S.H.A.D.E. [{ Completed }]✔ (#Wattys2018)

Leaving The Past

26.

I sit up front in the truck with Copper as the night passes and listen to his account of what happened.

He wasn't supposed to know that S.H.A.D.E was coming for him, but he so happened to be in conversation with Al's Sync when his line went dead. And then both Fuisha and Beige's Sync went offline sometime after.

Eventually, Scarlet came to him, in the basement of the building he worked in. She had escaped execution, killed the Shades that came for her.

Scarlet was suspected of working with Swatch 999, particularly me, since she was caught on camera speaking with me and training me. That was supposed to be Copper's job.

She told him that they had accused her of being a Necro Proxy agent, that they were wiping out Swatch 999 due to suspicion of aiding Micheal Benson's escape and the stealing of S.H.A.D.E technology.

Not soon after she came to warn him did a pair of Shades bust through the door, but by that time, Copper and Scarlet were waiting, gassing the place and killing them.

Iris brought the truck to them, and they raced to Reg's Front, hoping to save my team and I... but they were too late.

Copper goes silent after explaining this part, his eyes sliding towards me guiltily. "I should have -- I thought to send you a warning, to tell you not to go, but the communication was being monitored, and they would have known we were coming to help you."

"... It's not your fault." My voice is dreamlike, like I'm not present with him. There is a cloud over my senses that I can't seem to shake.

"I wish I could read your biochemistry still. I'm not used to having no idea what you're thinking."

"Now we're equal," I say.

He thinks about this, then nods. "Yes, yes we are."

I rub my arm in an effort to soothe myself. There is a question burning up my brain, but I'm scared to ask it. Finally, I say, "Hey, Copper?"

"Hm?"

"Do you know who I am?"

He's quiet for a long time, but eventually blows out a breath. "If you go to your family, they will be killed."

"Please ... I just want to know."

He looks at me, considering. "Your name is Jane Isaacs. You're 18. You're from a small town, but you've been training since you were five to enter the Olympics as an gymnist."

I start laughing, because that seems so farfetched.

"What? It's true. You won a lot of competitions, and you were exceptionally skilled for someone your age. That's why you attracted the attention of Viridian."

My laugh dies out as a weight settles onto my chest. "My name is Jane," I whisper, staring down at my clasped hands on my lap.

"Do you want to know where you lived? Where your family lives?" he asks hesitantly, and with good reason.

Can I restrain myself from running to them the second I know?

My lips are dry. I feel them cracking. I don't want to say the words, but I know it's for the best. "No, not right now. We need to focus on your family. Are they here in L.A. ?"

"Yes. I've stayed close to make sure they keep their word about Sofia. You know, I never trusted them, not once. I know that they are still watching her, waiting until she's grown more and stronger. I just thought I'd have more time to figure something out."

He's frustrated. He wants to get moving now, but the darkness of the desert is our friend for the time being, hiding us away. Scarlet and Iris are sleeping in the bed of the truck, exhausted from the past day.

I am tired too, and weak, and injured all over. "If only I could heal faster," I groan.

"Maybe you can. You are Psychic."

I throw him a funny look. "Psychics can't do that."

"Sure they can."

"With their crystal balls?"

Copper skewers me with a bewildered look. "Ebony, you have fought Demons. Why can't you believe in Psychic powers?"

"All I know is that the only time I've ever done anything remotely Psychic is when I'm connected to you."

He picks at the steering wheel, frowning down at it. "Why do you think that is?"

"Huh?"

"Why just with me?"

"I-I don't know." Why am I feeling flustered?

I don't get me and Copper. I don't know how much sense we make together. I hated him, for the majority of our time as Shade and Sync, and now that's over.

So what's left now?

"Tell me about Jade," I find myself saying, still staring at my hands.

He grips the steering wheel, staring down at his lap, like he wants to drive off into the wasteland rather than have this conversation. "You know. You saw."

"It was a nightmare. I only saw fragments. I know that you weren't supposed to be together. I know that you both cared for each other... I know that she was taken from you."

His lip twitches in the corner. I know now that this is a symptom of suppression.

He releases the steering wheel and looks out his window. "We were only sixteen. It wasn't love, you know, but it was something. I lost everyone, and then there she was. She was a Green, of course -- Jade. She was in training to scout out new Shades," his voice drifts, mind faraway. "I am a -- I was a Red. Reds don't get distracted.  Their duty is to their Black, but she was captivating, and I started botching up missions."

"Important ones?"

He heaves a sigh.  "Yes. I lost my Black, and once he was gone, the Demons tortured and killed the rest of the Swatch. Got information on S.H.A.D.E out of them before they did them in. After that, someone informed Rouge about me and Jade, and he..." his voice hitches, hands balling into fists. "I got my Black killed, his Swatch killed, Jade killed, and I jeopardized my deal with S.HA.D.E to keep Sofia safe, all because I was lonely. I never did it again. Instead, I became the best Sync they ever had." His tone is bitter.

"To keep everyone safe," I add softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He shudders, repressing his emotions. I feel like dirt for bringing this whole thing up.

"I'm sorry," he says after a quiet moment.

"For what?"

"Everything. I just wanted you to live."