**Chapter 27: Back to Start**

**Back to the U.S.: The Airport Incident**

Forty days of rigorous training had left Kris and Biscuit tougher, sharper, and more prepared than ever—but not necessarily less tired. As the plane from India landed in the U.S., Kris leaned back in his seat with a groan.

"I swear, if I have to chant *one more mantra* to ward off bad luck, I'm going to exorcise myself," he muttered.

Biscuit smirked, adjusting her compact backpack. "You'll be thankful when you're not a haunted pile of goo next week. Now, focus."

Kris straightened up as they disembarked, immediately taking in the familiar sights and sounds of an American airport terminal. Families reunited, businesspeople rushed to catch flights, and announcements droned over the loudspeakers.

As they moved through the bustling terminal, Kris paused to adjust his pack, only to spot a familiar-looking group of teenagers and adults nearby. They were lining up at a gate.

"Wait a second," Kris muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Ah.. Master, I don't think you'll get to see the Sancy diamond... Shit! Didn't we arrive after the plot ended? Why are those guys here."

When they were in the flight back to the US, Biscuit saw an ad about the Sancy Diamond that's being displayed at the Maison Mohs in Paris.

Kris relented to Biscuit's demands, and they ended booking a flight to France.

---

**The Unplanned Integration**

Kris had no intention of interacting with the group, but as fate—or the God governing their circumstances—would have it, things never went to plan.

As he approached the gate to collect information, Kris tripped over an abandoned suitcase, colliding headlong with Alex. The teenager stumbled but caught himself, shooting Kris a startled look.

"Sorry about that," Kris said, brushing himself off and offering a sheepish smile. "Didn't see you there."

Alex glanced at him warily, his nerves already on edge. "Uh, no problem."

"Man, you look like you've seen a ghost," Kris added, his tone light and conversational.

Before Alex could respond, another teen from the group—Carter, with his aggressive energy—stepped forward. "Who the hell are you? Why are you talking to us?"

Kris raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, buddy. Just a clumsy traveler passing through."

Biscuit sighed audibly. "Stop drawing attention to yourself," she muttered, stepping past him.

But the damage was done. Alex kept glancing at Kris, as though trying to piece together why this random stranger seemed familiar—or why his presence felt significant.

---

**The Vision Unfolds**

Moments later, the chaos began.

Alex froze mid-step, his eyes widening as the familiar signs of a premonition played out in his mind. He saw the plane exploding in mid-air, the screams of passengers, the fiery inferno consuming everything.

When Alex snapped back to reality, his breathing was erratic, and he clutched the edge of the nearest chair for support.

"Don't get on the plane!" Alex suddenly yelled, startling everyone in the vicinity.

Passengers turned to look, confusion and concern rippling through the crowd. Kris and Biscuit exchanged a glance.

As Alex argued with his friends and the crew, Kris found himself pulled further into the scene. The gate agent mistook him for part of the group, and when security arrived to escort Alex and the others off the plane, Kris was swept up in the commotion.

---

**The Fallout**

The group was still in the middle of heated arguments when the plane took off in the background. Moments later, a deafening explosion rocked the airport, and the windows lit up with the fiery glow of destruction.

Everyone stared in stunned silence as debris rained down in the distance.

"I told you," Alex whispered, his voice trembling. "I told you it was going to happen."

Kris let out a low whistle, trying to mask his unease. "Well, that's one way to prove your point."

Clear turned to Kris, her brow furrowed. "Who even are you?"

"Just a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time," Kris said, flashing a grin. "But hey, looks like I'm stuck with "you" now."

---

**Integrating into the Group**

As the FBI began questioning everyone, Kris used his wits to play the role of an innocent bystander. He told them he'd been trying to board a different flight and got caught in the chaos by accident.

Despite their suspicions, the agents eventually let him go, and he rejoined the group outside the terminal.

Kris cast a casual glance around at his companions, his mind already processing the next move. He could sense the tension, the urgency of whatever they were about to get involved in. But for now, he kept his cool, slipping into his role as the reluctant outsider.

Biscuit remained aloof, leaning against a lamppost a few yards away, her sharp eyes scanning the group while she kept a safe distance. She wasn't one for unnecessary involvement, but Kris knew she was watching. She would help when needed— she is likely taking this as part of Kris's training so for now, she was content to observe.

Kris turned his attention back to the others. Alex was already in conversation with the others, likely explaining what he saw in his vision.

He could see Clear standing nearby, the slight strain in her posture giving away her nerves. She wasn't sure what to make of the situation, or the people she was suddenly thrust into.

Kris smirked—she looked like someone who could use a little distraction.

Approaching her with a laid-back demeanor, he gave her a warm, disarming smile. "Hey, I was thinking…" He let the words hang for a moment. "You're probably heading home, right? How about I share a taxi with you? I'm heading to a hotel nearby, but a ride's a ride."

It wasn't exactly the smoothest pickup line, but it worked. She eyed him for a moment, then shrugged, clearly not wanting to deal with the hassle of navigating alone. "Sure, why not."

They made their way to a taxi, with Kris sending one last glance toward Biscuit. The older woman gave a subtle nod in response, acknowledging his decision without saying a word. Kris slid into the back of the taxi with Clear, a silent promise hanging in the air.

