Chapter 12: Overloaded

The containment pods hissed open, releasing a wave of unstable energy into the air. Alden's pulse spiked, his entire body tensing as the failed Overclock subjects lurched forward like broken marionettes.

Some of them flickered in and out of phase, their bodies warping uncontrollably. Others had half-formed limbs, their skin fracturing like glass as energy pulses rippled across them.

And every single one of them was looking at him.

Alden took a slow step back. Seven opponents.

His Overclock flickered, still unstable, still trying to adapt to whatever was happening inside him. The last fight had proven one thing—his ability wasn't just copying powers. It was rewriting itself in real time.

But it was still lagging behind.

Specter stood on the observation platform, silent. Watching.

Judging.

"Think of this as a learning opportunity," their voice came through the overhead speakers. "You want to understand your power, don't you? Then let's see if you can survive using it."

"Yeah?" Alden muttered under his breath, shifting his stance. "Let's see if I can survive not beating your face in after this."

The first failed experiment moved.

It blinked across the distance, a shattered blur of speed. One second, it was standing still—the next, its hand was inches from Alden's face, crackling with unstable power.

Alden barely managed to twist away, his Overclock surging at the last second. His vision snapped into hyper-focus, calculating the next movement before he could even think about it.

His instincts screamed—duck left. Counter. Step back.

Alden dodged by an inch, barely slipping past the wild strike. His fist shot out automatically, colliding with the subject's ribs.

For a moment, it worked.

The impact sent a shockwave through the air, the failed experiment stumbling back.

Then its body glitched.

Alden's eyes widened. What—

The subject froze in place, its muscles locking up for a split second. Then—its form rewound, like a tape reversing, shifting back to its original stance.

Alden's attack had just been erased.

His stomach dropped. That's not fair.

The second subject lunged.

Alden barely reacted in time, twisting mid-air to dodge—but this one didn't use speed.

Its entire arm turned into something else, shifting between solid and liquid, stretching unnaturally. It lashed out like a whip, catching Alden's wrist.

Pain exploded through his arm.

Alden gritted his teeth, trying to pull free—but the moment he struggled, the subject's energy flared violently, sending a jolt of raw Overclock energy through his veins.

Overclock misfired.

His body froze, his movements lagging for a split second—

And in that instant, the third subject struck.

Alden felt the impact before he saw it.

A heavy kick slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding across the floor. He crashed into the far wall, pain rippling through his body.

His vision blurred.

Specter's voice remained calm. "Interesting. You're still resisting synchronization."

Alden coughed, forcing himself back up. He couldn't afford to stay down.

Three of them had already moved. The others were waiting. Watching.

Analyzing him.

Alden's breath came fast. Think. His ability was failing him, reacting too late, overloading instead of adapting. The first subject had rewound time on itself. The second had some kind of energy-controlling mutation.

And the rest? He didn't want to find out.

His Overclock buzzed erratically beneath his skin. It was still trying to adapt. Still trying to stabilize.

Alden exhaled sharply. No more hesitating.

The fourth subject attacked.

Alden moved first.

His Overclock flared to life, but this time, he didn't force it. Instead of pushing for control, he let it adjust naturally.

The moment the subject threw its punch, Alden dodged—but this time, his body moved before his mind told it to.

His fist lashed out on instinct.

The strike connected, a pulse of blue energy rippling through his arm.

This time—the subject didn't rewind.

Alden's attack stuck.

The failed subject staggered back, glitching violently. Its unstable power tried to erase the impact, but something was different now.

Overclock had synced with it.

Specter let out a hum of curiosity. "Ah. So you're finally adapting properly."

Alden ignored them. He wasn't out of this yet.

Three down. Four more to go.

The remaining subjects moved at once.

Alden braced himself—and then something unexpected happened.

The lights flickered.

The containment chamber shook.

A warning blared over the intercom.

"ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY DETECTED. EXTERNAL FORCES BREACHING SECURITY SECTOR 3."

Alden's stomach dropped.

Someone was breaking into the facility.

Specter turned sharply, tapping a command on their wrist console. The screen near them shifted, displaying security footage from outside the lab.

Alden followed their gaze—and what he saw made his breath catch.

A strike team was tearing through the facility.

And at the front of the group—

Was Iris Vale.

She had found him.

Alden's chest tightened.

Iris and Felix had come for him.

But before relief could set in, Specter turned back to him, voice unreadable.

"Well. It seems you have visitors."

Alden gritted his teeth.

He still had four opponents left. His Overclock was still unstable.

And now—his friends were walking straight into a warzone.