When he saw him, Romanov's steps stopped for a moment. It seemed as if he realized who he was. His fingers tightened into a strong fist, and he slowly stepped forward. His eyes scanned the scene meticulously, ignoring the explanation that had not yet been given to him.
Romanov: "Well, well, well..."
He spoke sarcastically, then slightly bent forward, staring at the boy hanging before him, as if evaluating a damaged commodity. He slowly extended his hand, grabbed a lock of his white hair, and lifted his head slightly to examine his face. His eyes were closed, his face dirty and pale, yet despite this, there was a calmness about him, as if he were merely a passing observer amid the chaos.
Romanov: "Five himself... you're still alive? And you're still doing these childish, reckless acts..."
The boy's eyes slowly opened. They were pink, with a strange gleam that combined coldness and emptiness, yet deep within them was something else... something hard to explain. He stared at Romanov for a few seconds, then spoke in a faint voice, tinged with bitter sarcasm.
Five: "And you... are you still second in command? Heh... I'll be honest, I expected you to be fired long ago, but you surprised me, an old man like you is still..."
He didn't finish his sentence, as a crushing punch, fast as lightning, struck his face from the left. It wasn't just a punch; it was an explosion of pent-up rage. His body flew and crashed violently into the metal wall on his side, causing a loud crash that shook the place. Thin streams of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, but he didn't move.
Romanov took a step forward, his eyes heavy with anger and contempt.
Romanov: "You scoundrel... You came to the wrong place. You should've stayed there, where you could get the pampering you wanted. Here, I'll make you live a real hell every night!"
But before he could continue, his voice was cut off by a sharp intervention. "What are you doing?!"
The voice belonged to Professor Zero, who appeared at the end of the hallway, walking with measured steps. He seemed calm as usual, but something in his expression shifted for a moment, as if an old memory had suddenly pulled him towards it when his gaze landed on Five.
The guards stiffened, while Romanov lifted his eyes to Zero without moving.
Zero, in a cold voice: "What's going on here? Guards?"
One of the guards stammered before answering: "We were sent by Headquarters Z... They said they couldn't handle him... He escaped four times, and the administration didn't want to defy your orders and lock him in a permanent, strict cell to avoid affecting his mental and psychological state... And now, we found him near the Ryoketh Valley, he was making his way here."
Zero's eyes widened slightly, but he hid it immediately. He looked at the boy as if all possibilities were swirling in his head at once.
Romanov, with contempt: "Heh, this is the result of your pampering him. This brat, if you let me handle him, I'll break his damned spirit in a month. No, even less!"
Zero, interrupting coolly: "No. I'll handle him."
Romanov stared into his eyes, ignoring the slight discomfort that crept into his chest.
Zero: "Why do you keep pampering him? Do you plan to handle him the same way in tgr headquarters S? Letting him wander freely without strict instructions, or even intensive training? This method is what allowed him to go this far!"
Zero didn't move from his spot, but his words hit like a quiet blow.
Zero: "And let me make it clear... President Jack Connor entrusted him to me personally. He cares for him more than any of us. If he sees that he has lost his spirit, will, and mind... what good will he be to him? And who will he blame?"
Romanov continued staring at him for a few moments, his eyes blazing with rage, before he turned angrily and left.
As for Zero, he remained in place, watching the boy who was still leaning against the wall, staring at him with half-closed eyes.
The professor, to the guards:
Zero: "Take him to my office."
The orders were immediately carried out. The guards lifted Five and began walking with him. Along the way, Five noticed the engraving on one of the doors. The number "32," then they ascended to the upper floor, down a long corridor leading to an isolated room. Zero opened the door, and the guards entered, carrying the boy, before throwing him onto the floor, propped against the desk. The room was narrow, its walls smooth and cold, with dim lighting casting long shadows on the metallic floor.
One of the guards handed Zero the handcuff keys, then they left and closed the door behind them. Zero remained standing for a moment, sighing slowly before speaking in a low voice without turning.
