(PH2)
rain had stopped but the city still looked wet.astra City's midnight lights reflected across the roads like scattered fragments of another world.
Cars moved occasionally below.
Distant sirens echoed somewhere far beyond the skyline.the city never truly slept it only became quieter.
Far above the streets,
Synapse Medical Complex remained awake.
Bright white lights illuminated the hospital's glass exterior.Emergency entrances remained active doctors and nurses moved continuously through the night.Machines beeped footsteps echoed.doors opened and closed.
Life,death,hope, fear.
All existing together beneath the same roof.
On the fourth floor behind reinforced ICU doors eli remained unconscious.
The bandages around his shoulder had already been replaced twice.
Several monitors continued tracking his condition.a steady green line moved across one screen.Stable but still unconscious.hours had passed since Anie left the corridor outside had become quieter.
Most visitors had already gone home.
Only a few people remained.Mira sat alone near the waiting area.
A half-finished coffee rested beside her.
She leaned back against the chair and sighed.
"...idiot."
Her eyes drifted toward Eli's room again.
"Always acting like some hero."
No response came only silence mira rubbed her eyes tiredly.she hadn't slept properly since the incident.None of them had especially Anie.
Thinking about her only made Mira sigh again something had changed.Not just after the attack not just after Eli got injured.something deeper something she couldn't understand.the elevator at the far end of the hallway suddenly opened.
Ding.
Mira glanced up absentmindedly a man stepped out.dark coat,dark pants,black gloves.
His appearance wasn't unusual yet something about him immediately felt out of place.not threatening.
Just...
Intentional like he knew exactly where he was going.the man briefly glanced down the hallway then continued walking.Not once looking around not once appearing uncertain.mira frowned slightly visitors usually looked confused asked questions.checked room numbers.This guy didn't his pace remained steady calm,controlled.
Almost as if he'd been here before.
Mira watched him pass several rooms.
Then he slowed near Eli's ICU ward.
Only for a second a very small second.
But Mira noticed the man continued walking again pretending nothing happened.Now she was curious.
"...hey."
The man stopped slowly turning toward her his expression remained neutral.
"Yes?"
His voice was calm almost too calm
Mira stood from her chair.
"Are you looking for someone?"
The man looked at her briefly then smiled politely.
"Just visiting."
Simple answer too simple mira crossed her arms.
"At two in the morning?"
The man chuckled softly,
"People don't choose when emergencies happen."fair answer
still something felt strange.
"Who are you visiting?"
The man's eyes briefly shifted toward Eli's room.only for a moment then back to Mira.
"A friend."
Mira looked toward the ICU then back at him.
"Eli?"
"...yes."
Tiny.
Almost invisible but the pause existed.
Mira noticed immediately.
"Funny." the man tilted his head slightly.
"Why?"
"I've never seen you before."his expression remained unchanged.
"That's because we've never met."
Again technically correct yet somehow avoiding the actual question mira narrowed her eyes slightly.
"What's your name?" man smiled.
"Adrian."
A lie smooth effortless no hesitation.
no visible discomfort as if he'd used that name before.mira extended her hand.
"Mira."man shook it politely.
"A pleasure."
His grip felt normal nothing unusual.
Yet Mira couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
"So." she leaned slightly against the wall.
"How do you know Eli?"
For the first time adrian looked away
only briefly.
"Long time ago."not an answer mira immediately noticed.
"School?"
"No."
"Work?"
"Not exactly."
"Family?"
"No."
Every answer created more questions.
Mira stared at him.
"You know, you're really bad at answering questions."
The man laughed softly,
"Maybe you're asking the wrong ones."
That answer actually made Mira smile slightly.
"...fair."
For a few moments neither spoke the hospital corridor returned to silence.
Machines beeped quietly behind closed doors. somewhere nearby
a nurse pushed a cart through another hallway.
The man casually looked toward Eli's ICU room again this time Mira definitely noticed.
"You seem pretty concerned for someone who hasn't seen him in years."
Silence for the first time the smile disappeared from Adrian's face.only for a second then it returned.
"I heard he got hurt."
Mira studied him carefully something about his eyes changed whenever Eli was mentioned.not sadness,not worry.
Recognition as if he already knew more than he should.
Then suddenly Mira asked:
"How did you even know he was here?"
Silence a tiny pause less than a second but enough.Enough for Mira to notice.
enough for Adrian to realize she noticed.the atmosphere changed slightly then Adrian smiled again.
"News travels."
Mira immediately knew that wasn't true.
Because almost nobody outside their group knew where Eli had been admitted.
Yet Adrian acted completely relaxed.
Like the question didn't matter like he expected it. a strange feeling settled in Mira's stomach.
Who exactly was this guy?
Adrian checked the clock hanging on the wall.then quietly looked toward Eli's room one final time.
"...I should go."Mira frowned.
"You're leaving already?"
"I've seen what I needed to see."
That answer felt wrong very wrong.
Before Mira could ask another question
Adrian started walking away.Toward the elevator.his footsteps echoed softly through the hallway.
Calm measured almost rehearsed mira watched him leave.the elevator doors opened.
Adrian stepped inside then for the first time his expression changed completely.the smile disappeared his eyes lowered slightly.
Tired thoughtful the doors began closing.and just before they shut completely his gaze drifted toward Eli's room one final time.A faint thought crossed his mind.
Still alive.
elevator doors closed and Adrian disappeared.leaving behind nothing but questions.meanwhile far above Astra City dark clouds slowly gathered once again.
And somewhere in the city events already set in motion continued moving forward,unseen,waiting .