《Overpower》 Prologue Prologue: The lights in the doctor''s office illuminated his face as he sat in one chair in the waiting room. Anxious to be called in, since every second that passed, he would be one step closer to becoming permanently deaf. It had all started a few weeks ago when he found out he had otitis media. For a normal person, that would be devastating enough, but for him who had been born blind, it was worse than devastating. It seemed that God was punishing him again for some reason, although he didn''t know why he hadn¡¯t done anything bad enough to deserve something like this. Not was he a saint, but... from there to deserving to be one of the few people with deaf-blind in the world, that, that was something completely different. ¡ªExcuse me, Mr. Andrews? John Andrews? ¡ª said a female voice to which he nodded while he felt someone touching him, he had become very distracted and his increasing deafness did not help at all. ¡ª Dr. Lawrence will see you shortly. John got up carefully, helped by what appeared to be the secretary, and with his cane in his hand, he went to where he sensed the door was. ¡ªExcuse me, Mr. Andrews, would you like me to help you? He shook his head, already feeling useless enough as it was he didn''t need to be helped to walk as if he was disabled on top of everything else. A few seconds later, he went into what he thought was the consulting room. His guess was right, as he could hear someone clearing their throat. ¡ªMr. Andrews, I''m very pleased that you''re joining us. If you like, you can take a seat or you can also stand, as you prefer. ¡ªI''m fine like this, doctor. ¡ªVery well ¡ª John felt the doctor settle himself in his chair. ¡ªSo, I hear you''ve accepted the terms of the contract. John nodded. ¡ªYou know what you signed, don''t you? ¡ª he asked, ¡ªWould you like us to go over the terms and conditions before we begin the operation?¡¯ the doctor asked. ¡ªThere''s no need, I already signed the contract. Besides, I don''t care about the price, I just want to see and hear like the rest of the world, that''s all that matters to me. ¡ªOf course, Mr. Andrews. In that case, I''m going to ask you to undress and lie down on the stretcher, if you would be so kind. John obeyed and quickly undressed. Once he had taken off his last garment, the doctor helped him onto the table. Once he was up, he heard the doctor grab something and put it to his face. ¡ªNow I''m going to ask you to take a deep breath, Mr. Andrews. John obeyed without question. Little by little, he noticed how he was closing his eyes until he fell asleep. (1 week earlier...) ¡ªJohn, are you sure about this? ¡ª asked a female voice that he had recognized for many years as that of his sister, Lincy. She had taken care of him since his parents passed away, so from a very young age, she started working to support them both. Although he never said so, he always felt guilty about this. His sister was a young girl with her whole life ahead of her and yet, from the age of 16, she had been looking after him, wasting her youth. He hated himself and his disability because of this. ¡ªYes, I''m sure ¡ª he replied, without a shred of doubt in his tone. That day, John had met someone on one of his daily walks with his dog Spike. The man didn''t say his name, but he offered John something that caught his attention. ¡ªWhy are you so sure? You don''t know the guy, what if he kidnaps you or removes your organs? ¡ªAt least that way you wouldn''t have to worry about me!! ¡ª John shouted, whereupon his sister looked at him in surprise and something of shock. ¡ªWhat do you mean, John? ¡ª she asked, her voice sounding confused. ¡ªListen, Lincy. It''s not fair that you have to sacrifice your life for me. Since our parents left, you''ve done everything you can to take care of me, but... ¡ª He paused, his voice firm. ¡ªI feel like I''m ruining your best years. Lincy frowned. ¡ªI''m not wasting anything. I''m here because I want to be. ¡ªBut it should be different. You should be enjoying life, not carrying my weight ¡ª said John, his hands clasped on his knees. She let out a sigh, as if the air weighed as much as her brother''s words. ¡ªYou can''t think like that. It''s not a sacrifice if I do it because I love you. John leaned forward, the intensity in his voice marking each word. ¡ªI don''t want you to love me like this. I want to be able to take care of you, not the other way around. I shouldn''t be your responsibility... And that''s why I need this operation. If I can hear and see, I won''t be a burden to you or anyone else. Lincy narrowed her eyes, biting her lower lip. ¡ªWhat if something goes wrong?¡± she asked cautiously. ¡±I can''t lose you, John. He was silent for a moment, his mind torn between the need for freedom and the fear of failure. ¡ªIf I stay like this... how long do you think you can bear it? It''s only a matter of time before you burn out ¡ª his voice became almost a whisper. ¡ª I don''t want to see you leave your dreams behind because of me. Lincy''s hands trembled slightly as he played with the edges of his T-shirt. ¡ªBut that doesn''t mean you''re ready for this. There are risks... John interrupted firmly: ¡ªEverything in life has risks. This is mine to face and I must try ¡ª the words poured out of him like an overflowing river. His sister watched him, struggling with her emotions; love and worry crashed inside her like waves in a storm. The idea of losing John was heartbreaking, but seeing how he suffered for her also broke her. ¡ªSorry John but the answer is no. ¡ªNo? I''m sorry? Would you rather I went blind for life and now deaf too? ¡ªI''d rather do that than lose you, you idiot! ¡ª she shouted as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Seeing this, he greatly regretted having said it, he had made her suffer again. So he moved closer to embrace her, following the sound of her crying. