I was still reeling from the revelation that VP-08 could manipulate minds when the hammer fell.
"Who really are you, Mirror? And why are you Agent 0? The numbers imply that you were here before any of us. The protocol never switches up numbers, irrespective of powers. You get the number you join in. Even if you desert, your locker stays empty. Yet here you are with a new locker and no explanation."
That is awfully suspicious.
And all of these questions were natural. But most of their answers I either didn't have or couldn't give them. I thought for a long time and consulted Jarvis before deciding on an informative non-answer, which I parroted verbatim.
"All of these are really legitimate questions. Some of which I actually share, like that Agent 0 thing. Although, due to the nature of my unique circumstances, I am not sure how much I am allowed to reveal. But I can tell you this: there are no traces of my records because there were never any. In a way, you could say that I was - um…"
I paused to see if I could think of a better way to put it.
"… Separated from the world."
I let that sink in before continuing.
"As for what Brimstone wants with me, you guys are actually more likely to know than I am. All I want is a normal life."
I shrugged before making the first move in the new game.
"You can ask Clove. I was perfectly happy flipping burgers with Rocky."
I produced the little pirate and kept it on the table.
And for the second time, the silence around me drew my attention.
The people around me wore uncomfortable expressions of concern and pity on their faces. And surprisingly, it was Omen who spoke.
"The paradise you dream of is a mirage, Mirror. The silence of the lambs is just a fantasy."
*(Silence of the Lambs here is a reference to the popular phrase pertaining to the resolution of childhood trauma.)
I frowned.
Why do I feel camaraderie coming off of him?
I thought back to my words.
"Well, at least you had a friend, right?'
Raze tried to pitifully comfort me with Rocky.
Wait, Separation- they think I was a laboratory experiment!
My mind raced as Jarvis chuckled in my mind.
Yeah. Why else would someone other than Clove have a pet rock for a friend?
Jesus Christ.
I was about to object when Clove walked in through the doors with a Bazooka on her shoulders.
"Hey, KJ. The big man's gone for the day, and I found the Jet keys. We can go now instead of next week!"
The room froze.
"Seriously?"
Even I was momentarily shocked. What?
Clove spotted me just then.
"Oi, Mirror! Didn't you say you were getting bored here?"
I nodded cautiously.
"Yeah."
"We're gonna go rogue and raid a Kingdom Lab somewhere in Brazil. Wanna tag along?"
I opened my mouth and closed it again.
"Umm. What?"
Cipher casually raised both his hands. "I didn't hear anything, as I was never here."
I don't think that's how ears work, but okay.
"Sorry. But I can't really join."
I gestured towards Omen.
"I'm under guard, remember?"
"Oh C'mon Omen. Mirror's not gonna run. It's just a wee little outing for fun."
She draped an arm around his neck and smiled. "Besides. He's just like me; Even if he does, he won't run very far. Maybe 5 streets this time."
Then her eyes brightened even more.
"Actually, why don't you join in too. You can keep an eye on Mirror and help with the raid."
"I have my orders, Clove."
Gekko and Yoru walked in just then.
"It's fueled and ready to go."
Wait, what?
Even Cypher was intrigued.
"How did she manage to rope you both into all this?"
Yoru grumbled and grunted.
"Lost a bet."
While Gekko looked borderline offended.
"C'mon mi'amigo. KJ says they are experimenting on Radivores. Did you really expect me to just sit back?"
"Huh. See Omen. Don't ya want to rescue the cute wee guy's wee little brothers and sisters from the evil scientists in the lab?"
As if on cue, Wingman widened his eyes and gave a kicked-puppy-like expression.
"Bok Bok Bokk!"
"They are there all alone in that dark black room, dude."
Just like you were.
She didn't say that, but I'm pretty sure he heard it loud and clear.
"Oh C'mon. Don't be shy. Everyone knows you are a big old softie."
I raised my eyebrows and glanced between the crazy beauty and the grim ghost.
"A softie? Omen?"
I was just making sure I didn't mishear. This is the guy who promises people fates worse than 'mere death' on a daily basis!
Clove smiled.
"Yeah."
Then she walked two steps away, raised her hand, and stared intently at it before starting an imitation of Omen.
"I will kill that Omen. Take his memories. I will remember."
Then she broke character and laughed.
"Poor guy can't even see his enemies in pain."
I frowned even harder. I was now frowning so hard that I was pretty sure I already had wrinkles.
"I don't think he means it that way."
But my voice fell on deaf ears as Clove smiled. "Dude, we need two or three good scouts for the mission. So you can either come with Mirror, or we can tie you up and leave before you manage to slip out."
Hey! When did I agree to go?
Everybody suddenly paused, and the air sharpened.
Wait seriously?
Just as I feared that there might really be a fight, Omen glanced towards me with an unspoken question.
He didn't say it out loud, and I'm pretty sure he assumed that I would understand from experience rather than context. But instead of speaking all the other things that I wanted to say, I decided to give the team what they needed to hear.
"You have my word, Omen. I will not run."
I looked him dead in the eyes.
"Not on something like this."
Because this mission might turn out to be my last chance to prove myself to the team. If I jeopardize this, none of them will ever trust me with anything ever again. I could see it in the eyes and the body language around me. Raze, KJ, Gekko, Omen. This was personal.
I noted the extreme intensity of fire in the eyes of Raze.
Brazil, huh? Her homeland.
There was definitely more to this mission than a simple rescue of radivores.
Besides, I really was going stir crazy locked up in here. At least with missions, I'll have something to do. And maybe, eventually, I'll have more say in stuff that happens around here like the other senior agents.
Omen nodded solemnly.
And then he spoke again.
Wow! Two times in a day. This must be some kind of record.
"Very well then. There shall be no need for this. For the sake of the forsaken, You shall have my aid."