The Zetta Sonic
Gentle Touch's

Emil's reply made Alex snort angrily. Before their quarrel actually happened, Vanessa's doctor hurriedly interceded.

“This is the reason why I don't like case chat brought into the medical room. Alex and Tiger need a break. Leave this case for a moment. We should be safe here. Emil can later ask for escort assistance to retrieve Jason at the headquarters,”, said Vanessa's doctor.

Emil did not listen to that. He was busy looking at his phone. There's a recent news post. The news made a small change in his face. He blinked and then fell silent for a moment. It seemed doubtful whether to tell the news to his colleagues. His doubts disappeared when he realized that Tiger was watching him.

“Bad news?” sahut Tiger's. “I thought you said you were done.”

“Indeed.” Emil glanced at the doctor Vanessa who had just let out a short sigh. He obviously dislikes it when his patients think more about missions than about rest. Emil was about to open his mouth to continue but he changed his sentence. “They need my help. I have to go back there.”

“Then take me to my room first,” pinta Tiger.

Emil and Tiger leave Alex without further conversation. Doctor Vanessa comes back to Alex.  “You are not curious about who they are investigating, ‘kan? You don't have to think about it.”

Alex avoided the doctor's gaze. He was tired of remembering how the people around him were trying to convince him that his condition was a top priority. He is bored as they continue to use him as the ICPA's last weapon. That's not what's fun for Alex.

“It's okay if you feel tired,” said doctor Vanessa again. “You put too much weight on your shoulders.”

“I know. I need to recover soon to be ready to face Damon again.”

“No.” Doctor Vanessa shook her head quickly. His hand gently touched Alex's hand. “We want you to recover because we care about you.”

That soft speech quickly caught Alex's attention. He looked back at the woman who was looking at him with a smile. Again, Alex got what he never got from his birth mother. Though the woman had not said much, but her gaze and touch felt so soothing.

“Why?” Alex asked back.

Doctor Vanessa was silent for a moment. He avoided Alex's eyes. For a moment, the doctor even seemed to want to escape from the room and swallow all his own words again. After those doubtful times were gone, he made another smile that was so different. A smile that hides sadness. That look doesn't lie as well as his lips.

“I lost my daughter.”

“What? I thought you weren't—”

“Married?” guess doctor Vanessa. “Complicated situation. But, I lost my daughter when she was your age. And, I thought. I just didn't want to see another kid like him. I care about you. To your salvation, to your psyche. All the. I thought at first Nadira was only joking when he said he would recruit you.”

“It was just an accident. A coincidence.”

“I believe everything happens for a reason.” Alex said softly. He could not agree more with the opinion of Nadira and the woman's doctor. It's all just a coincidence. Perhaps precisely because of that, he was confident he could do something that no one else could as a Zetta Sonic.

“You were chosen as Zetta Sonic. Our job is to support you.”

“We lost Jayden and are now professors.” Alex stopped there. Continuing her sentence would only make her heart feel even more poignant.

“You feel like a failure?”

Alex turned his gaze. He doesn't need to answer that question. He just said something else. “Without Jayden, we're short on energy. Emil. He excels at anything else.” Alex tried to praise the other colleagues. “Tiger... Then, professor... I didn't do my job well.”.

“Without Jayden and Tiger, letting you wander around out there is indeed too dangerous. We also have to admit that Emil is not as good as Jayden. Then, professor Otto. It feels a little lonely now. But, you know what? Maybe this all must happen for a reason.”

“What?” Alex turned, hoping for an answer from the doctor.

“Unfortunately, I can't give you the answer. One thing is certain. We care about you. We're going to get through this time together. I'm not gonna make promises I can't keep like we're gonna find Jayden or Damon gets caught. But, we're here for you. Emil, Tiger, Nadira, even Fergus.”

Alex frowning. “I don't even know Fergus.”

“So far, I'm sure he's a trustworthy person. Jayden was on the team he led. He is the type who can see good things in others. Hard to see on the surface.”

“In your opinion, he wants Jayden back too?”

“We all want him back, Alex. You're not alone. Don't walk alone.”

Alex bit his lips, holding back another pain that began to feel. “I'm sorry.”

That's all he can say. He felt bad because he was working badly. But more than that. He felt bad about being stuck back to acting alone. In the field, Zetta Sonic is the spearhead for fighting criminals. Victory is always easy. Damon proved him wrong. He needs someone else. They have to protect each other if they want to escape all these problems.

Doctor Vanessa slouches. He grabbed Alex who started sobbing. There's no word to say. They know this time is bad. They also knew that this period would also be passable together.

Without Alex noticing, at the end of the door, a pair of eyes watched the two.