Ethan woke up to pain.
Sharp.
Burning.
Unforgiving.
He sucked in a breath—
And immediately regretted it.
Everything hurt.
His chest.
His side.
Even breathing felt like a fight.
"Careful."
The voice was unfamiliar.
Ethan forced his eyes open.
The room was dim.
Cold.
Not the same place as before.
A girl stood nearby.
Not the one from earlier.
Someone else.
"You're lucky," she said.
Ethan tried to sit up.
Failed.
"Where is she?" he asked immediately.
The girl tilted her head slightly.
"You almost died, and that's your first question?"
"Yes."
She stared at him for a moment.
Then sighed.
"She's alive."
Relief hit him instantly.
Strong enough to almost knock the breath out of him.
"Where?"
The girl hesitated.
"She made a deal."
Ethan's expression hardened.
"What kind of deal?"
Silence.
Then—
"She agreed to cooperate with them."
Everything inside him went still.
"No," he said quietly.
The girl didn't respond.
"She wouldn't do that."
"She did."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"No," he repeated.
But this time—
There was doubt.
Because deep down—
He knew.
Maya would do anything to protect someone she cared about.
Even if it meant sacrificing herself.
He closed his eyes briefly.
"…idiot," he muttered.
Meanwhile—
Maya stood in the same glass room as before.
But this time—
She wasn't being forced.
She walked in on her own.
The man in black watched her closely.
"You've made a wise decision."
Maya didn't respond.
"Let's begin," he said.
She stepped forward.
Calm.
Controlled.
"Who first?"
A slight pause.
Then—
A file was placed in front of her.
"A test subject."
Maya picked it up.
Looked at the picture.
A normal person.
Innocent.
Unaware.
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"Touch them," the man instructed.
Maya walked toward the glass.
The subject stood on the other side.
Confused.
Nervous.
For a moment—
Maya hesitated.
Not because she couldn't do it.
But because she understood exactly what it meant.
Once she crossed this line—
There was no going back.
No pretending.
No denying.
She would become exactly what they wanted.
A weapon.
Her reflection stared back at her in the glass.
Cold.
Different.
"…fine," she whispered.
And then—
She touched the glass.
The vision came instantly.
Louder.
Stronger.
More intense than ever before.
She didn't hold back.
She didn't stop.
She took everything.
Every memory.
Every secret.
Every fear.
The subject screamed.
But Maya didn't move.
Didn't react.
Didn't care.
When it was over—
She stepped back slowly.
The room was silent.
The man in black smiled.
"Perfect."
Maya looked at her hands.
And for the first time—
She felt nothing.
Not guilt.
Not fear.
Nothing.
Far away—
Ethan stared at the ceiling, his fists clenched despite the pain.
"She thinks I'll let her do this alone…" he muttered.
His eyes darkened.
"She really doesn't know me at all."