Chapter 96: Confidential conversation

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Confidential conversation

Edward looked toward Erik, his brow furrowed with uncertainty.

"So...what exactly is happening to us?"

Erik remained silent for a moment. His eyes moved across the cramped elevator, taking in every person standing inside before he finally answered.

"I don’t know exactly what’s happening," Erik said after a brief pause.

It wasn’t a lie.

He knew humanity was changing.

He simply didn’t know how or why.

Everyone listened quietly.

"Every person inside this elevator experienced something unusual during combat. The similarities are too consistent to dismiss as coincidence."

He looked toward Edward first.

"You described moving faster than you ever have before."

Then toward William.

"You noticed a significant increase in your physical strength."

His attention shifted to Ethan.

"Your eyesight and hearing have become noticeably sharper."

Finally, he looked at Jason.

"And you’re experiencing something entirely different."

Jason instinctively lowered his head.

"I don’t think you’re sick," Erik said calmly. "If anything, I think our bodies are adapting to our new reality."

Jason looked up hopefully.

"Then...I’m not going crazy?"

"No."

Killian answered before Erik could.

"If you were infected, you wouldn’t be standing here having this conversation."

The tension in Jason’s shoulders eased ever so slightly.

Erik continued. "What interests me isn’t that all of you changed. It’s that none of you changed in the same way."

"So everyone develops something different?" Edward frowned as he asked.

"Everything we’ve observed points in that direction."

Erik deliberately chose his next words.

"I don’t have enough information to call it a fact."

William glanced toward Jason.

"What about the map? What about the colors?"

Erik folded his arms.

"Jason began seeing the black dots before anyone knew what those creatures were. He also counted every person inside this elevator without looking directly at any of us."

He paused.

"That tells me whatever he’s seeing exists independently of his imagination."

Jason nodded quickly.

"I wasn’t counting people."

"I was counting the dots."

"I know," Erik replied. "That’s exactly why I believe what you’re seeing is real."

William frowned.

"Then what do the colors mean?"

Erik slowly shook his head.

"I don’t know." He didn’t want to expose their elemental powers just yet. At least, not fully.

"I can speculate, but speculation has a habit of becoming dangerous when people start treating it like fact."

The elevator remained quiet.

"My best guess is that the colors represent the changes occurring inside each person."

He glanced toward Jason.

"Whether those colors represent abilities, potential, or something else entirely is impossible to determine right now."

Killian finally spoke.

"We’ve only lived through one day of this new world."

His calm voice carried through the elevator.

"Making assumptions now would be no different than guessing." Killian paused.

"But whatever these changes are...It sounds like they helped you survive today."

Erik nodded in agreement.

"For now, observation is more valuable than answers."

He looked at each of them in turn.

"Pay attention to your body."

"If something changes..."

"If you notice something unusual..."

"No matter how insignificant it seems..."

"Tell the rest of us."

Edward slowly nodded.

"So we’re gathering information."

"Exactly."

Erik’s expression remained calm.

"The more we understand about these changes, the better prepared we’ll be when we encounter something we don’t understand."

No one spoke.

The backpacks hanging from their shoulders felt heavier than they had only minutes ago.

Not because of the food.

Or the water.

Or the medicine.

But because tonight...

They had taken lives.

None of them regretted it.

They simply wished those lives had never needed to be taken.

The digital display slowly climbed.

9...10...11...12.

A gentle chime echoed through the elevator.

The doors slid open.

Edward adjusted the backpack resting against his shoulders before looking toward the hallway leading to Apartment 1203.

His wife...

His daughter...

They had been waiting all night.

"I should get home," Edward said quietly.

Ethan tightened the straps on the second backpack.

"They’re probably worried sick."

Killian gave a single nod.

"Get everyone inside before sunrise," Killian said. "We’ll talk again after everyone has had a chance to rest."

Erik stepped forward.

"If anything happens..." Erik said calmly, "...come to the twenty-first floor."

"Our doors will remain open."

Edward nodded gratefully.

"We will."

As father and son stepped out of the elevator, Ben suddenly spoke.

"Edward."

Edward turned back.

Ben’s usually gentle expression had become unexpectedly serious.

"Once the sun comes up..."

"...don’t leave your apartment."

Edward frowned.

"...Because of the zombies?"

Ben slowly shook his head.

"No."

Silence settled over the elevator.

"The sunlight itself is dangerous."

Ethan blinked.

"...The sun?"

"We don’t know everything yet," Ben admitted honestly.

"But we know enough to tell you this..."

"Avoid direct sunlight until we understand what’s happening."

Edward searched Ben’s face.

There wasn’t a trace of uncertainty.

Only concern.

"...We’ll stay inside," Edward promised.

Killian looked at Edward one last time.

"Take care of your family."

"You too," Edward replied.

No one spoke.

The backpacks hanging from their shoulders felt heavier than they had only minutes ago.

Not because of the food.

Or the water.

Or the medicine.

But because tonight...

They had taken lives.

None of them regretted it.

They simply wished those lives had never needed to be taken.

The digital display slowly climbed.

9...10...11...12.

A gentle chime echoed through the elevator.

The doors slid open.

Edward adjusted the backpack resting against his shoulders before looking toward the hallway leading to Apartment 1203.

His wife...

His daughter...

They had been waiting all night.

"I should get home," Edward said quietly.

Ethan tightened the straps on the second backpack.

"They’re probably worried sick."

Killian gave a single nod.

"Get everyone inside before sunrise," Killian said. "We’ll talk again after everyone has had a chance to rest."

Erik stepped forward.

"If anything happens..." Erik said calmly, "...come to the twenty-first floor."

"Our doors will remain open."

Edward nodded gratefully.

"We will."

As father and son stepped out of the elevator, Ben suddenly spoke.

"Edward."

Edward turned back.

Ben’s usually gentle expression had become unexpectedly serious.

"Once the sun comes up..."

"...don’t leave your apartment."

Edward frowned.

"...Because of the zombies?"

Ben slowly shook his head.

"No."

Silence settled over the elevator.

"The sunlight itself is dangerous."

Ethan blinked.

"...The sun?"

"We don’t know everything yet," Ben admitted honestly.

"But we know enough to tell you this..."

"Avoid direct sunlight until we understand what’s happening."

Edward searched Ben’s face.

There wasn’t a trace of uncertainty.

Only concern.

"...We’ll stay inside," Edward promised.

Killian looked at Edward one last time.

"Take care of your family."

"You too," Edward replied.

He placed a reassuring hand on Ethan’s shoulder.

Together, father and son disappeared down the hallway toward Apartment 1203.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

Silence returned.