I woke up to the sensation of cold, heavy metal cinching my throat.
A collar.
Before I could test the lock, the doctor stepped in. She didn't look at me like a patient or even a prisoner; she looked at me like a piece of equipment that had finally been calibrated.
"Follow me," she said, her voice like dry ice.
I stood up, my movements sluggish, and trailed after her. As we left the lab, I passed a guard standing by the door. His eyes were vacant, his posture rigid—a human shell, likely broken by whatever "treatments" Hydra specialized in.
A few minutes later, we entered a vast, sterile white room. About fifteen other teenagers were already there, looking just as terrified and confused as I felt. In this body, I couldn't have been more than fifteen myself.
"Excellent, everyone is here," the doctor announced. She pulled a sleek remote from her pocket and held it up like a trophy. "Every one of you is wearing a shock collar. If you disobey, if you hesitate, or if you bore me, I will trigger a pulse that will leave you paralyzed on the floor. No jokes. No outbursts. Now... split into pairs. Choose your partner."
[A partner or a target,] Bloodcode's voice hissed in the back of my mind. [Choose wisely.]
I scanned the room. My eyes landed on a boy of average height, thin-framed, with slightly pointed ears. A mutant? Maybe an Inhuman? He was shaking so hard his teeth were chattering.
[Probably the school punching bag,] Bloodcode interjected. [Or maybe he's just realized he's in a meat grinder. Either way, an excellent choice. Remember: you can't afford to die here.]
I approached him, forced a smile, and tried to look as harmless as possible. "Hey. Want to pair up?"
"O-okay," he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
"I'm Zero. What's your name?"
"Mike."
Within minutes, the room was divided. We stood in our pairs, a sea of anxious faces waiting for the next instruction.
"Perfect," the doctor said, a predatory smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Now that you've chosen your partners... kill them."
The silence that followed was deafening. A collective blackout of the mind. No one expected to be turned into a murderer in the span of a heartbeat—no one except me.
I didn't wait for the scream. I lunged.
I buried a kidney punch deep into Mike's side. He gasped, doubling over, and I followed up with a flying knee to the bridge of his nose. He hit the floor hard, blood spraying across the pristine white tiles. He was unconscious, but his chest was still heaving. He was still alive.
I froze. My hands were shaking.
[What are you waiting for?] Bloodcode barked. [Finish it. Kill him.]
I... I can't, I thought, my stomach churning. He's just a kid.
[So those words—'Becoming Infinite'—were they just hot air?] Bloodcode's voice turned mocking, sharp as a razor. [Think, Zero. It is either HIM or YOU. Decide who gets to walk out of this room.]
Him or me.
The thought triggered a jagged memory from my old life.
[Flashback]
In my school years, I was in love with a girl who seemed to glow in the middle of my dull world.
My best friend felt the same.
When we finally confronted each other, it didn't end in a movie-style reconciliation.
It ended in a desperate, pathetic fight in the rain.
We made a pact: we would let her choose.
She chose him.
From that day on, I was a ghost. I watched them from the sidelines as my life became a series of "second-bests" and "almosts." I worked a dead-end job, filling a hole in my soul with overtime and loneliness.
When that truck came for me, my final thought wasn't regret for the life I'd lived—it was a vow.
Next time, I will be the one who chooses.
I looked down at Mike. He was innocent. He didn't deserve this. But I wasn't going back to being a ghost.
I knelt beside him, my shadow falling over his battered face. I placed my hands around his throat. I felt the warmth of his skin, the frantic pulse of his carotid artery, and then... I squeezed.
I didn't look away. I watched the life fade from his eyes until I felt the very last heartbeat thud against my palms and go silent.
[Status Update,] Bloodcode whispered, sounding almost satisfied. [Bloodlust Triggered. Analyzing DNA... Siphoning Ability...]
I stood up in the silent room.