The words struck Arkan like a physical blow. Not entirely human. The confirmation of his deepest fears, delivered with cold, clinical precision. He was an experiment. A tool. Not a man, but a product.
"They made me… in a lab?" Arkan's voice was barely a whisper.
Riley nodded grimly. "Yes. They believe they're creating the next stage of human evolution. A controlled evolution."
Zara stepped forward, her pistol still trained on Riley, but her voice soft with dawning horror. "What… what are you saying? That Arkan is…?"
"A clone? A bio-engineered weapon?" Riley finished for her, his voice heavy with resignation. "Something like that. They've been experimenting for decades. Project Omega is the final step. And you, Arkan, are the final piece."
Arkan recoiled, the world spinning around him.
