The haze of morphine had won, if only for a moment.
Shadow's crimson eyes fluttered shut against his will, his body sinking deeper into the stiff mattress of the hospital bed. For all his strength and willpower, for all his determination to stay alert, the drugs had dulled him just enough to drag him into unconsciousness.
But there was no peace in the dark.
The moment he fell asleep, the memories surfaced like a tidal wave, drowning him.
He was back in the lab. The cold, sterile walls of the ARK surrounded him, the sharp scent of antiseptic burning his nose. He could hear the faint hum of machinery, the distant murmurs of scientists, and the echoing sound of Maria's laughter. But none of it felt real. The air was too thick, too heavy, and the walls seemed to close in around him.
Then came the voices.
"Subject has exceeded expectations..."
"The ultimate weapon, capable of withstanding anything..."
"But what about his vulnerabilities?"*
"We'll find them. No being is truly immortal."
Shadow's hands clenched at his sides, but in the dream, they weren't his hands—they were smaller, younger, trembling. He looked down and saw himself as he was back then, a weapon in the making, a child of science.
Then came the pain.
A sharp, searing agony tore through his chest, spreading like fire. He staggered, falling to his knees, as the voices grew louder, harsher, overlapping in a cacophony of accusations.
"You failed her."
"You couldn't protect her."
"You exist to destroy, not to save."
Maria's face flickered before him, her expression shifting from a gentle smile to one of terror as the sound of gunfire echoed in his ears.
Shadow's crimson eyes snapped open, his breath ragged, chest heaving. For a moment, he wasn't sure where he was—the sterile white walls, the faint hum of machines, and the dull ache in his body blurred together with the suffocating remnants of his dream.
The ARK. Maria. The endless voices. The pain.
It had been too vivid. Too real.
He clenched his fists, forcing his breathing to slow before the sound of the monitors drove him nuts. His surroundings sharpened as the fog of the dream lifted, but the oppressive weight in his chest didn't ease. He'd fallen asleep—shit, he'd fallen asleep.
The morphine haze had dragged him under, and now every instinct screamed at him that he was left wide open.
The hospital room was dark, save for the glow of the monitors beside him, their now faint beeping mocking him with every sound. The nightmare had been a warning—a brutal reminder of what he already knew: he couldn't trust this place. He couldn't trust anyone.
Not after what happened.
Shadow forced himself upright, sharp pain lancing through his torso as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. The world tilted slightly, the lingering effects of the drugs pulling at him, but he gritted his teeth and shoved the dizziness aside. He didn't have time for weakness.
He needed out of this deja vu.
The steady beep of the monitors quickened again, matching the growing urgency in his chest. His crimson eyes darted to the sensors on his chest, the wires tethering him to the machines. Every piece of equipment was a leash, another alarm waiting to sound the moment he removed it.
Shadow's fingers curled around the first sensor, peeling it off with a sharp tug. The adhesive pulled against his fur, but he didn't flinch. One by one, he removed the sensors, his movements quick but deliberate.
The moment the last one came off, the monitors exploded into a cacophony of shrill, flat-line alarms. The piercing sound tore through the room, loud and merciless, and Shadow's ears flattened in irritation.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath.
He pushed himself off the bed, his legs wobbling beneath him as his injured body protested. Pain rippled through his chest, sharp and unforgiving, but he refused to let it stop him. He staggered forward, his hand catching the edge of the IV pole for balance.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hall.
Time was up.
Shadow's crimson eyes shot toward the fire escape at the far end of the room. The red EXIT sign glowed faintly in the darkness, partially obscured by a steel cabinet. It was his only way out.
The footsteps grew louder. Shadow forced himself to move, his steps uneven but determined. His heart pounded against his ribcage, his breaths shallow and quick as he pushed through the searing pain in his side.
The door to his hospital room burst open behind him.
"Mr. Shadow! Stop!"
The panicked voice of the nurse cut through the room, but Shadow didn't stop. He couldn't. His hand shot out, gripping the fire escape handle and yanking it open. The door groaned, and the high-pitched screech of the fire alarm erupted, drowning out the nurse's frantic cries.
The stairwell beyond was dimly lit and narrow, the harsh concrete steps spiraling downward into shadowy depths. Shadow stumbled through, slamming the door shut behind him. He leaned against it for a brief second, his body screaming for him to stop, to rest, but he shoved the thought aside.
The door rattled violently behind him—someone was trying to open it.
He bolted, forcing his legs to carry him down the stairs. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his chest, but he clung to the railing for balance, his teeth gritted against the agony.
Above him, the sound of voices spilled into the stairwell.
"He's in the fire stairs!"
"Call security! We need backup on all exits!"
Shadow's breath quickened, his body trembling from the effort of moving faster than his battered frame could handle. His vision blurred at the edges, but he refused to stop. The heavy thud of boots echoed from above, growing louder with each second.
They were closing in.
He reached the next landing, gripping the railing as he turned the corner. His foot slipped on the edge of the step, and for a heart-stopping moment, he nearly fell. He caught himself against the wall, the sharp impact sending a fresh wave of pain through his side, but he didn't stop.
Don't stop. Don't stop. Keep moving.
The voices above were clearer now, frantic and filled with urgency.
"Seal the exits!"
"He won't get far in his condition!"
Shadow's jaw tightened. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. He wasn't going to let himself be caught like some helpless experiment. Never again.
The Ultimate Lifeform didn't run to survive. He ran to win.
The stairs seemed endless, the effort of descending them pulling every ounce of strength from his body. His breaths came in sharp, shallow gasps, and the edges of his vision darkened. But finally—finally—he saw it.
The ground floor.
The faint glow of another EXIT sign beckoned him from the shadows. Shadow surged forward, his body screaming in protest as he stumbled down the last few steps.
Behind him, the footsteps were deafening now, the shouts of the staff echoing in the stairwell.
"There he is!"
"Stop him!"
Shadow hit the fire escape door shoulder-first, shoving it open with what little strength he had left. The cool night air hit him like a shock, sharp and bracing against his sweat-drenched fur. He stumbled into the alleyway beyond, his legs nearly giving out beneath him.
The fire alarm blared behind him, its shrill cry cutting through the stillness of the night, but Shadow didn't stop to look back.
"I said stop him!"
The shout came from just behind him—too close. They were on him now, spilling out from the fire door, their boots hammering on the pavement.
Shadow's steps faltered, his legs trembling as his injuries caught up to him. He could feel the weight of exhaustion pulling him down, the fire in his chest threatening to consume him.
But he wasn't done yet.
He turned sharply, his crimson eyes flaring with fury as the words left his lips in a growl.
"CHAOS BLAST!"
The air around him exploded in a pulse of raw energy, red and black tendrils of chaos ripping outward in a shockwave. The pursuing staff were flung back, cries of alarm and pain swallowed by the deafening roar of the blast. The fire escape door buckled under the force, the nearby walls cracking as the chaos energy dissipated into the night.
Shadow stood in the aftermath, his breathing heavy, his body trembling. The alleyway was silent now, save for the faint crackle of energy in the air. The staff were down, scattered in a heap near the fire exit, groaning but conscious.
He didn't wait to see if they would get back up.
Shadow turned and disappeared into the shadows of the city, his form melting into the darkness as the fire alarm continued to wail behind him.
Pain coursed through every fiber of his being, but it didn't matter.
He was free.