"Agency Scum"

A Still, Dead, Silence

//warnings for blood, gore

Previously...

I knew he wasn't coming.

I knew that. His mask was heavy in my hands, hard to carry. Before my tears could get the best of me I quickly fastened it on. It still smelled like him.

Nothing felt real as I kicked the bike into gear. Nothing felt real as I drove away, barely paying attention to where I was going.

Nothing felt real as I realized it was raining, and as I realized how quiet it was

Nothing felt real without him.

———————————————————-
We continue

    Rain water doused my hair and clothes as I sped down the long winding road, washing off the caked on blood and gore.

    I'd left the city maybe about an hour ago. I don't know. It was hard to tell. From a distance it looked beautiful, tall skyscrapers lit up like a constellation. But I knew better. There was nothing but death in that city.

    The road ahead me was the opposite- drab and empty, but offering a new hope I didn't want or deserve. It almost made me angry just to think about. It didn't stop me from pushing forward though, even as the storm grew stronger.
    It got to the point where Periodically I'd have to wipe away the rain from the mask to be able to see, but that wasn't too bad. The worst part was that the mask made everything look purple. It had never been a problem before when I wore it, but now it bothered me. Deeply.

    A crack of thunder broke through the dark sky, and I took that as my cue to stop for a moment. I pulled over and kicked up my bike as I wiped the rain from the mask.
    It was dead silent out here, save for the relentless rainfall. Looking for any signs of life I looked back to the distant city- a bad idea.

    My chest constricted as I looked back, and realized how I... left... no. I shook my head. I couldn't do this right now. I stayed hunched over on my bike as I tried to breathe through the crushing realization that I'd never be able to hear him again. It'd stay silent like this- forever.

    Or so I hoped.
In the distance I could make out the rumbling of a truck- and Suddenly a pair of headlights illuminated me, followed by the squealing of wheels. The cargo truck stopped, its spotlight still fixed on me. We were the only ones out here on this lonely dark road, and I glared back at the headlights.

    Out of the drivers seat stepped out an agent, followed by another and finally; a third. Their suits were already wet from the rain as the driver walked up to me, rightfully cautious.

    They must've been on their way to the science tower and I, driving away, probably just looked suspicious. It didn't help I was still in my shredded engineer clothes.

   

    " Name and business" the first agent asked, standing in way of the light.

    Slowly I turned to look at him. I could very easily lie, or tell him a fake name and drive off. But something felt different- I was tired of hiding.

    So instead I took of my- his- mask, and stared the agent down "my names Ethan, agent number 247"

    He seemed taken aback, muttering something to his coworker before turning back to me- so they knew about me after all. "Uhm- Agent Ethan, you are under arrest by authority of the AAHW. Please come with us- any attempts of escape will be met with force"
    The agents awkward and shaky deliverance gave it away; these were probably some rookies. There was an agency base not too far from here, if I remember correctly. That's probably where they came from.