The moment Sven took the syringe into his hand, his expression changed.
Gone was the cheeky grin and relaxed air. His fingers clenched around the cold metal, and his eyes narrowed. The flickering light overhead caught the faint insignia etched into the syringe - a twisted emblem of a serpent coiled tightly around a crucifix.
The blood drained from his face.
"Shit…" he muttered.
Kai caught it immediately. "You recognise it."
Sven didn't even try to deny it. No witty retorts this time. He sighed, letting the syringe dangle loosely from his hand as he leaned back and rubbed his face.
"Yeah," he said, voice low. "I do."
Everyone leaned in. Even Amina looked up from her seat.
Sven took a breath and began explaining, his tone different now, flat, cautious, like someone describing a nightmare he hadn't quite woken up from.
