AT THE SAME TIME
XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:
I slap my cheeks with both hands, trying to wake myself up.
"Okay... alright. Think, Xavier. What's the plan? Find Selene? Burn this whole place to the ground? Scream until someone-"I mutter to myself.
Suddenly, I feel a rough hand clamp down over my mouth, yanking me back into a narrow alleyway. My eyes go wide, and I try to scream, but it's muffled against a gloved hand. I thrash, kicking back wildly, but something sharp pricks my neck a jab of cold metal and my body goes numb almost instantly. My vision blurs, and my legs give out.
"Got him. He's lighter than I thought." A voice grunts, deep and gravelly.
"Didn't think an Omega would be wandering around solo." Another voice adds, higher and sharper. "Makes our job easy."
Omega? The word swims in my mind, tangled up in the haze.
"L-let… go…" I manage to croak, but it's weak. Pathetic.
"Save your breath." The sharp voiced one chuckles. "You'll need it."
I'm lifted, hoisted over one of their shoulders like I weigh nothing. The world spins and tilts as I'm carried, footsteps heavy against stone. My mind screams at me to fight back, but my body won't respond. It's like I'm trapped in my own skin. We move quickly, ducking through back alleys and side streets. The sounds of the bustling city fade into the background, replaced by the occasional creak of wood and the whisper of distant voices. I hear a door groan open, then slam shut behind us.
The bag is yanked off my head, and I squint against the light. I'm in a small, windowless room. Stone walls, a single table, and ropes piled in the corner. It smells damp, like old wood and dust. I'm dumped unceremoniously into a chair, wrists lashed to the armrests before I can even blink. My legs are bound to the chair legs just as quickly.
"There we go." The gravelly voiced one says, standing back to admire his work.
He's tall and broad-shouldered, with a jagged scar that cuts across his cheek. His partner is wiry, almost skeletal, with a grin that doesn't reach his eyes.
I yank at the ropes, heart pounding.
"What the hell is this?!"I shouted.
Scarface just laughs, leaning against the wall.
"New Omega, wandering around like he owns the place. Bet you don't even know where you are, huh?"He said.
I glare at him, adrenaline cutting through the haze.
"I'm in a VR game. And you two psychos are about to be banned for life when I report your asses."I said.
The wiry one lets out a bark of laughter.
"Game? Kid, you're far from a game. You're in Selene's world now. And that means you're property.
Whether you like it or not."He said,
The word property makes my stomach turn.
"No... no, this isn't real. You're NPCs, just really advanced ones."I said.
Scarface pushes off the wall, stepping right into my space. His breath smells like stale beer.
"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it'll help."He said. He turns to his partner. "Get the doc. Selene wants him prepped."
My eyes go wide.
"Prepped for what?!"I asked.
But they don't answer. Scarface just grins, giving me a mock salute before following his partner out of the room. The heavy wooden door slams shut, and I'm left alone. The ropes dig into my wrists as I struggle, panic clawing its way up my throat. The screen flickers back into existence, hovering right in front of me, taunting me with its glow.
"First task! Escape or submit. Objective: Escape confinement before the "preparation" begins. Reward: +10 System adaptability, map unlocking. Failure: Forced induction ceremony. Would you like to begin tracking? YES or NO?"System asked.
I glare at the screen, the words blurring as my pulse pounds in my ears. This isn't just a game. Not anymore. And I sure as hell wasn't going to stick around to find out what "preparation" meant.
The door creaks open, and I jerk my head up. My wrists are still bound tightly to the chair, and my legs are strapped down so hard I can barely feel my feet. But I'm not about to let whoever walks in think I'm scared. Even if my heart's hammering so hard I can barely hear.
The person who enters isn't like the two thugs who dragged me in here. He's tall and lean, with sharp eyes that glimmer with unsettling curiosity. His white coat is spotless, too clean for this grimy, stone-walled room. He moves with a calmness that makes my skin crawl, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.
"Ah." He says, his voice smooth and polite. "You must be the new one. Xavier Blackstone, correct?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"And you must be the creep who dresses up like a discount mad scientist."I frown.
He chuckles, completely unfazed.
"Humor. Good. That will make things interesting." He steps closer, eyes scanning me like I'm some kind of specimen under a microscope. "Hmm… orientation: straight. Compatibility: low. That might pose a challenge."He said.
I struggle against the ropes, jaw clenched.
"You mind telling me what the hell is going on? And maybe untying me before I rip this chair apart?"I asked.
The doctor merely smiles, ignoring my demand.
"It's always fascinating," He murmurs, almost to himself. "When a new Omega gets dropped into Selene's world. Confusion… denial… resistance. They all try so hard." He adjusts his glasses, the light reflecting off the lenses. "But it never lasts."
I don't like how that sounds.
"I'm not staying here." I growl. "You psychos better open that door, or I swear to god-"
He sighs, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small glass vial. The liquid inside is a shimmering violet, swirling with flecks of silver. It almost seems to glow, casting soft patterns across the walls. My gut twists with instinctive dread.
"What the hell is that?"I asked.
The doctor smiles wider, uncorking the vial.
"Think of it as… a welcoming gift."He said.
I thrash against the ropes, heart hammering.
"No way. You're not putting that anywhere near me!"I shuted.
His eyes gleam with amusement.
"Oh, I don't intend to inject it." He steps closer, one hand gripping my jaw with surprising strength. I snap my head back, but the bindings hold me firm.
"Get off me!" I shouted, trying to wrench free, but his grip was like iron.
He pries my mouth open with practiced ease, and before I can bite down, the cool glass of the vial is forced between my teeth.
"Swallow." He orders, tipping the contents down my throat.
I choke, spluttering as the thick, syrupy liquid slides over my tongue. It's bitter and sweet at the same time, like dark honey mixed with ash. I try to spit it out, but he clamps my jaw shut, forcing me to swallow.
"There we are." He says smoothly, pulling the vial away and stepping back. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
I cough, gagging as the taste lingers in my mouth.
"You… you freak! What did you just make me drink?!"I shuted.
He just keeps watching me, hands folded neatly behind his back.
"An activator." He replied calmly. "It will speed up the process. Your Omega senses will come to life in mere moments. Quite the innovation."
My vision blurs, and heat, deep, pulsing heat spreads through my chest and stomach. I double over as much as the bindings allow, gasping.
"W-What the hell…?"I groaned.
The doctor leans against the wall, eyes sharp with interest.
"The body's adapting. Faster than I anticipated, actually. Remarkable."He grinned.
A surge of warmth blooms under my skin, pooling low in my stomach and creeping outward. My heartbeat thrums in my ears, too loud, too fast. Everything is too much. The room smells sharper, richer like wood smoke and lavender, and something darker underneath. My skin prickles with sensation, and my breath hitches, ragged.
"What… what did you do to me?!" I snarled, shaking against the restraints.
The doctor only smiled.
"I simply unlocked what you were always meant to be. Welcome to your senses, Omega. I imagine you're feeling everything a bit more… vividly now?"He asked.
I glare up at him, face flushed, teeth bared.
"I swear… when I get out of this chair, I'm going to-"I growled.
"You're not going anywhere just yet." He interrupted, glancing at his watch. "The first wave should hit any second."
My muscles tense, and I feel it a pulse of heat that makes me gasp, shuddering against the chair. It's like every nerve in my body just lit up at once. Too hot. Too sharp. Too much.
"There it is." He said, voice soft with satisfaction. "Congratulations, Xavier. You've just awakened as a true Omega."