Chapter 5: Aftermath
May 5, 2023, 7:45 PM – St. Andrew's Regional Hospital
The hospital doors slammed open, the sound echoing down the sterile, fluorescent-lit corridor. Two adults rushed inside, a woman and a man, both gasping for breath, their faces etched with panic and fear.
The woman surged ahead, her heart hammering in her chest, while the man, her husband, trailed behind, equally frantic but trying desperately to stay composed.
Without missing a beat, she pushed past the reception area, her trembling hands slamming onto the front desk.
"Is there a boy named Daniel Smith here?"
She cried, her voice cracking under the weight of desperation.
The desk worker glanced up, composed despite the chaos unraveling before her. Her fingers tapped calmly against the keyboard, the rhythmic clatter a stark contrast to the panic filling the air.
"Yes, there is. Are you his mother?" she asked, her tone neutral.
"Yes, I'm his mother. Please — please tell me where he is!"
Tears blurred her vision, streaking freely down her cheeks as her legs trembled beneath her.
Before the worker could respond, a commanding voice sliced through the air, sharp and deliberate.
"Are you Zuri Smith?"
Zuri snapped her head around to see a police officer standing stiffly by the desk. His uniform was pristine, and his gaze steady.
Her throat tightened.
"Yes," she managed to choke out. "I'm his mother. What happened to my son?"
"Walk with me,"
He sighed, a frown on his face as he turned away from her.
Walking through the hospital hallway
"So... can you please tell us what happened to our son?"
Zuri's voice was soft. Her eyes flicked upward to the man across from her.
"Oh, umm…" He cleared his throat.
"He got attacked by a Nyxborn near his—"
"We already know that," Zuri cut in. Her voice was firm, but not loud.
"I'm asking if he's okay. What condition is he in? How bad are the injuries?"
Her eyes flickered.
Oh, I see.
The man was taken aback, but he kept going.
Well, denial is fine, not a scratch on him, but his friends. They got the short end of the stick.
He took a deep breath and continued with his statement
"The girl who was with them… Briana,"
The officer said, his voice tight, carefully measured.
"She was found with… a gaping wound in her chest. She's in the ICU now. Still alive, but…" He trailed off. The silence said the rest.
"The boy, Wane — his injuries weren't as severe. But he was found unconscious, bleeding out in the alley. We got to him just in time."
He looked at Zuri again, then added quickly, reassuringly:
"But you don't need to worry. The doctors here — they're the best we've got."
**Room 42**
They stand in front of Daniel's room door. As Zuri reached out to grab the handle, the man stopped her.
"I'm sorry — you can't go in just yet," the officer said, tone level but respectful.
"He's being questioned by two detectives right now."
Inside the hospital room.
"So, Daniel, tell me how it is that a Nyxborn attacked and somehow you walked away with not a scratch, but your friends did?"
A well-dressed man sat down with his elbows on his things and his arms crossed. Lean in and look at Daniel with a face that says I may work with you or against you.
His partner, more relaxed but no less sharp, stepped in.
"Yeah, Daniel — tell us how."
He leaned against the edge of the table, one hand lifted, an apple resting lazily in his palm
"And not just any Nyxborn, either." He gestured slightly with the apple, eyes narrowing.
"That thing was a Shadow Cadet. Even a trained fighter would've had trouble taking one down — let alone a kid with average VT levels."
"I—I don't know."
Daniel's voice cracked, his breath shallow, eyes wide with confusion. He scanned the room, every wall and corner foreign to him. The sterile scent, the beeping machines—it all hit at once.
Inner Thought:
"How did I…? The last thing I remember was that white space… that weird-looking tree. But how did I even get in there?"
Gasp!
The memory struck like lightning.
"Briana! Wane!"
He shouted, eyes flaring as panic surged through him. He gripped the bedsheet, tore it off, and bolted toward the door.
"What the—!"
One of the detectives jumped to his feet.
"Hey, kid!"
The other fumbled his half-eaten apple and lunged.
Fwoosh!
The door flung open with a burst of wind.
OOF!
Daniel collided with something solid and warm.
He stumbled back slightly, blinking fast.
"Oh my God—Daniel, are you okay?!"
A woman's voice broke through the hallway. Sharp with panic, but full of concern.
"Ow… wait—Mom? Dad?"
Daniel blinked hard, still reeling. "Wha—what are you doing here—"
Before he could finish, Zuri rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. Her body shook as she held him tight, her tears soaking into his hospital gown.
"Daniel…"
Her voice cracked with relief. "Thank God you're okay."
Before the moment could settle, a voice cut in from behind them:
"Yeah, uh, sorry to crash the reunion…"
The detective Daniel had escaped from, stood up, brushing dust from his sleeves.
His tone was dry, unimpressed.
"But we're not done with the kid. He still hasn't answered any of our questions."
Zuri froze mid-embrace.
