Into the Gray

----

Rayner hesitated briefly before stepping into the dark passage. The door behind him closed with a finality that sent a shiver down his spine. He caught a last glimpse of Mr. Chang, whose expression was a complex mix of concern and resignation, before the door sealed shut. The passage was lit dimly, the concrete walls closing in around him as he moved forward.

"How could a passage like this exist in the middle of the city?" Rayner wondered aloud. He checked his phone—no reception. Minutes turned into a quarter of an hour, then half an hour. The air grew damp and cool, and the walls seemed to sweat with condensation. Rayner's steps echoed as he trudged onward, his anxiety mounting with every step.

Finally, he reached a door. Beyond it lay a larger tunnel, train tracks running parallel to the walls, and a subway train with the Seed Labs logo emblazoned on its side. Rayner's eyes widened in disbelief. "Who would've thought the Changs' toilet would lead to the old subway system? Who are they really?" he muttered.

He stepped into the train. As soon as he settled into a seat, the doors slid shut and the train began to move. The rhythmic clatter of the tracks lulled him into a trance, his consciousness slipping away despite his efforts to stay alert.

Rayner awoke with a splitting headache, as if struck by a hammer. He groaned, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights of a large, sterile laboratory. His surroundings were unfamiliar and intimidating. The sterile, clinical environment was a stark contrast to the dark, damp passage he had just traversed. The walls were all white and only a single door existed in this large room. He woke up to find himself in his birthday suit as well as other people around him, and all his items gone including his mom's only momento, the necklace he always wore. He gritted his teeth at this knowledge.

A voice crackled over the PA system, loud and authoritative. "Gather around," the female voice commanded. Rayner looked up to see a woman standing on an observatory deck on the second floor, holding a microphone. Rayner could not see the woman's face, but from the contour of her face and the silhoette of her body, he could tell that she was definitely a fine woman. "Quiet down! All of you have signed up for this job. Follow the instructions and cooperate with us. Once you are done with the job, we will make sure you are returned with proper compensation. Line up near the door and cooperate with our staff."

A commotion erupted as people began shouting and demanding answers. One man's voice rose above the rest, filled with anger and expletives. Suddenly, his head exploded, spraying blood and brain matter. The room fell into stunned silence, broken only by the sounds of retching and fainting.

Rayner stood frozen in shock, his mind struggling to process the gruesome sight. He had not expected this. A deep sense of dread settled in his stomach as he realized he had no idea what he had signed up for.

"I did say quiet down, didn't I?" the woman looked over them and continued, calm and unyielding. "All of you have chips implanted inside your bodies. They are usually dormant, but if you think of doing something naughty, it can get rather messy, quite literally. I hope all of you understand this." Although at quite a distance, Rayner found himself unable to move his eyes away from the speaking woman's eyes, it was as though they were filled with stardust. 

The room remained deathly silent. Rayner's thoughts raced, the gravity of his situation sinking in. He had walked willingly into a nightmare, and there was no turning back.

----