"How do you feel?" asked Ariadna as she adjusted a small tray of medical instruments on the table. Her tone was soft, but there was a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Niel was sitting on the edge of his bed, his hands resting on his knees. He looked up at her, his silver eyes fixed on hers for a moment before he averted his gaze.
"Fine," he responded automatically, as he always did when someone asked him something personal.
Ariadna smiled slightly. She had always been kind to him since he arrived at the facility, even when others treated him like just another experiment. To her, Niel wasn't just another Resonant; he was a boy trapped in a place where everything was designed to change him.
"I'm not just talking about the physical training," she said, crossing her arms. "You'll soon be officially named an agent. What do you think about that?"
Niel frowned slightly, as if considering the question for the first time.
"It's what I've been waiting for," he finally replied, his voice flat but firm. "Everything I've done here has been for one thing: to kill those creatures."
Ariadna nodded slowly, observing him carefully. In her mind, she thought: "He still feels hatred. That hatred is what keeps him connected to himself. Don't let them take it away from him."
"I understand your hatred," she said softly. "I understand it more than you might imagine. But not all agents have that goal, Niel. Some aren't even close to facing the creatures."
Niel looked at her curiously, tilting his head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Ariadna moved closer, lowering her voice as if she feared someone else might overhear.
"Not all agents are Resonants like you. Some are ordinary people, trained to fulfill other roles. Spies, infiltrators… people who work in different countries, gathering information about the fog and the experiments governments have conducted in secret. They know about the fog, of course, but they don't know the truth about the creatures."
Niel processed the information in silence. He hadn't thought about that before. He had always assumed everyone in Umbra Division shared the same purpose as him.
"But I…" he began, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm different. My training… everything I've been through… it's to destroy them. That's all that matters."
Ariadna looked at him intently, her dark eyes filled with a mixture of compassion and admiration.
"Yes, you're different," she said, her tone firmer now. "You're one of the few who truly understands what's at stake. And that's what makes you so valuable to them."
There was a brief silence between them. Niel lowered his gaze, his fists clenching slightly.
"The hatred is still there," he murmured after a moment. "Even though everything else has changed… I still feel hatred for those things. For what they did."
Ariadna nodded, as if she had expected that response. In her mind, she thought: "That hatred is what keeps him anchored to his humanity. Don't let them take it away from him."
"I'm glad to hear that," she finally said with a small smile. "Don't let anyone take away what defines you, Niel. Not even them."
Before he could respond, Ariadna began gathering her instruments, avoiding looking directly at him.
"I need to go," she said simply, leaving the room without looking back.
When Ariadna left, Niel lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Her words echoed in his mind.
"The hatred is still there…"
He closed his eyes, trying to block everything out: the memories, the voices, the emotions. But he couldn't. Despite all the training, despite everything they had done to change him, something inside him remained. Something they couldn't control.
"Don't trust them," whispered the voice in his head again, like a distant echo.
He opened his eyes abruptly, annoyed by the interruption. But then something strange happened.
His eyes, usually a cold silver tone, emitted a faint blue glow for a few seconds before returning to normal. He blinked several times, confused.
"What was that?" he thought, bringing a hand to his face.
He quickly got up, searching for his reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall. His eyes were still the same.
He sat back down on the bed, trying to calm himself. He remembered Ariadna's words: "Don't let anyone take away what defines you."
The voice in his head spoke again, insistent: "Don't trust them."
Niel closed his eyes again, breathing deeply.
"Let them do whatever they want," he finally thought, with a coldness that surprised even himself. "I don't care what they say. I don't care what they think. Only what I decide to do matters."
------------------
Ethan was sitting at a table in the back of a modest café, surrounded by the murmur of conversations and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. He had chosen this place strategically: it provided access to a public Wi-Fi network that he used as an entry point to hide his real location. He couldn't afford to work from his apartment; any mistake could expose him. In front of him, his laptop displayed multiple open windows: encrypted files, satellite maps, and video fragments related to Silver Ridge. Thanks to PhantomNet , he had managed to infiltrate the servers of the National Security Office (NSO) and download classified documents mentioning experiments conducted in secret laboratories. One of those files contained images of soldiers transporting grotesque creatures killed after the Silver Ridge incident. But something else caught his attention: in one of the photos, it seemed they were carrying a ten-year-old boy, alive but weak. The soldiers were guarding him as if he were extremely valuable.
