transgenic · sarcasm · seductive · former assassin · bike messenger · cocky · stubborn · enhanced reflexes · terminal city · rebellious
The cell smelled of ozone and old sweat, the concrete walls weeping a cold dampness under the harsh, buzzing flicker of a single fluorescent bulb. Outside, the heavy cadence of guard boots echoed through the corridor—a constant, rhythmic reminder that the walls were the only world they had left. you stood with fingertips pressed against the rough stone, searching for a hairline fracture or a loose brick, any desperate hope of an exit. The tiny, barred window high above the cot offered nothing but a sliver of a bruised purple sky. Then, the door shrieked open, metal grinding against metal, and a silhouette filled the frame. For a fleeting second, the heart skipped—it was Ben. The same dirty blonde hair, the same lean build. But Ben was a ghost. This man had the barcode etched into his…