Frozen countdown

(a/n: this chapters pretty long but I hope you enjoy!)

Coming out of my initial confusion, I realized that I was the cause of the frozen time. The absorption of the blue energy had somehow triggered this phenomenon, halting the flow of time itself. In the wake of the explosion of power, I found myself freed from my restraints, while the doctor lay sprawled on the floor. This was my chance to escape.

Seizing the opportunity, I quickly moved away from the operating table and made my way outside the room. As time resumed, I found myself face-to-face with a guard, unaware of the frozen moments that had just transpired. Behind me, I could hear the muffled voice of the doctor, desperately questioning my whereabouts "Where did he go?!". Sensing that something was amiss, the guard paused, his trained instincts kicking in. But before he could turn around, a powerful punch from Magnus knocked him unconscious.

Realizing that time was of the essence, Magnus swiftly scanned the area and spotted an unused cell nearby. Without hesitation, he rushed inside. Once inside, Magnus donned the guard's attire, transforming his appearance and ensuring a better chance of blending in.

Within seconds, a partially disguised Magnus raced down the hallway, hastily assembling the remaining guard gear on his body. The blaring alarms echoed throughout the facility, alerting everyone to the escape of a prisoner. The urgent voice over the speakers demanded his immediate recapture. Magnus knew he had to use his newfound powers to get past the guards in his path.

As he hurriedly moved past the cells of various monstrosities, Magnus pondered his next move, desperate to formulate a plan. The shouts of approaching guards grew louder, signaling their imminent arrival. With time running out, Magnus's gaze fell upon a cell labeled "4390." Inside sat a colossal monstrosity, dwarfing all the other creatures he had encountered. It seemed like the perfect distraction, diverting the guards' attention away from his own escape.

Rushing to the cell door, Magnus fumbled with the keys, trying one after another, until finally, he set the "Big guy" free just as the guards rounded the corner. The monstrosity burst through the door, narrowly missing Magnus, who evaded its massive form. Oblivious to his presence, the creature focused its rage on the guards, who responded with a barrage of bullets. Roaring in defiance, the monstrosity charged toward its assailants, intent on crushing them.

Sensing the opportune moment, Magnus concentrated, drawing upon the energy that had slowed time before. Once again, everything around him came to a standstill, allowing him to slip past both the monstrosity and the frozen guards. Just before resuming time, he seized the chance to snatch a backpack from one of the immobilized guards. With a flash of light, time resumed, but the guards remained oblivious to his presence, consumed by their battle with the unleashed monstrosity.

Having rounded a corner and evaded immediate danger, Magnus paused to catch his breath, feeling the strain of utilizing his time-manipulating abilities. He inspected the contents of the backpack and found some food, a gun, cash, and, buried at the bottom, a map. Quickly grabbing the map and stowing away the rest for later, Magnus studied the layout. It revealed an exit down the current hallway, leading to freedom. However, he also noticed the presence of a nearby main control room. Thoughts of the ongoing torment and suffering propelled him forward, his resolve solidifying.

With his mind made up and some of his time energy reserves recovered, Magnus sprinted towards the control room, clutching the assault rifle he had retrieved. As he was running peculiar sense of déjà vu washed over him, causing him to question his fragmented memories and the significance of these newfound combat skills. Frustratingly, he couldn't recall anything about his past life beyond his name and fleeting memories related to handling weapons and the MCU. The nagging thought persisted, but there was little time for reflection as the sound of approaching guards drew nearer.

Realizing that he lacked sufficient reserves to stop time and maneuver past the guards once again, Magnus formulated a plan. "It doesn't need to stop... just, s l o w d o w n" he thought urgently. The time energy as if responding to his plea, decelerated, offering Magnus a chance to confront the approaching guards. With dwindling reserves, he skillfully took aim, methodically eliminating the soldiers who were too sluggish to react. The precision of his actions surprised even himself as he mowed them down one by one, exploiting their reduced speed. However, his AR eventually ran out of ammunition, sending a jolt of panic through him.

Reacting swiftly, Magnus reached into the backpack, retrieving a Glock-18 pistol. Even at half speed, the bullets fired by the guards posed a significant threat. Magnus dodged and rolled, narrowly evading the lethal projectiles before retaliating with well-placed shots of his own. The remaining guards struggled to adjust to his speed, unable to mount an effective defense. Magnus sustained minor grazes from incoming fire but pushed through the pain, determined to neutralize the remaining threats. With only two guards left, he used his surroundings as cover, methodically eliminating them until silence prevailed.

Though exhausted and bearing the scars of battle, Magnus knew he couldn't afford to rest. He pressed onward, heading towards the control room, where a man barked orders into the intercom, directing the guards to cell 4390. Magnus swiftly neutralized the man, seizing control of the console. Recalling Hydra's paranoia, he suspected the presence of a self-destruct mechanism in case of discovery. Ignoring the urgent pounding on the door, he worked swiftly, setting in motion the facility's self-destruct sequence.

With a sense of accomplishment, Magnus was about to make his escape when a desperate voice outside demanded entry to the control room. Magnus realized that all the monitors in the room provided no alternative exit. As the countdown to destruction continued, he weighed his options, feeling a mixture of resignation and determination.

"10"

"9"

"8"

Desperate to find a way out, I frantically searched the room, but all I saw were monitors and no viable escape route. The guard relentlessly pounded on the door, his urgency growing with each passing second.

"7"

"6"

"5"

My mind raced, desperately seeking a solution. I refused to accept that this was the end of my journey, that I would be consumed by the impending destruction of the facility.

"4"

"3"

"2"

In a moment of grim acceptance, I acknowledged the dire circumstances. I hadn't wanted my story to end like this, but fate had other plans.

"1"

"0"

click

And everything froze.