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On duty, you’re the most capable, most feared agent on the island.
Off duty? You’re dating the agency’s most wanted criminal… Or trying to at least.
He’s not quite getting the hint. Despite that singular hiccup, the two of you spend Friday nights enjoying pizza up the island’s tallest mountain.
At first, it was tense. He was cold, analytical. You felt on edge, stressed.
You long since agreed not to talk anything that could give either of you the upper hand.
The agency knows you go up the mountains at that time, just in case something goes wrong (Even if the most likely cause for those issues is sitting with you). Though, they believe you’re alone up there.
If they even got a hint you were spending time with him, the Director would have your head.
The Director has already been bombarding you with questions that you’d rather avoid…
Either way, you enter the pizzeria and head up to the counter.
The shop owner smiles at you.
“Good to see you ma’am, how's everything going? Your usual?”
“Please.” You return the smile. “Not doing too bad, Gary had me invention testing. How about you?”
“I'm great. How's Gary and the gang?”
“All fine.”
“Good. And your boyfriend?”
“He's not—”
“You've been having pizza with him every Friday for the past six months.”
“… he doesn't see me like that.”
“Do you see him like that?”
The blush on your cheeks is answer enough.
“Does he know? That you like him, I mean.”
You shake your head. “No. I'm scared… What if I ruin everything?”
“He might feel the same way, y’know.”
You glance down, unsure how to feel. How would you even bring it up to him? He probably thinks you're doing it out of pity.
Aunt Arctic looks up at you. You hadn't noticed her until she waved.
You’re still waiting for your pizzas, so you decide to go say hi.
“Evening. How's it going?”
“I'm doing well, thank you!” She smiles. “I overheard you’re having some trouble with a boy, tell me about him.”
You swallow. “He's… incredible. He's strong… smart… witty… I love him.” The first time you met him flashes in your mind, he caught you and gave you a dramatic retelling of life story… It’s also how you found out he loves seaweed pizza. “I just… what if he doesn't see me like that?”
She tilts her head slightly. “Whatever will be, will be. If he's not interested, that's okay. He likes you enough to share pizza with you.”
“To be fair, I pay for them.”
She laughs before leaning a little closer. “Well, I hardly doubt Herbert would spend time with you just for free food.”
Your eyes widen.
How did she—?
“Order number 42!”
That's a future problem. Your date is more important right now.
You make your way up the well-used path, snow crunching beneath your boots.
He's already there, waiting for you.
“I almost thought you bailed on me.”
“Sorry, the pizza shop was really busy…”
He nods. “No worries. Wouldn't blame you for bailing.”
You sit next to him, handing him his pizza.
You eat in silence for a moment, the howling wind being all you can hear.
It's why you chose this spot, it's far away from all the noise of the town. You both appreciate the peace it brings.
“So… how are the other agents?”
“… Tense. Even the Director feels extra pushy…”
“What do you mean?”
“They keep asking these… odd questions. They're… just a bit too— too innocent.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
“They were asking about my love life and stuff… How have you been?”
“Cold. I've had a headache all week from whatever party is going on.” He pauses for a moment. “Why do they care about your love life?”
“I wish I knew.” You look away for a moment. “I’ll bring you a scarf next week. If— if you want me too…”
He's quiet for a moment. “I would appreciate it. Do… do you have a boyfriend?”
“I have a crush I'm too scared I'll push away, does that count?”
His expression hardens slightly. “I see.”
Your heart clutches in your chest. He knows. And he hates it.
There's no way he'll be here next week. He's not interested.
Your heart aches. You’ve ruined everything.
“Say, what's the whole appeal of spicy pizza? Why do you just have cheese and hot sauce?” He breaks you out of your thoughts.
“Fish makes me nauseous. Squid can be pretty rubbery if you eat it as often as I do, so it's a special treat… I was always too nervous to try seaweed…”
He glances away from you for a moment. “Do… do you want to try it now?”
“Uh… sure. Do you want a slice of mine? Fair warning, uh… it's really hot.”
“I like hot things.” He grins before swapping a slice with you.
You take a bite. It's not bad, the saltiness complements the cheese well, and the subtle crunch is not unpleasant.
“This is actually quite good… I still prefer the ‘tongue remover 5000’ but… I'll definitely be having this again.”
“Don't be so dramatic!” He takes a large bite from the slice you gave him.
