Balance. Control.

Karl shifted on the scanning table. His bare chest pressed against the cold metal. He turned his head. His blue eyes locked on Ryker.

"What can we do?" His voice came out low and rough with exhaustion. He swallowed hard. His throat felt dry, scraped raw from the night. He could already feel the claws of sleep latching onto him, but he couldn't sleep yet. Not now. Not when he didn't even know his fate.

Ryker stood by the console. His fingers hovered over the keys. He sighed. "I told you, kid. I'm not sure it'll work. Even if it does, it'll hurt like hell." His gray hair caught the glow of the bottled lights. His brows drew together like he could picture the pain Karl would be in if they tried it.

Karl's jaw clenched. "Just say it." He sat up. The scanner lid whirred open. His hands gripped the edge. "I need to know."

Ryker crossed his arms. He leaned against the wall. "Alright. Fine." He took a breath. Karl held his gaze. Ryker's voice dropped, steady but heavy. "We could extract the fractures. All of 'em, and pull every splintered piece out of your Core." He paused. His dark eyes flicked to Karl's face. "But that'd leave you Coreless… empty."

Karl exhaled sharply. His shoulders slumped. "That's not a solution." He slid off the table. "Coreless means trouble, too. No Shard takes you. No life. Just scraps and hiding." He shook his head. "I'd still be screwed, but just quieter."

Ryker nodded slowly. "Yeah. Thought you'd say that." He rubbed his face. "Extraction is a long shot anyway. Too risky. You'd bleed out half the time."

Karl turned away. His legs felt heavy. He walked to a corner of the wide space. Metal walls loomed around him, stacked with glowing bottles. He sank and pressed his back against a crate.

"Then what's the point?" he muttered. His eyes drifted shut. Exhaustion pulled him under, and within minutes, he dozed off.

*^*^*^

Karl jolted awake. A gasp ripped from his throat. He staggered to his feet, his vision blurring. The room spun and his hands flailed, catching a shelf. Bottles rattled.

"What… what's happening?" His voice cracked. His chest heaved.

Ryker's voice drifted over. "Get some water, kid. Over there." He waved a hand. Karl blinked. His eyes focused. Ryker stood near the workbench, pointing to a jug on a crate.

Karl stumbled forward and grabbed the glass beside the jug. His hands shook. He poured fast. Water sloshed over the rim. He drank it down, gulping hard and fast. His breath steadied and for the first time since his crazy core explosion, he stopped to ask himself if he wasn't dying.

"Thanks," he mumbled. His blue eyes flicked to Ryker.

Ryker gestured to a covered plate. "Food's there. Eat up." His tone softened. "You need it."

Karl lifted the cover. Steam rose, carrying the scent of grilled meat and stale bread. His stomach growled loudly. He dove in. His fingers tore the bread and he shoved it in his mouth. Meat followed. He chewed fast.

Ryker chuckled, shaking his head. "Calm down, kid. It's all yours. No one's snatching it." He leaned on the workbench. His smirk returned, lopsided.

Karl slowed down. He swallowed another chunk and narrowed his eyes. "Funny, huh?" He tore off another bite. "What's so amusing?"

Ryker shrugged. "You eat like you're starved. Guess that Core is burning you up inside." He paused. "How does it feel? All those pieces rattling around?"

Karl chewed slower. He set the plate down. "It feels like I'm breaking. Every time it flares, it is worse." He wiped his hands on his pants. "You got any real ideas? Or just laughs?"

Ryker's smirk faded. He straightened up. "I've got a plan." His voice turned serious. "Been thinking while you slept."

Karl leaned forward. His brows lifted. "Yeah? What's the plan?" He pushed the plate aside. "Tell me."

Ryker paced a step, his hands clasped together. "We manage it. Your chaos. See how we can balance that Core." He stopped, his eyes glinting. "We will not fix or rip it out. Just… we will tame it, and work with what's there."

Karl frowned. "Balance it? How?" He stood up. His scarf dangled loose. "You saw the scan. It's a mess."

Ryker nodded. "Yeah. A mess with patterns. Fire, shifting, illusions—they're wild, but they're yours. We test 'em. Push 'em. Figure out what triggers what." He tapped his temple. "Control is the key. You stop breaking, maybe you start bending it."

Karl rubbed his neck. "And if it doesn't work?" His voice tightened. "What then?"

Ryker shrugged again. "Then we're back to square one. But you're not dead yet, are you?" He grinned faintly. "It's worth a shot."

Karl stared at him. His blue eyes searched Ryker's face. "Maybe. How do we even start?" He crossed his arms. "What's step one?"

Ryker turned to the workbench. He picked up a small device, a blinking light on its side. "This. Tracks energy spikes. You wear it. We see what your Core does when it kicks." He tossed it to Karl. "Catch."

Karl caught it. His fingers closed around it. "And then what?" He turned it over. "I just wait for it to blow up again?"

Ryker laughed softly. "Pretty much. But I'll be here. We log it. Learn it." He pointed to the scanner. "That's next. More scans, more data. You up for it?"

Karl set the device down. "Do I have a choice?" His tone was a bit dry. He sat back on the crate. "What's this gonna cost me?"

Ryker's grin widened. "Shelter's free. This? Call it mutual curiosity. You're a puzzle, kid. I like puzzles." He paused. "You trust me enough for that?"

Karl snorted. "Not really. But I'm here, aren't I?" He picked up the bread again. "What's the worst that happens?"

Ryker leaned in. "Worst? You fry us both. Best? You stop falling apart." He clapped Karl's shoulder. "Eat up. We start tomorrow."

Karl nodded slowly. He bit into the bread. His mind churned. Balance. Control. Those words felt far off. Tomorrow would be another day.