Ethan Knox- July 2120
We're all huddled around the unconscious bartender like a bunch of kids who've just broken something in a shop and are hoping no one notices. He's stretched out on this makeshift bed in the school's science block.
Daniel stands nearby, all serious, making sure his vines stay wrapped tight around the guy. Honestly, I don't know why he bothers, we all know those things will melt off the second this man even thinks about waking up. But hey, let him have his moment in front of Tessa.
Ray hit the poor guy hard enough that I'm pretty sure he won't be opening his eyes until next Tuesday, but somehow we're still all tense. Maybe it's the dim lighting trying to shine through the windows.
Tessa's perched on a lab bench, legs swinging, happily sucking on a lollipop like this is a children's hospital waiting room and not a serious matter.
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. If she broke into the sweet safe and didn't grab me one too, I swear...
Just as I'm about to ask, she speaks first.
"I think I remember his name now," she says, kicking her legs in that calm 'this is totally fine' way only Tessa can manage.
"I think it's Ben… or maybe Bennet." She puts in what I would describe as the bare minimum of thinking effort.
We all look at the guy on the cot. I squint.
"He doesn't look like a Bennet to me," I say, because this feels important.
Daniel gives me a look like he's already exhausted by my existence."And what exactly is a Bennet supposed to look like, you idiot?"
I tap my chin dramatically. "Uhm… I'm seeing red hair vibes."
"How doesn't someone give off red head vibe?... You know what, I don't care" Daniel sighs and looks away like he's reconsidering all his life choices.
The lab door swings open then, and Edmund, Ray and Thomas step inside.
Thomas looks way better than he did the other night , calmer, more professional.
Edmund comes to stand next to me with his usual calm posture, hands folded neatly behind his back like he's supervising a field trip instead.
Ray and Thomas head straight for the bartender, who I've decided is definitely not a Bennet and Thomas pulls a scanner from his pocket. He moves it over the man's body, and after a few seconds the device gives an unfriendly beep. Thomas frowns and scratches the side of his head.
"What is the matter, Dr Thomas?" Edmund asks.
Thomas turns the scanner around so he and Edmund can see the screen. I catch a glimpse, but it's just a bunch of numbers that may as well be an alien language.
"He's showing positive for 72% burnout level" Thomas says.
"And that means…?" I ask.
Edmund and Thomas exchange one of those looks adults give each other when they're about to explain something sensitive to a child. Then they both look at me.
"It means he shouldn't have been able to walk around like he did" Thomas replies. He hesitates a moment before adding, "To give you some context… when you burned out back at the facility, you hit 76%"
I blink, trying to connect the dots. I could barely move or breathe when that happened, so how did this guy manage to travel miles from a village?
The room goes quiet. I can feel the heaviness of the memory hovering, but it doesn't quite land. It's far away now. Something I lived through, not something that still holds me.
"Well… interesting" I say lightly, shrugging. "So he's strong then?"
"Yes, quite. Strength of mind, body, and genetics all affect burnout rate" Thomas says. "Most people die around the 80% mark." He moves to his laptop and pulls up a series of files.
GeneX confidential documents flash across the screen as he clicks through, eventually opening a file labelled 012.
CONFIDENTIAL
Test Subject: 012
Gender: Male
Power: Future Sight
Status: Deceased
Location: N/A
Cause of Death: Burnout
Under that, more details fill the page.
Name: Ethan Knox
Date of Birth: 23 Aug 2098
And then the photo, the one from when I first arrived. Great.
I hear movement behind me, and when I turn, everyone's staring at the laptop. Of course they are. My life is apparently today's group activity.
"Alright, alright, it's not a museum exhibit," I say, lifting my hands.
Tessa leans against my shoulder to get a better look."Aww, look at those chubby cheeks. You used to be cute," she says, giving my cheek a quick pinch.
I nudge her off with a snort. "If you want a closer look, you're gonna have to start paying."
