Half an hour later, Nina was in the middle of an office tour. Kima was showing her around the place she was going to call home from now on. The building had the air of an 80s detective office, with wooden paneling, dusty blinds, and flickering fluorescent lights, but all of it was mixed with modern technology—touchscreen panels, biometric scanners, and top-of-the-line surveillance systems.
The Agency owned the entire building. Each floor served a different purpose. There were multiple bedrooms for operatives, a well-equipped gym with reinforced walls, and a special area dedicated to ability training. That had been Felix's idea. He was incredibly proud of it, even though he had barely set foot in it himself.
Nina nodded along as Kima explained the layout, but her mind was elsewhere. Her eyes often drifted to the windows or the walls, as if trying to see through time itself. She understood everything Kima said, but she processed it like background noise.
"It's about him?" Kima asked gently, noticing her distant look.
Nina nodded slowly, her face tightening just slightly.
"Is he the one you saw in your vision?" the woman continued, voice soft but serious.
Nina shook her head."I didn't get to see him. I mean his face. I only saw a kid's back and everyone was chanting his name. They looked at him like he was a god... or something worse."
Kima raised an eyebrow. "How far in the future can you see?"
"Not much. A few hours, maybe. And that's if I'm lucky," Nina said with a sigh. She paused, trying to recall. "Oh! Once, I saw a whole day ahead. But only because I was freaking out about a math test. I saw the answers in my dream. That subject is evil."
Kima chuckled. "Well I don't see him conquering the world tomorrow. Not even the day after. He can't even tie his shoelaces very well."
Nina gave a weak smile.
"How long has he been here?" she asked.
"Two months," Kima answered. "Felix found him passed out in an alley nearby, covered in blood and brought him here. When he woke up he had no idea about anhything. Where he came from, where his parents were, how he ended up there. Nothing. The only thing he remembered was his name."
"Cole Burns," Nina said, as if confirming something to herself.
Kima nodded. "He's a good kid. Sensitive. Kind. Not exactly world domination material."
Nina opened her mouth, but Kima continued. "But we can't ignore your power or your vision. So, your first job as one of us is simple: make sure that future, whatever it was, doesn't happen. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Nina answered with a wide grin, finally allowing herself to feel part of something.
Just then, the door opened and Felix entered, Cole walking in behind him. Felix was waving his phone around like it was a trophy.
"Alright! Me and Cole have decided—it's your turn now," Felix announced.
"Our turn to...?" Kima asked, suspicious.
"It's Nina's first day here. Obviously, we're getting pizza," Felix said, puffing up like a proud older brother.
Kima frowned. "At this hour? Couldn't you just wait until tomorrow like a normal person?"
Felix shrugged. "Yeah, but why would we?"
Kima gave him a look, but before she could protest, Nina interjected softly, "Actually, I haven't eaten anything today. I'd really like some."
Kima turned to her, seeing those big blue eyes full of sincerity. Her resistance melted. "Fine. Let's see the menu."
She and Nina leaned over Felix's phone. Meanwhile, Cole sat quietly in a chair across the room, observing.
There was something surreal about this place. For the first time in what felt like forever, he was surrounded by people who didn't want anything from him. No one was trying to use him. No one looked at him with suspicion or fear.
He saw as the girls argued with Felix over which pizza is actually the best for some time until he couldn't keep it in any more. And left out a laugh.
Now it was their turn to look at him and of course he immediately looked at the ground.
Kima grabed Nina's arm and took her closer to him. They will have to live together now so the faster they befriend the better, she tought. Unfortunately she only made the situation weirder.
"Come on Cole, you've been staring enough. Time for you to say something," Kima said.
"But I said hi…," Cole tried to bail himself out.
Kima rolled her eyes."We both know you can do better. Come on, tell me the first thing that comes in you head right now."
"You hot," Cole's words filled the whole room.
Kima blinked. "The fuck you said, you little shit?" She didn't like the compliment.
Felix dropped his phone and exploded into laughter. The others joined in, the tension breaking like a snapped rubber band. It felt like a real family moment—messy, absurd, and perfect. He picked the phone back to check the order.
"Pizza's ready in ten," he announced between laughs. "I'm going out for a cig while they finish it."
"This fast?" Kima asked.
"Well the place is across the street," Felix said as he went towards the hanger to grab his coat. When he put it on, Nina expected to see some sort of symbol on his back. Nothing was there. It was to be expected though because from what she had learned, the agency didn't seem like the kind that would have merch. Which would have made anyone wonder...
"Why were those guys wearing feathers everywhere?" asked Nina.
Her question made Cole flinch a little.
Felix threw his head back. "God, you will be a great agent. Listen... this is a really long story. Those guys are just... let's call them our enemies for now. You know, when the agency was born, some people were against it. And they made their own."
Nina remembered Felix's words. "Some peolple just want to watch others suffer. That's what you said back in the car..." She remembering this, made him feel good that he almost forgot about food. Almost.
"Gotta go!" Felix said in a hurry.
"Why don't we just go there?" asked Kima.
"And risk meeting the enemy? What, do i look stupid?" responded Felix opening the door.
"Like the enemy would eat from your shitty place," Kima muttered.
Felix responded with the middle finger up, and went out as fast as he could.
Outside, Felix lit a cigarette and took a slow drag, letting the smoke curl out through his nose. He'd tried to quit more times than he cared to admit—but not tonight. After everything that had unfolded, he needed this moment. Just a breath of silence. A pause.
