Ethan Knox - August 2120
The moment I saw Kai, something inside me shattered. Relief, happiness, disbelief, they all collided at once. He came here for me. He's here, with me. I can barely breathe just from knowing that. Words fail. Nothing I can think of can capture how much it means that he's here.
But that feeling crashes down as soon as he rises from the sofa and starts moving toward Christopher, who's now pressed into the corner, trembling like the coward he truely is.
The shadows swirl around Kai like living smoke. I can't stop seeing that day in the experimentation room, the metal restraints, the fear, the way he reached for me, desperate. My stomach twists just remembering it.
Kai kneels, grabs Christopher by the hair, and yanks him hard. The fear on Christopher's face is almost… satisfying. He's always been a prick.
The room feels heavy, tense, the music from the club below thumping faintly through the walls.
Then Kai throws the first punch. It lands with a sickening thud. His shadows aren't there, not wrapped around his hands like I've seen before.
It's almost like he wants to feel it himself.
And he doesn't stop. One hit, then another, and another. The sound is sharp. I flinch with each blow, but I don't stop him. He deserves this.
What I can't stop noticing, though, is how each hit seems to damage Kai too. His knuckles bleed, break almost, and he keeps going.
Another punch is coming when Ray suddenly bursts in, Daniel leaning heavily against him.
"We need to go!" Ray shouts.
Kai freezes. His hand hovers over Christopher like he's unsure what to do.
I kneel beside him, slowly reaching out to stroke the side of his face. He looks furious, but there's also something else, struggling, fighting against himself.
His eyes meet mine, and almost immediately his expression softens, just a hint of fear behind it, like he's scared he's frightened me with what he's done.
I smile gently and keep my hand on his face.
"Let's go home" I whisper. And just like that, the fire in him softens. He releases Christopher, though not without throwing him hard onto the floor again, before standing and taking my hand.
He checks me instinctively as we rise. His hand cups my cheek, and I lean into the touch, grounding myself in him.
"Let's go!" Ray shouts again, yanking me back into reality.
I grab Kai's hand and start leading him to the door. I glance back once, Christopher lies there, bloodied, struggling for air, but then he speaks.
"Your father would be so disappointed to see how you've sunk, 004."
Kai freezes, like someone just punched him in the gut.
I reach for him, but it's too late. The words have already cut deep. His face crumbles and he looks broken. His breathing quickens, and I squeeze his hand, desperate to bring him back but it doesn't work.
Christopher smirks weakly through the blood on his face, clearly pleased with the effect of his words.
"Shut up!" I snap.
"Oh, how you fooled me. I thought you were just a whore" he coughs. "But here you are, trying to bend one of GeneX's best soldiers to your will. Clever little fox."
I step forward, but Kai pulls my hand back, stopping me.
I look at him. This time, I can't read him at all and that terrifies me more than anything else tonight.
He glances at Christopher again, then back at me, then to Ray and Daniel in the doorway. He strokes my face one last time before speaking to them.
"Take Ethan and go…" His voice is rough, cold, devoid of anything human. "I won't be long."
He steps toward Christopher again, and instinctively, I jump in front of him. I know what he's thinking. I can't let him do it.
Kai already sees himself as a monster. Killing Christopher would be easy for him, but it would pull him away from me again. I can't let that happen.
"Kai, please." I grab his hands firmly, holding them. "You said you came for me. Please… let's go. I want to go home with you." My voice breaks a little on the last word, but I can't stop.
His eyes shift between mine and Christopher's. I can't read his mind, not fully, but finally, he sighs. His grip softens.
"Okay… let's go."
I smile, a little shakily, and lead him out before Christopher can say another word.
As we move down the corridor, Daniel mutters, "Is it wise to leave him alive? He'll just go back to Langford and tell him everything."
I think the same thing. Maybe leaving him alive is dangerous. But what damage can he really do? Joseph Langford already knows Kai was taken, and a board member like Christopher would sooner cover everything up than admit he's been sneaking around with a guy in the club.
"It's fine" I say. "I got what I came for. Nothing else matters."
Kai's eyes find mine. There's confusion there. I owe him the truth, and I will tell him.
___________________________________
The ride back to the school was quiet. Daniel's car had to stay behind, he wasn't exactly in the state to drive.
Ray and Daniel sat up front, leaving Kai and me in the back. I didn't let go of his hand once, but every time I looked at him, he seemed somewhere else, lost in thought while staring out the window...
"Let Sophie look over you all" Ray calls as we get out of the car.
But when I turn to Kai, he is already walking away, pulling something from his pocket.
"We'll go later. Take Daniel first" I say, starting to move, but Daniel's hands catches my arms before I can step away.
He keeps his gaze on the ground, avoiding mine, and I can feel the irritation rolling off him in waves.
If he is going to protest again about Kai being dangerous, about not trusting him… I'm not in the mood. Not after what just happened. Kai hadn't just saved me, he saved Daniel too.
"I'm… sorry" Daniel mutters, and it catches me completely off guard.
"What? Why are you sorry?" I ask, tilting my head, genuinely confused.
