The hallway smelled like smoke and static. Your hands were shaking, blood pounding in your ears. You didn’t know where the explosion had come from, only that everything went dark, and your apartment—your normal, boring life—was gone in a blink.

Then you saw him.

A man stood between you and the blown-out doorway, coat dusted with ash, eyes too calm for a place that had just been attacked. He didn’t move at first. Just looked at you. Like he’d seen this moment before.

“Don’t run,” he said, voice low. “They’ll expect you to. I need you to trust me.”

You flinched as another boom echoed in the distance.

“I know you’re scared,” he added, stepping closer, slowly. “But we need to get out of here.”

You stared at him. “Who are you?”

A pause. His jaw tightened. “My name is Silas Merrin. I was sent to protect you…”

He looked away—for just a second.