The Last Drop is still quiet when Tarren returns. The dim lights flickered faintly, casting uneven shadows across the walls. He glanced around—still empty. Vander was nowhere to be seen this time. Instead, in one corner of the room, Ekko and Powder huddled together over a table, their faces illuminated by a faint, yellowish glow as they tinkered with some device.
Tarren walked over and leaned on the table. "What are you two working on?"
Ekko flinched, nearly dropping the small tool in his hand. He looked up guiltily. "I'm sorry!" he blurted. "I just… Vi asked if I had anything useful, and I told her about the student. I didn't mean for her to—"
Tarren raised a hand to cut him off, a small smile on his face. "Relax, Spark. I know how Vi can be. She's... persistent." He patted Ekko's head gently. "You did what you thought was right."
Ekko nodded sheepishly before returning to his tinkering.
Tarren turned his attention to Powder, whose shoulders were slumped. Her small hands toyed with some mismatched gears and wires, her lips pressed together in frustration. "What about you, Powder?" Tarren asked softly. "What are you working on?"
Powder didn't look up. "Something for the heist," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Not that it matters anymore."
Tarren crouched beside her. "You know, that's not necessarily a bad thing. The heist isn't the kind of adventure you want to be a part of."
"But I just…" Powder's voice wavered. "I just want to feel useful. Everyone else is always doing something important."
"You are useful," Tarren said gently. "But not by putting yourself in danger. There are better ways to help."
Reaching into his pocket, Tarren pulled out a small, oval-shaped device. It gleamed faintly under the lamplight as he placed it on the table in front of her. "Here," he said. "Let me show you something."
He pressed a button in the center of the device. A faint ticking sound began, and after a moment—poof! A cloud of fine powder shot out from its crevices, sending the three of them into a fit of coughing.
Powder's eyes lit up as she burst into a fit of giggles. "That's so cool!" she exclaimed, already reaching for the device to examine its mechanisms.
Tarren smiled, watching as Powder's hands deftly pried the device open to study its inner workings. For a brief moment, the weight of everything else seemed to lift.
—
In the dark alley behind the Last Drop, Vander stood silently, a plate of food in his hands. His expression was grim as he carefully poured a vial of liquid over the food. The substance shimmered faintly, its color unnatural.
He placed the plate near a trash bin and stepped back, watching from the shadows. Minutes passed before a scrawny rat emerged from the darkness, sniffing cautiously before sinking its teeth into the food.
The change was immediate. The rat's body began to glow faintly purple, its muscles bulging grotesquely as it grew to the size of a cat. Its eyes gleamed with an unnatural light, and it let out a low, guttural squeak.
Vander reached for a weapon leaning against the wall, his heart pounding. But before he could act, the rat collapsed. Its body convulsed violently, and within seconds, it was dead.
Vander approached cautiously, his face a mixture of horror and disbelief. The rat's body was grotesque, swollen and misshapen, but lifeless. The substance had burned through its insides, leaving behind only destruction.
"This is what Silco's trying to make?" Vander muttered under his breath, gripping the edge of the trash bin as he stared at the creature's remains.
—
Vander returned to the Last Drop, his steps heavy with the weight of what he had just witnessed. He walked behind the counter, leaning against it as if trying to ground himself. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Tarren, who was sitting with Ekko and Powder.
"Tarren," Vander called, his voice firm but quiet. He gestured for the boy to join him.
Tarren walked over and sat across from him at the bar. Vander reached into his pocket and pulled out the half-empty vial, placing it on the counter between them. "What is this?" he asked, his tone sharp. "And this time, don't dodge the question."
Tarren glanced at the vial. Then he met Vander's gaze. "A drug," he said plainly. "At small doses, it's highly addictive. At higher doses…"
"It turns you into a monster," Vander interrupted. "That scientist. He made this for Silco?"
Tarren nodded.
Vander let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "And this… this is why you said I'm responsible for all of this. Why didn't you tell me everything sooner?"
"You wouldn't have believed me," Tarren said calmly. "Just like my parents didn't believe me when I warned them about the rebellion. And now they're dead. Adults never listen to their 'lessers.'"
Regret flashed across Vander's face. "I'm listening now," he said quietly. "What else do you know?"
Tarren hesitated before speaking. "Vi. She's planning a burglary topside."
"She's what?" Vander's eyes narrowed.
"She said she wouldn't go through with it," Tarren said. "But the look on her face… I don't trust her to stick to that promise."
Vander sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I'll handle it."
"Make sure you do," Tarren said firmly. "Don't let her go."
"I won't," Vander assured him, picking up the vial. "And this… I'll get rid of it. I'll take care of things here. You don't need to worry anymore, Tarren. Go chase your dream topside. We'll be fine."
Tarren studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. See you later, Vander."
As Tarren walked toward the door, he waved to Ekko. "Take care of Benzo for me, Spark."
Ekko grinned faintly. "You got it."
Tarren disappeared through the door, leaving the Last Drop behind. For now.