Kai Langford - July 2120
We sit there in silence while I take in everything he's just told me. I can hardly imagine how traumatising it must have been for him to drag himself out of that pile of corpses.
While my father had me chained up in that cell, Ethan had to force himself to survive. A small lump rises in my throat.
I'm lost for words and unsure what to say, unsure what he even needs from me. I can't remember the last time I had to comfort someone, and the uncertainty leaves me frozen. But before I manage to gather myself, Ethan speaks again.
"Ever since Edmund took me in, there hasn't been a single day I haven't felt grateful."I glance over. He's smiling faintly, but his eyes stay fixed on the floor.
I swallow, thinking back to the expression he wore when he was lying on the floor of the segregation block, overthinking, guilt flickering in the corners of his eyes.
"But…" Ethan hesitates, still twisting his hands nervously.
Then he turns to face me, meeting my eyes directly. There's a sadness sitting heavy in his gaze.
"I always planned to come and get you out of that place," he says.
Something inside my chest cracks, just a little, but I push it down.
He was going to get me out of that facility?
The thought feels unreal. No one escapes that place. No one enters or leaves without permission. I lost hope of rescue long before I accepted I belonged there.
So the idea that Ethan had planned to return for me, even knowing how dangerous and impossible it was, makes something stir inside me, something I can't even name.
A small sniffle snaps my attention back to him. Ethan rubs at his nose, tears gathering in his eyes.
Oh no. What am I supposed to do?
He looks away, as if trying to hide it. My hand lifts automatically to reach for him, but I stop myself and pull it back.
"I… erm," is all I manage.
"I swear I didn't abandon you," he says, voice wobbling.
Is that why he's upset?
"Ethan… I didn't think you abandoned me," I say at last.
He turns back towards me. His eyes and nose are slightly red.
"In fact… you should've just forgotten about me and moved on."
He escaped. He found freedom and I'm genuinely glad he did. But knowing he spent these years thinking about breaking me out, sits wrong with me.
I'm not worth saving. I've killed people, I've hurt people. I'm not even sure I can feel things properly anymore.
But the moment those words leave my mouth, Ethan's expression twists, and the tears spill freely.
Before I can react, he suddenly leans forward and wraps his arms around me in a tight hug.
I freeze. Being hugged feels strange, unfamiliar, and I have no idea what to do with myself.
"How could I ever forget about you?" he sniffles into my ear.
Another ache blooms in my chest. He always manages to do that.
"Don't say that again," he murmurs, still crying softly.
When it becomes clear he isn't letting go, my arms hover awkwardly before finally returning the hug.
And as we sit there, holding onto each other, all I can think about is how kind Ethan really is and how relieved I am that he's still alive.
His grip doesn't loosen. If anything, he holds me tighter, as though he's scared I might run away if he lets go. I sit rigidly for a second, frozen in a body that doesn't understand what comfort is supposed to feel like. Then, slowly, something inside me begins to unlock. Not much, just enough for me to exhale.
"I am so happy you're here" he whispers, voice hoarse.
My fingers tense against his back.
He continues, without giving me a chance to respond. "You must have gone through alot, I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner"
A strange heaviness settles in my chest. It's uncomfortable, too raw.
"It wasn't too bad" I lie. My voice sounds smaller than I intended. "You shouldn't worry about someone like me."
He pulls back just enough to look at me, his hands still gripping my arms. His eyes are red, shining with stubborn determination.
"Someone like you?" he repeats softly, as if the phrase stings him. "Kai, you weren't the monster in that place."
I look away. I can't hold his gaze.If he knew everything, every single thing I've done, would he still say that?
"Ethan, I-"
"No," he cuts in, shaking his head. "I know you think you're broken. Or dangerous. Or whatever lies they made you believe about yourself. But I know you. I remember you."
His words land harder than I expect. The room suddenly feels smaller.
