The Spare's Second Chance in Apocalypse-Chapter 246: Ch 245: Captured - Part 2

Noah’s expression darkened, but his anger wasn’t directed at Ethan.

"Forget about us for a second. Do you realize where Selene is? No one who goes into Dr. Aldric’s lab comes back sane. We don’t have time to worry about my safety when she’s—"

"I know where she is. And that’s why I need to do this the right way. Unneeded people should clear out the way."

Ethan snapped, stepping closer.

Noah was about to argue further, but before he could, Nora moved faster than he could react. She hit him at the base of the neck, knocking him out cold.

Zara whistled.

"Didn’t think you’d actually do it."

Nora exhaled, shaking out her wrist.

"He was going to fight me on this all night."

She looked at Ethan.

"You have five hours. If you’re not out with Selene by then, I will come in after you."

Ethan narrowed his eyes but didn’t argue. Time was slipping away.

"Fine. While I’m gone, interrogate Isabelle. I don’t trust that she doesn’t know more about this than she let on."

A smirk tugged at Nora’s lips.

"Oh, don’t worry. I got this."

Ethan gave one final nod before turning toward the door.

—---

The lab was hidden deep beneath an abandoned facility, guarded by multiple layers of security.

Ethan, Zara, and Orion made quick work of the patrols, knocking them unconscious before they could alert anyone.

When they reached the main entrance, Ethan turned to them.

"I’ll go ahead and find Selene. You two keep the way clear for our escape."

Zara rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get yourself killed."

Orion simply nodded, and they split up.

Ethan moved fast, weaving through the eerily quiet hallways. Something felt wrong.

Too quiet. Too easy.

No security cameras. No alarms.

It wasn’t until he found the room Selene was kept in that his suspicions turned into full-blown alarm.

She was in a large glass chamber, floating in a thick, luminescent fluid.

Her body was motionless, her long hair drifting like it was weightless. She looked pale, her breathing slow but steady.

Ethan’s stomach twisted.

He placed a hand against the glass, his fingers curling into a fist.

"Selene."

Her eyes didn’t open, but for a moment, he swore she could feel him there.

He raised his fist, ready to shatter the containment.

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you."

A voice said behind him.

Ethan turned fast, ready to strike—

Dr. Aldric stood just a few feet away, hands in the pockets of his pristine white coat. His smile was calm, almost amused.

"If you break that glass, you’ll kill her instantly. The fluid she’s in isn’t just for show. It’s keeping her stable. If you want to save her, you’ll have to listen to me first.

Aldric continued.

Ethan’s grip on his weapon tightened.

Aldric’s smile widened.

"I’ve been waiting for you. We have so much to talk about."

______

Ethan’s mind was racing, but his body remained still.

Every instinct screamed at him to tear through Dr. Aldric and get Selene out of that chamber, but his words echoed in Ethan’s head.

"You’ll kill her instantly."

His gaze flickered back to Selene, floating motionlessly in the thick, glowing liquid.

Her expression was peaceful, but that only made it worse. It wasn’t real. Whatever drug she was under had trapped her in that state.

Ethan clenched his jaw and turned back to the doctor.

"What did you do to her?"

Aldric raised an eyebrow, as if mildly amused by Ethan’s anger.

"I saved her, of course. She was deteriorating faster than I expected, so I had no choice but to preserve her."

"Preserve?"

Ethan repeated, the word leaving a bad taste in his mouth.

Aldric sighed, shaking his head.

"You really don’t understand, do you? Selene is... special. More than you know. If I hadn’t intervened, she wouldn’t have lasted much longer."

Ethan wasn’t sure what enraged him more—the doctor’s condescending tone or the way he spoke about Selene like she was some experiment rather than a person.

"Let her go."

Aldric chuckled.

"Now, why would I do that?"

Ethan took a slow step forward.

"Because if you don’t, I’ll make you."

Aldric held his ground, unfazed by the threat.

"Violence won’t help you here. Not unless you want her to die before your very eyes."

Ethan’s grip tightened on his weapon, but he didn’t swing. Not yet. He needed more information. He needed to figure out how to get Selene out of there alive.

He took a deep breath.

"Fine. You wanted to talk? Then talk. But if I don’t like what I hear, I will kill you."

Aldric tilted his head, looking at Ethan with something close to curiosity.

"How interesting. I assumed you’d be all brawn and no patience, but perhaps there’s hope for you yet."

Ethan’s patience was running thin.

"Get to the point."

Ethan’s patience was hanging by a thread. He clenched his fists, his body rigid, every muscle in his frame primed to strike.

But Aldric wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. If anything, he seemed amused by Ethan’s defiance.

"Stop beating around the bush. If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, I’ll be taking Selene and leaving."

Ethan snapped.

Aldric sighed, shaking his head as if Ethan were a particularly slow student.

"You brute-types are always so impatient. Fine, if you insist—but I suggest you take a seat. This will take some time."

Ethan scoffed.

"I’m not—"

Before he could finish, an invisible force slammed down on him.

His knees nearly buckled as an unbearable weight pressed against his head and shoulders.

His vision swam, and a sharp pain spiked through his skull as if a vice was clamping down on his entire body.

"What the hell...?" fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Ethan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay upright, but even that felt impossible. He could barely move.

Aldric, of course, was completely unaffected. He watched Ethan with mild interest, adjusting his glasses as though he were evaluating a particularly interesting lab specimen.