He could almost feel the texture of the sand beneath his bare feet, the slow touch of liquid wetting his toes, and the wind caressing his skin. The peace he once felt, the sense of freedom, was no longer there; now, only the darkness allowed these brief escapes from reality.
“Why...?” His fingers intertwined as he tried, unsuccessfully, to recall an image from his memory. Only vaguely recognizable sensations surfaced, yet nothing significant.
“Why can’t I remember anything besides that prison...?” His thoughts were interrupted by the sway of the vehicle as it rounded a corner, pulling him back to reality.
The dimly lit interior of the vehicle had reinforced walls and only a central light that partially illuminated two men sitting on either side, watching him at all times.
They were dressed in ballistic leather outfits that didn’t even allow a glimpse of their skin, balaclavas completely covering their faces, and they were armed with assault rifles. On their shoulders was a badge with a zero and Mandarin characters. The only difference between them was the camouflage: one was white, and the other gold.
His fists clenched as he looked at his arm wrapped in the black hoodie. His dark, glossy skin contrasted with the cuff around his wrist, its LED flashing a constant red.
– What’s going to happen to me? – the young man asked in a deep voice, looking down at the two men.
Both men remained silent, their heads turned toward him.
– Hey!? Why won’t you say anything!? – he raised his voice, frowning. His muscles tensed, showing through his clothing.
He gritted his teeth, as if ready to move forward, but quickly quieted himself, sighing with a defeated expression.
"I can’t… not yet…" he felt the cold of the metal cuff, which sent a sharp sting where his veins pulsed. It wasn’t enough to hurt him, but it irritated him intensely.
He grasped his curly hair, resting his arms on his thighs over his blue pants, covering his eyes with his palms. He tapped the back of his boot against the floor, trying once again to return to the darkness. But all he could feel was a faint buzzing in his ears, which slowly faded as he took a deep breath.
Some time later, the vehicle finally stopped, and the two men in front of him stood up simultaneously. The young man lowered his hands and looked at them; one positioned himself by the door while the other simply stood, leaning against the wall with his back to the driver’s cabin.
– Bai Hu, we’re in formation. Proceed with Black’s escort.
A male voice came through a radio attached to the chest of the man in white camouflage. He turned to the other, who nodded. Then, he swiped a card through a reader by the door, which opened, revealing light and the sounds of heavy footsteps outside.
“Bai Hu? So that’s what he’s called...” Black, the handcuffed young man, watched the man in white camouflage position himself beside the one in gold, clearing the way to the exit.
– Now what? Should I go out? – Black asked, trying to adjust his eyes to the bright light outside.
The men didn’t respond; they simply stood still. Black clicked his tongue and decided to head toward the door, rising and moving toward the blinding light.
As he stepped onto the well-aligned ground outside the large black vehicle that displayed the same symbol as the men’s uniforms, he felt fresh air fill his lungs. When his vision adjusted, he noticed the towering, reflective buildings, like a vast glass city. In front of him, a skyscraper seemed to reach the clouds.
Around him, there were already eight agents armed similarly to the two men who had escorted him, but this time, their faces were visible.
Among them were men and women with various skin tones. Black noticed that their eyes followed him until Bai Hu stepped down.
He noticed that, at that moment, the agents' behavior shifted; curious glances appeared, mixed with admiration and respect. However, when the other man, the one in golden camouflage, stepped down, some of their looks grew more intense; there was now a hint of fear as well.
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– Fei Hu is here too...?
The young man managed to catch an agent’s whisper, who was quickly silenced by a light elbow jab from a colleague.
As they stepped down, both positioned themselves on either side of Black, who, despite being lean, was taller than both of them. The agents moved ahead, creating a path and pushing aside the people near the entrance.
“Bai Hu and Fei Hu... Who are these guys? Are they enhanced ones?” Black's eyes narrowed as he curiously observed the two, who walked in almost perfect sync.
“It doesn’t matter now; I have to get out of here! It’s the first time I’ve been able to see the outside… It can’t end like last time.” Memories flashed in his mind: he was running through trees in a dark forest, only catching glimpses of a white figure pursuing him. When he turned to try to strike, he felt the agonizing pain of a large electric shock coursing through his body.
His fists clenched tightly; it wasn’t just anger but also fear.
