As Tala approached the van with Howey grinning at her, a thought came to her.

He needed a tracking device around my ankle because he is… not like me. He’s not integrated. Just a guy hired to do things. That’s why. That’s the only thing that makes sense.

“You certainly took your time,” she told him.

“I had a few things to do,” he answered, unapologetically.

“Yeah. The men in black came to look for me at the building.”

“I know,” he answered briskly and started the car. “The security in the building work for me. Had called me as soon as the guys in dark suits left. They must have tracked your cell phone. Must be that you walked a few blocks away from the building, because we use a secure scrambling tech inside and in its close proximity. They could not track you there. But, I guess, once you left, then, that was a whole different ball game. I guess you just had to take a walk around, didn't you?”

“I see. So, it's my fault.”

“Sorry. Should have told you about security beforehand. That was my bad.”

“No problem. I tried calling you.”

“I know. I could not answer at that time. But… smart play at ditching your phone. It seems you are one of the smart ones. Sorry for that.”

“That’s okay.”

This time, Tala was sitting up and could see when they took the garage entrance almost two blocks away.

“This goes all the way to our building?”

“Yes. This is our special entrance and exit.”

When the garage door opened and the scanner verified Howey’s permit to enter, Tala decided to ask him the thing that was bothering her.

“Are you… Like me?”

“Not sure what you mean by that. My skin is a lot darker than yours and I’m a way taller than you and I, the last I checked…”

“You don’t know what I mean, do you? I mean… Are you… Integrated…? Do you know what I’m talking about?”

“Integrated with what?”

“Never mind. I thought… You were with that other guy. That maybe he sent you. So… then who hired you? And for what exactly?”

“I thought they were a sort of vampires, to tell you the truth.”

“Vampires?”

“Well, that's what I thought at first. Really weird. They could walk during the day. But I swear to you, the guy never got old. And I’ve been with him for fifteen years. “

“I see. He never got old so he must be a vampire. I guess that’s the only explanation that came to your mind.”

“Well, you never met a guy.”

“Maybe he was an alien? Didn’t need to be a vampire.”

The man scratched his head. “Shit, never thought about that. And what, you believe in aliens?”

“I’ve been around, you know. Seen things,” Tala told him, and he nodded his head as if that was something important. “And how old are you?”

“That does not matter. So… where is this guy? Am I going to meet him?”

“Well, that’s what he wanted me to do. Have to bring you to him.”

“Fine.”

“I have to make a few arrangements, and then I’ll let you know what we do next.”

“Can’t wait. Can I just ask you one question…”

“What?”

“If the guy ordered us dead, would you…?”

“Oh, no, never… is that what you wanted to hear? Like, if I was a killer, and… I’m not saying I am or that I’m not, but if I truly was one, do you think I’d tell you all about that?”

“Have anyone ever told you that you lack the most basic human communication abilities?” Tala asked him.

“My Ex has reminded me of that numerous times.”

“Yeah, an Ex, huh?" Tala said smirking, shaking her head. "Can’t blame her now, can we?”

“What the hell would you know? I saved your ass, I fed you and now you will tell me who I am?”

“Well, you’ve got a good point there.”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“Sorry, I can’t sugarcoat anything for you.”

“No, I actually like that. Just give it to me straight. That way I can trust you. Otherwise, you know… I just can’t.”

That made Howey smirk through his nose. “Yeah, I know. I’m the same way.”

This time, he parked the car inside a garage, and as he exited, he told her, “Help me with the groceries. I bought quite a few things to eat.”

“Sure,” she said, now understanding why the back of the van was covered in packed paper bags.

Once they entered the elevator and Howey flashed his hand in front of some sensor, Tala got a message.

[Mission Completed: Satisfactory

Earned: 100 points

Choose from only one of the available awards:

You have 2 free Level Upgrades of the Special abilities and

1 forgotten memory recollection]

“Cool. This is way better than Mission 0. I guess I can use now two levels of some special abilities. they add up, huh?"

[Affirmative]

"Nice. I still have to think about that, but... what is a forgotten memory?’

[A memory of your previous life]

“Wow. Did not even know that existed. That sounds so… freaking cool. Can I think about it?”

[Yes. You do not need to select the reward right now. It can be done at any time in the future, with no time limit given.]

“Cool. I like that.”

Back on the 27th floor, Tala was surprised to see her brother and Daiki still sleeping. She went to the bathroom and decided to take the bracelet off and take a quick shower.

A few minutes later, her hair still wet, she went to the kitchen to see the groceries all put away and Howey sitting at the table, lost in his own thoughts.

“What’s up?” Tala asked.

With his hands folded and pressed against his mouth, he looked rather distracted unlike any time before, when she saw him for the first time when he shot people.

