CHAPTER 4 – AN UNEXPECTED OBSERVATION

The following morning, Xyrus arrived at the training facility earlier than usual.

After placing his sports bag inside his locker, he checked his phone and found a message from Benny.

Benny: Don't forget to eat breakfast before training. I don't want you getting sick.

A smile appeared on his face.

Xyrus: Don't worry, beautiful. I'll take care of myself. Love you.

He put his phone away and changed into his training clothes.

For Xyrus, everything seemed perfectly normal. He had no reason to worry about anything, especially after yesterday's routine medical examination.

However, inside the medical office, Oliot was already reviewing his records.

The doctor had spent part of the morning comparing the results from Xyrus's initial assessment with the private documents stored in his locked drawer.

His expression remained serious.

There was something about the information that made him particularly interested in the young athlete's physical condition.

He closed the folder and glanced at the clock.

It was almost time for training.

"Let's see how he performs today," he murmured.

The training session began with several warm-up exercises.

Xyrus moved confidently across the ice, following the coach's instructions. His speed, coordination, and determination made him stand out among his teammates.

"Come on, Xyrus! Show us what you've got!" one of his teammates shouted.

Xyrus grinned.

"You better keep up!"

He accelerated across the rink, maneuvering between the other players before taking a powerful shot toward the goal.

The puck entered the net.

His teammates cheered.

"That's what I'm talking about!"

Xyrus laughed and returned to his position.

From the viewing area, Oliot observed the players while holding his tablet.

Initially, he monitored the entire team. However, his attention gradually shifted toward Xyrus.

He carefully watched the player's movements, breathing patterns, and physical responses after each exercise.

Then something unexpected happened.

After completing another demanding drill, Xyrus briefly slowed down.

He placed one hand against his upper chest and took a deeper breath.

It lasted only a few seconds.

He quickly straightened his posture and continued walking toward the bench.

Oliot immediately noticed.

His fingers tightened around his tablet.

He recorded the observation without approaching the player.

Although the movement could have been caused by ordinary physical exhaustion, he wanted to examine it more closely.

During a short break, Xyrus sat on the bench and reached for his water bottle.

His teammate approached him.

"Are you okay? You look a little tired."

Xyrus glanced at him.

"I'm fine. We just finished a pretty intense exercise."

"Well, don't exhaust yourself too much. We still have another round."

"I know."

He took another drink before standing.

However, just as he was about to return to the rink, a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Xyrus, could you come with me for a moment?"

He turned around.

Oliot stood a few steps away, his tablet in one hand.

Xyrus frowned.

"Is something wrong, Doctor?"

"I'd like to ask you a few questions about your condition."

"Again? I thought yesterday's examination was enough."

"I noticed something during your training session."

Xyrus raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly did you notice?"

"After your last exercise, you appeared to experience a brief change in your breathing pattern."

Xyrus chuckled.

"Doctor, I was playing hockey. Obviously, I was going to breathe heavily."

"That's understandable. However, I need to determine whether what I observed was simply physical exertion."

Xyrus sighed.

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

Inside the examination room, Oliot gestured toward the examination bed.

Xyrus sat down, looking increasingly impatient.

"Have you experienced any chest discomfort recently?" Oliot asked.

"No."

"Unusual dizziness?"

"No."

"Sudden weakness or difficulty breathing?"

"Not that I can remember."

Oliot carefully recorded his answers.

"Have you noticed anything different about your physical condition since your last examination?"

Xyrus considered the question.

"Not really. Why?"

"I'm simply checking."

Xyrus studied his face.

"You're making me feel like something is seriously wrong with me."

"That's not my intention."

"Then what is it?"

Oliot paused.

"I prefer to investigate unusual observations rather than ignore them."

Xyrus crossed his arms.

"Well, I appreciate your concern, but I know my own body. If something is wrong, I'll tell you."

"I hope you will."

Oliot prepared the necessary medical equipment and conducted another brief assessment.

Xyrus cooperated, although he couldn't hide his irritation.

