They isolated them after that. Kael in lockdown. Lira in sedation. But cracks had already formed.
Some guards spoke in whispers. About a breach. About her voice destabilizing tech. About Kael surviving a mind-break.
They weren't just subjects anymore.
They were threats.
And threats needed disposal.
Kael woke with a scar down his temple. They'd probed his memories. Planted seeds.
But one thing remained unshaken—her. Lira's voice, though weaponized, had anchored him. Not destroyed.
So he waited.
And when Lira's door slid open for the next trial, Kael was already there.
Not as a test subject.
But as a co-conspirator.