---

**The Taxi Ride**

As the taxi pulled away from the terminal, the city skyline grew smaller in the rearview mirror, replaced by the endless stretch of road ahead. The faint hum of the engine filled the silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Kris leaned back in his seat, glancing at Clear, who had her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on the passing scenery, clearly deep in thought.

Kris cleared his throat, breaking the quiet. "So, I don't think we've properly introduced ourselves, have we?" He shifted in his seat to face her, offering a friendly, open smile. "Kris. I know, it's a pretty generic name, but I've stuck with it."

Clear's gaze flickered briefly to him before returning to the window. She didn't seem entirely at ease, but Kris wasn't about to let the silence linger.

"I don't mean to pry," he continued, "but you look like you've been through the wringer today. You seem... a little out of place with all this, if I'm being honest." He kept his tone light, trying to keep things casual, but there was a genuine curiosity behind the words.

Clear hesitated, then shrugged. "It's... a lot to take in, that's for sure." She sighed and looked over at him for the first time, her expression guarded but not unfriendly. "I'm Clear." She paused before adding, "I didn't exactly plan on getting tangled up in all this."

Kris nodded. "Yeah, I get that. Seems like none of us really had a choice in the matter, huh?" He leaned back a little more comfortably, letting the conversation flow naturally. "I've been in worse situations, but this one? It's... new."

Clear didn't respond immediately, but Kris could tell she was considering his words. He let the moment stretch out, sensing she wasn't one for small talk.

"I'm guessing you didn't wake up this morning thinking you'd be stuck with a bunch of strangers and FBI agents, right?" Kris offered, keeping his tone light but probing.

Clear let out a quiet laugh, a little forced but still real. "Definitely not. I was just trying to get through my day like anyone else."

Kris smiled, sensing she was warming up, even if just a little. "Yeah, that's kind of how I see life too. You just roll with the punches." He let the words linger for a moment, before adding, "So, where are we headed? I mean, not in a creepy way. Just trying to figure out how much more awkward I'm about to make this."

Clear raised an eyebrow but finally gave in to the lightheartedness. "My place. It's not too far. Just need a minute to... decompress."

The tension between them eased a bit, and Kris gave her a small nod. "Sounds good. I'll keep the weirdness to a minimum. For now."

They both fell into a quiet rhythm as the taxi sped through the streets, the occasional hum of traffic filling the gaps in their conversation. Kris, despite the odd situation, felt a strange sense of connection forming between them.

When the taxi finally pulled up in front of a modest house, Clear glanced over at Kris. "Well, this is me."

Kris nodded. "Thanks for the ride. I'll try to stay out of your way from here on out." He offered a grin. "But, uh, if you ever need a distraction from... well, whatever's going on, come to find me I'll be in town for a while."

Clear gave a small, somewhat amused smile, her earlier wariness softening just a little. "Maybe."

With that, she stepped out of the taxi, and Kris watched as she walked up to her house. As the taxi pulled away, Kris settled back into his seat, his mind already back on figuring out what the hell happened for things to end up like this.

---

**The Hotel Meeting**

Kris arrived at his hotel room, a modest but clean space tucked away in a quieter part of town. He tossed his bag onto the bed, feeling the weight of the day's events settle into his bones. It was one of those rare moments where he could let the facade slip, just for a second. But only for a second.

A soft knock on the door interrupted his brief moment of solitude. Kris raised an eyebrow, sliding open the door to reveal Biscuit, her posture as stoic as ever, though there was something calculating in her gaze. She stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, her eyes scanning the room as she made herself comfortable on the chair by the window.

Kris shut the door behind her and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "So, Master, what do think about the situation?"

Biscuit didn't answer immediately. She let her eyes wander over the room before finally meeting Kris's gaze. "I was hoping you'd have an answer," she said, her tone flat but sharp. "We entered the movie, thinking the plot already ended since Jie passed this on already. But it's like… the whole thing restarted."

Kris nodded, his mind replaying the odd sequence of events. "Yeah. Everything felt like it was falling into place when we first got here. The chaos with the FBI, the weird vibe with the others—it was like we were supposed to be thrown into something. And yet, we're back at square one." He ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his voice. "What the hell is going on?"

Biscuit sat forward, her expression serious now. "It's not just the plot, Kris. Something's off about the whole system. You feel it too, don't you? The way things reset... it's not natural. We're not supposed to be stuck here like this."

Kris shifted, uncomfortable with the implications. He'd been trying to ignore the nagging feeling that this whole situation was off. "You think someone's messing with us?"

"Messing with the plot," Biscuit corrected, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm not sure who, but I have a bad feeling about it. Whoever's behind this, they want us in play. They want us involved, but they're not telling us why."

Biscuit's lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "That's what you'll have to figure out. But for now, Kris, you've got to trust your instincts."

Kris gave her a wry grin. "Trust my instincts, huh? Well, you'll be the first to know if they fail me."

Biscuit stood up, her eyes still sharp as ever. "We're not out of the woods yet. But when you figure out what's going on, you'll know exactly what to do."

She made her way to the door, then paused, glancing back at Kris one last time. "Stay sharp."

Kris watched her leave, his mind racing. He had a feeling that whatever came next, it wasn't going to be anything like he expected.