His entire body hurts. The sterile white prison helped little. On the contrary, it made him aware of his pain more than he liked. Kai's chest struggled to expand as he took a weak, shuddery breath. Poisoned ecto-blood pulsed through him, and his ghost core pounded against his chest. Dark, swollen veins stretched uncomfortably across his pale blue skin.

Kai wanted to open his eyes, just a tiny peek. But, he stubbornly kept them closed tight. The fear of staring into the white abyss was far too great. Kai couldn't help the whimper that escaped his mouth. How could he? It was all he could do.

The feeling - the room - began to swim around him. Scenarios unintelligible and unidentifiable sped through his mind. The details didn't matter. The unbearable sensation of fear outclassed it.

A white-hot pain surged through his body, and sweat glistened on his skin. His fiery dark green hair was drenched, and he whimpered again. Wetness pooled at the corners of his eyes. Kai's eyes remained shut even as a thick stream of tears trailed down his face. A flush of shame went through him. He pinned his ears down.

He raised a hand and feebly tugged at the muzzle on his face. It would never come off, not without a remote. It was ingenious and ironic that something so simple could bring much pain to a ghost. Kai's breaths became rapid. His chest hurt more than it already did, and his body involuntarily jerked back. Kai landed uncomfortably on his rear. He panted heavily.

The combination of sweat and tears made him feel sick. He hung his head low. His claws scraped the smooth floor. Finally, a sense of claustrophobia closed in on him, and he tensed up.

At that point, he was finally forced to open his eyes. Unfocused, dull orange-red eyes stared right ahead. Kai slowly blinked as he surveyed his prison 'home'. Well, it might not even be called a prison. It certainly didn't look like one at all.

For a moment, it was an eerie calm.

Then inexplicably, there was a loud buzz, and the lights flickered out. Unexpectedly plunged into the darkness, Kai inhaled deeply and small shudders reverberated through his limbs. Several painful moments passed as he waited for another one of the GiW agents to come and get him.

He waited for the hum of the doors to open and the structured sound of footsteps walking in. And then he'd be taken…somewhere. Where exactly he didn't know, certainly not the laboratory. It'd be useless without power.

But the longer he waited, it slowly came over him that perhaps no one would come in and take him. Kai exhaled weakly, and a vague sense of relief filled him. The pain in his chest eased, and he took another breath.

Now, a power outage? That had never happened before. Those were the only comprehensible thoughts that came to him amidst the chaos of his mind. They stuck to him because they seemed to be the only lines of thought that made sense in his anxiety-induced stupor. The rest he didn't want to acknowledge.

Kai's body jittered with a held-back chuckle. At least it eased some of the tension. A loud hiss interrupted him, and Kai jumped. He grimaced when his core began to pound uncomfortably against his chest again. Through weakened eyesight, Kai watched the outline of a door slide open.

It unveiled a darkened hallway, the only source of light that dotted it came from the overhead emergency lights. But, even then, they were quite dim. Kai sat back with bated breath. He stared into the emptiness.

He half expected human silhouettes to march in, expressionless as they would either strap him down or use the new type of tranquilizers created not too long ago. Discomfort itched in Kai's neck at the thought of the tranquilizers. Or any sharp objects, for that matter. He put a hand to it to soothe it, which wasn't a lot.

A few minutes passed before his jumbled mind concluded that perhaps it was safe enough to leave. Kai went to stand up, but his body refused to respond. It was simply too weak to move around much.

Instead, he flopped forwards and landed face-first on the floor. Weak muscles screamed in protest as Kai struggled to heave himself upright. When he finally sat up, his body involuntarily tilted to the side. He thumped quietly against the wall.

Kai ground his teeth in frustration, and a fresh set of hot tears flooded. He loathed the feeling of weakness and the all-around vulnerability with it. Body pressed against the wall, Kai used it as a support, and he could stand up. His entire body was a dead weight, not as successful as he would've liked.

Kai pushed himself against the wall and began to take slow steps. Every step after the last gradually grew difficult. They became heavier and heavier, to a point it made the floor feel uneven. His legs were already weak. Now they felt they were turning into jelly.

After what seemed like forever, Kai felt a faint breeze against his skin. He froze on the spot. His body quivered, a gentle but invisible touch. Kai closed his eyes. His 'time' here had been anything but peaceful. He wrapped his arms around himself, a sense of longing pooled inside him.