“Okay, I won’t lie to you,” he said suddenly dropping his hands to the table. “I feel like nothing good can come out of it. But…”

“Yes?”

“There are only so many questions that I can answer. So, you have to accept that.”

“What are you talking about?” Tala asked.

“I kind of misled you… earlier. I’ve been Integrated for the last eight years.”

“I fucken knew it!” she yelped all excited. “Why didn’t you tell me? What’s a big deal about it?”

“Because… it’s not something we are allowed to talk about? Especially not with Unintegrated?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you read it under the Disclosure Rules?”

“No. Didn’t get that far… yet.”

“Well, you can’t talk about this to anyone. They pretty much duck you, especially if they are not Integrated.

“It almost makes sense. But then… why did you put the tracking band on me?”

“So I can know where you are even when you’re not part of the mission. Why else??”

“Okay… that finally makes sense. So, I can’t tell anyone who is not Integrated about any of this??” she said, wondering about her brother.

“That’s the process. But then, just because you are Integrated and have a system, does not mean much. You can do whatever you want with it.”

“Anything I want?”

“Yes. Some people do that. They die with karma’s in negative thousands, not caring about completing a single mission, just wasting their days away.”

“Not a bad idea.”

“No. Not a bad idea.”

“Have you… done it like that.”

“No.”

“So… then, what do you do…”

“When they see some potential in you, they will offer you a… position, I may say.”

“I have already been offered one. I accepted it.”

“You’ve been offered to join the Agency?”

“Yes.”

“Which one?”

“There is more than one?”

“Of course. Why else would I ask?

“One called LiPo.”

“Did you accept it?”

“Yes. "

Howey remembered to breathe, suddenly looking a lot more relaxed.

“Is that a good thing, or… was I really stupid?”

“I’m with LiPo too," he said as he exhaled in relief. "Just glad we are on the same side."

Tala smirked. "Really? Are we really on the same side?"

He scratched his head. "I guess we are. Hard to believe, huh? We're so different."

"Well, you did save me."

"Just part of the job. "

"How did you start?"

"This guy... he offered me a job. We... first had a fight actually, but... then he offered me a job. It's a long story."

But Tala was not going to stand for that, so she just smirked and said, "Yeah, so, in a minute or less. How did it happen to you?"

"they sent me to Japan to see Mr. Trono, and then he had a long conversation with me, and... gave me a system. Then, I guess, his superiors offered me a job..”

“How long did that take, I mean, for them offering you a job?”

“A way longer than with you is all I will say.”

"Really?" Tala said, unsure if she heard it right.

“Well, not all of us have it you know, but that’s okay. I am sure they did not make a mistake by offering you a position. I... like had to do about ten Pre-Integration missions before they were satisfied. This other guys offered me a job first.”

"The man in black?"

"No. Another agency on GNN."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"They wanted me... more as a soldier. And I, I did not want that."

"OKay... so how fast till you earned your first Class?"

"A few years.'

"No shit, that long?"

“Shut up.”

“Like… a few years?”

“Shut up. You’re too young and ignorant to know the whole scope of things.”

“Yet, I got an offer right away. And a Class to go with it.”

“There must be a reason behind it. You are just stupid enough not to know about it.”

“That’s okay. I won’t tell anyone I got an offer faster than you,” she padded him gently on the back, smiling friendly. “It’s okay, you know Howey, to be a bit jealous.”

He sighed deeply looked away, shook his head, then rubbed his nose at the place it met his eyes, just to work it to stop the migraine that he suddenly started to feel, growing there somewhere behind his eyes. "I'm not jealous, but... if you want me to, I'll address you as Your Highness from now on. If that will get you to shut your mouth."

"Sure you are not. I'm just messing with you," Tala said and bumped her fist against his big shoulder. "So... Are there other people like you?"

"No. Not that I know off. From what I could tell, and the way Mr. Trono behaved, I think that I was the only one they chose to offer a chance to become an apprentice"

"I see. You're special."

"I do not know. Never thought of myself that way. Maybe they saw something I could not. Probably the same case is with you."

Tala let that sit inside her head for a while, and after a long moment said, “Just tell me one more thing…”

Howey sighed. “One thing after another, and another…”

“No, I mean, this is not related… Just tell me, what made you change your mind? I mean, back in the van you were like pretending I did not know what I was talking about, and now, you're spilling your brains out. So why?”

“Because… there are some very strange things starting to happen. And I think I will need you to trust me. Something tells me, you and I will need each other before this all is over. And, didn’t think you would do that unless I came clean with you.”

That made Tala nod her head, and when she said “Thank you,” those two little words could not fully reveal how much that meant to her and how much she appreciated being told the truth.

"What's going on?" the sleepy yet alarmed voice of her little brother made her turn around to see him rubbing his eyes and staring at them. "Where are we, and why... in the hell did I sleep in the same bed with that asshole?"