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡ªI''m sorry, Lincy. I''m really sorry. She did not reply, she was too immersed in her tears, but John felt her hands slide down his back, she was hugging him. ¡ªPromise me John, promise me you won''t. ¡ªBut... ¡ªPROMISE ME ¡ª Lincy shouted, startling him. ¡ª...please. John hesitated for a few seconds but finally nodded. --- The days passed with a familiar routine, and although John moved through his small world as always, something was beginning to gnaw at him. The daily walks with Spike continued, the dog sniffing the air while he guided him with his cane, but an invisible weight followed him. Every morning, he would sit in the kitchen and listen to Lincy prepare breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee reminded him of mornings from his childhood, moments that seemed unattainable. But instead of comforting him, those memories only fueled his frustration. One afternoon, while walking in the park with Spike, he heard a group of children playing ball. Laughter and shouts filled the air, smiles probably lit up their faces. A pang of longing shot through him; he wished he could be part of that bustle, to hear their laughter without effort. The dog stopped to sniff a nearby tree. John felt a mixture of helplessness and despair as he waited patiently for Spike to decide to continue. His mind wandered to Dr. Lawrence and the broken promises. When he returned home, Lincy greeted him with a tired smile after her working day. ¡ªWe sold a lot of fresh products today ¡ª she announced as she put the bags on the table. ¡ª I''m glad ¡ª he replied without enthusiasm. The empty look she gave the bag made him think that this joy would never be enough to fill him. ¡ªWould you like to help me with dinner? ¡ª she suggested. John felt something inside him creak as he remembered the nights they cooked together. But this time was different; he didn''t want to be just another spectator. ¡ªI don''t think today is a good day for that ¡ª he replied, shrugging his shoulders as if they were heavy burdens. Lincy frowned, a spark of concern lighting up her eyes. ¡ªWhy? John was silent for a moment. The pressure on his chest increased. ¡ªBecause... because I feel that all this is pointless ¡ª the words came out harsher than he intended. ¡ª I''m trapped here, Lincy, and I can''t bear it any more. She took a step towards him, seeking to understand the tone behind his voice. ¡ªIt''s not pointless if we''re together,¡¯ she said softly. ¡±We do it for each other... But those words barely resonated with him. John pursed his lips; the anguish was palpable in his expression as he contemplated the outside world from the window. Inside he knew that opportunities were slipping through his fingers like fine sand. The future was out there, full of sounds and vibrant colors, but it remained inaccessible, mocking his helplessness. Night had taken over the city, and shadows danced around him. John sat in the kitchen, the dim lights illuminating his face as he played with the edge of the card he had received days before. The contact that had offered him a possible solution to his problems now shone with renewed meaning. The possibility of being able to see and continue to hear the world seemed a distant promise, but he couldn''t let it slip away. With trembling hands, he ran his fingers over the Braille letters. A familiar pattern that had always brought him comfort; however, this time was different. This time it filled him with a mixture of nervousness and hope. ¡ªCome on, John,¡ª he said to himself, getting up from the chair decisively. He walked towards the living room where the landline phone rested on the table, his walking stick tapping a steady rhythm against the floor. He took a deep breath before dialing the number on the card. Each digit seemed to vibrate in his mind as the numbers transformed into vital connections for his future. An intermittent tone sounded in the receiver before a deep, calm voice broke the silence. ¡ªHello? ¡ª asked the man on the other end of the line. John felt a chill run down his spine. ¡ªHello, this is John Andrews. We met a few days ago... The man''s voice lit up with recognition. ¡ªAh! John. Good to hear from you. Have you given any thought to our conversation? John bit his lower lip, gathering his courage before continuing. ¡ªYes, I''ve been considering... what you said about the treatment. I''d like to know more about it. The man paused, as if evaluating the words about to come out. ¡°Perfect. There are many options available depending on your specific needs. Would you like to meet to discuss it?¡± A rush of adrenaline coursed through John; this was what he had been waiting for. ¡ªYes, of course ¡ª he replied quickly. ¡ª When? The man''s voice sounded confident and direct. ¡ªTomorrow morning would be good. We can meet at the caf¨¦ near the park; it''s discreet and quiet. John nodded even though he knew he couldn''t see him, however, that small confirmation reassured him. ¡ªAll right, I''ll be there ¡ª he replied, feeling a spark of excitement begin to ignite inside him. The idea of taking control of his life again gave him unexpected strength. They agreed on the last details before saying goodbye and hanging up. