The pen on Cyrus's desk still lay sideways—after lifting, trembling, and falling.
Ethan and Kaito had both seen the last part.
The drop.
Kaito stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide.
Ethan's mouth hung open, like he was trying to form a question but his brain had crashed halfway through.
"Bro," Ethan whispered, pointing at the pen. "Tell me that didn't just float."
Cyrus swallowed. "…It was barely an inch."
"That's an inch more than a normal pen moves on its own!" Ethan hissed.
Kaito stepped inside slowly, staring at Cyrus like he was seeing him for the first time.
"You didn't touch it. You didn't bump the desk. You didn't—Cyrus, that was real, right?"
Cyrus nodded once.
Kaito exhaled—long and shaky.
"Holy hell… you're a meta."
Ethan backed up, not out of fear—just overwhelmed.
"That wave thing gave you powers. Dude. DUDE. Telekinesis? That's like—X-Men level! Or like—like—"
"It's weak," Cyrus cut in. "Tiny things. Feels more like… pulling than lifting. I don't even understand it."
Kaito ran a hand through his hair.
"Well, congratulations. In one night you went from 'bored genius' to 'please don't flick me into a wall'."
Ethan stared at Cyrus, dead serious for the first time in hours.
"…Are you gonna be okay? Does it hurt? Are you—are you turning into something dangerous?"
Cyrus didn't know how to answer that.
Because for the first time in his life, he wasn't bored.
He was scared.
Curious.
Awake.
And before he could explain—
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
All three jumped.
Kaito cursed under his breath. "Oh you've gotta be kidding me—"
Ethan leaned toward the peephole. "Black armor. Guns. Scanners. Division… something."
Cyrus felt the blood drain from his face.
The scanner.
If it picked up his telekinesis—even that tiny flicker—
Another knock.
Sharper.
"Kaito," Cyrus whispered, "don't look scared."
"Bit late for that," Kaito whispered back.
Ethan swallowed hard. "What do we do? Hide the pen? Hide Cyrus? Hide me?"
"No hiding," Cyrus said, voice low, steady, sharper than before.
"Just answer the door. Act normal. Act boring."
Kaito nodded. Ethan didn't.
Cyrus opened the door.
—
Two Division 73 agents filled the doorway, silent and faceless.
One lifted his wrist scanner; a faint blue ring projected into the room, sweeping over the three boys.
Cyrus kept his breathing slow.
Ethan's panic spiked instantly.
Kaito held his arms stiff at his sides.
The scanner buzzed.
Changed tone.
Buzzed again.
The agent stepped closer to Cyrus.
Ethan's fingers twitched like he wanted to jump between them.
Kaito's jaw clenched.
"…Low resonance," the agent said. "Minimal threat."
Ethan almost collapsed in relief.
Then the agent scanned him—
The scanner spiked.
Ethan froze. "W-wait—what's happening?! I didn't do anything!"
"Adrenal surge," the agent muttered. "Possible mutation onset."
Ethan's breathing went wild.
Cyrus knew exactly what was happening—BloodSpark.
The scanner wasn't detecting power; it was detecting chemistry.
He stepped forward smoothly, voice level.
"He has panic disorder," Cyrus said.
"The sirens freaked him out. His heart rate shoots up during anxiety attacks. Check his medical file."
Kaito grabbed Ethan's shoulder, helping him breathe.
"C'mon, man. In through the nose. Out through the—"
The agent scanned again.
The spike lowered.
"Panic response," he concluded. "Not meta activity."
The agents stepped back.
"Stay inside. Further sweeps will occur."
The door shut.
Silence swallowed the room.
Ethan slid down the wall, shaking. "Bro… BRO… I almost got kidnapped because my own heart betrayed me."
Kaito turned to Cyrus, still processing.
"Dude. You stayed calm the whole time."
Cyrus didn't look relieved.
He looked… thoughtful.
"Cyrus," Ethan said slowly, "we saw what you did with the pen. And I'm not scared of you, okay? I'm just—worried. About what comes next."
Kaito nodded. "Same. We're with you, but… be honest. Does it feel like it's getting stronger?"
Cyrus didn't answer.
Because the pen on his desk vibrated again—just a tiny tremor, responding to his tension.
He closed his fist.
The vibration stopped.
Finally he spoke:
"From now on, nothing we do is optional. We have to stay smart. We have to stay invisible."
He looked out the window at the agents dragging someone else away.
"And we have to stay ahead of everyone… meta and human."
Kaito stared at him. "Since when did you get all strategic?"
Cyrus's eyes stayed fixed on the street.
"…Since something woke up inside me."