Cassius's voice broke through the chaos, raw and hoarse as he stepped forward despite the guns trained on him.
"Stop." His eyes were fixed on Zephany and Kendrick, on the way their skin had lost its color, on the sluggish rise and fall of their chests. "Please… just stop."
His knees almost gave way as he spoke again, desperation stripping away every trace of authority he once carried.
"Tell me what you want," Cassius said pleadingly. "I will give you anything. No… everything. My position. The Archive. My life. I will give you everything. Just let Kendrick and Zephany go."
The room fell into an uneasy silence, broken only by the soft mechanical hum of the equipment drawing blood from the two restrained figures.
Dr. Farah did not even look at him.
She kept her focus on the blood bags hanging beside her, her fingers adjusting the clamps with practiced precision. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, almost bored.