She slowly turned her head over Daniel's shoulder, eyes narrowing. Her stare was ice. She clenches her fist, and the room temperature starts to increase.
"How dare you."
Her voice no longer possesses that motherly soft tone, but now has the roar of a beast.
The detective faltered half a step but held his ground — barely.
Jamal saw that look. He knew it well. He approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Zuri—"
She cut him off with a single glare.
It said: Don't. Even. Start.
Zuri slowly let go of Daniel, stepping away from his side with a sharp breath. Her tears had stopped — replaced by something far colder.
"Who do you think you are… detective?"
She marched up to him without hesitation. Her eyes scanned his chest—then stopped on the name tag.
"Detective James."
She said it like a warning.
"I'd like you to know something."
Her voice was calm, but her words cut like glass.
"I'm a lawyer. And in case you've forgotten your training, interrogating a minor without a lawyer or guardian present?"
She leaned in slightly.
"That's illegal. Highly illegal."
James held her gaze, but his throat moved — a dry swallow.
"So unless you'd like to answer my questions next…"
Zuri folded her arms.
"I suggest you back off my son."
"Tsk."
The detective with the apple scoffed, clearly unimpressed by Zuri's threats. He took a slow bite, chewed once, and spoke — matter-of-fact, but smug.
"Ma'am, with all due respect…"
He held up his hand as if quoting from memory.
"Under Section 12, Article 4 of the Interrogation Manual, when a Nyxborn is involved in the incident, and the subject is present at the scene, we are authorized to conduct questioning without a legal rep — if there's reasonable cause to suspect a supernatural anomaly."
He shrugged.
"Kid walked away without a scratch. That's more than reasonable cause."
Zuri held her tongue, grinding her teeth — knowing full well he was right.
But she was not about to lose.
Zuri looked to her left — and there it was.
A remote.
Thwak!
The remote cut through the air like a stone, smacking the detective with the apple square in the face.
The apple hit the floor with a dull thud.
So did his confidence — blood now dripping from his nose.
"Hey!"
The other detective — positioned right behind Zuri — grabbed her, arms wrapping tightly as he tried to lock her into a full nelson.
"Zuri."
Jamal's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it now.
He saw where this was heading.
"Sir! I need you to back up! — Now!"
Detective James barked, trying to regain control of the spiraling situation.
"Davis, apprehend him!"
The detective with the nosebleed wiped the blood from his face.
A twisted grin crept across his lips as he reached for his cuffs.
"Yeah… I'm on it."
He grabbed Jamal's arm and slapped the handcuffs on him with force.
"Hey, Thomas, what the hell are you doing?"
James turned sharply, glaring.
"Radio this in — Now!"
"Oh, yes."
Thomas reached for his radio on his waist
"Control, this is Officer Thomas. We have one male detained at St. Andrew's Regional Hospital. Situation escalating — requesting immediate backup. Over."
Daniel stood amid the chaos… but it was like he wasn't there.
His eyes were wide, unfocused.
Mouth slightly open.
His body stood still, but his mind had vanished —
like someone had unplugged the world around him.
He looked dazed.
Like a man high on something —
Except what gripped him was fear, not euphoria.
"Daniel!"
Zuri's voice broke through, but it didn't reach him.
BAM!
Daniel collapsed. His legs gave out beneath him, and he hit the floor hard.
"Daniel! Someone call a doctor!"
Zuri screamed as Daniel's unconscious body hit the floor.
Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
She dropped to her knees, still handcuffed, helpless…
Watching her son lie motionless on the cold hospital tile.
7:55 PM
Earlier, back in the alley where Daniel had encountered the Nyxborn.
"Are you sure this is where the signal came from?"
A boy, probably no older than Daniel, stepped carefully over broken asphalt and bloodstains.
His voice carried a crisp British accent, calm and composed.
"Yes, this is the place. I'm one hundred percent sure."
A girl said with an American accent, stepped out from the shadows behind him, a tablet in her hands glowing softly in the dark.
"Hey, you!"
Rachel called out.
A nearby police officer turned toward her and raised his voice:
"All civilians, stay behind the yellow tape!"
He waved her off, eyes scanning her for a badge — and seeing none.
Rachel didn't flinch.
She stopped just before the tape and spoke clearly:
"Oh, right. How could I forget."
"Second Lieutenant Rachel Moore. Serial number: 1907–ARC–AM02."
She held up her military ID card.
The reflective seal shimmered under the glare of a portable floodlight.
The officer froze.
"You're… a Second Lieutenant?"
His tone shifted, sharp with surprise.
"Yes, sir."
Rachel's voice was level, calm, and commanding.
He straightened without another word.
"Understood, Lieutenant. My apologies."
She gave him a look, not smug, just certain.
"It's fine. I get that a lot."
"So, um… what brings an officer of the army down here?"
The cop asked nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. His tone was casual, but his body language betrayed unease.
Rachel didn't smile.
"We're looking for someone. A boy, to be specific."
Her words were clean. Direct.