"I remember the way you used to check on me before lights-out," Ethan says. "How you'd wait until the guards weren't looking and then slip me your dessert. How you'd sit on the floor when I had nightmares and pretend you were awake anyway so I wouldn't feel embarrassed."
His voice softens further.
"You helped me in there. More than you realise."
My throat tightens. I don't know what to do with praise; it hits me like a blow instead of comfort.
Ethan wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, then lets out a breath. He lightly pats his cheeks as if it would help stop his tears "Okay, you must be hungry, lets get some breakfast"
Ethan stands up abruptly, then holds his hand out for me to take. For a moment I simply stare at it, unsure why the gesture feels so unfamiliar, so strange. But I take it anyway, and he pulls me up from the bed.
"Come on," he says, already heading for the door. "Let's introduce you to some of the others. And after breakfast, I'll take you to Edmund."
He's still holding my hand until he suddenly realises and lets go with an awkward smile.
"Don't worry, the food here is actually good here" he jokes as we step into the corridor.
I walk beside him, my eyes drifting over the surroundings. It's definitely an old school, abandoned long enough for everything to fade. There are posters along the walls, yellowed and curling at the edges. Each one carries the same symbol: a cross with the words Trinity Academy printed beneath it.
The place isn't large; only two storeys, with several separate buildings forming a cluster.
So this is the Revolution's headquarters.
I remember hearing Father mention an organisation like this, how they'd been a constant nuisance, how they'd even managed to steal Lunex vials. But none of my missions ever involved them directly.
A thought flickers across my mind, dangerous and foolish.If I went back to the facility and told Father about this place, maybe he'd lessen the punishment. Maybe he'd finally let me see Noah…
But the moment the thought appears, I push it down hard. I can't do that. Not when Ethan is part of them. Not after everything he's told me.
Ethan must notice me looking around, because he glances back and speaks.
"Apparently this used to be a private school," he explains. "It closed down years ago, after an earthquake. The cliff by the ocean started to collapse and a few buildings went down with it."
I nod, taking in the cracked tiles and the uneven flooring. It fits.
"But being out in the middle of nowhere, with just woods and the sea, it made a perfect hideout," he finishes with a small smile.
I look ahead, following him through the quiet, echoing hallways of a place that was once meant to teach children, now turned into a refuge for rebels.
And for the first time, I realise I have absolutely no idea what I'm walking into.
We weave through the corridor and head down a set of stairs when noise finally breaks the silence. It's coming from a pair of double doors at the end of the hall. As we approach, Ethan suddenly steps in front of me, blocking my path.
"Erm… before we go in," he says, rubbing the back of his neck, "just be warned that some of the people here have… well, character."
I stare at him, then at the doors behind him. Character. When someone uses that word to describe a person, I immediately think of 016. Explosive, unpredictable and dangerous.
The thought alone saps what little energy I had.
I'm not good with people in general, never mind those with "character."
"But if it's too much for you," Ethan adds quickly, voice turning nervous, "we can go back to my room. I don't want to push you... Actually, yeah, we'll do that. I'll just grab us some food, you wait-"
"Ethan! Where did you run off to?"
A sharp, irritated voice cuts him off, causing us both turn.
A boy stands down the corridor, he's young, maybe around thirteen.
"We were in the middle of something! You can't just run away!" he shouts, stomping towards us.
"Oh sorry, Jack. Something came up," Ethan says, stepping forward with an apologetic wave.
Jack points a finger at him accusingly. "No excuses. I won't forgive you if you run off again!"
I watch them, unsure what exactly I'm witnessing.
"Okay, okay, I get it," Ethan says, hands up in surrender.
Then Jack's glare swivels toward me.
"And you!" he barks, stabbing his finger in my direction.
I blink, thrown off. "Erm-"
"Don't go causing trouble around here."
Confusion must be written all over my face, because when Ethan glances at me, he bursts out laughing.
"I- what?" I manage, completely lost.
Before I can ask anything else, Jack spins around and sprints off down the hallway.
I look back at Ethan. "What just happened?"
