No one spoke.
Not immediately.
The words on the screen seemed to linger in the air long after the recording ended.
THE NEXT SUBJECT IS STILL ALIVE.
Mikhail was the first to break the silence.
"There's another one?"
His tone wasn't disbelief.
It was anticipation.
Dmitri was already moving, fingers flying across the console.
"I'm pulling archived logs… corrupted files… anything that survived."
Nikola stepped closer to the glass, scanning reflections instead of the room.
"Or someone wants us to think there is."
Yelena tilted her head slightly.
"Either way, it changes everything."
Artyom didn't move.
His eyes were still fixed on the screen.
Another subject.
Another life like his.
Another person who didn't choose any of this.
His voice came out quieter than expected.
"Who are they?"
Dmitri didn't answer right away.
Because something had appeared.
A fragment.
A name field.
Glitched.
Breaking.
Reforming.
SUBJECT DESIGNATION: Ω-1
STATUS: ACTIVE
Then—
The name tried to load.
Letters flickered.
Corrupted.
Hidden.
Until only one line stabilized:
LOCATION: UNKNOWN
Roman's expression darkened.
"They hid it well."
Valentin's voice was softer.
"Not hidden."
A pause.
"Protected."
Artyom finally turned.
"If they're alive… then they've been out there this whole time."
"Or locked somewhere worse than this," Nikola said.
The room grew colder.
Because that was more likely.
Across the city—
In the Sokolov estate—
Sergei stared at the same recovered file Dmitri had just uncovered.
The moment the designation appeared—
His hand stilled.
Leonid noticed immediately.
"You recognize it."
Sergei didn't respond.
But that silence was answer enough.
Pavel stepped forward.
"Who is it?"
Makar's voice lowered.
"Another experiment?"
Nikolai's eyes narrowed.
"Or another weapon."
Sergei finally spoke.
And his voice had changed.
"It was never supposed to survive."
Back in the facility—
Artyom's head snapped toward Dmitri.
"Show me everything."
Dmitri hesitated.
Then turned the screen.
Logs opened.
Fragmented.
Broken sentences.
Medical notes.
Behavioral reports.
One line stood out—
Subject Ω-1 demonstrates instability under Alpha proximity.
Artyom frowned.
"Instability?"
Valentin stepped closer.
"Unlike you… this subject didn't stabilize."
Dmitri added quietly,
"They reacted violently to bonding triggers."
Silence.
Mikhail let out a slow breath.
"So instead of control…"
Nikola finished it.
"They created something uncontrollable."
Artyom's chest tightened.
Another Omega.
But not like him.
Not balanced.
Not… safe.
A question formed in his mind.
Dangerous.
Unavoidable.
"Why did I stabilize?"
No one answered immediately.
Then—
Viktor spoke.
Low.
Certain.
"Because you adapted."
Artyom looked at him.
"And they didn't?"
Viktor's eyes darkened slightly.
"Or they didn't have a reason to."
The words lingered.
Because Artyom knew his reason.
Pain.
Rejection.
Survival.
Suddenly—
Dmitri's screen flashed.
New data.
Live signal.
Everyone turned.
"That's not from our system," Dmitri said sharply.
Nikola's posture shifted instantly.
"Trace it."
"I'm trying—"
The signal stabilized for one second.
Just long enough to display a single line:
STOP LOOKING.
Then—
The entire system went black.
The facility plunged into darkness.
Emergency lights flickered.
Red.
Unstable.
Alive.
Artyom's pulse kicked.
"They know we're here."
Roman's voice was cold.
"Of course they do."
Yelena's lips curved faintly.
"Looks like the ghost finally noticed us."
Outside—
Snow fell harder.
Wind howled through broken structures.
And somewhere—
Not far.
Something moved.
Back inside—
A sound echoed from the far corridor.
Not mechanical.
Not distant.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Coming closer.
Mikhail stepped forward, already ready.
"Finally."
Nikola raised his weapon.
"Too quiet."
Viktor moved slightly in front of Artyom.
Not fully shielding.
But enough.
Instinct.
The footsteps stopped.
Just beyond the doorway.
Silence stretched.
Tight.
Waiting.
Then—
A voice.
Soft.
Unfamiliar.
Unstable.
"Ω-0…"
Artyom froze.
His breath caught.
Because that voice—
It wasn't hostile.
It wasn't calm.
It sounded… broken.
"I've been waiting."
The lights flickered again.
And in the doorway—
A silhouette appeared.
Thin.
Still.
Watching.
Artyom stepped forward without realizing.
"Ω-1…"
The figure tilted its head slowly.
Like it was learning the word.
And then it smiled.