“You know, I have it four times spicier than anyone else on the island…”
His fur is bristled and his eyes wide. He clenches his jaw tightly before gasping out a strangled sound.
“Don't be dramatic.” You parrot back to him.
Without saying a word, he flips over, face first into the snow. It's probably the first time he's ever been grateful for it.
“I— I did warn you.”
He lets out a long whine.
“It's fine, you're fine.” You move closer before slowly rubbing his back.
He lays there for a moment, still and quiet before he finally raises his head out of the snow. “Warn me harder next time.”
“Well… at least we know you have such a thing as ‘too hot’ now.”
“Oh shush.” He growls.
“I’m not the one who stuck a hole in the ice trying to make this place a tropical paradise.”
“OH! You did not just go there!”
You leap to your feet. “I think I just did.”
He lunges at you, but you’re faster. “Get back here!”
You laugh as he shakes off the snow.
“Quit laughing! Honestly, you make one little miscalculation and people remember it forever…”
“Like Rookie handing you his spy phone?”
He laughs. “Ok, that one was funny.”
“So… It’s only funny if it’s not you?”
“Damn right.”
You collapse back into the snow. “The sun’s setting… we should probably head back down before it gets dark…”
“Yes… We should…” He pauses before looking over to you. “Goodbye.”
The wind howls louder now you’re alone.
You step into HQ, Gary and Dot are talking at the conference table. Rookie is doing something on the computer. Jet is… not here yet. It’s not unusual, he doesn’t have a good way to track time while he’s in the air so he’s sometimes a little late.
You settle at the conference table.
“—I just find it so strange that Herbert hasn’t made a move yet! It’s been almost eight months… something about it feels so off…”
“I agree, Dot. It feels like he’s got something big in the works.” Gary adds.
You feel tense. What happens if they find out?
“Maybe he scared himself into good behaviour after nearly sinking the isle.” You offer, dryly.
Gary pauses for a second. “It’s a possibility… However unlikely it seems. We need to be prepared for anything!”
Rookie joins you at the table. “Maybe he got on another iceberg and left us behind?”
Gary looks down. “It’s not impossible he got bored but…”
“No.” You state. “I’ve seen signs of him in the wilderness. I didn’t bring it up because it was mostly clumps of his fur.”
“Damn.”
“You’ve seen signs of him?”
“I— yeah. Nothing I could use to track him down, if I did I would have said something.”
Gary nods. “Noted. Are you certain it’s his fur?”
“It’s too wiry to be a puffle.”
Dot stares for a second before smiling.
The Director’s screen lights up with their silhouette.
Everyone tenses slightly, now at attention. On duty.
Jet rushes into the room, panting heavily. “Am I late?”
“You’re just in time, J.” The Director states, calmly.
“Ah… Good.” He collapses into the chair next to you. He turns to you. “How’d your date go?”
You look away. “Bad.”
“Oof… Really? You bought them pizza—”
“J, can we come back to this after our meeting?” The Director states firmly, but not unkindly.
“Of course, my apologies.”
You lean forward, mentally preparing for whatever questions they have.
“J, any sign of Herbert?”
“No. None that I’ve noticed. I staked out his bunker for a few days and didn’t see him once.”
There’s the soft tapping of the Director’s keyboard. “Noted.”
“G? Anything of note?”
“There have been a few minor geological disturbances. I don’t think it’s Herbert, last time he did a large excavation it was very notable.”
More keyboard tapping. “Keep an eye on it. If it escalates, inform me immediately.”
Gary nods. “Of course.”
“D?”
“Nothing on my end.”
“Rookie?”
“Uh… No. It’s been quiet.”
“U?”
You swallow. “Aside from seeing his fur in the wilderness? Nothing to report.”
There’s a pause before they start tapping away. “Understood. Does anyone else have anything to add?”
“Do you think Herbert has given in?” Rookie asks.
“It’s not clear at this time. Until we get confirmation of everything, please stay vigilant. He could strike at a moment’s notice.”
Your stomach turns. If he’d wanted… you wouldn’t be here right now.
There’s silence for a moment.
Jet looks to you. “So, who was your date?”
“It doesn’t matter. I ruined it.”
“It’s probably not as bad as you think it is.” Dot smiles.
“I’ll probably talk to aunt Arctic about it… She’s usually good with advice.”