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, tinting the sky with shades of gold and orange. John left the house with a slight tremor in his hands. The fresh morning air gave him life, although uncertainty tightened his chest. Spike, his faithful dog, walked alongside him, sniffing every corner around him as he always did. As they walked along the familiar sidewalk, the morning sounds drifted around them: the distant birdsong, the murmur of traffic in the distance and the soft whisper of the wind. John let himself be carried away by these sounds, allowing Spike to guide him. However, the words of Rick, the contact he had met days ago resonated in his mind. The idea of meeting up with him filled him with hope, but also with anxiety, the anxiety of disobeying his sister, guilt consumed him from within, but he consoled himself by thinking that if this worked, he would no longer be a burden to her. The path to the coffee was well marked in his memory; he had walked it countless times with Lincy by his side. But this time, everything was different. It was a step into the unknown, and that excited him. ¡ªCome on, Spike. ¡ª He said with determination. The Labrador barked softly in response and picked up his pace as he felt the palpable energy emanating from his owner. The park square was fast approaching; he could feel it through the echo of the familiar noise emanating from the place. When they reached the coffee, John stopped just outside. With a slight turn of his head towards Spike, he felt a mixture of nervousness and resolution. He adjusted his jacket as he recalled the instructions he had received for this meeting. A few more steps and he walked through the door of the coffee, where the aroma of fresh coffee invaded his senses. The tables were arranged in an open configuration; he could hear murmurs and laughter echoing among the scattered conversations. His heart beat faster as he scanned the room, looking for the contact. Then he recognized a deep voice at the back of the room. ¡ªJohn, over here. ¡ª Rick called out in a friendly but firm tone. John moved forward, guided by that familiar sound cutting through the crowd until he reached the table where Rick was sitting. As he approached, he felt a wave of nervousness as Spike wagged his tail excitedly at the new acquaintance. ¡ªI''m glad you could come ¡ª Rick said as he extended a hand in greeting. John felt that firm hand intertwine with his as he smiled slightly, hiding his inner doubts under a layer of confidence. ¡ªSo ¡ª Rick said as John heard him sit down. ¡ªWhere do you want to start? --- John stirred awake, his senses awakening one by one like the gentle unfurling of a flower. Light flooded his vision, bright and warm. For the first time in years, he could see¡ªreally see. He blinked, struggling to comprehend the surrounding brilliance. Colors danced before his eyes, vivid hues splashing across his vision like paint on a canvas. The sterile white walls of the hospital room glowed under the fluorescent lights. A faint rustle pulled him from the overwhelming flood of sensation. He turned his head, and there it was¡ªthe sound of soft footsteps padding across the floor. A nurse moved gracefully between machines, her uniform crisp against the backdrop of muted colors. John gasped, but then he noticed something strange; shimmering waves rippled through the air around her like heat rising from pavement on a summer day. His breath caught in his throat as he tried to focus on those waves, confusion tugging at him. The clink of metal drew his attention further as he struggled against the restraints binding him to the bed. Panic surged through him when he realized he was chained down, immobile. His heart raced, beating hard against his chest as he attempted to sit up, but found himself restrained. ¡ªEasy there. ¡ª A familiar voice said softly. Dr. Lawrence stepped into view, a reassuring smile on his face that only added to John¡¯s bewilderment. ¡ªCongratulations, John. ¡ªHe continued as he approached the bedside with an air of triumph in his posture. ¡°You¡¯ve just woken up from surgery.¡± Surgery? The word echoed in John''s mind as he fought to reconcile this new reality with the memory of uncertainty that had filled his days before this moment. ¡ªCan you see me? ¡ª Dr. Lawrence asked with a hint of excitement in his tone. ¡ªI can see. ¡ª John breathed out in disbelief, scanning over everything, the doctor¡¯s coat, the equipment surrounding him, even the reflection of himself in the window across the room. ¡ª Not just that ¡ª Dr. Lawrence said with an eager glint in his eyes. ¡ªYou can also perceive electromagnetic waves. John frowned slightly, shifting uneasily under the chains binding him down. ¡ªWhat do you mean? ¡ª He searched for clarity amid this rush of new sensations. ¡ªThe shimmering you¡¯re seeing is part of what we call electromagnetic radiation,¡± Dr. Lawrence explained, gesturing toward one of those undulating waves now pulsating gently nearby¡ªa visual representation just beyond human perception until now. The implications washed over John like a tide crashing against rocky shores; awe mixed with confusion clouded his thoughts while questions tumbled inside him. ¡ªWhat do you mean? ¡ª John asked, to which the doctor just smiled in a creepy way. Breaking Free ¡ª Wh-what do you mean? ¡ª he asked again, this time with his voice trembling, to which the doctor only looked at him with a funny expression as if trying to hold back his laughter. ¡ª What I mean is that you now possess abilities that most people only wish they had, although I must say I¡¯m surprised. As you know, the treatment has many risks; the only thing we didn¡¯t tell you is that the probability of a successful surgery was 5%, but hey, you¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t you? John just looked at him in horror, his heart beating faster and faster as he felt adrenaline coursing through his veins and for some reason, he felt that his eyes were getting hot, causing him discomfort, so he started rubbing them. The doctor, perhaps because he was boasting about his success, remained oblivious to this. ¡ª To be honest, I doubted very much that you would survive. Did you know that the last patient who underwent the same surgery as you ended up with internal bleeding and his organs failed? Oh, I almost forgot, he also had a lot of convulsions, so many that I thought his muscles would tear from so much erratic movement. It was disgusting. Anyway, now that you¡¯ve survived, we¡¯ll keep you locked up here for a while to do some more tests. