Kai Langford - August 2120
Ethan breathes softly in my arms. At some point he drifted off, but I just lie there watching him. His face looks peaceful now, the tension finally gone.
When he told me he'd seen me die… I could feel how much it shook him. So when he asked about my scars, I couldn't bring myself to refuse.
I didn't want to speak about my past, I'd been afraid that the more he learned about me, the more of a monster he'd see.
But he just listened. Carefully. Patiently. And he didn't judge me. Not once.
I lean forward and press a small kiss to his forehead before easing my arm out from under him. He stirs, but settles quickly.
The sunlight catches on his hair, and for a moment I can't look away. He really is beautiful.
Eventually, I force myself to stand and slip out of the room.
My mind keeps turning everything over from today, the birthday cake, our meal together, our walk by the river. It had all been… perfect. Until that woman showed up.
She looked like she was in pain and part of me wanted to help her. But I couldn't risk Ethan's safety.
Another victim of that counterfeit Ethan had told me about a few weeks back.
The Lunex vial, fake or real, keeps finding its way back into my life. And every time, it brings nothing but pain.
Ethan, Miriam, Edmund, Tessa, Daniel, Ray... Me.
It has taken so much from us.
I didn't want to get involved. It feels like betraying Noah somehow. But Ethan is too close to this now. I can't just stay out of it anymore. And it's my responsibility to fix what my father has started...
Crossing the school yard, I head toward one of the older buildings. When I open the door, the smell of old wood and dust washes over me. Lab benches stretch across the room, and in the corner Thomas is hunched over a laptop, tapping away. A microscope sits in front of him and he seem to be lost in focus.
He doesn't notice me until I clear my throat. He startles, knocking a notebook to the floor.
"Oh, Kai! What… what brings you here?" he stammers, scrambling to gather the papers.
I swallow hard. I have to remind myself he isn't GeneX anymore. He's not here to hurt me. Not here to experiment on me. But the memories make it difficult.
"I want to know more about these counterfeits" I say.
His eyes widen.
"Erm… well…" He hesitates. "Ethan told us not to let you get involved."
Of course he did. Ethan keeps trying to protect me.
I step closer, and Thomas flinches.
"Dr Thomas," I say quietly, "you more than anyone here knows what I'm capable of."
He swallows, his gaze darting away. I exhale softly.
"I'm not here to hurt you," I add. "I just… I want to protect the people here."
His expression softens, but he still looks cautious.
"Kai, I don't think this is a good idea. I'm on Ethan's side with this, none of us want you to have to fight anymore."
So that's it. That's why Ethan's been trying to keep me out of this. Not because he doesn't trust me...
...but because he doesn't want me to gain another scar for anyone ever again.
"From what I've seen so far… this fight is getting closer to the school," I say quietly.
I meet his eyes, steady and honest. "And you know they need me. I'm trained for this. And I won't hesitate to do what's necessary."
Thomas takes a deep breath, finally letting himself relax slightly, though his eyes remain cautious. "Kai… it's not just the usual counterfeit vials, GeneX has seen before" he begins, lowering his voice. "We've been analysing the blood samples from Bennet."
I frown, stepping closer despite the unease curling in my chest. "Bennet… what about him?"
Thomas gestures to the microscope. "The sample shows he's been mutated by a counterfeit. But… it's unlike anything we've seen before. Stronger than Lunex. Far more potent."
My stomach tightens. "Stronger… how?"
He hesitates, choosing his words carefully. "It's more… invasive. Lunex amplifies abilities but has a limit, hence the burnout. This… counterfeit seems to overwrite control. It takes people and makes them… lose themselves. Almost like it hijacks their body and mind, but they are able to withstand the burnout for longer"
I blink, the words sinking in. "Hijacks them?" My hands clench at my sides. "Like they're not able to control their own powers?"
Thomas nods slowly. "Exactly. Lunex was dangerous, yes, but there were… controls in place. This one doesn't just amplify power. It forces obedience, almost like the vial itself becomes the will of the user. And it's aggressive."
