Silence pressed in from all sides.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
Unforgiving.
---
Teresa couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
---
You're my greatest creation.
---
The words echoed in her head.
Over.
And over.
And over again.
---
"No…" she whispered.
---
Her hands trembled as she stared into the darkness.
---
"That's not real."
---
But even as she said it—
Something inside her shifted.
---
Something… wrong.
---
"Teresa."
Lester's voice.
Low.
Careful.
---
She didn't look at him.
---
"I don't remember any of that," she said quickly. "I don't—I don't remember being in a lab or—"
---
Her breath hitched.
---
"—being experimented on."
---
Silence.
---
Lester didn't respond immediately.
---
And that—
That scared her more than anything else.
---
"…Say something," she whispered.
---
A pause.
---
Then—
"I don't know what to say."
---
Her chest tightened painfully.
---
"Do you believe him?" she asked.
---
Silence again.
---
Too long.
---
"I don't want to."
---
That hurt.
---
But it wasn't a no.
---
Teresa's breath became uneven.
---
"Lester…"
---
Something inside her chest—
Tightened.
---
Sharp.
Sudden.
---
She gasped.
---
Pain shot through her body—
Like electricity under her skin.
---
"What—?"
---
Her knees buckled.
---
Lester caught her instantly.
---
"Teresa!"
---
Her body trembled violently in his arms.
---
"It hurts," she whispered.
---
"Where?" he demanded.
---
"Everywhere."
---
Her fingers clenched into his shirt—
Tight—
Desperate—
---
"I feel like—"
She gasped sharply.
---
"—like something's waking up."
---
The air around them shifted.
---
Marcus turned sharply.
---
"Do you feel that?"
---
Lester's grip tightened.
---
"Yes."
---
A low hum filled the tunnel.
---
Vibrating.
---
Not from outside.
---
From her.
---
Teresa's eyes widened.
---
"No…"
---
Her breath came out in sharp bursts.
---
"I can't control it—"
---
The ground beneath them trembled slightly.
---
Small stones lifted.
---
Just barely.
---
Floating.
---
Lester's expression changed instantly.
---
Shock.
---
Then—
Something darker.
---
Fear.
---
"Teresa…" he said slowly.
---
She shook her head.
---
"I don't know what's happening—"
---
Her voice broke.
---
"I don't know what I am."
---
The words shattered something inside him.
---
"Hey," he said quickly.
---
His hand came up—
Gripping her face.
Forcing her to look at him.
---
"You're you."
---
Her breath trembled.
---
"No matter what he says."
---
The ground shook harder.
---
The air thickened.
---
Marcus stepped back slightly.
---
"This isn't normal."
---
"No," Lester agreed.
---
But he didn't let go of her.
---
Didn't move away.
---
Didn't hesitate.
---
Even now.
---
"Lester…" Marcus warned.
---
He ignored him.
---
Her body trembled harder—
---
"I can't stop it!" she cried.
---
The stones lifted higher.
---
Cracks spread along the tunnel walls.
---
Dust fell from above.
---
The entire structure—
Shaking.
---
Lester pulled her closer.
---
"Then don't," he said.
---
She froze.
---
"What?"
---
"Don't fight it."
---
Her breath caught.
---
"I don't know what it is!"
---
"Then we figure it out," he said.
---
"Together."
---
Silence.
---
Even as everything around them trembled.
---
Marcus stepped forward again.
---
"Or it kills us all."
---
The words hit hard.
---
Lester's head snapped toward him.
---
"Not helping."
---
"I'm being realistic."
---
"Try being quiet."
---
Tension snapped again.
---
But this time—
Teresa felt it.
---
Every emotion.
---
Every fear.
---
Every doubt.
---
Amplified.
---
Her chest tightened.
---
"Stop," she whispered.
---
But it wasn't to them.
---
It was to herself.
---
"STOP!"
---
The ground cracked violently.
---
A shockwave burst outward—
Throwing all three of them back.
---
Silence followed.
---
Total.
---
Stillness.
---
Teresa lay on the ground—
Breathing hard.
---
Everything stopped.
---
The floating stones dropped.
---
The air settled.
---
The hum disappeared.
---
"…What did I just do?" she whispered.
---
Lester pushed himself up slowly—
Ignoring the pain—
Ignoring the blood—
---
He looked at her.
---
And this time—
He didn't hide it.
---
Fear.
---
Not of her.
---
But of what could happen to her.
---
Or because of her.
---
Marcus stood slowly.
---
"…You just confirmed it," he said quietly.
---
Teresa's heart dropped.
---
"Confirmed what?"
---
Marcus hesitated.
---
Then—
"There's more to this."
---
Silence.
---
"I found files," he continued.
---
Both of them looked at him.
---
"When I was digging into your father's operations."
---
A pause.
---
"He wasn't just experimenting on random people."
---
Teresa's breath caught.
---
"He was building something."
---
Lester's jaw tightened.
---
"For what?"
---
Marcus looked at Teresa.
---
"…Weapons."
---
Silence exploded.
---
Teresa's chest tightened painfully.
---
"No…"
---
"You weren't just a subject," Marcus added.
---
Her voice shook.
---
"Then what was I?"
---
Marcus hesitated.
---
Then said it.
---
"The prototype."
---
Everything shattered.
---
Teresa's world tilted.
---
"I'm not—" she started.
---
But the words didn't come.
---
Because deep down—
---
She felt it.
---
That power.
---
That energy.
---
That something—
---
Inside her.
---
Lester stepped forward slowly.
---
His gaze locked onto hers.
---
Sharp.
Conflicted.
---
"You should've told me," he said quietly.
---
Her breath broke.
---
"I didn't know!"
---
"I know."
---
But his voice—
Still held something else.
---
Something dangerous.
---
"If you lose control—"
---
"I won't," she said quickly.
---
"You don't know that."
---
Silence.
---
Painful.
---
"You think I'd hurt you?" she whispered.
---
He didn't answer immediately.
---
And that—
That hurt more than anything.
---
"…I don't know what you are anymore," he admitted.
---
Her heart shattered.
---
"Then leave," she said quietly.
---
Silence.
---
"If you're scared of me," she added,
"then go."
---
A long pause.
---
Heavy.
---
Unbearable.
---
Then—
He moved.
---
Fast.
---
Closing the distance between them—
---
Grabbing her—
Pulling her into him—
---
Hard.
---
"I'm not going anywhere."
---
Her breath caught.
---
"Even if you should," she whispered.
---
His grip tightened.
---
"Especially then."
---
Her heart pounded wildly.
---
"You don't understand—"
---
"I do," he cut in.
---
His voice dropped.
Lower.
Darker.
---
"If it comes down to it…"
A pause.
---
His forehead pressed against hers.
---
"I'll choose you."
---
Her breath trembled.
---
"Even if I have to stop you?"
---
Silence.
---
That was the question.
---
The one that mattered.
---
His grip tightened.
---
"…Even then."
---
Her heart broke.
---
Because she understood what that meant.
---
He would save her.
---
Or destroy her.
---
Whichever came first.
---
And somehow—
---
He would still choose her.
---
A distant sound echoed again.
---
Footsteps.
---
More enemies.
---
Closer now.
---
Marcus looked toward the tunnel.
---
"They're coming."
---
Lester didn't move.
---
Didn't let go.
---
Didn't look away from her.
---
"Then we move," he said.
---
His voice steady again.
---
Controlled.
---
But his eyes—
---
Still burning.
---
With something far more dangerous than fear.
---
Obsession.
---
END OF CHAPTER 13