video ended. The air felt colder than before.
"Well," HQ-12 spoke first." That's a convincing lie. Sounds clean."
"Pathetic," HQ-7 spat." We could've just kept quiet like we usually do."
"No. This case is different," HQ-1 snapped." If we'd stayed silent, the media would've dug deeper."
"...And we don't even know what the heck killed him," HQ-8 muttered." If we told the truth, they'd think we're incompetent."
"We can't have that," HQ-10 said seriously." We are the final say in Eclipse—the very foundation of the government. The people can't start questioning us."
Silence.
Then HQ-1 leaned forward. Her holographic mask flickered, revealing a glimpse of scarred lips.
"We need answers. Assign someone. Someone... capable. To find out what killed the Vice President."
---
LAB 9...
Sublevel 4, 03:47 AM
Unami Mizrahi exhaled sharply, her breath fogging in the chilled air of Lab 9. Her fingers trembled as she adjusted the monitor.
Lincoln Carter's body lay motionless on the steel table. His skin unnaturally pale, his dark hair dusted with frost.
Seven days dead, yet no decay. No rigor mortis. Just... stillness.
Ken Sato—her superior, leaned against the counter with his arms crossed." Helium Quirks really dumped this mess on you, huh? I swear, those guys are seriously messed up."
Unami ignored him.
Instead, she pressed the thermal sensor to Lincoln's chest.
-15°C.
"This shouldn't be possible," she muttered." His cells should've lysed days ago."
Ken smirked." Maybe he's just committed to being a human ice cube."
Unami shot him a glare—then froze.
Beep.
A sound.
The heart monitor that had been silent for an entire week had just emitted a pulse.
The pulse was distorted. Weird strokes and lines. Something they both hadn't seen in their lives.
Ken straightened." Okay that's new."
Unami's fingers flew to Lincoln's wrist. No pulse. Yet the heart monitor beeped again—louder.
Beep.
Her breath caught in her throat. What on earth?
Ken let out a nervous chuckle." Okay, that's not funny. Who rigged the—"
Then Lincoln's chest rose.
Unami's stomach dropped." Ken..."
Lincoln's eyes snapped open. No glowing irises . No cinematic drama. Just... awareness.
His pupils locked onto hers.
For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then—
A massive blast. It was invisible. Brutal, even.
Unami barely registered the force before it slammed her against the wall.
Pain exploded down her spine as glass vials shattered around her. She gasped. Her vision swam and her hands scrambled for purchase on the slick tiles.
"Emergency switch—!" She choked out, reaching for the red button just out of reach.
Lincoln sat up slowly and methodically.
Frost crackled beneath his fingertips as he swung his legs off the examination table.
Ken lunged for the alarm." Subject L-7 is awake," Ken blurted into his comms, backing toward the door." I repeat, subject L-7 is—"
Lincoln's hand twitched.
Another blast.
Ken crashed into the cabinets with a grunt. Blood smeared the floor tiles.
Unami's fingers brushed the switch—And then Lincoln was there.
Crouched, right Infront of her.
His hand closed around her throat.
Cold.
So cold it burned.
Her airway constricted. She clawed at his wrist but his skin was like stone. Unyielding.
Tears blurred her vision as she gasped. Her lungs screamed for air. Breath. Anything.
"L-Let—!"
"Unami!" Ken's voice rasped. His face bloodly as he staggered up.
He grabbed Lincoln's shoulder—
—and the world split open
Light erupted from nowhere, swallowing the lab whole. The air became ice. The walls twisted. Colors bled into white.
Unami's last thought was not of Lincoln's grip.
It was of something colder. Deeper.
Then—
Darkness.