Chase wasn’t sure what to do about the alarm. Whatever it was, he couldn’t sense it anymore. He felt creeped out, but as he looked around, nothing looked out of the ordinary. Then again, maybe Marcus was the threat. Not in the sense that he was the Technician or working for him, but his secrets were unsettling, his actions questionable, and Chase needed to know.
“Is something wrong, Chase?” Marcus said.
“...Yes,” Chase started. “I need you to tell me the truth.”
“What do you mean?” He tittered.
“The Technician told me about how you stole something from him. That you betrayed him and trapped him in the Network. Added onto the fact that you’ve been storing weapons of mass destruction in Vaults right outside the city. You can’t tell me that isn’t cause for suspicion.”
“Trapped in the Network? I–how do you know that he isn’t lying. Surely you think that what he said is absurd.”
“I want to believe you, Marcus. But you’ve been holding secrets from me, information that I might need to understand and defeat the Technician. Or do you just not want to tell me because it’ll incriminate you as well?”
“No! No! That’s not!...Please, just trust me, okay?” Marcus scrambled to back away, his composure breaking down. “I’m a good guy.”
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Alice looked alarmed at the sudden turn of events, “Hey! Let’s not get crazy, now.”
Chase ignored her and trained his gaze on Marcus. “Whatever is the case, my job is to help. I think it’s clear that the Technician was a scientist you worked with before, most likely on the Zonar Project.”
Marcus clutched his head. “NO! Stop! He can’t be! It’s not possible!”
“Marcus, please, you’re making this harder. Tell me. What happened during the Zonar Disaster!”
“Why?!” Marcus’s composure completely broke and he glared at Chase furiously.
“I don’t want to remember! Okay? I never ask you to tell me about your tragic past!”
“Then, maybe it’s time we both faced our pasts.” Chase’s voice was sincere. “We’re both plagued by points of our life that hold us down. For so long, I’ve resorted to suppressing those painful memories, or justifying them by saying it was all my fault, that I don’t deserve anything good with this second life for my failures. But the world keeps moving around, and I’ve had people enter my life that helped me understand that I need to keep moving with it, so that I can stop making the same mistakes and keep doing what I need to do.” He glanced at Alice, who looked at him almost stunned before curling a tearful grin. He looked back at Marcus. “I was able to do that, because I was able to face those memories again and understand them, rather than run away. Although I still feel pain, and there are memories that I still can’t face, I know that I need to if I want to move forward as a better person. But it’s easier to face things with others by your side, than alone, and I’m willing to help you. Not as a Guardian, but as a sign of gratitude for giving me the chance to do this.”
Marcus’s glare softened, and his tense shoulders slunk to the ground. Tears trailed down his eyes and he faced the ground whimpering, before slowly looking back at them. “...okay…”