THE ABDUCTION OF KALI PRASAD

JANUARY 12, 1974

LONDON, ENGLAND

On a cold winter night, a sleek black car sat idling outside a townhouse, its driver hidden behind tinted windows.

Upstairs, in a warmly lit bedroom, a young girl slept soundly under a quilt decorated with stars and moons. Her chest rising and falling in the steady rhythm of deep sleep. From down the hall came the muffled voices of her parents.

"What if she wakes up in the middle of the night asking for us?" her mother said anxiously.

Her father sighed, "She'll be fine. The nanny will take good care of her and it's only for a few days." 

Her mother didn't reply, but the soft shuffle of footsteps followed as they moved down the staircase and to the front door. 

It creaked and clicked loudly as it opened and shut, leaving the house in silence once more. 

Moments later, something seemed to detach itself from the darkness outside the girl's room, gliding towards her bed. The faint groan of the floorboards went unnoticed as the child stirred faintly but remained asleep.

The intruder paused at the edge of the bed, its outline obscured by the dim light filtering through the curtains. It leaned forward, its presence smothering the warmth of the room as the girl turned in her sleep, her small hands clutching the edges of her quilt.

And then, as if the night itself had grown darker, the shadow swallowed her completely.

***

JANUARY 1, 1977

HAWKINS NATIONAL LABORATORY

The chill seeped through the walls of the dark isolation room as Kali Prasad, 10 years old, sat cross-legged on the cold concrete floor, her small frame enveloped by a thin hospital gown. Her fingers toyed idly with the loose thread of her white slippers. The single bulb above her flickered weakly, casting long shadows that danced across the room like restless spirits.

She didn't know how many hours had passed. Maybe it was days. Time blurred in the dark. Her stomach growled softly, but hunger wasn't the worst of it. The worst was the gnawing question: What did I do to deserve this?

The answer was as sharp as the memory. Ray Carroll's sneering face, the cattle prod gleaming in his hand. The orderly thought he could scare her with it, humiliate her in front of the other children. 

But she'd acted on instinct, her small fingers latching onto the handle, yanking it from his grip. The shock in his eyes had been satisfying, if brief. She didn't even know how to use the device—her defiance was the point.

Now, here she was. Alone. Silent. Her buzzcut head resting against the cold wall, she thought about whether the others had heard what happened. Did they admire her for standing up to him, or did they shake their heads, pitying her?

The metallic click of the door unlocking broke the stillness. Her dark eyes narrowed towards a figure stepping inside, his polished shoes clicking against the floor.

"Good morning, Eight," Dr. Martin Brenner said, his voice smooth, almost kind. 

But Kali saw through it. Brenner thought he could take her name by tattooing 008 on her wrist. But she refused to answer to it. Her gaze followed him as he moved closer, the dim light catching the silver streaks in his hair.

"You're very quiet today," he observed, crouching slightly to meet her eye level. "I thought you might want to explain yourself."

She glared at him, her jaw tightening. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Brenner sighed, as if disappointed. "No? Well, let me take a guess. You thought taking the cattle prod would prove something, didn't you?" 

His tone was light, conversational, but his words cut deep. "You wanted to show that you're not a scared little girl anymore. That you're stronger now."

Kali's lips twitched, but she said nothing.

"You're not, Eight," Brenner continued, his smile tightening. "It's been almost three years and we've yet to see anything remarkable from you. No signs of the abilities we know are locked inside you. That's why I've been sending Ray to... motivate you. To push you to your potential."

Kali's hands clenched. She knew better than to trust his words. He called himself Papa, demanding the children address him with affection. But it was all part of his game, his manipulation. She wouldn't play along. Not this time.

Brenner straightened, brushing invisible dust from his pristine suit. "It's the first day of a new year," he said, his voice softening again. "A fresh start. Would you like to try again, Eight? Show us what you're capable of?"

The threat lingered unspoken in the air: Or else.

She met his gaze, her dark eyes burning with quiet defiance. Slowly, she nodded.

"Good," he said, smiling faintly. "Very good."