Zero: "What brought you here, for hell's sake?"
He didn't hear an answer, but after a moment, Five raised his shackled hands, pointing to his wrists, as if asking him to unlock them.
Zero, contemplating Five's face for a moment, as if searching for something… then, without saying a word, he reached out and unlocked the metal cuffs around his wrists. He noticed the marks they left on his skin but showed no reaction. He stepped back, looking down at him from above, his voice calm but carrying a chilling weight.
Zero: "Is it because of her?... Did you think you could leave here now? Did you convince yourself you have a choice?"
A silent moment passed, but it wasn't empty. It was heavy, as if the very air had grown denser.
Zero: "You misjudged yourself, Five. I gave you what I didn't give anyone here, I kept you away from the hell others live through in training, I gave you space, freedom... comfort. I could've thrown you in with the rest, made you endure the same suffering that broke those before you, but I didn't. Yet..."
He paused, as if weighing his words carefully.
Zero: "You want to break the cage with your fragile hands?"
Five, not moving, did not raise his head, but he took a slow breath, as if trying to push away the weight pressing on his chest. His voice was low, but it carried more than his words could reflect.
Five: "Comfort?... It wasn't comfort, it was a soft restraint. A cage lined with silk, but still a cage."
He slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting Zero's directly. His gaze was not a challenge but something deeper, something resembling a dark certainty.
Five: "I wasn't a person here... I was an idea, a model, something reshaped without features, without a voice, without a name. Even the tears, even the sorrow, even the pain screaming inside me… you confiscated it from me. As if expressing what I felt was a crime."
He ran his fingers over his wrists, where the cuffs had been, examining the marks they left before sighing slowly.
Five, pausing for a moment, then whispering: "Do you think a person can live… as just an idea in the minds of others? Just an experiment, just a digital file stored in one of the drawers?"
Zero sighed, placing his hands back in his coat pockets, turning slowly as if he had grown tired of this conversation or as if it were not the first time he had heard similar words.
Zero: "That's what made you what you are now, Five. What you see as cruelty was sculpting, reshaping, development. You're now something greater than just a human... I made you something stronger, something more perfect."
He paused, then glanced at him from the corner of his eye, his tone lowering, more dangerous.
Zero: "But it seems you don't understand… not yet."
He stopped for a moment, then tilted his head slightly as he crossed his arms.
Zero, in a calm voice: "I'll allow you to move freely within certain areas. But... that is, if you can even escape."
Five narrowed his eyes slightly, studying him intently, but Zero continued in a slower tone, as if every word carried the weight of truth.
Zero: "Let's assume you actually got out... The moment you place your foot outside these walls, there will be no light at the end of the tunnel, no salvation, no hope... just a bullet, cold as your illusions of freedom, will pierce your skull before you even realize you're no longer here. You will fall, like a puppet whose strings were cut, lifeless... meaningless, without a trace."
Five lifts his head slightly, his gaze cold, yet carrying something deeper... something like a slow burn. Zero, as if he sees a reflection of something he knows well in his eyes, smiles with a barely perceptible grin.
Zero, in a low voice yet with unwavering certainty: "You have been, and will always be, my greatest experiment."
A silent moment passes, but it is not empty. It is heavy, as though the air itself has become denser, as if the room has transformed into an invisible battlefield where words are the only weapon.
Five, with a smile tinged with sarcasm: "An experiment... So, you see me as nothing more than a tool in your lab..."
Zero tilts his head slightly, looking at him like a scientist who has dedicated his life to understanding the subject of his research, then responds with the same eerie calm.
Zero: "No, you are not an ordinary experiment. You are not merely a subject of study, and I am not just a scientist observing from behind the glass. We are something beyond that..."
Five: "If you think you're the creator of something grand, you're more foolish than I thought."
Zero smiles, but this time with a more evident coldness. He takes a step closer, bending slightly to meet his gaze.