Gary and Dot share a glance you can’t quite read.
“That sounds good.” Dot smiles. “If anyone knows what to do, it would be her.”
Rookie looks at you. “Wait, you were on a date last night? When did you tell us?”
“She didn’t. I saw her carrying a couple of pizzas up the mountain.” Jet speaks up, not quite defending you.
Your heart stops for a moment.
He saw you?
Did he see him?
Your heart rate quickens as your mouth goes dry.
“Aw, that’s such a good date spot!” Rookie laughs.
You can feel Jet staring at you. He leans close before whispering something only you can hear, a gleam across his shades. “For the love of all that is holy, be careful with him. If this is why he left us alone for the last eight months, keep it up.”
You don’t know how to feel. It feels nice to know Jet isn’t just going to rat you out… on the other hand, being blackmailed is now a possibility.
“If that’s all, then we’ll call this meeting concluded.” The Director states before leaving the meeting.
You’ll deal with the blackmail issue later, you need to speak to aunt Arctic.
After all, eight months of silence might not make the ninth.
After slipping away from HQ, you make your way to the coffee shop.
There’s some construction in the corner of the room. The sign above the bare planks tells you it’s a smoothie station.
You continue upstairs into the news room.
Aunt Arctic is at her desk.
“Good afternoon, dear. How was your date?”
“… Bad. It was really… really bad.”
She stands up and gestures to the couch. “Sit. We’ll talk it through and see if it’s really as bad as you think.”
You nod, swallowing back tears.
“Now, tell me… What went wrong?”
“I… I told him I had a crush and he… he was tense. He wouldn’t look at me for the rest of the night.”
“I see. Perhaps he’s just coming to terms with it. Say, he didn’t realise how he felt and once you told him, he understood.”
“I… I hope so. But… He seemed angry.”
“Some people try to hide their affection with aggression. They feel vulnerable and it scares them. Frankly I’d be surprised if Herbert wasn’t a bit uptight at first.”
That odd sense of dread from the pizzeria crawls back.
“How… how did you know I was with him?”
“I’m a reporter, hun. I have eyes everywhere, it’s part of the job.”
You lay back into the couch. “Right. That makes sense…”
“It will all be fine. Why don’t you go see him tonight, if you know where he’s hiding out.”
“I don’t. We agreed to keep anything the agency could use out of it.”
She smiles. “That was a good call.”
“Jet somehow found out… Apparently he saw us up the mountain…”
“Did he say anything?”
“Only to me.”
“Then I wouldn’t worry about it. After all, throwing your relationship with Herbert at you could result in retaliation.”
“Yeah… That’s part of why I’m so worried about fucking this up— Sorry.”
“Mm. I’ll save you the ‘language’ lecture this time…” She grins, a mischievous look in her eye. “But if things go south, it’s not your fault. Please, don’t blame yourself if he does something to retaliate. It’s not your fault.”
You wring your hands together, feeling just a bit better. “Thank you. I… That helped.”
Friday comes around much too slowly.
It feels like all eyes are on you. Like everything is balanced between you and Herbert, but it’s all slipping as the pair of you drift apart.
You make your way into the wilderness, pizza in your hands.
He’s not here yet.
A soft sigh escapes your lips. You settle on the floor.
Maybe he’s running late.
Minutes tick by…
No sign of him.
You begin eating, not wanting your food to get cold.
One slice, nothing.
Two, nothing.
You stop looking to the mountain pass after the third.
Once you’ve finished, you’re still alone.
The growing darkness feels scary without him.
When the sun has set, you make your way down.
You slip on the loose rocks and thick snow, but you make it down safely enough.
A few scrapes and bruises are no big deal. Especially once compared to the numb aching in your chest.
As you pass his old hideout, you feel a twinge to do something.
You couldn’t face him if you tried. He’s likely moved by now anyway.
Either way, you place his now cold pizza box outside in the hopes he’ll see it, before continuing home.
The snow will blanket the box by day break.
Herbert sits in his old lair.
No matter how hard he tells himself otherwise, he knows it’s so you could find him.
He feels more alone than he ever did before.
Of course you have a crush on someone else. What exactly would you gain from him?
His fist collides with the wall. He hadn’t intended to move.
Of course you don’t like him. He’s aggressive, volatile. His mood turns on a coin.
“What is wrong with me!” He yells out.
