Trenton's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself in a strange room, surrounded by the soft beeps of machines and the antiseptic smell of a hospital. He tried to speak, but his throat felt parched and dry. "Water..." he croaked, his voice barely audible.
A nurse nearby rushed to his side, her eyes filled with surprise. "Hello, Mr. Renfield! Can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?" She held up three fingers, and Trenton squinted at them, his mind foggy.
The nurse smiled and nodded. "Good! You're going to be okay." She quickly left the room, returning with Dr. Henry Townsend, a middle-aged man with a kind face and a stethoscope around his neck.
Dr. Townsend examined Trenton, his eyes widening in amazement. "Mr. Renfield, you're a miracle patient," he said, shaking his head. "You've recovered from a gunshot wound in record time. I've never seen anything like it."
Trenton's mind raced as he tried to remember what had happened. Fragments of memories flashed through his mind - the rain-soaked night, Drake's unconscious body, the impact of a solid object on the back of his head...
Suddenly, a voice in his head spoke, clear as day. "System initialization complete. New objective: restore host to normal state of health."
Trenton's eyes widened in shock. "Who are you?" he demanded, scanning the room frantically.
"I am your system host," the voice replied. "I reside within you, linked to your soul."
Trenton's mind reeled as he tried to process this information. "What deal?" he asked, his voice shaking.
"The condition given to you while you were between life and death," the host replied. "You agreed to bring down Termination and Ariel studios. I was granted to assist you."
Trenton's eyes narrowed. "Where's Drake? Is he here too?"
The System's tone turned sympathetic. "Negative, host. He was abducted."
Trenton's heart sank, and he slumped back into the bed, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios.
Just then, Dr. Townsend and the police entered the room, their faces somber. "Mr. Renfield, we need to ask you some questions," one of the officers said, their eyes fixed on Trenton with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
Dr. Townsend's eyes widened in surprise. "Trenton, you're...you're standing up! How is this possible?"
Trenton shrugged, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "I don't know, Doc. I just feel...different."
The police officers exchanged skeptical glances. "Mr. Renfield, we need to ask you some questions," one of them said, their hand resting on their gun.
Trenton raised his hands, palms out. "I'm happy to cooperate, officers. But can I get some answers first? What happened to me? How did I survive that gunshot wound?"
Dr. Townsend hesitated, glancing at the officers before speaking. "Trenton, you were brought in with a severe gunshot wound to the chest. We operated, but...it was like nothing I've ever seen before. Your body seemed to heal itself at an incredible rate your heart, tissues and even your skin healed up rapidly"
Trenton's mind reeled. "What about Drake? Where is he?"
The officers exchanged a somber glance. "We're still investigating, Mr. Renfield. But it appears your brother was abducted from the scene."
Trenton's heart sank, a cold dread spreading through his veins. He knew he had to find Drake who did this? He wondered
The system host's voice echoed in his mind. "Host, I've hacked into the hospital's database. I can provide you with more information on your condition and Drake's disappearance."
Trenton's eyes narrowed. "Do it."
Sudden pieces of his memory flashed in his eyes like he was watching the whole terrible experience of how he found Drake's unconscious form and put up a fight only to earn two neat shots in the chest and he watched in disbelief as his strength sapped out of him.
As the host began to feed him information, Trenton's mind raced with the implications. He knew find Drake, and unravel the mystery behind his newfound abilities. And he had a feeling it was all connected to the system host and the deal he made...
The system host's voice guided Trenton through the hospital's database, revealing astonishing information. His test results showed accelerated healing, enhanced strength, and agility. It was as if his body had become a superior machine.
***