Zero: "It's not foolishness, it's certainty. Everything I've been searching for, all the possibilities, all the chaos, it all revolved around you. You are not just an experiment, you are the outcome that should never have happened, yet here you are... alive, thinking, choosing, rebelling. And that, Five, is the greatest success. I truly wanted you to benefit from what I taught you, to become one of the greatest minds in the country."
Five turns his face away, breathing slowly, as though these words have carved into him more than he is willing to admit. But he does not respond, simply letting the silence continue the conversation.
As Zero turns and walks toward the door slowly, it is as though he is giving his words time to seep into Five's mind. He places his hand on the handle, but instead of opening it, he stops. His back remains to the boy, as though what he is about to say is not a threat, but a bare truth.
Zero, in a calm voice: "I say this only so you understand... you are too clever to fall for the illusion of freedom. You think this place is a prison? Wait until you see the cages people have built for themselves out there... You will realize then that some shackles are mere illusions, and escape may simply be moving from one cage to another."
Zero turns the handle and opens the door quietly, leaving behind a heavy silence, heavier than any shackles Five has ever borne in his life. That silence was not merely the absence of sound, but rather an overwhelming presence of truth... the truth that now he is alone in his battle, with no direction, no answers, with nothing but a choice that was never meant to be his.
A moment later, Five leaves the office, his steps calm, not hesitant, but not fully confident either. His hands are in his pockets, and the guards' eyes watch him as though he is something foreign to this place, a being who should not exist here, yet does.
When he descended to the first floor, the corridor was long, cold, filled with silent metal doors, behind each of which was another child, another story, another different restraint. Each step he took felt like dragging old shadows, ghosts of days he no longer wished to remember.
At the double hallway, Coach Romanov appeared. The two stopped, their eyes meeting in a dry, tense moment, yet familiar. Romanov's gaze was sharp, filled with something like expectation, while Five remained calm, unreactive, as though it meant nothing to him.
Romanov: "Follow me."
He said it tersely, without even granting him the luxury of choice. He turned and walked down the left corridor, while Five silently followed, his steps tracking the shadow of the man without hesitation.
Romanov stopped at a metal door. Then a faint sound emerged before the door creaked open.
Romanov, with a sarcastic smile: "Your luxurious suite that you requested..."
Five looked inside. The room was small, with a stench of sweat and rusted iron. There was nothing inside except a bed pressed against the left wall, with a small, decrepit bookshelf next to it. There wasn't even a window.
Five, with a cold yet sarcastic tone: "It looks more like a cell than a bedroom... But, considering its condition, it seems someone used to live here before me. Not long ago, right? Did you throw him out for me? I'll appreciate this thoughtful gesture."
Romanov looked at him in silence for a few seconds, then said in a sharper tone, one that carried a heavy meaning.
Romanov: "This was twenty-one's Room."
Five's eyes widened for a moment, but it wasn't just shock... it was something deeper... A sudden feeling, as though the ground had trembled beneath his feet, but he didn't show it. He stood there, his gaze fixed on the emptiness in front of him, his chest rising and falling slowly as he processed what was just said. He took a deep breath, then exhaled quietly, as if trying not to lose his composure.
Five, in a faint voice but laden with the question: "What happened to him?"
Romanov laughed briefly with irony, but his eyes remained sharp, as though he had been waiting for this question. He took a step forward, then whispered softly, but his words carried the weight to crush a mountain.
Romanov, with a smile devoid of warmth: "He couldn't bear the heat of hell, so he melted in it."
A brief silence fell, before he continued in a cold tone, as if slowly placing a knife at his neck.
Romanov: "I told you before... You won't find here the comforts you were used to, so be ready, spoiled boy. I'll make you live through a real hell... every day."
Five said nothing. He just looked at the man for a moment, an unclear gaze, then took a step back, maintaining the distance Romanov had imposed on him. The latter turned and walked away, his steady footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.
Five stood still for a few moments, then exhaled slowly, as if gathering himself.
Five, in a barely audible voice: "fuck it..."
