The van hurtled through the darkness, its engine rumbling like a beast on the prowl. Evelyn's wrists throbbed from the tight restraints, her breathing shallow as she fought back the panic rising in her chest. Bound, gagged, and powerless, she could only feel the vibrations of the road beneath her as the van sped toward an uncertain fate.
Maya sat beside her, her face pale but defiant, her eyes burning with a fire that refused to be extinguished. On the opposite side, Marcos was trembling, his eyes wide with fear, barely holding himself together. None of them could speak, but the question on their minds was clear: where were they being taken?
As the van swerved around a bend, Evelyn caught another glimpse of the facility through the small rear window. It loomed in the distance like a dark specter, still intact despite the destruction they had caused. The sight made her stomach churn—how could it still be standing? What had they truly unleashed?
The van jerked to a stop, its brakes screeching as it came to a halt in front of a heavily secured building. The doors were thrown open, and harsh, bright lights flooded the interior, blinding Evelyn for a moment. Strong hands grabbed her, dragging her out of the van and onto the cold, concrete ground.
She struggled against her captors, her heart pounding with fear and frustration, but their grip was ironclad. They marched her, along with Maya and Marcos, toward the building. The air was thick with tension, and the low hum of machinery echoed around them—familiar, like the energy pulses they had encountered deep within the facility.
The masked figures led them through a series of security doors, each one heavier than the last. Finally, they were shoved into a dimly lit room, the door slamming shut behind them with a metallic clang. Evelyn blinked in the harsh light, her eyes adjusting to her new surroundings. The room was cold and sterile, with bare walls and a single metal table in the center. A sense of dread washed over her.
The restraints on their wrists were removed, and the gags were pulled from their mouths. Evelyn gasped for air, rubbing her sore wrists as she glanced at Maya and Marcos. Both of them looked equally shaken but alive. That, at least, was something.
Before any of them could speak, the door opened again, and a tall figure stepped inside. He was dressed in a sharp, dark suit, his expression unreadable, but his presence radiated authority. Behind him, two more guards stood at attention, their faces hidden behind dark visors.
The man in the suit stepped forward, his cold eyes scanning the three of them before settling on Evelyn. He smiled, though it was more a predator's grin than a gesture of warmth.
"Welcome," he said smoothly, his voice soft but menacing. "I believe we have much to discuss."
Evelyn clenched her fists, her heart racing with both fear and anger. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"
The man tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. "You've caused quite a stir, haven't you? Digging into things you shouldn't have. And now, it seems, you've learned too much."
Maya stepped forward, her eyes blazing. "We know what you were doing at that facility. The experiments, the energy breaches—everything. You can't hide it forever."
The man's smile widened, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, yes. The facility. It's impressive, really, how far you've managed to come. But you must understand, you're dealing with forces far beyond your comprehension. What you saw... it's only the beginning."
Evelyn's stomach turned. "The beginning of what?"
The man clasped his hands behind his back, his posture calm and composed. "You see, the experiments we were conducting were not just about tapping into other dimensions. They were about controlling them. Harnessing the energy that exists beyond our reality. What you encountered was merely an accident—a breach we didn't anticipate."
"Accident?" Evelyn spat, her anger boiling over. "People died because of your 'accident.' Those creatures... they're not natural."
"No," the man agreed, his tone matter-of-fact. "They are not natural. But they are necessary. Every advancement comes with sacrifice. And now that you've seen what's possible, you must understand that this knowledge cannot be allowed to spread."
Marcos, his voice barely above a whisper, asked, "What are you going to do with us?"
The man regarded him with a cool, almost bored expression. "You've made quite a mess, exposing things that were meant to remain hidden. Unfortunately, that leaves us with only a few options. You could cooperate, of course. Help us contain this situation. Or..."
He left the alternative unspoken, but the threat hung heavy in the air.
Maya stepped forward, her voice defiant. "We'll never help you."
The man sighed, as if disappointed. "That's unfortunate. But I expected as much."
He turned toward the guards behind him and nodded. One of them stepped forward, holding a syringe filled with a faintly glowing liquid. Evelyn's heart leapt into her throat. She recognized the glow—whatever was in that syringe was tied to the same energy they had encountered in the facility.
"What are you doing?" Evelyn demanded, panic creeping into her voice.
The man's smile returned, colder than before. "You see, we've learned quite a bit from our little accident. And now, we have the opportunity to conduct some very... interesting experiments. Consider yourselves part of the next phase."
The guard approached, syringe in hand. Evelyn's mind raced—she couldn't let this happen. They had fought too hard, come too far to be reduced to test subjects in whatever twisted experiment this man was running.
Without thinking, she lunged forward, slamming her shoulder into the guard with all her strength. The syringe clattered to the floor, and chaos erupted in the room. Maya and Marcos sprang into action, tackling the other guard while Evelyn grappled with the man in the suit.
For a moment, it seemed like they had the upper hand. But then, with terrifying speed, the guards overpowered them. One of the guards struck Marcos across the face, sending him crashing to the floor, while the other restrained Maya, twisting her arms behind her back.
Evelyn struggled against the man in the suit, her body trembling with adrenaline, but he was stronger than he looked. He twisted her arm, forcing her to the ground, his cold smile never wavering.
"Enough," he said, his voice sharp. "You've made your choice."
The guard retrieved the syringe from the floor, stepping toward Evelyn with cold precision.
Her heart raced, fear flooding her body as the needle approached her skin. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the sharp sting of the injection.
But before the guard could administer the syringe, a loud crash echoed from outside the room.
The door burst open, and a figure stepped inside, shrouded in darkness.
Everything stopped.
The guards froze, and the man in the suit straightened, his eyes widening in surprise.
Evelyn blinked through the haze of fear, her vision clearing just enough to see the figure standing in the doorway.
It wasn't one of the creatures.
It was someone else.
And they weren't alone.
YOU ARE READING
Infected Realms
Science Fiction**Infected Realms** *The end of the world isn't always what it seems.* A routine sleep study turns into something far more sinister when a group of participants begin experiencing unexplainable phenomena. What starts as an ordinary experiment soon...
