The hum of the machines filled the air, their screens flickering with images of people, places, and events I didn't recognize. It felt like I had stepped into another world-one that was hidden just beneath the surface of my reality. The walls, covered in screens and wires, seemed to close in on me, making me feel even smaller than I already was.

I looked over at the man, whose face had become harder, colder. "What is all of this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to one of the terminals, typing something into the keyboard with swift, practiced movements. The monitors flickered again, and the images on them changed, showing pictures of various individuals, many of them in locations that seemed too familiar.

Then, my face appeared on one of the screens.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. There was no mistake-it was me, standing in a crowd from a few days ago, completely unaware that someone had been watching me. The image zoomed in on my face, then cut to another photo of me, this time taken at the coffee shop, looking over my shoulder like I had been sensing eyes on me.

"Who's doing this?" I whispered, feeling a shiver crawl down my spine.

The man didn't look up. "The ones who marked you. They've been following you for months. They've known your every move."

I couldn't breathe. It was like I had been living in a world where I thought I was safe, but now everything I knew was collapsing. "But why me?" I asked, my voice strained. "I'm nobody. Why would they care about me?"

He turned to face me, his expression unreadable. "You're not just anybody, Ava. You never have been."

I didn't understand. I felt like I was on the edge of something huge, something life-altering, but the more I tried to reach for the truth, the further it slipped from my grasp.

"What do you mean?" I demanded. "What do they want with me?"

He finally walked over to me, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. "What they want is what you are. And what you are is the key to everything."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words didn't come. My mind was racing, trying to connect the dots. "What am I? What do you mean by that?"

His voice lowered, almost a whisper. "You're not human. Not in the way you think you are. You're something... else."

The words hit me like a punch in the gut. I staggered back, my knees nearly buckling beneath me. "What are you talking about? I'm just-"

"No, Ava," he cut in sharply. "You are a descendant of an ancient line. A line that was hidden from the world for centuries. And now that line has come to the surface. You've been marked, chosen for something much bigger than you can comprehend."

My mind spun. I felt like the floor beneath me was slipping away, and I was falling into an abyss of confusion. "What am I supposed to do with this?" I whispered, barely able to speak. "How do I fight something like this?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned back to the computers, his fingers flying over the keys. "You'll learn. You have to. There's no other choice."

I felt like I was suffocating in the weight of his words. I wasn't human. I was part of something ancient. The fear that had been bubbling inside of me suddenly exploded, taking over every inch of my body.

"I don't want this," I whispered, feeling tears welling in my eyes. "I just want to be normal."

"You don't have that luxury anymore," he replied, his voice cold and final.

Before I could process any of that, the door to the command center slammed open with a deafening crash. My heart stopped, and I spun around, instinctively stepping back. A group of armed figures stood in the doorway, their faces obscured by masks. They were here, just like he'd warned me. And they weren't here for a conversation.

"Move," one of them barked, their voice muffled by the mask.

I looked back at the man, panic setting in. "What do I do?"

"Run," he said, his eyes hard. "Now."

Without another word, I sprinted for the door, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps. I could hear the sound of footsteps behind me, growing louder, faster. I didn't look back. I couldn't. I just had to keep moving.

I reached a narrow hallway and took a sharp turn, the walls closing in as I raced forward. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I had no idea where I was going, but I couldn't stop now.

Behind me, the sounds of pursuit grew louder, and I could hear their footsteps echoing off the walls. They were getting closer. My legs burned, but I pushed through it, my mind focused solely on escaping.

I turned another corner and skidded to a stop, my eyes scanning the area. There was no way out. No exit. No escape.

I was trapped.

But then, something caught my eye. A small, unmarked door tucked away in the corner, almost hidden. Without thinking, I ran toward it, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind me. I didn't even have time to see where it led. I just had to get away.

The room was dark, but I could make out enough to know that it was some kind of storage area. Boxes and crates were stacked high, the smell of dust and metal heavy in the air. I held my breath, praying they hadn't seen me.

I pressed my back against the wall, trying to slow my frantic breathing, listening for the sound of footsteps. I heard nothing. Not a single sound.

And then, I realized: I wasn't alone.

I spun around, my heart stopping in my chest as I saw a figure standing in the shadows.

It was her-the woman from before. The one who had warned me.

She stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

"You shouldn't be here," she said softly, almost sadly.

"I didn't have a choice," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She looked around, then back at me. "They're coming for you. And they won't stop until they have you. But you can't hide from them forever."

I felt a chill run down my spine. "What do I do?" I asked, the desperation in my voice clear.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "You need to embrace what you are, Ava. Because that's the only way you're going to survive this."