Gwen’s first day of college—India’s best college, in the Dome City —and she was lost.
Her phone battery had died before she could check the map, leaving her stranded in an unfamiliar part of the city. She had worked too hard to get here. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Gwen sat alone on a worn-out chair by the side of an empty road, gripping the straps of her bag tightly. The dim streetlights flickered, casting long, wavering shadows across the deserted buildings. The air was still, heavy with silence. She swallowed, glancing at the dead phone in her hand.
A golden-white dressed man, seemingly in his twenties, hovered above the towering buildings. Swirling golden-white energy crackled around him, illuminating the night as his piercing gaze swept the city below. His expression was unreadable, but his focus locked onto a single figure.
She sighed, pulling out a black jacket from her luggage, wrapping it around herself as the cool night air nipped at her skin. She had never been out alone in an unknown city before.
High above, on the rooftop of a nearby building, a boy watched her with sharp, calculating eyes. He wore a jacket identical to hers, though he blended into the darkness like a shadow. His gaze narrowed as he observed her movements.
"Interesting," he murmured.
His fingers flicked in the air, and a soft, blue glow pulsed from his right hand. Tiny particles shimmered and swirled, moving with a mechanical precision, forming intricate geometric patterns. Within moments, they merged seamlessly into a sleek, tiny chip, a tracker. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he sent it spiraling downward.
The chip landed softly inside the hood of Gwen’s jacket, unnoticed.
Meanwhile, in a shadowed alley, a man pressed a finger to the Bluetooth device in his ear. “Found it, sir,” he muttered, his eyes locked onto Gwen.
A distorted voice crackled through the earpiece. “Proceed. Ensure it doesn’t understand.”
The man gave a subtle hand signal. Instantly, unseen figures lurking in the surrounding buildings sprang into action. They moved like ghosts, positioning themselves with practiced precision.
From a window of nearby building, a dart was silently fired.
It struck Gwen’s arm with a quiet thud.
A sharp sting. A rush of burning heat. Gwen barely had time to react before a wave of dizziness crashed over her. Her breath hitched as her limbs grew sluggish, betraying her. No. "What is this ". She staggered —sweat poring down her face like waterfall —her vision tunneling. Darkness swarmed at the edges of her sight, and before she could fight it, her body gave in.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Her world went black.
Several figures rushed toward her. Swift. Silent. Precise. Within seconds, they had her wrists and ankles bound with a rope, locking her in place.
A van pulled up. No screeching tires, no unnecessary noise—just a smooth, practiced maneuver. The back doors swung open. The men lifted Gwen’s limp form and secured her inside. The doors slammed shut, and the van rolled away, vanishing into the night.
From the rooftop, the boy—Unknown—watched everything unfold. His jaw tightened. He had planned to observe, not interfere. But now…
With one fluid motion, he leaped off the rooftop, his movements effortless, gliding from one building to the next, tailing the van without missing a beat.
Fifteen minutes later, the van slowed, turning into a garage. Unknown crouched low, watching as the vehicle disappeared inside. His fingers twitched. He exhaled slowly before speaking, his voice low and firm.
"Who is she?"
A soft mechanical hum answered him.
"She is Gwen."
"M.E., activate A.I."
A brief pause, then the smooth, artificial voice continued. "Gwen. Age: 17. Birthday: 2nd July 2033. Mother: Raksha. Father: Missing. Adopted brother: Harry. Best friends: Harry, Arya. Boyfriend: Max. She is likely here to attend college in Dome city."
Unknown froze. One name stood out , "Harry ...ha..?","That name. How is it possible. But the AI never lies".
Below, the garage doors sealed shut. Inside, the kidnappers moved efficiently. One of them pressed a button on the wall, and a hidden lift opened. Without hesitation, they stepped inside, Gwen’s motionless body draped across one of their arms.
The doors slid closed. The lift descended.
When it reopened, it revealed a world far removed from the grimy garage above.
Pristine white floors gleamed under bright, sterile lights. The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air. Towering glass capsules lined the walls. Suspended within them were figures—human-like, yet too still, too perfect, too metallic.
Gwen stirred. Her eyelids fluttered weakly before she forced them open, blinking against the harsh lights. Her head throbbed, and when she tried to move, she realized she was restrained. Her arms and legs were locked in place.
Panic surged in her chest. She sucked in a sharp breath, her gaze darting around the lab.
A man stood nearby, his curly hair unkempt, though his pristine white lab coat suggested he rarely touched anything that could stain it. His cold, analytical eyes studied her, void of empathy.
Then, he smiled. Too wide. Too artificial.
“Welcome, the Unknown.”
His voice was smooth, almost mocking.
The words sent a chill racing down Gwen’s spine. Her stomach twisted. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
"The Unknown"?
Her mouth felt dry. She tried to speak, but only a hoarse whisper came out. "W-what does that mean?"
Her voice trembled, barely masking the growing terror clawing at her chest.
The man’s smile deepened, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he simply watched her—like a scientist observing a test subject right before the experiment begins.
What do you guys think:-
Who is Unknown?
And what is this lab really for?
Why is Gwen kidnapped for?
Why did Unknown froze on seeing Harry's name?
Drop your theories in the comments!
