CHAPTER 4: THE ONES WHO SEE
The street was still shaking.
Not from the creature anymore—
But from fear.
People whispered. Some cried. Some recorded everything on their phones. Sirens echoed in the distance, growing louder by the second.
Alex stood in the middle of it all.
Silent.
Still.
The dust from the creature had already begun to fade, like it had never existed.
But Alex knew better.
"…Scout," he muttered.
The word didn't sit right.
It made everything feel bigger.
More dangerous.
Behind him, the man in black—Robert—watched calmly.
"You're thinking too loudly," Robert said.
Alex turned sharply.
"Stop doing that," he snapped.
"Doing what?"
"Talking like you already know what's in my head."
Robert gave a faint smile.
"I don't need to read your mind, Alex. Your face says everything."
Alex looked away.
"…Then what now?"
Sirens grew closer.
Police cars turned into the street. Officers jumped out, shouting, trying to control the chaos.
"Everyone move back!"
"Stay calm!"
"Did anyone see what happened?!"
Alex's chest tightened.
"They're going to ask questions…"
"They won't get answers," Robert said.
Alex frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Robert didn't reply immediately.
Instead, he raised his hand slightly—
And snapped his fingers.
---
A strange ripple moved through the air.
Soft.
Invisible.
But Alex felt it.
Like a wave passing through his body.
The people around them suddenly… changed.
Not physically.
But their expressions.
Confusion replaced panic.
"What… happened?"
"Was there an explosion?"
"I didn't see anything…"
Alex's eyes widened.
"…What did you just do?"
Robert lowered his hand.
"Adjusted their memory," he said simply.
Alex stared at him.
"You can just… do that?"
"Not perfectly," Robert replied. "But enough to keep things under control."
Alex looked around again.
Even the police seemed confused now, trying to piece together something that didn't make sense.
"…That's insane."
Robert shrugged slightly.
"You'll get used to it."
"I don't want to get used to it!" Alex snapped.
Robert's expression didn't change.
"You don't get to choose comfort anymore."
Silence.
Alex clenched his jaw.
"…Then what do I get to choose?"
Robert looked at him.
For a moment… something serious passed through his eyes.
"You choose who you become."
---
The sirens faded into background noise as Robert turned and began walking away.
"Wait," Alex said quickly. "Where are you going?"
Robert didn't stop.
"To prepare," he said.
"For what?"
Robert glanced over his shoulder.
"For the next one."
Alex's stomach dropped.
"…There's another already?"
Robert smirked faintly.
"There's always another."
He continued walking.
Alex hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
He followed.
---
They walked in silence for a while.
Away from the crowd.
Away from the chaos.
The city slowly returned to its normal rhythm… but Alex knew that was a lie.
Nothing was normal anymore.
"Hey," Alex said finally. "You said I'm not getting powers."
"Correct."
"Then what was that back there?" Alex asked. "Everything slowed down. I could see things clearly."
Robert kept walking.
"That," he said, "is your mind adapting."
"Adapting?"
"You're beginning to process information faster," Robert explained. "Your perception is sharpening. Your instincts are aligning with your decisions."
Alex blinked.
"…So I'm not stronger."
"No."
"Not faster."
"No."
"Then how am I dodging something like that?!"
Robert stopped walking.
Then turned to face him.
"Because," he said,
"You're finally paying attention."
Silence.
Alex frowned.
"…That's it?"
"That's everything," Robert replied.
---
Before Alex could argue—
A voice cut through the air.
"Yo."
Both of them turned.
A boy leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed, watching them.
About Alex's age.
Messy hair.
Confident posture.
And a smirk that said he wasn't scared of anything.
"You two done talking about secret stuff?" he said casually.
Alex froze.
"…What?"
Robert's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You can see me?" Robert asked.
The boy raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah?" he said. "Should I not be able to?"
Alex looked between them.
"…Wait. People can't see you?"
"Most can't," Robert replied.
The boy pushed himself off the wall and walked closer.
"Well, I can," he said. "And I saw that thing back there too."
Alex's heart skipped.
"You saw it?"
"Yeah," the boy said. "And you fought it."
He looked Alex up and down.
"…Didn't expect that from someone like you."
Alex frowned.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
The boy grinned.
"Relax, I'm not insulting you. I'm impressed."
He extended his hand.
"Chris."
Alex hesitated for a second…
Then shook it.
"…Alex."
Chris nodded.
"Cool."
Then he looked at Robert.
"And you?"
Robert didn't respond.
Chris smirked.
"Silent type, huh? I like it."
Alex looked confused.
"Wait—why can you see him? And the creature?"
Chris shrugged.
"No idea," he said. "Guess I'm just special."
Robert studied him carefully.
"…Not special," he said quietly.
Chris tilted his head.
"Oh?"
Robert stepped closer.
"Compatible."
Silence.
Alex blinked.
"…Compatible with what?"
Robert's gaze shifted between the two of them.
"With what's coming."
Chris's smirk faded slightly.
"…Now that sounds interesting."
Alex felt it again.
That same pressure from before.
But this time—
It wasn't fear.
It was something else.
Something bigger.
Like pieces were starting to connect.
"…So I'm not alone," Alex said quietly.
Robert looked at him.
"No," he said.
"You're not."
Chris cracked his knuckles.
"Good," he said. "Because whatever that thing was…"
His grin returned.
"I wanna fight it again."
Alex stared at him.
"…You're insane."
Chris laughed.
"Maybe."
Then he looked at Alex.
"But you didn't run either."
Silence.
Alex didn't reply.
Because for the first time—
He didn't know what to say.
---
Far above them—
The crack in the sky widened slightly.
And from within it—
Something moved.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
To be continued…