A pen scratched across documents.
Moonlight rested on their shoulders.
Their eyes moved to the mug next to them.
A faint—
Exhaled.
Before reaching for the drink.
A knock–
Sounded.
From the door in front.
The mug covered his lips.
"Enter."
The door opened inward.
A woman stepped through the threshold, closing the door behind.
She walked to his desk.
Her movement—
Halted.
Arms folded behind her.
Her lips parted.
"I've come to report."
The mug lowered.
"Continue."
Her ears twitched.
"All personnel were recovered."
He clicked a pen.
"And?"
Her eyebrows furrowed.
"I brought…"
Fingers twitched behind her.
"...another."
A document was flipped.
His eyes read the report.
"...It's your…"
They stopped at a certain point.
"...responsibility."
She exhaled.
"Yes, sir."
He motioned towards the door.
"Dismissed."
The chair—
Turned.
Facing the window behind.
His eyes—
Focused on the wasteland.
It was…
Clouds drifted, covering the moon.
Dust shifted on the rocky ground.
His posture relaxed.
…successful.
…
His eyelids—
Blinked.
In an unfamiliar place.
A hand—
Cold.
Wrapped around his own.
A shadow—
Loomed.
Distorting as it covered him.
His vision—
Blurred.
Looking up at the oak tree above.
His body—
Flat.
As if he was lying on something.
Another figure—
Responded.
Looking down at him.
A voice—
Static.
Bled from their lips.
"...Wake…up."
…
Monitors beeped—
Uneven.
Screen displays—
Changed.
Hands stretched—
Hovering.
Over a still body.
Their eyes—
Bloodshot.
As if they haven't shut for days.
A cold sweat—
Formed.
Her veins pulsed with green light.
The beeping slowed.
The prisoner's breathing—
Stabilized.
Her arms—
Lowered.
The green light faded.
A breath—
Released.
Her shoulders—
Dropped.
The door slid open behind her.
She turned, wiping her forehead.
A person stepped through.
She placed a basket on the desk beside her.
The caretaker motioned at the basket.
"What's that?"
The person who brought it stopped beside the bed.
"Lunch…"
Her eyes lowered to the prisoner.
"...for later."
The air—
Shifted.
For a brief moment.
His eyes—
Cracked.
Opening slowly.
Pupils narrowed, as light flooded in.
Static—
Faded.
The oak tree—
Faded.
Replaced by the ceiling above.
The caretaker checked his vitals, clicking on different displays.
A breath was released.
She walked over to her desk, rolling a chair back.
"Let's give him…"
She sat, sorting the scattered documents.
"...some space."
The one at his bedside—
Lingered.
For a brief moment.
She turned, heading for the door.
"You're right."
A pen began to scribble.
Paper shuffled, as she exited the room.
The prisoner lay—
Motionless.
His chains—
Resting.
A switch—
Flipped.
Dimming the lights.
The room—
Quiet.
…
Footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Fluorescent lights hummed above her.
Pipes lined the ceiling above.
Another presence—
Followed close behind.
She paused, facing away from the noise.
"What do you want…"
Her eyes twitched.
"...Grimm?"
Grimm smirked, pausing next to her.
His piercings touched together.
"I'm just bored."
She exhaled, continuing forward.
"Is that so?"
Grimm walked next to her.
"Come on, Art…"
His hands rested on the back of his head.
"...let me tag along."
Art's ears twitched.
"Why?"
Grimm glanced down at her.
"Because…"
A faint smile formed.
"...I'm curious."
Art exhaled.
"About what?"
Grimm's hands lowered.
"That prisoner."
Art shook her head.
"Fine."
Grimm pumped his fist.
Light conversation surrounded them.
They continued moving towards the medical bay.
Art paused at the sliding door.
Grimm reached past her, opening the door.
"Hey…"
Art's face tightened.
He entered before Art.
"...Yvette."
Grimm's stride—
Stopped.
A few steps past the doorway.
Art's movements—
Followed.
Her shoulders aligned with Grimm.
Yvette turned her stool around.
She sat bedside with a file in her hand.
Grimms eyes—
Widened.
Focusing past her.
The prisoner sat—
Upright.
A veil of hair covered his face.
His body—
Frail.
As if he hasn't eaten for weeks.
Sunlight shone through the window.
It's warmth barely—
Reached him.
Yvette pulled a pen from her coat pocket.
She clicked it.
"Have a seat."
Art nodded, moving towards a nearby chair.
She glanced at Grimm.
"You heard her."
Grimm rubbed his piercings, before sitting down.
Art's gaze focused on the prisoner.
"How is he?"
Yvette opened the file
"His condition…"
She turned the page.
"...is stable."
Art pointed at the file.
"Mind if I take a look?"
Yvette closed the file, placing her pen away.
"Sure."
Art opened the file.
Grimm pulled his chair, looking over her shoulder.
The pages—
Turned.
Art eyes–
Followed.
"He was captured…"
Another page turned.
