TIME : T-42:35 → T-41:20
Marcus's clamp pressed my throat, airway closing.
Vision darkening, titanium screaming in my arm.
The sphere hummed faster!
Faces, voices layering:
"…fear… is a gift…"
"…you… are donors…"
"…release data… highest priority…"
Heat washed my face, sphere surface 80°C, radiation curling my eyelashes.
Fuck! Emotional siphon initiated!
Blood seeped from my seven orifices—
Nosebleed dripping onto my tac-suit, dark red, fuzzy edges.
Ears warm, blood and serum welling, drip… drip…
Left eye red-tinged, blood tracing my cheek—38-second spread.
Marcus grinned, wax face splitting—copper wires flashing in gums: "…emotional siphon… 98.7%… acceptable…"
Rhea's stump bubbled blue gel, she gritted teeth, jamming the Orchid into the sphere's base—
ZZT-PAK!
Blue sparks erupted, sphere shuddering, faces cracking.
"Kai! Go!" She roared.
I yanked my left hand free, fingers diving for his copper ring!
Thumb jammed the seam—
Click!
Ring loosened half a millimeter.
He froze.
Pupils flickering.
Now.
I kicked off the base, twisting mid-air—
Left hand yanking his wrist, swinging him full-circle into the sphere!
CRASH—!!!
His head slammed copper—
Cervical crack dislocated, face twisting 180 degrees against his spine.
Like Mrs. Chen.
But he didn't fall.
Clamp still at my throat.
Throat clicking, voice glitching: "…calibrating… 98.7%…"
Sphere faces:
"…Kai Lin… Subject #0017…"
"…your fear… Board says worth 300 million credits…"
Fuck!
I stared at his twisted face—
Sclera flickered cloudy.
Like a glitching screen.
"Cook!" I roared, voice tearing. "Red-bean buns—less sugar!"
Marcus froze.
Sphere hummed!
Mrs. Chen's face split ear to ear—mechanically reset grin.
Elias's eyes wept blue gel.
Rhea (clone)'s pupils snapped to pinpricks.
Heat intensified, 90°C.
Titanium in my arm groaned—ripping again!
Scar gaped wider, blood and serum welling, warm, thick.
Ghk—!
Pain exploded up my spine.
Rhea's stump bubbled, she lunged, pressing the Orchid into my hand: "…inject… release prototype…"
I gripped it, copper branding my palm.
Looked up at the sphere—
Faces:
"…fear peak: 98.7%…
…deathbed release module threshold: 95μV…
…6.3% remaining…"
Fuck! 6.3% left!
Marcus's clamp pressed deeper—
Airway closing.
I stared at his twisted face—
Sclera cloudier.
Like a storm-hit signal screen.
"Xiao Ya…" His throat hissed. "…less sugar…"
Chance!
I roared, swinging the clamp into his temple!
CLANG!
He staggered, clamp slipping.
I twisted his wrist, clamp reversed, jaws aiming at his pineal copper ring!
Thumb mashed the lever—
Click!
Ring popped free!
Blue gel blooped, he convulsed, pupils fading to cloudy human eyes.
Last whisper: "…tell… Xiao Ya…"
Hand fell.
Sphere hummed to a stop.
Faces frozen, Mrs. Chen's grin still split.
Rhea hauled me up, breathing hard: "…98.7%… fuck, they're almost full."
I wiped my face, blood and sweat gumming my eyes.
Looked down—boot half-gone, sock shredded, foot gashes stinging.
At the sphere's base, Orchid screen glowed:
Key: KAI LIN
Role: ETHICS VETO (FEAR PROTOCOL v7)
Fuck!
T-41:20.
Minute Sixteen: complete.
Ring still in my fist.
But in my palm—
Real blood burned.
Thanks for enduring the emotional siphon. When blood seeped from Kai's seven orifices—did your skin prickle? 🩸
Drop a "🩸"—top 3 comments get Neurologist's Report: Fear-Induced Hemorrhaging PDF!
98.7% fear. 6.3% to go. The clock's ticking. #Chrono60