But she wasn't agreeing to cooperate. Not really. Deep in her heart, a spark ignited—a plan. She had decided. This year, she would show them her power. This year, she would escape.

***

A tray of food had been placed on the floor of the isolation room, sliding in through the small slot in the door just after Brenner left. An apple, toast, and a cup of water. It wasn't much, but Kali ate quickly, not just because she was hungry, but because she knew she would need her strength.

Before long, the door opened again and revealed a tall woman in a lab coat, Dr. Coleman. Beside her was an orderly Kali didn't recognize, his blonde hair cast in an unnatural glow from the light above that also obscured his face in shadow.

"Come on, Eight," Coleman said, gesturing toward the door. "Dr. Brenner wants you to observe."

Kali stood slowly, her small hands brushing crumbs off the thin fabric of her gown. She followed without a word, her feet moving silent against the cold, polished floor.

The halls were eerily quiet, the fluorescent lights overhead buzzing faintly. Every turn seemed identical to the last, but Kali wasn't distracted by the maze of corridors—she was counting. Left, right, left again. She'd memorized all the paths from her room long ago.

They stopped in front of a heavy metal door, which Coleman unlocked with a key card. Inside was a small room with a one-way mirror through which Kali could see the Rainbow Room.

The sight of it made her heart tighten.

The Rainbow Room was the one place in this cold, unfeeling lab that didn't look like a prison. A giant rainbow arching over the floor with tables scattered throughout, covered in toys, puzzles, and art supplies. Children in identical hospital gowns moved freely, some stacking blocks with their minds, others drawing with crayons or playing simple games.

Dr Coleman and the orderly stood by the door, silent and stiff, their eyes avoiding her's. Kali turned back to the glass, her hands pressing lightly against its cold surface. 

She didn't know how long she stood there, her gaze drifting from one child to the next. She wondered if they were starting to forget what life had been like before the lab, at least for those that like herself were not born there. 

Then suddenly the door to the Rainbow Room opened, and her breath caught. Dr. Brenner walked in, his usual calm presence drawing the children's attention. But it wasn't Brenner that Kali was staring at, it was the girl by his side.

Her heart sank at the fragile way the girl held herself. But it was her eyes, wide and wary, that confirmed it.

Jane.

Brenner rested a hand on Jane's shoulder, smiling as he addressed the children. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Eleven. She'll be joining us from now on."

The children murmured among themselves, some staring curiously, others offering cautious smiles. Jane's gaze flitted around the room, her shoulders tense, her small frame looking even smaller among the group.

Kali pressed her palms harder against the glass. She hadn't seen Jane since the day they were separated—more than two years ago. Back then, Jane had long, golden hair, her voice soft and sweet when she whispered secrets to her during the long, quiet nights in their shared room.

Now, she looked so different. So broken. Kali's lips parted as if to say something, but no sound came. Instead, another memory rushed forward: the woman who had come for Jane, shouting her name as the guards dragged her away. 

"Her name isn't Eleven," Kali whispered to herself.

The orderly stirred at the sound of her voice, but she ignored him, as her anger simmered to the surface.

Brenner was speaking again, though Kali couldn't hear him through the glass. Jane—or Eleven, as he insisted on calling her—nodded hesitantly, her gaze downcast. 

Kali's fists clenched. She felt an overwhelming urge to storm into the Rainbow Room. But she couldn't.

"Come with us," said Dr. Coleman curtly. 

The orderly gestured toward the door, his piercing blue eyes flickering with something Kali couldn't quite place. She followed them, sparing one last glance at the Rainbow Room through the one-way mirror. The sight of Jane pulled at her heart, but she forced herself to look away.

 Coleman and the orderly led Kali back through the labyrinthine hallways. She kept her head down, counting the turns again, her unease growing when she realized where they were headed. The testing rooms.

Kali's slippers padded softly on the linoleum floor as she stepped inside, her eyes darting around the featureless space. Usually, these rooms were filled with blinking lights, and the steady hum of machinery. But today, there was nothing. 

