XEN24

My memories flashed like a strobe light.

"Jamal, get out of there now!"

"Eliana, no!"

Jamal. Steven.

"Steven, let me go! Jamal's still in there!"

"Don't worry—Jamal will be okay."

The experiment. The explosion.

"No… Eliana!!"

I didn't know where I was.

"50 volts—clear!"

"Doctor, she's not responding!"

"Increase the voltage—clear!"

"Oxygen levels dropping, Doctor. We're going to lose her!"

"150—clear!"

They did all they could. But the flatline echoed through the ER, cutting through the room like a final verdict.

"Time of death?"

"4:45 PM, sir."

A breathless silence fell over the room. All hope was lost.

Or was it?

The electrocardiogram sparked to life.

Steady beeps pierced the air.

"Doctor!"

"Give me another round—32 CCs, now!"

"Yes, Doctor!"

"She's stable.

But how?"

I somehow regained consciousness—after being dead for twelve seconds.

The surgery lasted two hours. I woke up minutes later, gasping for air, my chest heaving. I bolted upright, screaming Jamal's name. Nurses rushed in, trying to hold me down, but I couldn't get the image out of my head—the look on his face, seconds before the explosion tore everything apart. My anguish knew no bounds.

What am I supposed to do without him?

I was drowning in those thoughts when I felt it—something off. A deep, vibrating tremor ran through the floor beneath me.

A helicopter? Landing on the roof?

Before I could process it, the sharp hum of laser fire cracked through the air.

"Get down now!"

Soldiers stormed the reception, pinning everyone to the ground.

"What the hell?"

Scott burst into my ward, his face twisted in panic.

"Eliana, hide!"

"What's going on, Scott?"

"I don't know, dammit, just hide!"

He didn't wait for me to react. He turned and sprinted back down the hall, heading for Maggie's room.

The soldiers were everywhere. I didn't know what was happening, but something deep inside me screamed that they were here for us.

"Down on the ground—now!!"

"Seize them!"

They had no sympathy. No hesitation. This was a hospital, for crying out loud—at least show some respect.

"They're three. Get the other one."

One soldier barked orders, flashing a photo at the nurses. I couldn't see who was in it, but whoever they were looking for—they weren't walking out of here free.

I crouched behind the bed as the soldiers paraded down the hallway, their boots pounding against the tile. Goosebumps ran up my arms.

This is bad. This is really bad.

Then I heard him.

"I'm the one you're looking for! Don't hurt her!"

Scott's voice.

I rushed to the window, peeking out.

A soldier grabbed Maggie's wrist, another moving in on Scott, aggressive.

"On your knees. Now!"

Scott barely had time to comply before the soldier slammed his laser rifle across his face. Blood spattered the floor.

"There's one more."

They spread out, shoving patients aside as they searched for me. The helpless cries of the patients made my blood boil.

I couldn't hide anymore.

I stepped out into the hallway, hands raised.

"It's me you want! Leave them alone!"

Scott's head snapped up, blood dripping from his nose.

"Eliana, what are you doing? I told you to hide!"

The soldier cracked him across the face again, cutting him off.

"Is she the one?"

"Yes, Commander. Eliana Halladay—she's the one."

"Round them up."

Handcuffed like criminals, we were dragged to the helipad, the roar of chopper blades above us drowning out the sound of our pounding hearts.

We landed at some kind of facility, our heads covered. The moment the chopper touched down, I heard Maggie screaming as they dragged her off, her cries fading into the distance.

Scott wasn't going down without a fight. I heard him struggling, cursing, his voice sharp with defiance—right before a sickening thud silenced him.

Then it was my turn.

I was yanked to my feet, my arms aching from the tight cuffs as they separated me from the others.

Jamal—blown to bits.

Scott and Maggie—hauled off like criminals, destination unknown.

Steven and Michelle—nowhere to be found.

And me?

Well… I was probably on my way to hell.

Sharp bells rang out as I was dragged down a cold, sterile hallway. The sound bounced off the walls, adding to the eerie, mechanical hum that filled the air.

I barely had time to process my surroundings before they shoved me forward—hard.

I hit the floor, light stabbing through my vision as I struggled to regain my senses. The place they threw me in wasn't a regular cell. It was too clean, too clinical.

A testing center.

My stomach twisted into knots.

Whatever was coming next… it wasn't going to be good.