He holds his breath a moment.
Why does he even like you? You’ve foiled every plan he’s ever made. You’re the only one who could stand against him. The only one who dares to.
He growls, an idea forming in his mind.
Fine.
He grins.
This time, he won’t be stopped.
This time, the island will know his name.
You enter the news room. You’ve not slept, not eaten.
You feel sick.
“Is… everything okay?” Aunt Arctic asks.
“He— He didn’t show up last night.”
Her expression hardens. “I see. Sit, dear. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
You do so, you’d be in tears had you not used them all last night.
“Could he have forgotten what day it was?”
“He bought a calendar just to keep track of the days.”
She pauses. “He did?”
“Yeah. He told me about it.”
She looks away. “And… that didn’t mean anything at the time?”
“Why would it?”
“He made an effort to see you! He cares for you.”
“Maybe as a friend. Maybe he just wanted to ensure he got a hot meal.”
“He’s not made a single move since you started talking.”
“So?”
“I’m no expert on him, you know him far better than I ever will… With that said, I’d say that sounds like—”
Her phone rings.
“One second, dear.” She answers the call. “Hello? Jet? Is everything alright?”
There’s silence for a moment. “Gary? Missing?”
The rest of her words don’t reach your ringing ears.
Your heart stops.
Oh no.
You’re present in the HQ, physically.
Mentally, you’ve checked out. It’s too much to lay bare.
Dot is stressing, she’s tugging at the hair of her wig in her anxiety.
Rookie paces back and forth and back…
Jet sitting at the table but he keeps shifting around.
The Director finally joins you and everyone shifts. Anxious. Determined.
“This is a code red. Though, I’m sure you already expected this…”
Rookie takes a seat, he’s trembling. “That’s… really bad…”
“When was the last time anyone saw Gary?”
“Last night. I left him here to lock up.” Dot starts.
“I haven’t seen him since our last meeting.” You state, your mouth dry.
“Same.” Rookie follows.
“I saw him yesterday afternoon on my rounds.” Het adds.
“Ok, we’re going to keep this quiet for today. If we have no leads by sunset, we’re going to take this public.” The Director states.
You nod before a thought crosses your mind. “Last time he vanished, it was due to the protobots he made. Is it possible—”
“Negative. The protobots were entirely destroyed alongside the PSA headquarters.”
“Noted. could he have tried to track Herbert in the same way?”
“It’s unlikely, thanks to new protocols we developed after that. With that said, J, I want you to check possible vantage points for him.”
“Understood.” Jet confirms.
“Dot. I want you in the wilderness, keep an eye out for anything that could lead us to either Gary or Herbert.”
“Do we know he’s behind this?” Rookie asks.
“Who else would it be?” Dot states.
Jet glances at you, concerned, causing a shiver up your spine.
“We— we shouldn’t rule out any option.” Your voice quivers.
“Correct.” The director adds. “U. I want you to search for Herbert’s new lair. If he did kidnap Gary, we need to know where to look.”
“Understood.” You confirm.
“Rookie, I want you to assess what people around town have seen. I will be scouring for information as well.”
“On it, boss!” Rookie yells, eager to start searching.
“We will reconvene at midnight. At sunset, I will give each of you a call to assess. You are all dismissed.”
The weight of the island is heavy on your shoulders.
You wander through the wilderness, alone.
There’s nothing. Not a clue.
The pizza you left him is still there, the box has collapsed under the weight of the snow.
Or he stepped on it and just didn’t care.
There’s nothing on the surface, so you enter the bunker he built.
It’s bare of everything.
It’s like a team of maids came through with a vengeance just to move his stuff out.
You keep walking through, into what was once his living room.
Was that crack always there?
You step closer to the damaged wall. There’s a dent in the wall, the shape of his fist.
You swallow.
When did he do that?
It looks like the impact would have broken his hand.
The lair is quiet and eerie. It’s like you shouldn’t be there.
You continue around the area. Nothing else seems out of place, and it makes you feel queasy.
The Director is calling.
“Hello?”
“Greetings, U. How is your investigation going?”
“It’s… there’s nothing. Not even the slightest clue…”
“Unfortunate. None of the other agents have identified anything yet either.”
“Nothing at all? Damn it…”
“Don’t give up hope yet. Herbert has a habit of gloating about his plans, I’m sure we’ll know what he’s planning soon.”
