Brewing before the storm

"Sure," Oliver replied, stepping aside to lean against the wall.

Elias entered, finding Geras in his usual military uniform. He was standing by a whiteboard covered in a grid of lines, dozens of red magnets marking various points on its surface. He moved a piece deliberately, then turned to Elias with a faint smile.

"Ah, perfect. On time as always," Geras said. His tone shifted slightly as he gestured to Elias's face. "So, how's A Block been so far? And—did Yui leave marks on you?"

Elias touched his face briefly, shrugging.

"He did, but it's nothing serious. As for A Block… I haven't talked much with them yet, but it's clear everyone has their own priorities. Some people have families—wives, kids, lives back home. I think they're going to need some kind of compensation for their time. The setup here is impressive—the big rooms, training areas, even the gaming room—but it still feels like they're prisoners."

Geras nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "I see. Those are valid concerns. I'll take them into account. I've reviewed everyone here and want them to be as cooperative as possible."

Elias hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I'm also curious to learn more about this Doctor. We'll be seeing him again soon, right? I'll be sure to update you on how that goes."

Geras's smile thinned. "Yes, I'm curious about that as well. Do keep me informed." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "Anything else on your mind?"

Elias frowned, his voice lowering. "Actually… yes. The shard user who attacked me and Elara—has he been caught? And how was he able to track me like that? Who is he?"

Geras let out a long yawn, waving a hand as if to brush the questions aside. "Short answers: no, he hasn't been caught. He murdered three PCA soldiers during his escape. Rebel groups pop up from time to time, and he's likely aligned with one of them. As for how he tracked you…"

He trailed off, tapping his chin. "It could be linked to technology, or perhaps an ability granted by his Ikona. No way to tell for sure right now. The footage from the incident was insightful, though."

Elias stiffened slightly at the mention of the footage but said nothing.

"One last thing," Geras said, his tone softening unexpectedly. "Your father always spoke so highly of you. Take that however you will. I know it's been ten years since that nightmare, but as per his final request… just keep your head on a swivel."

The words hit Elias harder than he expected. He nodded slowly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Understood."

The door opened behind him, and Elias turned, stepping back into the hallway where Oliver was waiting.

"Perfect," Oliver said, straightening up. "Let's get you back to the cell block."

Elias followed, his mind replaying Geras's words as they walked down the corridor. The hallway stretched ahead, but his thoughts stretched further—toward the unknown challenges that lay in wait.

A few hours had passed since Elias finished his first dinner in A Block.

The meal was simple but satisfying: a perfectly roasted chicken thigh seasoned with herbs, a side of creamy mashed potatoes, and a warm roll slathered in butter.

Still, as he pushed his empty plate away, he muttered, "If I had a grill, I could've made something better."

Now, he found himself sitting in a sturdy chair outside, watching as the other members of A Block gradually retreated to their rooms.

The faint hum of activity was dwindling, leaving the area quiet. Glancing up at the digital clock mounted on the far wall, he noticed the time: almost 10 PM.

He stretched, his body still sore from the day's events, and thought, Right about time for that vision to show up again…

Dot floated nearby, her voice breaking the silence. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that too," she said, her usual playful tone softened by a hint of nervousness. "I'm happy to see him again, and maybe I'll get some of my memories back this time."

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Didn't know you'd been thinking about it this much."

"I didn't want to bug you," Dot admitted, her small form hovering closer. "But yeah, I've been anxious all day."

Before Elias could respond, a voice called out. "Hey, how you holding up, old man?"

Elias turned to see the white-haired young man approaching, a piece of gum in his mouth and his hands stuffed casually into his pockets.

"Old man?" Elias smirked, even as a flicker of annoyance crossed his face. "I'm not even thirty. Come on."

The young man laughed, shrugging. "Fair enough. Just wanted to check on you. Saw all those bandages earlier—looks like Yui really gave you a beating. I had to fight him about a week ago and gave up after a couple of hits."

Elias chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, I kind of pushed my luck. Kept going longer than I probably should have, but I had a solid plan going… all things considered."

"Solid plan, huh?" The younger man raised an eyebrow. "What does your Ikona even do, if you don't mind me asking?"

Elias glanced at Dot, who gave a small shrug. "Still figuring it out," he admitted. "What about yours?"

The young man chewed on his gum thoughtfully before holding his hand out, palm up. "Alright, check this out," he said with a grin.

A faint breeze stirred from his palm, gradually intensifying. The air swirled into a compact vortex, spinning faster and tighter until it became a small, controlled cyclone.

"Spock, you ready?" he asked, glancing at his shoulder.