He entered the room slowly, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, the door closed behind him with a heavy metallic sound. He didn't look back. He simply stood there, inside the room that had now become his new prison, before heading toward the bed. He sat on it, then leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, pressing his fingers against his forehead as though trying to stop the sudden headache that had hit him.
He whispered softly, as if speaking to a shadow that was no longer here.
Five: "Jern... Ah... Damn all of this."
He lifted his head, gazing at the opposite wall in silence, as if searching for an answer in the cold stones. Then, in a sharper voice but without emotion, as if speaking only to himself, he said.
Five: "He was an important part of the plan... fuck...."
Yet, there was nothing left to do now but wait... and choose between staying, or melting in hell as Room 21 had done.
He slowly lifted his head and leaned back against the wall. When his head touched the cold surface, a faint sound barely audible in the suffocating emptiness of the room emerged. For a moment, he closed his eyes, as if the walls of the place were trying to steal even his right to think.
He suddenly opened his eyes wide, as if a thought had surfaced amidst the silent noise in his mind. He adjusted his position to sit facing the wall, then extended his hand to tap lightly on it, a monotonous tone echoing in the emptiness like the whisper of an old ghost.
Five, in a soft voice: "[The walls... they're less solid than they seem.]"
On the other side of the wall, Luna sat on her bed, her eyes fixed on the wall in front of her, puzzled. Her fingers tensed over her blanket.
Luna: "[Hmm?... But... I heard that Jern is dead... is this a new boy?]"
Unable to restrain her curiosity, she got up from her bed and cautiously approached the wall, her ears listening intently. On the other side, Five stood in the middle of the room, hand on his chin, his mind focused on analyzing the details of the place.
Five, analyzing: "According to the architectural design of this building... the river should be in this direction."
He stood in front of the wall opposite the door, running his fingers along it as if searching for something invisible.
Five, softly, to himself: "[Yes... if we use a second-level offensive ability, it should be enough to breach this wall and jump straight to the river... the current there is very strong, and the snipers won't be able to aim accurately."]
He paused for a moment, looked at the floor, and exhaled slowly.
Five: ["The only problem is..."]
Before he could finish his analysis, a soft tap on the wall to his left interrupted him. He froze for a moment, then slowly turned around.
He approached the wall, placed his ear against it, then tapped lightly, waiting... Moments passed, and then a hesitant but clear voice came from the other side. "Ah... hello?"
Five stared at the wall in silence, thinking quickly. Then he spoke in a low but clear voice.
Five: "Hi..."
On the other side, Luna stood still for a moment, her fingers tense, her heart pounding. Then she said cautiously.
Luna: "Umm... are you new here?"
Five leaned against the wall, settling more comfortably, then replied calmly, looking at the ceiling.
Five: "Yes... I was transferred from another Headquarters..."
At that moment, Luna froze in place, her eyes widening as if she had seen a ghost. She felt a cold shiver run through her body, swallowed hard, and then whispered in a trembling voice.
Luna: "A base?... W-Wait, this voice... it can't be...
Five?... Is that you?!"
On the other side, Five... or Five, as he was once known... didn't seem surprised. He smiled faintly, as if he had expected this.
Five, calmly: "Yes... I'm here, Luna."
In an instant, Luna raised her trembling hands to press them against the wall, tears silently streaming down her face as she struggled to believe what she was hearing. She placed her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs, whispering in a shaky voice.
Luna: "You're... still alive!?... I'm so happy..."
On the other side, Five sat leaning against the wall. Although he had planned this meeting, he couldn't stop the single tear that slid down his face. He smiled faintly, then spoke in a warm voice that carried a hint of regret.
Five: "I apologize for being late, Luna... This time, I'll be here by your side."
On the other side, Luna, leaning against the wall, quickly wiped her eyes. She glanced around for a moment, as if absorbing the reality that he was truly here. Then she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of pain and fear.
Luna: "Why did you come here?... You should have stayed away..."
Five raised his gaze to the ceiling, contemplating the darkness there, then muttered to himself.
Five: "This room... doesn't have a window in the ceiling this time..."