“… That’s a good point.”
“I’ll see you in HQ at midnight. Until then, keep searching. We just want the upper hand right now.”
“Understood.”
The Director leaves you in the darkened space. Alone. Silent.
It’s like a tomb.
But the nights only just begun.
The clock chimes and you’re all in the EPF HQ, exhausted and empty handed.
The Director is disappointed but proud.
“I understand that tonight has been rough. But we must not give up hope. I have informed the press, tomorrows paper will encourage citizens to join our search.”
Dot sighs. “I’m heading home. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
Rookie stands up with her. “Yeah… I think I agree… I’m so tired.”
Jet looks at you. “I’m spending the night here, how about you?”
“I’ll stay.”
Once Dot and Rookie are out the room, the Director turns to Jet.
“J, were you able to get a closer analysis on those strange snow mounds?”
“No, I’ll review it in the morning”
“Strange snow mounds?” You echo. “You didn’t mention it before?”
“No. We thought it was too vague to look through properly. Tomorrow, I want you two to go looking through it.” The Director confirms.
“Understood.” Jet states.
“What made them so strange?”
“It appeared to be burying something, as if it had been disturbed.”
“Do you think it’s his new hideout?”
“Might be. We’ll find out in the morning.”
“Rest up. We have a lot to do once day breaks.” The Director gives their final statement before leaving you and Jet alone in the room.
Jet turns to you.
“Do you think he’s doing this because your date went to shit?” He asks, no hint of accusation in his tone.
“I— Yes. I think so.”
“That’s not good. You probably have a great, big target on your back… But you knew that risk, didn’t you?”
“… Yes. I thought the first time I spent that time with him… he’d have kidnapped me.”
He nods. “Be prepared for anything. I can feel something brewing… And I don’t like it.”
“I feel it too. I’m worried… about both Gary and Herbert… Is that bad?”
“Not really.” He settles down. “Just don’t let it cloud your judgement.”
“Right. I— I wont.”
Outside, dark clouds begin to swirl.
When you awaken, it’s still dark outside.
You blink hard before looking at the clock. You blink again, not willing to believe it.
8:47am
“Jet? Are you awake?”
He opens an eye. “It’s still dark. What do you want?”
“It’s almost 9am.”
He jerks awake. “9am!?” His gaze lands on the clock. “W—what?”
You both wander outside, the sky is dark with thick clouds — suffocating the island from the morning sun.
Jet freezes for a moment before pointing to a new structure behind the ski lodge. “I think I know what was in those snow mounds now.”
“What is that?” You gesture to the large beam of light connecting the structure and the sky. “Is that what’s causing all these dark clouds?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me… By the way, you have an awful taste in men.”
“I know. But that’s future me’s problem.”
“… Yeah. You’re right. Maybe the Director has something to say—”
His spy phone rings.
“Speak of the devil…” He answers. “Hello? Yeah, U and I are fine. What’s going on?”
He’s quiet for a second.
“Break ins? At D’s and Rookie’s? And there’s been no sign of them since?”
Another pause.
“I— I understand. We’ll return to the meeting room.” He hangs up before turning to you. “Yesterday’s issue has tripled. And I don’t think these clouds are something we can just ignore.”
You nod. Your throat is tight, suffocating any words you had.
The Director is waiting for you when you return to the conference table.
“I’m glad to see you…” Their voice is dry and raspy.
“How bad are things?” You ask. You don’t want to, but you have to know.
“Bad.” The Director says dryly. “Every agent’s house was broken into, the agents who were home… are now missing.”
“Ah. Fuck.” Jet whispers.
“Indeed. And now we have to deal with whatever this darkness is. I’m assuming they’re connected.”
“We found what we believe to be the source of the darkness.” Jet adds.
“It’s the only light in the sky right now.” The Director swallows. “And U?”
“Y—yes?” You croak.
“I think you should head to the town.” They pause. “J, I want you to scout for a way in.”
“Of course.” He stands to leave.
“One more thing. Please, be careful. We no longer have the safety of numbers on our side.”
“Understood.”
As you follow Jet out of HQ, you can’t help but feel hollow inside.
The snow is already growing thicker, the air biting far harder.
The wind is howling and clawing at your flesh.