With the turn of his head, he found that he was in the doorway of his cell. A long, foreboding hall stretched in both directions. Dim, white lights shone overhead. The atmosphere was thick and heavy.

Kai's eyes went to the left side. He faintly remembered the laboratory down this way, as much as he didn't want to go back there. His core pulsed painfully in response to the thought. Kai gripped the white shirt that was his only means of clothing in this place. He leaned against the frame until the pain passed.

A quiet groan passed his lips. Tired eyes opened once again, and the discomfort persisted. Kai began to move along slowly, his hand on the wall with a chaotic sense of direction in mind.

The dark hallways were strangely empty and peaceful. One would've figured that there would be chaos if the power went out suddenly. Yet it was a deafening silence, a vast abyss. The pitch blackness imposed over them was unlike the whitened hallways where the silence roared. Better yet, faint lights flickered overhead. At least they had emergency lights in cases like this.

Jazz's muscles were tense around her body. The stiff motions and fidgeting said it all. She walked behind the large form of Dan, eyes cast down. Though she couldn't see his face, she felt the anger radiate off him. It permeated the air like some uncomfortable heat. The anger was physically visible, too, namely the clenched fists and rigid muscles.

"Th-the lab's underground," Jazz said weakly, her finger on the rim of her dark glasses. "There's a set of stairs that lead down to it."

"Where?" Dan stopped. He didn't turn to her.

"Around the next corner, actually," Jazz responded with more confidence, "I guess this entire section must be new."

"They'll be pretty fucking lucky if there are even foundations still standing by the time I'm done with them," Dan growled. He set his shoulders and stood straight.

Admittedly, Jazz found him quite intimidating. She couldn't bring herself to look at his snarling expression and backed away.

"Dan, don't," she said curtly, "we came here to get Kai and get out."

Unexpectedly, Dan marched up to her and leaned in close. Jazz didn't have much choice but gaze into his angry red eyes. The dim lights cast an eerie shadow over his face, his form encapsulated by the darkness.

Strong hands gripped her shoulders, and she stiffened.

"But you saw him, didn't you?" Dan hissed softly at her. "They did something to him, I don't know what, and it's fucking pissing me off."

"I'm just as upset as you are," Jazz shot back, her eyes burned with wetness. "But I don't want this to turn into a freaking circus and expose you two."

Ever since she saw the monochrome image of Kai on the large monitor, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease. It was already there but increased tenfold. A new sensation had emerged, the sickly squeeze of anxiety. Briefly, Jazz was reminded of the amber-eyed man they crossed paths with earlier. For an unfathomable reason, he struck fear into her. Probably Dan, too, even if he never showed or vocalized it.

At that moment, she watched him lean back with a lightening expression. Maybe he would back off and consider her words. The tension in Jazz's chest eased off, and relief flooded her.

Dan's following words shattered the illusion.

"Then maybe that's exactly what I need to do to make sure no one else puts their hands on him ever again," Dan answered bluntly, his snarl returned.

Jazz's eyes widened with shock at his words. The weight of the gun holster by her side was suddenly heavier.

Oh no…I can't let him do that! Hypothetical thoughts rapid-fired through Jazz's mind. Various scenarios came out, nearly all of them with an unfavorable result.

Before Dan could turn away, Jazz leaped at him and grabbed his muscular arm. The darkness closed in on them with a heightened aura of urgency. She held his arm and pulled on it to make him stop.

"Please don't!" Jazz pleaded. "Think about what you're doing."

"Why shouldn't I?" Dan snapped back, his fangs bared in a warning.

"I think it'll only hurt Kai more than help him," her response was harsh, but it was the truth. Jazz hated using Kai as leverage against his partner; in this instance, however, she felt it was justified.

As Dan stood there, Jazz still held his arm tightly. Tension hung over them. His facial expressions changed as he thought over the implications of her words. Finally, there was a deep sigh, and Dan held the bridge of his nose, annoyance visible on his face.

"I hate it when you do that," Dan grumbled at Jazz.

No words came from Jazz, and she looked away. She held her arm. She still felt the weight of the holster against her hip. Finally, the shadows ceased, and the heavy atmosphere evaporated.

While Jazz was left to her thoughts, Dan got the chance to turn away. A half-hearted, angry feeling filled him up. He exhaled sharply and clenched a hand, mad at the tactic used against him and at himself.

