Run With The Devil

Tension Rising

Deons pov

Lyra collapsed into the chair, her breathing uneven, and I could see the fear still lingering in her eyes. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what had just happened. A second version of her-a duplicate, an exact copy, but not quite her. It had taken everything I had to stay calm, to keep myself from reacting with force. But now, I knew something had to be done.

I crouched beside her, keeping my voice low and steady. "Lyra, are you okay?" I asked, watching her carefully. She nodded, though her expression said otherwise. I wasn't convinced, but I didn't press her. Not yet.

She didn't need more pressure right now. She needed time. But time was something we were running out of.

I rose to my feet, glancing around the room. Vincent and Angelo sat in shocked silence, clearly unsure of what they had just witnessed. Harper looked pale, concern etched into her features. The rest of the staff had scattered, no doubt shaken by the scene that had unfolded.

I couldn't blame them. I was shaken, too. But I didn't have the luxury of showing it.

"Everyone out," I said, my voice sharp. "We need a moment."

Harper hesitated, looking at Lyra with worry, but when I caught her eye, she nodded and left the room along with the others. Angelo gave me a knowing look before following the rest. Once the room was clear, I turned back to Lyra.

"We need to talk about what just happened," I said, keeping my voice calm but firm. "This isn't something we can ignore anymore."

Lyra's eyes flicked to mine, her expression uncertain. "I don't understand it myself," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "She just... comes out when I lose control."

I knelt in front of her, trying to meet her gaze. "We'll figure it out," I said, and I meant it. "But we need to understand what's happening, before someone else gets hurt."

Before you get hurt, I thought. But I didn't say it.

She didn't reply, and I could see she was exhausted, both mentally and physically. I couldn't push her any further right now. We were both treading dangerous ground.

Just as I was about to speak again, Vincent barged into the room, looking tense. I glanced up, frowning. "What is it?"

He stepped closer, lowering his voice as he spoke. "I've been doing some digging into Lyra's past," he said, cutting right to the chase. "And there's something you need to know."

I stood, my eyes narrowing. "Go on."

"There's a scientist," Vincent began, his tone grim. "One of the key figures involved in Lyra's experimentation. He was obsessed with her-manipulating her into thinking he was a father figure. She even called him 'papa,' or dad."

Lyra visibly flinched at the mention of it, and I felt a surge of anger rise inside me. "This man," Vincent continued, "was one of the lead scientists who studied her abilities. He was the one who pushed the limits on what she could do, and he wasn't just interested in her speed or strength. He wanted more. He had plans for her, Deon."

"What kind of plans?" I asked, my jaw tightening.

Vincent's eyes flicked to Lyra for a moment before returning to me. "Their goal was to push her abilities to new extremes. According to what I found, they were working on a way for her to run at such an exact speed that she could create portals-rips in space itself. The kind of speed that would allow her to phase through walls, through objects, even through people. She could become unstoppable if she hit the right frequency."

I stood frozen for a moment, absorbing what he had just said. Portals. Phasing through people. It sounded like something out of a nightmare. And worse, it wasn't a nightmare she could wake up from.