Storm 01 slowly opened his eyes. He exhaled and looked around the room he was in. It was the same place they laid him after the experiment. The sick bay. 236Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bOS96e6Rq
He groaned and tried to get up, but a hand gently pushed him back. That was when he noticed Jesselyn sitting next to him.
"Hey friend," she smiled.
"Jesselyn?" he mumbled.
"You shouldn't get up," she lectured. "Well, that's what Miss Havishma said."
He furrowed in outrage as he recalled what Percy said. He then turned to face his other side, away from her.
"A-are you okay?" she stuttered.
He was pissed that everyone thinks he can't hold his own without her help, especially after he failed the drinking contest.
"Why are you here?" he queried.
"You don't want me here?" she replied with a question. "Are you mad at me?"
Storm 01 doesn't reply.
She smiled painfully. Unhappy that he was treating her that way. She doesn't know why he was doing it, but she supposed it had to be something she did.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't know what I did wrong. But I'm sorry."
She was quiet for a while before speaking again. "It's been so long since we last spoke to each other. A lot happened to me. I'm sure you've been through so much too."
"They had me join the Rain squad. It's so boring there without you. Chief has us do these basic missions down on Winter Weir that a regular officer should be able to handle," she revealed.
"Do you remember when we were in training and those boys won't leave you alone..."
"It wasn't only at the D.H." Storm 01 turned back to face her. He inhaled and exhaled, trying so hard to hold back his tears.
Jesselyn stared at him confused and lost. A large question mark hovered over her head. She had no idea why he was yelling at her. All she could see was the anger in his eyes.
"Ro-"
"Even back when we were still in school, you always stick your nose in my business," he chipped. "Did I ever ask for your help? Why do you even have to be part of my life?"
Jesselyn gasped and sank back into her chair. Her jaw was on the ground, and tears stream down her cheeks.
His eyes widened, as he noticed the tears in her eyes. He couldn't control himself. He too felt the knife attached to the words he just uttered. He tightened his jaw and looked away. "Just leave me alone," he demanded.
She sobbed and quickly ran out of the room. Storm 01 bites the inside of his lips and squeezed his chest. He wiped away the tears in his eyes.
"Are you okay?" A familiar female voice queried.
He turned to see Sox in her casual D.H. clothes. She noticed the tears in his eyes and raised her brow.
"Oh," she mumbled.
"I hate it here. I want to leave this place," he cried. "Take me out of here."
...
"Thank you," Storm 01 said, following behind Sox like a tail.
"Yeah. Let's just hope no one finds out what we are up to."
After Storm 01 cried his heart out, wailing that he wants to leave the D.H. Sox offered to take him down to Winter Weir to at least clear his mind.
"Why don't we just take whatever ship we find?" he questioned.
For the past five minutes, they have been going through every ship in the hangar. Whichever one he thinks looks good, she just waves at him and goes: "That 950 dart is too outdated, it won't even start."
"Why do we have to be so picky, they all look the same to me," he stated.
"Every ship in this section is outdated. Some are better than others. But though old, they produce less noise than the new ones. And that's just what we need. Less noise."
She stood in front of a small ship. The smallest in the hanger. He could see that it was a two-seater.
"This one will do," she said before pulling the door open.
They both climbed into the ship and Storm 01 helped her start the ship.
"How are we gonna go out?" He asked.
She pointed at an agent standing by the exit controller.
"I asked for help."
The agent was a Stormtrooper. She was short and her golden hair was styled in pigtails. She had large orange eyes that complimented her dark skin. He was sure it wasn't the first time he was seeing her, but he can't remember where he had seen her.
They flew out of the D.H. ship without making any loud noise.
"Okay, I gotta ask. How do you know so much about spaceships? I'm sure we were only thought how to fly them, not know their engines."
"I've been around."
Storm 01 understood immediately that it was something she does not want to talk about. He looked out through the window at the D.H. as they flew farther away from it.
After a while, their ship landed in a deserted area between Zoda and the Underground. It was the best place for them to port since they are trying to keep their movements secret from the D.H. Storm 01 used his hand to block the sun's rays. Though it was always cold in Winter Weir, there was no time when the sun takes a break, apart from the nights of cause.
"Let's hope a scavenger does not find it," Sox said.
She puts on a coat that covered up to her knee and passed one to Storm 01. "To cover up your uniform," she said.
