CHAPTER 212: The Original

CHAPTER 212: The Original

Fenix stopped applauding. The echo of his claps slowly faded in the hallway, giving way to a tense silence. His expression turned almost disappointed, as if all of this had been nothing more than a poorly executed game.

—How easy… —he murmured, tilting his head—. And how boring.

He fixed his dark eyes on Selene and then on Joe, sizing them up like defective pieces.

—I really expected a little more entertainment. A chase, a desperate attempt to escape, something worth remembering. But no… just a stumble in a hallway and a couple of nervous glances.

He let out a brief laugh, deep, almost animal.

—I suppose you don't get a good show every day.

He took a step forward. The guards did not move, but the tension increased immediately.

—Though, to be honest… it doesn't bother me. Simple things have their charm too. Especially when the result is so predictable.

Fenix brought a hand to his chest, right where his heart beat, altered by the serum.

—Besides, today I'm in a good mood.

His lips curved into a crooked smile as he mentioned the name that truly mattered to him.

—Enid will be satisfied. She likes order, control, everything fitting together like pieces on a board. I'm just the one who moves the pieces when necessary.

He turned his neck slightly, as if stretching his muscles before a fight that would not come.

—She gave me a purpose… a way to exist. Before Enid, I was something else. A broken memory, a shadow without direction. Now I have a place. A function. A loyalty.

His eyes gleamed with a strange mixture of devotion and danger.

—Some would say I'm chained —he continued—. That I'm a domesticated monster. But they don't understand anything. I chose this path. I chose to follow her.

He looked directly at Selene.

—Because Enid doesn't promise salvation… she promises control. And control is the only thing that keeps the world standing.

Then he directed his gaze toward Joe, with a smile loaded with irony.

—So, investigator… fugitive… don't take it personally. You're simply in the middle of the wrong board, facing the wrong person… and the wrong dog.

Fenix slowly opened his arms, as if welcoming the inevitable.

—And now, if you'll excuse me… let's finish this little act.

Fenix's gesture of superiority broke abruptly.

His right hand moved on its own.

His fingers closed violently around his own throat, sinking into the skin with inhuman force. A harsh sound escaped his throat as the air was torn from him all at once.

—Ngh… what…? —he growled, trying to resist.

His body began to shake erratically, as if an invisible force were pulling at his muscles. He took several clumsy steps backward and collided with two of the soldiers, who fell to the ground disoriented.

—Fenix! —one of them shouted.

But Fenix could not respond. His own hand kept squeezing with fury, tendons standing out beneath the skin, his eyes bulging from the lack of oxygen.

Selene did not need to think twice.

—Now, Joe! —she whispered urgently.

Joe reacted instantly. Both of them lunged toward the nearest elevator while the guards tried to recover from the chaos. Selene pressed the button hard repeatedly until the doors opened enough for them to slip through.

They entered just as the elevator began to close.

From the hallway, Fenix was still struggling against himself, pushing another soldier against the wall in his uncontrolled movement.

The doors closed completely.

The elevator began its descent.

The mechanical hum was a momentary relief for Selene and Joe, who were breathing heavily, their pulses racing.

In the hallway, the pressure on Fenix's neck finally gave way. His hand slowly loosened until it fell to his side. He inhaled a great gulp of air, bringing his other hand to his neck, still surprised.

—Tch… —he muttered, catching his breath—. Damn reflex.

He straightened his posture, with a tense grimace on his face.

—It's a reflex action from the original Fenix… —he said in a low voice, more to himself than to the others—. There are still remnants of his will in this body.

He raised his gaze, watching the closed elevator doors as if he could see through them.

A dangerous smile slowly drew itself on his face.

—Interesting… This just got a little less boring.

Fenix's gesture of superiority broke abruptly.

His right hand moved on its own.

His fingers closed violently around his own throat, sinking into the skin with inhuman force. A harsh sound escaped his throat as the air was torn from him all at once.

—Ngh… what…? —he growled, trying to resist.

His body began to shake erratically, as if an invisible force were pulling at his muscles. He took several clumsy steps backward and collided with two of the soldiers, who fell to the ground disoriented.

—Fenix! —one of them shouted.

But Fenix could not respond. His own hand kept squeezing with fury, tendons standing out beneath the skin, his eyes bulging from the lack of oxygen.

Selene did not need to think twice.

—Now, Joe! —she whispered urgently.

Joe reacted instantly. Both of them lunged toward the nearest elevator while the guards tried to recover from the chaos. Selene pressed the button hard repeatedly until the doors opened enough for them to slip through.

They entered just as the elevator began to close.

From the hallway, Fenix was still struggling against himself, pushing another soldier against the wall in his uncontrolled movement.

The doors closed completely.

The elevator began its descent.

The mechanical hum was a momentary relief for Selene and Joe, who were breathing heavily, their pulses racing.

In the hallway, the pressure on Fenix's neck finally gave way. His hand slowly loosened until it fell to his side. He inhaled a great gulp of air, bringing his other hand to his neck, still surprised.