This one's a two-parter.
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPZA3PplJR
Allelea and Lead sat across from Cyto in the small living room of the safe house. The air was thick with anticipation as they prepared to embark on the delicate task of restoring Cyto’s memories. One misstep could make him lose his faith in them.
“Alright, Cyto,” Lead began, his voice calm and reassuring. “We’re going to start with some familiar objects. Hopefully, they’ll help trigger your memories.”
Cyto nodded, though his expression was a mix of hope and apprehension. “I’m ready.”
Allelea, having known him the longest, toyed with the connector link of her bracelet's chain, and managed to remove it. She handed it to him, and gave a soft smile. "You already saw this one there, but... maybe if you look at it closer, you might remember something."
Cyto squinted at the bracelet, which looked exactly the same as the last time she showed it. He was probably supposed to remember it and get emotional, but... nothing happened. He didn't want to disappoint them, so he stayed quiet, just looking at it.
Allelea knew him though. His memories were erased, true... but not his "I'm not going to say it because you'll be upset," look. She let him keep the bracelet anyway. After all, they didn't have any relationship other than acquaintances. Never did, if you asked him. Neither did she and Lead.
"Okay, so maybe seeing this will help you," she suggested, pulling out a small pager-like device. It was simple but notable. The Enigma's communicator. She quickly pressed a few buttons, almost instantly connecting her to the other side of the continent.
"Allelea," said the woman on the other side. "How is the Russia mission?"
"Cyto's been brain wiped."
"Straight to the point. I like it. I am not sure what to do. Does the Chrono Shifter have his powers?"
Lead, who had been listening, shrugged. "No, sadly, ma'am. But it was a worthy sacrifice."
Lysandra sighed on the other end. “Understood. We’ll need to proceed carefully. Keep working on restoring Cyto’s memories. Every little bit helps.”
“Will do,” Allelea replied, ending the call. She turned back to Cyto, who was still examining the bracelet. “Let’s try something else.”
Lead nodded and pulled out a small box from his bag. “Cyto, do you remember this?” He opened the box to reveal a collection of small trinkets and mementos from their past missions together.
Cyto picked up a small, intricately carved wooden figure. He turned it over in his hands, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “This… this feels familiar,” he said slowly. “I think I remember carving this during one of our missions.”
Allelea’s eyes lit up. “That’s right! You made it for me as a good luck charm.”
Cyto’s smile grew, and for a moment, it seemed like a piece of the puzzle had fallen into place. “I remember… bits and pieces. It’s like trying to see through a fog.”
“That’s a good start,” Lead encouraged. “We’ll keep working on it.”
As they continued to go through the box, Cyto’s memories began to surface, albeit slowly and fragmented. Each item seemed to unlock a small part of his past, bringing him closer to who he once was.
"Thanks," he said. "Appreciate it, guys."
His friends glanced at him, then at each other. "No problem."
Suddenly, Lead felt a small vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and let out a small, excited gasp. "Excuse me for a while, guys. I have to take this." he said, standing up, phone in hand. His quivering lips betrayed his desire to act chill, instead, trying to curve upward into a toothy grin. As he left their field of vision, the smile grew bigger and bigger, before he dis appeared into another room.
The two of them exchanged glances and shrugged. But after that, it was back to a round of awkward silence.
"So... tell me what happened in the last couple of years" Cyto finally mustered up the courage to say, looking up at her expectantly. "I'm curious."
ns 18.68.41.175da2