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll love it, although the people aren¡¯t very sociable and we¡¯ll probably have to lock you in a containment room... It was then that as the doctor continued to list what would happen, he noticed that his patient wasn¡¯t listening to him. He seemed too busy rubbing his eyes. ¡ª Hey, John, everything okay, buddy? John did not respond, feeling his eyes grow hotter and itchy, his heart racing faster and faster as the doctor explained what they planned to do to him. ¡ª Buddy? ¡ª Lawrence said as he approached John to check on him, placing his hands on John¡¯s and moving them out of the way. Once he removed his hands from John, he could see what was happening. His patient¡¯s eyes were glowing a bright red color, his eyes seemed to be glowing. But before he could even react, John¡¯s eyes lit up even more, materializing a beam of energy that flew off the doctor¡¯s head, vaporizing it completely and leaving only a decapitated body that soon fell to the ground. The blood spewed from the giant cut on the neck, which, having not completely healed, began to ooze, staining the floor with the hot, sticky liquid. This seemed to go unnoticed by John, who was trying to control the beam of energy that his eyes kept emitting, damaging and piercing the ceiling while he was still lying down, destroying the materials that made up the structure and passing through them as if they were made of cardboard, despite being made of materials such as PVC, steel, aluminum, laminated plaster, etc. Realizing that he was out of control, he quickly closed his eyes, trying to calm down. However, this was complicated because he was handcuffed, so he cracked his eyes, focusing his vision on his shackles, which worked as in less than a second he felt the chain of the shackle come undone, freeing his hand from the handcuffs. As he was already forming a plan, he tried to concentrate on his breathing, forcing himself to calm down. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, air was entering with difficulty as his heart was beating with an almost deafening force. Now that his hearing was keener, he could hear the hum of the lights, the dripping of the doctor¡¯s blood on the floor, the distant murmur of voices and... footsteps. He tensed. Someone was approaching. His ears picked up the sound of boots stomping on the floor. He counted at least three, maybe four people moving down the corridor. Their voices were barely a murmur, but he could make out fragments. ¡ª ... he¡¯s dead... ¡ª We don¡¯t know what he did... ¡ª Weapons ready. If he moves, we shoot. John swallowed. His body was still in shock, but he couldn¡¯t stay there. He had to find a way out before they overpowered him. He didn¡¯t know how to control what he had done, but he couldn¡¯t afford another thoughtless outburst of power. He took a deep breath. He tried to get up, staggering as his legs barely responded. The door flew open. Three armed guards entered with assault rifles raised, their eyes fixed on the doctor¡¯s corpse before turning to John. ¡ª Hands up! ¡ªone of them ordered in an authoritarian voice. John tried to obey, but his muscles wouldn¡¯t respond. His body was still in turmoil, his pulse frantic, and his mind in chaos. ¡ª Last warning! Hands up or we¡¯ll shoot! But the stress triggered the adrenaline in his system again. He felt the heat building up in his eyes again. ¡ª No... no... ¡ª he muttered, squeezing them shut tight. But it was too late. The instant he raised his hands, his eyelids reflexively opened and a blast of incandescent heat shot out straight. The screams of the guards filled the room as the energy hit them, vaporizing their weapons and cutting off parts of their bodies in an instant. One fell lifeless before he could react, while the other two screamed in pain. John did not want to see the massacre, so he closed his eyes almost immediately and tried to calm himself down, hoping that when he opened them, he would not have hurt anyone. Unfortunately for him, this was not the case. He opened his eyes and the scene before his eyes made his stomach churn, and he wanted to vomit right there and then. John¡¯s eyes fluttered open, the aftermath of his uncontrollable power searing into his retinas. The once sterile, white room was now a grotesque tableau of carnage and chaos. The acrid stench of burnt flesh and singed metal filled the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood that painted the walls and floor in grisly strokes. The three guards were no longer recognizable as such. They lay in pieces, their bodies contorted in unnatural positions, the remnants of their uniforms smoldering. The beam of energy that had erupted from John¡¯s eyes had sliced through them with surgical precision, leaving behind a scene that no scrubbing could ever cleanse. Above, the ceiling gaped open, a jagged maw of charred debris and twisted metal. The destruction stretched outward, the epicenter directly above where John lay, a testament to the raw, untamed force he had unleashed. The doctor¡¯s body, what was left of it, lay not far from him, the stump of his neck still spurting blood in rhythmic pulses that were slowly weakening. The head was nowhere to be seen, obliterated by the same force that had reduced everything else in its path to ruin. John¡¯s breath came in short, ragged gasps, his heart pounding like a trapped animal against the cage of his ribs. His gaze darted around the room, taking in the full horror of what he had done. A wave of nausea washed over him, and he clutched at his stomach, fighting back the bile that rose in his throat. He tried to move, to stand, to flee from the nightmare that surrounded him, but his body refused to cooperate. Terror rooted him to the spot, a scream building in his chest, a scream that never found its voice. His mind raced, fragmented thoughts crashing into each other, none making sense, none offering solace. