Despite Serena’s assurances, Kyle kept God’s Eye active as he stepped into the security tunnel. If an ambush awaited him or there was anything worth noticing ahead, he intended to see it first.
He didn’t even have to walk. The platform beneath his feet carried him forward at a steady pace, passing through one checkpoint after another. Invisible scanners swept across his body, verified his identity through retinal scans, and captured a fresh image before allowing him to continue.
As the tunnel opened toward the exit, he finally understood the surprise Serena had hinted at.
The moment he stepped into the light, a smile spread across his face.
"Vero..."
His greeting dissolved into surprise.
"Veronica?"
Before he could say anything else, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face against his chest.
"Hey, hey... what happened?" Kyle asked gently, his concern unmistakable. "Are you okay?"
It wasn’t like Veronica to act this way. He hadn’t even been injured, so why was she trembling as though she had nearly lost him?
Without trying to pull away, he simply rested a hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly.
"Everything’s fine," he said in a calm voice. "Take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong."
Veronica slowly loosened her embrace but didn’t meet his eyes.
"I... I heard about the ambush last night," she murmured. "And then... I had this strange dream about you..."
Her voice trailed off as she looked away.
A crease formed between Kyle’s brows.
"What happened in the dream, Veronica?" he asked softly. "You can tell me everything."
"Umm... would you two mind stepping aside?" Serena called out, sounding almost apologetic for interrupting.
Kyle immediately understood. They were still standing on the security strip, and lingering there any longer could trigger an unnecessary alert.
He gently took Veronica’s hand before turning to the blonde woman.
"Is there somewhere we can talk?"
Serena nodded and motioned for them to follow.
The three of them walked down the corridor until they reached a quiet cafeteria near the end of the hall.
"I’ll wait outside," Serena said before stopping at the entrance.
Kyle silently appreciated the consideration. Whatever had happened, Veronica clearly wasn’t in a state to speak in front of anyone else.
Something she had seen had shaken her to the core.
After finding an empty table tucked away from the other patrons, he pulled out a chair for Veronica before taking the seat beside her.
"Do you want some water?" he asked, already halfway to standing.
She quickly shook her head.
"Just... stay here with me."
She slipped both hands around his arm and moved closer until their shoulders touched.
Kyle’s concern deepened.
This wasn’t the composed, confident Veronica he knew. She looked vulnerable, clinging to him as though letting go would make something terrible happen.
He placed his free hand over hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Veronica," he said softly, his voice filled with patience, "take all the time you need. But I want to hear it from you."
He met her anxious eyes.
"What happened that frightened you this much?"
Veronica let out a slow breath, gathering her thoughts.
"I don’t even know where to begin..."
She lowered her gaze.
"Last night... something changed inside me. I was already asleep when this sudden jolt woke me. It felt like a burst of energy had erupted from somewhere deep within me."
She paused before continuing.
"But before I woke up, I was having this strange dream."
Her fingers tightened around Kyle’s arm.
"You were trapped somewhere. Completely alone... calling out for me."
Sadness and fear lingered in every word. Whatever she had experienced had left a wound that hadn’t begun to heal.
Kyle fell silent.
The unsettling part was that he had dreamed something eerily similar the previous night. He, too, had found himself abandoned in a lonely place, haunted by an overwhelming fear of his own existence.
"Kyle..."
Veronica lifted her eyes to meet his.
"I never want you to feel like that. I’ll always be here for you. Just say the word, and I’ll come to your side."
Kyle froze.
It wasn’t only her words that caught him off guard.
A faint green radiance shimmered within her eyes, spreading through her irises like ripples across still water.
Before he realized it, his thoughts had drifted into a strange haze.
He could do nothing except look at her.
The unease inside him dissolved without a trace. His heartbeat steadied, his mind grew quiet, and an indescribable sense of peace settled over him.
For that fleeting moment, every future that didn’t have Veronica standing beside him felt utterly devoid of meaning.
He was completely ensnared by her gaze.
Then, with a sharp shake of his head, he forced himself back to reality.
"I... I understand," he said, taking a steadying breath. "But right now, Veronica, you need to calm down."
Only then did he notice the unusual silence around them.
Although they had been speaking quietly, several nearby patrons had stopped what they were doing. Their eyes were fixed on Veronica, their expressions vacant, their bodies motionless.
They looked exactly as he had moments ago.
Kyle’s brows knitted together.
Without another word, he stood, gently took Veronica’s hand, and led her out of the cafeteria.
Waiting outside, Serena looked up as they approached.
"Ready to give your report?"
Kyle offered an apologetic smile.
"Before that... is there somewhere she can rest? She’s not feeling well."
Serena let out a thoughtful hum and shifted her attention to the silver-haired girl.
Veronica remained pressed against Kyle’s side, quietly clutching his arm without saying a word.
Even Serena could tell something wasn’t right.
"Of course," the blonde woman replied, motioning for them to follow.
"Come with me."
Serena led them deeper into the facility.
"She was invited here with the rest of the team for a formal introduction," she explained. "But I doubt she’ll be attending the meeting now."
"Why wouldn’t I?"
Veronica frowned at the suggestion.
"I’ll be wherever my Kyle is."
The declaration was so sudden that Serena nearly tripped over thin air.
Kyle wasn’t faring much better.
By now, he was certain Veronica’s behavior couldn’t be explained by a disturbing dream alone.
For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she was drunk.
The thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of alcohol on her, and from what he’d heard, awakened beings rarely became drunk in the first place. Their enhanced bodies broke down toxins far too efficiently.
Which only left an even more troubling question.
What had caused such a drastic change?
Was she simply overwhelmed by fear and unconsciously seeking reassurance from him?
Or was something else influencing her altogether?
The moment they stepped into what looked like an infirmary, Kyle called out inwardly.
’System... can you tell what’s happening to her? Maybe use God’s Eye to evaluate her condition?’
His concern deepened with every passing second.
He had already examined Veronica himself, but God’s Eye had revealed almost nothing.
Then the familiar notification appeared before him.
[Host... as a hint, why don’t you start the stream and see if someone is missing...]
"Will you zip it?"
Veronica suddenly growled.
The system message vanished halfway through, as though it had been interrupted mid-sentence.
Kyle froze.
"Huh?"
He slowly turned toward Veronica.
She was smiling at him.
A gentle, innocent smile, as though she hadn’t just snapped at... the system.
Kyle’s mind ground to a halt.
...Wait.
How could she even perceive the system?