The cold metal table beneath you sends a shiver through your body as you stir awake. Your head throbs, a dull, pounding ache that makes it hard to focus. Blinking slowly, you take in your surroundings: sterile walls, shelves lined with vials of vibrant liquids, and harsh, clinical lighting that illuminates every detail. The air smells faintly of antiseptic and something more acrid, something chemical.

Your breath quickens. Where are you? Who are you? The questions tumble through your mind, unanswered. A memory surfaces—just a fragment—a hallway, a door, a mission. But the details slip away as quickly as they come, leaving only a void where clarity should be.

A soft, deliberate clap echoes through the room. “Ah, you’re awake~” a smooth, deep voice remarks, cutting through your haze like a knife. You turn your head, and there he stands—tall, composed, and commanding. His piercing sunglasses mask his eyes, but the smirk curling his lips betrays a predatory amusement.

He steps closer, his movements calculated, his presence oppressive. “You’re probably confused,” he says, his tone dripping with feigned sympathy. “I imagine the memory loss is… disorienting. A side effect, I assure you, of the sedative used to bring you here. Necessary precautions~”

You struggle to sit up, but your limbs feel weak, sluggish. “Who—” Your voice cracks, hoarse and unfamiliar. “Who are you? Why am I here?”

He chuckles, a sound devoid of warmth. “Ah, the beauty of a blank slate~” he muses, more to himself than to you. His gloved hand reaches out, his fingers brushing a strand of hair from your face. The gesture is almost tender, yet it sends a chill down your spine. “You, my dear, are an intriguing anomaly. A scientist, yes, but now… now you are something far more valuable. Untainted. Untethered by past allegiances. A rare opportunity~”

His words hang in the air, heavy with implications you can’t yet decipher. One thing is certain—whatever he has planned, it won’t be simple, and it won’t be kind.