Inside the makeshift hideout in Sector E, 00351, 00359, and 00009 huddled around a tattered map spread over an old crate. The hideout had been their sanctuary for several days now, shielded by Sector E's restricted status. Most personnel avoided the area unless they were high-ranking, making it the perfect spot to lay low and gather intel.
"We've gotten this far," 00359 said, his voice calm but firm. "But if we want any chance of getting out of here for good, we're going to need more people."
00351 frowned. "We barely managed to get 00009. Why risk adding more? That's just more variables to control."
00009 leaned back, his icy demeanor evident. "Because it's the smart move. The facility won't stop hunting us. Reinforcements mean more chances of survival."
00351 crossed his arms, clearly unhappy but not disagreeing. "Fine. Who are we talking about?"
00359 traced his finger across the map to mark their targets. "Two individuals: 00006 and 00097. Both ranked high enough to handle what we're up against, and their abilities complement ours perfectly."
"What are their abilities?" 00009 asked.
"00006 is... precise," 00359 began. "His ability is explosive manipulation. But it's not just mindless destruction. His power requires two conditions to activate: line of sight and snapping his right hand. It makes his explosions scarily controlled, and his calm demeanor ensures he doesn't waste energy. He's the type to think ten steps ahead before making a move."
"And the other one?" 00351 asked.
"00097," 00359 said with a slight smirk. "He can cloak himself completely, turning invisible. His power is incredible for stealth and reconnaissance... but there's one problem."
"What?" 00351 asked.
"He's a coward," 00359 admitted bluntly.
00009 scoffed. "A coward?"
"Yes," 00359 said. "But his fear keeps him alive. He's resourceful and knows how to stay out of sight. He's exactly what we need for sneaking past the tighter security areas."
00009 shrugged. "We'll take what we can get. Let's move."
Recruiting 00006
Reaching 00006 was a calculated risk. He was confined to a heavily monitored solitary wing, and their movements needed to be precise. As they approached, 00359 used his tech telekinesis to disable the cameras and scramble the guards' communications.
When they entered the cell, they found 00006 seated on the floor, his back against the wall. His calm eyes met theirs without a hint of surprise.
"Took you long enough," he said, standing and brushing himself off.
"You expected us?" 00351 asked.
00006 shrugged. "Not you specifically. But I knew someone would come eventually. You don't survive here without paying attention to the shifts in power."
"We need your help," 00359 said directly.
"And in return?"
"Freedom," 00351 said. "And the chance to destroy the people who locked us up."
00006 studied them, his gaze flicking briefly to 00009. "Fine. Let's go."
Recruiting 00097
Finding 00097 was significantly harder. True to his reputation, he had hidden himself in an underground maintenance tunnel, far from any prying eyes. When they approached, he activated his cloaking ability, but 00359 short-circuited the lights in the tunnel, forcing him to reveal himself.
"Don't come any closer!" 00097 stammered, his back pressed against the wall.
"We're not here to hurt you," 00351 said calmly.
"You shouldn't be here!" 00097 hissed. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?"
"We know," 00359 said, stepping closer. "And that's why we need you. With your ability to cloak and infiltrate, you could make all the difference."
"No," 00097 said, shaking his head. "I can't. It's too risky. If they catch us—"
"They won't," 00351 interrupted. "Not if we work together. We've already made it this far. Do you really want to keep hiding, waiting for the day they finally find you?"
00097 hesitated, fear etched on his face. Finally, he sighed. "Alright. But if this goes wrong—"
"You're out," 00359 finished for him. "We get it. Let's go."
Back at the hideout, the group gathered around the map again, now five strong. 00359 laid out the next steps, his voice steady.
"With this team, we can move quickly and effectively," he said. "00006, you're our firepower. 00097, you'll handle infiltration. 00009, your ability is our last resort. 00351 and I will handle transportation and tech."
00351 nodded. "Let's make this count. No mistakes this time."
With their plan in place, the group steeled themselves for the final phase of their escape.
Meanwhile with the Dictator.
The Dictator stood in the center of the war room, his gloved hands gripping the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The scattered reports of the recent escapes lay in front of him, a testament to his security's incompetence. His face twisted with cold fury as he addressed the gathered guards and administrators.
"Do you think this is a game?" His voice was low but carried the weight of suppressed rage, silencing the room. "Because these children seem to think they can outwit us at every turn. And worse, you've done nothing but prove them right."
He straightened, his piercing gaze sweeping over the room. "From now on, no one answers any communications unless the message contains the word banana. That's right—banana. If it doesn't? You ignore it, no matter what it says. I won't have that tech-savvy little brat meddling in our systems again."
The Dictator's lips curled into a sneer. "And for those of you wondering, no—I didn't log this protocol anywhere. Not on paper, not on terminals, not in any system that he could worm his way into. This stays between us. If I find out any of you failed to follow this directive or let them slip through our grasp again..." He leaned forward, his voice dropping into a deadly whisper.
