Trapped

"Where am I?" Tim's voice came out in a low croak.

Tim Drake blinked his eyes open, groaning as a sharp pain throbbed through his temples. Disoriented, he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Panic surged through his veins as he realized he was bound tightly to a vertical metal wall. His wrists and ankles were secured by thick restraints.

He closed his eyes, and memories started to return in fragments, like pieces of a shattered puzzle. He remembered visiting his extended family in DC for his thirteenth birthday, a present he didn't particularly desire. He remembered accompanying his Uncle to pick up his cousin Lucy at Project Cadmus, a genetic medical research facility she worked in.

Tim recalled sitting alone in the visitor's room, engrossed in his phone while Lucy attended to her work for an extra hour and his uncle left saying he'll be back in half an hour.

He found a momentary escape from boredom in the virtual world of a mobile game. The low-quality graphics of the game 'B-Lock' was a compromise for its system to properly function on a mobile phone. The game was flexible, and had a rather simple combat with button mashing for striking but allowed players to design their own levels, and offer quite a dept in that field.

In this one, he was part of a group of eleven players, each taking turns to be the Game Master and design their own levels for the others. This particular level consisted of ten cups of water, with came the warning presented by the GM: 'Choose carefully, the water may contain poison,' then the winning condition: 'Last remaining patient player wins.'

Tim's virtual avatar stood among the group, and he observed the cautious moves of his fellow players, their avatars hesitating before they made their choices. The wording of the condition made the trick behind the level obvious: 'The level rewards your patience and luck. Wait until others choose the poisoned ones, hoping they choose the poisoned ones and leave you with the safe one.'

'I give the ten players ten options, they will figure out this game is based on patience and luck. This is my design.' Tim thought as he eyed the Game Master's Avatar.

The tension was palpable even in this virtual space, as his finger hovered over the screen of the real one. Everyone waited for the other to make a move, if it wasn't for the fact that they lose exp for quitting mid-game they might already have done it. Finally, after less than two minutes the players lost their patience.

Player 1: "I'll take the second cup."

Player 2: "I'll go with the fifth."

'I look through my screen as they make their choice. I smile.' Tim thought. 'But why do I smile?'

Tim felt something wrong, so he bided his time, allowing the other nine players to make their selections.

Player 3: "I'll choose the eighth cup."

Player 4: "Seventh for me."

Player 5: "I'm going with the third."

The tension built as the game progressed, and Tim looked with anticipation. He watched as one by one, the other players' avatars slumped, succumbing to the poison they had unwittingly ingested. The game unfolded like a morbid dance, and Tim's eyes remained fixed on the screen.

Tim thought, 'I smile as I watch each one goes down.'

Player 6: "I'll take the fourth cup."

Player 7: "I'm choosing the ninth."

As the last few players remained, Tim didn't feel the weight of his own impending decision. Instead, he thought, 'I made this game laid with traps. This is my design.'

Player 8 after some time chose his cup seeing that Tim's avatar wouldn't move and then collapsed. The luck and patience have played off and Tim remained with the last cup. He brought his finger down on the screen, moved his avatar and attacked the GM. The GM was taken off guard, the virtual struggle unfolded in a series of animated moves, and Tim's avatar emerged victorious, overpowering the Game Master's avatar. A moment after that the words 'You Won' flashed on Tim's screen.

The wording of the condition of the level distracted others from thinking about the possibility that the level may also register the GM as one of the players.

'I give the ten players ten options, they feel that this level is based on patience and luck. This is my design. I look through my screen as they make their choices. I smile. I have laid the traps. This is my design. When all others go down and I remain standing, my smile blooms into a laugh. This is my design.'

There is a theory, that classifies empathy into two types.

Emotional empathy, also called affective empathy: the drive to respond with an appropriate emotion to another's mental state. The ability to empathize emotionally is supposed to be based on emotional contagion: being affected by another's emotional or arousal state.

