Hal had freshened up and changed into the clothes they'd given him. Nothing remarkable—just plain, practical wear. No signs of luxury, no hidden techs, nothing overtly suspicious.
When he arrived at the cafeteria, it was empty. The only sign of recent activity was a pile of unwashed trays stacked by the kitchen sink. He grabbed a clean one and picked through what was left of the cold buffet—scraps, really. He sat down and forced himself to eat, but there was nothing to savor. It was over in minutes.
Afterward, he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, eyes following the slow rotations of the ceiling fan. His thoughts spiraled just as lazily.
Who would he meet after this? Hopefully, it would answer a question that has been lingering on his mind since last night, which is what kind of world had he been thrown into? Was this some run-of-the-mill comic book universe? A twisted movie version? Or something else entirely? Right now, he had nothing—no real sense of where he was, no clue about the state of the world beyond these walls. But information was a currency he could collect, if the others here were willing to talk. And once he had enough of it, he could start piecing together a plan—an escape, or at the very least, a know-how on what to expect of the outside world.
But even if he did escape… then what? He had no identity outside of this place. No money. No home. Just a target on his back. Whoever ran this facility wouldn't let him walk free. He'd be hunted. A ghost with no past, no future. A part of him thinks that it's better to just stay here at least until the people that owned this place want to do something to him.
He exhaled sharply and shook his head. Too soon to make conclusions. Too early to give up.
The sharp click of heels against tile cut through his thoughts. He turned as Gregor strode into the room. She barely glanced at his tray before speaking.
"Finished eating?" she asked, though the answer was obvious. Then, without waiting for a response, she added, "Come on. The others are waiting."
—
The moment Hal stepped into the counseling room with Gregor, an invisible weight pressed against his chest, thick and suffocating, the same feeling that he felt last night from the room across his. His breath hitched, his fingers curling into fists as he fought to keep his composure.
In the center of the room, a circle of chairs had been arranged, each one occupied except two. Four people sat before him, their gazes unreadable, their aura suffocating. From a glance, they seemed to be around his age.
One by one, he studied their faces. Each of them radiated the same crushing pressure that made it hard for him to breathe, though some bore a more intense weight than others. But there was something else—another sensation crawling over his skin. A shivering cold, starkly different from the searing heat he'd felt from the door across his room earlier. It sent a chill down his spine.
Gregor cleared her throat, breaking the silence.
"Everyone, thank you for waiting. As I mentioned before, we have a new resident in the building." She gestured toward him. "This is Hal Rayner. From now on, he'll be living here with you."
Silence.
No one spoke. No one even met his gaze—except for one.
A tan-skinned boy, slightly older-looking than the rest, stared at Hal with an expression that held something between curiosity and skepticism. The pressure he exuded was just as strong as the others, but the cold waves weren't there. Instead, something else radiated from him—a strange, draining aura, as if just standing near him could sap away Hal's energy.
The boy leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His voice was sharp, laced with something almost mocking.
"He's the guy that passed out in front?" His eyes flicked to Gregor before settling on Hal. "The turrets didn't shoot you, how'd you manage that? Hell, how'd you even find this place?"
"Roberto." Gregor's voice was firm, a quiet warning. "Hal doesn't remember anything about what happened to him. I'd appreciate it if you didn't bombard him with questions."
Roberto scoffed. "Doesn't remember anything? Of course he doesn't."
"Roberto." This time, Gregor's tone sharpened, her gaze cutting through him.
For a moment, he held her stare, defiant. Then, with a quiet huff, he looked away—just like the others. But unlike them, there was resistance in his expression.
Gregor turned to Hal and gestured toward one of the two empty chairs. "Take a seat, Hal."
Without a word, he did as instructed. Gregor followed suit, crossing her legs as she scanned the group.
"Now," she continued, "we're missing one person, but these are the people you'll be living with from now on."
She motioned toward a girl with short brown hair. "This is Rahne Sinclair. She's from Scotland."
Then to a boy with a couple of fresh bruises on his face. "This is Samuel Guthrie. He's from Kentucky."
Next, to the tan-skinned boy dressed in expensive-looking clothes. "Roberto da Costa. He's from Brazil."
And finally, to a Native American girl with an unreadable expression. "Danielle Moonstar. She's a member of the Cheyenne Nation."
Hal tilted his head slightly. "I don't know what any of that means."
A beat of silence followed.
Gregor turned to him, eyebrows knitting together. "Excuse me?"
"Scotland. Brazil. Kentucky." He shrugged. "What is that?"
He knew what they were, obviously. But playing the amnesiac role had its advantages—maybe he could squeeze out some extra information while he was at it.
