AT THE SAME TIME
AT THE OBSERVATION HALL
For a second, nobody spoke, not because they didn't have anything to say, but because every single person in that room just mentally tripped over the same realization at once.
"Did he just say Blackstone?" One Beta whispered.
"No." Another shook his head. "He said twin."
"That's worse."Third man said.
"That's much worse."Another mentor added.
On screen, Zavier stood there as he had just introduced himself as 'Zavier, guy who exists' instead of casually dropping a name that had entire funding departments attached to it, and the hall exploded.
"Pull the file."Another said.
"It should already be highlighted-"Third one said.
"It wasn't flagged because HE DIDN'T USE THE NAME. There must be a reason for it. "Another one questioned, nearly screaming for an answer.
For a second, nobody spoke not because they didn't have anything to say, but because every single person in that room just mentally tripped over the same realization at once.
"Did he just say Blackstone?" One Beta whispered.
"No." Another shook his head slowly. "He said twin."
"That's worse."Alpha said.
That's much worse."Another one said.
On screen Zavier stood there like he had just said something mildly inconvenient instead of detonating a political and social bomb in the middle of the academy. Calm, unbothered, already moving back to the fire like names didn't matter and survival did. The hall, however lost its mind.
"Pull the file."Beta said.
"It should already be flagged-"Another Alpha added.
"It is not flagged-"Another Beta asked.
"WHY is it not flagged-"Another Alpha asked.
"Because HE DIDN'T USE THE NAME-"Alpha said. "That is illegal."
"It's not illegal."Someone else added. "It should be illegal."
Keys slammed, systems opened. Cross references began firing like a panic attack in digital form.
"I have got Blackstone registry, opening primary lineag-"One Alpha said.
"Skip to offspring-"Beta added.
"Already there-"Another Alpha said.
Pause.
"What."Logan asked.
Silence.
"Read it." Someone said.
The clerk blinked.
"Primary heir: Michael Blackstone. Status: active, fully registered, high priority candidate. Training allocation: extensive. Mentorship access: confirmed. Resource distribution: unrestricted."
"Yes, that checks out."The room nodded.
"That's the one we know."A B-rank Alpha added.
"That's the loud one." A A-rank Beta added.
Scroll.
"Secondary-" Someone began and suddenly stopped. "There is no secondary listed."
Silence.
"What do you mean there's no secondary listed."Kael asked.
"I mean-" the clerk scrolled again, faster now. "-there is no second child recorded under Charlie and Rosalie Blackstone."
The room didn't react immediately because that didn't make sense.
"Run full registry."Kael asked.
"Already running."Beta said and nodded.
More data, more files, more official documents, birth records, lineage confirmations, public statements, house reports all consistent and all saying the same thing.
"Michael Blackstone."He said.
Only Michael, always Michael.
"No." Someone said quietly.
"That's not possible."A Beta asked. "Check hospital records."
"On it."Alpha said and nodded.
Another file opened, old, archived, and less polished.
"There is an entry."The clerk froze.
The entire room leaned forward.
"Read it."Logan ordered.
"Birth record: twins."The clerk swallowed.
Silence hit like a wall.
"Say that again."He repeated.
"Twins." The clerk repeated.
"Where is the second name?"Kael asked.
The clerk didn't answer because there wasn't one.
"It is blank."Kael asked.
"What do you mean blank?"Logan asked.
"I mean-" the clerk turned the screen slightly "-there's Michael Blackstone listed clearly, and the second field is empty."
"That's not a clerical error." The room stared.
"No."Logan said. "That's intentional."
"Parental acknowledgment-"One asked.
"Signed."Another one added.
"Guardian confirmation-"Someone asked.
"Signed." The clerk said.
"Lineage seal-"Logan asked.
"Applied." Clerk said. "For one child."
"They erased him." Logan added.
No one argued, because there was no other explanation that made sense. On screen Zavier adjusted the fire slightly. Checked the shelter, like none of this mattered. Back in the hall the clerk kept going.
"Resource allocation logs." Clerk mentioned. "Training distribution: 100% assigned to Michael Blackstone."
"Of course it is."One Alpha said.
"Nutrition records-"Another one added. "Inconsistent, right?"
"Define inconsistent."Logan ordered.
"Irregular meal access noted for 'unregistered dependent.'"The clerk hesitated.
"Unregistered."Logan sighed.
"They didn't even name him, they didn't even log him, they had a second child and marked him as a dependent?"Someone asked.
"That's not favoritism."One of them added.
"That's neglect."Another one added.
"That's-" Someone stopped, exhaled sharply. "-that's intentional."
At the same moment, everyone understood they had made Zavier disappear for their golden child, and everything he learned and thought himself to be is his own hard work and not his neglectful pack and parents.