Cognitive empathy: the drive to identify another's mental state. The terms cognitive empathy and theory of mind are often used synonymously.

Tim was unique in that he seems to have exceptionally high levels of both cognitive and emotional empathy, combined with an eidetic memory and imagination. His therapist called it "pure empathy". If he could look at someone's actions for long enough, he could understand the mindset behind even through their simple behaviours.

Sometimes Tim wished he gives it away that empathy. If having an edict memory and high creativity had let him perform well academically, the former two had the opposite effect on his performance socially. He would stare at someone for too long, then will what they are actually thinking, blurt it out instinctively and make the whole situation awkward. For most of his life until recently after meeting his new psychiatrist people, even his parents felt that it was autism.

"At least it got me closer to levelling up," Tim muttered as he checked up on his exp levels.

Suddenly, the blaring alarm disrupted his concentration - fire alarms. As soon as that fact registered in his brain, Tim placed the phone into his pocket and ran out and immediately a strong heat washed over him from the side. He saw groups of people in different uniforms, ranging from lab coats, janitorial staff to even security running by the corridor in pure panic.

Flames danced around the corner, casting an orange glow on the white walls. Alarms blared, mixing with the sound of panicked voices and hurried footsteps. In a daze, Tim hesitated for a moment before someone from the panicked crowd grabbed his hand, pulling him out of his stupor.

"We have to leave now!" It was Lucy's arm, her panic-stricken face pleaded with him.

"W-What's happening?"

Tim asked, his mind snapping into action as he ran alongside his cousin. They encountered another fire near the stairs, intensifying the chaos. Coughing on the thick smoke, Tim desperately sought an escape route.

Grabbing Tim's arm, Lucy's voice cut through the commotion. "We need to get out of here. This place is going up in flames!"

Tim nodded, his heart pounding, and followed Lucy towards the exit. However, amid the chaos, a dishevelled and panicked worker in a security uniform collided with them.

"I'm sorry!" the worker exclaimed, his fear-stricken eyes widening as he realized he had unintentionally pushed Tim toward an open elevator labelled "Out of Service." Tim stumbled inside his heart racing.

"Lucy!" Tim shouted, reaching out for his cousin, but the elevator doors closed abruptly, separating them. It was the last thing he remembered before finding himself restrained in the current predicament.

Frustration welled up within Tim as he strained against the restraints, his fingers clenched tightly. The only part of his body that wasn't uncomfortably restrained was his neck, which he moved around, surveying the room.

The room resembled an exhibition lab, filled with various objects displayed on tables and surrounded by glass cases. On the other side, computer monitors adorned the walls, accompanied by keyboards and a control panel. A sudden metallic creak echoed through the room, drawing Tim's attention to a heavy steel door on the far side.

Footsteps approached, growing louder and intensifying Tim's anticipation. As the door slid open, a man in a lab coat similar to that of a Cadmus scientist emerged. He had long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail and wore glasses, with wrinkles on his face indicating his age. What caught Tim's attention was the peculiar creature perched on the man's shoulder—an imp-like creature with four legs, greyish skin, red short horns on its head, and red eyes.

Confusion and uncertainty overwhelmed Tim as he tried to comprehend his situation.

"Well, well, well," the man's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Look who's finally awake."

Suppressing his urge to scream, Tim mustered a cautious tone. "Who are you? Why am I?

... And where is Lucy?"

"So many questions. We all have them... I have them.," the man said. "To answer yours, I am Professor Desmond and you are in my research facility. Then to ask mine: Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my facility?"

Tim gulped and remained silent for a few moments while he processed all this. He is still in Cadmus, maybe a confidential part of it. But why was he locked up like this?

"Okay... My name is Timothy Drake and I am - was here to visit Lucy."

"Who the hell is Lucy?" Desmond asked.

Tim clenched his jaw. "Lucy is my cousin. She works here... I just came here to visit her and then there was this fire... then I ended up here."

