The storm outside howled with a fury that seemed almost unnatural, lightning tearing through the sky and thunder shaking the ground in deep, resounding waves. Rain lashed against the windows, an unyielding assault that matched the tension within the room. It was January 1, 2000, at exactly 12:01 AM. The air felt thick, taut with a mix of anticipation and dread.

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Inside the sterile confines of the provisional operating room, chaos simmered just beneath the surface. The sharp tang of antiseptic hung heavy, mingling with the metallic scent of blood. Overhead, harsh fluorescent lights cast stark, unforgiving shadows across the faces of the doctors and nurses, their expressions taut with focus and fatigue. Machines hummed, their rhythmic beeping intertwined with the whispered urgency of the medical team.

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Each movement was precise, almost mechanical, as they performed the C-section. The mother lay motionless under anesthesia, her face pale but tranquil. Sweat traced paths down the foreheads of the doctors, glistening under the stark light like beads of tension.

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As the first baby of the new millennium emerged into the world, a fleeting calm settled over the room—a fragile pause.

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In the corner, a man stood shrouded in shadows, an imposing presence that seemed to draw the light away.

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His bright blue eyes, eerily identical to the newborn’s, glimmered cold and empty. He observed the scene with an unsettling stillness, his aura at once commanding and predatory.

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"It’s a boy," one doctor announced, lifting the wailing infant high enough for all to see. For an instant, the sound of the newborn's cries outdid the storm outside. Relief rippled through the room, softening the hard lines etched into weary faces.

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A nurse moved to clean the baby, but her hands faltered when she noticed something on the child’s tiny forearm.

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"What is that?" Her voice, laced with confusion, pierced the room. Silence descended, as though the storm had seeped inside and stilled the air.

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Every gaze turned to the mark: a moving digital clock embedded in the infant’s skin, its numbers counting down with an eerie precision. A dark blue glow pulsed from the mark, bathing the room in an otherworldly light. The figure in the corner stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the countdown.

"This is... unexpected," the lead doctor muttered, his words barely audible over the storm’s relentless din.

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The man’s expression remained unreadable as he moved closer, reaching for the child with a swift, decisive motion. He cradled the infant, his grip firm yet almost reverent. “What you’ve seen here tonight is not your concern,” he said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. “You’ve been paid well for your silence. Remember that.”

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The medical team exchanged glances, too stunned and powerless to protest. The man’s presence left no room for defiance. He cradled the crying child, eyes meeting eyes, both bright blue but one set filled with innocence, the other with an unknowable depth.

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As he turned to leave, the shrill sound of a monitor broke the tense silence. A nurse gasped. "Doctor, her blood pressure is dropping rapidly. We need to stabilize her now."

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The domineering stranger paused in the doorway, a shadow outlined by the strobe of lightning. "Do everything you can to save her. I need her for my research."

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With that, he vanished down the corridor; the storm raging in chorus with the newborn’s cries. Inside, chaos erupted. Doctors and nurses scrambled to save the mother, turning the sterile room into a battlefield of life and death.

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The man strode purposefully down the hall, the infant still wailing in his arms. The baby’s eyes, wide and unblinking, met his with an innocence that was almost disarming. "You are special," the man whispered, a flicker of a smile ghosting across his lips. "And I will make sure you fulfill your purpose."

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Outside, the storm seemed to peak, lightning casting long, jagged shadows on the walls. The man slipped into a waiting vehicle; the doors closing behind him with a metallic finality. The car hummed to life and pulled away, leaving behind a room drenched in urgency and blood.

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Inside the operating room, the doctors worked frantically to stabilize the mother as her vital signs fluctuated wildly. Blood pooled onto the floor, spreading like an ominous tide—a stark reminder of the thin line between life and death. The air pulsed with urgency and fear, voices raised in frantic commands. Outside, a cold detachment clung to the vehicle as it drove away, leaving behind a makeshift operating room mired in chaos and desperation.

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The vehicle merged into the storm, carrying the child and the beginning of an uncharted fate. The weight of the newborn’s destiny lingered, an unspoken promise—the countdown had begun.

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