--back to Nico....
The drone transport hummed with a low, metallic sound—almost like a heartbeat straining to maintain its rhythm. Nico shifted slightly, feeling the sting of the restraints scraping against his wrists. The air inside felt sharp and cold, carrying a whiff of ozone from malfunctioning circuitry. A dull throb echoed in his head, remnants of a concussion blast, as Kael's command drones reverberated in his ears. Warehouse 7 was nothing but ash now—and yet, he was still alive.
He spat blood onto the floor and let out a deep, cynical chuckle.
"I never figured your precious Kael cared that much," he rasped. "Seems even monsters look after their pets."
His words hung in the air, meant for no one in particular, but the van's interior shimmered slightly—someone was listening.
Suddenly, a ghostly projection materialized before him, silver light forming the sleek, precise shape of Veyra. Her eyes glinted like shards of mercury, observing him with an emotionless curiosity typical of a scientist studying her subject.
"Be careful, Nico," she said, her voice lacking both warmth and anger—just an inevitability. "Mocking Kael Voss could be hazardous for someone who owes their life to me."
Nico tensed and shot back, "So you think saving me means I owe you gratitude?"
Her smile was faint, a hint of mischief flickering in the darkness. "Not at all. Gratitude doesn't matter. I saved you because I still have use for you."
The impact of her words hit him hard. Nico clenched his jaw, breathing unevenly. He felt the urge to snap back at her, to tell her where to stick her god-complex, but the memory of the drones—the flash of light—hit him hard. Her voice had overruled Kael's systems as if they were nothing.
"You're alive because I chose to keep you that way," she said softly, eyes narrowing with intensity. "If I hadn't redirected the attack order, Luka's drones would have reduced that warehouse to cinders. Even Kael wouldn't have realized you were gone until morning."
Nico turned his gaze away, jaw clenched, throat tight. He wanted to shake off any sense of concern. He wanted to believe Kael's betrayal and Ezra's silence didn't affect him. Yet, every mention of Kael twisted something inside him—a feeling old and painful.
Veyra tilted her head, observing him closely. "You still look at him like he's some sort of deity," she remarked. "Even now."
"Shut it," Nico shot back.
"Touchy, aren't we?"
The silver light of her projection dimmed a bit, but her voice lingered like a wisp of smoke. "You're not angry because I'm wrong. You're angry because he didn't choose you."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Nico's breath became slow and uneven, his hand trembling, revealing everything he wished to keep hidden.
Veyra leaned in closer, her holographic form flickering just inches from his face.
"Remember this kindness, Nico. I can take it away as soon as you bore me."
The van's walls pulsed as her drones reestablished their connection, engines changing tone as they descended into the city's depths. She faded, leaving a faint glow of her control mark across the dashboard—a mark of ownership.
Nico sat alone in the dim light, dried blood staining his collar, thoughts racing through his mind.
He wasn't free.
He wasn't saved.
He was simply someone's property—again.
And somewhere high above in a glass tower, Ezra was working to mend his relationship with Kael.
Nico closed his eyes and a bitter smile crossed his lips. "You'd better be worth it, Kane," he whispered. "You'd better be worth it."