The Last Day: The Shadow of the Knight | 06
Chapter 6: Steve’s Lab
The morning traffic was just about to reach its peak by the time Silas and Steve reached the hidden lab, leaving the city streets behind, glistening under the neon glow. Silas shivered, partly from the damp chill and partly from the residual adrenaline coursing through him. His head buzzed, as if a swarm of digital static had taken up residence in his mind. Everything felt… sharper. More alive. Even the simplest streetlamp hummed in a frequency he couldn’t ignore.
Steve led the way, opening a nondescript metal door that creaked on its hinges. “It’s not much,” he said, ushering Silas inside, “but it’s home to my work.”
Silas stepped into a space that looked like a cross between a hacker’s den and a medical lab. Cables snaked across the floor, leading to towering stacks of monitors, blinking lights, and tools Silas couldn’t name. The air was thick with the faint scent of ozone and machine oil. In one corner, an operating table gleamed ominously.
“So, this is where the magic happens?” Silas asked, trying for levity even as he took it all in.
Steve’s lips twitched. “If you want to call it that.” He motioned toward the table. “Have a seat.”
With reluctance, Silas perched himself on the edge of the metal slab, his legs swinging nervously. “Look, I know this isn’t the worst place you could’ve dragged me to,” he said, “but I feel like I’m about to be dissected by a mad scientist.”
Steve snorted, the sound almost comforting in its normalcy. “You wish. At least then you’d get some downtime.” He grabbed a handheld scanner and began adjusting dials. “This won’t hurt. Probably.”
“Yeah, that’s reassuring,” Silas muttered, though a nervous grin tugged at the corners of his lips. He focused on Steve’s movements, hoping the banter would drown out the chaos in his head. “So, do you have a degree in poking people with weird tech, or is this more of a ‘wing it and see what explodes’ situation?”
“Mostly the second thing,” Steve replied, deadpan. He waved the scanner over Silas’s head, watching the readout on a nearby monitor. “Tell me what you’re feeling right now.”
“Confusion. A little bit of nausea. General fear of being zapped.”
Steve shot him a look. “Focus, Silas.”
“Fine.” Silas closed his eyes, letting the hum of the machines wash over him. “It’s like… I can feel everything. Every wire, every current. They’re… talking to me. No, not talking. More like… singing?” He opened his eyes, catching Steve’s bewildered expression. “Yeah, I know it sounds insane.”
Steve shook his head, his expression serious. “Not insane. Just new. You’ve connected to technology on a level most people can’t even fathom. It’s impressive, but also dangerous.”
“Great,” Silas said with a forced chuckle. “I’ve always wanted to be impressive and dangerous.”
Steve took a breath, and when he spoke, his voice was heavy with regret. “Silas, when I convinced you to go to that arcade, I thought it was just some stupid fun. A chance to break out of routine, forget the grind for a while. I thought I was being clever—sneaking us past the boring rules, pushing limits. But I didn’t think it through. I didn’t think about what could happen. And because of me, you got pulled into something bigger than either of us.”
He paused, his eyes dark with guilt. “I was reckless. I should’ve known better. I dragged you into a mess I don’t even fully understand yet. And now… now you’re caught up in whatever twisted game Kisonic is playing.”
Steve rubbed the back of his neck, the words catching in his throat. “This wasn’t supposed to be your fight. I’m sorry, kid. I really am.”
Silas studied him, taken aback by the sudden earnestness. “Hey, it wasn’t just you. I knew what I was getting into. Well, mostly.” He paused, a flicker of awe in his eyes. “Besides, I got to meet the Iron Knight. Kind of cool, right?”
Steve’s eyes flickered, but he played it off with a wry smile. “Yeah, real cool. Now try not to short-circuit.”
The moment of camaraderie was broken by a sudden vibration in Silas’s mind—a faint pulse that rapidly grew stronger. He tensed, his eyes unfocusing as he reached out with his senses. Footsteps. Heavy, deliberate, converging on the lab’s entrance.
“Steve,” he whispered, his voice taut. “We’ve got company. Guards. They’re almost here.”
Steve’s eyes narrowed, his stance shifting as he scanned the room for anything they could use. “They must’ve tracked us. How many?”
“Too many,” Silas said, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. “But I can feel their comms… their signals. I think I can… do something.”
Steve hesitated for a split second, then nodded. “Do it. Whatever you can.”
Silas closed his eyes, focusing on the buzz of frequencies. It was like slipping his mind into a current, a river of data and signals. He reached out, pushing his will into the guards’ comms.
Outside, the guards paused mid-step as their radios crackled to life.
“This is Alpha One. Stand down. Return to base. Leak has been contained.”
One of the guards faltered, uncertainty flashing across his face. “Confirm? We’re clear to leave?”
“Yes,” the voice replied, cold and commanding. “Immediate retreat.”
The guards exchanged glances, but the orders were too clear to ignore. They turned and marched away, their footsteps fading into the rain-slicked night.
Inside, Silas swayed, exhaustion washing over him. He felt like he’d just run a marathon. “I… think they’re gone,” he murmured, before his legs gave out.
Steve caught him, easing him back onto the table. “Easy, kid. You did great.” He placed a reassuring hand on Silas’s shoulder, his voice firm but kind.
As Silas drifted into unconsciousness, he clung to those words, the promise of guidance and understanding. Whatever lay ahead, he wasn’t alone.