Ethan knox - September 2120
"Kai! Kai!" I shake him, panic clawing at my chest, but he doesn't stir. My heart drops.
The van door flies open, and Daniel, Ray, and Issac jump out, making their way toward us.
"What happened?" Ray asks, dropping down to check Kai's breathing.
"I… I don't know" I manage, my voice shaky. "He was fine a moment ago." I glance at Kai's face, there is no blood or signs of a burnout. So why did he collapse?
"I think he had a panic attack" Tessa says beside me.
A panic attack?
The words hit me like a punch to the chest. I kneel down, brushing Kai's damp hair from his face, and my stomach twists. My heart feels like it's stopped.
He's okay. He's still breathing. I tell myself that over and over, but the panic rising inside me won't listen.
"We can't stay here. We need to go" Daniel says, firm but calm.
"He's right" Ray says, eyes flicking to me before he lifts Kai onto his back like he weighs nothing.
"Let's go" he adds.
I freeze, rooted to the spot, my hands itching to help, until Tessa and Issac gently guide me to my feet.
"Come on. Sophie will check him over" Issac says softly, offering a reassuring smile, this time the real one, not the mask of Christopher.
I follow slowly, my gaze glued to Kai. Ray lays him gently on the van floor, and Issac climbs into the front seat. As soon as Daniel shuts the door, the van moves.
"Are you okay?" Daniel reaches over to Tessa, brushing her cheek.
She nods quietly. "I'm fine."
I notice Daniel checking her for injuries, but I can't focus. My attention snaps back to Kai.
His breathing is uneven, shallow, and sweat glistens on his forehead. I kneel beside him, brushing his hair back again. "Hey… come on, love. Breathe for me" I murmur, my voice soft but trembling.
Daniel comes to my side and gently checks Kai's pulse.
"It feels a bit weak, but I think we'll be fine," he says, then rests a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. Sophie will look after him." He squeezes gently before sitting back down beside Tessa.
I want to believe him, I know Kai will be okay, but my chest feels like it's cracking anyway. His heart… it's been a little fragile after the electrocution. And now, the stress of seeing his father, meeting his brother… it must have pushed him right to the edge.
And all I can do is watch. There's nothing I can do to fix it, nothing I can do to take the weight off him. My hands itch to help, to hold him, to make it better, but all I can do is sit here.
If I hadn't been so lost staring at that photo of Kai and Noah… if I had noticed them coming, I could've gotten Kai out of there before they arrived. He wouldn't have had to meet them. I failed him. And now… look at him.
"What happened in there, lad?" Ray leans over the chair, eyes searching mine.
"We managed to get some Lunex vials, and I got some information off a laptop, but-" Tessa hesitates, her gaze flicking to Kai's face.
"His brother… showed up," I say quietly, the words tasting bitter.
"Shit… that's bad timing," Issac mutters, sliding his signature sunglasses back on, like that could somehow make the moment less awful.
I swallow hard, glancing at Kai again. My chest twists. I should've protected him. I should've been faster. But all I could do was watch, powerless.
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"His heartbeat is steady… and his breathing is back to normal" Sophie says, removing her hand from Kai's chest.
He's lying in our bed, still fast asleep. His chest rises and falls evenly now, steady and calm.
"Thank you, Sophie" I murmur as she stands.
"Just… make sure he gets some rest," she says nervously, pushing her glasses up. "He should be fine after that."
She opens the door to leave, and we nod to each other.
I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at Kai's sleeping form. He looks peaceful, like he's just napping, not like he just collapsed from a panic attack. My chest tightens, guilt twisting inside me.
I reach out to stroke his face, as if that simple touch could steady my own frantic heart.
"I'm sorry, Kai," I whisper, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. This is my fault.
Just then, he stirs, eyes fluttering open, confusion written across his face as he shoots upright.
"Where… where am I?" he asks, rubbing at his chest as if it still hurts.
I lean forward and cup his face in my hands. "It's okay. We're back home. You're safe," I say gently, trying to calm him.
His eyes flick around the room, searching, tense, until they land on me. Slowly, the tension seems to leave him. Even though he's just woken, exhaustion is still etched into his features.
Instinctively, I lean forward and wrap my arms around him, burying my face in his neck. I breathe him in, hoping his scent will steady me as much as him.
I feel him hesitate before wrapping his arms tightly around me in return, squeezing as if to calm his own racing heart. We stay like that for a long moment. Then I lean back slightly and press a soft kiss to his forehead, then the curve of his cheek.
When I glance at him, his face is flushed, his eyes lingering on me. And then, he leans in and kisses me, deep and hungry.
His tongue sweeps against mine, pulling me closer, my legs instinctively wrapping around him. I try to pull back for air, but he follows, his hand trailing up my shirt. When his lips leave mine and move toward my neck, I gently push him away.