“I need to escape… The agents seem to fear Fei Hu more… I should be able to take down Bai Hu quickly and flee.” He paused for a second, looking at the two who were escorting him; his muscles flexed as he strained against the cuff, which showed a slight crack. Both Bai Hu and Fei Hu stopped, watching him with their fingers near the trigger.
“I will make it… no matter what!” Black readied himself, bending his legs to twist his body and strike with both fists.
– Daddy! I want to see the soldiers!
The voice came from a boy being lifted up by a man. He was smiling and then hugged his father. It wasn’t just them; many other people were walking nearby, observing the situation.
Then, Black stopped, looking toward the boy. He slowly looked down at his hands, then took a step forward.
“I can’t…” he looked at the red LED. That color felt eerily familiar, almost frightening. It wasn’t just a color; it was a texture, a smell, a sensation.
“I can’t risk their lives…” He lowered his head again and continued forward until he finally entered the massive doors of the skyscraper.
Once inside the building, Black passed through an immense lobby with several attendants and a small crowd watching him. A human barrier had been set up to keep the public away, guiding him toward the elevators.
His gaze captured every detail around him; he noticed the walls, a large sign reading ‘Iovem,’ white tiles, MDF counters, TVs on the walls, and the frightened, curious, and even hateful stares directed at him.
He distanced himself from the people, watching the televisions mounted along the walls; all were tuned to the same channel, showing the morning news.
– A few weeks have passed since the incident at Freedom Valley. We’re broadcasting from Tlamanalli, the center of New Atlantis. – announced an attractive blonde woman, apparently the local news anchor.
“New Atlantis… Isn’t that in America? Why am I here?” He approached one of the many elevators, with silver doors so clean that he could see his reflection as if in a mirror. However, his eyes remained focused on the television.
Bai Hu stepped up to the elevator and pressed the square button, which lit up with a blue light; the indicator next to it showed the elevator was descending.
– There have been protests both for and against the integration of Biologically Enhanced Humans into the government across the state. – the reporter announced, showing various images of protests, with signs reading, ‘Enhanced ones are not human!’ and ‘All lives matter!’. – The commotion was significant enough to punish the young heroine Scarlet Flame, daughter of the Defender Red Dragon. This has also brought Evelyn’s Treaty into the spotlight, especially regarding minors acting as Convergents…”
“Evelyn’s Treaty? What is that...? Doesn’t matter; I need to know what will happen to me.” He looked at his reflection, his oval-shaped face, neatly trimmed hair, and his eyes with a dull yellow color, a slight unnatural glow, like ancient amber under faint light.
The metallic door finally opened, and Fei Hu stepped in first, positioning himself to the right, with his back against the side of the elevator. Bai Hu then made a subtle gesture, indicating that Black should follow. Without hesitation, he stepped forward to the center.
The elevator was spacious, with reinforced glass walls that reflected the soft ambient light. At the moment, all Black could see were the walls of the ground floor, illuminated only from above the door. He closed his eyes and intertwined his fingers, his lips curving slightly. Then, Bai Hu swiped a card over the authenticator and typed on the screen next to the entrance, selecting the only available floor: the eightieth.
Black stayed in the center, and Fei Hu and Bai Hu watched him coldly, like statues that didn’t move for even a second.
“I won’t be caged…” he stared at his reflection, noticing the faint yellow glow in his eyes. “I won’t go through that again…”
As the elevator passed the tenth floor, darkness was replaced by the brightness coming through the glass walls. He turned, and his eyes slowly adjusted to the light, widening as they finally adapted to the sun.
The horizon was tinged yellow by the sun shining above him, with birds flying through the blue sky and an enormous air vehicle with a basket-like top. Buildings rose from the ground, some seeming to touch the heavens. Many of them were like giant mirrors, reflecting the entire city and the sun, creating the illusion of an endless metropolis. The streets were crowded with people walking, like tiny ants wandering in the distance. Multiple train lines ran between the buildings on tracks that wound through the city like veins.
For a moment, Black was speechless; a glint of wonder appeared in his eyes, reflecting the city, and a slight, almost imperceptible smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
– Amazing… – he whispered to himself but quickly returned to reality; after all, this paradise might very well turn into his hell.