The hospital was small, almost forgotten, tucked away in the corner of a city no one talked about. Its walls were the color of old parchment, peeling in places, the air thick with antiseptic and something Elias couldn't quite place—stagnation.
This was where they sent the unwanted.
The moment Elias stepped in, he knew.
This wasn't just about shoving him out of sight.
It was a test.
They wanted to see if he would break.
If he would actually sit here and waste away on research so obscure that no one cared about it.
Perfect.
That was exactly what he needed them to believe.
His 'New' Role
Elias had officially been assigned to research the chemical composition of a rare blood disorder. On paper, it looked important—something about "understanding long-term metabolic degradation." In reality, it was a project so niche that even if he discovered something groundbreaking, no one would notice for decades.
Which was perfect.
No one would be watching him too closely.
No one would expect him to do anything significant.
And no one would suspect what he was actually planning.
The head of research, Dr. Victor Almeida, was an aging scientist who had long given up on the idea of making breakthroughs. His presence at the hospital felt more like that of a caretaker than a researcher. He greeted Elias with polite indifference, barely looking up from his paperwork.
"Dr. Voss. Welcome." His voice was dry. "We don't usually get people from your background here."
Your background.
They had made sure Elias knew what this was—a punishment disguised as a favor.
Elias smiled, playing the role of the humbled academic. "I'm just here to work, Doctor. No expectations."
Victor gave a small nod, scribbling something on his notes. "Good. Keep it that way."
Meeting His Colleagues
There were only three other researchers in his department.
Dr. Anya Patel – A sharp-eyed, no-nonsense microbiologist who never made small talk. She had been here for five years, yet no one really knew why. Omar Reyes – A genius trapped in obscurity, a biochemist whose work should have placed him in elite labs. Instead, he was here, wasting away in irrelevance. Elliot Greaves – A fresh-faced intern who still had the naïve hope that science mattered.
Elias met them all at once, during his first group meeting.
The First Meeting
The conference room was barebones. Just a table, a whiteboard, and a flickering overhead light that buzzed faintly.
Victor stood at the head, flipping through files as he spoke. "We have no pressing deadlines. Just continue your work and submit progress reports as usual."
There was a long silence.
Then Omar spoke up. "I assume Dr. Voss will need some time to adjust." His tone was polite, but Elias caught the undertone.
He thinks I'm here as a punishment.
He isn't wrong.
Elias gave a small smile. "I'll catch up quickly. I don't intend to be a burden."
Anya, who had been tapping a pen against her chair, finally spoke. "What did you do?"
Everyone turned.
Elias raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
She leaned back, arms crossed. "No one gets sent here unless they've pissed off the wrong people. What did you do?"
A test.
Elias kept his face neutral. "I asked too many questions. Simple as that."
Anya stared at him for a few more seconds, then nodded. "Smart answer."
That was the moment he knew.
She didn't believe him.
She wasn't going to trust him easily.
Good.
That meant she wouldn't try to befriend him, and Elias needed distance.
Omar simply shrugged. "Welcome to irrelevance, Dr. Voss."
And with that, the meeting ended.
The Game Begins
For the next few weeks, Elias fell into a strict routine.
6:00 AM – Arrive at the hospital.
6:30 AM – Review research data.
9:00 AM – Attend pointless meetings.
12:00 PM – Work in the lab (under light supervision).
6:00 PM – Submit reports, leave for the day.
On the surface, he looked like he had accepted his fate.
But beneath that, he was carefully laying the groundwork.
Every conversation was measured.
Every action was intentional.
He needed just enough mistakes in his research to seem out of focus but not incompetent.
He needed them to think he was lost in routine, slowly giving up like the rest of them.
But Anya watched him closely.
And Elias knew she wasn't convinced.
That was fine.
He didn't need to fool her forever.
Just long enough.
Long enough for the real work to begin.
The Shadow in the Office
Miles away, in a very different office, a man laughed.
He sat behind a desk that wasn't his, fingers drumming against polished wood.
Across from him, the Dean of the university knelt, his head bowed like a servant before a king.
The man leaned forward, smirking. "So, Elias Voss thinks he's safe?"
The Dean nodded without lifting his head. "He thinks he's hidden."
The man's grin widened.
"Good."
Then he picked up his phone, dialing a number.
A low voice answered on the other end.
"I want you to keep an eye on Bernard," the man said, still smirking. "One of his friends talks too much."
There was a pause.
Then the voice on the phone replied, "Understood."
The line went dead.
The man leaned back, still smirking.
The game was already rigged.
And Elias?
Elias had no idea.
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