Silence pressed in from every side. Not empty. Not calm. Crushing.
Evan couldn't breathe properly.
Every inhale felt too sharp. Every exhale too slow. His chest rose and fell like he was drowning without water.
"Choose."
Kai's voice cut through the silence again.
Soft.
Patient.
Like he had all the time in the world.
Evan opened his eyes.
They went straight to
Noah.
Noah shook his head immediately.
A small movement.
But firm.
"Don't," Noah said quietly.
Evan's lips parted.
Nothing came out.
Behind the glass
Rhea watched.
Helpless.
Trembling.
"I don't have time for hesitation," Kai said.
Evan's hands tightened in the restraints.
"They're not options," he said hoarsely. "You're asking me to destroy everything."
Kai tilted his head.
"No," he said calmly. "I'm asking you to choose what matters."
"That's not a choice!" Evan snapped.
"It is," Kai replied. "You just don't like it."
Noah stepped closer to the barrier.
His voice lowered.
Steady.
"Evan… listen to me."
Evan shook his head.
"I can't."
"You can," Noah said.
Their eyes locked.
"You always think you're the reason things go wrong," Noah continued. "That everything is your fault."
A breath.
"It's not."
Evan laughed weakly. A broken sound.
"It is," he whispered. "Every time… I try to fix something… it gets worse."
"No," Noah said firmly. "This isn't on you."
Kai watched.
Silent.
But his eyes sharp.
Evan looked at him.
Then back at Noah.
"I should've stayed away," Evan said. "That day… at the station… if I hadn't..."
"You did the right thing that day," Noah cut him off.
"I got you involved and put you all in danger," Evan shot back.
Silence.
That...
Hit.
Evan's breathing grew uneven again.
"You wanted me," he said, looking at Kai. "Not them."
Kai didn't answer.
But he didn't deny it either.
Evan swallowed hard.
"Noah…" he whispered again.
Noah stepped closer.
Closer than he should.
Like the barrier didn't exist.
"If you think giving yourself up will fix this," Noah said quietly, "you're wrong."
Evan's eyes burned.
"He won't stop," Noah continued. "Not with you. Not with me. Not with anyone."
Kai's expression didn't change.
Evan shook his head slowly.
"Then what do I do?" he asked, his voice breaking. "Tell me what to do."
Noah didn't answer immediately.
Because there was no answer.
Only consequences.
"Look at me," Noah said finally.
Evan did.
"No matter what happens," Noah said, "you don't let him turn you into something you're not."
Evan's chest tightened.
"I'm already there," he whispered.
"No," Noah said. "You're not."
Kai sighed softly. Almost disappointed.
"This is getting repetitive," he said.
He took a step forward.
"Time's up."
The restraints around Evan loosened slightly.
Not freeing him.
Just enough.
Kai reached behind him...and pulled out a knife.
The metal caught the dim light.
Evan's breath stopped.
Kai walked toward him.
Slowly.
Then...
He placed the knife in Evan's hand.
"Option second it is," Kai said softly.
Evan stared at it.
Like it didn't belong there.
Like it wasn't real.
"Do it," Kai whispered.
"No."
Noah's voice cut through instantly.
Evan's grip trembled.
"I'm not asking you to enjoy it," Kai continued. "Just to decide."
"No!" Noah shouted now. "Evan, don't..."
Evan squeezed his eyes shut.
"Stop," he whispered.
"I can't think...just...stop..."
But Kai didn't stop.
"Or…" he said calmly, "you come with me."
Evan's eyes opened.
Kai's gaze held his.
"And I let him live."
Silence.
The knife trembled in Evan's hand.
Noah's voice dropped.
Dangerously quiet.
"…Put it down."
Evan didn't move.
"You hear me?" Noah said. "Put. It. Down."
Evan looked at him.
Tears finally spilling over.
"I don't know how to save both of you," he whispered.
Noah's expression softened.
Just a fraction.
"You don't," he said.
The words hit harder than anything else.
Evan's hand shook violently now.
Kai watched.
Interested.
Patient.
Because this...
This was the moment.
And then...
Evan moved.
But not toward Noah.
Not toward himself either.
He turned...
And threw the knife.
Not at Noah.
At the light above.
It shattered.
Darkness swallowed the room instantly.
For a split second...
Everything stopped.
And then...
Chaos.
"Noah...RUN!"
Evan twisted his wrists violently, using the loosened restraints to break free just enough...
Alarms blared.
Lights flickered erratically.
Kai moved.
Fast.
But not fast enough.
Because this...
This was something even he did not expected...