(Author's note: The dialogues in telepathy are italicized.)

Gabriel sits uneasily in the Lanes'—well, his family's—living room. He feels like a stranger, his eyes drifting nervously around the space. Everything feels distant: the polished interior, the familiar faces. Even the warmth in the air seems to stop just short of reaching him.

Mary places a steaming cup of tea on the table in front of him and quietly takes a seat, Daniel following close behind. Neither says a word, but both watch him with unreadable expressions.

"Um... May I?" Gabriel asks, reaching for the cup, hoping the motion might break the tension.

His parents blink, as if startled, and quickly respond.

"Oh—yes, of course! It's yours."

Gabriel's cold, trembling hands begin to thaw around the cup. He takes a sip, only to choke as his eyes inadvertently fall toward the open doorway.

"Cough! Cough!"

The door stands slightly ajar. Peering in are the three Lanes siblings—Jason, Kyle, and Anna—glaring with the intensity of laser beams.

"Oh my God, are you okay, Gab?" Mary jumps to her feet and pats his back in a fluster, while Daniel strides over to shut the door, ushering the siblings away with a scowl.

"How long were you waiting at the gate?" Daniel asks, his concern finally showing.

"Not too long," Gabriel replies quickly, shaking his head. "I just got here."

But his stomach betrays him with a low, unmistakable growl.

Mary and Daniel exchange a look. Clearly, he's been out there for hours.

"I'm sorry," Gabriel murmurs, lowering his gaze.

"No, sweetheart. Why are you sorry?" Mary reaches across the table and gently takes his hands. "This is your home."

Gabriel looks at her, his discomfort only growing.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Daniel asks. "I thought you had one more year."

"I was allowed to come back early... for good behavior. I have the documents here—"

"It's okay, honey." Mary stops him as he begins to search his backpack, casting Daniel a firm glance. "Let's not worry about that now. You must be exhausted. Rest in the guest room tonight. Wash up and come eat—I'll make something for you."

Grateful for the escape, Gabriel nods. The awkward reunion dissolves into silence.

In the main hall, the three siblings linger, speaking privately through their thoughts.

"So, he really came back, huh?" Kyle thinks aloud, arms folded.

"Time flies... it's already been seven years," Jason responds with a slow nod.

"But... is that really him?" Anna's thought is hesitant, unusually quiet.

"Right, you were only nine when he left," Kyle recalls. "You know he's been away because—"

"Sh..." Jason cuts him off with a warning nudge.

But Anna continues, her voice cold in their minds.

"I remember. He was sentenced to nine years in prison for murder when he was sixteen. That was seven years ago."

Jason and Kyle exchange worried glances.

"So... you do remember," Jason replies quietly.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Anna admits. "Not because he's a recessive... but because he's him."

Gabriel Lanes, the third son of the Lanes family, is an ex-juvenile convict, just returned from serving his sentence. With gray eyes and black hair, and being the only recessive in the family, many might assume he was adopted. But no—he is Mary and Daniel's biological son.

He is the rare 25%—born without evolved genes. No telepathy. No superpowers. Below-average strength. So-so intelligence. But like all recessives, he can kill—without triggering the pain-inducing biological barrier that afflicts dominants. If he'd had that barrier, he would never have been convicted of murder.

"Yeah... He's different from us," Kyle sighs, sharing his thoughts. "And now that I've seen him again... he feels even more different."

Outside, snow begins to fall more heavily. In the spacious guest room on the second floor, Gabriel sits up in the plush, too-comfortable bed, unable to sleep. Pale blue moonlight shines through the window, casting a cold glow on his face.

"It smells so nice here," he thinks. "Do I stink? Should I take another shower?"

He sniffs himself, uncertain, then sighs and heads to the bathroom—for the third time.

Under the running water, his bare skin is exposed: skinny but solid, marked by scars both large and small.

Back in the room, next to his half-unzipped backpack, lie a few suspicious items:
—A black badge with a sword logo and the word NET
—A short dagger
—A stack of photos—clearly taken in secret—of the other Lanes family members

If any of them saw these things now, they'd be horrified. Maybe even consider calling the authorities.

Gabriel emerges from the bathroom and quietly stuffs the items back into his backpack. He pushes it deep into the closet.

Just then, his outdated phone vibrates. He picks it up, answers.

If anyone were here to hear him, they'd be terrified.

"What do you want?" Gabriel growls into the phone. "More eliminations?"

The voice on the other end responds.

Gabriel smirks faintly.
"I'm not going back to that slaughterhouse. So don't bother calling me again."

He hangs up.

Without another word, he throws himself onto the bed and closes his eyes, drained from the long journey home.

He doesn't know it yet—but this is only the beginning.
A very long journey awaits him.