-

unnel rushing by. Despite her best efforts to focus on the day ahead, her mind kept circling back to the strange email and t

f from her thoughts, reminding herself to stay grounded. It was probably nothi

directly across from her. She glanced up, meeting the gaze of a man who looked to be in his early thirties, with dark, tousled hai

if she hadn't just been caught staring. She scrolled through her work emails, but her mind wasn't

watching her, but now there was a small, knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips. Samantha's

, the man spoke. "You look

amusement. Samantha blinked, caught o

s expression serious now. "The

at? Her first instinct was to deny it, to laugh it off as a strange

asked, her voice st

tions, deciding how much to reveal. Finally, he spoke, his tone s

not quite sure what to make

darkening. "You're not alone, Samantha. There are

to make sense of his words. "I

to explain, and we don't have much time. But you're not imagining things. The tingling in

get up, to walk away and pretend this conversation never happened. But somethi

slightly. The lights flickered, and for a split second, everything went d

ne. The subway car was empty

d in disbelief. The train couldn't have reached

This is part of what I'm trying to explain. Yo

aybe she was dreaming. She pinched herself, hard, but nothing changed. The car was stil

she whispered, more t

's only going to get more intense from here. But you don't have to

made her pause. Despite the fear coursing through her, there was a strange se

?" she asked, her voice

ures. "Because I've been where you are. And I know wha

en perfectly normal until this morning. Now, she was being thrust into something she couldn't even beg

trembling slightly. "I'll trust you.

will. But not her

p again, but this time it was stronger, almost electric. The subway car around them blurred, the lights flickering once

o longer on

iet street, the early morning light casting long shadows on the pavement. The

demanded, her voice rising

her. "We're safe. I needed to get you ou

er, the street around them began to shift. The buildings warped and

lose. "Hold on!" he shouted, his voice

around them seemed to disintegrate. There was a bli

-

She blinked, trying to clear her vision. The first thing she saw was t

a small, sparsely furnished room. Preston was sit

e was hoarse, and she had to clear her thr

ssuring. "This is a place I've been stay

e, with bare walls and a single window covered by heavy curtains. It l

a asked, the fear creep

ones who sent you that email, and they've been keeping an eye on you for a

ed in her chest. "What

rs like you-people who have... abilities. The Watchers want to control you, to

pped in a nightmare. "This can't be happening. I'

not just a normal person, Samantha. You're special, and whether

vable. But deep down, a part of her knew that he was right. She could feel it-the tingling in her hand, the stra

he asked, her voice b

gently. "You stay with me