Thomas scrolls further, and a set of graphs fills the screen. Three wavy lines rise and fall like they're trying to make modern art. He points at each one with a small tap of his finger.
"These are your readings from that day," he says. "This one is your heart rate, this one is your power output, and this one is your burnout level."
I lean in, curiosity outweighing the mild dread of seeing my vital stats displayed like a science project.
"As you can see, all three rise when you use your power. But here-" he gestures at a sharp spike "as your burnout rate gets close to 76%, your heart rate drops dramatically, and your power output cuts off completely at 60%"
Edmund steps in beside me to study the screen, hands still behind his back like he's analysing a painting instead of my near-death experience."So that means the young man on the bed shouldn't have been able to produce that much power while travelling such long distance?"
"Not without training," Thomas replies.
We all look back at the bartender again, suddenly seeing him in a different light.
Ray crosses his arms. "What do you mean, not without training?"
Thomas shifts uncomfortably. "Well…" His gaze flicks to me for a split second before returning to Ray. "Some test subjects undergo… intensive training. Very intensive. They're pushed to their limits, right up to the point of death. Each time, they become capable of pushing themselves further. It conditions their bodies to use their powers longer."
A tight feeling coils in my chest, sharp and unwelcome.
Beside me, Edmund exhales softly and lowers his head, sadness weighing heavily in the movement.
"Oh Joseph," he murmurs. "How far you have fallen."
The room falls quiet again, the kind of quiet that makes your own thoughts feel way too loud. Then Daniel, who's been hovering near the back, finally speaks up.
"So… how did this guy, 1. get his hands on the Lunex Vial, and 2. be strong enough, without training, to walk all the way here?"
Thomas and Edmund both look lost in thought, brows furrowed like they're trying to solve a puzzle that keeps shifting pieces. Neither seems any closer to an answer.
"I don't know" Thomas admits finally, rubbing his chin. "But we'll take blood samples and analyse him. That's the first step."
"I'll stay and help where I can" Edmund adds calmly, like he hasn't already helped with the invention of the Lunex Vial in the first place. If anyone's got a shot at figuring this out, it's him.
Tessa and I get shooed out of the lab so the others can have space to work.
Ray and Daniel stick around, for protection.
As we head back to the main building, Tessa nudges me."I would've asked if you want to grab food, but I guess you're off to see your lover," she teases, grin subtle.
I shoot her a look sharp enough to pierce steel, and she throws her hands up in surrender, still smirking. But… she's not wrong.
I need to check on him. That burn mark was bad. And after what Thomas just said, I can't shake this feeling.
How much did they push Kai his limits?
I need to make sure he's okay. I need to be near him.
So I wave Tessa off and practically sprint to the nurse's office. My heart flutters like it knows something exciting is waiting just behind the door.
I throw the door open… and freeze.
Sophie and Kai are there. Hands clasped tightly. Close enough that my chest feels like someone just dumped a bag of bricks on it.
My stomach twists. My jaw tightens. Why the hell are they holding hands?
I can feel irritation creeping up like a slow burn, and somewhere in the back of my mind, jealousy bubbles, sharp and unwelcome. My hands clench at my sides, and I have to remind myself to breathe.
When Kai notices me, he lets go of Sophie immediately, and she turns around. The tight knot of jealousy in my chest loosens… only just a little.
Her eyes are red, and she quickly pushes her glasses up to rub at them."You're supposed to knock on a doctor's door... you know," she says, still sniffling slightly.
"Are you okay?" I ask, reaching out to rest a hand lightly on her shoulder.
She just nods and turns back to Kai.
"Okay… you're all fixed up now. If anything comes up... let me know," Sophie says, her usual nervous awkwardness creeping back in.
Kai swings his legs off the bed and gives a small nod. "Thank you."
Then his gaze shifts to me. He looks tired… and a little sad. My chest tightens, but I let the irritation fade.
"Come on," I say softly, taking his hand. "Let's go rest for a bit." I guide him gently toward my bedroom.
I'll ask about what happened later… for now, this is enough.