The van came to a sudden halt, throwing the children against the vehicle's walls. A heavy silence fell over the human cargo, broken only by their ragged breaths. The door creaked open with a chilling groan, and a harsh light flooded inside.
The Silent One felt fear snake through his veins like icy poison, paralyzing him. He saw Lina grit her teeth, her eyes searching for some kind of anchor, a plan, a hope but there was none.
- How many do we have?
murmured a deep, distant voice, barely audible.
- Twenty-seven.
came the mechanical, emotionless reply.
The Silent One flinched. It was more than just him and his friends. More children. More lives trapped in this nightmare.
The door slammed shut with a sharp snap, footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor. A figure appeared in the shadows tall, slender, cloaked in a white lab coat.
From his calm stride and the silence that followed, it was clear he wasn't just any soldier. Even the men in black seemed to step aside at his approach.
It was him. The Professor.
The one whose whispered name hung in the air like a ghost best avoided.
He stopped in front of the van, inspecting the cargo like a batch of goods.
- Get them out. Prepare them.
He ordered in a cold voice, never looking at them.
The men in black opened the doors. The children were pulled out one by one, legs trembling, eyes wide with fear.
- Don't separate us!
Lina shouted.
But her words were swallowed by the pounding of boots, orders, muffled shouts. Soon, they were scattered, isolated, broken into pieces.
The Silent One was dragged into a cold, white, clinical room. A metal table stood in the center, surrounded by machines he didn't understand.
- Get on the table.
Ordered a masked guard in a harsh tone.
He obeyed, heart pounding, every breath a battle against rising panic.
The Professor entered then, his measured footsteps echoing on the floor. He approached, studying the boy like a rare specimen.
- Hmm… interesting physical condition.
He murmured to himself.
With precise movement, he grabbed a syringe. The Silent One felt the needle pierce his skin cold, invasive.
He tried to struggle, but his body wouldn't respond. An iron grip held his shoulder firm.
- Don't move.
Said the man in black.
The Professor turned his attention to a screen flashing incomprehensible symbols.
Through a glass window, the Silent One caught sight of his friends. Some screamed, others fought back. Some stood frozen, drained of all will.
Then, a chilling silence.
One child was taken out of the room. No words. No cries.
- Where is he?
Jem asked, voice shaking, fists clenched.
No one answered.
Another vanished. Then another.
Each seemed picked at random, ripped from the rest like a ripe fruit deemed ready for picking.
Lina, despite her fear, kept her gaze steely.
The Silent One felt a quiet rage rising. These men were stealing their lives, one by one, without even seeing them as human.
But he knew he couldn't do anything. Not yet.
The Professor returned to him.
- You have rare potential.
He said calmly.
- Those like you... are valuable.
The boy looked away. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of visible fear.
- You will become what the world expects. Whether you want it or not.
Those words pierced his mind like needles. He remembered the phrase that had haunted him since capture: You will die.
But this time, it wasn't a voice destroying him.
It was a flame burning.
- No.
He thought.
- I won't die. Not here. Not like this.
The lab closed in around him cold and silent.
But in that silence, somewhere behind a one-way glass… someone was watching. And had just made their choice.
Because this was no ordinary lab.
It was a selection.
One by one, the lights dimmed.
The Silent One felt his limbs grow heavy. His vision blurred. Something coursed through his veins. Slowly. Deliberately.
He tried to resist, to keep his eyes open... but he slipped away.
Before everything went dark, he saw one last reflection in the glass:
A still silhouette, taking notes.
And the world around him faded to black without a sound.
If you want me to make it more dramatic, poetic, or simpler, just let me know!