LOGIN"To take everything back."Elena stood perfectly still.The words echoed inside her mind long after the voice disappeared.She looked at the machine beneath her palm.The entire laboratory had gone silent.The countdown had stopped.The alarms were gone.Even the subjects who had been moving through the corridors were standing still.It was as if the entire building was waiting for her next decision.Adrian was the first to speak."Elena, step away from the console."She didn't move."Why?""Because we don't know what it will do."Elena looked at him."Neither do I."Her father approached slowly."That's exactly why you need to stop."She turned toward him."You spent years making decisions for me."Her voice was calm now."I'm done letting you."He stopped.The original Elena stood a few feet away, watching them.She looked tired.Almost fragile.But there was something in her eyes that made Elena uneasy.Recognition.Like she knew what was coming."Elena," she said softly.Elena tur
"Now you know who I am."Elena couldn't move.The voice was inside her head again.Clearer this time.Closer.Almost like someone was standing directly behind her and whispering into her ear.She looked around the dark laboratory.Nothing.Only the sound of alarms and the slow dripping of water from the shattered chamber.Adrian reached for her."Elena."She stepped away."Don't touch me."He stopped immediately.The words on the screen remained burned into her mind.ELENA VIRELLI IS NO LONGER THE SUBJECT.SHE IS THE OBSERVER.Elena stared at them."What does that mean?"Nobody answered.She looked at her father.He looked terrified.Not surprised.Terrified."You knew."He swallowed."I suspected.""That's not what I asked.""I didn't know it would happen this way."Elena laughed bitterly."Nothing ever happens the way you expect, does it?"Her father lowered his eyes."Elena...""No."She pointed toward the screen."Explain it.""It means the Observer has transferred its primary con
"She's the original."Elena stared at the woman behind the glass.For several seconds, she forgot how to breathe.The woman inside the chamber looked exactly like her.Not similar.Not close.Exactly.Same dark hair.Same sharp eyes.Same small scar above her eyebrow.Even the tiny mark near her left wrist was there.Elena slowly lifted her own hand.The woman inside the chamber did the same.They stared at each other through the glass.Then the woman smiled.Elena stepped back."No."Her father didn't move.Adrian looked between them."Elena..."She shook her head."No. That isn't possible."The woman inside the chamber tilted her head.Her lips moved.But no sound came through.Elena stared at the glass."What is she saying?"Nobody answered.Six stepped closer."She's asking you to open the chamber."Elena looked at him."How do you know?""Because she asked me the same thing.""When?""Years ago."Elena's eyes narrowed."And you left her here?"Six looked away."I didn't have a ch
The elevator doors opened.Elena stopped breathing.For one terrifying second, nobody moved.The corridor beyond the elevator was empty.No soldiers.No scientists.No escaped subjects.Nothing.Just darkness.Then a man's hand appeared around the edge of the elevator door.Adrian raised his weapon immediately."Stay back."The hand disappeared.A second later, someone stepped out.Elena's heart dropped.She knew him.Not from her memories.From the files.VIRELLI-6.The man looked pale and exhausted. His dark hair was longer than it had been in the photograph, and a thin scar ran from his left temple down to his jaw.But there was no mistaking him.Elena stared."Six."The man looked directly at her.Then he smiled."Finally."Adrian's weapon remained raised."Don't come any closer."Virelli-6 ignored him.His eyes stayed on Elena."You look exactly like I remember."Elena stepped forward despite Adrian's warning."You were supposed to be dead.""I was."Her stomach tightened."Then
"Who are you?"Elena's voice trembled as she stared at the dark screens.Nothing answered.Then the voice inside her head laughed again.Soft.Calm.Almost familiar."You already know."Elena pressed both hands against her temples."Get out of my head."Everyone in the room looked at her.Adrian stepped closer."Elena?"She backed away."Don't."He stopped.The voice whispered again."I'm not the one you should be afraid of."Elena squeezed her eyes shut."Then who?"The voice went silent.She opened her eyes.The screens were still black.Her father was staring at her with an expression she had never seen before.Fear.Real fear."You heard it," he said.Elena looked at him."You knew."He nodded slowly."I knew this might happen.""Might?"Her voice rose."You knew there was something inside my mind, and you still let me wake up?""We didn't have a choice.""You always have a choice!"The room fell silent.Elena's breathing became uneven.She pointed toward her father."You took my
"Say that again."Elena's voice was barely above a whisper.Her father stood across the room, watching her carefully."You're not Virelli Seven," he said. "You're Virelli Zero."The lights remained off.Only the screens around the room gave the office a cold glow.VIRELLI ZERO.The words repeated across every monitor.Elena stared at them until the letters began to blur."No."Her father didn't move."No," she repeated, louder this time. "You don't get to change my name and expect me to believe you.""I am not changing your name.""Then what are you doing?""I'm telling you the truth."Elena laughed bitterly."Truth?"She pointed toward the screens."Six years ago, you were dead. Then I discovered you were alive. I found out my memories might not belong to me. I learned that another woman was called the first Elena. Now you're telling me I'm not even Seven."Her voice cracked."How many more lies are there?"Her father lowered his eyes."Too many."The answer hurt more than she expect







