Kyle's eyes fluttered open, the dim light from a high window casting long, cold shadows across the room. His head throbbed, a dull ache radiating through his skull and his body felt heavy. Panic struck first when he noticed the cuffs biting into his wrists, securing him to the narrow bed.
"Where… am I?" he croaked, voice raw, croaking in the silence of the sterile room. He looked around. The walls were stark, white and unadorned. A doctor, was busy scribbling notes on a clipboard, glanced at him, then muttered something under her breath and exited, leaving the room empty.
Kyle swallowed, trying to move but the cuffs held him firm. The fear in his chest was sharp and immediate, and before he could think through it a calm voice came in.
"Hey. You okay?"
Kyle turned his head toward the voice. Nia stood there, her posture relaxed but attentive.
"Where am I?" Kyle asked, struggling slightly against the cuffs. "Why am I… cuffed?"
Kyle's mind raced back to that alley. "That man… I didn't kill him. There was a monster there… it had six legs and it tore him apart."
Nia just stood there and stared at him.
"You… you don't believe me, do you?" His voice cracked, desperation slipping through.
"Yeah, I wouldn't believe myself either." Kyle said, a drooping weight to his shoulders, face falling. He slumped slightly against the bed.
"You… don't remember anything else after that?" Nia asked softly.
Kyle shook his head slowly. "No… uh... wait. I remember getting slammed by that thing. I thought I was dead. How… how am I not dead?"
Nia's eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't really know much about what happened before we got there. But the time we arrived, your body… it had no wounds. And the six-legged demon was dead. We think it's because of the demon that possessed you."
Kyle blinked, disbelief flooding his features. "Demon? Wait... I was possessed by a demon?"
Before Nia could answer, the door swung open and in walked the Captain. Nia immediately straightened, giving a sharp nod of greeting, then quietly left the room.
The Captain approached, taking in Kyle's battered appearance. With a swift motion, he removed the cuffs from Kyle's wrists. "What is you name?" he asked, his tone calm, almost curious.
"Kyle… Kyle Merrick" he replied, rubbing his wrists where the cuffs had left red marks.
The first question that leapt to his mind was unavoidable. "They… said I was possessed by a demon? Aren't you… aren't you afraid I might try to..."
Dylan waved a hand dismissively, a playful smirk tugging at his lips despite the situation. "You wouldn't stand a chance. Not even with six of those six-legged monsters backing you up. Now tell me… what's your deal?"
"My deal?" Kyle echoed, confusion darkening his tone.
"You know… this whole… thing. You made a soul-exchange contract with a demon. So why isn't it controlling your body right now? What is this?" The Dylan's voice carried a faint edge of exasperation.
Kyle froze. "Contract… with a demon? I've never… met any demons until yesterday. I… I didn't even know these things existed."
Dylan threw up his hands briefly, then exhaled and shook his head. "Ugh… man. This is annoyingly confusing." He looked up at the ceiling, muttering to himself, then back down at Kyle. "Alright… here's the deal. You're going to stay with us. As we're still figuring out… whatever the hell is going on with you."
Kyle's brows furrowed. "Stay… where?"
Dylan's grin returned, a bit of his usual mischievous energy creeping back. "The Paranormal Oversight Agency's West Division HQ." He gestured toward the door. "Come with me, I know you have a lot of questions. And yeah... you're not going to get all the answers, not today. But I can tell you this… this agency has gone by many names depending on the generations. It's been here for thousands of years, devoted to protecting humanity from beings that come with the night."
Kyle's eyes widened slightly. "…So demons… they've been here all along? And some of us… just don't know about them?"
"Exactly." Dylan said, walking with casual confidence down the corridor, Kyle following. "Some of us get involved, so that others can have peaceful nights. Because… well, night always comes. And it doesn't come alone."
Kyle hesitated, his mind turning over the horrors he'd seen, the helplessness he'd felt. "…Can I… join? I want to fight too. I want to help… make the world safe… for my friend."
His voice softened as a thought flickered in the back of his mind. "That's right, when I'm gone she'll notice. And... that's enough."
Dylan turned his head slightly, one eyebrow raised, then his grin broadened. "You're serious, huh?"
"I'm dead serious." Kyle said firmly, a weight to his words that surprised even him.
Dylan chuckled, clapping a hand on Kyle's shoulder. "That settles it then. Welcome to the P.O.A's West Division, Kyle."
"Thank you, sir."
Kyle's pulse quickened, as they walked deeper into the division headquarters, he caught glimpses of the bustling activity... agents moving with precision, monitors showing reports of unexplained incidents, containment units for various supernatural threats.
Dylan leaned slightly toward him, voice low but earnest. "Listen… don't expect this life to be easy. You're going to see things that'll make your skin crawl, things that'll test your soul. But… if you've got the guts, you'll survive. Maybe even… make a difference."
Kyle swallowed, nodding. "I'll make a difference. I have to... for her."
He followed the Captain down the corridor, shadows stretching along the walls as the city's lights outside dimmed with the approaching night.