Mara woke to the sterile stench of antiseptic and cold metal. Her body ached all over, her wrists sore from the cuffs that had been digging into her skin for what felt like hours. She blinked her eyes open, her vision blurred and her head pounding. Slowly, the room came into focus—a small, windowless cell made entirely of steel. Harsh white light flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the cold floor.
She tried to move, but her arms were chained to the chair she was sitting in. Panic flared in her chest as she realized where she was—the heart of the Syndicate's facility. The place she had fought so hard to avoid.
The last thing she remembered was the ambush in the alley, the Syndicate soldiers descending on her and Cassian like vultures. The betrayal. The cold sting of the cuffs around her wrists. And then nothing.
Her heart raced as she strained against the restraints, but it was useless. The cuffs were solid, unyielding, and every movement only made her wrists burn with pain. She had no idea where Cassian was or if he had managed to escape. She had to assume he was in a similar situation, if not worse.
The door to her cell slid open with a low hiss, and Mara's heart skipped a beat. Two Syndicate guards stepped in, their faces obscured by black visors. Between them was a woman in a pristine white lab coat, her high heels clicking on the metal floor. She had sharp features, cold blue eyes, and a cruel smile that never quite reached her eyes.
"Ah, you're awake," the woman said, her voice smooth and clinical. "Welcome to the Syndicate's research facility. You've been a rather... troublesome subject to catch."
Mara glared at her, her jaw clenched. "What do you want?"
The woman's smile widened, though it was devoid of any warmth. "It's not what we want, Mara. It's what you want. Answers, isn't it? Closure. You've been looking for something—or rather, someone—for a long time, haven't you?"
Mara's blood turned cold. She didn't need to hear the words. She knew what was coming. Elias.
The woman circled around Mara like a predator stalking its prey. "Your brother, Elias... you've been searching for him, trying to uncover the truth. But the truth, Mara, is more horrifying than you can imagine."
Mara's heart hammered in her chest. Every muscle in her body tensed. "Where is he?"
The woman paused behind Mara, leaning close to her ear. "Oh, you'll see him soon enough."
Without warning, the door hissed open again, and two more guards entered, dragging a large, metal chair. Mara's stomach churned as she realized it was a restraint chair—designed to hold someone down, to prevent them from fighting back.
"Don't worry," the woman said, stepping back with a satisfied smirk. "We're just going to make sure you cooperate. You see, we can't have you struggling when we show you what's become of dear Elias."
Mara thrashed in her chair, her muscles screaming in protest as the guards uncuffed her only to slam her into the new chair. They tightened the restraints so hard she could barely breathe. Her wrists burned, her ankles immobilized, and the metal pressed coldly against her skin. The sense of helplessness, of being completely at their mercy, threatened to overwhelm her.
The woman in the lab coat stepped back, watching with amusement as Mara was restrained. "There. Much better."
Mara gritted her teeth, fighting the surge of fear rising inside her. "Where is he? What did you do to him?"
The woman's expression remained impassive, though Mara caught the faint glimmer of something cold and calculating in her eyes. "We didn't do anything to him that wasn't necessary. The Syndicate has been working on some... advanced technologies. Your brother was selected as part of our enhancement program. A great honor, really."
Mara's throat tightened. "Enhancement program? What the hell are you talking about?"
The woman's smile was thin and unfeeling. "You'll see. Bring him in."
One of the guards nodded and stepped out of the room. Mara's mind raced, her heart pounding in her chest. She had spent years searching for Elias, clinging to the hope that he was still alive, that she could save him. But now... now she wasn't so sure.
A few agonizing minutes passed before the door slid open once more, and Mara's breath caught in her throat.
Two guards wheeled in a figure strapped to a chair much like her own. The man was slumped forward, his face obscured by a mess of dark hair, his body bound in metal restraints. Wires and tubes snaked out from his skin, connecting him to various machines that beeped and hummed with every breath he took.
Mara's heart shattered at the sight. It was Elias. But he looked nothing like the brother she remembered. His once-strong body was gaunt and frail, his skin pale and stretched tight over his bones. His eyes—when they finally lifted to meet hers—were hollow, darkened by years of torment and experimentation. He looked like a shadow of the person he had been, a puppet controlled by the machines keeping him alive.
Mara's breath hitched in her throat, her mind reeling in disbelief. "Elias...?"
There was no response. No recognition. He stared at her, but his eyes were empty, devoid of the warmth and vitality they once held. The sight of him like this—broken, mutilated—was worse than any nightmare she had ever imagined.
Tears stung Mara's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "What did you do to him?" she demanded, her voice shaking with rage.
The woman in the lab coat chuckled softly. "We perfected him. He's part of something much greater now. The enhancements he's undergone are cutting-edge—meant to push the boundaries of human potential."
Mara's stomach twisted in horror. "You turned him into a monster."
"He's not a monster, Mara. He's a prototype. A glimpse of the future."
Mara's fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms, drawing blood. "I'm going to kill you."
The woman's laughter echoed in the small room, a chilling sound that grated on Mara's nerves. "I doubt that. You're in no position to make threats."
She gestured to one of the guards, who stepped forward with a syringe in hand. "We'll begin the next phase of testing soon. But first, I think it's time you got some rest."
Mara struggled against her restraints, her body thrashing in vain as the guard approached. "No! Don't touch me—don't you dare!"
But it was too late. The needle pierced her skin, and a cold wave of numbness began to spread through her veins. Her vision blurred, and her limbs grew heavy, her strength fading with every passing second.
The last thing she saw before the darkness closed in was Elias—her brother, her reason for fighting—strapped to that chair, a lifeless shell of the man he once was.
And then, everything went black.