The laboratory room was dark, dimly lit by a single lamp light, outlining a stack or sorted documents on the desk.
Sand trickled down an hourglass as heels were resting on the desk next to it.
Selena was leaning back in her chair glancing at her empty palm.
Her tongue glided across her lips as her veins began to fill with a black hue.
Black webs—
Formed.
Stretching from the center of her palm to each finger.
Dew drops—
Condensed.
Running from the finger tips to the center web.
Information flowed into her, transmitting from small webs she placed in various places.
The air—
Shifted.
The fourth strand—
Vanished.
As if it was never there to begin with.
A wide smile formed on her face as her gaze shifted to the hourglass, watching the sand almost reach the bottom.
Its culmination…
Her heels lowered to the ground as she turned towards the exit door.
Selena turned the small gear at the base of the lamp shutting off the light as the last piece of sand hit the bottom.
…will arrive soon.
Her hand—
Tensed.
Moving the remaining four webs back and forth.
Selena plucked the strand connected to her index finger like an instrument string.
Let's visit that stray.
She fixed her black lab coat, lined with golden seams before stepping out into the hallway of the central tower.
Selena faced the elevator at the end of the hall to her left as she walked down the ticking hallway.
The fluorescent lights lined the walls next to her, turning on at the same intervals.
Her heels clicked across the smooth limestone floor, echoing in the quiet hallway.
The webs—
Twitched.
Continuing to form dew at a consistent timing.
Selena stopped at the closed elevator doors, slotting her hand inside a similar shaped hole resting atop a ticking clock.
The elevator doors—
Opened.
Arriving at their end points at the same time.
Selena stepped through, pressing the second to the top button on her left.
Her webs—
Dissipated.
As the doors slowly closed.
The black hue—
Faded.
Metal pumps compressed working together with the rest of its system to move the elevator up its shaft.
A blue light—
Shone.
Highlighting the number Ⅰ pushed in.
Ding.
The elevator came to a stop as the gear above the doors stopped rotating.
Selena stepped through the open doors, looking down the straight hallway.
A single door—
Closed.
At the end.
She continued through the hallway, fixing her glasses before adjusting the buttons on her undershirt.
A faint smirk—
Formed.
As she stopped at the door.
Her hand twisted the handle pushing the door open revealing Marco sitting at the desk in the back of the room.
His gaze—
Focused.
Reading the reports on his desk.
"What do you want, Selena?"
Selena stayed quiet, walking over to a bookshelf to the left.
Her fingers ran along the spines of different colored books as Marco flipped to the next page.
"The eastern lab…"
Selena paused on a blue and purple spine.
"...provided."
Marco sighed heavily.
"...Meaning?"
Selena tipped the book off the shelf, turning the pages rapidly.
"The completion…"
Her hand—
Tensed.
Slamming the book closed.
"...is nearing."
Marco pinched the bridge of his nose.
"If that's all, leave."
Selena placed the book back on the shelf, glancing at Marco over her shoulder.
"You must also move towards completion."
Marco leaned back in his chair, shifting his eyes to the ceiling.
This woman…is full of nonsense.
Her heels—
Clicked.
Moving through the open door.
A web—
Formed.
Pulling it closed behind her.
Selena walked a few steps, placing her hands in her lab coat pockets.
Her pupils—
Dilated.
As she looked back towards Marco's office.
She turned, continuing toward the elevator.
Her tongue—
Glided.
Moving fast across her lips.
Marco leaned forward, looking towards the closed door.
He sat—
Alone.
As a clock hand ticked with time.
His communicator buzzed, interrupting the silence.
Marco shifted the gear, listening to the static scratch through the speaker.
A male voice spoke.
"My pilgrimage has come to an end."
Marco rested his hands together.
"Then the south—"
Malachi interrupted.
"Condemned."
The communicator—
Cut.
Before Marco could respond.
Marco returned the gear to a resting position silencing the speaker.
His eyes—
Shifted.
Settling on the report from the western district.
Do not fail…Veera.
…
A cold breeze shifted loose rocks across the cold wasteland as the trees did not sway with it.
Their leaves shifted in their own motion as grass was rustled below them.