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the drip, drip, drip of blood hitting the soaked floor. John¡¯s senses were in overdrive, every sound, every smell, and every sight amplified to an excruciating degree. It was too much, the stimuli overwhelming his senses, pushing him closer to the brink of madness. As the shock began to wear off, the gravity of the situation settled on John like a leaden weight. He has become a weapon. The realization brought with it a suffocating sense of guilt and despair. His chest tightened, his vision blurred, and the world around him started to spin. The room seemed to close in on him, the walls pressing in, the ceiling bearing down. John¡¯s breathing grew more erratic, each breath shallower than the last, until he was gasping for air that refused to come. The panic attack hit him with the force of a sledgehammer, stealing his breath, clouding his mind, and sending his heart into a frenzied rhythm. He doubled over, hands clutching his head as if trying to keep his skull from shattering under the pressure. ¡ª Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, please sorry¡­ Amid the chaos, a single thought managed to break through the fog of fear: he had to get out, to escape this place before anyone else got hurt. But how could he? He was a monster, a ticking time bomb that could go off at any moment. As John wrestled with his terror and the crushing guilt of his actions, the full extent of his predicament began to sink in. He was trapped, alone, and afraid, with no clear path to salvation. Well, the last part wasn¡¯t entirely true. He could go where the guards had gone; however, there was something he had to do. Struggling against his nausea and anxiety, John approached the disfigured corpse of one of the guards, an access card gleaming in the reflection of the lights in the room. John knew he was going to need to grab it. When the guards had arrived he had heard how the door had opened only after a loud click. So slowly and with effort, he crouched down to grab the card, while trying with all his might not to vomit on the corpse, even though he could already feel the remains of breakfast rising up his throat. Finally, he grabbed it, having cut the string that was tied around the neck of the deceased caretaker. ¡ª I¡¯m really sorry ¡ªJohn said in a tone of sadness and remorse, holding back tears as he understood what he had done. Although he didn¡¯t know these people, he didn¡¯t want them to die. They were doing their job; maybe they had families, families who would never see them again because of him. The very idea of it made him sick, finally stood up and ran quickly to one side of the bodies to empty his stomach as he couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. The contents of his stomach soiled the floor already stained by the blood of the bodies, so they ended up mixing together, creating an unpleasant collage worthy of the most macabre nightmares one could have. John held back the urge to vomit again at the sight of the scene he had caused and instead walked purposefully towards the door of the room and out into the corridor. The corridor was completely empty at the moment, so he took advantage of his luck and ran towards the only door in the corridor apart from the one to the medical room. This was a kind of steel-reinforced door with a card reader where the handle was supposed to be, so he grabbed the ID he had taken from the shattered body, some blood still on it, and swiped it over the reader, which made a high-pitched sound and proceeded to open the door automatically. John quickly walked out, closing it behind him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t have to run into any more guards here, not believing he would be able to defend himself again if it meant taking more lives. Unfortunately, this would prove difficult for John in the future, but let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves. Once he crossed the threshold of the door that was reinforced like a wall, he entered a much more extensive and less narrow corridor than the previous one. The view of the corridor was simple but peculiar, as on both sides of it there were what seemed to be dozens of doors identical to the one he had just come out of. This told him only one thing: he was not the only patient here, which could mean that perhaps there was someone else who had experienced the same thing as him. However, he did not have time to continue thinking about that possibility as he managed to hear the footsteps of multiple people heading his way. The sound of what appeared to be combat boots grinding against the vinyl floor was getting closer to him. For John, this was strange. His hearing had always been good but never this good. After all, the guards approaching him must still be hundreds of meters away, and yet he was able to hear not only their footsteps but also the movements they made¡ªthe rubbing of the bulletproof vests against the uniforms, the continuous exhalations they made as they moved. It was as if he were right next to them, but they still weren¡¯t there. John quickly came out of his trance, realizing his predicament, so he randomly chose one of the doors on either side of the corridor and went inside. Once he had chosen it, he used the late guard¡¯s ID card and quickly went in, taking care not to make too much noise as he entered. Inside, it was practically the same as where he had come from¡ªa narrow corridor leading to a double door through which one entered the operating theater. John quickly entered the room, where he surprisingly found a girl tied to a bed. She looked like a young girl, perhaps a little younger than him, but not by much. Even in her hospital gown, her body seemed developed, her features delicate and well cared, even without makeup. Her hair was reddish like Jasper¡¯s, and her skin was as white as snow, similar to his, and her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen, almost hypnotizing. The scene immediately reminded him of how he was only a few