The underground base Jane brought him to went down several levels beneath the surface.She had called it "safe," but to 99, nothing about this place felt safe at all.He still didn't know who to trust—or whether he should believe that he had actually "died."
His mind burned with confusion.Pain still throbbed in his arm and leg.And the name "Subject 99" echoed in his head like a mocking whisper.
He wandered out of the resting area of the base, walking along dim, abandoned corridors where the lights barely worked.The hum of machinery vibrated beneath the metal floor, like the heartbeat of a sleeping creature.
He just wanted somewhere quiet to think.
But he found something that absolutely should not have been there.
A man stood near the outermost steel door—dressed head to toe in pure white.His mask was smooth and pale, with only a single hole for one eye.
Not one of the resistance members.Not someone Jane mentioned.
The stranger tilted his head slightly, as if examining a curious toy.
"Pleasure to finally meet you,"he said softly—too softly—his voice drifting like it had brushed past death itself.
Before 99 could respond, the man continued with a faint chuckle in his tone.
"Or should I greet you properly… Heil Aelyzabeth Thors.Well then—Subject 99."
His heart nearly stopped.
Aelyzabeth Thors?Who?Why did the name scrape through his mind like something buried trying to surface?
"You… know me?" 99 asked, voice trembling.
The man in the mask placed a hand lightly over his chest.
"My name is Dr. A,"he said with a polite bow."And to be precise… your mother exists because of me."
"…What?"
He didn't even get the chance to ask further.
A silver chain shot out from beneath the man's white cloak,wrapping around his neck in an instant and tightening.
"—!!"
His body was yanked across the floor, dragged without mercy.Pain exploded through his knees and shoulder as they scraped against the ground.He tried to breathe, to shout—nothing came out.
His final thought before blacking out was:Why can't anyone hear me?
He woke to the stench of chemicals and the whirring of machines.When he opened his eyes, he found himself strapped tightly to a metal chair in the center of a large laboratory.
Mirrored walls.Harsh white lights that stung his eyes.It resembled a hospital—but twisted, colder, stripped of humanity.
Dr. A stood before him.Behind the man were tables cluttered with wires, strange instruments, and holographic screens flickering with streams of data.
"No need to say anything, 99,"Dr. A murmured.
He lifted a thin cord—its tip sharp like a needle.
"I just want to show you something."
Before 99 could resist, the needle was pushed into the side of his neck.
And instantly—the world collapsed into darkness.
He saw images.
Not dreams.Not memories.More like a reel of truth being forcibly injected into his mind.
A sleek, silver laboratory.Scientists in futuristic suits working around a large glass chamber.Beside them stood a man in a pristine suit and dark tie—clearly some sort of intelligence officer.And the most imposing figure:
A marshal-ranked general.White skin.Perfectly combed black hair.Eyes glowing red—steady, cold, dangerous.
"My daughter recently lost her newborn," the general said, voice steady but heavy."Aeria requires another child… one that fits the parameters set when my granddaughter was born."
One scientist bowed deeply."We apologize, Marshal Escheinsen, but creating an 'identity-matched' child at that level might be… impossible, sir."
"Even with advanced incubation tech," another added nervously,"there's no guarantee the new subject will sync with the H.E.R.B. system."
Then, from the shadows,the man in the white mask—Dr. A—stepped forward.
"I can assist,"he said calmly.
He placed a clear vial on the table.The silver liquid inside pulsed faintly like it had its own heartbeat.
The scientists rushed to examine it, whispering with excitement.The marshal stared, unreadable.
But while everyone focused on the vial,Dr. A turned.
Directly—toward 99.
Not the people in the memory.Toward him, as if seeing through the vision itself.
He pointed at the vial.
"There she is,"he whispered gently, disturbingly."Your mother."
No one else heard him.No one turned.
It was as if the vision existed solely for him and Dr. A.
The scene grew brighter—and then shattered like a mirror struck by a hammer.
99 jolted awake, gasping.Cold sweat drenched his skin.
Dr. A stood beside him, calm as though the two had simply finished watching a film together.
"What… what was that?" 99 forced the words out."I saw… what was it?"
"Just a fragment," Dr. A replied.
He reached out and wiped a trail of blood from the wound on 99's neck."You attempted to end your life, of course. The memory loss was a predictable result."
His smile faded.His finger lightly traced the marks around 99's throat.
"These scars are proof."
99 froze.
Deep, ring-like scars circled his neck.As if something had cut—or strangled—him long before he woke in the hospital.
"Why… would I do that…?" he whispered.
Dr. A tilted his head, voice silky and cold.
"Memory loss is normal for a Subject whose suicide attempt failed.Don't worry—you'll remember everything soon enough."
He leaned closer, his single eye through the mask level with 99's.
"And when you do…you will loathe this world more than you ever imagined."
The lights in the room flickered—and then everything went dark,
as his consciousness slipped away again.
Thus ends Chapter 4th.