After checking the readings, Oliot entered the information into his tablet.

"Your current results don't indicate an immediate problem."

Xyrus gave him a knowing look.

"See? I told you I was fine."

"Nevertheless, I want you to report any unusual symptoms immediately."

"All right, Doctor. I understand."

Oliot looked directly at him.

"Please don't dismiss anything unusual, even if it seems insignificant."

For a moment, Xyrus remained silent.

There was something strangely serious about the doctor's warning.

"You're making this sound more complicated than it needs to be," he finally remarked.

"Perhaps. But I'd rather be cautious."

Xyrus shook his head.

"You're definitely not an easy person to deal with."

Despite his irritation, Oliot allowed himself a faint smile.

"Neither are you, apparently."

Xyrus laughed briefly before standing.

When Xyrus returned to the rink, his teammate immediately approached him.

"What happened? Did the doctor find something?"

"Nothing serious."

"Then why did he call you?"

"He noticed my breathing during training and wanted to check it."

His teammate laughed.

"Maybe you're his favorite patient."

Xyrus rolled his eyes.

"Don't start."

"Hey, I'm just saying."

"Whatever. Let's get back to practice."

He returned to the rink without giving the conversation another thought.

But from the viewing area, Oliot continued observing him.

The doctor's attention was no longer limited to ordinary medical monitoring.

He was beginning to look for specific changes.

Later that afternoon, Oliot returned to his private office.

He placed his tablet on the desk and opened Xyrus's medical record.

He compared the latest examination results with his previous observations.

Everything appeared relatively stable.

However, he knew that the information contained in his private documents made the situation more complicated than an ordinary medical assessment.

He opened the locked drawer and retrieved the separate folder.

Several pages contained confidential notes, observations, and information that had never been included in the team's official medical records.

Oliot turned to the page bearing Xyrus's name.

He stared at it for several seconds.

Then he placed the new examination results beside the document.

His expression changed.

There was a detail he hadn't expected to notice so soon.

He carefully examined the information again before leaning back in his chair.

"This shouldn't be happening yet," he whispered.

For the first time that afternoon, his composure seemed to weaken.

He looked toward the training rink through his office window.

Xyrus was laughing with his teammates, completely unaware of the doctor's growing concern.

Oliot quickly returned the documents to the folder.

He couldn't afford to make a careless decision.

Especially not now.

Meanwhile, Xyrus was preparing to leave the facility.

His phone vibrated inside his locker.

Benny was calling.

He immediately answered.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Hi! Are you finished with training?"

"Yeah. I'm getting ready to go home."

"How was your day?"

"Pretty good. Although our new doctor seems determined to examine me every time he sees me."

Benny laughed.

"Maybe he's just doing his job."

"That's what he keeps telling me."

"Well, listen to him. I want you healthy, okay?"

Xyrus smiled.

"Of course. Don't worry about me."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

After ending the call, Xyrus placed his phone inside his pocket.

His girlfriend's voice had immediately lifted his mood.

He collected his belongings and left the locker room, thinking about their plans together.

He had no idea that his ordinary training session had raised questions that his doctor desperately wanted to answer.

Inside the medical office, Oliot remained seated at his desk.

The private folder was open in front of him.

He looked at the document bearing Xyrus's name once again.

Then his phone vibrated.

A message appeared on its screen.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: Have you noticed any changes in the subject's condition?

Oliot stared at the message.

His jaw tightened.

He glanced toward the closed office door before typing his response.

OLIOT: Yes. Something unexpected has happened.

A second message arrived almost immediately.

UNKNOWN NUMBER: Then you need to be careful. If the changes continue, you may lose control of the situation.

Oliot slowly lowered his phone.

For several seconds, he didn't move.

Then he looked at Xyrus's medical record and whispered:

"Not yet. He still doesn't know anything."

He locked the private folder inside his drawer.

But the message remained on his phone, and its warning continued to occupy his thoughts.

Someone else knew about the situation surrounding Xyrus.

And whoever that person was, they were waiting for the next development.