The Last Signal

Chapter 9: Blood and Lightning

The room was too quiet.

Just the beep of the monitor. Every 3 seconds. Steady. Alive.

Fluorescent lights hummed above me. They made my head hurt.

I hadn’t slept.

Ryker was asleep on the bed. Pale, but breathing. The bandage on his shoulder was clean. White. No red. The doctor said 2 weeks. Missed the artery by 2 centimeters. Lucky.

His hand was on top of the blanket. Mine was holding it.

I told myself it was to check if he was cold. That was a lie.

The door opened with a soft hiss.

Scar-face. Hair in a messy bun. Dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she hadn’t slept either. She was holding two cups of coffee.

"Thought you’d be on the floor," she said quietly. "Or in the bathroom throwing up."

"Neither," I whispered. My throat was dry.

She set one cup on the table next to me. Black. No sugar. "He drinks it like that. Figured you should know."

"Thanks."

She sat on the other chair. Didn’t say anything for a while. Just looked at Ryker.

"You did good last night," she said finally. "With the kids. With him."

"I almost got him killed."

"You saved him," she corrected. "There’s a difference." She bumped my shoulder with hers. "Get some sleep, Torres. I’ll watch him."

"I’m not tired."

"Liar."

We sat in silence.

At 6:47 AM, Ryker’s fingers twitched in mine.

His eyes opened. Dark. Clear. The first thing he did was scan the room. Me. Scar. The door.

"Morning," I said. My voice cracked.

He exhaled. Like he’d been holding his breath. "Morning."

"You’re an i***t," Scar said. But she was smiling.

"Medical?" Ryker asked.

"Room 4. You’re stable. Two weeks recovery."

He nodded. Then his eyes dropped to our hands. He didn’t let go. "You stayed."

"Rule Three," I said. "Don’t leave your sight."

He almost smiled. "You broke Rule Two."

"And you broke protocol," I shot back. "Jumping in front of a bullet."

"Worth it," he said. Then winced. "Water."

I poured it from the pitcher on the table. Helped him sit up. His shoulder was stiff. He didn’t complain. He never did.

Scar stood up. "I’ll give you two a minute. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Which gives you a lot of room." She left. The door closed.

It was quiet again. Just the monitor.

"Are you mad?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. Honest. "You scared me."

"I know." He squeezed my hand. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t be sorry. Just... don’t do it again."

"I can’t promise that."

I looked at him. "Why?"

"Because if it’s you in front of that gun next time, I’ll do it again," he said. Simple. Like it was obvious. "Every time."

My chest felt tight. "That’s stupid."

"I know."

We didn’t talk after that. We just sat.

At 7:30 AM, the intercom crackled. Park’s voice. "Vega. Torres. De-brief in Conference Room B at 8:00. Director wants to see you both."

Ryker closed his eyes. "Copy."

The line cut.

He looked at me. "You up for it?"

"No," I said. "But I’m going anyway."

"Good girl."

Heat shot to my face. "Stop saying that."

"Make me," he said. And for the first time in days, the corner of his mouth actually went up.

I am standing here at Conference Room B.

It was cold. Too bright.

Long steel table. 6 chairs. Director Morales at the head. No smile. Folder in front of her.

Scar and Big Guy were there. Park was on a screen on the wall.

"Close the door," Morales said.

Ryker sat. Slow. His shoulder was clearly hurting but he didn’t show it. I sat next to him. Two seats between us and Scar.

Morales opened the folder. "Five kids. Alive. That’s good. We got them to Bureau Medical. They’re stable."

"And The Static?" Scar asked.

"Gone. By the time we swept the plant, it was empty. Except for the machines. And the wires."

"Wires," Park said from the screen. "They were draining them. Siphoning their signal. Building something."

"What?" I asked.

"We don’t know yet," Morales said. "But that’s not why I called you."

She looked at me. Then at Ryker.

"Agent Vega. You took a bullet."

"Yes, ma’am."

"And Torres. You used your power. Untrained. In a combat situation."

"Yes, ma’am."

The room was silent.

Morales leaned back. "By the book, I should suspend you both."

My stomach dropped.

"But the book doesn’t account for 5 living kids," she continued. "So here’s what’s happening. Vega, you’re on medical leave. Two weeks. No field. No training. Desk only."

