Chapter 8: The Procedure

  In the depths of the facility, where light had long since lost its battle against the consuming darkness, a sinister voice echoed through corroded metal pipes. The air was thick with the scent of rust and decay, the walls lined with cracks so deep they resembled jagged scars. Water dripped from the ceiling, pooling onto the cold, grimy floor. In the dim flickering light, a figure sat hunched over, his silhouette barely distinguishable from the surrounding ruin.

  A smile, stretched unnaturally wide, carved itself onto his disfigured face, pulling at charred, leathery skin. His body, gaunt and emaciated, was covered in deep burns, the tissue twisted into grotesque ridges. He had no lips, only exposed teeth in a permanent, horrifying grin. His skeletal fingers, scorched and trembling, caressed the cracked surface of a monitor, his fingernails blackened and broken.

  "Hm… what do we have here?"

  The voice slithered through the air, deep and guttural, yet disturbingly normal—almost detached from the twisted figure speaking. He tilted his head sharply as if listening to something beyond human perception. "Something is here…" He paused, his hollow eye sockets narrowing. "Ah… it is infested again."

  The room pulsed with a sickly glow as the monitor flickered, its screen reflecting the man’s grotesque smile. Despite his mouth remaining motionless, the voice continued, eerily fluid and articulate, as if it belonged to someone else entirely. His expression never changed only his eye shifted with the corners of his exposed teeth locked in a rigid, unnatural grin. In front of him, he traced a notification on a screen with his four fingers, scraping against it with an ear-piercing screech.

  "Ah… how delightful."

  Then, with an eerie chuckle, the screen flickered once more, the darkness swallowing him whole.

  Mira burst into Kai’s room, panting heavily, her body barely keeping up with the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She nearly stumbled as she made her way to her brother’s side, dragging the medical box with trembling fingers.

  "Okay, now what?!" she gasped, her voice rushed and frantic.

  Edward’s voice came through the speakers, calm yet tense. "Put the box beside Kai. I’ll handle the rest."

  Mira obeyed, collapsing onto her knees as Edward activated the facility’s remaining medical equipment. The box whirred, its mechanical arms unfolding with precise movements. Though Edward was no doctor, the AI within the box would assist in the procedure.

  "AI Assist."

  A soft chime sounded. "This is AI Assist. How can I help you?"

  "Emergency. The patient is suffering from severe radiation sickness."

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  A scanner extended from the box, sweeping over Kai’s unconscious body. A mechanical voice responded: "Radiation detected. Advanced procedure authorization required."

  A red warning flashed on the screen as the box sent out an authorization request to the medical database. Edward immediately felt the digital wave surge through his own systems. He tried to override it using his old credentials.

  "Authorization failed."

  "Dammit…" Edward muttered, pushing his system further. He tried everything—hacking, brute force entry—but the firewall was too strong. Each failed attempt made his head pound, an internal pain flaring through his consciousness.

  Mira’s hands clenched into fists as she watched, her face growing paler with each passing second. Edward could see her beginning to shake.

  "Please…" she whispered. "Please."

  Edward gritted his teeth. Desperate, he did the only thing he had left—he connected the box directly to himself. Mechanical tendrils extended from his artificial body, linking with the device through a hastily assembled cable. The pain in his mind was immediate, sharp and searing, but he pushed through.

  "Authorization granted."

  The box’s lights shifted to green.

  Edward quickly detached himself and set the device on top of Kai.

  "Treatment is underway."

  A series of beeps followed.

  The medical box suddenly shifted, its edges folding outward as if it were alive. Small mechanical arms extended, clicking into place as various compartments revealed themselves. The center of the box opened, exposing multiple vials of liquid that began to mix together in a precise sequence. As the chemicals combined, the box detached several smaller parts, which swiftly reassembled along Kai’s arm, forming a network of thin tubes that connected directly to his bloodstream. Then, with a mechanical whir, the device latched onto Kai’s chest, locking itself in place, its internal mechanisms humming softly as they began the delicate procedure.

  "Anesthetic applied."

  "Decontamination in progress."

  "Scanning condition."

  "Decontamination: 1%"

  "Please don't remove during the procedure."

  Mira let out a shuddering breath, relief washing over her like a wave. But she didn’t linger—she turned and bolted for the door.

  Edward immediately locked it down.

  "What are you doing?!" he demanded.

  Mira banged against the sealed entrance. "I need to help Kwon! He’s still out there with that thing! Please, let me go!"

  "No." Edward’s voice was firm. "You need to stay."

  Mira’s breath hitched. Tears welled in her eyes as she pounded on the door. "Please! He’s my family too!"

  Edward hesitated. He understood her pain, but letting her go would be signing her death warrant. "You can’t do anything to help him, Mira. You’ll just get yourself killed."

  She flinched at the harsh truth. But she wasn’t willing to accept it. "Maybe I can help! Maybe I won’t die! Maybe I can escape with him, just like before!" Her voice cracked as desperation seeped in.

  "No, Mira," Edward interrupted, his tone unwavering. "Kwon is a military dog remember? He has a better chance of surviving alone. If you go, you’ll only slow him down."

  Mira’s lips trembled. "But…"

  "You also have to protect your little brother. If you die, who will take care of him?" Edward’s voice softened slightly. "Don’t worry about Kwon. He’s not alone. I’ll help him."

  Mira’s shoulders slumped. The fight drained out of her, leaving only exhaustion, but the worry never left her eyes. Even as she lay beside Kai, her body was still tense, her fingers twitching slightly with lingering adrenaline. She stared at the numbers flashing on the medical device, yet her thoughts raced elsewhere, restlessly circling the danger that still loomed outside.

  "Decontaminating: 4%"

  The only sounds in the room were the rhythmic beeping of the machine and the steady breathing of two children.

  Edward exhaled, shifting his focus back to the monitors. Somewhere in the darkness, Kwon was still running, a monster closing in behind him.