minutes ago, so his first instinct was to help her. But he stopped. If this girl was chained up, maybe it was for a reason. However, he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that she had been deceived like him and left here against her will. So he finally decided to talk to her to find out why she was there. He wasn¡¯t worried about being heard, as he noticed that once the electronically locked door closed, it immediately isolated all sound inside, which would explain why he hadn¡¯t heard the guards coming until they entered through the door. John noticed how the girl¡¯s gaze rested on him, her face neutral, almost as if she were tired of being there¡ªor perhaps she was scared and had simply gone into shock. There was only one way to find out, so he cleared his throat and began. ¡ª Hi, are you okay? Did they trick you too? The girl did not respond, although her gaze remained fixed on John. ¡ª Are you hurt? Do you want me to help you get out? What did they do to you? Again, the girl did not reply. John did not know why she was silent, so he became desperate. ¡ª Hey, what¡¯s wrong? You can''t talk? ¡ª he asked, desperation seeping into his tone. To John¡¯s surprise, she nodded. This made his eyes open wide. ¡ª Oh, that¡¯s why you weren¡¯t answering ¡ª he said as she just nodded ¡ª. Sorry for getting a little desperate, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m scared and I don¡¯t know what to do. Do you know what this place is? Surprisingly, she nodded again. ¡ª Really? That¡¯s great. Let¡¯s make a deal: I¡¯ll set you free and you tell me what this place is, or rather... ¡ª John conveniently spotted a notebook on the table with a pen next to it ¡ª. You write it down, is that okay? She nodded again, although this time with more enthusiasm, which caused a smile to form unconsciously on John¡¯s face. ¡ª Okay then, just... stay still and move your hand as far away from the chain as possible ¡ªsaid John as he positioned himself to one side of the girl and tried to make his rays come out. She just nodded repeatedly, seeming excited to be able to break free of her shackles. Meanwhile, John couldn¡¯t get them to come out. He had tried to focus his gaze on a fixed point, to cloud it, and even to blink several times, but nothing happened. Until he remembered something. His rays had only been activated in certain instances¡ªthose instances had been in situations where his heart had been beating very fast and he felt adrenaline filling his body. ¡ª That¡¯s it ¡ª though John triumphantly ¡ª. Adrenaline must be what activates the laser. Now the question is, how do I get the adrenaline going? His answer came quickly when he remembered what his sister had told him some time ago. ¡ª Phew, it was a hectic day, ¡ª she had said as she walked through the door ¡ª. I can still feel the adrenaline pumping. It was as if an imaginary light bulb had come on. That was what he had to do¡ªhe had to get worked up, and the adrenaline would come on its own. So John did the only thing he could think of¡ªhe started jogging in place, at which the girl looked at him with a confused expression. ¡ª Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m doing this to activate my power, ¡ª he explained, to which she simply nodded. He stayed like that for a few minutes until he felt his legs ache, and it was then that he felt the adrenaline circulating, which made him redouble his efforts. As he continued to jog in place, his eyes began to light up, and that was when he took the signal and aimed directly at the chain that was keeping the girl in bed. His eyes lit up again and emitted a beam of concentrated energy toward the link, which quickly dissolved, yielding to the rays. However, he noticed that they were less powerful, as they took a few seconds to break the chain, whereas those he had used before had been devastating. ¡®Maybe it was because I had used more adrenaline before.¡¯ He thought as he separated himself from the bed. The girl, seeing that she was free, got up and looked at him with a grateful smile that John found adorable. ¡ª You¡¯re welcome. Now, if you¡¯d be so kind, tell me everything you know about this place. Escape ¡ªWhat do you mean they implanted a virus in us?¡ª John asked in an alarmed tone. It turns out that once the girl had freed herself, the first thing she did was grab the notebook that was on the only table in the room and begin to explain to him what she knew. Starting from the beginning, the girl''s name was Judy, Judy Smith, and apparently, Rick, the guy who contacted John in the first place, is the same guy who contacted Judy with the excuse of having a solution to her problem. Judy then explained to him how, since she was born, she had found it difficult to speak as she was born with incomplete vocal cords. This, according to her, caused her many inconveniences that she preferred not to detail at the moment. The point is that this guy appears out of nowhere one day and offers her the miraculous offer, using more or less the same speech he used with John. Once she accepted, she signed the contract and had the surgery. Once she woke up, she felt different. What she didn''t know was that her vocal cords had not only been repaired but they had been enhanced to be thicker, stronger, and, more flexible. The bad thing about this was that every time she opened her mouth, her voice would come out in the form of an explosion, no matter what volume she did it at, whether whispering or shouting, whatever she said would result in a supersonic pop that would at least hurt anyone in the vicinity. Needless to say, John didn''t know how to react. The situation seemed increasingly surreal and not in a good way. ¡ªJudy, I''m sorry,¡ª said John as Judy looked at him, although she didn''t seem sad, but rather angry, and she showed it once she grabbed the notebook and turned the page to write on it again. Once she finished, she turned it over and... I WANT THEM TO PAY!! John looked at the notebook with some surprise. ¡ªThem? Them who?