Author's pov
The warehouse had gone strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Everyone was already in position, waiting for the next move.
Jay stood beside Percy, her eyes scanning the dark corners of the warehouse while Cora and Luna were positioned a little farther away.
Keifer was across the room with Aries and Alex.
Everything seemed under control.
Then—
CLICK.
The lights went out.
Complete darkness swallowed the warehouse.
"Everyone stay where you are!" Alex shouted.
The emergency lights flickered on seconds later, throwing the room into a dim red glow.
And then—
the side doors opened.
People rushed inside.
"Here we go," Denial muttered.
Alex immediately shouted,
"Move!"
The entire team scattered into their positions.
Jay moved with Percy.
Cora moved with Luna.
Keifer and Aries covered the opposite side while Alex directed everyone from the center.
The warehouse erupted into chaos.
Jay focused completely.
She blocked an incoming attack and stepped back.
Percy immediately covered her left.
"You're good."
Jay nodded.
"Thanks."
Across the warehouse, Cora was helping Luna push someone back.
Everything happened quickly.
Too quickly.
Jay turned toward them—
just as someone made a sudden movement.
Cora stumbled backward.
"Cora!"
She caught herself against one of the nearby crates.
For a second, she simply stood there.
Then she looked down.
She had been hurt.
Not severely.
But enough.
Enough that the injury was bleeding more than anyone wanted.
Luna immediately rushed toward her.
"Cora!"
"I'm okay," Cora said through a shaky breath.
But the bleeding hadn't stopped yet.
Jay had already turned toward them.
Her eyes started moving in their direction.
Percy noticed immediately.
His expression changed.
"Jay—don't."
Jay looked at him.
"What?"
Percy moved quickly.
Before she could see anything, he stepped directly in front of her and gently covered her eyes with one hand.
"Don't look."
Jay froze.
"What happened?"
"Nothing you need to see."
Her breathing changed.
"Percy…"
"I'm here."
She tried to move his hand away.
"Why are you covering my eyes?"
"Because I know what happens when you see blood."
Jay's breathing became uneven.
She hadn't even seen it.
But she already knew.
Someone was hurt.
"Cora?"
Percy kept his voice calm.
"She's okay."
"Is she hurt?"
"She's being taken care of."
Jay swallowed.
Her chest tightened.
She couldn't breathe normally anymore.
"Percy…"
"I know."
He kept one hand over her eyes and used the other to steady her shoulder.
"Just listen to my voice."
Jay tried.
But her thoughts were already racing.
"What happened?"
"Nothing serious."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Her breathing became quicker.
Percy lowered his voice.
"Jay, listen to me."
She nodded faintly.
"You're in the warehouse."
He slowly guided her a few steps away.
"You can't see anything. You're safe."
Jay pressed a hand against her chest, trying to steady her breathing.
"I can't…"
"You can."
Percy remained beside her.
"Slow breath."
She tried.
It took a few attempts.
The panic didn't disappear immediately, but it stopped getting worse.
Across the warehouse, Alex and Luna were helping Cora.
Cora was conscious.
She was talking.
She was okay.
But the bleeding still hadn't completely stopped.
"We need to get her back," Alex said.
Luna nodded.
"Now."
The remaining attackers were already retreating.
Their team had won.
But nobody wanted to stay any longer.
Percy finally moved his hand away from Jay's eyes.
"Don't turn around."
Jay nodded.
She kept her eyes lowered.
"Is Cora okay?"
"She's okay."
"Really?"
"Really."
Jay exhaled slowly.
Her breathing was still shaky, but she was coming back to herself.
Cora was carefully supported toward the exit.
She looked toward Jay.
"I'm okay!"
Jay instinctively looked up.
Percy immediately stepped slightly in front of her again.
"Keep looking at me."
Jay understood.
She nodded.
"Okay."
Later
They divided into two cars.
Cora was placed in the first vehicle with Alex, Luna and Aries so she could be monitored properly.
Jay was placed in another vehicle with Percy and Keifer.
Jay kept asking the same question.
"How is Cora?"
"She's okay," Percy answered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Jay looked down at her hands.
"I didn't even see anything."
Percy nodded.
"I know."
"But I still panicked."
"Because you knew someone was hurt."
Jay stayed quiet.
Keifer sat across from her.
He hadn't said much.
He understood why.
Jay was already exhausted from trying to control her breathing.
Keifer quietly said,
"You did well."
Jay looked at him.
"I didn't do anything."
"You stayed calm enough to get into the car."
A tiny smile appeared.
"That's your definition of calm?"
"For tonight? Yes."
Jay looked away.
In the other car, Cora was still awake.
She talked quietly with Luna for a while.
But after several minutes, her voice became softer.
She leaned back against the seat.
Alex noticed.
"Cora?"
"I'm okay."
"You've said that about six times."
Cora gave him a tired smile.
"I'm still okay."
But the earlier blood loss was beginning to catch up with her.
She looked exhausted.
Luna immediately checked on her.
"Just rest."
Cora nodded.
Her eyes slowly closed.
The car continued toward the base.
Meanwhile, Jay's car followed behind.
Jay stared silently out the window.
She knew Cora was alive.
She knew everyone was safe.
But the thought still wouldn't leave her head.
She hadn't seen the blood.
Percy had made sure of that.
And yet—
even knowing someone she loved was hurt had been enough to make her panic.
She slowly closed her eyes.
"Percy?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
He smiled softly.
"Always."
And the two cars continued through the night toward the base.