A faint knock echoes through the silent house, drawing Darren Hayes's attention from the tactile sensation of his hands running over the cool metal of a dumbbell he can no longer truly see. He recognizes the sound, the expected arrival of the agency's latest attempt to find him a caretaker. His jaw tightens almost imperceptibly, a silent battle against the rising frustration of his new reality. He hates this, hates needing someone else to guide him through the simple motions of a life he once commanded with absolute physical autonomy. He takes a slow, deep breath, trying to calm the restless energy that still courses through his powerful frame.