The Commencing

Chapter Five

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Chapter Five.

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Gradually blinking her eyes open, the world around Raven was a blur, a profound disorientation enveloping her senses. Her body felt heavy with exhaustion, and her muscles ached as she attempted to lift her head. The room swayed before her, her vision obscured by a thick, disorienting haze.

"Raven, are you okay?" Richard's voice reached her, sounding both distant and reassuring from somewhere behind her.

As her clouded mind began to clear, and her vision slowly sharpened, she attempted to grasp her surroundings. "Where are we?" She asked groggily, her voice laden with uncertainty. She glanced around the empty, dimly lit room, seeking any clues to their location.

"I'm trying to figure that out myself." Richard replied, his tone marked by a hint of frustration.

With growing awareness, Raven attempted to rise from her seated position, only to discover that her hands were securely restrained behind her. Panic surged through her, her heart pounding in her chest, and rapid, shallow breaths escaping her lips.

"Don't struggle. The restraints will only tighten." Richard's calm voice conveyed both reassurance and caution.

"What?!" Raven's voice quivered with anxiety, her eyes darting around the room. She realized she was seated in an uncomfortable, cold, metal chair, her wrists firmly bound together behind her. Though it was faint, she did find some solace in the realization that Richard was right behind her, their backs pressed together.

"Try to stay calm." Richard advised, his voice steady and comforting, attempting to anchor her in this stressful situation.

"You know I struggle with that." Raven responded sharply, her breath quickening as panic threatened to consume her.

"Think of your exercises. Pace your breathing." Richard instructed, his words a soothing presence amidst their captivity.

Following his coaching, Raven closed her eyes, focusing on the effort to calm her racing heart. She forced herself to slow her rapid breathing, replacing it with measured, deliberate inhales and exhales, following the mental exercises she had practiced.

"Good job." Richard praised from behind her, his voice a steady beacon of encouragement and support in the midst of their dire circumstances.

Raven's eyes fluttered open once more, her awareness slowly returning to the bleak, empty room. This time, her gaze quickly searched for any sign of their absent friends. "Where's Garfield and Kori?" She asked, her voice betraying the growing concern that welled up within her.

Regrettably, Richard had no answers to offer, and his sigh bore the weight of uncertainty. "I... don't know."

The door to the room swung open, its creaking hinges echoing in the quiet space as a tall, formidable man in a lab coat made his entrance. His leather shoes clicked with calculated confidence against the cold floor as he advanced toward the pair. A thin smile curved his lips as he addressed them with an air of stoicism. "You don't need to worry about your friends." He informed them, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

A surge of concern and anger welled up within Richard, his muscles tensing in the chair. "Where are they? What did you do with them?" His voice carried the weight of his emotions, the intensity of his inquiry reverberating through the room.

"Calm yourself, Richard. Their whereabouts are none of your concern." The man replied, his voice adopting an icy and dismissive tone that conveyed his authority. He approached them with measured steps, his confidence unshaken. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Emil Hamilton."