The door sealed with a final, echoing clang.
No way out.
Vivian didn't turn from Lucas.
She dropped to her knees beside him, hands shaking as she reached for his face.
"Lucas… wake up."
Nothing.
No breath.
No movement.
The silence was louder than the gunfire above.
Jamo stood a step behind her, his chest rising and falling slowly, eyes locked on Lucas's body.
"He's gone," Jamo said quietly.
Vivian shook her head immediately.
"No."
Her fingers pressed against Lucas's neck.
Searching.
Hoping.
Nothing.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"No… no, you don't get to die like this."
Behind them, the man watched with calm interest.
"You made your choice."
Vivian's voice cracked.
"I saved him."
The man tilted his head.
"Did you?"
Something shifted in the air.
Subtle.
Wrong.
Jamo felt it too.
His body tensed instantly.
"Vivian… step back."
She didn't.
"Not yet."
The room grew colder.
The machines, though destroyed, gave off a low, dying hum.
And then
Lucas's fingers twitched.
Vivian froze.
Her breath caught.
"Jamo…"
Jamo's eyes narrowed.
"I see it."
Lucas's hand clenched.
Slow.
Unnatural.
Then his chest rose sharply.
A sudden, violent inhale.
Vivian gasped.
"Lucas!"
His eyes snapped open.
But they weren't right.
Too sharp.
Too aware.
Too empty.
Jamo moved instantly, grabbing Vivian's arm and pulling her back.
"Something's wrong."
Lucas sat up slowly.
The restraints on his arms snapped like thin wire.
Metal tore.
Vivian stared.
"That's not possible…"
The man smiled faintly.
"Impressive."
Lucas stood.
Unsteady at first.
Then perfectly still.
His gaze lifted.
And landed on Vivian.
She stepped forward despite Jamo's grip.
"Lucas… it's me."
He tilted his head slightly.
Like he was studying her.
Learning her.
His voice came out
Familiar.
But hollow.
"Vivian."
Relief flooded her chest.
"You're okay"
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
Jamo shoved her aside just as Lucas lunged.
They collided hard.
The impact sent both of them crashing across the room.
Jamo recovered first, shifting partially, claws ready.
Lucas stood again slowly.
No pain.
No hesitation.
Vivian scrambled to her feet.
"Stop!"
Neither of them listened.
Lucas attacked again.
Precise.
Controlled.
Like a weapon.
Jamo blocked, countered, struck
But something was off.
Lucas wasn't fighting like himself.
He was adapting.
Learning mid-fight.
Jamo's voice dropped.
"He's not human anymore."
Vivian shook her head.
"He's still in there."
The man watched with quiet fascination.
"Barely."
Vivian turned on him.
"What did you do?"
He answered calmly.
"You destroyed the machine too late."
Her stomach dropped.
"No…"
"The process completed enough."
Vivian's hands trembled.
"You said it might kill him."
"It didn't."
His smile deepened.
"It changed him."
Jamo slammed Lucas into the wall.
Hard.
Concrete cracked.
But Lucas didn't slow down.
He came back immediately.
Stronger.
Faster.
Jamo's eyes darkened.
"This isn't a fight," he muttered.
"It's control."
Vivian stepped between them.
"Stop! Both of you!"
Jamo froze.
Lucas didn't.
He reached for her
And Jamo moved again, blocking him violently.
"Get back!"
Vivian's voice broke.
"You'll kill him!"
Jamo didn't respond.
Because in that moment
He realized something worse.
Lucas wasn't trying to kill Vivian.
He was trying to take her.
Jamo's voice turned deadly.
"He's targeting you."
Vivian's heart dropped.
Lucas lunged again
And this time
He grabbed her.
Hard.
Too strong.
Vivian gasped as pain shot through her arm.
"Lucas stop!"
His grip tightened.
His eyes locked onto hers.
Cold.
Calculating.
And then
He spoke.
"Primary objective… secure Lorewolf."
Vivian froze.
Jamo roared.
"No!"
He slammed into Lucas, tearing him off her.
They crashed across the room again.
Vivian staggered back, clutching her arm.
Her brother's voice echoed in her head.
Primary objective.
Not Vivian.
Not sister.
Target.
The man's voice came softly behind her.
"He's exactly what I intended."
Vivian turned slowly.
"You turned him into a weapon."
The man nodded.
"Yes."
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
"You're going to reverse it."
He shook his head.
"No."
Vivian's eyes burned.
"Then I'll make you."
The man smiled faintly.
"I'd like to see you try."
Behind her, Jamo struggled to hold Lucas back.
It wasn't working.
Lucas was getting stronger.
Adapting faster.
Jamo's movements slowed
Just slightly.
Enough to matter.
Vivian saw it.
If this continued
Jamo would lose.
And if Jamo los
Lucas would take her.
Not save her.
Not recognize her.
Take her.
Vivian's hands curled into fists.
She made another controversial decision.
"Jamo!"
He barely managed to respond.
"What?"
Her voice broke slightly.
"Don't hold back."
Jamo froze.
Even in the middle of the fight.
"What?"
Vivian swallowed hard.
"Stop trying to save him."
Jamo stared at her.
"You don't mean that."
Vivian forced herself to say it.
"If it comes down to it…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Kill him."
Silence hit like a gunshot.
Even Lucas paused for half a second.
Jamo's expression changed.
Darkened.
"You're asking me to kill your brother."
Vivian's eyes filled—but she didn't look away.
"I'm asking you to stop him."
Lucas moved again.
Jamo reacted on instinct.
The fight exploded once more.
But now—
Something had changed.
Jamo wasn't holding back anymore.
The room shook under the force of it.
Vivian stood frozen.
Watching.
Breaking.
The man smiled behind her.
Because this
This was exactly what he wanted.
And then—
Everything changed again.
Because Lucas suddenly stopped.
Mid-attack.
His body went still.
His head tilted slightly.
Like he was listening to something.
Vivian's breath caught.
"Lucas…?"
He didn't respond.
Then slowly
He turned.
Not toward her.
Not toward Jamo.
Toward the man.
And for the first time
There was something in his eyes.
Not emptiness.
Not control.
Something else.
Something dangerous.
The man's smile faded slightly.
"Interesting…"
Lucas took one step toward him.
Then another.
The tension shifted.
Unpredictable.
Unstable.
And then
Lucas spoke again.
But this time
The voice wasn't controlled.
Wasn't hollow.
Wasn't his.
"New directive…"
The room went completely still.
Vivian's heart pounded violently.
Because no one had given that command.