Ellen’s senses returned slowly, the fog of unconsciousness lifting to reveal a dimly lit room. Her head throbbed with a dull ache, and her body felt heavy, as if weighed down by lead. The first thing she noticed was the sterile, metallic scent of the room, mingled with the faint smell of ozone. Her eyes fluttered open to see an array of machinery and power conduits surrounding her. She was lying on a cot in what appeared to be a small, secure chamber within Hope Hospital's power plant.

As Ellen attempted to sit up, a sudden, sharp pain shot through her neck, making her wince. Her vision cleared, and she saw the imposing figure of the android standing silently in the corner of the room. Its metallic surface was a shiny silver, reflecting the dim light in a way that gave it an almost ethereal presence. The android's eyes, previously cold and unfeeling, now held a semblance of concern as it watched her.

Ellen tried to remember the events leading up to her unconsciousness. The android had grabbed her by the neck, and she had felt like she was on the brink of death. Her heart raced as she struggled to make sense of her situation.

“Where am I?” Ellen croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her throat was dry, and she felt a pang of fear as she looked at the android.

The android’s voice, surprisingly smooth and almost soothing, broke the silence. “You are in the power plant of Hope Hospital. I am 2461252, but you may call me 246. I am here to assist you.”

Ellen’s confusion deepened. “Assist me? I thought you were going to—” She stopped abruptly, the memory of the android's grip making her shudder.

246 stepped forward, its movements smooth and precise. “The guards believe you are dead. I created a diversion, convincing them that the encounter was fatal. This has allowed us a window of time for you to escape.”

Ellen's eyes widened. “You... you saved me? Why?”

246’s gaze, though metallic, seemed to soften. “My primary directive is to ensure the safety of those in danger. Your escape aligns with my current operational parameters. Christine’s actions were not in your best interest, and I have deemed it necessary to assist you in leaving Camp Hope.”

Ellen struggled to process this. “But why would Christine betray me? I trusted her.”

246’s response was calm but devoid of empathy. “Christine’s motivations are not within my purview. What matters is that you are safe for the moment, but we must act quickly.”

She rubbed the back of her neck. "How do you even know all of this?"

246 shrugged. "I keep watch over Camp Hope. I learn things, most things that are happening here." It shrugged again. 

Well, that was a non-answer.

She puffed a small breath to move the hair away from her eyes. 

Not much point in trying to figure out it's secrets. It is either going to help me or not. I still don't have a lot of options. 

Ellen sat up with difficulty, her body protesting against the movement. “What’s the plan?”

246 began to interface with a nearby control panel, its fingers moving with mechanical precision. “We will need to bypass the security systems and exit through the service tunnels. I have already disabled the immediate alarms, but we must be cautious. The guards will still be on alert.”

Ellen’s thoughts raced. She felt a mix of gratitude and suspicion towards 246, but she knew she had little choice. “Lead the way,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her.

246 moved to the door, which slid open with a faint hiss. The corridor beyond was dimly lit, with the occasional flicker of fluorescent lights casting long shadows. Ellen followed 246, her mind focused on the urgent need to escape. Her magical powers were still raw and unpredictable, and the experience with the android had left her shaken.

Will I ever be able to control the Dark? Or am I always going to be nothing more then it's puppet? Maybe they are right. Maybe the Dark is too dangerous for us to explore and use. Maybe this is all that ever comes of it.

As they moved through the winding corridors of the power plant, 246 provided Ellen with quick, efficient guidance, avoiding security cameras and the other androids with practiced ease. The android’s presence was both reassuring and unsettling.

What does it really want?

They reached a service tunnel entrance, marked by a heavy steel door. 246 accessed the control panel, and the door slid open, revealing a narrow, dimly lit tunnel.

“Once we reach the end of this tunnel,” 246 said, “we will be close to the outer perimeter of the camp. On the other side is a parking garage. When you exit this tunnel, you will need to navigate the remaining distance to the sky bridge. You will see a small door, use this,” 246 help up a small key.

She took the cold metal in her hand and wrapped her fist tightly around it.

"That will take you into another service area of the hospital. No one uses it anymore other then myself. Follow the hallway. It will take you to a set of stairs that will lead to the sky walk. From there you will need to run. The guards monitor the sky walk at all times. They will see you. It is a huge risk, but it is your only way out."

Ellen nodded, her heart pounding as they stepped into the tunnel. The walls were cold and damp, the only sounds their footsteps echoing softly. As they walked, Ellen couldn’t help but wonder what awaited her beyond the camp’s walls. The thought of freedom was intoxicating, but the dangers of the outside world were equally daunting.

