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Chapter 5 - After The Storm

"Dr. Corenny, I have his file," a fair-skinned woman announced as she entered the small office, carrying a stack of papers.

She was dressed in light green scrubs, her movements calm and precise. Approaching the desk, she placed the stack neatly on the table before her with practiced ease.

Seated at the desk, Dr. Corenny glanced up briefly from his computer screen before returning his focus to the image displayed.

"What did you find?" he asked, his attention still absorbed by his work.

The woman settled into the chair opposite him, her voice calm and soothing. "He's seventeen years old. His parents and older sister died in the Black Brand incident two years ago. Just over a month ago, his younger brother -only nine years old- was killed in the aftermath of the recent explosions. The kid's been through a lot, if you ask me."

"Nelix," the doctor growled, his gaze sharp and unyielding as it bore into the woman across from him.

"Fine," she relented with a sigh. "Unfortunately, I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out where he might have encountered the Kyrennei. It could have been anywhere, from his workplace to his brother's school, as those are the only places he frequents."

She paused, glancing down at her hands before continuing. "The only other explanation is the recent gang war he got caught in. The kid just can't catch a break." She sighed again, pointedly ignoring the weight of his stare.

"Then chances are this is the only one, or rather, the first of its kind," Doctor Corenny said, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he closed his laptop. Rising from his chair, he walked to the window at the side of his office, his gaze fixed on the view outside.

"I'll be responsible for discovering a new gene code," he murmured, the words carrying a hint of pride.

As he stared out of the window, his smile quickly twisted into a frown of disgust. "I can finally leave this wretched district," he muttered, his tone laced with contempt.

"Uncle." Nelix stood after him, stepping up to stand behind him. The light streaming through the window illuminated her youthful face, a testament to her striking beauty.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her calm voice carrying a faint undertone of concern.

"For now, nothing," he replied, a smirk tugging at his lips. "However, I want you to keep an eye on him. We need more data."

"Yes, Uncle." Nelix nodded before turning to leave the office. As she stepped out, she concealed the small frown that crossed her face.

__

Maxwell stirred, groaning softly as he regained consciousness. His eyelids fluttered open, and he blinked, his vision gradually coming into focus. "Where am I?" he muttered, his voice dry and hoarse.

He attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his side, forcing him to freeze mid-motion. Wincing, he reached for his bandaged torso, his fingers brushing against the rough fabric wrapped tightly around him.

The room was dimly lit, a single overhead light casting elongated shadows across the walls. The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, making it clear he was in some kind of medical facility. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he scanned his surroundings, trying to piece together the fragmented images swirling in his mind.

Before he could make sense of it all, the door creaked open, and a figure entered the room. Maxwell squinted against the dim light, straining to make out the person's features.

"Good to see you're awake," the figure said, their voice calm and steady. As they stepped closer, Maxwell's eyes adjusted, revealing a fair-skinned woman in light green scrubs.

"Who are you?" Maxwell asked, his voice hoarse and scratchy.

The woman offered a gentle smile. "My name is Nelix. I'm here to help you."

Maxwell's gaze hardened, suspicion flickering in his tired eyes. "Where am I? What happened to me?" he asked, his tone edged with wariness.

Nelix pulled up a chair and sat beside his bed, her expression calm but unreadable. "You're in a secure medical facility," she began, her voice soft but firm. "A hospital. You were caught in an explosion during a recent gang conflict. You were brought here for treatment."

Maxwell's mind raced as fragmented memories of chaos, fire, and screams flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth, his fists clenching as a single name echoed in his thoughts. "Ben," he whispered, a storm of pain and fear rising in his chest.

His gaze shot back to Nelix, sharp and accusing. "Why am I here?" he demanded, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and confusion.

He wasn't an A-class citizen anymore, those privileges had been stripped away long ago. People like him weren't afforded luxuries like genuine medical care. At best, they received perfunctory treatment while being charged exorbitant amounts of credits. Nothing was free in Callova City. Nothing was free anywhere on Earth anymore.

Nelix hesitated, her expression flickering with something unreadable before she spoke. "Your injuries were severe," she began carefully, "but you survived. And during your treatment, we found something... unusual in your genetic makeup."

Maxwell's chest tightened, his pulse quickening. "Unusual? What does that mean? What did you find?"

Nelix glanced around the room, her gaze sweeping over the shadows as though searching for unseen listeners. Then, leaning in closer, she lowered her voice. "You've been branded," she said, her tone measured. "That's not uncommon. What's unusual is the gene code, we don't recognize it. We have no idea what kind of Kyrennei branded you."

Maxwell's mind spun at the revelation, his thoughts grasping for clarity. "Terry," he muttered under his breath.

Nelix tilted her head, a look of confusion crossing her face. "What was that?"

"My brother," Maxwell said, his voice strained with a mix of pain and emotion. "He brought a grasshopper home once... When I dragged myself back, after everything... I think-" He touched the side of his neck, his fingers trembling. "I think it was the grasshopper."

Nelix's frown deepened, though she quickly masked her reaction. "A... grasshopper, you say?" she asked, her tone carefully neutral.

Maxwell made another attempt to sit up, only for the sharp pain to force him back down with a grimace.

Nelix moved swiftly, placing a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. "You need to rest," she said, her voice steady yet soothing. "Your friends will be here soon."

Hearing this, Maxwell calmed down. "My... friends?"

Nelix gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, your friends. They were quite worried about you. They've been waiting for you to wake up."

Maxwell's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and pain, but the mention of his friends brought a small measure of comfort. "Who?" he managed to ask, his voice weak.

Nelix's smile widened slightly. "Your friends who brought you here. They didn't leave your side until they were sure you'd be okay. They're waiting just outside."

Maxwell took a deep breath, wincing at the sharp pain in his side. "I need to see them," he said.

Nelix nodded. "I'll bring them in, but only for a short visit. You need to rest and recover."

She stood up and walked to the door, opening it and motioning for someone to come inside.

A moment later, two figures entered the room. One was a tall, lean boy with dark hair and piercing blue eyes; the other was a petite girl with fiery red hair and freckles scattered across her cheeks. Maxwell's eyes widened in recognition.

"Max!" the girl exclaimed, rushing to his bedside. "You idiot, we were so worried about you!"

The boy followed more slowly, his eyes scanning Maxwell with a mix of relief and concern. "It's good to see you awake," he said, his voice steady. "We thought we lost you back there."

Maxwell managed a weak smile. "Beth... David... I'm so glad to see you both."

Nelix stepped forward, her presence a gentle reminder of the reality they faced. "Maxwell needs to rest now," she said softly. "But you can visit him again soon."

Beth and David nodded, reluctantly letting go of Maxwell's hand. "We'll be back," Beth promised. "Get some rest, okay?"

Maxwell watched as they left the room.

As Nelix gently adjusted his blankets and checked his monitors, Maxwell's thoughts drifted back to the grasshopper his brother had brought home.

"Terry... Ben... why, why did you save me?" he whispered to himself, his mind a swirl of unanswered questions.

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