Inside the car, Sera's phone rang suddenly, piercing the charged silence between the road and Aiden, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. She glanced at the screen.
"Eileen?" she whispered in surprise, quickly answering and hitting the speakerphone.
"Eileen, what's wrong?" Sera asked, her anxiety masked by confusion.
Eileen's voice came through frantic and fast, "Sera… you know I left late today, right?"
Sera exhaled sharply, trying to stay calm. "Oh, of course… just today? You're truly the icon of commitment."
"Always, always! Okay?" Eileen exploded. "The professor asked for my entry card, and they won't let me in without a guardian!"
Sera tightened her grip on the wheel, glancing at Aiden whose head was beginning to tilt slowly. "Call Mom, Eileen."
A short silence followed. "I think she went out… she left her phone at home."
Sera swallowed hard, balancing the urgency of the road with the dying consciousness of the man beside her. "Eileen… call… Rina."
"Rina is in a lecture."
"So what do I do now? Fly?" Sera snapped.
"Should I just grab a stranger and say my 'perfect family' failed to show up?" Eileen asked sarcastically. "Or should I stand in front of the institute like the Statue of Liberty?"
Sera closed her eyes for a second. "Eileen… your timing is bad. Terrible. I can't do anything right now."
"Where are you? Why do I hear car sounds?" Eileen asked suspiciously.
Sera hesitated. "Because… I'm in a taxi."
"A taxi?"
"Yes."
Eileen sighed. "Fine… if it gets sorted, I'll wait. My next class is in an hour."
Sera turned off the speaker. Only the sound of the road remained. Beside her, Aiden was pressing his temple, his breathing heavy.
"Everything is happening at the wrong time…" she whispered to herself.
The car surged forward, carrying threads that had begun to entwine—a brother being sought, a bleeding wound, and a city named Ezora… that grants no one an easy escape.
Sera's foot pressed harder on the gas. The engine roared as the city blurred into indistinct lines.
"One hour… just one hour."
Moments later, they arrived at the building: Arcadia Vault.
With great effort, she helped him inside. He was heavier than she imagined, his breathing ragged. She laid him on the bed, and he sank into it, completely unconscious.
"A first aid kit… a man like him must have a suture kit," she muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. She searched frantically until she found a black leather bag.
Looking at the needle and thread, she braced herself. "Sera… it's not hard. I've seen them do it a thousand times."
She exposed the wound. It was worse than she feared. With trembling hands and gritted teeth, she began to sew. Every stitch was a battle against her own terror. Aiden murmured in delirium, his skin burning with fever.
"I need saline… something to break the fever," she whispered, her hand lingering on his cheek to ensure he was still breathing. "Aiden… I'm going to the pharmacy. I won't be long."
As she moved to stand, a weak but desperate grip caught her hand.
He opened his eyes halfway, his gaze clouded by fever. "Don't… leave me…"
Her heart constricted. She sat back down immediately, clutching his hand. "I won't be long," she promised, her voice steady despite her internal shaking.
Sera reached the pharmacy and sped back, the engine's roar swallowing the street.
At that exact moment—the door to Aiden's apartment opened.
Click.
The sound of a heel hitting the floor. Then another... closer.
Aiden jolted upright, his body betraying him. He leaned against the wall, dragging his steps toward the living room.
"Why did you come here?" he rasped. "I thought my relationship with you people was over."
A cold, amused voice emerged from the shadows. "You look sick... terrible. You haven't done anything stupid, have you?"
Aiden didn't flinch. His eyes were like a blade against stone. "And if I did?"
A twisted smile split the father's face as he stepped forward. "I'd personally prefer your death over your life."
Aiden exhaled a cynical breath. "Still living up to your pathetic expectations, I see."
Outside the apartment, Sera had just arrived. She froze. Something in the air turned her blood to ice, keeping her from taking another step.