You're Most Alive When You're in Love (Crypto x Wattson)

Chapter 5

The next two hours were mesmerizing for Crypto. He looked at everything related to the Tae Joon Park of this universe from news articles to video reports. The death of himself here was by the Syndicate, but didn't happen when the kill squad raided him and Natalie's apartment. It happened after Mila was murdered with him being framed for it and becoming a wanted man. As he was running away from Syndicate operatives, one article describes, he set off an EMP with his drone, but was swiftly stopped. A reinforcement operative had shot down the drone resulting in no one being stunned where a quick shot to the back of Tae's head by a sniper ended the chase abruptly. It was considered "tragic" because many of the people that had witnessed what happened, felt it was unjust for a group of individuals to immediately kill the murder and not give them a fair trial.

Crypto leaned back in the chair breathing out deeply showing exhaustion. If he had died when he was escaping his old apartment when he was still Tae Joon Park in his universe, like the current one he is in, he would have never joined the Apex games. He would have never became Crypto. He would have never meet the love of his life, Natalie, and most importantly, the raid and her death would have never happened. No words came out his mouth as his mind was going a hundred miles per hour. Random people near him asked if he was okey as he just stared at the computer screen with a blank expression, but was left alone as the content on his screen seemed as if it was personnel.

Finishing up his research, Crypto cleared the search history from when he first got on the computer. At first he was unable to, but he used his drone Hack to bypass the restrictions which took little effort. Putting Hack back in it's holster, Crypto got up and pushed the chair in and walked out with his hands in his pockets and head down where he then wandered the streets taking in his new yet familiar surroundings.

11:12 p.m. ...

Crypto was still walking around because he had no place to go. He had no money and if he had any, he wasn't sure if it would be usable here. The streets were still the same, dark, smelly, and sketchy as the only source of light was the lamps on the side of the side walk giving off a yellow glow. The mellow glow felt comforting as it felt as if it was the only safe place to be. Thugs and robbers roamed the dark alley ways where during his time on the run, he would have to go into these dark alley ways to make deals with shady people in order to gain information about the Syndicate. Being one step ahead of the Syndicate was all that Crypto thought about then, but now, he had to focus on himself and getting back home to his universe.

As he was walking, he saw three men several feet down the side walk hassling a young women who was trying to get away from them. Crypto could not hear what they were saying, but assumed that they were being very rude. The young women was quickly pulled into an ally way where a scream for help could be faintly heard. Sprinting at full speed, Crypto went after them to save the lady where once he turned the corner heading into the ally way, it was not difficult to see them.

"Hey! Let her go," Crypto yelled. All three stopped what they were doing and turned there attention to him. The one closest to him looked like he was the one in charge. 

"Get lost! Can't you see were in the middle of something," the one in front said turning his attention back on the girl where the other two did the same. Knowing that they were being complete assholes, Crypto speed up his pace and grab the one who replied by the collar and spun him around. Without second thoughts, Crypto punched the man in the jaw knocking him to the ground. The other men came at him, but Crypto expected it where he dodged their punches and jabbed them in their sides making them bend over and stumble backwards. The young woman quickly ran out of the ally once the men were entirely focused on Crypto. Even before the fight, Crypto could not get a good look at the girls face as the shadow of the buildings made it pitch black, but noticed that she had blond hair.