Kai wanted to pull his own weight. Rent was free for now, but that gnawed at him. He started applying for jobs—small places first.
Juno's Roast, a corner coffee shop that smelled like burnt beans and stubborn survival, caught his eye. The owner looked worn, apron dusty, eyes always darting to the empty tables. Kai filled out the application, awkwardly scrawling his details. He never heard back. Maybe they couldn't afford help, maybe they didn't want a Resonant-in-training behind the counter. Either way, silence followed.
So he aimed higher: GRARC.
Global Relief and Rift Containment. They weren't just a force—they were structure. A chance at legitimacy. When the email came back inviting him to an interview, Kai almost didn't believe it.
The old police station loomed like a corpse repurposed, its brick walls scarred but standing, now a GRARC stronghold. Holographic signage pulsed above reinforced steel doors, casting jagged blue light that split the night. Kai stood in its glow, nerves grinding like gravel under his boots. The air smelled of antiseptic and static, sharp enough to sting. His chest still ached from the pit, each breath dragging pain across ribs. Velnix's absence left a hollow space. Or was it Flicker now? The name change sat wrong in his mind, like a glitch in his soul.
Inside, the station hummed with activity. Officers in patched uniforms moved with purpose, datapads clutched in their hands. The receptionist, all clipped efficiency, guided him to a sterile room. Two GRARC officers sat behind a metal desk cluttered with clipboards and tablets, the rift-split globe emblem looming behind them, its edges sharp enough to cut.
Flicker's presence hovered near his skull, a knife-thin shimmer only he could feel. Her voice crackled like sparks off steel.
"Don't blow it. Say you just need the credits."
[Stay focused. They're scanning your Soulprint.] The DualMind's voice cut in, cold and clinical, tightening his spine.
"Malakai Apolix?" The first officer, a wiry woman with a scar slashed across her brow, didn't look up from her tablet.
"Yeah." He dropped into the chair. The metal was cold through his tattered hoodie.
The second officer, broad-shouldered with slate eyes, leaned forward. "Why do you want to work with GRARC?"
Kai's jaw tightened. He thought of alleys lit with fire, of civilians screaming as threads wrapped their limbs. "I've seen what rifts do. They tear lives apart and leave nothing but ash. I've survived them. I can help civilians. Resonants. Whoever needs it. I want to keep the chaos from spreading."
Cash, kid. Say it's about survival, Flicker hissed, a gleeful scrape in his mind. They'll believe that more than your little hero speech.
[No. Honesty signals intent. They're measuring loyalty.]
The scarred officer scribbled, stylus tapping. "Your file mentions Dead Zone survival. And the Q7 tunnels. Details?"
His fingers twitched toward the ever-lasting smokes in his pocket. "Dead Zone was bad. Sealed a rift. Didn't panic. Didn't die. Q7—chased a killer, fell into a corrupted rift. Same thing. Adapted, got out."
Tell 'em I would've gutted that ghoul like a fish, Flicker snapped, her shimmer flaring in the corner of his eye.
[Guardians remain classified. Stick to your role.]
The broad officer's pen stilled. "Weapons training?"
Kai shrugged. "Not formal. Street fights. Blades, fists. I'm fast when it counts."
Fast? Please. I'm the sharp one here. Could cut their fancy emblem in half, Flicker purred.
[Irrelevant bravado. Focus.]
"Teamwork?" The scarred officer's gaze was sharp. "Records show you avoid groups."
Kai hesitated. Pain spiked behind his eyes—the burden of asking for help always lingered. "I ran solo for a long time. Streets made me that way. But now… I've got people. People I'd trust with my life. I'm learning how to lean on them."
Bit by bit? You ditched Neo like garbage. Say you're a lone wolf. Sounds cooler, Flicker teased, her spark dancing bright.
[No. Reliability earns trust. Give them your truth.]
The broad officer leaned back. "Weaknesses?"
Kai exhaled. The pit pressed against his chest, cold and merciless. "Trust doesn't come easy. Takes time. But once I'm in, I don't quit. Not on anyone." His voice hardened, memory catching in his throat.
Oh, sentimental. They'll either love that or laugh at it, Flicker chuckled, fading into static.
[Effective. Vulnerability is authenticity.]
The officers shared a look. A silent verdict passed between them. Then the scarred one gave a small, sharp smile. "You're hired. Resonant Aid Officer. Low-risk missions, civilian rift reports, detective support. No heavy combat unless critical. You'll be the bridge between Resonants and civilians."
Bridge. More like bait for the next rift monster, Flicker sneered, her voice glinting like a blade.
[Accept. Stability is leverage.]
Kai nodded, though unease twisted beneath the surface. "When do I start?"
The officers traded another look—this one unreadable. "Soon. First, orientation. After that… you'll see."
That night, Kai trudged back through the streets, neon bleeding across puddles. The city looked calmer than he felt. The apartment door clicked open and he collapsed onto the couch. Neo leaned over the armrest, brows raised.
"Rough day?"
Kai groaned, rubbing his ribs. "Yeah. But… I got a job."
Flicker buzzed so loud he almost winced. A job! Think of the cigarettes. The chaos. Finally—structure with knives in it!
Kai smirked faintly. "Flicker couldn't stop being excited."
Neo grinned. "happy for you! When do you start?"
"Orientation is tomorrow." Kai informs
For the first time, the silence in Kai's head didn't feel like loneliness. It felt like the start of something dangerous—and maybe, just maybe, something good.