It didn't last long.
From the edge of a nearby alley, a figure stepped into the dim light. An old man, dressed in a tailored, expensive coat, walked toward him with measured steps. His posture was rigid, his gaze cold and focused, and a polished cane tapped softly against the pavement with every step.
"How was it? Was I right?" the old man asked.
Felix narrowed his eyes. "You could at least say hi."
The old man frowned, clearly in a rush. "Was it her?"
Felix wanted him gone as soon as posible. "Yeah, it was her. Wish you told me sooner. They almost snatched her."
"I had to be sure," the old man said. "I looked into your problem. The boy. Unfortunately i found nothing. He was not on their list. And he is not in ours either. Does he have a power anyway?"
Felix shook his head. "Nope. He is clean."
The old mann frowned. "And why do you still keep him?"
"Uhm," Felix frowned, his voice low. "Maybe because he's just a kid? No memory, nowhere to go. What did you expect me to do—leave him in an alley with blood all over? He's got something in him. Spirit. I'm thinking of training him. Maybe pair him with Nina."
"Yes," the man chuckled dryly. "Because putting two kids together worked out so well the last time you tried."
Felix's jaw tightened. "That was a long time ago. They're not going to end up like me and Claire."
"If you say so." The man shrugged, clearly unconvinced. "Do what you want. I agree he should stay—for now. You finding him, two months before the Council gathers... That's not coincidence."
"They're all coming?" Felix asked, eyes narrowing.
The old man gave a short nod.
"Even Six and Nine?"
"They might not want to, but they don't have a choice. Only Eight hasn't answered yet—but this meeting's too important. He'll be there."
Felix was quiet for a moment, then looked up. "What about our red-feathered friends?"
"Ah. Almost forgot." The old man rubbed his chin, then gave him a sideways glance. "Rumor is, House Storm has aligned with them."
Felix went pale. His eyes widened, lips parting slightly. "One of the Four Great Houses?"
The man nodded grimly. "Or… what's left of them."
Felix fell silent, staring past the old man as if trying to process the weight of that revelation. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the man cleared his throat. "All good at Charmy's?"
Felix straightened, the fire returning to his eyes. "Yeah. I'm ready."
"You better be," the old man said as he turned to leave. He stopped after a few steps. "And Felix, don't get attached. They might look like kids, but they're far worse. It applies to the one you call your partner too"
Felix didn't respond. He crushed the cigarette under his foot and stared into the darkness. It was half smoked but he didn't feel like he deserved more right now. He didn't like what was coming. But he had a duty to protect. One problem at a time, he reminded himself. That was his motto.
He then crossed the street toward the pizza place.
Upstairs, Kima stood by the window, having seen the entire conversation. Her expression was unreadable.
With Felix gone and Kima working on a report, Cole and Nina had a rare moment alone. Nina decided not to ask about his past—he seemed too fragile, and she didn't want to trigger anything. Instead, she talked about herself. She told him about how she discovered her power, how scared she was at first, how she accidentally exposed a cheating teacher. How the Agency found her. How she got the tattoo.
"Yo, all that in one day?" Cole said, eyes wide. "Bet it was awesome! Fighting and than getting a tattoo too! Hell yeah!
He noticed she looked uncomfortable. "Sorry, I get excited too easily."
"It's okay," Nina said with a warm smile. "I'm just glad we're both safe now."
"Yeah. I went through some bad stuff too. Before they found me."
Nina frowned. "Kima told me you don't remember anything."
Cole was quiet for a long moment, lost in thought. Then, slowly, he looked her in the eye.
"I lied."
Nina's breath caught. She wanted to ask more, but the door opened.
Felix entered, balancing four pizza boxes and a cake box on top.
"Look what they gave us! Free cake!" he said proudly.
They gathered around the table. For the first time in days, laughter filled the air. Cole kept teasing Kima, Nina laughed until her stomach hurt, and even Felix looked genuinely relaxed.
This place was starting to feel like home.
After the meal, everyone took a bath and went to sleep. Cole stood by his door for a moment, debating whether to ask if he could share a room with Nina. Not because he had a crush on her—he didn't. He just hated sleeping alone.
That's when the nightmares usually came.
Loneliness had a habit of creeping into every dream he had. Sometimes he wandered through endless deserts, the sun burning above him, with no one in sight. Other times, he was stranded on a tiny island, no people, no voices—not even a monkey to talk to.
Tonight, though, was different.
He was flying, high above the clouds. The wind rushed past his face, and for once, he didn't feel afraid. Something about this dream felt... clearer. It wasn't just another illusion. He felt like he had control—like he could choose where to go.
"Am I alone? Or am I free?" he asked himself, the words slipping out without much thought.
"Neither," a voice echoed back, calm and steady.
Cole froze. He quickly looked around—left, right, up, down—but saw no one. His heart began to race.
Then, with a single blink, everything changed.
He was no longer alone. Just a few meters ahead, a man dressed entirely in white sat at a small table, sipping coffee like he had all the time in the world. He lifted the cup to his lips, took a long, slow sip, and paused halfway through setting it down again, as if savoring more than just the drink. He smiled, eyes calmly fixed on Cole, like he'd been waiting.
And just as the cup touched the table—
Cole shot upright in his bed, drenched in sweat and gasping for air. His chest rose and fell rapidly, the image of the man burned into his mind.
That night, Cole made himself a promise:He would never sleep again.