Oblivion - Kingdom Come

Chapter 3: Beginning of a Revolution

The following morning, the melancholy ambiance of Containment Room 307 was disrupted as guards escorted Sinn into the room. With mechanical precision, they removed her restraints and exited, leaving her in the tense atmosphere. Sinn, her presence a silent storm, found solace in a corner chair. Folding her legs beneath her, she closed her eyes and meditated, seeking refuge in the calm within.

Riley, unable to contain her curiosity, broke the silence. "Sinn, what happened to you? Dad problems again? Ethan's missing too, I see." Her voice carried a mix of concern and provocation. Bruce, sensing the need for empathy, interjected. "Lay off, Riley. She's going through stuff. Let her be." Riley's retort was sharp, reflective of her inner turmoil. "Aren't we all? We're all about to go out and kill, right?" Bruce, his frustration evident, confronted Riley's indifference. "You might thrive in chaos, Riley, but not everyone's like you. Let Sinn have her peace."

Dismissive, Riley retreated to her bed, a solitary figure amidst the storm of emotions. Carly, ever the peacemaker, approached Sinn. Her voice was soft, a gentle offer of support. "We're here for you, Sinn, whatever you need." Ahmik, pragmatic to a fault, voiced his concerns about their team dynamics. "How can we work together when we can't even communicate?"

His words ignited Carly's temper. Standing abruptly, she faced him with a fiery glare. "Enough, Ahmik! One more word, and we might need to find your replacement!" Finding amusement in the conflict, Riley laughed from her bed, a sound devoid of joy—Ahmik, undeterred, locked eyes with Carly. "I'm being realistic. How can we win if we can't even talk to each other?"

Bruce, trying to be the voice of reason, reminded them of their limited time. "We have three days to unite, three days to prepare. Negativity won't help us." Carly agreed, her voice firm. "No more negativity. We need to focus." As Sinn leaned her head on Carly's shoulder, a rare moment of vulnerability, she whispered her concerns about Ethan. "Do you think he'll be okay? My father took him..."

Carly reassured her. "Ethan's tough. He'll be fine. Tell me about your history with him." Sinn's confession was a soft murmur of friendship, loss, and complicated emotions. Carly listened, a silent witness to Sinn's hidden depths.

Meanwhile, in Dr. Ryder's medical lab, Ethan lay unconscious on an operating table. Dr. Ryder's voice, laced with mockery, filled the room as he operated on Ethan. "The prodigy, Ethan Stone. You'll thank me one day," he said, laughter echoing ominously.

On Friday afternoon, two days before the tournament, the cafe area buzzed with the participants' limited free time. Carly and Sinn, now in the cafe, discussed Sinn's concerns over Ethan. Her voice is heavy with worry. Sinn speaks of her father's potential cruelty. "I fear what he might do to Ethan... He's all I have left."

Carly, shocked, learned of the actual cause of Sinn's blindness – a failed experiment by her father. "How can a father do that to his daughter?" she gasped. Sinn's explanation was a bitter revelation of a man driven by obsession and a world losing its virtues. Carly assured her, "We'll help you discover your virtue, Sinn. We're in this together." As Carly returned with their food, Bruce entered the movie room, each seeking distraction from the heavy reality that awaited them.

Bruce ambled into the movie room. His mind clouded with skepticism. "Probably some garbage," he muttered to himself, doubting the quality of the entertainment on offer.

His train of thought was abruptly derailed as he encountered Nyunga, a striking presence from the United African Association. Her dark skin glowed under the dim lights, her short hair framing a face of serene beauty.

"You're Bruce from the North American team, correct?" she asked, her smooth African accent wrapping around each word like silk.

Bruce, momentarily taken aback by her elegance, stuttered a response. "Yeah... yeah, I'm Bruce. Nice to meet you." Her smile, warm and inviting, eased his initial shock.