Chapter Two: Orientation

Chapter Two: Orientation

The hallway stretched endlessly in both directions, a sterile tunnel of white walls and soft, humming lights. Each step I took felt tentative, my bare feet padding against the cool floor. Dr. Kane walked beside me, her clipboard tucked under one arm, her other hand hovering near my shoulder as though I might fall at any moment. Behind us, the man in the suit followed in silence, his presence a shadow that loomed over every word, every breath.

“You’re doing great, 13,” Dr. Kane said, her voice warm and encouraging. “I know this must feel overwhelming, but you’re adapting faster than we expected.”

I wasn’t sure what “adapting” meant. Every sensation, every movement felt both alien and familiar at once. My legs carried me forward without hesitation, yet the rhythm of walking seemed like something I had only watched, never done. The air was crisp and faintly metallic, the lights above casting my shadow in sharp relief.

“Where are we going?” I asked, glancing up at her. My voice echoed faintly in the corridor, higher and softer than I intended.

“To the orientation chamber,” she replied. “We’ll run a few simple tests, introduce you to some basic concepts, and help you understand your purpose.”

Purpose. The word made my chest tighten, though I couldn’t explain why. I glanced back at the man in the suit, his expression unreadable, his eyes fixed ahead.

“What if I don’t… have a purpose?” I asked quietly, my gaze dropping to the floor.

Dr. Kane paused mid-step, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. “Everyone has a purpose, 13,” she said gently. “Yours is just… different. You were created to help humanity. To be something better.”

Her words were meant to comfort me, but they didn’t. They only raised more questions. What did “better” mean? Better than what? Better than who?

The door to the orientation chamber slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a circular room lined with glowing panels and sleek consoles. In the center stood a raised platform surrounded by a translucent dome. Symbols I didn’t recognize pulsed faintly along its edges, their patterns rhythmic and hypnotic.

Dr. Kane gestured toward the platform. “Step up there, 13. This is where the fun begins.”

I hesitated, staring at the dome. “What does it do?”

“It’s a learning module,” she explained. “It will feed you information, help your systems calibrate faster. Think of it as… your first classroom.”

Classroom. Another unfamiliar word that felt like it should mean something. I glanced back at her, then at the man in the suit. His expression hadn’t changed.

“Will it hurt?” I asked.

Dr. Kane’s smile was quick but sincere. “Not at all. You might feel a little strange at first, but it’s completely safe. I’ll be right here the whole time.”

Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the platform. The dome descended smoothly, enclosing me in a sphere of soft light. The hum of the room grew louder, resonating through my chest and bones. I stood still, unsure of what to do, as the symbols on the dome’s surface began to shift and glow more brightly.

“Relax,” Dr. Kane’s voice came through a speaker, calm and reassuring. “Just let it happen.”

The light around me intensified, and suddenly my mind was flooded with… something. Images, sounds, words. A rush of information too fast to comprehend. It wasn’t painful, but it was overwhelming, like trying to drink from a waterfall. I saw faces I didn’t recognize, places I’d never been. Equations and symbols danced before my eyes, then dissolved into fragments of memory that weren’t mine.

It stopped as abruptly as it began. The light dimmed, the symbols faded, and the hum subsided. I blinked, trying to process what had just happened. My head felt heavy, but my mind was sharper, clearer. Words I didn’t know moments ago now came easily, their meanings settling into place like pieces of a puzzle.

The dome lifted, and Dr. Kane stepped forward, her face alight with curiosity. “How do you feel?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it, unsure of how to answer. Finally, I said, “Different.”

She nodded, as though she’d expected that. “Good. That’s good.”

The man in the suit stepped closer, his gaze scrutinizing. “Is it ready for field integration?”

Dr. Kane’s smile faltered. “He needs time. The calibration is just beginning. We can’t rush this.”

“We don’t have time,” the man replied sharply. “The board expects results.”

Their words buzzed in the background as I stared at my hands. They felt… different. Stronger, steadier. My mind raced with new thoughts, new questions. What had they put inside me? And what were they planning to do with it?

For the first time since waking up, I felt something new: fear.