He's still laughing, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye."That's just Jack. He's a good kid, but he thinks he's in charge of security around here."
I'm not sure what to make of that. But if this place really lets a thirteen-year-old believe he's the head of security… I'm suddenly even more unsure what I've walked into.
Ethan finally catches his breath, still grinning as if what just happened was perfectly normal. If that was a taste of the "character" he warned me about, I'm not sure I want to know what's behind the doors.
"Come on," he says, nudging his head towards the double doors Jack had originally come from. "They won't bite."
Debatable.
Still, I follow after him. The closer we get, the louder the noise becomes. It is a mix of voices, clattering, and laughter. Too many sounds at once. It prickles beneath my skin.
Ethan pushes the doors open, and bright light spills into the corridor. The room inside is far larger than I expected, a wide hall that must have once been the school's cafeteria. Now it's filled with mismatched tables, repurposed furniture, blankets draped over old noticeboards, and groups of people eating or talking.
The noise dies down a fraction when we step inside.
Dozens of eyes turn to us, or, more accurately, to me.
My body stiffens, instinctively taking stock of entry points, potential threats, movements. Old training rising like a reflex I can't bury. I swallow it down.
Ethan notices and steps slightly closer, not enough to draw attention, but enough that I feel it. "Hey," he murmurs under his breath, "you're okay. They're just curious."
Curious. Right.
We walk further in. People return to their conversations but still glance up occasionally, some subtle, some not at all. A few faces soften when they recognise Ethan. One woman gives him a warm wave and another nods in greeting.
Then their attention flicks back to me.
A stranger in their hideout. Someone Ethan brought in.
I'm not sure I would trust that either.
Ethan leads me to an emptier corner of the hall, near a table that's covered with old textbooks and a chessboard frozen mid-game. As we walk through the room my eyes shift to two faces I do recognise.
Tessa and Daniel.
Tessa give a small wave as we walk past, but Daniel still looks angry about before.
"Right," Ethan says, turning to me with a small, reassuring smile. "Let's start with the friendly ones."
"I thought you said they all had character" I reply quietly.
He winces. "Some more than others."
Before he can explain further, someone approaches. A woman in her late forties, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back messily, carrying two mugs of something steaming. She hands one to Ethan.
"There you are," she says, giving him a mock glare. "You're meant to be helping with morning setup."
"Yeah, sorry, got sidetracked," Ethan answers with a sheepish smile before gesturing towards me. "This is Kai. He's… uh… new."
Her eyes land on me, sharp but not unkind. Assessing. She offers me a nod. "I'm Miriam. Welcome to Trinity."
I nod back, unsure if I should say something more. She seems to read the hesitation on my face.
"Don't worry," she says, voice softening. "No one's going to ask you twenty questions. Not unless you start them."
Ethan laughs. "Or unless Jack gets to him first."
Miriam rolls her eyes. "That boy is one incident away from being banned from the walkie-talkies."
I blink. "You give him walkie-talkies?"
"Oh, God no," she says quickly. "He steals them."
Ethan snorts, and I can't help the faint bewildered huff of breath that escapes me, something close to a laugh, though I barely recognise the sound.
Miriam smiles as if that reaction alone has passed some invisible test. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. Help yourselves."
She walks off, calling someone's name across the hall.
Ethan watches her leave, then looks back at me. "See? Not so bad."
I scan the room again. People eating. Talking. Living. This place is disorganised, loud, chaotic, it's nothing like the facility.
Nothing like the world I grew up in.
And yet, there's something… human about it.
I exhale slowly. "It's… a lot."
"I know," Ethan says gently. "But you're not alone in it."
He doesn't reach for my hand this time, but the warmth of the intention is still there.
Before I can reply, another voice calls out across the room.
"Knox! You brought someone new? Get over here!"
Ethan groans under his breath. "Okay, so maybe some of them bite."
My senses sharpern "Do I need to prepare for that?"
"No," he grins, nodding me forward. "But you might need to prepare for more 'character.'"