Luna smiled faintly amidst the sorrow choking her, before speaking in a soft voice.
Luna: "Do you still remember... how we met, and how you chose your name?"
Five closed his eyes for a moment, as if an old memory reel was being played before him...
Arcadia – 1986. Inside a laboratory, at Headquarters X.
Professor Zero sat in front of the glass of the isolated room, watching the small child sitting on the white bed. His pink eyes shone under the cold light of the lamps, silently observing the void. There was no innocence in his gaze, nor even the innate curiosity that a six-year-old boy should have. He was more like a machine, alert, analytical, stripped of everything that made humans... human.
Zero took a deep breath, then looked at the syringe filled with dark red liquid in his hands. He held it up to the light, examining its deep color as if he were gazing into the secret of the universe. Then he smiled... a smile full of madness and grandeur.
Zero, whispering to himself: "The blood of the ancestors..."
He pressed the microphone button, his voice calm but carrying a tone of triumph.
Zero: "It's time for the dose, Five."
The boy moved silently, slowly approaching the injection chair, sitting without resistance. As if he no longer had any concept of will. The scientists entered the room, and one of them inserted the needle into his vein, slowly pressing the plunger. At that moment, Five closed his eyes for a few seconds... then his body trembled for a few moments before returning to its usual stillness.
Zero, confident in the success of his experiment, turned to his young assistant, who was watching the scene with concern. "Sir... are you sure these injections won't damage his nervous system?"
Zero laughed, as if he enjoyed the question more than necessary.
Zero: "On the contrary... this is what sharpens him to become the perfect being."
Assistant, hesitantly: "But... this blood is taken from a lineage that lived hundreds of years ago! Isn't it dangerous...?"
Zero, interrupting, with enthusiasm: "Oh, you don't understand... you're thinking like a mere doctor, but I think like a creator!"
He turned toward the glass again, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the boy as though he were a work of art.
Zero: "Modern humans are weak... fragile, manipulated by their foolish emotions, and their bodies can barely withstand the pressures of the modern age. But the ancients..."
His voice grew crazed.
Zero: "Those who survived in the primitive eras, who fought monsters, famines, and plagues... they had stronger genes, faster minds, sharper instincts."
He pointed to Five, as though presenting him as a living proof.
Zero: "Through the blood of this ancient lineage, we are not only bringing them back... but improving them. We are creating man as he should have been from the start!"
Assistant: "But... he's not natural. He doesn't feel, doesn't laugh, doesn't... live."
Zero, In a calm but powerful voice: "And what is the need for all that? Emotion weakens, pain restricts, and feelings only distract the mind from its primary goal: evolution."
He paused for a moment, then continued, as if his words had turned into a sacred anthem for himself.
Zero: "Five is an evolved version of humans... His brain now processes information eight times faster than an ordinary person. His perception of dimensions and physical equations has become instinctual. His nervous system, instead of wasting energy on emotions, is entirely focused on thought and analysis."
He pointed to the screen displaying Five's neural diagrams and explained to his assistant.
Zero: "Look at this... After every injection, the density of the neurons in the frontal lobe increases at an unprecedented rate. He can now perform complex calculations in his mind with just one glance. He understands body language to the point of predicting what a person will do before they do it. He learns without needing to experience... his mind treats the world as if it were a mathematical equation... no need for emotion, no need for social interaction."
He paused for a moment, then whispered to himself in awe.
Zero: "He is simply... the closest thing to perfection."
Inside, Five sat, watching his shadow on the floor, then slowly raised his head... His pink eyes devoid of any emotion.
But he saw everything.
Before him stood Professor Zero, watching him with a cold, neutral gaze, as if staring at an experiment more than looking at a human being.
Zero: "Just wait... Five, you will become my greatest achievement. The perfect body, the perfect mind... the absolute power that will make science greater than anything else. Soon, my name will not just be ink in my notebooks, but will be carved into the history books as the turning point in humanity's journey... the scientist who made perfection with his own hands."
Five years later...