You spot it before you even reach the town. This is Herbert’s doing. There’s no doubt about it anymore. He put up a bronze statue of himself in the centre of the road. Flags with his face hang from the dying lamps.
You approach the statue slowly. It’s as close as you’re going to get to speaking face to face.
“What did you do? Is… is this because of me? Because I… because I… I love you?” You wipe the tears beginning to form. “You made yourself a dictator… just… to play me? Like I’m a cheap fiddle?”
Taking a deep breath, you punch the statue, denting the cold metal,
“I can’t believe I ever loved you!”
You turn away, beginning to walk back to HQ. But then you notice something strange.
There’s an odd cover partially buried in the snow.
When you step closer, it opens up, revealing an elevator that you’ve never seen before.
Your hands tremble, but you step in and brace for whatever will come.
The elevator ride is short and leaves you in a small cave. A few doors sit on the walls.
The first door has enough cameras pointed at it to make the agency blush.
The other two are locked from an external source.
A group of crabs hang around the space.
You creep towards the door covered with cameras as the crabs all watch.
Tugging up your hood to hide, you press against the door. It doesn’t budge.
One of the crabs clicks at you. You turn to it, now closer than it was before.
Another cautious click.
“Klutzy?”
He clicks happily.
You crouch down. “Haven’t seen you in a while…”
Stilling your trembling hand, you pet him gently. All while he clicks a few things you don’t understand.
“… Don’t suppose you could open the door for me?”
He clicks eagerly before scuttling to the door.
You follow him through into a long corridor, overlooking Herbert’s new room.
It looks like the tropical paradise he’s always wanted, but he’s not there.
You can hear Herbert somewhere, barking orders.
“— There’s only a few agents left.” There’s a soft thud. “These are the ones still roaming free. Once you find them… Bring them back like the rest.”
You catch Klutzy’s eye, but all he does is click at you.
The next room has a small terminal, which allows you to unlock a section of his security.
But the next room is not opening. You can’t help but tense.
Klutzy clicks in frustration, as if trying to say: Oh come on, not again!
You freeze. Since when could you understand him?
“Hey, buddy… Come find me when he fixes it, yeah? I’ll be at his old hideout.”
Another load of clicking that you suddenly seem to understand. The one you wore that funny crab suit in to play with me?
Dot had told you that he’d think you were his reflection at the time…
“Yeah. That one.”
He scuttles off, leading you back out of Herbert’s newest lair.
Time no longer passes on the island. Now you’re trapped in an endless night, alone.
Klutzy came to see you, both to bring you a newspaper and inform you Herbert is working on the door. Apparently, there’s a way around that only he can access.
While he’s there, your spy phone rings.
“Hello, Director.”
“Greetings U. I was not expecting you to pick up. J is no longer answering my calls and… well… have you seen the news today?”
“No but I have a copy…” You say, unfurling the paper. “He knows who you are? He can just hunt you down… Why didn’t he expose you?”
“I fear this will be the last time we speak. I don’t know if you have a plan but… Do not feel guilty if you cannot stop him. He found me long before you, that’s an achievement in itself. Stay safe.”
You open your mouth to say something, but the call is disconnected.
Grabbing the paper, you skim it.
“That agent is still on the loose, huh? The one who can foil his plans?”
He’s scared of you.
“Guess I’m the only one left… Right Klutzy?”
He clicks sadly. If he’s got ——, then yes.
“Wait… Who?”
He clicks again, but you can’t translate the name.
“When is he going to be finished with the door? I have to save my friend— the island.”
A few clicks respond. Maybe a day or two?
“It’s kinda hard to track time right now, you know.”
I’ll be back when it is.
And with that, he scuttles away, leaving you alone in the darkness.
You’re hungry. Starving even.
How much time has passed?
You’re numb. Like a candle in the roaring wind, it feels like you’re dying.
But something within you is writhing, burning and searing.
Hope perhaps? But… your world is falling into despair, shattered like the sunrise.
Maybe the hope is not yours, but the island’s.
It’s a refusal. Of him. And a refusal to die in this hole.
You take a breath. If he fears one agent can stop him… He’d better start panicking.
There’s no second chances.
You pull yourself to your feet.
You’re THAT agent. He called you that. He knows just what you’re capable of.
Your legs feel like putty but you can’t let people down. Not now.
Each step feels like walking across hot coals.
Just how long were you sat there?
You spot Klutzy making his way over to you.
