That night, the helicopter touched down at a massive military compound—tall fences, watchtowers, and floodlights slicing through the dark. Inside, heavily armed soldiers stood at attention. But what caught the group's eyes the most were them—others who looked… different. Like Peterson. Foreign faces, pale skin, unusual features, and eyes that held too many secrets.
Peterson was the last to step out. As one of the soldiers—clearly of the same unfamiliar background—locked eyes with him, Peterson quickly turned his head away, his expression unreadable.
They were led into a wide hall. At the front stood a man in a dark long coat—sharp, poised, and clearly in charge. A holographic display flickered behind him.
"Welcome," he said calmly. "My name is Dr. Varn. You are... anomalies."
Lirael scanned the room. Dozens—no, maybe hundreds—of young men and women were there too. All confused, all tense, all like them.
Dr. Varn continued, "What happened is called Resonant—a high-frequency biological wave. It affects the human nervous system. People don't just die… they vanish."
A young man in a torn hoodie from another group raised his hand. "You're telling us... a wave did all that? Just a signal wiped out humanity?"
Dr. Varn gave a thin smile. "Not just a wave. Resonant targets the living frequency of humans. But you... you're different."
"Why didn't we disappear?" Elior asked quietly.
The doctor glanced at them, then tapped something on his wrist. A strand of DNA rotated in midair.
"You possess... unusual blood. Genetic material most people don't have."
"A mutation?" Kael asked sharply.
"More than that," said Dr. Varn. "You're not just immune. You're the key."
Peterson's jaw tightened. His hands curled slightly at his sides—as if he'd known this all along.
Veyra squinted. "Key to what?"
Dr. Varn's eyes settled on Lirael. "To reversing Resonant... or becoming the next trigger."
As Dr. Varn continued his speech about Resonant, Lirael's eyes wandered—restless, searching.
That's when she saw it.
Peeking just beneath the collar of his neatly buttoned coat, on the side of Dr. Varn's neck, was a small lightning-shaped tattoo. Barely visible, dark in color—almost hidden, but not quite.
Her gaze sharpened.
That symbol...
Lirael slowly turned her head, eyes drifting to Peterson, who stood beside her. He was silent, as usual, arms crossed, posture guarded. But as the holographic light shifted slightly, she caught a faint glint of ink on the same spot—the exact same lightning mark on the side of his neck.
Her breath caught in her throat. They both have it.
As if sensing her stare, Peterson glanced sideways at her. His expression didn't change, but the look in his eyes said one thing clearly:
"Don't ask. Not here."
Lirael quickly looked away, pretending to focus back on the presentation, but her thoughts were racing.
Peterson knows something. And he's one of them.
Meanwhile, Dr. Varn tapped the console, and new images appeared—spinning double helixes, charts, and unfamiliar energy readings.
"You will each be assigned into observation groups," he said smoothly. "We will run a few non-invasive tests. Nothing to worry about. You are all... special. And we need to understand why."
Kael leaned closer to Riven, whispering under his breath, "This isn't a shelter. It's a lab."
Riven clenched his jaw. "Didn't trust this from the start."
Nearby, Serin, sensing Lirael's tension, whispered gently, "You look pale. What's wrong?"
Lirael hesitated, then shook her head. "Nothing... not yet."
Across the room, Nyssa had already started watching the guards' movement patterns. Veyra narrowed her eyes at a corner—spotting what looked like a hidden camera.
They all felt it, deep in their gut.
The tension in the hall lingered after Dr. Varn finished his briefing. Then he turned sharply toward Peterson.
"Peterson, come with me."
Peterson gave a blank stare, then silently followed Dr. Varn toward a door on the east side of the hall. As the door closed behind them, Lirael watched with a mix of suspicion, worry, and confusion swirling inside her.
A few minutes later, a woman in a white uniform entered the hall, walking briskly and purposefully.
"Group of seven, please follow me to the laboratory for initial testing."
They exchanged uncertain glances—Lirael, Kael, Riven, Elior, Serin, Nyssa, and Veyra. One by one, they followed her through gleaming metal corridors until they reached a large, sterile white laboratory.
As the door opened, they all froze.
In the center of the room, on a medical bed, lay a young man hooked up to various machines—sensors, cables, and monitors tracking his biological activity.
On his white uniform, the name was clearly printed: "Taren."
Serin covered her mouth, whispering, "Oh no… is he the guy from our helicopter group?"
Elior shook his head softly. "I don't think so… I didn't see him with us."
Nyssa stepped closer. "He looks like one of us… but why is he here already?"
