A New Home, A New Resolve

It had only been a few days since Remond moved out of the school dormitory and into his own apartment. His mother had insisted on it, saying that he needed a more private and comfortable space to live in. She took care of the rent, ensuring that he had everything he needed, though she frequently reminded him to focus on his studies and stay out of trouble.

Of course, trouble seemed to find him anyway.

This morning was no exception.

---

The morning sun peeked through the blinds of Remond's apartment, casting warm streaks of light across the small but cozy living space. The previous night had been a blur—rescuing Innes, bringing her to safety, and Sid frantically erasing all traces of their interference from surveillance feeds.

Now, as Remond rubbed his tired eyes and sat up, he heard the soft sound of someone moving in the kitchen.

For a moment, he forgot everything that had happened.

Then, the realization hit him—Innes was here.

She was living with him now.

---

A Quiet Morning

Remond walked into the kitchen and found Innes standing by the stove, her hair tied up, wearing one of his oversized T-shirts. She was carefully flipping pancakes on a pan, her movements slightly awkward but determined.

She turned and gave him a small smile. "Morning. Hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd make breakfast as a thank-you."

Remond blinked. "You can cook?"

She pouted. "Don't underestimate me."

He sat at the table, watching her. "You really don't have to do all this, you know."

She sighed, setting down a plate of pancakes in front of him. "I do, actually. You saved my life, Remond. Twice."

She sat across from him, pushing her hair back as she leaned on the table. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up last night. I hate feeling like I owe people, but I really don't know how to repay you."

Remond stabbed his fork into a pancake. "You don't owe me anything, Innes. Just… be safe. That's all."

She scoffed. "I don't think safety is an option anymore, considering what we're up against."

His grip on his fork tightened. "That's exactly why you should be careful. Axiom Syndicate isn't some petty gang. They're dangerous, and you being involved makes you a target."

She crossed her arms. "So what? I should just ignore everything? Let them get away with it?"

Remond met her gaze. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Her expression softened. "I know, Remond. But that's exactly why I'm not going to stop. And neither are you."

A beat of silence passed between them.

Then, she grinned. "Now, eat before your pancakes get cold."

---

Sid's Workshop – New Intel

Later that day, Remond and Innes made their way to Sid's workshop. Sid had been up all night analyzing data from last night's attack. When they entered, he looked exhausted but victorious.

Sid gestured toward the screen. "I finally decrypted that weird call."

The distorted voice now played clearly:

"Target acquired… proceed with experiment… ensure no survivors…"

Remond's blood ran cold.

Sid continued, his fingers flying over the keyboard. "I traced the origin of the call. It came from an underground facility outside the city. Guess who owns the land?"

Hayato, standing by the window, spoke up. "Axiom Syndicate."

Sid nodded. "And guess who's been seen going in and out of that place?"

He pulled up a grainy surveillance photo. It showed a man in a lab coat walking toward the entrance of an underground structure.

Dr. Malcolm Graves.

Remond clenched his fists. "That bastard."

Innes studied the photo. "So he's the mastermind?"

Sid shook his head. "Not quite. I did some deeper digging… and Graves isn't the real head. He's just a front."

He clicked to another file, revealing a hidden personnel record.

One name stood out.

Lopart.

Hayato narrowed his eyes. "Who is he?"

Sid sighed. "No idea. No pictures, no digital footprint. But from what I gathered, he's the real power behind Axiom's experiments. Graves is just his puppet."

Remond exhaled sharply. "Then we take them both down."

---

The Weight of Responsibility

That night, Remond sat on the rooftop of his apartment, staring at the city lights below. Innes joined him, sitting cross-legged beside him.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Then, Innes finally broke the silence. "Do you regret it?"

Remond turned to her. "Regret what?"

She gestured vaguely. "All of this. Getting involved. Fighting back."

He thought about it. "No."

She nodded. "Even after everything you've lost?"

His jaw tightened.

He thought about his father, who died in a shootout. His uncle, Dr. Edwards, who had been caught in something far bigger than anyone realized.

He thought about the burden of his powers.

"Yeah," he finally said. "Because if I don't fight, then who will?"

Innes gave him a small smile. "Then I guess I'll fight too."

He looked at her. "You don't have to do this, Innes."

She rolled her eyes. "I already told you. I'm not running away."

He sighed but smiled slightly. "You're stubborn, you know that?"

She nudged him playfully. "And you're just realizing that now?"

For the first time in a while, Remond felt… lighter.

Even in the face of danger, knowing that he wasn't alone made all the difference.

Tomorrow, the fight would continue.

But for tonight, they just sat there, watching the city glow.