The Key

Xander's feet kicked a loose rock as he trudged down the dreary sidewalk, eyes focused on the crumpled piece of paper in his hand. It was his expulsion notice from the new school he had lasted only one day at. He knew his grandmother would be disappointed, but he couldn't stand by while bullies tormented others. His father had always taught him to stand up for what was right, and now that both his parents were gone, Xander felt an even stronger sense of duty.

As he waited for the light to change at the crosswalk, a group of black SUVs screeched to a halt in front of him. Men in dark suits poured out of the vehicles, surrounding Xander. Despite his instinct to fight back, he noticed the bulges on their sides - guns, not fists. A groan escaped his lips as he realized the bully from school must have told his parents about their altercation.

But did they really send grown men to intimidate and attack a teenage boy? Xander was 18 years old, but these men were still adults. The thought made him angry and uneasy as he braced himself for whatever was to come.

A man approaches Xander, his expression blank and unreadable. "Xander Ri, we need you to come with us," the man says in a monotone voice void of any emotion. Xander can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the request.

"Come with you? And what will you do? Teach me a lesson because some idiot enjoys picking on others?"

The man's expression remained stoic and unemotional as he spoke, "I won't ask you again. Please come with us." 

Xander lets out a frustrated sigh and shakes his head. He may be able to dodge punches, but bullets are a different story. "Fine." 

The man guides Xander towards one of the SUVs and he begrudgingly climbs into the back seat. The man follows suit and sits next to him. As the car starts moving, the doors lock automatically. 

"So, where are you taking me?" Xander couldn't help but notice that these men were not your ordinary street gang based on their behavior and mannerisms.

The man's stern expression makes it clear that he doesn't want any questions, so Xander remains silent. Suddenly, the man produces a sharp needle and plunges it into Xander's neck before he can react.

"What the h-" Xander tries to say, but his vision begins to blur and his words become incomprehensible.

Before the darkness fully engulfs him, he catches a glimpse of a smirk on the man's face. Xander struggles against the sedative, determined not to surrender; but his resistance proves futile. His world fades away, leaving him floating in a sea of numb nothingness.

***

Xander's eyes snap open, and they struggle to adjust to the dim lighting. As he takes in his surroundings, his body tenses with fear. He's lying on a metal table, shivering from the cold that seeps through the concrete walls. His limbs are tightly bound, and he can feel tubes and wires attached to his body.

He attempts to free himself, but the restraints only dig deeper into his flesh. His neck throbs with pain, presumably where he was injected. Scanning the barren room, Xander sees nothing that looks familiar except for the steel door looming on one side of the room.

Just as panic starts to rise within him, the steel door slides open with a loud screech. Through the blinding light that pours into the room, Xander can make out a figure standing in the doorway. The person is tall and dressed in a white lab coat, looking more like a mad scientist than a doctor.

"Where am I?" Xander manages to croak out, his throat dry and scratchy from disuse. The figure remains silent, and Xander's fear intensifies as he waits for an answer.

"You're awake, I'm surprised," the doctor says, approaching Xander with a haunting whisper.

His voice echoes through the room like death in a graveyard. He steps into the harsh light from the hallway and his pallid face and bottomless black eyes are revealed. "Not many last as long as you have," he adds, slowly circling the table where Xander is restrained. Each step is precise and practiced.

Xander's heart races with fear at every word that falls from the doctor's lips. "What do you want from me?" he demands, trying to keep his voice steady. The thin man only chuckles in response, a sound similar to crushing glass under heavy boots.

"You see, Xander," the doctor begins in a tone more suited for bedtime stories than explaining a terrifying situation. "Our organization has been watching you for some time now." His words hang heavily in the air as he studies Xander's reactions with a predatory smile.

"And why would you do that?" Xander asks defiantly, his pulse pounding in his ears.

The doctor's answer comes in the form of a sinister grin. He pauses before responding, tapping his long fingers against the metal table. "Because you're special," he finally says, leaning closer towards Xander. His coal-black eyes bore into Xander's very soul as he continued. "We believe you possess something we need."

The metal door slides open again, revealing a man dressed in military attire. He nods at the doctor before turning his attention to Xander.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint, the son of the greatest solider I know," he remarks, removing his sunglasses to reveal a white and empty eye with a scar running down it.

Xander's spine tenses with recognition as the tone in the room shifts suddenly, sending a jolt of fear through his body. The military man's voice brings back memories Xander desperately wants to forget - fire, screams, and the sickening sound of metal-piercing flesh - all leading to the tragic loss of his parents.

"Your father was an extraordinary man," the doctor continues, his voice filled with unsettling admiration. He pats the military man on the shoulder as if they share some dark secret. "Brave, resilient, and most importantly...gifted."

Xander clenches his jaw, his blood seething at the mention of his father. "What do you want with me?" he repeats, more forcefully this time. The doctor's unnerving smile only widens.

"You have your father's gift, Xander," he says, his voice low and eerie. "A genetic trait that we've been seeking to harness for years."

The military man steps closer, filling the space with an oppressive aura. His scar seems to pulse under the harsh fluorescent lights. "Your father was a hero, Xander," he murmurs in a gravelly tone. "He died protecting what he believed in."

His words strike Xander like a punch to the gut. The memory of his father's death rushes back - the smell of burning rubble, the agonizing sobs of his mother, the empty hole left in his heart that had since hardened into stone.

"But you're more than just your father's son," the doctor interjects, bringing Xander back from his painful reverie.

"You're an opportunity," he continues, tracing a gloved finger on the table's cold surface. His eyes are unfathomable pools of darkness as they lock onto Xander's. "You're our key to saving our world."