Art and Jean had stepped out from the eastern forest, standing underneath the starry sky.
They disabled their disguises and jammers as Art turned to face the forest.
"Where's Kane?"
A pebble—
Rose.
Directly next to her.
Her ears—
Twitched.
Kane was there standing like he had always been present.
Art exhaled, glancing at his figure.
At least he disabled the disguise.
The moonlight—
Warped.
Not reflecting off his deep black chains.
Jean had tapped her earpiece.
"Dean, bring the truck."
A faint click sounded in her ear before Dean responded.
"On my way."
Jean lifted her hand, lowering it to her side as she looked down at Art.
Art's head—
Lowered.
Losing herself in thought.
Jean placed her hand on her shoulder.
"We'll ask him to explain when we get back."
Art's eyes closed briefly before she straightened her posture.
"Yes…"
Her eyes focused before her.
"...you're right."
Jean's eyebrows raised.
"Oh… that's right."
She walked over to Kane, raising her pointer finger in the air.
"What did you find Kane?"
Kane's body—
Stayed.
Frozen.
"..."
Jean's index finger slowly lowered.
Art stood next to her.
"He's probably exhausted…"
She looked at Kane's face.
His gaze—
Empty.
As his pupils matched the night sky.
"...let's ask him some other time."
Jean nodded.
"Alright then."
A humming engine grew closer, moving up the edge of the ridge before them.
Its tires skirted across the cracked ground, kicking up dust beneath them.
Jean moved first, entering the truck through the passenger door.
Art followed, getting in the back as before.
A buckle—
Clicked.
Art's head turned, looking to her left as she sat down.
Kane sat—
Quiet.
As if he had arrived in the truck with Dean.
Her eyes—
Twitched.
When did he?
Jean gripped the metal assist grip above her door as she looked over her shoulder.
"Is everyone ready for departure?"
Art clicked her seat belt.
"We're all good."
Dean nodded.
"Roger."
He moved the stick shift, pressing the pedal into the floor.
The truck headed towards the base, driving parallel with the crescent moon.
Art's vision—
Focused.
Trying to study Kane's expression.
His figure—
Blurry.
Faintly stretching in every direction.
He seems…normal?
She continued to observe, resting her hand on her chin.
Kane's breathing—
Faint.
As if he was asleep.
His head—
Lowered.
Art sighed, looking to her left out the front window.
Green light blinked from the truck's dash.
I guess he really was just tired.
Kane's eyes remained—
Open.
His body had—
Shifted.
As if it was deceiving her.
He continued to keep his head down as they continued towards Cygnus.
…
Dean lifted his finger, flicking a switch as a metal door and rusted hangar came into view.
The garage opened, allowing the truck to pull in.
Its headlight outlined the dark workstation as he turned the steering wheel, settling the tires.
The engine—
Stopped.
A little later than expected.
Dean exited the drivers side, flipping a switch on a dangling box.
The garage was lit up with white lights as Jean exited from the passenger door.
Art opened the back door, glancing back at Kane who was still seated.
"Are you coming?"
Kane's head—
Lifted.
"..."
Jean moved to the back of the truck.
"Art, it's time."
Art breathed to steady herself, facing away from Kane.
"Yes it is."
The air—
Shifted.
A faint—
Creak.
Sounded from the garage's exit door.
Art and Jean looked into the back of the truck.
Jean's eyebrows furrowed.
"Where did Kane go?"
Art's eyes shifted to the cracked open door.
"To his room, I would guess."
Dean rummaged through his toolbox.
"Yeah I saw him walk though the exit."
Art shook her head.
Focus on the mission.
"I see. Thanks."
Dean laid on a small rolling platform, sliding underneath the truck.
"Don't mention it."
Jean hooked her thumb towards the staircase.
"It's time for an explanation."
Art's face—
Tightened.
As she walked towards the metal rafters.
"You're right."
The two of them headed through the exit door, walking towards the center courtyard.
…
Kane had—
Moved.
Into his quiet room.
He sat alone, with his magnums holstered on the table beside him.
His chains—
Aligned.
Sitting silent as the crack resonated.
The air—
Shifted.
Rustling the covers as if someone had turned around.
Kane's body—
Faced.
West.