The corridors at night were silent. Not just empty: hollow, waiting. Jared’s mind pressed into the spaces, filling them with useless thoughts. The dead, chained in the dark. Skulls caved in. He wondered if he could have reached them. If it would have mattered. If even one could have been pulled back from the dark.

Lights flickered on as he moved, then died behind him. Sterile. Metal walls. Hardwood underfoot. White glare. Only his footsteps and the weight of his thoughts. The hum in his skull, the Dark threading through his veins. He let it pass through him and stepped into Kate’s office.

Kate looked up. Gestured to the chair. Shadows bruised the skin beneath her eyes. Coffee cups, empty, lined up like sentinels. Jacket thrown over the chair. Tie loose, first button undone. Hair escaping the bun, wild at the edges.

She waited for him to sit. He stayed standing. She pointed to the wall screen. Crime scene, caught in stasis. Narrow alley. Police drones hovering. One body sprawled on the street, another hanging above, limp from the fire escape. Rain smeared the image, indifferent.

“Evening, Blake,” she said. “How'd your check-up with Dr. Korr go?”

"He's going to sign the return to work papers," Jared replied.

Her mouth twitched. “Good. Because I need you on this one.”

He moved closer to the screen. Images flickered up as she spoke. He studied them, letting the details settle into him.

"Two bodies, downtown. Alley behind the Alchemy Room. Upper-tier nightclub, private clientele," she said as she tapped the controls on her computer, and an image of the nightclub came up on the screen.

"I'm familiar with the place," he said.

She raised an eyebrow in response, but made no comment.

"Both victims deceased within minutes of each other. One broken neck hanging from the fire escape and one gunshot wound on the ground. No witnesses.” A closer shot of each body came up as she spoke of them.

He frowned. “Civilians?”

“Not exactly.” She zoomed in. “First is a known academic, Antoine LeMere." Images of the man came up. The man appeared about the same age as Jared. The expensive clothing suggested wealth.

“Second, a bodyguard for hire. Andrew Federson.” His face filled the screen. Younger, maybe thirty. Fit, broad-shouldered, smile too wide for the room. 

"At this point, we assume that LeMere hired him and they were traveling together," she said.

"Makes sense. Rich guy with a bodyguard." He shrugged. "So, why pull me into this?"

"The police have been investigating a series of ritualistic murders, and they believe that LeMere has the murder weapon on him," she stated. She pulled up a photo of a strange, gold-plated dagger. It was covered with unusual markings.

"You think there is Shadow Kind involved," he said.

"I don't know. But this looks like it involves Shadow of some kind. Maybe just magic," she said.

Jared crossed his arms, turning to face her. Closest thing to an expert on the Dark. On magic. Not that it ever felt like enough.

“I want you to find out what is going on before we get another incident.” She paused. “I am assigning another agent to go with you.”

He shook his head. “No need.”

Kate studied him a moment longer, as if weighing the shadows behind his eyes.

"I'm not asking. You're getting a partner on this and all future missions," she said.

"You don't trust me." He looked up at the ceiling, avoiding her eyes.

“We both know that things changed after your last mission. You’re in the Resonant Stage now. It would be irresponsible of me not to have someone keeping tabs on your status."

He nodded. He understood. Couldn’t blame her. He’d left the monitor in, same as her precautions. Still, it felt like another step toward the tank. Maybe that was where he belonged. But he wasn’t ready to give up freedom. He hadn’t chosen any of this.

"Who are you saddling me with?" he asked.

"Doctor Korr."

His breath caught in his throat, and he looked at her sharply.

"He is the best equipped to assess your status, and my understanding is that you have worked in the field well historically."

He nodded. He couldn’t disagree with that either. He and Adrian had been great partners... Until things got complicated and he wasn’t about to tell her about that.

“All right. Be careful, Jared. The Alchemy Room has friends in places I don’t like to name. You start kicking too many stones, something ugly’s going to crawl out.”

“Wouldn’t be my first time.” Jared shrugged.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

He left her office. Files downloaded, flickering across his user interface as he walked. Maybe Adrian already knew. Maybe that was why he’d hesitated to sign off. Jared exhaled, slow. He wouldn’t blame him. He was a risk. Everyone knew it.

Jared slowed as Adrian’s office came into view. Only minutes since he’d last been here, but everything felt changed. The door was open, leaking the faint scent of antiseptic and old fish.

He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Then he stepped through the door with mostly steady hands.

