Two weeks had passed since Tobias and I arrived in Stockholm . The days had become a blur of training, teaching, studying. But something was gnawing at me. I'd been managing him, keeping up with his training, but there was always that lingering uncertainty.
We stood facing each other in the training hall, sweat dripping down both of our faces. Tobias' golden eyes gleamed with determination, while I kept my expression neutral. We'd sparred countless times before, but today felt different. Maybe it was the pressure of the mission weighing on both of us.
"Ready to lose, old man?" Tobias teased, his lips curling into a playful smirk.
I raised an eyebrow, flexing my fingers. "Old man? You're getting cocky, kid."
He shrugged, his smile never faltering. "Well, I have to keep my spirits up somehow. Otherwise, I'd get bored waiting for you to teach me all your tricks."
I rolled my eyes, even though I could feel a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "Kids these days have no manners. I guess I'll play my part as your father and educate you."
With that, we both lunged forward, the clash of our fists and feet ringing through the room.
He moved fast, his body agile and his strikes sharp. He threw a series of punches aimed at my head, each one a blur of motion. I blocked them with ease, stepping aside and letting his attacks miss by inches. But there was something different this time — his timing was improving, and his strength was starting to catch up with his speed.
"Not bad, but you're still predictable," I said, sidestepping a quick jab and landing a light strike to his shoulder.
Tobias' grin widened. "Predictable? You've gotta be kidding. I'm faster than you've ever been."
I let him think that for a moment, dodging another punch before grabbing his wrist and twisting his arm behind his back. He grunted in surprise, but quickly spun out of my grasp, his foot sweeping toward my legs.
I jumped over the sweep, feeling the wind from his foot brush past me, and countered with a swift jab to his side. He stumbled back a bit, his breath coming faster now, but the fire in his eyes never dimmed.
"You've gotten better," I said, pulling back and giving him some space. "But you're still a long way from beating me."
"Don't get too comfortable, Old man. I'm not done yet."
He came at me again, faster this time. His punches were rapid, aiming for my chest, but I blocked and dodged with more precision. Each time I dodged, he followed up with another strike, faster and harder than the last. But his energy was starting to falter, his movements losing the sharpness they had at the start.
Finally, I saw the opening I'd been waiting for. As he threw a punch to my left, I feigned a block, then twisted his arm behind his back and pulled him off balance. He went down hard, his back hitting the floor with a thud.
The room was silent for a moment, both of us panting heavily. I stood over him, offering a hand to help him up.
He scowled up at me, his breath coming in sharp gasps. "You… you're just lucky."
I smirked, pulling him to his feet. "Luck has nothing to do with it. Experience does."
He glared at me but didn't say anything. I could tell he was frustrated, but there was also respect in his eyes.
"You've got potential," I said, dusting myself off. "But you're still a long way from catching up to me."
He didn't respond, but I could see the fire in him. He'd be back for more.
"Alright," I continued, clapping him on the back. "You've earned the rest of the day off. Take it."
He gave me a short nod before walking off, not a word of protest coming from him. I watched him disappear into the compound's halls before turning to leave myself.
I exhaled, rolling my neck. My own business waited — and it couldn't be put off any longer. I needed answers, and today, I was going to get them.
Outside, the compound walls gave way to the cold rhythm of Stockholm. Streetlights blinked to life as dusk settled over snow-dusted rooftops. Sleek trams slid past aging stone buildings, their glass facades glowing with scrolling data. The city moved with quiet precision—controlled, watchful.
I moved through it in silence, weaving past crowds, letting the noise drown out the thoughts clawing at my skull. Eventually, I turned down a side street, where the hum of life faded behind crumbling brick and dim light.
She was already there.
Vanessa stood in the shadows of a quiet alleyway, leaning against the wall like she owned it. Her pink hair fell messily over one shoulder, and her arms were crossed tight across her chest. The look in her eyes was clinical.
"You're late," she said, voice low and cool.
I shrugged, approaching. "Training went longer than planned.Tobias is improving."
"I assume you didn't come all this way to brag about your little prodigy."
"No," I said, stopping a few paces from her. My voice dropped. "I want the truth. About him. Eden. The other kids."
Her eyes flicked to the ground, lips pressed into a thin line before she met my eyes again.
"You don't know what you're asking, Tobi," she said after a beat. "It's not that simple."
I pressed. "I don't care. I've known him for a month, but every time I think I have him figured out he'd pull something new. I'm out of the loop, I don't have the answer to his questions, I don't even know where to draw the line. It's like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle- only, I can't see the pieces."
She looked away, and for a moment, I thought she might just walk away. But then she sighed, a sharp, frustrated sound. "Fine. But with this consider my debt settled"
"Thank you. I really appreciate it- this means a lot" I said, letting out a breath of relief. A debt with Vanessa was valuable, but I needed this information and she was my only lead.
She glanced around, making sure no one was nearby before stepping closer. "You want to know about Tobias?" she said, her tone sharp, carefully controlled.
Vanessa's gaze sharpened. "He's from one of Eden's research facilities. Not the public-facing ones. This one was off the books — buried in the jungles of South America."
That caught me off guard. My stomach tightened. "South America? What the hell were they doing out there?"
"Long-term testing," she said coolly. "On kids. Ones born with… Abilities."
I took a step back, the pieces starting to shift. "You mean like Tobias?"
Vanessa nodded. "Exactly like him. The project aimed to understand — I'm guessing maybe even replicate — natural metahumans."
I stared at her. "So what? Tobias is some kind of experiment?"
Her expression hardened. "No. But he was a vital part of the experiment, when he escaped… everything fell apart."
I couldn't speak. My hands curled into fists. My breath came slower, heavier.
I finally found my voice. "Wait. Those were our facilities? The NBM runs labs like that?"
Vanessa snorted. "No. The NBM are just a front. The ones actually behind it all?" She stepped closer, her voice dropping. "The Lynx Syndicate. They're the ones holding the leash."
I frowned. "Why wasn't I told about this?"
Vanessa shrugged, her eyes distant. "You didn't need to know. Not until now. We've been tracking Tobias, trying to bring him back, but it's… complicated."
Vanessa glanced away, clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking. "You were supposed to manage him, not ask questions you're not ready for. You're doing your job, and that's all you need to know. But now… now you're pushing for answers. And the truth is, you're in deeper than you realize."
I clenched my fists at my sides, frustration boiling over. "So, what now? What's the point of all this? What was the Syndicate's endgame?"
Vanessa took a step back, her eyes cold again. "I'm here to make sure your cover holds, Tobi. Nothing more. You're on your own for the rest."
"But you're the one who—"
She interrupted me, her voice sharp. "You want me to solidify your cover? Fine. But that's all you're getting from me today. You want answers? Look somewhere else."
There was no sympathy in her tone. No warmth. She had her own agenda, and it was clear she wasn't going to share more than she had to.
"Fine. I'll take what I can get," I said through clenched teeth, barely able to mask the heat in my voice.
Vanessa's expression remained unchanged. "Don't get too attached to this. The further you go, the harder it'll be to pull back. In our world if you want to live long it's best you don't ask questions."
With that, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement, leaving me alone with more questions than answers.
I watched her disappear into the crowd. My mind reeled, a storm of thoughts crashing against the walls of my chest. Tobias wasn't just some mission; he was part of something far darker, something I hadn't even begun to understand.
"What the hell am I doing?" I muttered to myself, my voice barely a whisper. My stomach twisted with guilt. But I had to make a choice
My hand trembled, and I shoved it in my pocket to hide the uncertainty crawling up my spine. I could feel the heat now. I'd seen the smoke, but still came running into the fire.