The Long Way Home

[Nox]

Nox was still getting used to the song in his ear. The voice was soft and friendly and yet it conveyed so much more with a flick of his eyes. He could feel the emotions of love and joy followed by anger or hatred if he wanted to. He could send the whole house into a tizzy if he flicked his eyes to one simple song at the end of the list.

Ashton didn't like singing the song. He didn't want to but he couldn't resist the payment Nox had offered. It was a downward spiral that would have Hayden and anyone close by at his side in whatever time it took for them to track him. It was a promise to his family that he'd let them know if he felt like it was done and over. That it wasn't worth living anymore.

Or that it wasn't worth fighting.

Nox had tasked Sage with anaylzying the data he'd collected. He was looking at all the scans talking to his contacts around the world about what it all could mean. Nox didn't care how it happened. But they both knew it was Sage's nanobots fault that he was empty and devoid of emotions.

Nox walked the Red Light District like he did before. Except now he was bundled up in a puffy black coat that was wrapped around him tightly. Lily was home with Liam and Marta. He was alone walking his rounds, checking his perimeter sensors and talking to those he'd offered protection. Not that he could do anything about it now. He had to rely on Bruno and the other guys at the club if he needed to do more than be intimidating. Thankfully being emotionless helped with that, not that there was much of an issue in his little area.

Nox blended in. This was his home. Walking in the cold was numbing in a different way, the cold almost painful and it was a feeling. Not an emotion, but a feeling at least. He walked more than he used to, and he walked a lot before but that was for different reasons. Now it was the only thing he could do when he felt like he was letting everyone down.

Nox stopped at the edge of the Red Light District near the river. It was quiet. Many people used the area for quiet for not so legal activities. The Carnival was a soft din in the background. Nox leaned on the railing over looking the water. The song was off at the moment. It was nothing. Numb. The world was gray and dying. And the snow and grim of the red light district didn't make it any brighter.