The wind howled outside as the darkened streets blurred past the small car. Elias stared out the window, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and questions. The city seemed so familiar, yet completely alien at the same time. The tall buildings, the flashing neon lights, and the people hustling through the night—it was all so ordinary. But everything felt off. He had no memories of his life before this moment, yet the sense of déjà vu gnawed at him relentlessly. Every turn, every street, felt like a place he should recognize.
Lena's presence in the passenger seat was a constant reminder of how little he understood about what was happening. She was quiet, her hands steady on the wheel, her eyes flicking occasionally to the rearview mirror. She had said the Council was coming for him, but she hadn't explained why. Every time he tried to ask her more about it, she deflected or answered with more cryptic warnings.
"Why are they after me?" he asked again, the question slipping out before he could stop himself.
Lena didn't answer right away, her eyes narrowing slightly as she shifted gears. The car's engine hummed low, its tires gripping the slick road beneath them.
"Because you're a threat," she said finally, her voice calm, almost too calm. "You're not supposed to remember. And if you do… the consequences are far worse than you can imagine."
Elias turned toward her, his brow furrowed in frustration. "What does that even mean? I don't even know who I am, Lena. How can I be a threat?"
She glanced at him quickly, then back to the road. Her lips tightened, and Elias could see her struggling with whether to continue. She didn't want to give him more information. Or maybe she just couldn't.
"You were part of something," she said softly, her voice low, as if she were carefully choosing her words. "Something that, if exposed, could undo everything the Council has built."
Elias's heart skipped a beat. "What could undo everything? What was I a part of?"
She shook her head, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. "You were part of their experiments, Elias. They were shaping you into something. Something they could control."
His stomach churned. He opened his mouth to ask more, but before the words could come, a sudden screeching noise erupted from behind them. The car jolted as something collided with the rear bumper, sending Elias's heart into his throat. He turned around in his seat, his mind racing.
"Shit," Lena muttered under her breath. She slammed her foot on the gas, speeding down the street, but the car behind them wasn't backing off. It was right on their tail, closing in with every turn.
Elias felt the panic rising in his chest. Whoever was after them was relentless.
"Who are they?" Elias demanded, gripping the seat as Lena swerved around a corner.
"They're the Council's agents," she replied tersely. "The ones who hunt down people like you. They don't stop until they're sure you're gone."
The sound of the pursuing car grew louder, the engine roaring in the distance. Elias could almost feel the weight of their pursuit pressing in from every side. It was like a predator closing in on its prey. He gripped the door handle, every nerve in his body screaming for him to do something, anything, to escape.
Lena's eyes flashed to him, then back to the road. "Stay down," she barked, her voice firm.
Before he could react, she veered the car sharply into a narrow alleyway, the tires screeching against the pavement. The walls of the buildings on either side were so close, Elias could feel the heat of them pressing in. He barely had time to register the sudden drop in speed before Lena swung the car hard to the right, pulling into a hidden parking garage. She cut the engine, and everything went deathly silent.
Elias's breath came in ragged bursts, his heart still racing. He leaned back against the seat, trying to steady himself. His hands were shaking, his chest tight with fear.
"What the hell just happened?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
"We lost them," Lena said quietly, her voice not betraying a hint of the fear that had surged through the car moments earlier. "For now. But it's only a matter of time before they realize where we went."
Elias glanced out the window into the dark, empty parking garage. His mind was still reeling from the sudden rush of adrenaline. He couldn't believe this was happening—he couldn't believe how quickly everything had spiraled out of control. Just hours ago, he had been in that sterile hospital room, alone with nothing but questions. Now, he was being hunted by people who seemed to know everything about him—except for him.
He opened his mouth to ask more, but Lena cut him off before he could speak.
"They'll come looking for us. They won't stop," she said, her voice steady but urgent. "And you need to be ready, Elias. The truth of who you are is a dangerous thing. They won't just take your memories again—they'll erase you. Everything. They'll make sure no one even remembers you existed."
The weight of her words hit him like a punch. He stared at her, the realization settling in like a cold stone in his chest. He was just a cog in their machine, an experiment. And if he wasn't careful, he'd be erased, his existence wiped from the face of the earth.
"What am I supposed to do?" Elias asked, the words barely escaping his lips. He felt so small in that moment, trapped in a game where the rules were written by people who could erase him from history.
Lena's eyes softened for a brief moment, but her voice remained steady. "We fight. You can't remember everything, Elias. Not yet. But the pieces are there. And I'm going to help you put them together. But first, we need to disappear. We need to lay low, find a safe place. The Council's reach is everywhere. And I can't protect you forever."
Elias sat back in his seat, the weight of her words settling in his chest. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't know who he was anymore. All he knew was that there was a group out there—an ancient, powerful group—who would stop at nothing to destroy him. And the woman sitting across from him might be his only chance to survive.
"How do we fight them?" he asked, his voice steadying as he turned to face her.
Lena didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked out the windshield, her gaze distant. "One step at a time," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But first, we need to stay one step ahead."
Elias nodded slowly. There was no turning back now. He didn't know what was coming next, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to be erased without a fight.