The rain continued to lash against the reinforced glass of the Lakeport Development Zone Disciplinary Sub-commission, the dull roar of the storm providing a somber soundtrack to the reunion inside. In the sterile, white-tiled room, the air was heavy with the scent of antiseptic and the raw, salt-tinged aroma of tears.
"Mom, please... don't say that. Don't worry about me. I’m doing fine, I promise," Gwendolyn Preston whispered, shaking her head as she forced a small, trembling smile onto her face. She reached up to wipe a stray tear from her mother’s cheek, her own hands still shaking from the adrenaline of the last hour.
Serena Frost didn't speak for a long moment. She simply nodded, her hands moving with a maternal instinct that transcended the bars and the guards, gently stroking Gwend
