Chapter 5 : Episode 4 – Red eye

The sun rose over the quiet streets, casting a golden glow on the campus. Despite the chaos of the night before, Lucius and Mia walked side by side to their morning class, trying their best to appear as if everything was normal. Lucius had bags under his eyes, but he forced a smile whenever Mia glanced his way, trying to reassure her.

" You sure you're okay?" Mia asked for the third time, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine," Lucius replied, though his voice lacked conviction. "Let's just get through today, alright? I'll figure out everything later."

Mia hesitated but nodded. "Alright. Just… try to stay out of trouble."

Lucius smirked faintly, the weight of her words settling on him. "I hope."

The class buzzed as students filed in, settling into their usual seats. Lucius and Mia entered quietly, slipping into the back row. Mia pulled out her notebook, while Lucius leaned back in his chair, his mind far from the lesson.

"Morning, everyone," Dr. Sarah said as she entered the room, her voice cutting through the noise. "Before we begin, I'd like to introduce a new student joining us today."

All eyes turned to the front of the room as a tall, lean young man stepped forward. He had sharp features, crimson red, middle part hair, and piercing gray eyes that scanned the room with calculated precision. He carried himself with an air of confidence, his movements deliberate and controlled.

"This is Nathan Hale," Dr. Sarah continued, gesturing to him. "He just transferred here and will be joining our class. Nathan, feel free to introduce yourself."

Nathan's lips curled into a polite smile, but his eyes betrayed a sense of cold detachment. "Thank you, Dr. It's a pleasure to be here. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you." His voice was smooth, and carried a tone of practiced sincerity.

Lucius's brow furrowed as he observed Nathan. His demeanor was too composed, his gaze too intense.

Nathan eyes briefly locking with Lucius's. A flicker of recognition passed through his expression, , before he moved to an empty seat near the center of the room.

Mia leaned toward Lucius, whispering, "Is it to late to be accepting new students?"

Lucius nodded slightly. "Yeah. Too late."

Later that morning, Lucius and Mia sat outside on a bench, their books open but mostly ignored. The warm breeze did little to ease Lucius's growing unease.

"He keeps looking over here," Mia whispered, nodding discreetly toward Nathan, who sat under a tree a few yards away, pretending to read a book.

Lucius glanced up, catching Nathan's gaze for the second time that day. Nathan didn't look away, instead offering a faint, almost mocking smile before returning to his book.

"Well, that's strange" Lucius muttered. 

"Do you think he just wanna know each other?" Mia asked, her voice low.

Lucius shook his head. "I don't know. But strange."

Back in the hidden surveillance room, the spy's earpiece buzzed as he subtly spoke under his breath.

"Director, I've made contact," Nathan said, his eyes still on Lucius and Mia from across the courtyard. "He's seems pale but trying to hold it in. That's expected. I'll proceed as planned."

The voice of the director crackled through the earpiece. "Good. Maintain your cover. Your job is to observe and report. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary."

The woman's voice followed, calm yet commanding. "Keep an eye on the girl too. She seems to be his useful."

Nathan's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "Got it."

He closed the book he wasn't actually reading and stood, stretching before walking away. Casting one last glance toward Lucius and Mia.

Throughout the day, Lucius couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Nathan was always nearby. He never approached, but his presence was constant, like a shadow lingering just out of reach.

"Lucius, we need to do something about this," Mia said as they walked home together after classes. "He's seems interested in you. He's watching you."

"I know," Lucius replied, his voice tense. "But I don't want to jump to conclusions. We don't have proof he's after me."

Mia frowned. "And what if he is? What if he thought you were gay?"

Lucius clenched his fists. " Come on Mia. Don't make a joke in a situation like this."

Mia trying to hold her laugh. " What. At least you're not. I think."

As they reached Lucius's apartment building, he paused at the entrance, glancing over his shoulder. The uneasy feeling in his chest hadn't lessened.

"'I'll figure this out," he said, more to convince himself . "But for now, we act like nothing's wrong. If he's watching us, we can't let him know we're onto him."

Mia hesitated but nodded. "Alright. But promise me you'll be careful."

Lucius gave her a faint smile. "I will."

As they entered the building, neither noticed the figure standing across the street, watching them disappear inside. Nathan lowered the phone he had been holding and sent a quick message:

Subject is cautious but unaware of the full extent of surveillance. Proceeding with next plan.

He slipped the phone back into his pocket and turned, blending into the crowd as he walked away.

The soft glow of a lamp illuminated the small apartment. Lucius sat on the couch, staring at the floor . Mia was in the kitchen, making tea. The silence between them felt heavy, unspoken worries lingering in the air.

"You're awfully quiet," Mia said, breaking the silence as she brought two mugs of tea to the coffee table. "Still thinking that day?"

Lucius nodded, wrapping his hands around the warm mug but not drinking. "I can't shake the feeling i could more dangerous than i thought . Ever since that night with Vince and his gang, it's like I have a beast in leash."

Mia sat down next to him, her expression soft but serious. "Well, At least he save us you Y'know. But you don't have to do this alone, Lucy." Mia giggle.

He gave her a faint smile. "Thanks."

The room hummed with the soft buzz of computer monitors. Nathan leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the footage of Lucius's confrontation with the thugs. The video replayed on a loop—Lucius's alter brutally taking down the four thugs with ease.

The director stood at the center of the room, arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the footage. The woman, standing beside him, seemed deep in thought, her finger tapping rhythmically against her chin.

Nathan broke the silence. "We've seen enough. I think he's not ready. His Alter could be a danger."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous? Or resourceful? There's a difference, Nathan."

Nathan gestured toward the screen. "Look at him. The way he moved, the precision, the ruthlessness. He didn't just want to protect the host; he wanted to dominate and take pleasure in it. What happens when the host loses control entirely?"

