A tense silence filled the room after Nadya and Takeshi left. Kai sat on the edge of the bed, his breath still uneven, his fingers twitching as he tried to suppress the lingering bloodlust that had overtaken him. The nightmare felt too real - the suffocating pool of blood, the phantoms dragging him down, Nyx's haunting laughter echoing in the abyss of his mind.
His heartbeat hammered against his ribs, but with each passing second, he forced himself to breathe, to steady his thoughts.
"Your name's Kai, right?" Isaac's voice cut through the quiet.
Kai merely nodded in response. He barely acknowledged him. His mind was already overloaded - waking up in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers, with no memory of who he was. And now, this ability - this overwhelming, exhilarating thing coursing through his veins.
He didn't feel like talking.
Seeing that, Isaac sighed and leaned back against the chair, flicking on the TV mounted in the corner. The screen lit up with a news report.
"A series of explosions and a mountain collapse in a remote Siberian mountain range has been officially attributed to Cold War-era explosives detonating due to environmental factors. Authorities confirm that the incident had no connection to mutant activity."
Isaac scoffed. "Of course, the Association covers their tracks." His jaw tensed, frustration clear on his face. "Maybe it was used in the Cold War, but that was one of Nyx's damn facilities. Who knows how long it'll take to find the next one now?"
Kai lazily glanced at him. Isaac sounded pissed, but Kai couldn't bring himself to care. As for Nyx, his name alone stirred something inside him - something dark, something that was best kept suppressed deep within himself.
But he still planned on keeping the promise he made to himself.
'I'm definitely gonna kill that fucker...'
The news anchor continued. "Mutant-related incidents have gone down by seventy percent in the last three years, thanks to the Association. If you are a mutant and have not yet registered, we urge you to do so for your own safety and the safety of those around you."
Kai barely paid attention until the next segment.
"On that topic, the Mutant Hero of the Association, Hyperion, has been sighted once again, subduing a criminal group of rogue mutants said to be associated with the Mutant Outlaws in London. Here is some of the footage."
Isaac immediately switched off the TV, visibly irritated. "Those bastards," he muttered under his breath.
Kai stretched his arms, unbothered. His body ached from disuse, and all he really wanted was a shower. He couldn't even remember the last time he had one - it wasn't like the cell he'd been locked in had an en-suite bathroom.
As such, he asked if there was anywhere he could get cleaned up, and was surprised by how accommodating Isaac was.
"Sure thing," Isaac said, shrugging. "I'll lead you to my room. You can get cleaned up there and grab some clothes if you need."
Kai gave a small nod and followed behind the one-armed man.
'Wait… one-armed?' His gaze flickered to Isaac's shoulder. 'I'm pretty sure he had two arms before…' He didn't dwell on it and was sure it would come up in conversation at some point.
Isaac led him down the dimly lit corridor to a door with his name on it. Inside, the room was remarkably neat - everything perfectly aligned, not a single thing out of place. It felt almost unnatural.
"The bathroom's there and the wardrobe's over here," Isaac gestured. "Take your time and whatever clothes you like."
"And there should be another room you can use. I'll talk to Nadya about it when things calm down, haha."
Kai nodded. "Thanks."
Isaac left without another word, and Kai stepped into the bathroom. The second he locked the door, he stripped off the bloodstained, tattered guard uniform, along with the rags underneath. Without hesitation, he tossed them into the trash.
Only then did it hit him - how much he needed this. He had never thought he'd appreciate a simple bathroom so much in his life.
His gaze shifted to the mirror. What stared back was… unfamiliar.
His first thought was his eyes - unnaturally red, glowing faintly under the light. They had an eerie, almost predatory look, something that set his instincts on edge. But it didn't bother him, aside from the fact that it was a unique feature.
'It'll make me easy to recognise,' he mused.
Then there was his body. Scrawny but lean, his frame built for speed and agility, with the potential to pack on some muscle. His body was suited for combat - that much was clear.
But what caught his attention more were the scars.
Dozens of them, scattered across his skin. Cuts, burns, old bullet wounds. Some were small, almost faded. Others deep, jagged. But the one that sent a spike of adrenaline through him was the massive claw marks raking across his chest.
His breath hitched as his fingers traced the scar. Something about it - something buried in his mind - made his heart race.
"What kind of life did I live?"
His fists clenched. No memories, no past, just a body that told a violent story he couldn't remember. It was frustrating, but he had already come to terms with it.
"Tch. Whatever. No point overthinking it."
His stomach growled.
He hadn't had a proper meal in who even knew how long? The slop in that holding cell was barely food.
Shaking off the unease, he quickly showered, letting the scalding water wash away the grime and blood. By the time he stepped out, his muscles had loosened, and he felt much more relaxed.
Then, digging through Isaac's wardrobe, he picked out the plainest, most comfortable clothes he could find. It felt a little cold, so he picked out a black tracksuit as well as a pair of black trainers. Simple and functional.
He appreciated the shoes even more than the shower and attempted to keep the room as clean as he had found it before leaving.
Opening the door to step out, Kai was startled to find Nadya standing right outside.
"Took you long enough," she smirked, arms crossed. "At least now you look human. Not like when you woke up."
Kai said nothing, but his body tensed. His instincts sharpened, preparing for a sudden attack if necessary.
She laughed. "Relax. I came to get you for food. Amina said you'd be starving." She gave him a pointed look. "Even after you scared the shit out of her, she still thought of you as a patient."
Kai paused, then gave a small nod. He wouldn't turn down food.
Without another word, he followed her to a small dining room.