"…What?" Dion blurted out.
Mom blinked. "Wait... what?"
Denver's breath heavy, Kael didn't look at Denver instead he looked at Dion like Denver wasn't even part of the equation. Kael walked toward the small table where the family photo sat, he picked up the frame.
Two boys, a mother, a father and definitely no daughter. His eyes lingered on the smiling faces for a moment then he placed the frame down. He turned back to them.
"You had two sons," he said his voice was quiet, flat and absolute.
Mom's lips parted. "That was before-"
"Before that boy made your other son into an anomaly," Kael interrupted.
The word he said sounded heavier in his mouth, he looked at Denver, then at Dion.
"According to public records, this household only has two sons," Kael continued calmly. "No registered of a daughter, no adoption records and no legal gender reassignment filings."
Mira's tablet projected a holographic screen filled with scrolling data.
"Subject Denver," she read, adjusting her glasses. "Biological sex registered male for seventeen years. No transitional medical data, no legal alteration filings and no gift surge recorded."
Her gaze shifted to Dion.
"Subject Dion. No anomalies detected, continuous biological and identity records since birth."
Kael clasped his hands behind his back.
"Clearly an anomaly occurred in this household," he said.
His gaze locked onto Dion.
"Most scenarios in a anomalous events, the changed variable is rarely the origin."
Then he took a step closer.
"But the unchanged variable is..."
Dion felt his stomach drop, Denver's fingers dug into her palms. Kael's eyes were merciless and sharp, and looking at Dion.
"More likely your daughter is the consequence," he said. " And your boy is the constant."
Mom stepped forward. "What are you even talking about? I don't understand a thing."
Kael didn't even blink.
"It means he is the only logical suspect."
He turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing.
"Reality does not rewrite itself without a cause."
His gaze sharpened.
"And reality does not rewrite itself without a controller."
Dion's throat went dry, he felt like prey, Kael's eyes were cold, like a surgeon examining a specimen.
"You remained consistent," Kael said quietly. "And she did not."
He pointed at Denver.
"You are statistically more likely to be the source of the anomaly than the anomaly itself."
Denver's chest tightened.
"So to them… They think I am a victim of my brother's gift".
"This is insane!" Mom shouted. "He's just a kid!"
Kael sighed slowly, like he had heard that sentence a thousand times.
"Ma'am," he said, voice low, " There are kids who can destroy cities."
The words were casual but that made them even more terrifying.
"For public safety, we do not rely on emotions, we rely on probability."
He turned to Dion again.
"Until proven otherwise, you are classified as a category unknown reality modifier."
The title sounded more like a death sentence.
"Reality Modifier? What the hell are they talking about? I can't even lift a chair with my mind." Dion thought.
"Why me?"
"Why not her? She's the one who clearly changed."
His hands trembled.
Denver's thoughts were in chaos she could not believe what she is witnessing right now.
"They're blaming him because they are thinking he is a gift user. So I'm not the suspect? I'm more like the victim."
"But If they take him… this will cause a big misunderstanding."
Her stomach twisted painfully, then Kael stepped forward one last time.
"Ma'am hand us the boy before we escalate this matter to a classified containment procedure."
Mom did not answer there were only silence, then she muttered a word her voice trembling.
"...un"
"What?" Denver whispered.
Then mom shouted, "I said RUN!"
Dion grabbed Denver's hand, yanking her toward the back door. She almost fell from the sudden pull but managed to steady herself. They burst out of the house, feet pounding against the ground.
Behind them, alarms blared.
Kael and Mira reacted instantly, triggering containment procedures. They moved to chase the kids but Mom stepped in their path, blocking their way, arms spread wide.
"I guess you leave us no option" Kael muttered as he reached for his gun..
Then a loud bang could be heard outside the house Denver and Dion heard it too. Denver tried to turn back, but Dion's grip strengthened, not intending to let go. Their eyes met. Dion, with small tears in his eyes, said in a sad tone,
"Don't go..." he whispered. "Don't waste mom's sacrifice."
Denver looked down and gritted her teeth. Then they continued to run and run and run as far as they could. All they could do was run until their lungs burned and until they ran out of breath. But deep down, they knew they couldn't run forever, eventually, they would catch up. They were just prolonging their doom.
As they ran through an alley, their surroundings suddenly darkened. They hid within the shadows.
Then a light appeared in front of them. They could see the exit of the alley. Just a little more, and they would be able to leave but suddenly, a force sent them flying. Both of them landed in a roll. Dion, who was in front, took a direct hit from whatever that force was, knocking him unconscious.
Denver was still on the ground, struggling to push herself up with shaking hands. Then footsteps could be heard inside the alley shadows.
Denver lifted her head toward the sound as a figure stepped out from the darkness. A boy was standing there, seemingly indifferent to their situation, the alley's dim light caught on spiky yellow hair and sharp, piercing blue eyes. His skin was unnaturally pale, almost corpse like, and there was a smile plastered on his face.
Then he spoke,
"You rats are quite the runners, aren't ya?" he said, voice light and amused, clearly mocking them.
He walked past Denver as if she didn't exist, his footsteps echoing in the narrow alley. Then he stopped in front of Dion and stepped on his chest.
"You're the type of rats I hate the most," he said, pressing down, savoring Dion's unconscious groan. "Always resisting... why don't you just stay obedient?"
"Stop!" Denver shouted, forcing herself up, her body screaming in protest. "Stop stepping on my little brother!"
He turned his head slowly, blue eyes locking onto her, his smile didn't fade.
"Oh?" he said softly. "And what are you gonna do about it?"
"I'll contact a gift user!" she snapped, desperation thick in her voice.
He burst into laughter, sharp and hollow, covering his face with one hand like she had just told him the funniest joke in the world.
"Oh, you're funny," he said between chuckles then he lowered his hand and looked at her again, eyes glinting with cruel amusement.
"Actually… you're already standing in front of one."
Denver froze not buying it at all, how could a gift user be this cruel? aren't gift user suppose to protect the people not abuse their power upon them.
Then he proceed to press his foot down harder on Dion's chest. Dion let out a faint, broken groan.
Then something inside Denver finally snapped.
Fear turned into rage, panic turned into something violent and unfamiliar. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as adrenaline flooded her body. Her limbs felt light, weightless, yet terrifyingly powerful. She forced herself upright, legs trembling, vision shaking.
Then the boy lifted his foot off Dion, sensing something off from the woman who was now standing Infront of him. For a moment it stood there motionless and seemingly unmoving.
"No way are you kidding m-" Before he could finish, the girl's image suddenly blurred.
A loud crash exploded through the alley, metal and concrete cracking as something slammed into the wall. In the next second, he was pinned. Denver's hands were wrapped tightly around his throat, fingers digging into his skin. Her grip was crushingly inhuman.
For a brief moment, he struggled then he stopped resisting entirely. Instead of fear, his lips curled into an even wider grin. He spread his arms, as if welcoming her violence.
Then suddenly the shadows around them suddenly move...