I'm getting too soft, Dan thought to himself.

In silence, the two of them resumed their journey down the dark corridor. By gut instinct, Dan knew they had to be pretty close now. The atmosphere wasn't so heavy anymore. It was more like permeated with…fear. It was a very distinct scent, and Dan knew it quite well.

A hand shot out in front of Jazz. She cried out and jumped back. A hiss from Dan silenced her. They were near a corner, where two beams of yellow lights shone from behind it. The lights moved around as if in search of something. Two humanoid shadows danced along the walls.

"…did you hear that?" A voice asked.

Dan motioned his hand and glanced back. Certain Jazz was well hidden behind him. She was fearful, and her hand was on the gun holster.

"Yeah, it sounded like a woman," another voice responded. Lights flashed and reflected off the white surface.

"Should we check it out?"

Apprehension went between Dan and Jazz. He stepped back and forced her to step back as well.

"It's protocol. We were given strict instructions not to let anyone unverified into the lab. We don't want that ghost getting away or someone breaking in."

At the mention of the ghost, Dan perked up. They had to be talking about Kai. His ghost core pulsed at the thought. Or…it could be a different ghost altogether. A clenched hand became a clenched fist. A green glow surrounded it. Dan went forwards with a wide grin, intent on taking the two guards out.

"Dan, wait!" Jazz called after him, but he didn't stop. "You're not-"

"What, Jazz? Invisible? Hidden?" Dan said with light anger. "We're long past that. We're going in fast and hard."

Dan had already taken off on a short flight without letting her respond. He stopped right at the corner of the stairs; a huge smirk played on his face with the two guards close by. Afloat, he slowly crossed into their view with an idiomatic expression and ready to send ectoblasts flying. At first, it was a stunned silence between the two men. Their lights awkwardly shone on Dan's silhouette.

Dan sneered down at them. He made sure that they saw his fangs. Two pairs of eyes widened in fright at sight. Then he spoke, which startled them.

"Were you looking for something?" He asked in a deep, dark voice with a slightly mocking tone.

The two guards stood there in shock. A few minutes passed before they realized a ghost was right there. One that issued a threat at them. Simultaneously they both made a run for it - right into each other. A loud smack reverberated through the hall, and the two men fell on their rear ends. One quickly shook it off and pointed the finger at Dan while he began to berate his comrade.

"Quick, you idiot! Hurry up and call-"

Laughter interrupted them, and they glanced up at Dan, who laughed sinisterly. Arms folded, he stared them down. A mixture of amusement and anger churned in him.

"Call whom?" Dan asked in fake, mock concern. "You won't be calling anyone at all. You took someone from me, and I intend to get him back without interference."

Dan aimed his hand at them before the guards could answer or move. There was a neon green flash and a zap. A pair of loud thuds sounded a few seconds later. Intense eyes leveled a hard stare at the unconscious guards. Dan huffed and let himself float down to the top step.

This is the best they have to offer? Dan began to walk down. No wonder they were so easy to wipe out.

He heard hurried footsteps and a brief look back confirmed it was Jazz. Though she was all frazzled, her hand was firmly on the gun holster. Her heartbeat was far too fast for an average human, but he supposed that was expected in times like this.

It didn't take long to reach the bottom of the stairs, to a set of doors that were not like any of the others they passed through. It seemed to be a barricaded door with several inches of steel in it.

"I don't think that little ID of yours will work again," Dan commented aloud.

"I thought the same." Jazz came up next to him. She held the card in her hand before letting it fall back against her chest.

Dan laid a hand on the cold steel. Briefly, he felt nothing. Then his hand began to burn. Strange smoke rose, and he jerked it away. A stinging sensation remained, then it vanished. He grumbled quietly as he rubbed his hand to soothe it.

With a deep inhale, Dan placed both hands on the door. He found the gap where the door separated into two and slid his fingers in between with little effort. The burning sensation returned, he ignored it. Hands ready, Dan positioned his arms on either side of him. He needed to focus with little distraction as possible.

Close by; Jazz stood there in a mix of awkwardness and confusion. She saw how the doors seemed to hurt his hands when she saw the strange smoke rise, yet he went right back. She opened her mouth to ask what Dan was doing when Jazz closed it. Her teeth clicked quietly inside.

"They think they can keep someone like me out?" Dan growled, his teeth grit together, and his body strained.

