Chapter six: First project
A sharp pain erupted in his head, a throbbing sensation like someone else's skull was being crushed from within. His vision blurred, and a warm trickle ran down his nose. As he reached up to touch his face, his fingers came away slick with crimson. Panic surged through him as he looked around, the cafeteria a chaotic blur.
Zip arrived just as his world began to darken, a small, concerned beep escaping from the robot. The purplish liquid was thrust into his mouth, and as its bitter taste filled his senses, everything went black.
When consciousness returned, he was enveloped in a cold, sterile environment. A soft hum filled his ears, and the faint scent of leather tickled his nostrils. He could feel nothing, as if his body was weightless, his bones dissolved into nothingness. A cold dread crept into his heart as he realized he couldn't move.
A pale blue light illuminated the space, revealing a smooth, transparent enclosure. He was suspended within it, like a specimen trapped in amber. A sense of panic surged through him, but his body refused to obey his commands.
The enclosure slid open with a soft hiss, and a figure emerged, a man in his mid-twenties with a neutral expression. With gentle movements, he lifted him out and placed him on a cold, hard surface.
As consciousness flickered back, he found himself immobilized once more, his wrists and ankles held fast by an invisible force. A sharp pain lanced through his neck as something was injected into his flesh. Darkness claimed him again.