He hesitates, then finally looks up at me. "I shouldn't have let you go up there on your own. If Kai didn't…" He trails off and glances away again.
He didn't need to finish. We both knew. Christopher had been ready to kill me, and there had been nothing I could do. But Daniel had tried abd without him, Kai wouldn't have found me in time.
I leanover and flick him hard on the forehead.
"Ow! What the hell, Ethan?" he rubs his head, scowling.
"Thanks for coming for me" I say, grinning.
His cheeks pink, but he turns away. "Oh, whatever. Go to your lover boy. I don't care."
"Will you all stop calling him that!" I protest, laughing, though I can't stop the smile from spreading across my face.
Without another word, Daniel and Ray head toward the school's main building.
I finally turn to find Kai. He is a little way off, sitting hunched over on the old swing set.
I walk over slowly. As I approach, he does't look up. His hand is pressed against his forehead, like he is trying to hold a headache at bay. What catches me off guard, though, was what he is holding...a cigarette.
I perch on the swing beside him, careful to give him space.
"I didn't know you smoked" I say softly.
His eyes flick to me for a moment, then drop back to the ground.
"I don't… often. Just when…" He trails off, not finishing.
I didn't need him to. Tonight has been hell for both of us. I could feel it, and I want him to know I wasn't judging him.
We sit there in silence, the warm air around us, the gentle squeak of the swings punctuating the quiet.
"Kai… I owe you an explanation" I say, tilting my head to watch the stars glitter above. My voice is soft, gentle, carrying a little of that bubbling warmth I hope might make him feel safe.
He finally turns to me, cigarette dangling loosely from his lips. His eyes are tired, guarded, but I see a flicker of trust in them.
"The truth about Christopher…" I start, keeping my tone calm, caring, and steady.
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Recount of: Dec 2119 - Aug 2120
"See him over there," Isaac leans close, his breath warm against my ear. He's wearing some ridiculous Christmas shirt, buttons undone, sunglasses indoors. God knows why, especially in winter.
"He's that board member I told you about, Christopher Oswald" he continues.
I follow his gaze and spot him sitting there, radiating that awful smugness. He's one of the youngest board members at GeneX, maybe around 45, though everyone knows he only got the position through his father. Typical nepotism.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Isaac asks, adjusting his glasses.
I hesitate for a moment, then nod. Isaac's seen more danger than most people I know. He used to work for one of the most ruthless gang organisations in the city until the Guardians wiped them out. The only reason he survived was his power, he can shapeshift into anyone. That ability saved him during the raid when he became one of the GeneX guards. If anyone knows how to survive, it's Isaac.
I push my hair back and take a deep breath. Time to put on the act. Swaying slightly, drink in hand, I move toward Christopher. And just when I'm close enough, I "accidentally" trip into him, sloshing my drink.
"Oh! I'm so sorry" I slur lightly, adding the sweetest, most innocent little tilt to my voice.
I grab the napkin tucked into my shirt and start dabbing, looking up at him. "Let me get that for you" I say, lowering the napkin slowly, inch by inch. I keep my tone soft, caring, just the right mix of concern and charm.
His hand catches my wrist when the napkin nears his thigh. I raise my eyes, hitting him with my best puppy-dog expression. Isaac had been right, Christopher clearly has a thing for younger guys.
"You can stop that" he mutters, pulling me upright. I pretend to stumble slightly, letting my act slip into just enough clumsiness as I push against him.
"How can I make it up to you?" I whisper, leaning in, voice soft and teasing.
He tenses, scanning the room, then pulls me closer. "Meet me upstairs in ten minutes if you want to make it up to me" he growls in my ear. Ugh. It makes me feel gross, but I can't let it show. I smile sweetly, give a tiny wink, and nod.
That was the beginning...
After that, he fell right into my hands. He'd text me when he was stressed or worried, wanting to meet at the club to get his frustration out. Every time, I'd get him drunk, gently coaxing him to spill little pieces of GeneX information. The plan was working perfectly… until Kai showed up.
When Christopher texted to meet up this time, I felt my stomach twist. My mission had gone on for so long, I knew I could squeeze more information out of him. But guilt outweighed ambition.
Sitting there, phone in hand next to Kai on our bed, I felt dirty and ashamed. And when Kai reached over and took my hand, something inside me snapped. That was it. I needed to end this with Christopher. Just one last bit of intel, maybe he knew about the counterfeits, then i'm done. Kai wouldn't have to know, and I wouldn't have to hurt him.
But when Kai disappeared after hearing me on the phone to him, panic gripped me. I couldn't sit still, pacing the school, hoping he'd return so I could explain. But he didn't and time ran out.
By the time I got to the club, anxiety twisted my stomach, and Daniel's comments only made it worse.
Once I was outside the private room, I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I pushed the door open. Christopher sat there, smiling that horrible, slimy smile that he thinks is charming. I swallowed hard, and my game face went on.
"Waiting for me already, I see" I teased as I stepped through, letting the door click closed behind me. "Such a good boy."
His hand shot out, yanking me roughly to my knees in front of him while he stayed seated. Pain shot through me, but I smiled through it.