"How did you end up here exactly?"

"I don't know... I was pushed into an elevator. Believe me, that's the last thing I remember."

"Is that all true?" Desmond asked as the red horns of the strange creature on his shoulder started glowing.

Suddenly Tim's headache was replaced by a wave of dizziness and he replied, "Yes..."

Desmond nodded and the horns of the imp stopped glowing. Then no sooner did the dizziness than the headache was back.

"Very well, that's all answers needed." Desmond moved and started moving away as he broke eye contact.

Tim shouted "Wait! Aren't you going to release me?"

"That decision upon the Cadmus board members," Desmond said walking away. "But probably you may never be allowed to leave as you are now."

With that the heavy door slip opened and Desmond not even sparing a glance. Tim was in a daze until the door closed then he started screaming.

"What do you mean I am not allowed to leave?! Is this a joke?! My cousin works here! Just ask her!"

He kept shouting at screaming as minutes maybe hours went by but he was given no response. Soon his eyes started turning teary and he started sobbing.

"Please... just get me out of here..."

He looked down at his feet and droplets of tears fell to the floor, then he promptly looked up as he caught someone in the room from the corner of his eye. Tim hadn't noticed him entering. A boy who looked to be around his same blue eyes, but with short blonde hair in contrast to Tim's dark hair. He wore a long brown jacket over a white T-shirt and jeans.

"Hey!"

Tim's cries for help echoed through the room, bouncing off the cold metal walls. His tear-streaked face turned towards the disturbance, hoping for help or, at the very least, someone who would acknowledge his existence. His voice strained with desperation as he called out once more.

"Hey! Can you hear me? Please, help me!"

The blonde boy seemed undeterred by Tim's pleas, his attention fixated on the glass case which contained a golden serpentine dagger. He moved with a swift grace, his fingers gliding across the glass cases, lifting it briefly, sliding his hand in until his hand closed around the hilt of the weapon. He swiftly pulled out the dagger and held it between his palms.

With a flick the boy pressed with both palms, then clapped, the blade had vanished into thin air, like a magic trick. Tim grew bewildered as he watched the display before his eyes. He struggled to comprehend what he had just witnessed, but the pressure of his current state pushed those thoughts deep as they could.

Finally, as if drawn by Tim's persistent calls, the boy turned his head towards him. His piercing gaze locked onto Tim's tear-filled eyes, assessing him with a mixture of curiosity and detachment.

"You are making quite a ruckus," the boy remarked, his voice carrying an air of nonchalance. "Are you trying to get me caught?"

Tim's voice trembled with a mix of relief and confusion. "I've been trapped here! I don't know who these people are or why they're holding me here. Can you help me get out?"

The boy's expression remained impassive, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Tim. After a moment of silence, he spoke, "Escape, huh? Well, I can do that."

Tim's heart fluttered with a glimmer of hope. "You mean you can help me?"

The boy offered a smile which quickly faded away. "I can just take one person out of here with guarantee and that's myself. If you want to come with me, you are going to have to help me out on this."

Tim's brow furrowed in confusion. "Help? What kind of help?"

The boy's gaze flickered towards the glass cases, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. "Well, no time to explain they are already coming here. Just yes or no."

Tim's mind raced with a mix of apprehension and curiosity. He took a deep breath, weighing his options.

"Alright," Tim said blinking away the remaining tears. "I'll do it whatever it is. Just get me out of here."

The boy placed his hand on Tim's midsection and said, "Just be ready, this could hurt, so close your eyes and I'll show you the magic trick."

Before Tim could even ask, why? The laboratory disappeared leaving just pitch black. Tim and the boy were suspended in nothingness, with no light or sound, then when it all came back, it came back changed. The lack of cold metal restraints was the first thing Tim felt then his feet landed on the floor.

