CHAPTER 1 KIDNAPPED

Toby awoke in a dimly lit, sterile room, his head throbbing and body feeling like dead weight. Tubes and wires connected him to machines, and a cold, metallic drip hung from his hand. Distinct voices murmured nearby, discussing his condition.

"His body's reaction to the serum is abnormal. No discernible changes," one voice said.

Toby struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Flashes of memory started to pierce through the fog in his mind. He remembered coming home from school, tidying up his room, and venturing outside to throw away some trash. But in the alley, a sudden, excruciating pain struck him from behind, and he had blacked out.

As these fragmented memories swirled in his head, panic crept in. Toby's heart raced as he realized he was in a dire situation. Determination pushed him to fight the fear and regain control.

Weakly, he croaked out, "What are you doing to me?"

The man in the room, who seemed to be in charge, met Toby's gaze with a cold, calculating look. "That's for me to know and for you to find out," he replied. "But I'll tell you this much: It won't be pleasant."

Toby's heart pounded harder. "I feel a bit tired, that's all," he replied, masking his fear. He knew cooperation might be his only hope for survival.

The scientist's face contorted with confusion. "Strange. I was sure the serum was genuine," he mumbled, then turned to his colleague, Scar. "Scar, are you certain we obtained the real serum? I'm not questioning your expertise, but there should be a reaction."

Scar, annoyed, retorted, "How am I supposed to know?" He stormed out of the room, leaving Toby alone with the unsettling silence.

Toby's mind raced, but the silence was suddenly broken by an anguished cry. "Oh, no!"

Startled, the scientist asked, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Toby's mind briefly strayed from his dire circumstances. "You guys messed up my plans. I was supposed to go on a date with Aliyah today." Regret and frustration filled his voice.

The scientist was taken aback. "Why are you shouting about that now?"

Toby, no longer caring about his predicament, met the scientist's gaze with intensity. "I'm 22 and still a virgin," he confessed. "I might never get a chance with Aliyah again. Do you understand what's at stake here?"

The scientist, bewildered, admitted, "I didn't have sex until I was 40."

Toby's eyes widened in disbelief, but before he could respond, the door burst open, and Scar returned with a wicked grin. "Your fate is about to be decided, boy, whether you live or die," he announced, the grin growing wider.