Sarai held the gear like it had personally offended her.
"…okay," she said slowly, looking down at it and then back at Virek. "So just to clarify, your idea of taking me somewhere was bringing me here… and then immediately putting me to work."
Virek leaned lightly against the table beside her, watching her reaction without interrupting.
"You wanted to understand," he said.
Sarai blinked.
"…I did say that."
"You still do."
She exhaled, glancing around the space again.
The facility felt different now that she was actually standing in it instead of just observing it. The air carried a faint metallic smell, mixed with something cleaner, sharper. The kind of place where everything had a purpose and nothing existed just to look nice.
It made sense.
She didn't like how much sense it made.
"…okay," she said finally, setting her bag down. "Fine. We're doing this."
She picked the gear back up, turning it over in her hands like she might suddenly understand it better.
"…you're going to have to explain this like I've never done anything remotely like this before," she added.
"I know," he said.
She looked at him.
"…that felt judgmental."
"It wasn't."
"It was a little," she replied.
A faint shift at the corner of his mouth.
Sarai pointed at him immediately. "There. Again. You keep doing that."
"Doing what?"
"That," she said. "Like you think this is funny but you're not committing."
"I'm observing," he replied.
"That's not better," she said.
He pushed off the table then, stepping closer.
"Hold it like this," he said, reaching for the gear in her hands.
Sarai froze.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
His hand brushed hers as he adjusted her grip.
The contact was brief.
Practical.
It still registered.
"…okay," she said quietly. "We're starting."
"Yes."
She watched his hands as he positioned hers correctly, his movements steady, deliberate in a way that made it clear he had done this countless times before.
There was nothing rushed about it.
Nothing uncertain.
"Your stance is off," he added.
Sarai looked down at herself.
"…rude."
"It is."
She exhaled. "Okay, fix it then."
Virek stepped slightly closer, his hand settling lightly at her arm to adjust her position.
"Shift your weight," he said.
She did.
Mostly.
"…like this?" she asked.
"Not exactly."
He moved behind her.
Sarai went still for a second.
Not because she didn't expect it.
Because she did.
She just hadn't expected to be this aware of it.
His hand adjusted her shoulder, then her arm, guiding the movement rather than forcing it.
"Relax," he said.
"I am relaxed," she replied immediately.
"You're not."
She exhaled.
"…okay, I'm working on it."
That earned another faint reaction.
Sarai felt it before she saw it.
"…you're enjoying this," she said.
"I'm not."
"You are a little."
He didn't answer.
Which—
again—
answered it.
"Focus," he said.
Sarai rolled her eyes slightly but adjusted her stance again, trying to follow what he had shown her.
"Okay," she said. "I am focused."
"Good."
She steadied her hands.
Took a breath.
Then—
missed.
"…okay," she said immediately. "That was a test."
"It wasn't."
She turned her head slightly, trying to look back at him.
"…you don't know that."
"I do."
Sarai laughed softly.
"…okay, rude."
"Try again."
She did.
Better.
Still not right.
"…okay, I feel like I'm improving," she said.
"You are."
That caught her off guard.
"…you said that very easily."
"It's accurate."
She paused.
"…okay."
That settled something in her a little.
She adjusted her grip again.
Focused.
Tried again.
This time—
closer.
"…okay," she said, lowering her hands slightly. "That felt better."
"It was."
Sarai turned toward him fully now, a small smile pulling at her mouth.
"…I like when I'm right."
"I noticed."
She pointed at him. "You say that a lot."
"Because it happens a lot."
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
And just like that—
something shifted again.
Not tense.
Not uncertain.
Easier.
Sarai stepped back, lowering the gear completely.
"…okay," she said. "I think I've reached my limit for today."
"That's enough," he said.
She blinked.
"…you're not going to push me further?"
"No."
"That feels suspicious."
"It's not."
Sarai narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…you're being very reasonable today."
"It's intentional."
That landed.
She studied him for a second longer.
"…okay," she said. "I see what you're doing."
He didn't deny it.
Silence settled briefly.
Then—
"Come on," he said.
Sarai blinked.
"…we're not done?"
"No."
She grabbed her bag, following him again.
"…this better not be another surprise," she muttered.
"It is."
"…I don't like that answer."
"You will."
"We'll see."
They stepped back outside.
The air had changed.
Cooler now.
The sky darker, the city lights starting to settle into place.
Sarai walked beside him again, quieter this time.
Not because she didn't have anything to say.
Because she was thinking.
"…okay," she said after a minute. "That was actually… kind of fun."
Virek glanced at her.
"Kind of," she added quickly. "Don't let it get to your head."
"I won't."
They turned down a different street this time.
Less industrial.
More open.
Sarai slowed slightly.
"…okay," she said. "Now this looks like a place where I won't get kidnapped."
"That's good."
"That was a joke," she said.
"I know."
She looked at him.
"…you're very calm about everything."
"I don't need to be anything else."
Sarai considered that.
"…yeah," she said quietly. "That makes sense."
They stopped at the edge of an overlook.
The city stretched out below them.
Lights layered across the distance, soft and steady, the noise of it all dulled just enough to feel separate from where they stood.
Sarai paused.
"…okay," she said softly. "Now this…"
She looked out.
"…this I like."
Virek didn't say anything.
He just stood beside her.
Sarai glanced at him once.
Then back at the view.
"…you planned this," she said.
A pause.
"Yes."
She smiled faintly.
"…okay," she said. "That's actually nice."
Silence settled.
Not empty.
Not awkward.
Just… quiet.
Sarai leaned lightly against the railing, her shoulders relaxing fully for the first time since they had left the house.
"…you didn't have to do all that," she said after a moment.
"Yes, I did."
She glanced at him again.
"…why?"
Virek held her gaze for a second.
"Because it matters," he said.
That landed.
Sarai looked away first this time.
"…okay," she said softly. "Yeah."
The city stretched out in front of them.
The night settling in.
And for the first time—
this didn't feel like something she had been forced into.
It felt like something she was stepping into.