Storm nods.
We wait outside the building for quite a while. The police are swarming the place, moving fast as they secure evidence. Soon the first omegas are carried out on stretchers and loaded into ambulances that begin pulling up one after another.
Then something happens that I have to admit I did not expect at all.
Jordan emerges from the building, carrying Senu in his arms, wrapped tightly in a blanket.
Despite the slight paralysis on the left side of his body, which has lingered since the bombing attack on Blue Lowen, Jordan manages to carry him without visible difficulty. Although, Senu has certainly not gained any weight in that cage.
Only his small, dirty, naked feet stick out from under the blanket, and the sight is almost surreal.
Jordan heads toward one of the ambulances, his brow furrowed, and that is when I step closer to them.
"Where are you taking him?"
"First to the hospital so they can examine him," Jordan says flatly, without looking at me. "Then I am taking him to my house."
"I understand," I say, glancing at Senu. He still looks like a frightened, feral animal with those dirty, tangled curls, but his head is resting lightly against Jordan’s shoulder, which is a welcome sign.
"Take good care of him, Jordan," I say quietly. "He needs that."
"Do not worry. I will take care of everything," Jordan replies in the same stern tone. "He won’t lack for anything."
"There is one more thing," I add. "Senu’s brother, Salt, suffered terribly after his brother's presumed death. I would like to leave Senu a phone number he can use to reach Salt."
"We will deal with that later—" Jordan starts to say, but at that moment a thin, dirty hand slips out from under the blanket and grabs the note with the number I am holding out toward them.
Jordan sees it, blinks, but says nothing.
My eyes meet Senu’s. "Do you want to be the one to deliver Salt the message? Or would you prefer I do it?"
To my considerable surprise, Senu gives a small gesture toward his chest.
"Okay, then I’ll leave it to you when you feel ready to do it," I also feel compelled to add, "Jordan, it would be good if you told Senu exactly what happened with Salt. I think he should know before he makes that call."
"This is definitely not the right moment for that. We need to get to the hospital," Jordan replies, his jaw tight. "But I will tell him everything, of course. Do not worry."
"I will not keep you. Good luck."
Jordan gives a brief nod and walks toward the ambulance, carrying Senu.
Storm steps up beside me. He has been watching us from a short distance.
"Are you aware that Salt may get this information from the news even before Senu’s call? These kinds of cases tend to become a national sensation everywhere."
"Good, it may be for the best that he doesn't know I was involved."
Storm’s eyes go wide.
"Wait. Really? He would consider you a hero…"
I grimace and answer dryly, "Do you think I want Salt to call me back to the island just because I found Senu? Or rather because heactuallywantsus to build a life together? Because he… chose me?"
There's a flash of understanding on Storm’s face, so I add, "I want him to pick me, not just… be grateful. It wouldn’t be the same. Or fair to him. I didn’t do it to ‘win him over’. I felt I owed him that, since I took the opportunity from him. It seems the right thing to do."
"Funny, Damien would get it one hundred percent. He didn't want me to know at the beginning he was from the Lowens. He wanted me to pick him… just because I wanted him."
"Yeah. It's better if he knows from the media or from Senu himself."