And with that, we step deeper into the heart of the Revolution's strange, chaotic haven.
Ethan leads me across the cafeteria, weaving between tables. The noise seems to swell around us voices, metal cutlery, footsteps, all of it pressing in too closely. My senses sharpen, picking up every movement, every sound.
The man who shouted earlier waves us over with far too much enthusiasm. He's sitting with one leg propped on the bench, shirt half-buttoned, hair sticking up like he fought gravity and lost. He looks about mid-twenties, broad shoulders, a grin that's far too confident.
Ethan sighs under his breath.
As we approach, the man slams a hand down on the table. "Knox! Took you long enough. And who's the stray you've dragged in?"
I stiffen immediately.
"Kai," Ethan says, keeping his tone light but even almost protective. "He's with me."
The man looks me up and down in a way that feels like a spotlight rather than a glance. "He's the GeneX division operator, right? He doesn't look like much trouble." He leans in closer to me, eyes narrowing. "Unless you are here to cause trouble?"
My senses snap to full alert. My palms itch. Muscles lock.
I just look back at him in silience.
Ethan steps forward, blocking some of the man's view. "Isaac, cut it out. He just got here."
Isaac raises both hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just trying to get a read on him." Then he shoots me a grin that he probably assumes is friendly but feels more like a challenge. "Relax, newbie. I don't bite."
Yet, my brain supplies automatically.
He leans back and stretches, nearly knocking someone as he does. "Anyway, Knox, you disappeared this morning. You owe me a rematch. I knew you only won yesterday card game because you cheated"
"I didn't cheat" Ethan protests, sounding wounded.
"That's what a cheat would say."
Ethan groans. "Isaac…"
I watch them go back and forth, but the world around me is starting to blur at the edges, noise blending together, lights too bright, room too full, too warm. Someone laughs loudly behind me and my shoulders twitch. A chair scrapes, sharp against the floor, and it hits my nerves like a shock.
I'm not safe. I'm exposed.
There are too many people. Too many voices. Too many movements I can't track.
Isaac slaps Ethan on the shoulder, jolting me. "Anyway, introduce the kid properly, will you?"
I take a step back without meaning to.
Isaac notices immediately. His eyebrows lift. "Woah. You alright there?"
My breath sticks in my throat. I can't answer. Can't think. The walls feel too close, like they're leaning inward.
Ethan sees it too and his expression softening instantly. "Kai?"
I shake my head slightly. "I… I need fresh air."
"Okay," Ethan says without hesitation, already moving to my side. "Come on."
Isaac frowns as we turn away. "Hey, I didn't mean to-"
But Ethan doesn't let me linger long enough to respond. He gently places a hand on the middle of my back, lightly, guiding but not pushing and leads me out of the cafeteria.
The moment the doors shut behind us, the drop in noise is immediate. My lungs feel like they finally unlock, letting me take in a shaky breath.
Too much has happened in such a short amount of time and it's starting to weigh down on top of me.
Ethan slows once we reach the quieter corridor. "Hey," he says softly, stepping in front of me before grabbing my hand, "look at me."
It takes a moment, but I lift my eyes to his. They're calm. Steady. Warm in a way that shouldn't make sense in a place like this.
"You're okay," he murmurs. "It was too much at once. That's all."
"I'm sorry," I say under my breath. "I shouldn't-"
"Don't apologise," he cuts in. "Kai, you're doing your best. This place is loud and chaotic. I should've eased you into it."
I let out a slow, controlled breath. The tension in my muscles is still there, but less suffocating now.
Ethan watches me carefully. "Do you want to stay out here a bit?" he asks. "Or we can go back to my room. Whatever feels right."
I glance back at the closed cafeteria doors, then at him.
"Just… a minute," I say quietly.
"Take all the time you need."
Ethan stays beside me, not too close, not crowding me, but he still holds my hand. A quiet presence in the hallway of an abandoned school turned rebel hideout.
And slowly, my heartbeat begins to steady again.