"Force 1"

The automobile came to a smooth, silent stop. The doors glided open, revealing the immense facade of Reed Manor. It was less a home and more a palace of cold, clean marble and polished steel, its windows like dark, unblinking eyes.

Emmett and Briar were pulled from the car and led up a long staircase. They could hear the hum of generators and the soft thrum of machinery coming from deep within the building.

Just as they reached the massive doors, a loud, static-filled voice squawked from a device on the lead man's hip. He unclipped a small, brass-plated receiver and held it to his ear.

"Sir?"

The voice on the other end was a crisp, commanding bark.

"I am on my way from the capital. Ensure the children are prepared for assessment."

The call ended with a sharp click.

The men in suits pushed Emmett and Briar inside. The hall was a vast, open space, a jarring mix of grand chandeliers and stark, surgical-white walls.

They were led to a large waiting room with a single, long bench.

Sitting there were four other children, around Emmett's age. A boy with piercing, intellectual blue eyes watched their every move from the corner. Another boy with a disarming smile and warm eyes looked up from his lap. A girl with large, expressive eyes seemed to shrink in on herself, and a boy with the broad shoulders sat in calm silence, his gaze fixed on a distant point.

The man in the suit pointed at the bench.

"Wait here. The Baron will see you shortly."

Then, they left, and the heavy door shut behind them, leaving the six children in an uneasy silence.

The boy with the charming smile, Felix Vance, was the first to break the quiet. He offered a practiced, reassuring smile.

"Well, at least the chairs aren't bolted down. Small victories, right? Maybe it's all just a misunderstanding. "

Briar bristled, her chin jutting out.

"A misunderstanding? My parents were very clear. They got a nice chunk of change, and I got a one-way ticket to... whatever this is."

The boy with the intellectual blue eyes, Corbin Finch, watched her with a detached curiosity before speaking.

"Well, look at the bright side. They got a good price, and you got a one-way ticket out of a dead-end life. Crying's a waste of perfectly good water."

Briar's defiance flared.

"Oh, I see. My bad. Guess I'm not as 'evolved' as you are. Tell me, what's the formula for getting over your own family selling you? Do you even care?"

Corbin simply shook his head.

"Caring is a luxury I couldn't afford. It's much simpler to just choose this."

The girl with the large, expressive eyes, Beatrice Fontaine, flinched at the tension in the room. Her voice was soft and hesitant.

"Please... can we just be quiet? I don't want to cause any trouble."

Emmett, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke, his voice flat.

"There's nothing you can do about it. We're already in trouble."

Beatrice's eyes filled with anxiety, and she shrank back into herself.

Felix sighed, the charm slipping from his face for a moment. He looked at Emmett and Briar.

"You two are new here, right?"

"We just got here,"

Emmett said, his voice flat.

Felix offered a half-smile.

"Well, consider me your unofficial welcome wagon. I'm Felix. It's not so bad, really. You'll get used to the quiet... and the whispers."

He glanced nervously toward the door.

"Just try not to attract too much attention, and you'll be fine."

Briar scowled at his nonchalance.

"How can you be so calm? Don't you see where we are?"

"I've seen worse,"

Felix replied with a shrug, though his hands were subtly trembling in his lap.

"At least here, you know where the danger is."

Rhys Fisher, the silent boy with the broad shoulders, shifted his gaze from the wall to Briar, his expression calm and observant. The other four children looked at Briar, and a tense silence filled the room.

Just as the silence threatened to consume them, a new sound cut through the air—the soft, deliberate click of the door's locking mechanism. Every eye in the room darted to the entrance as the door opened, revealing a tall, imposing figure silhouetted in the hallway's light.

Baron Calvin stepped into the room, his black coat and polished shoes impeccable. He surveyed the children, his gaze lingering on each one as a small, smug grin spread across his face, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Look at all of you,"

he said, his voice was smooth, dripping with false sympathy.

"Lost, alone, and discarded. You all have circumstances that caused you to be where you are right now."

He paused, his grin widening into a triumphant smile.

"I'm very sure most of you have questions for me. I will provide answers in due time, but for now, I welcome you all as the first fruits of my relentless research and hardwork. From today onwards, you all will be known as my prototypes, Force 1."

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***