New York City – 3:04 A.M.
The rain poured in relentless sheets, turning the streets into rivers of reflective black glass. Charles Kane gripped Kai's trembling shoulders, his hands steady despite the chaos around them. The boy's silver eyes flickered erratically, a storm of conflict raging behind them, as if his very soul were being torn apart. His body spasmed, jerking in and out of control, neural threads along his spine sparking like miniature lightning bolts, illuminating the rain-soaked street in brief, electric flashes.
"She's… inside me…" Kai's voice was a glitching whisper, fractured by pain and static. "I… can't… stop it…"
Charles leaned in, his face inches from Kai's, yelling over the roar of the rain and the wail of distant sirens. "Yes, you can! She only owns you if you let her. This is your life now, not hers!"