"...that young?"
Grimm's mouth slightly opened.
"Let me see that."
His hand grabbed a page.
Art's eyebrows twitched.
Grimm began to read the page.
His eyes stopped on the identification.
"Kane…"
He continued.
"...Bolt."
The page—
Fluttered.
Without Grimm moving.
The room—
Silent.
Kane's hands—
Twitched.
A soft rattle—
Chimed.
From his chains.
Mechanical humming filled the room.
Art grabbed the page, placing it back in the file.
She handed it back to Yvette.
"When will he be cleared for discharge?"
Yvette looked over her shoulder.
"About…"
Her eyes examined him.
"...two weeks."
Art nodded standing to her feet.
"We'll stop by every few days to check on him."
She tapped Grimm on the shoulder.
Grimm looked up
"What?"
She pointed to the door.
"Let's go."
Grimm exhaled, rising from his seat.
Art slid open the door, letting Grimm exit first.
Kane's head—
Turned.
Facing the door.
A word—
Formed.
Behind his lips.
It sounded—
Broken.
Like his throat had no moisture.
"...Thanks."
Art's ears twitched.
She turned towards the faint sound.
"Yeah."
Yvette waved at her.
Art exited the room.
Yvette stood, heading for her desk.
"Get some rest."
Kane laid–
Back.
His thoughts—
Drifted.
Pulled towards something within.
His eyes—
Closed.
…
Curtains swayed with the passing breeze.
Mechanical humming filled the room.
Art and Grimm stood at the bedside.
Yvette stretched her hands towards him.
Her veins surged with green light.
Kane's color—
Returned.
His energy—
Restored.
Yvette lowered her arms.
Her glow—
Faded.
She relaxed her posture, turning towards Art and Grimm.
"He's all clear."
Art walked over, placing her hand on Yvette's shoulder.
"Your work is always impressive."
Grimm hooked his thumb to the door.
"Let's get going."
Art's jaw tightened.
"We have to help him up first."
Yvette softly laughed as Grimm helped Kane off the bed.
Grimm turned, heading for the door.
Art paused, watching Kane.
Kane stepped—
Off balance.
His stride straightened after a few steps.
Art exhaled.
"Follow me."
She turned, heading for the door.
Kane followed behind her.
His movement—
Paused.
At the doorway.
A breath—
Released.
Followed by a word.
"Thanks."
Yvette turned towards her desk.
"You're welcome."
Kane continued, catching up with Art and Grimm.
Footsteps tapped on the marble floor.
A vibration sounded from the vents below.
A light shone before them.
Kane stepped through the threshold.
His hand covered his eyes.
The sun shone—
Too bright.
Art turned toward him.
"This is Cygnus…it's name comes from the star."
Kane observed the courtyard.
Workers pushed carts of stone.
A fountain flowed steadily in the center.
Grimm pointed to a hallway.
"Let's go get his hair cut."
Art glanced at Grimm.
"Is Jean even here?"
Kane moved—
Towards a nearby window.
His gaze—
Fixed.
On the long ravine below.
Art walked over to him.
"That's the quarry."
Kane stayed still, observing the machinery.
Art tapped him on the shoulder.
"Let's go."
She turned, heading towards Grimm.
Kane stood a moment later.
His body followed.
They entered another hallway.
Single doors were spaced evenly along the walls.
"The training area is up ahead."
A door slid open.
Footsteps approached them.
Grimm waved.
"Hey, Jean."
Art stopped next to Grimm.
Jean stood before them, a bag strap was over her shoulder.
She nodded, tilting her head.
"Who is…"
Her eyes fixed on Kane.
"...this?"
Art's finger rested on her chin.
"This is–"
Grimm stepped in front.
"You got time right now?"
Jean sighed.
"For what?"
Grimm pointed at Kane.
"A haircut."
Jean's grip tightened.
"Meet me in the training area locker room."
Jean moved past them.
Grimm began walking forward.
Art's eyebrows furrowed, as she followed.
Kane's steps continued.
The training hall came into view.
The room was clean.
A single monitor was close to the door.
Jean arrived a moment later.
"Let's go."
She led them into the changing rooms.
Jean moved a chair to a mirror.
Kane sat—
Still.
Scissors snipped away at his hair.
A razor glided across his head.
The strands—
Fell.
The veil—
Lifted.
Kane's gaze—
Locked.
Onto the mirror before him.
The reflection—
Distorted.
Missing pieces of his figure.
His chains—
Rattled.
A crack—
Twitched.
Within his hollow.
Light caught his face.
Kane blinked.
The reflection—
Returned.
Black Chains—
Ingrained.
Into his cheeks.
Art's eyes—
Widened.
Focusing on the bondages.
Grimm's mouth—
Opened.
Enough for only air to flow.
Jean's shoulders—
Twitched.
The room—
Silent.
A buzz broke through.
Art pulled her communicator from her pocket.
The screen—
Shifted.
Displaying a message.
Bring 005.