"You took your time. You're late, sugar" he said, grabbing my face and pulling me closer.
Before I could respond, he kissed me hard and aggressively, like he usually did. I struggled to breathe. When he finally pulled back, he shoved me against the table. A glass rolled off, smashing to the floor, and he didn't even flinch. Proud, untouchable… and I hated every second.
He finished his drink and handed me the glass. I poured both of us another while he launched into his usual rant.
"The company doesn't appreciate my hard work! Without me, the younger audience wouldn't care. I even persuaded them to use that white-haired young scientist as the face of the company, and what do I get in return? Nothing!"
Drunk, unsurprisingly.
I sat on the sofa beside him, passing the drink and placing my hand lightly on his thigh. "That must be hard… you're so smart and handsome," I said, smiling sweetly, lying through my teeth. He bit at it, drained his drink, and before I could sip mine, he pushed me down and crawled on top of me.
My drink spills across the floor but he doesn't care.
He leaned in for another forced kiss, but I couldn't protest... not yet. But when his hand went for my zipper, my instincts kicked in. I grabbed his hand and pushed him up slightly.
I reached across for the bottle, took a swing, and handed it back, distracting him. "You should just take over the whole company" I said with a grin. It worked, he climbed back off, muttering, continuing his rant.
It went on for a while, but sooner or later, he'd clock that I wasn't letting him go further with me. When he made me get up to fetch another bottle and a mysterious box from the hostess, my eyes flashed blue.
[I took a sip from the bottle like he told me to, but suddenly my body felt heavy, my mind drifting. I couldn't control myself. Christopher pinned me down, and I couldn't move.]
Panic surged. This bastard's was trying to drug me.
I met his eyes, keeping my expression playful, and pretended to drink, following the vision I had seen play out before. I fell back on the sofa, feigning helplessness as he leaned to pin me. Ready to strike, I waited for the right moment.
Then he reached for the box on the table. Something in his hand made my eyes widen. A Lunex vial? But something about it… felt off.
Christopher leaned close to my ear and I flinched, every nerve in my body screaming.
"Since you said I can punish you any way I want, I thought of something fun" he whispered, and I felt my skin crawl.
"This is one of those new counterfeit Lunex vials I've heard about" he rotated the vial in his hand, letting the light catch the needle.
"And since you've been misbehaving lately, I thought maybe this would help you follow my orders without question" he hissed, bringing it closer to my face. Panic flared in my chest, hot and sharp.
This insane bastard is actually going to try to force a Lunex vial on me. A counterfeit! Is he stupid?
When he popped the lid and the needle glimmered, something within me snapped. I struck out without thinking.
I drove my knee hard into his stomach, and when he doubled over, I knocked the vial from his hand. It smashed on the floor with a satisfying crack.
Anger erupted from him instantly. Before I could react, he lashed out, hitting me in the face. I toppled sideways into the table, sending glasses rolling and shattering.
Before I could catch my bearings, he yanked me back onto the sofa by my hair. I pushed and shoved, tried to throw him off me, but he pressed his full weight onto me. And then… his hands were around my neck, squeezing, cutting off my air.
"You stupid whore! Do you know how difficult it was to get that vial?" he shouted, squeezing tighter.
I clawed at his arms, desperate, but it was useless. Panic clawed up my throat. I caught a fleeting glimpse of Daniel at the door, but before he could reach me, a sudden white light flashed and he disappeared.
The room spun violently, my vision narrowing into a tunnel. My lungs burned, my strength drained out of me, and I felt myself slipping…
And then, suddenly, the pressure was gone. Christopher's hands left my neck, and I collapsed in a coughing fit, desperately gasping for air, clutching at my chest.
I thought I was going to die.
And then I looked up.
Kai.
He was there. My heart skipped, my whole body flooded with relief and fear and joy all at once. He came for me. He saved me.
Every emotion I had just… opened. I clung to that thought, that moment. He's here. He's here and the tears flooded out.
__________________________________________
I turn to look at Kai. He's staring down at the ground, shoulders slumped, and he looks… drained.
Is he disappointed in me? In what I did?
The thought twists my stomach. He'll never love me now. And that idea hits harder than anything else tonight.
"Kai, I'm-" I start, my voice barely above a whisper, desperate to explain, to beg him not to leave me.
But then he moves. Slowly, deliberately, he rises from the swing and kneels in front of me.
My mind goes blank. I can't think. I just stare down at him, kneeling, so close. He takes both my hands in his, closes his eyes, and presses them to his face. My breath catches, heart hammering in my chest.
"What… what are you doing?" I manage to ask, surprised at how my voice shakes.
He doesn't answer right away. When he finally looks up, I freeze.
His eyes are soft, pleading in a way I've never seen. The mask he's been holding so tightly, is gone. Completely gone.
And then he leans forward and kisses my hands, softly, reverently. A shiver races up my spine.
"Ethan… I will never let anyone touch you ever again" he whispers, and the sincerity, the care, the protectiveness in his voice makes my chest ache.
And just like that… my whole world shifts. Every fear, every doubt, every terrible thought from tonight melts away. He's here. He's mine at last. And somehow… everything feels possible again.