As the ship soared through the skies, Henry sat in his designated room, wondering what fate had in store for him. The room was sparse, with metallic walls and a single chair fixed to the floor.
Agent Hills' voice echoed through the intercom, "Henry, we'll arrive shortly. Prepare yourself."
Henry nodded, though he knew Hills couldn't see him. His mind raced with thoughts of Emily's warning and Xavier's reassurance.
The ship landed smoothly in the base hangar, and Henry was escorted out by Hills and his team. The building was just like the pegasus guild's, large, tall and silver, but with a very large gold T emblem, like the one on their uniform, placed on the topmost surface of the building.
They walked into the main building, and took an elevator to the top floor, then through the sleek, corridors of the Triad base, passing several agents.
"We're here," Hills said, stopping in front of a door labeled 'Sector leader'
Henry's heart skipped a beat.
"Relax, kid," Hills said with a smirk. "This is necessary routine, he'll be the one to determine how we handle you."
"Handle me, what does that even mean," henry thought, as he and hills entered the room
Inside, a tall, imposing figure stood behind a sleek desk. He looked like he had been expecting the duo, his piercing blue eyes seemed to bore into Henry's soul.
"I'm Orion," he declared, his voice commanding. "And, you must be Henry."
Henry had a surprised expression to his words, "Great, he knows my name, these guys definitely have info on me already. They know i have no memories and no identity,"
"That's me," he replied, trying not to behave like those terrorists in the movies, who would be quiet throughout their interrogations
Orion smiled sat on his big boss chair, signaling for henry to do the same.
Henry sat down opposite orion, and hills handed the tablet containing henry's records to him
He scrolled through it, his face maintained a stoic expression, then it was suddenly replaced with surprise
"You have no mana cells?" he asked
Henry nodded with a wry smile. "It not my fault, you know." he thought
"Hmm, this complicates things," orion thought, skimming through the rest of the results
He leaned forward, intrigued. "Fascinating." he said "Your memories seem to be hidden and encrypted, i don't think even we have the technology to retrieve them,"
"...unless...forget it, agent hills, get him to the interrogation room, so we can ask him more proper questions," orion said, after zoning out for a bit
"Uhn, what was that all about," henry thought, then was taken outside of the room
Orion had a conflicted look, he pushed a button on his bracelet, "Call the commander," he said to the device
Then a holographic screen appeared, displaying the face of a man in his late 40s, he was the commander of the I&E division for all sectors located in atlas
"Orion, do you have him?" he asked
"Yes commander, he's in our custody,"
"Everything is true about him, he has no memories, neither is he identifiable on any database," orion replied
"Hmm, can the memories be retrieved?" the commander asked
"According to the records of his test results, his memories seem non-existent, like he never even had them. But at the same time it's there but encrypted," orion said
"But it's there, afterall he did remember his name," the commander said
"Correct, but something else seems to be involved," orion said, wondering
"Do you think it's the mutants?," the commander asked
"I can't prove that, but it's definitely not dark dawn," he replied, convinced
"Well there's only one possible way to find out," the commander said, in a mischievous tone
"No, commander, you're not really suggesting that, are you?" orion said with a disturbed expression
"No I'm not suggesting, I'm commanding it, it is the only way to delve deeper into his subconscious and figure out his history," the commander replied
"But that procedure was forbidden to civilians, only to be used on high threat terrorists. It would kill him!" orion said in a defensive tone
"Yes, and for all we know he could be a dangerous criminal spy, I'm not taking any chances, you will proceed with it, besides it won't kill him, just a little brain damage is all." the commander said, casually
Orion had a shocked expression. he looked at the commander like he was a insane
"You don't understand, he's just a kid, to top it all, he has no mana," he said, continuing to defend unsuspecting henry from doom
"Oh really, he's no mana cells. That changes nothing!" the commander replied in a sarcastic tone
"You will get this done, and provide results and i don't care whomever he's affiliated with," the commander said, remembering a meeting that occurred, not long ago with a certain woman
"This is unfair," orion replied, knowing that in the end, he had no choice but to follow through
"I know, but think of it as, one life to save millions. Besides if you don't do it, you can forget about ever coming to work again," the commander threatened, disconnecting the call, not waiting for orion to reply
"Argh..." orion hit the table with his fist, creating a small crack on it, then he picked up a transmission device
"Hills, are you there?" he said
"Yes, leader," hills replied from the receiving end
"Good, is the boy still with you?" orion asked
"Yes," he replied, staring at unsuspecting henry through a two-way mirror, who was sitting alone in a closed room
"Alright, get him to the test lab," orion said
"But sir, what about the interrogation?" hills asked
"Forgot about that, there's been a new directive from the commander," orion replied
"Prepare Henry for a Level 10 Mind Scan," he ordered.
