The next morning—
Half of Asphyxia already knew.
"The flying machine came back."
"The drifter brought it."
"Noah hasn't slept."
That last one was true.
Kai yawned as he stepped into the engineering district.
The hovercraft had been moved into one of Eric's unfinished workshops.
Around it...
People had already formed a circle.
Soldiers.
Builders.
Researchers.
Workers pretending not to stare.
Noah was lying underneath the machine.
Only his legs were visible.
Eric stood beside him with a notebook.
"...Interesting."
Kai sighed.
"You two started without me."
Noah's muffled voice came from beneath the craft.
"We looked."
"We didn't touch."
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"...You sure?"
Silence.
Eric adjusted his glasses.
"He touched it."
"I knew it."
Noah slowly crawled out.
Covered in dust.
"I couldn't help myself."
Kai crossed his arms.
"I specifically said—"
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
"...But also not sorry."
Kai pinched the bridge of his nose.
Alice would've probably executed him by now.
Eric walked toward Kai.
"I have questions."
"I figured."
"A lot of questions."
"I figured that too."
Eric pointed toward the underside of the hovercraft.
"The frame."
Kai looked.
"What about it?"
"It shouldn't work."
"...That's reassuring."