Adrian stood by his desk, gathering his things. Coat over one arm, tablet in hand, bag on his shoulder. His frown softened when he saw Jared. He turned, the professional calm settling over his face.

“So,” Adrian said, adjusting the strap on his shoulder, “Kate just called and gave me my assignment. Looks like I’ve been dragged back into the field.”

Jared leaned on the doorframe. “That so?”

“Yes.” Adrian’s tone was neutral, but not cold. “Effective immediately. Assigned as your partner.”

Jared searched for what hid behind the mask. Resentment? No. Not quite. Adrian’s face was conflicted. Acceptance, reluctance, a flicker of relief. All of it hidden in the careful lines of his posture. The same stance he used for bad news.

“I didn’t ask for a partner,” Jared said, voice low. Guilt pressed in, sharp. He was pulling Adrian from the safety of the clinic. Here, Adrian could help without risk. Jared felt like a thief.

“I know.” Adrian’s mouth twitched, not quite a smile. “Kate didn’t ask what you wanted.”

“You okay with this?” Jared asked. Too fast. Too rough, too open. Regret bit at him as soon as the words left. It was always like this with Adrian. Always too much. Everything harder. Even breathing.

Adrian blinked, caught by the directness. He hesitated, words measured and careful. Jared smiled, recognizing the old pattern. He was rash. Adrian, precise.

“Look. It’s been a while since I’ve been on an active assignment. There are parts of field work I… didn’t miss.” His fingers tightened slightly around his tablet. “But working with you was never the problem.”

Heat crawled up his neck. Not the Dark this time. He looked away.

“Yeah,” he said. “Same.” He looked up.

Adrian cleared his throat. “I’m not thrilled about walking into whatever nightmare you’re being pointed at tonight.”

“Night’s young,” Jared said. “Nightmares haven’t even warmed up yet.”

Vacant eyes. Hollowed skulls. Plenty of horrors waiting for him.

Adrian gave him a tired look. “I’m aware.”

They stood in silence. Almost comfortable. Almost familiar. Jared’s pulse skittered. He didn’t know what to do with the sudden awareness of Adrian beside him. Years since they’d worked together. Years since he’d let anyone close enough to see past the mask. Years since trust. But it all came back, as if it had only been a moment.

Now Kate wanted Adrian watching him for cracks. If he faltered, it would be Adrian’s job to contain him. Not so different from watching the monitor readout. But this felt closer. With Adrian safe in an office, Jared could pretend it would be someone else who came for him. But it would always be Adrian. It had always been Adrian. And Jared was only now admitting that was what he wanted.

“So,” Adrian said, breaking the tension with a soft exhale, “are you going to tell me what we’re walking into, or should I enjoy the mystery while it lasts?”

Jared pushed off the doorframe, reaching for Adrian’s tablet. Their fingertips brushed. Accidental. Both froze, then pulled away. The Dark inside him stirred, hungry for Adrian. He forced it down. That way led to the tank.

“Double homicide,” Jared said. “Alley behind The Alchemy Room.” He downloaded the files into the tablet for Adrian to review.

Adrian scrolled through the first page. His expression tightened at the photos. “Bright start to the renewed partnership.”

“Could be worse.”

Tentacles reached for him, cold and damp. A thin white hand pressed to his face, gentle. The ghost always wanted to touch.

“It’s you,” Adrian said dryly. “It will be worse.”

“Fair,” Jared conceded. They always gave him the shittiest assignments.

Adrian grabbed his medical pack. Checked the contents, replaced what was missing. Hands moving on autopilot. Jared watched. The ritual loosened something in his chest. Adrian always did this before a mission. Grounding. Small, practiced motions. Like Jared loading his guns. Like breathing.

“Ready?” Jared asked.

“Always,” Adrian said automatically. Then added, quieter, “Even if I wish I weren’t.”

Jared nodded once. He understood that better than he wanted to admit.

They stepped into the hall. Lights flickered overhead, uneasy. Adrian noticed. He always noticed. That was why Kate sent him. He said nothing. Just adjusted his bag, kept pace.

Partners again. Jared wasn’t sure if it steadied him or left him hollow. Maybe both.

They rounded the corner toward the exit. Footsteps echoing in the sterile quiet. Outside, the city waited. Wet. Breathing. Restless. Somewhere in the rain, the Dark had left fingerprints only Jared could see.

Jared pulled his collar up, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Cold night. Rain biting through fabric.

“Let’s get this over with,” he muttered.

Adrian glanced at him, eyes softer than his voice. “Yeah. Let’s.”

Together, they stepped out into the night.