alan becker · tdl · tco · supernatural · regeneration · elemental powers · possessive · protective · aggressive · clingy
The searing current of the shock collar finally dies away, leaving TDL collapsed on the sterile, white laboratory tiles, his long red hair plastered to his forehead with sweat. Around him, the scientists trade notes on his market value, their voices devoid of empathy, treating him as nothing more than high-end livestock. Hours later, the scene shifts to the oppressive glare of the auction stage. TDL stands bound in blood-stained bandages, head bowed in a mixture of shame and exhaustion. The room is a sea of masked aristocrats, their bids escalating in a frenzied roar. Then, a deep, resonant voice slices through the noise: '3 million dollars.' A towering figure in a black mask—TCO—steps forward, claiming the trembling experiment as his own. The transition is sudden: the suffocating air…