2010, Mizuno Residence, 10:14 PM (One month post final battle)
I sighed as I locked my door, having wished Rock a good night. Something wasn't right with him. It hadn't been right for a while now. Something about him had changed, it seemed, after we got back from the North Pole.
There was something in his eyes, pain maybe, and he wouldn't let go of it. It was tearing him up inside, but he just wouldn't let me help.
And our relationship was suffering for it.
Speaking of suffering, X was going through turbulent emotional issues as well. Killing an old girlfriend in the name of duty had to be terrifying for him. He covers it well though, hiding behind an unemotional mask and burying himself in his work.
Though there aren't any more attacks, X has had to make sure that nothing left behind in the base can ever come back to haunt us. I try to help as much as I can, but my studies in that particular area weren't far enough along to even begin to help. He points out things that can just be destroyed though, and the other girls are happy enough to help out with that. There are some things that have to be dismantled carefully though, so that the resulting explosion doesn't alert any of the earth's governments to what's going on, or cause any environmental catastrophes.
I slowly undressed and went to bed. Things didn't look like they would get better any time soon, but at least they weren't getting worse.
2010, Alia's Fortress, 1:27 AM
I sighed and looked at my belongings, which weren't much, strapped to the sides of my Landchaser.
I sighed. I still couldn't believe it. It just didn't seem right to call Alia a maverick, but there was no denying it. No one else would have had the ability to hack my head like that and send me those dreams, not to mention the hallucinations of Sigma. And no one else could have designed those mechanaloid 'Scouts' that kept ambushing me in the hallways, either. Or designed a processor to melt in such a way as to provide only the information they wanted me to have.
All Alia.
Of course, even more worrying was that I really had no idea how long she'd been maverick. Sigma could have 'awakened' her even before she became Unit 17's spotter.
And I'd fallen in love with her, only to watch her 'die', then kill her with my own hands…
Oh god…
I collapsed in a heap and started crying, still able to see the flash, smell the burnt ozone, and hear the report of the blast that had taken her life.
And for what?! Freedom?!
I laughed bitterly through the tears.
It took a while to compose myself, but eventually I did, and I finished planting the rigged explosives, mostly made from the core units of the various mechanaloids lying around.
Then I stepped into the last room, dragging the laden down Landchaser with me. I had specifically left the room untouched, only a few explosives in the corners. In fact, I'd hidden this room from the girls by knocking some debris deliberately in front of the door.
Alia hadn't come through for nothing. She was supposed to conquer here, to rule. Then she was to build the Maverick armies to fantastic heights before going back to Sigma's side.
To be trusted to do something like that… well, let's just say it's one of a few pieces of information that lead me to believe she'd been maverick longer than Sigma rebuilding her for this.
The room however, was transportation home. A simple portal back. I took one last look around before activating the portal.
I'd miss this place.
But I can't stay here.
I can't.
2010, Mizuno Residence, 1:30 PM
I dropped my keys on the counter and sat down heavily in the chair.
The Maverick base was destroyed when we got there, only hunks of charred metal left.
With nothing else we could do, we headed home, leaving the question of what had happened to X open to interpretation. Not a pleasant feeling.
I listlessly sorted through my mail, then sat at my computer to check my e-mail.
From: Rock Light Dear Amy, I can't say how hard it is to put this in an e-mail instead of telling you to your face, but that is life, and it is seldom fair - or forgiving. I… may not have been telling the whole truth to you when I told you my family was dead. Of blood relatives I have nothing left, only a few scattered memories. But friends… those that have become family, I have a few left. One of them died recently. So, I go home, back to where I belong, back to the friends who need me, and back because I need them. Ordinarily a situation like this would be easily explained in person, an explanation for my recent behavior. But it cannot be so. My transportation prepares itself to leave as I write this, so… I'm sorry to say it, but this is, must be, goodbye, Amy. I won't be back. There's just too much back there that still needs to be done, and my friends can't do it alone, not without help. I know this letter is strange, but please try to understand it. I care for you a great deal Amy, and I think I could have cared for you even more in time, but there are some things a man can't ignore. Know that you will always be in my heart, and I will miss you every step of the way in my path of life. Sincerely yours, Rock Xavier Light
To: Ami Mizuno
Okay, this was pretty short for me, but that's life.
I'm gearing up for the sequel, but that may take a while, as I've sworn to myself that I'm going to finish at least one of my other projects before I start the next one of these.
Neverwhere: Chaos Mode