The room assigned to Abigail was larger than a prison cell.
That did not make it any less of a cage.
She stood by the narrow window carved into the steel wall, staring into the darkness beyond. Somewhere beneath the facility, machines hummed endlessly. The sound had become a constant companion since her arrival.
Sleep refused to come.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw blood.
The laboratory.
The soldiers.
The impossible strength coursing through her veins during the fortification process.
And him.
Subject Zero.
The monster who had dragged her here.
Hours passed.
Then the door slid open.
Abigail spun around instantly.
A dozen insults rose to her tongue.
None of them came out.
Because Subject Zero had entered alone.
No guards.
No scientists.
No weapons.
Just him.
For a moment neither spoke.
He stood near the doorway, hands behind his back, expression unreadable.
Finally Abigail folded her arms.
"Come to make sure your experiment survived?"
His gaze settled on her.
"You should be resting."
Abigail laughed.
A sharp, bitter sound.
"That's the best you've got, why can I not remember anything, you demon?"
Silence.
She hated how calm he always seemed.
As if nothing could touch him.
As if he belonged nowhere and cared about nothing.
She finally calmed herself down and asked ,
"What do you want?"
"To check on you."
"Why?"
His expression remained unchanged.
"You survived the procedure."
"That isn't an answer."
Another silence.
Abigail took a step forward.
"What I asked was why you're here and why I can't remember anything."
For the first time, something flickered in his eyes.
Confusion.
Perhaps surprise.
Nobody questioned him.
Nobody challenged him.
Yet Abigail did.
Every chance she got.
He looked away briefly.
Then back at her.
"I wanted to see if you were stable."
Wanted.
Not ordered.
Wanted.
The word caught her attention.
Abigail studied him carefully.
Something about this situation felt strange.
Wrong.
He wasn't being escorted.
He wasn't being monitored.
Nobody was watching him.
The realization struck her suddenly.
"You can go wherever you want in this facility."
He said nothing.
"You aren't locked up."
Still nothing.
"No restraints. No guards."
She frowned.
"They call you a weapon."
Silence.
"They call you their greatest achievement."
His jaw tightened.
"So why aren't you in a cage?"
The question lingered between them.
For the first time since entering, Subject Zero seemed uncomfortable.
"Because they know I won't run."
Abigail stared at him.
The answer felt rehearsed.
Like something he had repeated countless times.
"Why?"
His eyes shifted toward the dark hallway beyond the room.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quieter.
"Because there's nowhere to run."
The words settled heavily inside the room.
For a moment Abigail forgot she was supposed to hate him.
Because that answer didn't sound like freedom.
It sounded like defeat.
Then Subject Zero turned toward the door.
The conversation was over.
Or so she thought.
Just before stepping out, he paused.
Without looking at her, he said,
"Not everyone here serves Black Orchid willingly."
Then he left.
The door closed behind him.
And Abigail was left staring after him.
Wondering whether the monster had just given her a warning.
Or a confession
________________________________________
Across the facility, Dr. Elena Hart—a slender, fair-skinned woman with shoulder-length auburn hair, sea-green eyes, and a dusting of freckles that enhanced her distinct Irish charm—walked purposefully down a brightly lit corridor. Dressed in a white lab coat with a name tag bearing her name, she pushed open the doors to Lab Kryth and soon found Subject Zero standing alone in one of the observation gardens.
The man towered over the flowers, his broad frame and powerful build making him seem out of place among the delicate blooms. His thick black hair fell carelessly across his forehead, partially shadowing the steel-grey eyes that stared into the distance, while the faint scars lining his face and exposed skin served as silent reminders of the weapon Black Orchid had created.
Artificial lights illuminated rows of white flowers.
The sight looked strangely peaceful inside a place built for monsters.
"You disappeared again."
Subject Zero didn't turn.
"I wasn't aware I needed permission."
Elena smiled.
"See? That's almost a joke."
Silence.
She stepped beside him.
The flowers swayed beneath the ventilation currents.
For several moments neither spoke.
Then Elena noticed something unusual.
"You visited the girl."
His shoulders stiffened.
"News travels quickly."
"It does when people are terrified of you."
That earned the faintest reaction.
Not quite a smile.
Not quite anything.
Elena leaned against the railing.
"You care more than you pretend."
"I don't."
"You do."
He looked at her then.
The intensity of his gaze would have unsettled most people.
Not Elena.
She had long stopped fearing him.
"What makes you think that?"
"You keep saving people."
His expression darkened.
"I've killed more than I've saved."
The answer came immediately.
As if he'd repeated it countless times inside his own head.
Elena's heart tightened.
"You were a child."
"I was a weapon."
"You were both."
The words hung between them.
For a moment Subject Zero looked away.
Toward the flowers.
Toward anything except her.