He collects it and put it on.
"Thank you for helping me out Sox."
"Don't mention. Where did you want to go?"
He turned and started walking. "Home," he revealed.
"What about you?" he queried.
"Me?" she raised her brow.
He nodded. "You agreed to help me out so I assume you had something or someone you want to meet."
"Oh," she mumbled.
"Your parents?"
"I-" she stopped for a few seconds before speaking again. "I don't know them. My parents. I have been at the D.H. for as far back as I can remember. Sometimes I think I am a laboratory experiment. I know this place because I used to sneak out with the Electro squad when they are on missions sometimes."
"I'm so sorry Sox. I didn't know."
"It's fine. I- my heart already accepted things that way," she sniffled.
Storm 01 watched as she tried to swallow back her tears. He looked away and they continued forward in silence.
A while later, they arrived at the main streets of Zoda. Storm 01 looked around as everyone went about their business. Apart from the many officers patrolling the streets, it was just as it was eight years ago before he left. He stood in front of the warehouse his future self kept him in.
"I can't believe it's been eight years since then," he wondered, staring at the huge doors.
"Does it brings back memories?" Sox asked.
He had forgotten that he wasn't alone. He looked at her and smiled.
"Yeah. A lot happened," he replied.
She smiled.
They were about to leave when he caught a glimpse of three people in the warehouse. Looking closely, he recognized that they were his classmates. The ones that bullied him.
"Hey Sox, could you give me a minute please."
He turned and started towards the warehouse. He slipped through the doors and found himself standing in front of them. They all looked different from the way he last saw them.
Thomas, the more muscular one among them. He remembered him as the leader of the gang. He sat on the ground, legs crossed and he held a cigarette in his hand. By his sides were the other two, Lucas and Army.
"G-guys," he stuttered.
They all panicked and tried to hide the cigarettes they were holding as they thought it was an officer.
Army got up and paced over to where Storm 01 was standing. "Who the hell are you?" he probed, sizing him up.
"It's me..."
"Oh my God, Koko?" Thomas laughed.
He stood up and walked over to Storm 01. He threw his hands around Storm 01's shoulder and pulled him close. He could perceive the unmistakable smell of alcohol on him.
"Where have you been? It's been eight years. You just disappeared from the world."
"I got..."
"You look different now. Wow," Thomas chipped.
"Could you believe this guy use to be skinnier than a spaghetti," Lucas laughed.
Thomas brushed past him. "Is this your girl?" he questioned while walking towards Sox.
Storm 01's heart starts to race. He recalled all the pain they put him through. The troubles they cause him, the sleepless nights he spent trying to do their homework.
He turned and grabbed Lucas' shirt. He swiftly smashed Lucas' face with his fist, causing him to stagger back before hitting the ground.
Lucas puts his hand over his bleeding nose. "What the..." he groaned.
The other two turned to Storm 01. "What has gotten into you?" Army asked.
"What has gotten into me?"
He launched himself at Army. He was quick that Army couldn't keep up with him and with a single punch, he crashed on the ground too.
Thomas fell to the ground in shock. He looked up at Storm 01, frightened. Storm 01's eyes were filled with rage.
"Do you know what I went through because of you?"
"I'm so sorry," Thomas begged.
Suddenly, a spark of electricity started to form around his fist.
"Help!" Thomas screamed.
Sox quickly grabbed Storm 01 and injected something into his neck. The electricity disappeared and he staggered backward. She held him before he made contact with the ground.
"Let's get out of here," she said, helping him as they both walked out of the warehouse.
"Who were those?" Sox asked.
"Just... People," he said, slowly pulling himself away from her grip.
Sox side-eyed him. "We should head back before Miss Havishma noticed we are gone."
"Can we visit one more place?" he asked.
She stared quietly for some seconds before answering. "Sure."
"Thank you, Sox. For helping me out of the D.H. Even if it was just for some hours. It helped me get some things off my chest."
"Mhmm," she mumbled.
They walked forward and in no time, they got to his home. As he stared at the house, he felt a surge of mixed emotions in his chest. He never thought he would ever have that feeling when he stand in front of the house. The house was wrapped with caution tape.
"This building belongs to the state," Sox stated.
He ignored her and paced forward, inspecting the tape closely. It was old and had started to tear off.
"Dad..."
...
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