The words stayed in the air.
"They created you because I failed."
No one moved.
Not even the machines.
For a moment, the entire facility seemed to listen.
---
Artyom stared at Ω-3.
The figure standing in front of him didn't look angry.
That was the unsettling part.
There was no hatred.
No jealousy.
Just a quiet acceptance that felt heavier than rage.
---
"What do you mean?" Artyom asked.
His voice was controlled.
But inside, everything was shifting.
Ω-3 looked at the screens around them.
At the old records.
At the names.
At the evidence of a life stolen.
"They wanted perfection."
A pause.
"They wanted an Omega who could survive the strongest Alpha bloodlines."
Viktor's eyes narrowed.
"And you couldn't."
Ω-3 looked at him.
"I survived."
Silence.
"But I changed."
---
The lights flickered.
The screens displayed new data.
SUBJECT Ω-3 INITIAL STABILITY: FAILED CURRENT STATUS: UNKNOWN
---
Dmitri moved closer.
"That's impossible."
Ω-3 looked at him.
"Your favorite word."
For once, Dmitri had no reply.
---
Artyom's gaze stayed fixed.
"What happened to you?"
Ω-3 was quiet.
Long enough that everyone noticed.
Then—
"They took away everything that made me myself."
The room went cold.
"They removed memories. Emotions. Instinct."
A pause.
"They tried to make me empty."
---
Ω-1 lowered their eyes.
"They did."
Everyone looked at them.
Ω-1's voice was barely audible.
"They tried with all of us."
---
Artyom felt something tighten in his chest.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Because he understood.
The difference between them wasn't that he suffered less.
It was that he escaped a different way.
---
"Why do you remember?" Artyom asked Ω-3.
Ω-3 looked at him.
"Because I never forgot."
A pause.
"I was awake the whole time."
---
The facility suddenly shook.
Hard.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Dmitri checked the system.
His expression changed.
"Final phase is starting."
Roman's voice turned sharp.
"Explain."
Dmitri swallowed.
"The facility is activating its original purpose."
---
Yelena looked at the surrounding chambers.
"And that purpose is?"
Dmitri's eyes moved to the screen.
A new message appeared.
---
ORIGIN PROJECT PHASE FOUR COMPLETE THE BOND
---
Silence.
---
Artyom frowned.
"Bond?"
Nobody answered.
Then—
Viktor's expression darkened.
Because he understood something first.
---
"It was never just about creating Omegas."
Everyone looked at him.
Viktor stared at the screen.
"It was about creating a connection."
---
The room went still.
---
Roman's voice was low.
"Between what?"
Viktor's eyes moved to Artyom.
Then to himself.
---
No one spoke.
Because the answer was obvious.
---
Dmitri searched deeper into the files.
Then froze.
"I found the original objective."
His voice dropped.
---
PRIMARY COMPATIBILITY TARGETS:
VIKTOR VOLKOV
ARTYOM SOKOLOV
---
Artyom stepped back.
Again.
The same names.
The same pattern.
The same invisible hand.
---
"No."
His voice was quiet.
"No, I'm not some experiment designed for someone else."
---
Viktor turned toward him immediately.
"You're not."
---
But the facility didn't care.
The system continued.
---
COMPATIBILITY TEST: INITIATING
---
A low sound filled the room.
The old machines activated.
Lights moved toward them.
---
Ω-2 watched silently.
Then said:
"They never wanted a weapon."
A pause.
"They wanted a ruler."
---
And then—
The doors behind them locked.
---
Everyone turned.
Too late.
---
A final message appeared:
ONLY ONE PAIR MAY COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
---
The room went silent.
Because suddenly—
This wasn't just about surviving.
It was a choice.
---