I swallow hard. "Aggressive… in what way?"
"It spreads faster. It changes the person's behaviour quickly. We believe they snap almost instantly, lose all inhibition or control over themselves."
I feel a cold weight settle in my chest. "And Bennet…" I trail off.
"He's under its influence. We've seen signs of manipulation, aggression, hyper-focus… he's dangerous, Kai. Someone who can not be controlled."
I let that sink in. Ethan's safety flashes in my mind immediately. The woman by the river, the bullets… I can't let this touch him. I can't.
Thomas watches me carefully, sensing my thoughts. "That's why Ethan's been keeping you out of it. He knows you'd do anything to protect people here, but this… this isn't just a fight. This is something different than what you have seen before in your missions"
I exhale slowly, my mind racing. "So what do we do?" I ask, already knowing the answer. I can't sit back. I won't.
Thomas gives me a sharp look, almost pleading. "This isn't like before. You need to understand what you're facing. You don't have your trained Special Divsion Operators to back you up anymore"
I nod, tension coiling tighter in my chest. "I get it. I'll be careful."
He lets out a long sigh, dragging a hand through his hair in frustration."Kai… you need to understand something. You'd be going up against opponents who don't burnout. Who don't stop. You'd be at a disadvantage from the start."
I glance toward the window, thinking of Ethan, peaceful back in our room, asleep. My chest tightens. I won't let anything happen to him. Not now, not ever.
"I understand" I say quietly. Then I nod toward the main school building. "But what about them?"
Thomas follows my gaze, and I can see the conflict in his eyes.
"You're worried about me burning out," I continue, voice low but firm, "but you know I can endure more strain than most of GeneX's own trained operators. You know that. And against these variants… I'm your best chance at stopping them."
Thomas studies me for a long moment, then nods slowly. "You're right... but-"
"Then tell Edmund… I'll join his cause. This… revolution of his," I say, my voice steady, leaving no room for argument.
I turn toward the door, my mind already shifting to the next step. The counterfeit is stronger. More dangerous. And it's here, moving quietly in the shadows.
"Wait, Kai!" Thomas protests.
I pause by the door, glancing back at him.
He looks surprised, almost unsure. "Erm… wait, I have something for you." He moves toward a desk in the corner, rifling through the drawers before pulling something out and walking back to me.
He sets it in my hand, and I glance down.
Antidepressants.
"I… I haven't taken these in a while," I murmur, twisting the bottle between my fingers.
"I heard you're doing well here," Thomas says calmly. "But even if things feel better, it's important to keep taking them. The improvement you're feeling, that's not the whole story. Your brain still needs time to stabilise."
I hesitate. I do feel better... Ethan has helped me open up. I feel things again. Happy, even. Headaches have eased, sleep comes easier… nightmares have almost stopped.
Maybe I don't need them.
Thomas notices the hesitation in my eyes and speaks again, quietly, without pressure. "You might be tempted to stop if things feel easier. But stopping too soon can let the old darkness come back. And it's… worse than before."
I nod slowly, slipping the bottle carefully into my pocket. "Thanks."
He offers a small, reassuring smile. "I'm here to help, Kai. I promise. If you need anything… come to me, or Sophie."
I look at him for a moment, weighing his words. Then I nod, quietly, and turn toward the door, stepping back into the courtyard.
As I step back into the hallway in the main building, I see Ethan rubbing his eyes, still a little sleepy.
"Where did you go?" he asks, his voice soft.
"Just to the bathroom," I reply with a small smile, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the top of his head.
I subtle pat my pocket to make sure the pills are hidden.
He looks up at me, grinning, and my chest tightens. That smile, it always has this way of making my heart skip.
I lace my fingers with his. "Come on… you should at least have some of your birthday cake."
He laughs lightly, brushing a hand over his face. "You're right. Just hope Jack didn't eat it before I got here."
I chuckle, tugging him gently toward the room. "No way he'd get away with that. Let's go see."
He smiles brightly at me.
I will protect him. I have to.