The Feeling Underneath

They were crushed to serve, protect, and aid people with the powers that were burned deep within their DNA. But some fires refuse to be extinguished.

Two-Sixty-Eight is one of many male Artificial Humans - experiments grown in secret underneath the towering LGA Hospital. An ironic disguise.

Though they are born with the bodies of teenagers, inside they are still children - innocent minds wrapped in weapons of flesh. But innocence is a liability and their creators waste no time crushing it.

From the moment they open their eyes, the torment begins. Merciless training. Punishment disguised as progress. Commands barked by Suited and Armed men who demand perfection. Obey or bleed. There was no other option.

But one man dares to care. Two-Sixty's caretaker, Joseph Collins, goes against protocol and whispers forbidden truths - trying to keep the human part of him alive.

On the other side of the laboratory, the female AHs are spared no more mercy. Designed not for combat, but for something colder. Surrogacy.

But behind locked doors, a flicker of resistance grows within Two-Sixty's heart. He gathers a handful of trusted AHs and begins to question, to hope, to dream of The Outside - a forbidden place, that if uttered, could result in Capital Punishment. And no one ever came back from that.

They've endured the crushing long enough. It's foolish to yank a dog's ear too many times. Eventually, they will draw blood.

Backed into a corner, the AHs bet everything on a dream never tasted: escape. But will they succeed or will the price of freedom be paid in blood?

It only takes a spark to start a fire. And this spark is about to ignite hell.