Chapter 1: Introduction
The helicopter’s rotors beat a steady rhythm against the crisp Alpine air as the snow-capped peaks of the Swiss Alps loomed beneath Thomas. The world below was a patchwork of jagged white and evergreen, untouched by human hands. He adjusted his gloves, his breath fogging up the glass as he leaned forward, watching the retreat come into view—a sleek, modern structure nestled into the mountainside, its glass walls reflecting the pale winter sun.
*This is really happening.*
The landing pad was a smooth expanse of black asphalt, already cleared of snow. As the helicopter touched down, the wind whipped around him, carrying the scent of pine and something metallic—something *alive*.
The door slid open, and Thomas stepped out, his boots crunching on the freshly cleared snow. The air was thin up here, sharp in his lungs, but he didn’t mind. He had spent years imagining this moment, and now that it was here, he felt lighter than he had in years.
A woman in a tailored black coat stood waiting at the edge of the landing pad, her dark hair pulled into a severe bun, her sharp gaze already assessing him. She didn’t smile. She didn’t wave. She simply watched as he approached, her expression unreadable.
“Thomas von Reinhart,” she said, her voice smooth, almost clinical.
“I’m Dr. Moreau.”
Her handshake was firm, her fingers cool against his. Thomas had expected someone older, someone with the air of a mad scientist from an old horror film—wild hair, wild eyes, a lab coat stained with something unidentifiable. But Dr. Moreau was nothing like that. She was polished, precise, her dark eyes sharp as a scalpel. She smelled faintly of something antiseptic, like the inside of a high-end clinic.
“You’re younger than I expected,” she said, tilting her head slightly as she studied him.
Thomas smirked. “And you’re not as terrifying as I imagined.”
She didn’t laugh. “Good.