Ryker nodded. Once.

"Torres, you’re assigned to me. Direct. No more field ops until we figure out what you are. And what The Static wants with you."

"Ma’am," Ryker started.

"No," Morales cut him off. "I’m not putting an untrained psychic on the front line again. Not after last night."

I wanted to argue. But my mouth was dry.

"Dismissed," Morales said. "Except you, Torres. Stay."

Everyone left. Scar gave me a look before she closed the door. _You got this._

Now it was just me and the Director.

"Galiana," she said. She used my first name. "Do you know why they’re calling you?"

"No, ma’am."

"The Null spoke to you. In your head."

I nodded.

"What did he say?"

`Galiana... good job... you’re getting louder...`

"He said I’m getting louder," I whispered.

Morales sighed. "We’ve seen this before. With Cruz."

My heart stopped. "What?"

"Ten years ago. Cruz was the first. A psychic. Strong. The Static found him first. They tried to recruit him. When he refused, they tried to break him."

"Is that why—" I couldn’t finish.

"Is that why he died? Yes," Morales said. "They used him to send a signal. To find others. Like you."

The room spun.

"They’re not just kidnapping kids," Morales said. "They’re building a network. And they think you’re the center of it."

"Why me?"

"Because you’re loud," she said. "Because you didn’t break. And because Vega chose you."

I didn’t know what to say.

"That’s all," Morales said. "Go get some rest. Report back at 1400. We’re starting control training. No weapons. Just you and me."

I stood up. My legs were shaking.

"Ma’am," I said at the door. "Is he going to be okay?"

Morales looked at me. Really looked. "He’s the best agent I have. But he’s not invincible. And neither are you. Remember that."

At 2:00 PM, we are the Training Room B.

No guns. No targets.

Just mats. And Morales.

"Sit," she said.

I sat. Cross-legged.

"Close your eyes," she said. "Breathe."

I did. In. Four. Hold. Four. Out. Four.

"Now," she said. "I want you to find the sound."

"What sound?"

"Yours. The signal. The static in your head. Find it. Don’t touch it. Just find it."

I searched. At first there was nothing. Just my breathing. Then...

A hum. Faint. Far away. Like a radio between stations.

"I hear it," I whispered.

"Good. Now make it quieter."

I tried. The hum dipped.

"Again."

By the 10th try, I could make it almost silent.

"Open your eyes."

I did. Morales was watching me. No expression.

"Better," she said. "You’re not a weapon, Torres. You’re a person. And people need control."

"Is that why you’re training me?"

"That’s why I’m training you," she said. "Because if The Static gets to you first, Virel is finished."

We trained for 2 hours. No lightning. No sparks. Just breathing. Just quiet.

At 4:00 PM, she let me go.

I sighed and took a deep breath while looking at the whole cafeteria. It was normal. Loud. People laughing. Trays clanking.

I got food. Didn’t taste it.

Ryker was at a corner table. Laptop open. Shoulder still bandaged. He looked up when I sat down.

"How was it?" he asked.

"Weird," I said. "No powers. Just breathing."

"That’s the hardest part," he said.

Scar slid into the seat across from us. Big Guy behind her with 3 plates.

"So," Scar said. "What’s the verdict? Are we in trouble?"

"Not yet," I said. "But Morales is watching me."

"She’s watching all of us," Big Guy said. Mouth full.

Park sat down last. Tablet in hand. No smile.

"Problem," he said.

"What?" Ryker asked.

"Another signal," Park said. "Small. Mobile. Sector 7. Running."

"How small?" I asked.

"One person. 16. Maybe. Power signature is similar to yours. But weaker."

The cafeteria got loud again. But it felt far away.

"Another one," I whispered.

"Looks like it," Park said. "And it’s scared."

Ryker closed his laptop. "We can’t go. I’m on desk duty. You’re on training."

"Then who?" Scar asked.

Morales appeared behind us. She’d been there the whole time.

"We do," she said. "But not as agents. As people."

She looked at me. Then at Ryker.

"Tomorrow. 0600. You two. Civilian clothes. No Bureau. We find this kid before The Static does."

Ryker nodded.

I nodded too.

Outside the window, Virel was dark.

But somewhere in Sector 7, a light was running.

And we had to find it first.