Tim looked around as he stumbled for a bit before regaining balance. The boy stood calmly right beside him, he found himself to be in some kind of dimly lit hallway where the ceiling and walls were made of dark and rough stone while the floor was made of standard plain concrete. The whole thing seemed to be a mix of the natural cave system and a man-made building.

"What is this place?" Tim asked.

"The real Project Cadmus," the boy answered looking at the ceiling, "The medical research facility up there is but a front for the real Project Cadmus. This one - an underground biological weapons development facility."

Tim stood there in shock hearing all this, processing all this while the boy looked at him calmly.

"My cousin works there... Is this some kind of supervillain lair?" Tim asked. He had grown up hearing about them in the news like every kid. Superheroes had long come out of the real of the 20th century, like aliens, like superpowers, and there was the Justice League, and he even lived in the city where the Batman operated.

"Did we teleport out of there like some kind of superhero? Are you a sidekick to some superhero?"

"Calm down!" The boy snapped at him, then shrugged and calmly spoke, "Something like that. Guess, you Americans do have a lot of those."

Tim nodded absently then said, "You aren't from here... your accent."

"A little British... Originally from there." The boy said. "Now do you want to sit and talk or are going to help me out of here?"

Tim felt flushed with embarrassment mixed with panic and then ran up to an elevator door like the one which got him here by the concrete wall. He promptly pressed the button but there seemed to be no response.

"It's no use," the boy said, "They have closed all the elevators for security inspections."

Tim quickly started panicking and asked, "Can't you just teleport us out like you just did now?"

"I can't," the boy answered, "between hiding from enhanced senses of creatures inhabiting this place and teleporting you out without much prep I am out of juice. Going to need some time to recharge."

Tim's eyes widened in panic, "Then are we trapped here?"

The boy was still calm despite this. "Not unless you follow our agreement and help me, Tim."

Tim nodded then his eyes widened in sudden realisation. "How the hell do you know my name?"

"Heard it while you talking to that scientist?"

"Wait... You were hiding there the entire time."

The boy ignored the statement, turned away and started walking towards the other direction. "Follow me, they will be on our tail quickly."

Tim shouted, "Wait! I don't even know your name!"

The boy answered without looking back at Tim. "Constantine. The name is John Constantine."

While all this was happening, somewhere on the same floor in another room of the underground facility Desmond stared beyond the glass wall. There are three large cylindrical glass tanks with three boys floating inside in bluish liquid, unmasked and naked. Kid Flash, Aqualad and Robin as they were commonly known. Somehow these sidekicks of the Justice League managed to break in, captured now but still successful in the break-in.

"First that kid and now these sidekicks. Why are all our security measures seem to be failing today?" Desmond said. "Start the cloning procedure after scanning for facial recognition and be quick with it, Dubbilex."

Beside Desmond, another one of the Genomorphs samples, a G-77 G-Goblin stood in attendance. Dubbilex, a tall slender humanoid with blue skin. His head was radically different from that of a human, most notable were the presence of horns and the absence of a nose, pointed fin-like ears, and two ribbons of flesh, originating on his cheeks. He wore plain white scrub and stood as one of Cadmus' masterpieces in their goal to new forms of intelligent life while also being Desmond's personal assistant.

"Understood, Professor Desmond."

Desmond sighed then there was a beep sound emitted from his wristwatch. A holographic blue screen appeared above it, showing a map of the floor with white outlines with one red blinking dot near the stairway outline, that dot which should have been in the security room.

He looked down on it. "The hell? How did that boy manage to escape? Dubbilex?"

"I don't know, Professor," Dubbilex answered, showing no emotions. "Should we unleash Project Kr for the capture?"

"No need. I'll deal with it myself." Desmond clenched his jaws and the horns of the G-Gnome on his shoulder started glowing. He felt his consciousness expanding and connecting to many minds throughout the facility, like computers through Wifi and issued a command. "Capture all intruders. Eliminate them if necessary."