¡ª The angry expression on her face did not change and she angrily turned the page of the notebook, quickly writing on it again until I heard the tip of the pen break. Once she turned the page, his expression became one of confusion. HELIX CORP ¡ªEh? I don''t know them, to be honest, I''m not very knowledgeable about the business world,¡ª I said as I scratched my head in embarrassment. She sighed helplessly. As if giving up on John, she started to move towards the door, exiting through the double door and heading for the electronically sealed door. His confusion grew as he saw that she was trying to open the door. ¡ªHey Judy!! It''s magnetically sealed, it''s not going to...¡ª The loudest scream John had ever heard interrupted him, causing him to quickly cover his ears. Unfortunately, with his enhanced hearing, he could still hear. With a scream that echoed like thunder, Judy raised her voice. The sonic boom shook the room, vibrating the walls and passing through the air like a shockwave. The reinforced door, designed to resist any attempt at forced entry, trembled and creaked under the pressure of the sound. John, still with his hands covering his ears, watched her in amazement. Anger crackled in her eyes as she continued to scream. John stared open-mouthed as the door warped, its electronic locks screeching and failing under Judy''s power. A second scream followed the first, even louder, bouncing off the walls as if unleashing a storm. The metal twisted, and the flash of lights flickering on the lock gave way to an overwhelming silence. The door could not withstand the attack. With a deafening crash, it was wrenched from its frame and fell back with a dull thud. John felt the floor tremble beneath his feet as the echo of the scream resonated in his chest. Judy stood there for a moment, looking at the result of her actions for a few seconds. Her eyes shone with a mixture of triumph and contained fury. John blinked, trying to process what he had just witnessed. Instead of fear, he felt admiration for this girl who had been subjected to so much suffering but who still faced danger without any fear whatsoever. ¡ªThat was... impressive,¡ª he managed to articulate. Judy smiled slightly before heading towards the opening she had created, her gaze fixed on what lay beyond the destroyed door. John took a step forward to follow her, still reeling from the intensity of the moment. Judy moved determinedly towards the exit, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. The echo of the scream resonated in her mind, a reminder of the power she now possessed. But as she crossed the threshold of the shattered door, she came upon a group of guards who had been searching for John. Their faces twisted in surprise at the sight of the girl, their weapons automatically raised. ¡ªGet back!¡ª shouted one of them, pointing a gun. ¡ªGo back to your cell.¡ª Judy did not reply. Without thinking twice, she let out another scream, this one louder and full of fury. The sound cut through the air like a sharp knife. The guards covered their ears, but it was too late. The shockwave from the scream hit the men with devastating force. One fell to the ground, trembling from the impact; another recoiled, trying to regain his balance but soon lost control and also collapsed. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. John watched from the doorway. Horror and admiration intertwined in his chest as he watched Judy unleash her fury on those men who had contributed to her suffering. ¡ªJudy!¡ª he shouted, but she continued to attack without stopping. A third guard cautiously advanced, trying to target Judy from a different angle, but she gave him no chance. With a new deafening scream that resonated like an explosion inside the narrow corridor, she knocked the man down with such force that he crashed into the wall and fell unconscious. The fourth guard hesitated, looking at his fallen comrades and then at Judy with fear. The fury in his eyes offered no compassion; it was pure vengeance distilled in every vibration of his voice. John felt he had to intervene. He quickly approached Judy, reaching out to stop her. ¡ªStop it!¡ª he exclaimed urgently. ¡ªDon''t do it...¡ª But Judy completely ignored him. Anger had taken control of her being. She looked at the last guard still standing and let out another devastating scream that reverberated off the walls as if they were bells ringing a death sentence. The sound made the guard stagger back and fall to the floor like his companions before him. With each attack launched mercilessly by Judy, John felt powerless in the maelstrom of violence unleashed in front of him. Judy threw herself through the shattered door, her heart pounding with adrenaline. The corridor stretched out before her, full of sealed doors, all of them identical. Without looking back, she hurried towards the largest exit at the end of the corridor. The feeling of freedom enveloped her, although she knew she was not yet safe. Meanwhile, John moved cautiously through the central command. He had shot the guard watching the entrance, his movements fast and precise; a flash of light illuminated the chaos he had left behind. With the silence deafening in his ears, he searched among the disordered equipment and flickering screens. Judy entered the room shortly afterward, her face still marked by the anger she had unleashed. John looked up as he heard the soft crunch of her footsteps on the cold floor. ¡ªWhat did you find?¡ª he asked, not taking his eyes off the desk overflowing with documents. Judy began to explore among the crumpled papers and worn folders. She moved quickly, her anxious gaze searching for answers that seemed to be hidden among the yellowed pages. John approached her and glanced at the contents scattered all over the table. There were medical reports, lists of procedures and unknown names scribbled in the margins. However, nothing seemed to give them a clue as to who was behind this cruel operation. ¡ªLook at this,¡ª said John, pointing to an open file. ¡ªIt talks about experiments on humans... but it doesn''t mention anyone specifically.