Valtor's eyes snapped open, staring at the ceiling.
He tried to stand, but something held him back. Panic surged through him. He glanced down and saw that he was strapped to a chair, his mouth sealed with tape. A cold shiver ran down his spine. He struggled against the ropes, breath quickening.
Malcolm's head jerked toward the commotion. Valtor was moving—violently—beneath the neural gear. Malcolm rushed to the console, slammed the power off, and hurried back to his son. Carefully, he removed the headgear.
Valtor panted, drenched in sweat. His eyes were wide with fear, body trembling.
"Valtor!" Malcolm rushed to him, wrapping his arms around him.
Valtor's gaze finally locked on his father's. Recognition bloomed behind the fear. His breathing slowed, and he collapsed into Malcolm's chest, sobbing.
"Dad…" His voice cracked. "I remember… I remember everything. I'm so sorry, Dad. I thought—I thought you let me go. I thought you were one of them."
Malcolm held him tightly. "It's okay, son," he said, his own voice breaking. "None of this is your fault. You hear me? You did nothing wrong."
After a moment, Malcolm slowly pulled away, his hands still resting on Valtor's shoulders.
"My meeting with the council that day was inconclusive," he said. "When I got home and realized they had taken you, I reached out to the superintendent. I was desperate."
Valtor looked at him, eyes still wet with tears.
"He… blackmailed me," Malcolm continued. "Your release was tied to my cooperation. I was forced to experiment on the other children—to enhance their abilities. I did what they asked. But even after I complied… they never released you."
Valtor's jaw clenched.
"I reported everything to the Nexist president," Malcolm went on. "And he told me they had added you to the program, to make sure I kept cooperating."
Valtor's eyes widened. "That's why there are two of us from Nexis," he whispered. "Kymani and me… I wasn't supposed to be part of the plan."
Malcolm nodded gravely. "Exactly. They placed you in the hands of one of my scientists. He wiped your memory and implanted your ability. When I found out what your power was, I begged one of the soldiers watching over you to slip a note into your pocket."
Valtor's breath caught. "Make a fire"… That was you?
Malcolm nodded. "I wanted you to be safe… to remember something. I was so afraid. After a heated argument with the superintendent, I coerced him to sign a contract. It stated that I would be notified the moment you and the others arrived. Every day, I came to the barracks to monitor your progress, to watch… and to hope. I needed to believe that you would make it out."
Valtor wiped his face, his expression hardening as a memory surfaced.
"Lynx," he muttered. "He was the boy struggling in the lab that day... He saw me."
His brows furrowed. "That explains the visions—why he thinks I'm the enemy." He sighed, a weight settling on his chest.
Turning to his father, he straightened. "Thank you, Dad. For showing me this."
Malcolm smiled softly. "Your memories are your right, Valtor. All of you deserve the truth."
Then his face turned serious.
"But there's another reason I brought your memories back," he said. "I need you to remember your past... to understand what I'm about to tell you."
Valtor met his gaze, listening intently.
"Your friends are in danger," Malcolm said. "The council has plans for them—plans that will do irreversible damage to who they are. I've told myself I won't stand by and watch them be turned into monsters."
Valtor blinked. "Wait… what do you mean, monsters?"
"The council wants me to take your powers to the next level—through mutation," Malcolm explained. "Yes, it would make you all stronger. But it would also strip away your humanity. It would change you—your minds, your bodies..."
"we'll be half-human," Valtor whispered.
"Half-monster," Malcolm finished, nodding grimly. "They want to exclude you, of course—as my son. You'd remain under their watch as a soldier... and a potential future member of the council."
"No!" Valtor said sharply, stepping forward. "Dad, how do we stop this?"
Malcolm looked away for a second, frustration flickering in his eyes. "We can't. I was outvoted, as usual. The decision is final. The only thing we can do now… is save ourselves."
He turned back to Valtor.
"You need to talk to your friends. Tell them everything I've told you—what's coming, what's at stake. The experiment begins after the conclusion of your first mission. That mission will be your only chance to escape."
"Escape?" Valtor echoed, his body tense. "To where? They'll track us. How are we supposed to stay safe?"
Malcolm stepped forward, placing a steady hand on his son's arm.
"You have to run to Zaire," he said. "It's the safest region left. The council has little influence there, and their tracking systems don't work well because of Zaire's limited tech infrastructure."
He paused, his voice lowering.
"Also… the Zairan president is secretly on our side. He voted against the council's plan." I'll work on a plan to put an end to all of this, but it'll take some time. I need you kids to be safe first.
Valtor's heart pounded. "So you want us to run... and never come back?"
Malcolm nodded solemnly. "Yes. Not until I come for you."
Valtor stood frozen for a moment, then slowly nodded, his jaw clenched.
"I'll talk to them, he said. I'll get them to believe me".
"Somehow"..