"You'll wish you were locked in solitary instead of facing me."
The room remained silent, every guard standing at stiff attention as the weight of his words settled over them. The Dictator waved them off with a sharp gesture.
"Now go. Fix this mess before they make fools of us again."
Done with his rant he thought 'We can not let Little Dreamer go.'
Cutting Back To The Main Group
The low hum of the hideout's outdated tech filled the room as 00359 sat hunched over a battered terminal. His fingers worked furiously, weaving his spiders—small, intricate devices that infiltrated the facility's system—deeper into the network. It had been weeks of careful planning, planting them quietly and unnoticed. Now, the system was starting to glitch, small disruptions that would eventually cascade into something bigger.
The others were nearby, either studying their surroundings or keeping watch. 00351 leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a storm of thoughts hidden behind his unreadable expression. 00009 sat on the floor, his icy, controlled presence a stark contrast to the tension in the room. 00006 and 00097, the newest additions to their group, were adjusting to their new hideout, trying to blend in while maintaining their wariness.
"Almost there…" 00359 muttered under his breath, eyes glued to the terminal as he worked.
He had gained access to a hidden sector of the facility's database—a deep, well-secured part of the system that held the profiles of all the children part of Project Dominion. It wasn't just any data; this was the truth.
"I'm in," 00359 said, his voice laced with determination. "Time to find out what's really going on."
The others gathered around the screen, their eyes glued to the information that would change everything. 00359 brought up the first profile. It wasn't his own—he already knew his number—but the truth was finally within reach.
SUBJECT: 00359True Name: [Access Denied]
Ability: Telekinesis with heightened cognitive capacity
Assigned Title: The One Who Sees
Parent(s): Dr. Maria Calder, Senior Researcher – Project Dominion
00359 clenched his fists as the file opened. He didn't have his true name—just like the others. But the discovery of his parent's involvement shook him. Maria Calder. His mind raced with memories that he immediately shoved aside. There wasn't time to get lost in those thoughts.
He scrolled to the next file.
SUBJECT: 00351True Name: [Access Denied]
Ability: Spatial Manipulation (Teleportation)
Assigned Title: Little Dreamer
Parent(s): Dr. Callum Matrix, Lead Geneticist – Project Dominion
00351 didn't react, but something in his posture stiffened as the screen flashed with the title, Little Dreamer. He didn't know what to make of it, but he felt a strange sense of ownership over it. Still, the fact that his true name and secondary ability were hidden made his skin crawl.
00359's fingers trembled slightly as he moved to the next profile.
SUBJECT: 00009True Name: [Access Denied]
Ability: Cryokinesis
Assigned Title: The Frozen Deity
Parent(s): Dr. Eleanor Frost, Tactical Coordinator – Project Dominion
00009's eyes hardened at the title Frozen Deity. He hadn't expected anything different, but it still hit like a cold slap to the face. They had known all along. His true name was hidden, just like everyone else's.
00359 moved to the next profiles, determined to uncover the rest.
SUBJECT: 00006True Name: [Access Denied]
Ability: Explosive Manipulation
Activation Conditions: Line of Sight and Snapping of the Right Hand
Assigned Title: The Calm Bomb
Parent(s): Dr. Ivan Thorne, Weapons Development Specialist – Project Dominion
00006 didn't react outwardly, but the title The Calm Bomb struck a nerve. His ability to manipulate explosives was dangerous, but to be named this way? It felt like a mockery. He hated being reduced to a weapon.
SUBJECT: 00097True Name: [Access Denied]
Ability: Cloaking
Assigned Title: The Phantom Coward
Parent(s): Dr. Sandra Finch, Behavioral Analyst – Project Dominion
00097's face flushed slightly as his file appeared, his eyes lingering on the title, The Phantom Coward. He hated it. He wasn't a coward, but he was often afraid of the unknown, and being forced into this experiment had only heightened those fears.
00359 scanned the rest of the data, his stomach tightening as he went. one of them had a single note attached: Marked for Disposal.
A cold chill ran through him.He was marked for termination. It wasn't a matter of if, but when.
"We need a plan," 00359 said, his voice firm as he turned away from the screen. "But we don't have much time."
00009 clenched his fists, his usual icy demeanor replaced with a new intensity. "Let's get out of here, then."
00351 nodded, his thoughts already turning to the next step. "If we're going to get out, we'll need to be smarter than they think. But this isn't just about survival anymore. It's about destroying their entire system."
00006's voice came in low, but firm. "I agree. If they've been tracking us like this, we can't afford to wait any longer. We need to strike fast."
00097 shifted uncomfortably but finally spoke, his voice weak but growing with resolve. "We do this together. I'm in."
The room fell silent, and they all turned to look at the flickering terminal screen, filled with names, profiles, and locked-away truths.
They didn't know each other's true names. But that didn't matter anymore. They were more than numbers. They would escape. Together.