¡ª Judy frowned and took a sheet from the pile to read it quickly. With each word she scanned, her frustration grew. Suddenly, Judy threw the paper to the ground and began to search more frantically through the remaining files. Her desperation was palpable; every second lost increased the possibility of being caught again. John felt the weight of time getting heavier as they searched aimlessly through the administrative mess. ¡ªIs there nothing?¡ªhe muttered, aware that there could be more people who could show up at any moment. Judy turned to him, her eyes full of determination but also of uneasiness. She couldn''t speak to him with words; her voice had been taken from her like so many other things in her life. However, his expression said it all: they had to keep looking. John and Judy continued to review the documents scattered across the table, anxiety growing in the air as they searched for any clue that might explain what had happened to them. The flickering light of the screens illuminated their faces, but the brightness brought no hope. ¡ªIt can''t be...¡ªJohn muttered, running his hand through his messy hair. Frustration built up in his chest as he reviewed the same reports over and over again. Judy took another look at the papers, her face reflecting a mixture of disappointment and anger. With a quick gesture, she threw a pile of folders to the floor, where they fell with a thud. However, everything seemed harmless: lists of medical supplies, dates of routine procedures, and common names that revealed nothing relevant. There was no indication of her experiments or connections with Helix Corp. John leaned forward, trying to keep her hope alive. ¡ªMaybe...¡ªhe began to say as he examined yet another report. However, his voice trailed off when he saw that there was nothing unusual on the page. Judy took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. Helplessness burned in her chest; she had imagined finding answers, but now she only found a labyrinth with no exit. They began to go through the papers again, each with increasingly listless movements. Judy turned the pages as if they were dry leaves in autumn; John moved his hands quickly but felt that each document only took him further away from a solution. After several minutes of fruitless searching, they both looked at each other, frustration evident on their faces. John frowned as Judy let out a heavy sigh. The silence between them was deafening. ¡ªThere''s nothing here...¡ªJohn finally said, his voice trembling as if the words themselves were hard for him to utter. Judy nodded slowly and looked around the messy room. It was clear that they had wasted their time; they had hoped to find something valuable to understand their situation or plan their escape. As Judy picked up some fallen leaves from the floor, she felt the weight of hopelessness threatening to crush her. Despite everything they had endured and how far they had come, they still seemed to be caught in an invisible web carefully woven so that the people in charge were impossible to locate. John noticed her dejection and leaned on the table next to her. ¡ªWe need to get out of here¡ªhe muttered.¡ªWe can''t stay here any longer. Whoever runs this place must already know what''s going on here. Finally, Judy nodded. John and Judy advanced towards the main door, the echo of their escape resonating in the empty corridors. With each step they took, the urgency in their hearts increased. The sound of hurried footsteps was getting closer; the guards were on their way. Judy, with renewed determination, turned to John. She pointed to the exit, and soon he understood what she meant; she was ordering him to leave. He nodded, understanding that there was no time for more words. With a push, Judy ran ahead and, when a group of guards appeared around the corner of the corridor, she reacted quickly. Without thinking twice, she let out a deafening scream. The shock wave shot through the air and hit the men like a tsunami. Two guards fell to the ground, unable to react; their bodies slumped with a thud. ¡ªCome on!¡ªJohn shouted as she continued her attack. He couldn''t let fear stop him. Judy moved nimbly between the fallen bodies and let out another scream. The reverberating sound left another guard trembling against the wall, unable to keep his balance. With each scream, she unleashed her pent-up anger on those who had played with their lives. Finally they reached the main door, and Judy pushed John out just before letting out one last burst of her powerful voice. A titanic scream echoed throughout the complex like celestial thunder. The walls vibrated; the floor shook beneath their feet. John covered his ears with both hands as he felt the power of the scream expanded in destructive waves around them. The window panes exploded as if they were fragile sheets of paper, and the doors shook violently in their frames. The structure began to creak and twist under the pressure of the sound emanating from Judy. The complex seemed to respond to her anger; the foundations trembled as the lights flickered wildly before going out completely. With each passing second, the rumble grew louder and more menacing, tearing at the architecture of the place where they had been trapped. John felt adrenaline coursing through his body as he watched the walls begin to crumble around them. The echo of the scream continued to reverberate in his mind even after it had ceased. ¡ªQuick!¡ªJohn shouted when he realized that they had to get away from the imminent collapse. Judy followed him without hesitation, but her gaze remained fixed on the collapsing complex behind them, her face wearing a satisfied expression.