Chapter Three: Behind Closed Gates

  Upon entering the facility, they were hit with a wash of clinical, blinding light. The interior was unnervingly pristine—stark white walls and polished floors arranged with a terrifying degree of precision. It felt less like a residence and more like a laboratory, freshly sterilized and waiting for subjects. Rows of recessed ceiling lights stretched into the distance, their glow almost aggressive as the group walked past a series of identical, chestnut-brown doors. The rhythmic echo of their footfalls was the only sound in the hollow halls.

  Something is wrong here… Nikolai thought, his eyes darting across the seamless architecture.

  “This place is incredible, Mr. Elias!” Julian remarked, his voice full of genuine wonder.

  “I’m glad you think so, Gray,” Elias replied, a practiced smile plastered across his face. Nikolai noticed how the expression never quite reached the man’s eyes, which remained as cold as a frozen sea.

  Nikolai’s jaw tightened at Julian’s enthusiasm.

  “This place is remarkably…orderly, sir,” Odette added, offering a polite, tentative smile.

  “Appearance is the first step toward discipline, my dear,” Elias replied smoothly.

  “It’s so pretty!” Ellie chirped, and Julius nodded in silent agreement.

  Suddenly, someone tugged at the hem of Nikolai’s shirt. He looked down to see Lily, the youngest of the group. His eyes softened instinctively.

  “Yes, Lily?”

  “Why aren’t you smiling, Nikolai?” She asked, her voice small and laced with innocence.

  “Just a bit of lingering adrenaline, Lily. Don’t worry about it,” he replied, reaching down to gently ruffle her golden locks. A faint, genuine smile touched her lips before she skipped back to join Ellie and Julius.

  Nikolai’s expression hardened immediately as he caught Elias watching the interaction from the corner of his eye.

  “But,” Elias began, his tone abruptly shifting to something firm and authoritative. “There is one location that is strictly off-limits. You are forbidden from entering it under any circumstances.”

  “Where is that?” Julian asked, his head tilting with curiosity.

  “My office,” Elias replied, gesturing toward a heavy door at the terminus of the hall. “You have the run of the facility—everywhere else is yours to explore—but that room is private.”

  How convenient, Nikolai thought, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Now that we’ve established the boundaries, let me show you to your quarters,” Elias said, the sweetness returning to his voice like a mask being lowered back in place.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  He led them to a residential wing at the far end of the complex. Nikolai catalogued every detail: the surveillance tucked into the shadows of the molding, the portraits whose eyes seemed to track their heat signatures, and the relentless, shadowless glare of the overhead lights.

  Elias turned to face them. “Select whichever room you prefer,” he declared.

  He began handing out silver Omni-links, the devices catching the light with a metallic sheen. “Once you’ve chosen, sync the lock to your Omni-link. It will serve as your key and your primary interface.”

  Is that so? Nikolai narrowed his eyes, accepting the device with deep suspicion. As he clipped the band to his wrist, a streak of white light glided across the surface, signaling its activation. I’m dissecting the code on this thing the second Anwir turns his back.

  He looked over at the others. Julian was busy demonstrating the mechanics of his silver ring and Celeripeds to an “impressed” Elias. The younger children were mesmerized by their new tech, and Odette was offering Elias a look of profound gratitude.

  Julian, you fool, Nikolai thought, his jaw aching from how hard he was clenching it.

  ***

  Nikolai lay motionless on the wooden-framed bed. The mattress dipping slightly under his weight, while the starched white sheets felt abrasive against his skin. He stared up at the ceiling, mentally mapping the surveillance around the room.

  Three cameras. One distinguished within the smoke detector, one nestled in the corner above the wardrobe, and a third—the most insidious—embedded in the pupil of the portrait on the wall. They weren’t just recording movement; he could almost feel them monitoring the frequency of his pulse. Elias hadn't provided a sanctuary; he had provided a high-tech cage with a panoramic view.

  The room was as sterile as the corridor. Too clean. Too perfect. Nikolai draped an arm over his brow. His glasses rested on the nightstand beside him.

  Be up at dawn. We start training then—Elias’s directive echoed in his mind.

  “Damn you, Anwir,” he hissed under his breath. “Turning them against me.”

  His gray eyes narrowed as he recalled Julian’s recklessness with their new “benefactor”. There wasn't a single blind spot to exploit. How was he supposed to investigate their captor when his every blink was being logged?

  Mr. Elias, check out my invention. Julian’s eager voice replayed in his head.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling a long, ragged breath, “I need rest,” he murmured to the empty room. “I can’t afford to fall behind tomorrow.”

  Somewhere in the shadows, a camera lens gave a tiny, almost imperceptible blink.

  Nikolai closed his eyes and drifted into a fitful, restless slumber.