His tired black eyes, dark and intense, meet mine. There's desire there, yes, but I can see the tension he's trying to work through. I need him to slow down. To talk to me.
"Kai… are you okay?" I ask softly, stroking his hair.
He leans into my touch, closing his eyes to take a deep, steadying breath. "Yeah… I'm fine now," he murmurs quietly.
I place my hand over his chest. "How's your heart?"
He covers my hand with his. "It's fine," he says, looking away with a hint of shame. "I… don't know what happened to me."
I press a gentle kiss to his forehead again. "They said you had a panic attack."
Kai leans back, surprised. "What?"
I squeeze his hand, keeping my voice calm. "It's okay. It must have been the shock of everything today."
He laughs softly, running a hand through his hair. "I'm a soldier… I can't have panic attacks."
He looks generally confused, eyes drifting to the drawer beside his bed, like he's searching for some kind of explanation.
When my eyes follow where he's looking, he quickly turns back to me.
"I'm sorry" he says hurriedly, gripping my hand.
I blink, caught off guard. "Why are you apologising? I should be the one saying sorry" I murmur, tugging his hand closer and pressing it to my chest.
He's always so quick to apologise, and every time it makes my heart ache a little. I give his hand a gentle squeeze.
"I should have seen your brother coming. It's my fault," I say softly, keeping my voice calm even though my chest is tight.
Kai shakes his head, his dark eyes full of sadness. "No… it's not your fault. These are my shadows. This… this is on me." He looks away, jaw tight, and I can feel the weight of guilt pressing down on him.
I reach out, tilting his face back toward me, forcing him to meet my eyes. "Kai… hey, none of that. You don't have to carry this alone"
He bites his lip, still tense. "I already decided not to ever tell Noah about me being alive. So… seeing him in person just… it was too much."
I brush a loose strand of hair from his face and give him a teasing little grin, soft but warm. "Maybe it's for the best he knows you're alive. The frame I was holding in the lab... it was of you and him as kids".
Kai's eyes shine slightly. "A photo of me and him?"
I nod, smiling. "Yeah. He clearly misses you, and now that he knows you're alive… he'll feel a lot lighter."
Kai thinks for a moment, then nods lightly. He reaches for my hand and kisses it gently. "Thank you, Ethan… you always know how to make me feel better."
My chest skips a beat as he keeps kissing my hand. Slowly, he turns my hand over, pressing gentle kisses along my palm, working his way up to my wrist.
"Kai…" I whisper, my voice barely audible. My face flushes, and he looks up at me, his dark eyes locking with mine. My heart flutters as I lean in toward his gentle kisses.
But the moment shatters when the alarm bell blares. We both stop, snapping our heads toward the sound. Kai squeezes my hand before standing, but I tug on his arm.
"You still need to rest," I insist.
He hesitates, glancing between me and the door. I already know what he's thinking, any sign of danger and he'll throw himself into the line of fire. Just then, a knock echoes through the door, and Kai walks over to open it.
"Oh…" Daniel sounds caught off guard. "I didn't think you'd be up." He eyes Kai from head to toe before continuing. "We have intruders… an unknown car is heading this way."
Kai glances at me, and I can tell we're thinking the same thing.
"Did GeneX track us down?" I ask.
"I don't know" Daniel sighs. "We made sure not to be followed."
I leap off the bed, heading toward the door as Kai slides on his shoes.
"Where are the others?" I ask, worry threading my voice.
"They know to follow procedure, Ethan. Don't worry, they'll be safe" Daniel says, patting my shoulder. "Come on, we better get going."
We move down the corridor together, but I can't help stealing glances at Kai. He looks fine, but I can't shake the worry gnawing at me. Sophie said he needed rest… and here he is, ready to fight again.
As we push through the main doors into the schoolyard, Ray, Edmund, and Issac are already waiting.
"Be ready," Edmund says calmly, eyes on us.
The car rounds the corner, and instantly Issac pulls his gun from behind him, flipping off the safety and aiming carefully. I feel Kai's shadows stir beneath us, shifting and coiling like a living shield, and he steps in front of me without a word to protect me.
They're bracing to strike when suddenly, my eyes flash blue, and I shout, "Stop! Don't attack!"
Everyone freezes, turning toward me, surprise written across their faces. I grab Kai's hand, holding it tightly. He looks at me, confusion and tension in his eyes.
The car screeches to a stop, headlights cutting through the dim light, blinding us for a moment. Then two figures step out. I squint, trying to make them out, their faces obscured at first.
As they move closer, one of them casually rests his hands behind his back, a calm, unnerving smile spreading across his face.
And then my stomach drops.
"Noah?" Kai whispers, stunned.
I hadn't even considered he'd show up, not like this, not now, and definitely not so… casual.
"I must say," he says, voice smooth, almost teasing, "this was a difficult hideout to find."
I glance at Kai, whose shadows ripple beneath him, tense and ready to react.
My heart thumps.