Then, the groan of metal sounded. It was slow and deep like an ancient beast on its last legs. Finally, the metal stubbornly creaked and cracked, and the doors wavered just slightly.

The protest of metal reverberated through Dan's limbs, his arms tense and strained. Muscles twinged painfully in protest, yet he persisted. It mattered little if he hurt them. He'd handled things much larger and heavier than this.

Little by little, the gap began to widen. Heavy steel squeaked open, a strangely obnoxious sound in a dead, quiet place like this. The sense of time blurred before he knew it, Dan was able to pull the doors open wide enough to squeeze through. He panted heavily as he let his arms down to rest. Muscles twitched and itched in discomfort.

The same dim light shone through the gap down an equally empty hallway.

Dan stood aside to let Jazz pass through. He followed and took the lead. She stopped to stare at her glasses with a good look back. Jazz shook her head and discarded them.

She caught up to him. "I keep forgetting how insane your strength is."

"You haven't seen everything yet," Dan boasted. "I can pick up tanks and throw them."

"Sure, you can," Jazz shook her head playfully.

Neither of them noticed the glasses blipped a bright light. Its internal systems made a wireless connection with the glasses of the unconscious guards. Together they sent out a signal.

Pain surged through him, and weak joints groaned in protest. Kai stopped with a shuddery breath and leaned against the wall. An uncomfortable haze came over him. He closed his eyes until it passed.

Kai took another step, and he stumbled. His momentum was off. His head spun, and it was foggy. He hoped he didn't have much further to go. He was sure he would collapse if he went any more. A wispy breath escaped him, ecto-blood thudded in his veins.

One eye cracked open, his vision was blurry, but a sliver of light caught Kai's attention. It wasn't far from where he stood. Blue-white lighting read 'laboratory.'

Kai perked up. His core thudded excitedly. It vanished when he realized he had to return to the stark, bare environment with cold tables and dangerous-looking 'medical' tools. He only knew it as a place of torture, the same tools used on him repeatedly, the orange-red liquid that stained the white canvas.

And those strange pods, or incubators – he heard both terms used. The machines exhibited a peculiar, spectral glow, yet he never saw anyone inside. They were attached to a giant column in the middle. Numerous wires and cables traveled above and below.

His breath shook, and he brought his arms close to him, folded up in front of him as though he would strike out. The haziness worsened, followed by a sense of numbness.

Against his will, Kai's legs took him forward to the entrance. Soon enough, he was in front of a relatively simple door. No one would know there were dark secrets hidden behind something so plain. It was already open, which Kai suspected was from the power failure. Or…someone could be inside.

Reluctantly, he stepped through the doorway into an extensive laboratory. It was a large circular room with dim overhead lights. They flickered every now and then, which severely limited the area's visibility. Kai didn't care about the visibility. He knew exactly where everything was.

Kai was tense with every step. His thoughts kept going back to the idea that GiW agents would come in and take him. He was alone and vulnerable. They could easily make work of him. The faintest of a growl vibrated in Kai's throat.

He shuffled past the carts full of random bits of equipment and tools, the tables where the test subjects would be strapped down. None of those mattered. He was most interested in the long counter that sat in front of the column. Kai distinctly remembered the remote control that controlled his muzzle had a designated place here.

Clawed hands brushed over the counter, lightly touching what was and wasn't a remote control. There were other things, such as glass and paper scattered about and smaller, insignificant things. Kai briefly read stuff like names, dates, test subjects, etcetera. Oddly, he saw dates of death marked down. He didn't think much of it.

One date of death he saw was 1987; Kai stopped abruptly. His hands were flat on the surface, and his eyes zeroed in on the date, clearer than anything else. Kai exhaled and shrugged it off. It wasn't exactly too important, now was it?

One of his hands slid over to a small device that sat harmlessly on the counter. It was so small it was quickly hidden amongst the junk. It looked familiar. Kai closed his fingers around it. A smooth yet rugged surface dug into his skin. He'd never handled it until now, but he knew what it looked like in someone's hands. Carefully he swept his fingers over the various knobs and buttons until they came upon an ominous red button at the top.

The red button was either misfortune or good fortune for Kai. Tentatively, his clawed digit hovered over it. Slowly the tip bore down on the surface until there was a loud click. Kai stood still. He expected a searing pain to wash over him.

