CHAPTER 4 - THE QUIET ABOVE THE NOISE

Emily climbed the stairs to her sleeping quarters above the agency like someone carrying invisible weight.

Every step felt heavier than the last, not because her body was weak, but because her mind wouldn’t slow down. Anger clung to her ribs. Frustration sat in her throat. Knox’s voice replayed itself in her head - calm, controlled, always one step ahead, always holding back pieces of the truth.

He had done it again.

He always did.

He told her one plan, then executed another. Sent her into the field believing she knew what she was walking into, only to change the rules while she was already bleeding. Knox never trusted her fully. There had always been something in his eyes when he looked at her - not fear, not doubt, but calculation. As if she were a powerful tool he admired but never intended to loosen his grip on.

Sometimes she wondered if he enjoyed it.

Enjoyed watching her scramble. Watching her react. Watching her realize she was never fully in control.

By the time she reached the door above the agency - the quiet living quarters tucked away from the steel and screens below - Emily’s hands were clenched into fists.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Warmth wrapped around her instantly.

The smell hit her next. Real food. Spices. Something simmering slowly, lovingly. It made her stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with familiarity.

From the kitchen came a voice, thick with a soft accent and comfort.

“Emily? Is that you, honey?”

Emily kicked the door shut behind her and let her head fall back against it for a second. “Yeah,” she called. “Who else would it be?”

She dropped her bag and followed the smell into the kitchen.

Elaine stood by the stove, tall and slender, her dark hair pulled back loosely, an apron tied around her waist. At forty-five, she carried herself with an easy grace, the kind that came from knowing who she was and no longer apologizing for it. She stirred a pot slowly, humming under her breath.

Emily didn’t say anything.

She walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around Elaine’s waist, pressing her face into her back.

Elaine startled, then laughed softly as the wooden spoon slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. She turned fully and pulled Emily into a proper hug, arms strong and warm.

“My dear Emily,” she said, holding her tight.

Emily exhaled shakily. “Sorry. I made you drop your spoon.”

Elaine waved it off. “I can get another spoon.” She tilted Emily’s head slightly, studying her face. “But you? You look like you could use a very long hug.”

Emily’s shoulders sagged. “You got that right.”

They stood like that for a moment, the world outside fading.

Elaine pulled back just enough to look at her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Emily hesitated. Then she shook her head. “It’s… classified. Work stuff.”

Elaine raised an eyebrow.

Emily sighed. “Long story short? My boss is a jerk.”

Elaine laughed quietly. “You don’t have to tell me twice. I don’t go down there, but I hear things. Sometimes I see things. And he’s not exactly anyone’s favorite.”

She turned back to the stove. “Are you hungry?”

“I ate earlier,” Emily said. Then, softer, “But somehow your food always makes me hungry again.”

Elaine smiled. “Sit.”

They moved to the small dining table. Elaine served generous portions, the food steaming and rich. Emily picked up her fork and took a bite.

Her eyes closed without her permission.

“Oh wow,” she murmured. “I forgot what real food tastes like.”

Elaine watched her quietly. “I see what these jobs do to you,” she said after a moment. “You don’t like it. They use you. Your powers. Your strength. And they give nothing back.”

Emily didn’t answer.

“Can’t you just leave?” Elaine continued gently. “Go somewhere far away. Start over.”

Emily’s fork paused midair.

“We’ve saved enough,” Elaine said, voice warming with the idea. “Enough for a small island. Somewhere quiet. Just the two of us. We could grow our own food. Fish. Live without people telling you what you are and what you’re worth.”

Emily swallowed.

“That sounds…” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat. “It sounds perfect.”

Elaine reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Then why not?”

Emily stared down at her plate for a long moment, the steam rising between them.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” she said quietly.

Elaine waited.

“I was created in a lab,” Emily went on, her voice steady but distant, like she was talking about someone else. “I didn’t grow up like other people. I didn’t learn how to live among humans. Every step I took, someone was watching. Measuring. Correcting.”

She lifted her wrist and turned it slightly, letting the metal bracelet catch the light.

“I wouldn’t even know how to deal with my powers without these,” she said, a faint, bitter smile touching her lips. “They’ve been on me for as long as I can remember. I don’t know what it’s like to exist without someone holding the leash.”

Elaine’s hand tightened around her fork.

“They don’t just control what I do,” Emily continued. “They control where I live. Even when I was old enough to leave the lab, they made sure I stayed close. Close enough that they could shut me down if I stepped out of line.”

She laughed softly, without humor. “What would I do on an island, Elaine? What if I lost control? What if I hurt someone? I don’t even know who I am without orders. Without boundaries.”

Elaine reached across the table, covering Emily’s wrist gently, thumb brushing the cold metal.

“They created me for this,” Emily said, her voice dropping. “For doing what they tell me to do. If they ever get tired of using me… if they ever let me go… maybe, then.”

She shook her head slightly. “But for now, this is all I know.”

Elaine didn’t speak right away. She just held Emily’s hand, like she was anchoring her to something real.

Her eyes softened with something close to pain. “You’re more than what they made you, Emily.”

Emily smiled faintly. “I hope you’re right.”

After dinner, Emily stood and stretched, the exhaustion finally catching up to her. “I think I’m going to lie down for a bit.”

Elaine nodded. “You’re welcome to stay.”

“I will,” Emily said. “Just for a few hours. I’ll head back out before dawn.”

Elaine didn’t argue.

They changed and slipped into bed together, the room dim and quiet. Elaine lay on her side and pulled Emily close, holding her the way she had when Emily was younger. Like the world could be kept out by arms alone.

Emily smiled as she breathed in Elaine’s familiar scent.

For the first time all day, her mind went quiet.

She fell asleep feeling safe - unaware of how fragile that safety truly was.