Theo slowly opened his eyes with a groan. His entire body ached like he'd been hit by a truck. His head throbbed and even breathing felt heavy.
"Hey, are you okay?!" a male voice whispered nearby.
Theo turned his head and blinked in surprise. There were other survivors around him. He tried to move, but the clinking of tal stopped him. His hands were bound behind his back, and his ankles were chained as well.
"What is this?!" he hissed, struggling against the restraints.
"He got you too," a female guard said as she scooted closer. "That lunatic's been knocking out survivors and locking us up here in the ICU. He's one of the prisoners brought in last night, part of that group hit by the teorite debris. Total maniac."
Theo scanned the area and swallowed hard. Dozens of people were lined up against the walls of the nurse's station. So looked like patients, others were civilians, and a few wore dical uniforms. Everyone was bound.
There were at least twenty-five of them.
'ICU?' he thought.
"Where is patient Sheila Luther?" Theo quickly asked, turning toward a nurse seated on the floor nearby. "She was transferred here last night from the district public hospital."
The nurse frowned, and then her eyes lit up with recognition. "Yes... I rember her. She was one of the miracle cases, healed from cancer after being struck by teorite debris."
Theo's heart slamd in his chest.
"Is she an Awakened teor Survivor?" a mocking voice interrupted.
A shirtless man stepped into view, his upper body covered in tattoos. Theo noticed how the other captives shrank back, lowering their gazes in fear.
Theo imdiately activated Observer's Insight.
[Na: Carlo Lopez
Category: Non-awakened teor Survivor
ntal State: Unstable - exhibits delusional and erratic behavior
Power: Minor tal Manipulation - Tier 1
Can bend or control small amounts of tal within close range
Effective for restraining unard individuals
Danger Level: Low]
The man nad Carlo crouched in front of the nurse, gripping her chin roughly. "I said... is she an AMS?"
"N-No, she's not," the nurse stamred.
Carlo let out a maniacal laugh, then turned his attention to Theo with a wide grin. "Well then... I guess she's as good as dead. All non-awakened teor survivors are."
"What?!" Theo shouted, rage burning in his chest. "Where is she?!"
"Well, everyone who could move already left the ICU, except for the ones in comas," Carlo said lazily, pointing off toward another corner. "There are still three male coma patients over there. The rest?" He gestured around. "These are the only ones I caught and locked up."
Then he turned his gaze back to Theo and added with a twisted smile, "If your mother's not here, she's probably still sowhere in the hospital. Just not sure whether dead or alive."
He shrugged and added, "But I did hear the military got orders to recruit Awakened teor Survivors or separate the ones who aren't. Non-awakened teor survivors turn into monsters when they die, y'know. Dangerous liabilities. So what do you think they will do to them?"
Theo's blood turned cold.
"Release ! I have to find my mother!" he shouted, yanking hard against the chains.
The man sighed and pouted mockingly. "You should be grateful, all of you. I'm the only one keeping you safe in this madness."
Theo bit down a curse, his teeth grinding. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing. His pulse quickened as he channelled the fire-based ability he'd just gained, Fire Lure.
He concentrated the heat around his wrists. Just enough to weaken the tal...
"You have no right to lock us all in against our own will," Theo grunted, fire flickering beneath his skin as he braced himself. He shifted his stance slightly, ready to activate his kinetic pulse at any mont.
Carlo crouched in front of him, his frown deepening. "You're getting on my nerves," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes narrowed, flicking to the heat building in Theo's hands. "I see... you've got abilities too."
He stood up slowly, cracking his knuckles. "You think that makes you special? That makes you just like ."
"I'm nothing like you," Theo snapped.
The man chuckled darkly. "Oh, you will be. The more power you get, the more you'll realize this world doesn't run on rules anymore. It runs on control. And right now, I control this room."
Theo's eyes flared. "Not for long."
With a sudden surge of heat, he slamd his foot down, BOOM!
A shockwave burst outward, throwing Carlo back across the room. The force knocked over dical carts and sent chairs flying as captives ducked behind counters.
"MOVE!" Theo shouted to the others.
The survivors rolled their bodies away as Theo dashed forward and struck the man hard, knocking him unconscious.
"Please help us," one of the captives pleaded.
Theo checked his inventory and found a tool sharp enough to cut through the tal bindings on their hands and feet. He quickly began freeing everyone.
"One of you, help tie him up," he said as he pulled Carlo's unconscious body.
A man stepped forward, accompanied by a lady guard, and they began tying Carlo up with a rope.
"He can manipulate tal within two ters at most," Theo warned. "Lock him up in a room with no tal if possible. I need to go. Stay here and wait for the rescue team."
Without wasting another second, he rushed out of the ICU.
Ti was running out.
The fifteenth floor was the top floor, so Theo hurried down to the thirteenth. Gunshots and screams echoed near the fire exit, the sounds of a battle. The military and so AMS must have reached the floor for the clearing operation.
Theo quickly activated his axe and joined the military in clearing the floor.
"The fifteenth floor has already been cleared, except for a lunatic Non-Awakened teor Survivor we tied up and locked in one of the ICU rooms," he inford Sergeant Jones once he reached his side.
"Your mother?" the sergeant asked curiously.
"She's not there. I'm hoping she's among the survivors here," Theo replied, before launching forward again. He fought his way through the MB Infectees, striking them down one by one, alternating between his axe and his Pyre Burst.
But the constant combat was taking a toll. His breathing grew ragged, and his arms felt heavier with every swing. Gritting his teeth, he stepped back and said, "You go ahead first.
I'll catch up."
Reviews
All reviews (0)