Coleman and the orderly lingered behind her near the door, their postures stiff. Again, the orderly's eyes caught her attention briefly. He didn't have the usual detached demeanor of the staff—there was something almost... eager about the way he watched her.

Before she could linger on the thought, the door opened again, and a large balding man stepped inside. Ray Carroll.

Her chest tightened. She didn't need psychic powers to sense Ray's irritation, she could see it in the tight set of his jaw and the way his eyes narrowed when they landed on her.

"What's this about?" Ray asked, his voice rough, addressing no one in particular.

Then Brenner's voice filled the room, smooth and authoritative, emanating from the intercom speaker above.

"I need you to listen carefully, Eight," Brenner said, his tone calm, almost warm. "Today, you will make a choice."

Kali glanced toward the speaker, her unease growing.

"Don't be afraid," Brenner continued. "All you have to do is decide. It's very simple."

The words weren't comforting. They were chilling. Kali glanced back at Ray, then at Dr. Coleman, who looked uneasy for the first time since she'd met her.

"You can apologize to Ray," Brenner said. "And promise that you'll never disrespect him or any of the staff again."

Ray crossed his arms expectantly. 

"Or..." Brenner paused, making the room seem smaller. "You can fight back. Use your power. Show your strength."

The room fell silent.

Kali's stomach dropped. She turned slowly to look at Ray, then at Dr. Coleman, whose mouth had fallen open slightly in shock. The orderly, however, looked fascinated, his eyes gleaming with a strange intensity.

"What is this?" Ray stammered. He looked at Coleman for answers, but the doctor was as frozen as Kali.

"Don't worry, Eight," Brenner's voice came again. "This isn't a trick. You won't be punished. In fact, I'll make you a promise." His voice softened, almost tender. "Do what I ask, and I'll allow you to rejoin your brothers and sisters."

Kali's breath caught.

"Eleven has been asking about you," Brenner continued. "Don't you want to see her again?"

Kali wanted nothing more, but how could she trust him.

Brenner continued. "All you have to do is let your emotions guide you. Suppressing them is what's holding you back. Let it out, and you'll see what you're truly capable of."

This was a game—a twisted experiment to push her to the brink. He wanted her to give in, to prove that she was just another pawn in his cruel game. Her fists clenched at her sides.

"Go on," Brenner urged. "Don't hold back."

Her anger bubbled up, hot and raw. She thought of all the times Brenner had manipulated her, stripped away her autonomy, turned her into an experiment. She thought of Jane—of Eleven—standing in the Rainbow Room, her head shaved, her spirit crushed. This wasn't just about her anymore. It was about all of them.

The lights in the room began to flicker.

Ray took a step back, his confidence faltering as the air seemed to hum with electricity. Coleman was visibly nervous, glancing at the door as though considering an escape.

The orderly, however, didn't move. He watched Kali with an almost childlike curiosity, his lips curling into a faint smile.

"Eight!" Brenner's voice cut through the static, sharper now. "This isn't fear. It's power. Embrace it!"

Kali's vision blurred, her heart pounding as the fluorescent lights above sparked and flickered. The intercom crackled with static, Brenner's words distorted but insistent.

And then, she felt it. Warmth trickling down her lip. She reached up and wiped at her nose, her fingers coming away streaked with blood. She froze. The room's energy seemed to drain all at once, the lights returning to normal as she released her hold on the anger fueling her.

"Eight," Brenner said, his voice suddenly cold.

Kali stood there, trembling, her breathing ragged. She didn't need to see Brenner's face to know he was furious.

"Take her back to her room!" Brenner ordered sharply.

Dr. Coleman hesitated, but a single glance from Ray spurred her to act. She grabbed Kali's arm, pulling her toward the door. Kali didn't resist, but her mind was spinning.

As they led her away, she glanced back one last time. The orderly was still standing there, watching her with an unsettling intensity. His gaze lingered, curious and calculating, as though she were the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen.

She didn't know who he was or why he looked at her that way, but one thing was certain: this wasn't over.