The alarm had faded to a low hum through the halls of the D.V. Headquarters, leaving behind a tense, uneasy quiet. Officers moved quickly, their voices low, heads bowed over data tablets and mission briefs.
Ayla walked slowly down the corridor, the hem of her hospital coat brushing against her legs. Her face was pale, faint bruises still visible beneath her eyes. A nurse followed a few steps behind, struggling to match her pace, but Ayla didn't stop.
She had come to see him herself.
As she turned the corner, two Hunters appeared, escorting Blake.
He looked the same, and yet completely different. His clothes were clean, his expression calm, his hands resting loosely at his sides. He didn't lift his gaze until they were almost shoulder to shoulder.
For a heartbeat, the world seemed to narrow to the space between them.
Ayla froze. She wanted to speak, to ask, to thank, to understand. But the words caught in her throat.
Blake's eyes flicked toward her, just long enough to notice the sling on her arm and the exhaustion behind her eyes. Then he looked forward again, walking past without a word.
The echo of his footsteps lingered long after he was gone.
The nurse reached out and placed a gentle hand on Ayla's shoulder.
"You shouldn't be up yet," she said softly.
Ayla nodded faintly but didn't move. Her hand trembled as she stared down the corridor where Blake had disappeared.
Then
a new alarm erupted. The Kisasa emergency was escalating.
Ayla turned toward the sound, unease tightening her expression.