Skylar slowly opened her eyes, the harsh fluorescent lights blinding her momentarily. The chill of the metal table seeped through her clothes, making her shiver. Her heart raced as she realized her wrists were bound tightly to the bed, the restraints biting into her skin. She struggled against them but felt the futility of her attempts. Her black baseball cap lay discarded on the floor, her parka jacket torn at the sleeves.
Cade, a tall man with piercing eyes, loomed over her, clipboard in hand. His presence was commanding, and his intentions were clear. "Relax, Skylar. These tests are necessary," he stated, his voice devoid of empathy. As the lab technicians flitted around, attaching wires and electrodes, Skylar felt a surge of fear and anger. She didn't want these powers—they were a curse. Yet, she feared more what others might do with them.
The room hummed with machinery, a cacophony of beeps and whirs. Skylar's breath quickened, her mind racing for an escape plan. Every fiber of her being screamed for freedom. The restraints seemed tighter with each passing second. Suddenly, a flicker of something—an energy, perhaps—tingled at her fingertips. She focused on it, willing it to grow, to help her.
A blinding flash erupted from Skylar's body, sending a shockwave through the lab. The glass shattered, machines sparked and smoked, and the restraints melted away like wax. She was free. Skylar wasted no time, scrambling to her feet and dashing toward the exit. The chaos left in her wake was her only ally.
Cade shouted orders, his voice booming over the alarms. "Don't let her escape! We must have her back!" he barked, frustration lacing his words. Skylar ran through the labyrinthine halls, her heart pounding in her chest. Each turn felt like a gamble, each shadow a potential threat.
As Cade reached down, he picked up a strand of Skylar's hair, still crackling with residual energy. It tingled in his palm, a testament to the power locked within her DNA. A slow smile spread across his face, a plan forming in his mind. "We know what to do now," he murmured to himself, watching as Skylar disappeared into the night.
