The tension that had been building cracked just enough to let the moment pass.
I leaned forward again, resting my forearms on the desk as I pulled the conversation back on track.
“They’ll show up eventually,” I said. “Until then, I’ve started testing.”
The shift was immediate. Nova straightened again. Aniyah’s amusement faded. Riot’s focus snapped back.
Ezra leaned forward slightly, her attention locking in.
“It’s slow,” I continued. “The thing reacts unpredictably.”
I flexed my hand subtly, the memory of the cut still fresh.
“If I handle it wrong, it could kill me.”
The room stilled.
Aniyah’s posture tightened again, her earlier humor gone. Nova’s hands stilled completely. Riot’s gaze sharpened, tracking every word.
Ezra didn’t raise her voice, but the urgency came through clearly.
“Which is exactly why you need to be extra careful,” she said. “The last thing we need is our older brother and weapons manufacturer to die in the middle of some unknown war.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly, watching her.
She loves you, Calix.I reminded myself.She didn't just say your worth was only tied to your job. She would never think that… right?
Her left eye twitched, and I leaned back slowly, a faint smile pulling at the corner of my mouth as I settled into the chair. She did care about me more than what she led on.
I was going to consider that a win.
“All I know right now,” I continued, shifting back into focus, “is that it can kill a supe with very little effort.”
The weight of that sat heavy across the call.
“I’ve been testing environmental responses,” I added. “Most external factors don’t trigger anything.” I paused, letting the next part land. “But when a supe gets close, it reacts.”
Riot tilted her head slightly, her attention sharpening further.
“I think it’s responding to the magic in our DNA,” I said. “But I still need to confirm that.”
“If you need subjects,” Riot said, her voice steady again, “I can provide them.”
I gave her a short nod. No one asked what kind of people she meant. They were already heads on her chopping block. If they could be used to help us out, the better.
Ezra let the silence sit for a moment before stepping back in.
“Good,” she said, her tone firm but controlled. “This is something we need to understand as fast as possible. I want it to be our ace in the hole.”
Her fingers flew across her keyboard as her mind worked a hundred miles a minute.
“Whatever you need, you’ll have it. Right now, your work is the priority.”
I nodded once.
“You got it, E.” I could feel the weight in my chest grow heavier.
Great. No pressure at all.
