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The lights were drawn low and multiple empty gurneys lined up in neat rows. But what really drew her gaze were the several glass pods along the wall, filled with bubbling blue liquid.

When she got a closer look at one of the tubes, she screamed, frantically trying to scramble back, but the guards held her firmly.

Floating in each tube were the prisoners chosen from previous inspections.

Khalani’s eyes locked onto the female prisoner selected yesterday. Her arms floated limply by her sides, her brown hair spread out behind her. The girl’s eyes were completely shut, and a thin plastic tube was inserted into her nose and mouth.

Was she alive?

Khalani’s gaze darted to the other glass tubes filled with prisoners, none of whom appeared conscious.

“W-what the hell is this place?” she stammered, dread filling her lungs as the guards forced her deeper into the lab.

Dr. Strauss ignored her and walked toward another male in the room who wore a similar white lab coat. He was younger, with short blond hair, his sharp eyes scanning a screen in front of the pod.

“How are we looking today, Seth?”

Seth lifted his head and glanced at the old prisoner floating in the liquid. “One one five zero didn’t make it through the night.”

Dr. Strauss tsked and studied the screen himself.

“Damnit. This continues to prove that age is a limiting factor. Something we need to fix.” He tapped his chin, deep in thought. “Empty him out and acidify the remains. What about the other subjects?”

“Subjects remain stable,” Seth stated, switching his gaze to the young girl that was taken yesterday. “One one four five continues to present with hyper beta wave activity after her preliminary session. Band frequency stabilization is unlikely at this point. We may need to dispose.”

“Hmm.” Dr. Strauss studied another chart, his calculating gaze intent on the screen.

The Dealers maintained a tight grip around her arms as they waited in the center of the room. For what, she wasn’t sure. But with every exchange between the two doctors the sweat along her brow increased and her knees weakened.

“Let’s give it another day. If there’s no improvement in her chart, we terminate the subject from the trial,” Dr. Strauss said without remorse.

“Yes, sir.” Seth nodded, looking at Khalani for the first time. She recoiled at the emptiness in his gaze, but all she hit were the hard arms of the Dealers holding her.

She was completely and utterly trapped.

Dr. Strauss finally turned to her, his expression cold and devoid of sympathy. “Put her on the gurney there.”

She thrashed and fought like a demon unleashed from hell. She dug her nails into their arms, trying everything to break free, but Khalani was no match for their brute strength. The Dealers eventually got her on the gurney and put straps over her body.

When she managed to kick one of them in the face as they tied her thigh, the Dealer growled, retaliating with a hard punch to her stomach. She heaved in a choking breath, her abs screaming in pain as the guards took advantage and finished securing the straps around her.

Khalani couldn’t move. Could barely focus. Her blood pressure plummeted when she heard the only exit slamming and locking shut, trapping her with two mad scientists.

Dr. Strauss leaned over her, staring down at Khalani with an odd expression. A gleam of excitement flickered in his eyes, as if this was his favorite part of the day.

“You’re a pretty one,” he remarked.

Khalani spat in his face, eyes burning with vitriol.

Dr. Strauss didn’t react with anger as she expected. He merely smirked, wiping the saliva off his chin, and smearing it against the fabric covering her ribs.

“Attitude is optimal for the aftereffects. You also appear to have a strong will to live. That’s good. Should help with the next phase.”

Her brows furrowed as Dr. Strauss moved out of her line of sight. She tried to lift her head, but the black strap around her forehead held her captive.

She could feel Seth’s creepy gaze on her, the anticipation heavy in the air. Shifting her hands, she attempted to stretch her fingers toward the latch of the strap, but Dr. Strauss reappeared, rolling a metal tray beside her.

“Now, I can’t say this will be pleasant,” he began, organizing several instruments on the tray. “But if you just accept it, this will go a lot easier for you.”