1 week later

”So, basically, since the Swords of Creation, Steve’s swords, are so powerful, whoever created them made a failsafe making it so the swords tried to corrupt the individual wielding them,” Dylan explained, as we entered the elevator.

Along with the unit, there was another person with us. A black man, in a suit and tie, named Josh. From what I heard, he was the lead team organizer and mission planner for the entire U.S. government’s secret agent bases.

Along with that, the closer I was to him, there was this… strange tingly feeling in my gut. It wasn’t anything nearly as intense as the butterflies I got around Steve, and yet, something about it still felt… familiar.

“Sounds like they’re hurting him,” Josh reasoned, his voice surprisingly light.

“You won’t get them for your… examinations. Those swords are part of his family’s culture, and he’s made an oath to protect them,” Issac defended.

Josh raised an eyebrow, and Dylan stepped back with complete and absolute confusion, causing Josh to turn to Dylan and smiled strangely.

It was almost like they were having an entire conversation without speaking a single word. And no, I don’t mean telepathy.

“I get that. Don’t worry. Besides, we have no need for his swords. I don’t either. I just want him to be safe?”

“What? So you can use him,” Rose accused, stepping right up to Josh’s face.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. We all stepped out, except for those two.

“Guys… you coming?” Issac asked, holding Dylan’s hand, who was still bewildered.

Isabelle started to walk away, so I started following her, as I heard Rose say hesitantly “Yeah… I guess.”

As we walked through the lobby, into and past the crowd of people, for a split second, I thought I saw a teenage boy. One with short blond hair, and a red rose birthmark on their neck…

Once I got close enough to Isabelle, I grabbed her arm, only for her to immediately jerk it free from my grip, before storming off.

That’s the third time this week… is she just an introvert or something?

That doesn’t seem like introversion to me, Pemo replied.

Dylan started walking by me, but looked back, and smiled, before continuing his walk to the break room, tucked into the far left corner of the lobby.

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Sighing, I turned around, and walked back to the elevator, pressing the button to call it. I saw the numbers slowly drop down to 1, before I heard a ding, and the doors opened, revealing Josh.

“What are you still doing over here,” I asked, using every bone and muscle in my body to force myself to not stutter.

“Cooper needs to talk to Steve, but I couldn’t find him in his room. Can you help me look for him? I’ll be here in the lobby.”

As we switched places, I pressed a button inside the elevator, and nodded.

Bad the elevator doors closed, I saw Josh nod back with a kind smile, before turning around.

30 minutes later

I sat on the roof of the fake police department building secretly containing the training rooms and quarters of the special agents in this secret government base disguised as a town.

I sighed, and looked down at the unsheathed pair of swords in my lap, memories and fantasies racing intertwined with little difference, making it nearly impossible to tell which was a memory and what was fake.

Steve… what’s wrong? Pemo asked.

This… unit… I fear they’re just gonna slow me down in my search for Robert. Sure, it lets me be closer to Dylan and Issac… but it’s hard enough trying to accept them as my new parents, knowing my real family’s murderer is still out there.

…

I heard a door creak behind me, so I jolted up and spun around, holding both swords in one hand, only to see Luke Tinnel.

I unsheathed my swords, and plopped back onto the edge of the roof, waiting as Luke walked over and sat down next to me.

…

“Cooper… our boss, is looking for you,” Luke said, with his normal deep, yet compassionate voice.

“Tell him to go fuck off.”

“Why? Too busy brooding,” he joked.

“Listen here, Luke. It’s hard enough to trust the three of you. Rose is obsessed with me, Isabelle would very likely leave me behind for herself or the rest of you. And you… the fact that I can’t read you makes you the least trustworthy.”

Unbeknownst to the both of us, a pitch black, gas-like goo crawled up the walls of the fake police department.

“Yeah… I get that. Took me… about 3 years to get Isabelle to like me. Even then, there’s still some things I have yet to tell her.”

“Everybody has secrets… and regrets. Leave me to mine.”

The goo made it to the roof, and began crawling up Luke’s left leg, just out of my sight.

Staring up into the shimmering night sky, Luke thought for a minute, before turning his head back to me and saying “There’s something Rose told me while you were in your coma. Everybody has at least one problem… and like all problems, everybody has a way to fix themselves. Some easier than others.”

Finally, the blob made it’s way to Luke’s neck, and slowly phased inside, disappearing just before Luke turned back to look at the sky again.

“I don’t think I can be fixed…”

“Ugh, stop your bullshit-ing and fucking do something about it! If you don’t like how things are, then stand up and fight back!”

“Yeah… you’re right,” I said, actually standing up, “Fuck you Robert, Cooper, and anyone else trying to control me! I’m writing my own damn story!”

As Steve walked back inside with a slight pip in his step, the gassy goo slithered out of Rowan’s neck, and immediately evaporated, before he shook his head, confused.

“What… happened?”

…

Rowan took several minutes, but eventually he went back inside, as he stepped into sight out of the tree line, looking up at the edge of the rooftop where Rowan and Steve were.

“Silly Steve. The nightmares haven’t even begun.”

“By mentioning nightmares, you’re also implying the existence of dreams.”