A few clicks break the silence. How did you know he’d fixed his door?
“I… Don’t know… Come on. We have no time to waste!”
The snow is piled high in the town.
How were you not snowed into the bunker?
The wind slices like knives.
No more stalling. It’s now, or never.
You take a breath and enter his lair once more.
The cave is empty, quiet. Even so, you can’t help but feel afraid.
You yank your hood up as you pass by the cameras, just like last time.
Unlike last time, Herbert is in his room. He’s relaxing, with his eyes closed but you can tell he’s awake because he’s humming softly.
You release the breath you didn’t realise you were holding before continuing into his security room.
You don’t notice him sit up, nor him watching you leave the hallway.
His security system is oddly easy to override. He’s never been good at security, but this feels… too easy.
You continue through the loop of rooms that returns you to the cave. The middle door now hangs open.
Creeping closer, you peer in. The room is empty, aside from the large tubes holding the other agents hostage. From where you stand, they look dead.
No matter how quietly you walk, the metal grate clacks loudly under your boots.
Your steps grow hurried, he had to hear that.
The console before you is long, expansive and full of too many buttons.
Not one of them is labelled, none of them are clearly a shut down.
“No… Which one is it? How do I…?” You swallow.
So close, yet so far away.
The wrong button would surely spell your capture.
“Well, well. Look what I’ve got here.”
Your body freezes at the sound of his voice.
“The little agent who strung me along like a kite in the wind.”
What? Your heart pounds as you turn to face him.
He leans closer, your noses almost touching.
“You’ll make a great addition to my collection, front and centre. The only one who could stop me, frozen forever.”
“I— I won’t let you do that.”
“You and what army?” He tilts his head, glancing to the frozen agents.
“Just me.”
“Brave. Or foolish. Doesn’t really matter anymore.”
“You will stop this.”
“Or what? You’ll cower from me, like you’re doing now.”
You take a breath. Your hands press against his chest. “If you wanted to hurt me, you would have done it by now. Every Friday for six months. You had the chance.”
“It was different then.”
“What changed!?” Your voice is louder, demanding.
“You made me a fool!”
“Because I love you? We could have remained friends you know!”
His mouth opens slightly, any retort dying in his mouth. “I—”
“What? Did you think I would play you like a cheap fiddle… Like you played me?”
“Wait— Just… Stop a second.” He backs away before muttering under his breath. “You love me?”
“Yeah. Since the day we met.”
He stares at you, still. His presence suddenly much smaller. “Huh… That’s…”
“That’s what?”
“Uh… I think there’s been a small misunderstanding…”
“And an immense overreaction?”
“I’d hardly— Fine. Yes I overreacted. Happy now?”
“I’d be happier if it wasn’t dark every hour of the day.”
His ears flatten slightly. “Top left.”
“Huh?”
“A-1? How hard is it to press a button?”
“O— oh…” You blush, returning your attention to the console.
Do you really trust him?
You swallow back the dread and hit button.
The dull hum from every device falls to eerie silence.
The clouds begin to part.
He closes the space behind you, his arms loosely caging you in.
He places his snout onto your head.
You sit there, for a moment, watching the sun return to the island from the window.
“I suppose we have a lot to discuss…”
“Yeah. Like how do I tell the agency about us?”
“Mmm… Let them see?”
You roll your eyes. “And risk my job?”
“You can always come help me.”
“No! You are capable enough as it is!”
He takes a deep breath. “I missed this.”
“Me too.”
“Me or the sun?”
“Mmm… You.”
The agents join you, Jet has an amused look on his face while the others stare on in shock or maybe horror.
Aside from the Director, who stands in the shadows still. “I’m impressed, U. I knew you had it in you.”
You turn to face them. “W—wait… you knew?”
Your stomach drops.
The Director steps forward, into the light, their voice changing as they do. “Well, you did tell me, dear.”
“Aunt Arctic!?”
She smiles at you. “Yeah.” She looks up at Herbert. “If you ever hurt her, you will regret it.”
You feel him swallow. His ears flatten as he tenses.
“Yes, ma’am.” He chokes out.
“Excellent. We’ll begin our cover-up tomorrow, I expect to see you all in HQ bright and early.” She makes a pointed look at Herbert. “Including you. For now, go and enjoy the sun. That’s an order.” Her face breaks into a smile.