Gregor hesitated, exchanging glances with the others, who looked equally thrown off. "Right. Those are places in the world," she finally said.
Roberto scoffed. "You don't know geography? What, have you been living under a rock or something?"
"Roberto," Gregor's voice cut through, sharp and direct. "Keep taunting him, and we'll be having a discussion this evening."
Roberto clicked his tongue but didn't push further.
Gregor exhaled and turned back to Hal. "I underestimated just how severe your memory loss is. Don't worry—I'll make sure you're brought up to speed on the basics. And I will check on what you know and don't know tomorrow."
"Sure," Hal muttered. Then, shifting gears, he asked, "You said we're missing someone. Is it the one across the corridor from me?"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Gregor's face, but before she could answer, Roberto spoke up.
"That's Illyana." His brow lifted slightly. "But hold up—how come he gets to stay on the girl's side of the corridor?"
"There's no 'girl's side' or 'boy's side,' Roberto," Gregor countered smoothly. "His assigned room just happened to be across from Illyana's."
"Then can I switch rooms?"
"No." Gregor's response was flat, immediate.
Danielle, who had been silent until now, let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, right. Knowing you, you just want to perv around."
"Alright, that's enough," Gregor said, her voice firm as she leaned forward. "Now, unlike all of you, Hal here doesn't remember his powers or how to control them. I want this week's counseling session to be an opportunity for all of you to help him figure out what he's looking for. So, I want each of you to share the first time you awakened your power—and the feeling of it. Can you do that?"
The room fell silent again, an uneasy stillness hanging in the air.
Gregor exhaled slowly, her eyes scanning the room, before turning to the nearest person. "Rahne?"
Rahne flinched, startled. "Me? I, uh…"
"It's okay," Gregor reassured her gently.
Rahne nodded hesitantly, her fingers twisting nervously. "I was thirteen when I woke up feelin' warmer than usual. Took me a moment to realize—I'd grown a coat o' fur and turned into a wolf. At first, I panicked, but once I slipped outta me room and bolted through the forest, it felt freein', even soothin'. I'd never felt anythin' like it before. I just kept runnin' and runnin' till the evenin' came. By then, Reverend Craig was searchin' high and low for me. I went up to him and told him what I'd been through. But he just got angry—said I was a witch, that I was everythin' wrong wi' the world, that it was me who made folk disappear—"
"It's alright, Rahne," Gregor interjected softly, her hand resting gently on Rahne's. "You don't have to share everything."
Rahne gave a small, grateful nod. Gregor turned back to the group. "Now, Rahne. How did you learn to change back to your human form? Can you share that with us, so maybe Hal here can understand how he might tap into his own power?"
Rahne paused, her gaze distant. "Uh... I just know." Her voice was quiet, almost matter-of-fact. "It's like I woke up with the knowledge. If I want to turn into a wolf, I just think about it—just will it. And the same the other way 'round."
Hal watched her, his expression blank, though inside he was struggling to keep his composure. As Rahne spoke, that cold, shivering aura around her intensified, wrapping itself around him like a freezing fog. His fingers numbed with the chill, but the temperature in the room remained unchanged for everyone else. He swallowed hard, trying to shake off the sensation, but the cold gnawed at him.
"Okay." Gregor gave Rahne's shoulder a reassuring pat. "Anyone else?" she asked, her gaze shifting to the person sitting next to Rahne. "Sam?"
"I ain't lookin' to talk 'bout it," Sam muttered, his tone reluctant.
Gregor's expression softened. "You don't have to tell everyone about the first time you awakened your abilities. Just how you're able to use them now."
Sam hesitated, eyes avoiding everyone in the room. "It's like Rahne said. Feels like I woke up already knowin' how to do it. But once I'm in the air, it's hard to stop. I either crash or fall straight to the bruises."
Gregor smiled faintly and nodded in understanding, her approval quiet but genuine. She turned to the next person beside Sam. "Roberto?"
Roberto's usual arrogance was gone. His voice was quieter now, more reserved. "It's often when I feel threatened… or when I get worked up. But I can use it at will too."
Gregor gave a brief nod before looking at the last person. "Danielle?"
Danielle's frustration was evident, her shoulders tensing. "I can't control it, Doc. You know that. I don't even know if it's activated or not."
Gregor sighed, her tone gentle but tinged with quiet concern. "Alright. Let's wrap up the session early." She paused, scanning the room. "Does anyone want to volunteer to take Hal around? Help him get familiar with the grounds?"
The room fell into a heavy silence once again.
"Sam? Can you?" Gregor asked, her voice softer now, almost imploring.
Sam glanced down at the floor, a long pause before he finally nodded.