Agent hills had a look of disbelief
"But sir, that...that would kill him," he replied softly
"I know, but we have no choice, we can't disobey a direct order," orion said, before cutting off communication
"We'll uncover every hidden secret." he said with conviction, before also giving the laboratory technician instructions
Hills had to follow orders, so he led henry to the lab, located in the middle floors of the building.
On the way, henry kept wondering what was happening, the expression on hills face was apologetic. He had even asked him, where they were headed, but hills didn't reply
"Something's not right, I'm i not being interrogated anymore," he thought, as unease started setting in
They entered the lab surrounded by various futuristic equipment, it was cold and sterile.
A young woman in a labcoat greeted them
"Welcome, Henry," she said, her voice husky. "I'm Agent Rachel. Please, take a seat." she pointed to a laboratory bed
Henry hesitated before sitting, his unease grew.
"What did Triad have planned?" he thought
"Alright henry, so we've found a way to get your memories back, and reveal your past," she continued
Henry's interest piqued "What's she talking about, i thought the sector leader said that wasn't possible," he thought
"It'll be through a thorough brain scan, the machine would delve deep into your subconscious, and reveal every information you have," she said
"But i won't be retrieving any memories, it's you who would be getting information out of my head," henry said, with a look of suspicion
Agent racheal smiled "Correct, but when we have the information, we can relate them to you, telling you who you are, you won't remember but you'll know,"
"And it'll help us confirm your identity, it's a win win, afterall we did promise to help concerning your memories," Agent hills added
"Ok, there's something fishy about this people, they couldn't help retrieve them before, but all of a sudden they found a way. I don't like this at all," henry thought,
"Wait...Shit, if they're right about the scan, then they might be able to see everything; my past life, the system, everything," he panicked, but keeping a normal, unfazed composure
Then suddenly, some agents entered the room, they were covered in battle armor from head to toe, 10 of them, each holding weapons
Henry couldn't keep his calm expression anymore, he panicked
Racheal saw this and smirked
"It's going to be fine, it's just to make sure nothing happens during the process," she said, as she brought out a machine, one that resembled a very large hat
It was connected to the holographic chat and was pulsating with a purplish energy, it appearance described what could be called a technological abomination, a complete mad science.
"Fuck, what do I do, think henry think," henry said to himself as she set up the machine, while the other agents surrounded the room, making it clear to henry not to try anything stupid
[Host! you are in danger, get out there now!] A loud voice suddenly ringed in his head
It was miley and she was also panicking
"Huh? miley, guess you finally decided to wake up. I don't fully know what's happening, but I know that these people cannot find out about the system or my reincarnation,"
[You have bigger problems, that machine is a level 10 brain scanner, it digs out information from the brain by actually digging into it. To put it simply, after the process, you'd become a vegetable, or even die during it]
Henry felt terror, complete terror. Emily was right all along, these people would do anything to get anything, and now he was finished
[It's ok, i have a plan] she continued
Before henry could reply, racheal approached him, she had finished setting up the machine
"Ok henry, it's time, i need you to lie down now," she said in a calm, soothing voice
"Shit, they're ready, what do you have planned miley, please tell me," henry pleaded in his mind, as he stood up
[It's already done] She replied
"Huh," he had a surprised and confused expression
"What do you mean it's d...." 'Thud'
Before henry could finish his statement or lie on the bed, he suddenly passed out.
All the agents, including racheal were suprised, no one expected what had happened
"What happened, did you do something to him before," she asked, looking sternly at hills
"No, he was fine before we got here, even i am surprised," hills replied defensively
Racheal was frustrated "ahh, this is not ok at all, you know we can't start the procedure unless he's awake," she said, looking at henry's body on the floor
"Just get him to the CIU, and find something to reinvigorate him!" she continued, yelling at the lot of them
They all left the room with henry, while hills made his way to the sector leader's office
He entered the room and met orion, enjoying a cup of coffee
"What's the situation," orion asked
"Sir, the procedure was compromised, the suspect lost consciousness," hills stated
"Hmm i see, where is he now,"
"We've placed him in the closed intensive unit," hills replied
"Ok good, you may leave. Make sure to keep an eye on him." orion said, before hills nodded and left the room
"Hmm, looks like you have some luck kid, let's see if it'll help you to the end," orion thought, with excitement.