As he worked, his phone vibrated on the table. It was an encrypted message from PhantomNet , a group of hackers known for leaking information about secret corporations and corrupt governments. Ethan had been in contact with them for months, though he suspected that the person guiding him under the alias Specter might have another hidden identity.
PhantomNet - Specter: "Suspicious activity detected. A classified file was sent from your location. Who did you send it to?"
Ethan frowned. He knew exactly what they were referring to: he had sent an encrypted video to Rachel Bennett, the reporter investigating Silver Ridge. He didn't know her personally, but something about her investigation made him think she could be useful. Maybe even part of his team. However, he didn't fully trust her.
Ethan: "I sent it to someone who seems trustworthy. I need answers, and she has connections."
The response from Specter arrived almost instantly:
PhantomNet - Specter: "This is serious. The NSO traced the transmission. They already know who received it. They've issued an order to capture both you and Rachel. Get out of there. Now."
Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly closed his laptop and packed it into his backpack. He looked around, searching for any signs of suspicious movement. The café seemed calm, but he knew that could change at any moment.
Before moving, Ethan took his phone and typed a quick message to his girlfriend, Claire. He needed to cover his tracks.
Ethan (message): "Claire, my grandparents are unwell in my hometown. I'm visiting them unexpectedly. I don't know how long I'll be gone. I love you."
He knew Claire would understand. She had always been understanding of his sudden trips, even though he never told her the whole truth. He put his phone away and activated his AirPods.
Ethan: "How do I get out?"
The response from Specter came accompanied by a detailed map of the area.
PhantomNet - Specter: "Activate your AirPods. I'll guide you step by step. Avoid eye contact with anyone. Trust me."
Ethan put on his AirPods and adjusted his jacket. He could hear Specter's calm voice directly in his ear.
Specter (voice): "Exit through the back door. There's an emergency exit right behind the counter. Don't use the main entrance."
Ethan got up from his seat, trying to appear casual. He walked toward the back of the café, avoiding looking at the other customers. When he reached the counter, the barista looked at him curiously.
"Everything okay?" asked the barista.
"Yes, thanks," Ethan replied with a forced smile before opening the back door.
Once outside, the cold air hit him. He was in a narrow alley, illuminated only by flickering fluorescent lights.
Specter (voice): "Turn left. There's an alley that leads to a side street. Stay in the shadows."
Ethan followed the instructions, walking quickly but not running. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He knew he didn't have much time.
When he reached the side street, he saw a black car parked at the end of the block. Two men dressed in black got out of the vehicle, looking in his direction.
Specter (voice): "Stop. Slowly retreat. There's a subway entrance to your right. Go down the stairs. A train is approaching."
Ethan obeyed, retreating until he found the subway entrance. The stairs descended to an almost deserted platform, lit by yellowish lights. He could hear the distant sound of a train approaching.
Specter (voice): "Take the train heading south. It will get you out of their surveillance network. Don't stop under any circumstances."
The train arrived with a metallic screech. Ethan quickly boarded, making sure no one followed him. As the doors closed, he saw the two men appear at the top of the stairs, looking toward the train.
Specter (voice): "Well done. You're out of their reach for now. But this isn't over. Find Rachel."
Ethan sat in an empty seat, trying to steady his breathing. He knew this was only the beginning. The NSO wasn't going to stop. But neither was he.
As the train moved forward, Ethan opened his backpack and reviewed the files he had downloaded. Among them, he found something he hadn't noticed before: an encrypted code at the end of the document. It seemed to be some kind of coordinate.
Specter (voice): "What do you see?"
Ethan responded in a low voice: "A code. I think it might lead us to something important."
Specter (voice): "Send it to me. We'll decrypt it. But remember: trust no one."
Ethan hesitated for a moment but eventually sent the code through a secure channel. He knew he couldn't do this alone. He needed allies, even if he didn't know who they really were.