One of the doctors, without turning, answered calmly, "Taren was found unconscious two days ago. He survived the Resonant event, but his body shows extreme energy fluctuations."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by energy fluctuations?"
"His body emits a reverse resonance. He's not just surviving—he's reflecting the effects."
Lirael looked at Taren with a strange feeling. His face was peaceful, like he was in a deep sleep… but the screen beside him showed a number that kept rising.
Resonance: 187%
Stability: Fluctuating
Suddenly, the monitor beeped urgently—beep-beep-beep—and Taren's body twitched slightly.
"He's waking up…" Serin whispered.
And as Taren's eyes slowly opened, a faint blue glow radiated from his pupils.
In a small, dimly lit room, Taren was brought inside. Dr. Varn stood nearby, his face cold and unreadable. He bent down and whispered softly, almost inaudibly:
"It's time for you to forget..."
Suddenly, a small device resembling a pistol emerged from Dr. Varn's pocket. In an instant, a quiet shot was fired at Taren's neck.
Taren froze, his body went limp, and his eyes stared blankly. Slowly, his consciousness faded like mist swept away by the wind.
In another room, Peterson suddenly awoke, eyes wide open. He gasped, breath ragged.
"Where am I?" he croaked, filled with confusion.
Dr. Varn stood not far away, watching with calm but commanding eyes.
"You are one of us, Peterson," Dr. Varn said coldly. "A military operative stationed here. Your father entrusted you to come to planet Earth, to aid our mission."
Peterson stared sharply, trying to piece together memories that felt distant and blurry.
"My father? Planet Earth? Mission?" He fumbled, disbelief mixing with fear.
Dr. Varn sighed heavily and explained in a grave tone, "We are not merely human. We are soldiers from beyond the stars, sent to take over Earth. Ordinary humans will be exterminated. But those who survive—like you—will be harnessed as resources."
Peterson locked eyes with Dr. Varn, filled with anger and denial, but one huge question lingered in the air:
"What exactly am I? And what role did my father play in all of this?"
Dr. Varn:
"Our home planet is called Zytherion, located in a distant galaxy known as Velloria. A world of advanced technology and powerful civilization."
Peterson:
"So... I really am from Zytherion?"
Dr. Varn:
"Yes. You, Peterson, are one of the few pure Zytherions—your bloodline is pure, just like your father's."
Peterson:
"But what about the others??They seem different."
Dr. Varn:
"They are not pure Zytherions like you. They are hybrids—genetic mixes between Zytherion and Earth humans. That's why they survived the Resonant, but not as strongly as you."
Peterson:
"So where are the hybrids originally from?"
Dr. Varn:
"They come from Earth—the planet we aim to take over and control for its resources."
Peterson:
"So this is all about conquering Earth?"
Dr. Varn:
"Exactly. We Zytherions came to Earth to harness its potential. All of you—both pure Zytherion and hybrids—are key to our mission."
Peterson:
(whispering)
"And my father? What's his role?"
Dr. Varn:
"Your father is one of Zytherion's commanders overseeing this mission. He entrusted you to Earth to help manage the situation."
The metallic door slid open with a soft hiss. Lirael stepped inside first, followed by Kael, Elier, Nyssa, Serin, Veyra, and Riven. They froze at the sight of the room—one large dorm-style space with stacked bunks, a long table in the center, and cold white lights casting a sterile glow over everything.
Riven crossed his arms, clearly irritated.
"So... we're all in the same room? Seriously?"
A grey-uniformed officer who escorted them answered in a flat voice,
"Yes. This is your assigned group chamber. You'll remain together during the observation phase."
Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "No division? Guys and girls?"
Serin looked around, clearly uneasy. "This... doesn't feel right."
Riven scowled. "We're not comfortable with this. There should be separation."
The officer let out a quiet sigh, but his tone grew firmer:
"Your group is unique. All eight of you survived the Resonant. That makes you critical subjects. For security and monitoring, you must stay together."
Veyra, already sitting on a bunk and twirling a strand of hair, smirked,
"Well, looks like we're stuck. If you're not comfortable, sleep sitting up."
Kael scanned the room calmly, then shrugged. "We don't have a choice. For now, it's better to stay together. We can watch each other's backs."
Elier simply nodded, already deep in thought.
Lirael stood still for a moment, then spoke softly,
"If we're part of something bigger... maybe this is just the beginning."
The officer pressed a button on the wall.
"Room locks are active. Get some rest. Tomorrow morning—further testing."
The door slid shut with a metallic thud. They looked at one another in silence. For a brief moment... the outside world felt even farther away.