Finn Lennoy - September 2120
The struggle with Kai had been more intense than I'd expected. When he slammed me against the wall with that… shadow, I couldn't help but flinch at the sheer force. My chest tightened, but I kept myself steady.
Kai is already descending the stairs before I could think of pursuing him. I should chase him, demand answers, demand he explain to Noah what's happening, but I remembered Noah's instructions. I had to stay focused. I have managed to attach the device to Kai's collar during the fight. That was enough for now.
A sharp pain shot through my back where I'd hit the wall. I stretched carefully, wincing slightly, then forced myself upright. I had to get back to Noah. I needed to make sure he was alright.
I run, pushing through the emergency door into the lab and start scanning the room with tense, deliberate movements. But there is Nothing. Noah isn't here. My heart picks up speed, each beat heavier than the last.
I move towards the office, my pace quickening, my eyes sweeping every corner. And then I see him, curled under the desk, hands clutching at his hair, breathing ragged and uneven.
I kneel beside him, careful not to startle him. I want to reach out, to pull him close, but kept my movements measured.
"Noah… look at me," I murmur, keeping my voice steady even as panic claws at me.
It was too much for him. It was too much for me too. We'd all thought Kai was gone years ago. I had watched Noah fracture piece by piece because of that loss. And now… now Kai was here again without an explaination.
I slide the drawer open and retrieve his medication, holding it carefully. I reach toward him, trying to guide his hand to take it but he flinches and swats the bottle away.
I pause, watching him, taking in every detail, the tremor in his fingers, the shallow rise and fall of his chest, the way his eyes dart around as if the room itself were threatening him. My chest aches, not just for his pain, but for the moments I wanted to protect him and couldn't.
I swallow, keeping my voice low and controlled. "It's alright… I'm here."
Even as I say it, my heart betrays me, tightening painfully. I wanted to tell him how much I care, to reach past the panic and hold him close.
I stay close, careful not to crowd him, though every instinct screams to pull him into my arms. His breaths are fast and uneven, his hands clutching at his hair as if trying to rip the panic from his mind. I keep my own breathing steady, a quiet anchor I hope he can latch onto.
"Noah… hey," I murmur softly, hand hovering near his shoulder. I don't touch him yet, not until he lets me. "It's me. Finn. You're safe."
His eyes flicker up for a brief second, wide and frantic, then snap back to the floor. I notice the tiny tremors in his hands, the way his knees hug his chest. Every detail tells me how deep the fear runs. I swallow the ache in my chest and crouch lower, making myself smaller, non-threatening.
"Breathe with me," I whisper. "In… and out. Slowly." I count quietly under my breath, letting him hear the rhythm, hoping he will sync with it.
For a moment, nothing changes. Then his hands shake, his breath catches, and I feel the tension in him ripple through the floor. I keep my voice soft, careful not to rush him. "I'm here. Everything is fine. Just… look at me, okay?"
His gaze flickers up again, longer this time. I let a small, quiet sigh slip through my teeth. That's progress. Not much, but it's something.
"I… I know," I continue, keeping my words simple and measured, "seeing him again… it's a lot. I don't blame you. It's… a shock." My heart aches, but I don't let it show. I can't let it overwhelm him.
Slowly, carefully, I reach a hand closer, letting my fingers hover near his arm without touching. "You don't have to face this alone," I whisper. "I'm right here. I'll stay. Just… take it one breath at a time."
I see him beginning to mimic my breathing, shallow at first, but gradually more even. His shoulders rise and fall, less rigid. I hold my hand there, a breath away from touching, letting him set the pace.
"Good," I murmur, quiet enough that it's only for him. "That's it. You're doing really well."
Slowly, his body loosens, and I let my hand settle lightly on his shoulder. Not forcing, just presence. "You're okay… I've got you."
And in that small, quiet space, I stay with him, watching him breathe, hoping my calm can seep into him, hoping my quiet care can remind him he isn't alone, even if he doesn't fully realise how much I care.
After a while, Noah's breathing steadies. His hands fall from his hair, limp and exhausted. I take the chance to reach for his medicine, pop two pills free, and hold them out to him without saying much.
His eyes shift to them, uncertain for a moment, then he slowly reaches out and takes them. Relief slips through me in a quiet breath. We sit together in silence, letting the stillness settle around us.
"I don't understand," he says eventually, voice weak. "How is he alive?"
The hurt in his voice cuts through me. I reach out and take his hand, gently, giving him plenty of time to pull away if he wants to, but he doesn't.
"I'm not sure," I say softly. "But we'll find him again… and we'll ask him."
He nods, breathing carefully.
"Do you think my father knew he was alive?" he asks. His eyes are heavy with sadness. He looks as broken as the day he thought he'd lost Kai, and seeing it again hurts more than I want to admit.
"I don't know," I answer truthfully. I want to believe Dr Langford couldn't be that cruel… but it's exactly the kind of thing he might do. He never cared for Kai.
"He had powers too," Noah murmurs. "Do you think my father gave him the Lunex vial and took him away?"
I can see his mind working now, turning over every detail, analysing. At least the chaos in his head is gone. It's focus now, tired but sharp and relentless.
I let out a quiet sigh. Everything about this is complicated.
Suddenly, Noah's head snaps up. He jolts to his feet so quickly he nearly knocks me over.
"The device!" he blurts, already moving towards his laptop.
The tracker. The one he made me attach. It's small and can easily be hidden. Exactly what Kai wouldn't notice unless he knew to look.
While Noah types, I scan the room. The safe stands open and most of the vials are gone. A photo frame lies shattered on the floor. I kneel, pick it up carefully.
It's a photo of Noah and Kai, years younger, smiling in a way I haven't seen in a long time. I brush the glass away and place the picture gently on Noah's desk before stepping to his side.
A map fills the screen with a single red dot flashing as it moves steadily across the city.
"If he thinks he can just disappear like that, he's wrong," Noah says quietly. "I'm not letting him go again."
I study him. His eyes are tired and red, hair a mess from pulling at it. A far cry from the composed man standing at the presentation earlier.
"So… what's the plan?" I ask.
He glances at me, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Once they reach their destination, we pay him a visit."
I nod. I don't say much, there's nothing to add. But I stay beside him, steady and silent, ready to follow him wherever this leads.
And ready, as always, to keep him safe.