Inheritance of ash

don't.

Vicky flexed her fingers, feeling the bracelet pulse faintly. "Controlled stimulation sounds like a polite way of saying 'zap me with science,' doesn't it?"

Peter laughed. "I'm a little scared now."

Bruce shook his head with a grin. "It'll be painless. Probably."

Vicky carefully slid her arm beneath the scanner's dome, feeling a faint pulse from the bracelet resting against her skin. The lab around her hummed with quiet energy-Bruce's steady presence, the soft clicks of buttons, the occasional beep from various instruments. Peter was nearby, his attention divided between his web shooters and the strange device glowing faintly on Vicky's wrist.

Bruce adjusted the controls and glanced over at her. "Ready? This won't take long."

She gave a slight nod, trying to steady her nerves. The bracelet had been buzzing unpredictably for days, and now, maybe here in the lab, she'd get some answers.

"Starting scan."

The machine's hum deepened as the scanner activated. At first, the bracelet was just metal-old, tarnished, unassuming. Then suddenly, it erupted.

Green light-vibrant, wild, almost alive-burst forth, flooding the room. The scanner's overhead lights flickered and dimmed under the sheer intensity of the glow. It wasn't just light; it was energy, raw and unrestrained, wrapping around Vicky's wrist like a living thing.

Peter stumbled backward, shielding his eyes. "Whoa, what the hell?"

Bruce's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and urgent. "Everyone, eyes up! Protect your vision!"

Vicky's heart slammed against her ribs. The bracelet's light seemed to pulse with her heartbeat, growing brighter, hotter, more demanding. It wrapped around her arm and seemed to crawl up her skin like electricity.

Then, from somewhere deep inside her mind-calm, cold, and unmistakably real-a male voice spoke.

"Don't."

The single word sliced through the chaos. Her breath caught. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the floor, her lungs heaving with heavy gasps.

The light began to wane, retreating slowly back into the bracelet as if it had never been there. The scanner returned to its steady beep, the room gradually reclaiming its shadows.

Bruce was immediately at her side, concern etched into every line of his face. "Vicky! Talk to me. Are you okay? What did you feel?"

She swallowed, trying to calm the rapid pounding of her heart. Her hands trembled as she brushed a strand of hair from her face, the warmth of the bracelet still lingering on her wrist.

"I'm fine," she said quietly, though the tightness in her voice betrayed her.

Peter crouched down beside her, eyes wide with curiosity and concern. "That was insane. What was that green light?

Vicky's gaze flicked toward the bracelet again, but she didn't answer. How could she explain something she barely understood herself? The voice had come from inside her head-clear, commanding, chilling. But it wasn't a warning she wanted to share.

Bruce frowned, studying the scanner's readouts. "There's something else in that bracelet. Something powerful, something ancient... not just alien tech."

Peter's fingers tapped nervously on his knees. "You okay to stand? Maybe we should get you checked out."

Vicky nodded slowly, pushing herself up. The room still felt too bright, too loud, but she forced a smile. "Yeah. Just a little winded."