Ethan turned his head, eyeing the man beside him. Something felt…off. The man's posture. His tone. It wasn't just a fellow prisoner chatting. There was confidence in the way he sat. Too calm. Too collected.
That's when Ethan noticed it.
He wasn't shackled.
And he was wearing something different—disguised, yes, but it wasn't prison-issued.
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Who… are you?"
The man turned toward him, finally dropping the act. The smirk on his face widened.
"We haven't met," he said calmly, "but you should know my name, Professor. I'm Kai Foster. I came to scout you."
The same Kai who attacked the Velcrest Academy.
Ethan blinked. "…What?"
"He said you might've changed your mind by now. That you'd be more open to listening."
"Who's he?"
Kai chuckled. "Let's just say he's someone who helped me during my own escape. I owe him. Now I'm building something… and you could be a part of it."
Ethan's expression darkened. "Not interested."