Nothing came, instead, he heard a loud, droning hiss. The metal casing around his face loosened and slipped off. Kai remained still even as the muzzle fell to the floor with a loud clang that echoed through the lab.

At first, Kai didn't register that the muzzle was no longer on his face until a coolness hit him. He involuntarily exhaled, his breath shuddered into light pants. Sweat shone on his face, his eyes were a little wet.

Kai raised a hand to his face to touch it, just to feel it. It stung uncomfortably when he placed the hand on his cheek. He felt what seemed to be indents or torn skin.

Oh, damn it…Kai's eyelids shuttered momentarily. His brows creased together into a frown.

Voices from outside the lab broke the internal reverie. They weren't loud. The emptiness was enough to carry them a long way. The voices were distinctly male and female, though Kai didn't recognize either.

They were reasonably close, close enough that Kai wouldn't have enough time to find a place to hide. He stopped his thought process. Hide? His weakened body shuddered, and the thoughts began to jumble up again. The messages started to mix and meld together, leaving Kai in a state of confusion.

He heard footsteps right at the door, and the female voice spoke excitedly. Kai sensed two people enter the lab; well, one person and the other…was a ghost.

In the laboratory entrance, Dan and Jazz were glued to the spot as they spotted and observed the familiar blue silhouette of Kai. It was not the tall, poised (and guarded) posture they knew. But rather that of someone hurt and vulnerable, especially if the white shirt he had was anything to go by.

Kai clearly heard them. He had yet to turn to face them.

Jazz shot a concerned glance at Dan, who only shrugged. They didn't expect to find Kai in the laboratory of all places in the facility. They came upon an empty cell just earlier, where they did expect to see him. He wasn't there, and that was cause for alarm. Until Dan's red ghost sense went off, and they followed the trail to here.

Jazz decided to make the first move. "Kai?"

The blue silhouette stiffened at the sound of her voice. He still didn't turn around.

Dan itched in irritation and spoke next, "Come on, we don't have time to lose."

This time, Kai's head turned in their direction. His face was only half-veiled under the flickering light, but it was enough to make Jazz recoil in horror and Dan grimace. They couldn't tear their gaze away from the dulled orange-red eyes that stared blankly at them. Nor could they miss the gaunt and stretched skin across his body. He had fresh abrasions on his face.

"Kai…" Dan stepped towards him, a foreign emotion formed in his throat. His hand was outstretched to take Kai's small form into his arms.

In a snap, Kai's eyes widened, and he sharply turned. His body banged against the counter and sent junk clattering. He was uncomfortably tense. His claws held the edge of the countertop in an iron grip. Heavy, wheezing pants came out of him.

Fangs were bared in a warning. Kai's mind messily navigated to figure out who these two were, mainly because they were quite familiar. His mind began to overwhelm him. No concise answers came to him. So much had happened in a short span of time.

Kai's legs jittered underneath him. The countertop was the only thing that held him up. He closed his eyes and turned his head away. His ears tilted downwards but not exactly pinned against his head.

Surprised, Dan took a step back. His hand was in front of him to appease a restless and traumatized ghost. Apprehension sent a cold shiver through him.

"Kai." Dan tried again, his voice audibly softer. "It's me."

There was no acknowledgment, but the jittery form began to ease slightly. A little bit of time passed before Kai blinked slowly. Then, finally, his pants were reduced to quieter breaths, and his form relaxed. Kai focused on the gentle pulse of his ghost core, the jumbled mess that was his mind began to untangle itself.

He focused on the two individuals in front of him. One had bright red hair, and the other felt powerful. Several minutes passed before his mind finally cleared itself, even if just a little.

Something in his mind clicked, and his eyes opened slowly. A flash of recognition flickered in them. His brows rose as he surveyed them.

The one with the red hair had an air that read, 'I'm a know it all.' As for the ghost that tried to approach him, Kai felt the faintest of a smile tug at his lips. The aura wrapped around him like a protective embrace. Kai faintly remembered only one ghost who made him feel like this.

"…Dan?" Kai asked in a raspy voice. He took several awkward steps, and soon enough, he was in front of the large form of his partner.

An arm moved in the corner of his eye. However, it didn't approach him. Kai could make out the silhouette of Dan's face and a few features with a look upwards. Then, he raised his arms in a shuddery motion and huddled into the toned chest, with his head under the chin and nuzzling.

