The door didn't just open.
It broke.
Wood splintered. The lock gave in with a violent crack, the sound echoing through the walls like a warning too late to matter.
Rhea froze.
Her back hit the cold tiles of the bathroom wall.
And there...Standing in the doorway...Was him.
Kai
Not the version she knew.
Not the one who smiled
Not the one who talked softly like nothing in the world could ever go wrong.
This...This was something else.
He didn't speak.He just looked at her.And then…
He stepped forward.
Slow.
Measured.
Controlled.
Rhea's breath hitched.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
She took a step back.
Then another.
Until there was nowhere left to go.
"Kai…" she whispered, her voice barely holding together.
He didn't respond.
Just kept walking toward her.
On the other end of the line...
"Noah…"
Her voice trembled.
"I..."
Before she could finish...
Kai reached her.
Not roughly.
Not violently.
Gently.
His hand closed around the phone.
And he took it from her.
Rhea didn't resist.
She couldn't.
Kai brought the phone to his ear.
A small, almost amused smile touched his lips.
"…Noah."
On the other side...
Everything exploded.
"KAI?!"
Noah's voice wasn't just loud.
It was raw.
"How could you...how could you..."
"Shut up."
Kai's tone snapped.
Sharp.
Cold.
And then...He laughed.
A low, quiet laugh that didn't sound human in that moment.
"…Now there's no need for me to hide, is there?" he said calmly.
Noah's breathing turned uneven.
"You...Kai, what the hell is this?!"
Kai didn't answer immediately.
He just listened.
Let Noah burn himself out.
"Tell me where you are!" Noah demanded. "Keep Rhea safe...we'll handle everything...I'll listen to you, Kai...there must be a reason..."
His voice cracked.
Anger breaking into something else.
Something heavier.
"I'll hear you… just...don't hurt her."
For a moment...
Kai said nothing.
Then...
"…Alright."
A pause.
"Let's make a deal."
Noah froze.
"…A deal?"
"Yes."
"No...no, are you serious right now?" Noah's voice rose again. "You think this is some kind of game?!"
Kai's tone didn't change.
"Listen carefully."
Silence.
Heavy.
"Give me Evan…"
Back in the room...
Evan went still.
"…and I'll give you Rhea."
The words dropped like a blade.
"What rubbish are you talking about?!" Noah shouted, his voice breaking under the weight of his emotions. "Have you lost your mind?!"
Kai exhaled softly.
Almost bored.
"'Hunter.'"
A pause.
"You gave me that name, didn't you?"
Noah's chest tightened.
"Then I should live up to it."
"Kai...listen to me..."
"Shhh…"
That single sound cut through everything.
"In three hours," Kai continued calmly, "same building."
A pause.
"And don't make any funny mistakes."
His voice dropped.
Dangerous.
"You know what I can do."
The line went dead.
"Kai—Kai—KAI—NO—listen—!"
But it was already over.
The phone slipped slightly in Noah's hand.
Not falling.
Just… losing strength.
Behind him...
Silence.
Evan stood frozen.
Tears falling silently.
Not even wiping them away.
Because what had just happened…
Hadn't fully reached him yet.
And beside him...
Dr. Graham stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"Noah…"
He placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What did he say?"
Noah didn't respond.
Not immediately.
"Tell me, Noah."
Noah turned.
His eyes were red.
Not just from anger.
From something deeper.
Something breaking.
"He wants Evan."
Silence.
Graham's expression changed.
Just slightly.
"We should inform the police," he said quickly.
"I'll go."
The voice came from behind.
Noah turned sharply.
"…What?"
Evan stepped forward.
His hands still trembling.
But his eyes...
Steady.
"Are you mad?" Noah snapped. "Do you even hear yourself?!"
"Let's save Rhea first," Evan said quietly.
A pause.
"We all know she's a victim."
His voice dropped.
"She got caught in this because of me."
"No," Noah said immediately. "No, I'll go alone. I'll handle Kai. I'll bring her back."
"I'm coming with you."
"No."
"I'm not listening to you."
The words hit harder than expected.
Evan stepped closer.
"You're in this mess because of me," he said, his voice shaking but firm. "I shouldn't have come to that police station that day."
A breath.
"I should've just… accepted it."
Noah's expression broke.
"But I didn't," Evan continued. "And now you're all suffering for it."
His voice cracked.
"I can't let that happen anymore."
For a second...
Noah just stared at him.
Then...
He pulled him into a hug.
Tight.
Desperate.
Like holding onto something that might disappear.
"We're not doing this alone," Noah whispered, his voice breaking.
Evan closed his eyes.
Nodded.
"Together."
Behind them...
Graham watched.
"You should ask for backup," he said.
Noah pulled away.
Shook his head.
"No."
His eyes hardened.
Focused.
Decided.
"We go alone."
And somewhere...
A hunter waited.