- Back to The Present Day -
Erik snapped out of his thoughts, turning his attention back to Jimmy who had been talking enthusiastically for several minutes.
"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Jimmy sighed, feeling a bit deflated.
"Yeah yeah, 'bout that adoption stuff, right?" Erik responded, trying to sound more engaged.
"Yeaaah" The boy replied, his excitement returning.
"I'm pretty excited! We're finally going to get out of this orphanage! I wonder what my new family will be like?" His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he spoke, clearly looking forward to the change.
Erik nodded, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, I'm sure it'll be great." He said, though deep down he knew their new life would be anything but normal.
"I heard mine are chinese. What about the people adopting you? Do you know their nationality?" Jimmy asked eagerly.
Erik shrugged. "Apparently, they're chinese too."
"Really? I might be able to learn chinese !" He pondered. "Do you think they're related? Maybe we'll live next to each other? What do you think ?!" Jimmy rattled on, his excitement mounting.
"You ask too many questions.." Erik sighed. "..And Chinese isn't even a language, you moron."
"What! Of course it is!" Jimmy shot back.
"No, it's not" He replied with a tired look.
"Yes, it is!"
Erik just placed his hand on his forehead, not wanting to argue with the kid anymore. "Okay, you're right." He conceded, letting the conversation drop.
Jimmy grinned, satisfied with his perceived victory. "See? I told you!"
Erik just shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Did you finish preparing all your stuff?" He asked.
"Yeah, I got everything ready yesterday. And you?"
"Same" He said with a nod.
The two continued their conversation quietly for a while longer.
It wasn't long before the door opened with a gentle creak, and Lady Yuan stepped out, her calm gaze settling on Jimmy.
"Jimmy" She called, her tone firm. "You can follow me."
The boy exchanged a brief glance with Erik, a hint of nervousness crossing his face.
Taking a deep breath. He stood up, brushing invisible wrinkles from his clothes and followed Lady Yuan into her office. The door closing quietly behind them.
Once inside, he found a Chinese-American couple waiting for him.
An hour passed swiftly and without much ceremony, Jimmy returned briefly to bid his friends a hasty goodbye.
Erik barely had time to say his goodbyes before Jimmy was whisked away, his small hand held tightly by his supposed new family.
He stood silently, watching as the boy vanished through the orphanage doors.
A few hours later, Erik's own turn arrived. He was summoned to Lady Yuan's office.
As he pushed open the office door, his gaze immediately fell upon the two figures standing in front of Yuan's desk. A man and a woman.
They were younger than he'd expected, both seemingly in their early thirties.
The woman had a gentle expression. A soft smile playing at her lips as she met Erik's gaze. While the man stood with a calm confidence, his hands resting patiently at his sides.
The atmosphere in the room felt strangely formal. Yet beneath it, Erik could sense something strange.
The man wore a crisp, white dress shirt with a Mandarin collar, under a tailored black blazer. His pleated trousers and polished leather shoes completed a look that was both modern and traditional.
The woman was wearing a pale blue silk blouse, embroidered with delicate floral patterns, paired with a high-waisted black skirt.
Her simple lotus-shaped earrings were understated yet meaningful touches.
Lady Yuan motioned toward Erik, breaking the silence. "Here he is." She announced, her voice steady and professional. "This is Erik."
Their faces remained expressionless, revealing nothing as they stood silently before the boy.
Erik's eyes shifted to Lady Yuan, standing beside the couple.
Since the incident with Jason, they hadn't properly discussed what had happened.
The morning after he had taken the caregiver's life. Everything was meticulously cleaned up, as if the events of that violent evening had been nothing more than a bad dream.
Lei and Lady Yuan resumed their daily routines, fake smiles carefully fixed on their faces, behaving as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.
It unsettled Erik, how effortlessly they carried on.
Using his heightened senses, he'd been secretly eavesdropping, catching snippets of conversations held by Lady Yuan behind closed doors. Always hoping to uncover something useful, something that could explain the unsettling calm.
One conversation, in particular, had seized his attention.
- 4 Days Earlier - Lady Yuan Office -
The voice on the other end of the phone remained silent for a moment, then responded.
"Interesting. A boy with such potential... And such ruthlessness. It's rare to find someone so young with that kind of resolve."
"Yes, Sir!" Lady Yuan replied, her tone respectful. "He's unlike any of the others. His intelligence and physical abilities are remarkable, but it's his emotional detachment that truly sets him apart. He killed him and afterward, he acted as if nothing had happened. He's not just talented.. He's cold, calculating. Exactly the kind of asset that could be molded into something... Useful."
The person on the phone considered this..
"Very well, we will take care of the paperwork!" He finally said
"Expect operatives to arrive within the next few days. They'll handle everything from that point forward." He continued calmly.
"Understood!" Lady Yuan responded with unwavering respect. "I will ensure he's prepared for the transition."
"See that you do." The voice concluded before the line went dead.
Lady Yuan leaned back in her chair, her thoughts briefly lingering on Erik.
She knew this was the right decision. He was too valuable to waste in a place like this.
But a part of her wondered what kind of person this boy would become once he was fully trained, fully indoctrinated.
Would he rise to greatness, or would the darkness within him consume him completely? Only time would tell.
As Erik walked back to his room, his mind raced with possibilities. A slight smile played on his lips, anticipation brewing within him.
"Looks like things are startin' to move." He muttered under his breath, the words almost a whisper.
He knew that whatever was coming, he had options.
If things went his way..
If he could use this to his advantage.. Then great.
If not ..
Well.. He was confident enough in his ability to fight, to hide or to flee if necessary.
Good or bad He thought to himself
I'll make sure it works in my favor.
And if it doesn't... I'll just go my own way.
The smile on his face widened, his resolve hardening.
Whatever was coming, he was ready.