A pair of strong arms held him, a massive wave of emotion came over Kai. His face warmed and the barest of tears formed in his eyes.

"Dan…"

Dan blinked rapidly at the sound of Kai's voice. It was weak, shuddery, and almost childlike…what had happened to him exactly? He inhaled deeply and quashed down the fiery rage that threatened to bubble up to the surface—a series of emotions mixed in an unidentifiable way. He remained silent, but he held Kai's head and the other hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, guys? Can we save the reunion for later?" Jazz's voice broke their moment. "I don't want to stick around and find out what happens to us if we get caught."

Kai tensed up. His eyes focused on her. "Jazz?"

His face momentarily lightened with a faint grin.

"Are any of the others waiting?"

That stumped the siblings. They shared a look, avoiding contact with Kai. Finally, a cold realization came over them at the implication of his question.

"It's just us," Jazz answered, her voice pitched faintly.

"W-wait," Kai stuttered out.

Jazz froze and looked back with horror. The flickering above seemed to put her in the spotlight. She hated it.

"I need my clothes."

A breath of relief escaped her. She levied a panicked stare at Dan.

Several awkward minutes later, Kai's clothes were quickly discovered in a storage locker. Followed by an insistent demand that they not watch him dress, the newly formed trio were finally out of the lab and the oppressive atmosphere. They went down the hall rather than go back where Jazz and Dan first came through. It wouldn't have been safe. Kai was sandwiched between them, Dan more so than Jazz.

The oppressiveness was replaced by a heightened urgency, the need to leave now before something blew up in their faces. Not literally, but it was a possibility. Around a turn, there was a red indented lighting that had 'emergency exit' emblazoned above a set of doors. They were only a dozen feet away. It was tempting to think they could make it without any obstacles. Hearts, or ghost cores, thumped in anticipation.

"Think we can make it?" Jazz was the first to ask.

"I'm certain we can," Dan chuckled darkly, his body ready, a fresh set of energy flowed through him. If they were blocked, he would simply knock them out of the way.

Kai was about to speak when he heard a gun click. It wasn't Jazz. Hers was holstered to her hip. With an eerie stillness, Kai used his peripheral vision to look behind him. It was hazy. His vision had worsened since he left the cell, except for a rare moment of clarity. The pain was coming back, too, after he successfully numbed it out for a while.

"Intruders!" A sharp, male voice pierced their ears. "Stay right where you are, and you won't get hurt."

Kai heard Dan growl. His form vibrated. And Jazz gasped softly in fear. Her heart rate rapidly increased.

"Hands up and behind your heads!"

For a moment, Kai stayed still. A drop of sweat trailed down his face; a humid warmth crawled up his body. His core thudded painfully.

The voice was right behind them. Hopefully close enough.

"I said-"

Kai whipped around sharply, his face hidden by the shadows and claws extended, and the voice was cut off. He made a quick and sharp diagonal slice with his claws. They cut into the soft human flesh underneath the man's chin and above his Adam's apple. There was a sickly gurgle and splatter of blood.

Dark red liquid instantly pooled and gushed from the deep incision in the man's throat. He dropped the gun with a clatter and fell back in agony and shock. His face discolored rather quickly, he made odd sounds. Finally, he desperately held hands to his torn throat to stop the bleeding.

Kai stood stiffly, and with a slight jitter, his hand and the bottoms of his coat and boots were stained with dark red. He stared blankly at the suffering man before kneeling close to him. The man shuffled away fearfully, or at least as much as he could before he had to stop because of the agony.

"You'll live," Kai said. He watched the man's hands get drenched in blood. "I only cut enough to damage your larynx. You may need to have it surgically removed. That is if you don't bleed out first."

The man made gargled sounds through the torn flesh that pulsed in response to his attempt to speak. It only pushed more air out and, thus, more blood.

Kai chuckled faintly before he stood up. However, dizziness hit him as soon as he did, and his vision faded. A headache set in, and Kai held a hand to it. His balance went off-kilter. He stumbled back, his body weighed down by gravity.

A set of muscular arms caught him before someone gathered Kai into their chest.

"I…don't feel good," Kai mumbled out, his eyes already half-closed.

Faint sounds echoed in the distance, and Kai sensed the motion of someone in a sprint. It was all mashed together in a strange amalgamation. He couldn't make sense of it. The darkness faded away. They moved towards a bright light. Whatever that was, Kai had no idea. The world melted away around him.