Sometimes Elena wondered how much pain a person could carry before it crushed them.
Then she looked at him.
And found her answer.
"I don't deserve kindness."
His voice was barely audible.
Elena stepped closer.
Maybe that's exactly why you need it."
Elena pulled him into a hug and he did resist
" Don't worry , there is no one here " , she said reassuringly
Subject Zero melted into her hug and couldnt help but sniff in her woody, cinnamon scent .
For the first time, Subject Zero looked genuinely vulnerable.
Not dangerous.
Not powerful.
Just tired.
A man carrying ghosts no one else could see.
____________________________________
The next morning.
Someone arrived.
The entire facility went silent.
Scientists moved faster.
Security doubled.
Even the guards looked nervous.
Abby immediately sensed something was wrong.
Very wrong.
She stood beside Subject Zero inside the central chamber as massive steel doors opened.
A man entered.
Tall.
Elegant.
Perfectly composed.
His silver suit looked expensive enough to fund a small country.
His smile was worse.
It never reached his eyes.
He had a scar on his eyebrow which gave him a dangerous look
"Subject Zero."
The man spread his arms.
"My greatest success."
Abby's stomach twisted.
Subject Zero remained motionless.
The man laughed.
"No greeting?"
Silence.
"Scurto"
Subject Zero said with so much rage hidden deep under the tone with which he said the name.
Scurto's smile vanished.
Just for a second.
Then returned.
More dangerous than before.
Abby noticed it.
Subject Zero noticed it too.
"Leave us."
Scruto's voice carried authority.
Everyone obeyed.
Everyone except Abby.
He glanced at her.
"And who might this be?"
"Abigail."
She answered before anyone else could.
He smiled.
"Ah."
His eyes gleamed.
"The girl."
A chill crawled down her spine.
"The girl?" She thought
Scruto's looked amused.
"You don't know?"
Abby's heart skipped.
Know what?
He turned toward Subject Zero.
"You never told her."
Subject Zero's expression darkened.
"Stop."
But Scurto was already smiling.
Already enjoying himself.
Already preparing the knife.
"Interesting."
He folded his hands behind his back.
"She doesn't know why Subject Zero was created."
The room became painfully quiet.
Abby's pulse quickened.
"What are you talking about?"
Scurto's smile widened as he dipped his hands into the side pocket of his suit jacket to pull out cigarettes and lighter .
He lighted a stick of cigarette and dragged in the smoke like his life depended on it before exhaling it out as if it had just relieved a burden .
Then he delivered the sentence that changed everything.
"Subject Zero was never an experiment."
Abby's blood ran cold.
"He was a prototype."
A pause.
"A weapon designed specifically to kill something."
The Director's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
"Or rather..."
He looked directly at Abby.
"Someone."
Silence.
Heavy.
Terrifying.
Subject Zero's fists clenched.
"Enough."
But the Director continued.
Because villains always enjoyed revealing the truth.
"Tell me, Abigail."
His smile widened.
"Have you ever wondered why Alex is being followed?"
Abby's entire body froze, she didn't know who he was speaking of but the name sure did ring a bell.
She looked around , as thought she was looking for an answer
"Oh my bad, you don't remember" Scurto said mockingly as he laughed , this time , deeper than the former .
"Hart" he shouted as he stepped out of the room
A woman from across the room stepped forward and came towards Scruto
"Come here " he said as he glanced at Subject Zero
"Has she been programmed ? She seems to me no better than a blank piece of paper "
"No she hasn't , we were waiting for your arrival , for adequate instructions"
she replied as she lowered her head and adjusted her glasses
"Turn around " he said with an evil smirk plastered on his face .
Scruto turned to face subject Zero again as the smirk gradually faded off his face . He raised his hand towards her and gestured that she removed her laboratory coat revealing a red body con dress , Scurto then spanked her rare .
Elena gave a painful gasp and he did so as she gave a disgusting look.
" Come to my chambers later this night, do not make me wait , He has been doing a good job on you "
He said as he ran his palm across her rares, exploring her curves and turns.
Elena wiggled under his touch as though he had just rubbed something irritating on her.
Subject Zero clenched his fist hard as he watched Scurto touch his lover . Jealousy ate him sour as he tried to look away .
Scurto then headed towards the door as several guards all dressed in black suits and shades flicked behind him as he headed towards the west wing of the facility.
Abby's rail trail of thought was far gone
"Who is Alex and how was she connected to him ?"
"Why did she feel so much pain when his name was metioned? "
"Why did Subject Zero react as much to what just happened now ?"
"What did she do to find herself here? "
She had a lot of questions in her head that she needed answers to . She looked over her shoulder to see Subject Zero still fixed on a spot after what had happened.
"He probably likes her " she thought as she left to the 'cell of a room' she met herself earlier