The director finally spoke, his voice calm but commanding. "He's not dangerous unless he's provoked. We've been observing him for days now. Lucius resists the alter as much as he can. It's not like he's out there looking for trouble."

"But trouble will keeps finding him," Nathan argued, leaning forward. "And every time it does, he gets closer to embracing … the thing inside him. What happens when it takes over permanently? Are we just going to stand by and wait for him to become a threat? I'll tell you what. What if we just contained him here. That way we could prevent the danger his Alter could be...And he could be essential for our project. "

The woman smirked. "You're assuming he's already a threat. What if we're looking at this the wrong direction? What if the alter isn't the problem but the solution? But you right. With the right guidance, someone like Lucius could be useful."

The director raised a hand, silencing the room. "Enough. Both of you make valid points, but this isn't just about Lucius. It's about understanding what he is and what he's capable of. The alter is a part of him, and that makes him unique. We can't make rash decisions based on our interest."

Nathan clenched his jaw but remained silent, his eyes narrowing at the footage. "So, what's the plan? Just keep watching him?"

"For now," the director said, his tone decisive. "We need more data. We've only seen the alter in action a handful of times. We don't know how much his limits, or how much control Lucius has over it. Until we do, we observe."

The woman nodded, her gaze still fixed on the screen. " Nathan, any info you wanna tell us?"

Nathan shook his head. "That's all. For now. I keeps my eyes on him."

"Good," the director said. " We need to see how he handles himself in normal circumstances before we decide what to do."

Nathan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And what if we too late? What if waiting costs us?"

The director turned to him, his expression unreadable. "Then we'll do what we have to. But until we're sure, Lucius stays under observation. No interference, no unnecessary risks."

The woman smirked, leaning against the console. "Let's not forget, Nathan. There's more to Lucius than what we see. The alter may be dangerous, but we could prevent that. We don't fully understand yet but until we do, we can't afford to lose him."

Nathan crossed his arms, his voice laced with doubt. "I just hope we're not making a mistake by wasting more time."

The director's eyes lingered on the screen, where the footage froze on Lucius's face as the alter took over. "Mistake or not, better hope for the best."

The room fell silent, the tension thick as they continued to watch the footage, each lost in their thoughts. The director's gaze darkened, his mind already calculating the next move.

Meanwhile, The container yard 20 miles away from Lucias hometown was eerily silent,the maze of shipping containers. The cold night air carried a faint tang of salt from the nearby sea. In the heart of the yard, two men stood in a secluded corner, exchanging a small package and a briefcase.

"Here's the stuff," the drug dealer said, his voice low and gravelly as he handed over a tightly sealed package. "Top quality. Don't get any better than this."

The other man, tall and shrouded in a long coat, opened the briefcase to reveal neatly stacked bundles of cash. His face was obscured by the shadow of his hood. He examined the package, nodded, and handed over the briefcase.

"Pleasure doing business," the dealer said with a sly grin, tucking the briefcase under his arm.

But before he could take a step, the shadows around them shifted. From behind the containers, ten men emerged, each wielding makeshift weapons—metal pipes, bats, and chains. They surrounded the man in the coat, blocking all routes of escape.

The leader of the ambush, a burly figure with a scar running across his cheek, stepped forward. "You didn't think you could come into our territory and deal without extra charge , did you?" he growled.

The man in the coat tilted his head slightly, his posture relaxed despite the menacing presence around him. "Extra charge?" His voice was smooth, almost mocking.

The scarred man smirked, tapping a metal pipe against his palm. "Yeah. You know, a little payment to ensure you stay in one piece. Leave the money, the goods, and maybe we'll let you crawl out of here."

The drug dealer looked panicked, realizing he was caught in the crossfire. "H-Hey, I'm just the middleman here! Don't include me in with this guy!"

The man in the coat chuckled—a low, ominous sound that echoed in the still air. He slowly removed his hood, revealing a sharp-featured face with an unsettling smile. "You should've stayed in your shadows," he said, tone dripping with amusement.

The scarred man scowled. "What the hell are you smiling at?"

And then it happened. The man's laugh each time grew louder, more unhinged, as his eyes began to glow fiery red. Around him a palpable energy radiating from his body. The ten men hesitated, their bravado faltering as the atmosphere turned suffocating.

"What happen—" one of the thugs stammered, stepping back instinctively.

The man tilted his head, his grin stretching wider. "Consider this. Extra charge."

Before anyone could react, he moved. In a blur of motion, he lunged at the nearest thug, disarming him with a single swipe and sending him flying into a container. The others barely had time to register before he was on them.

The scarred man swung his pipe, but the glowing-eyed figure caught it mid-swing, snapping it in half with his bare hands. He grabbed the man by the throat, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.

"Let me go!" the scarred man choked out, struggling in vain.

The man leaned in close, his glowing eyes burning into the thug's soul. "You wanted extra charge? Here's mine." With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the scarred man into a stack of crates, which collapsed on impact.

The remaining thugs scattered, their courage evaporating as they realized they were no match for this monster. But he wasn't done. One by one, he hunted them down, his movements almost predatory. He toyed with them, laughing as they begged for mercy.

The drug dealer, frozen in fear, watched the carnage unfold. He clutched the briefcase tightly, praying he wouldn't be next.

When the last thug fell, groaning in pain, the glowing-eyed man turned back to the dealer. "You're lucky," he said, his voice cold and sharp. "I save you for later. Better run for now." The man giggle.

The dealer nodded frantically, his legs shaking. "Y-Yeah, sure. You won't see me again, I swear!"

The man's eyes dimmed, the glow fading as he pulled his hood back up. He stepped over the fallen thugs, his boots crunching against the gravel, and disappeared into the shadows of the container yard, leaving nothing but chaos.