"My poor baby!" Alyssa sounds genuinely distressed as she clicks across the room on her heels. "How could they let this happen to you?"
"It's an occupational hazard, my dear," Noel's father responds. "He was doing his job protecting the city."
"Those other espers are so useless. Why is only Beckett so injured?"
Noel's father hushes her. "Esper Ransom is over there," he says quietly. "Be careful what you say in case he wakes up."
Alyssa huffs and makes some more motherly cooing noises. Noel can picture her stroking her son's brow with tears in her eyes.
Noel's heart throbs painfully in his chest. His legs shake, but he doesn't dare move. As an esper, his father's senses are enhanced, so any noise would alert him. Normally, he'd probably be able to sense Noel's presence, but with two more powerful espers in the room, their innate wavelengths must be interfering.
"Is there any more word on the attack?" Alyssa asks.