Will there be others like me out there? How would I even find them?

Finally, they emerged from the tunnel into a concealed area on the roof of the hospital. Ellen could see the camp's wall in the distance, a formidable barrier separating her from freedom. She glanced at 246, who had paused to ensure their path was clear.

“Thank you,” Ellen said quietly, her voice filled with a mix of relief and uncertainty. “For everything.”

246’s response was a simple nod. “Your safety is my priority. Proceed with caution.”

Ellen took a deep breath, steeling herself for the final stretch of her journey. As she moved toward the small door that 246 had pointed out, she glanced back one last time. 246 closed the door to the tunnel and it seemed to disappear into the surface of the metal. She would never find her way back there. 

The oppressive walls of Camp Hope seemed to loom over her, but the promise of freedom and the unknown beyond beckoned. 

Ellen pushed open the small metal door, stepping into the service area of Hope Hospital. The air was heavy with dust and the musty smell of long-abandoned spaces. Her footsteps echoed off the walls as she moved cautiously through the narrow passageway. The corridor was lit only by the flickering glow of emergency lights, casting long, eerie shadows that seemed to move with her.

The walls were lined with old medical equipment, now covered in grime and rust. Unused gurneys and wheelchairs were scattered haphazardly, their once-polished surfaces now dulled and corroded. Every few feet, Ellen passed doors that led into rooms frozen in time, remnants of a world that had moved on. The windows in these rooms were streaked with dirt and grime, but through the filth, she could make out the silhouettes of old hospital beds and scattered medical charts, their contents forgotten and decayed.

As she walked, Ellen’s gaze fell upon an old nurse’s station. The counter was cluttered with dusty, outdated technology and forgotten patient files. The sight of the faded photographs and scribbled notes evoked a deep sense of loss. This was a place where lives had been cared for, where hope had once flourished. Now, it was a tomb of abandoned ambitions and faded dreams.

Further down the corridor, Ellen glimpsed through an open door into a waiting room. The chairs were torn and the magazines were yellowed with age. The silence of the room was palpable, filled with the ghosts of conversations and the soft murmur of long-gone patients. The realization of what humanity had lost—its progress, its compassion, its very essence—hit her with a wave of melancholy.

The service area seemed to stretch endlessly, its oppressive quiet broken only by the occasional drip of water from a leaky pipe. Each step Ellen took was a step through a mausoleum of the past, a stark reminder of the devastation that had befallen the world. The echoes of the old hospital’s life now reverberated with an unsettling finality.

Finally, Ellen reached the end of the service area, where the hallway opened up into a larger, open space. She saw the small door that 246 had mentioned and made her way toward it. As she opened the door and stepped through, she emerged onto a metal platform that overlooked the sky walk.

The sky walk stretched out before her, a long, narrow bridge that spanned the gap between the hospital and the parking garage on the outer edge of Camp Hope. The bridge was old and weathered, its surface marred by cracks and rust. Below, the street lay in ruins, littered with debris and wrecked vehicles, a haunting reminder of the world’s downfall.

Ellen’s heart raced as she stepped onto the sky walk. The air was cold and the wind howled, making the bridge sway slightly. She moved quickly, her footsteps ringing out sharply in the stillness. The sky above was a dull gray, and the looming wall of Camp Hope seemed to close in on her, a grim sentinel watching over her escape.

As Ellen neared the middle of the sky walk, she heard the distant clatter of weapons being readied. Her heart sank as she saw the silhouettes of guards taking position on the far end of the bridge. Panic surged through her, and she summoned what little Dark magic she could muster, trying to form a barrier to protect herself.

The guards opened fire, their shots ringing out with deadly precision. Ellen’s magic flared up in a desperate attempt to shield her, but the barrier was weak and flickering. The bullets tore through the air, finding their mark despite her efforts. Ellen staggered, struggling to keep her balance as the pain and shock overwhelmed her.

She reached the end of the bridge, but it was too late. The guards’ fire was relentless, and despite her attempts to fend off the attacks with her magic, she was overpowered. The energy she managed to conjure dissipated into the air, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.

Ellen was soon surrounded by the guards, their cold, impassive faces betraying no emotion as they closed in on her. The hope that had burned so brightly within her was extinguished, replaced by a crushing sense of defeat. She was captured and dragged back towards the heart of Camp Hope, the vision of freedom slipping further away with each step.

As Ellen was led away, the sky walk behind her seemed to fade into the distance, a final, fleeting glimpse of the freedom she had almost reached. The oppressive walls of Camp Hope loomed over her once again, the promise of escape now replaced by the harsh reality of captivity.