SCIENCE | The Test Subject.

Silas Varick had always been meticulous about his evening routines, savoring the predictability of his quiet walk home from his modest apartment in the heart of the city. That night, however, the serenity of his walk was abruptly shattered. As he turned onto his familiar street, a dark figure emerged from the shadows, and before he could react, a sharp pain exploded at the base of his skull. Everything went black.

When he came to, the world around him was disorienting. Silas found himself in a sterile, dispassionate laboratory, the clinical whiteness of the room almost oppressive. The bright, fluorescent light overhead was unrelenting, causing him to squint and shield his eyes despite the pain pulsing in his head. His body was strapped to a gurney, his shirt stripped away, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. His wrists and ankles were bound tightly, making any movement nearly impossible..