The voice did not belong to a child.
Lena knew it instantly.
It was calm. Measured. Mechanical in a way human voices were never meant to be.
“Subject awakening confirmed.”
Noah’s lips moved again, but his expression remained blank — no fear, no confusion, no pain.
Just awareness.
Cold awareness.
The heart monitor beside him accelerated into frantic beeping.
The doctor staggered backward.
“What… what is wrong with him?”
No one answered.
Alex stood frozen.
Not shocked.
Not confused.
Terrified.
Lena had never seen that emotion on him before.
“Noah?” she whispered, stepping closer.
His eyes shifted toward her immediately.
Too fast.
Tracking her movement with unnatural precision.
For a brief second, relief flooded her chest.
He sees me.
But then he spoke again.
“Unknown v
