The Invader

Chapter two

The next day everyone is joined at the cafeteria table, Logan had to have a break from Remus after what had just happened to him.

Virgil had thankfully forgotten about the other day, he's smiling and joking around with Roman and the others.

Janus joined them. He finally ditched the lab coat look in favor of something casual. He looked to the others, he was hiding something but wouldn't spill.

Patton is doing his own thing once again on his phone, he was admiring the nice pictures he had taken from the golden planet.

Virgil is laughing and chatting with Roman, occasionally leaning against him lovingly.

Roman was all lovey dovey, but then he looked over to the biologist. He leaned forward, elbows propped on the table. "You know, Janus, after all these years knowing you, I'm still wondering how you got those facial wounds."

"Chemical spill." Janus said. "It's all over my upper left body. My shoulder, torso, down my arm. It also made me blind."

Virgil seems surprised. "Oh...wow."

Patton seemed fascinated by what Janus had said. "Well, it's good you're okay now."

"It's rather interesting, when you limit one sense, such as sight, your other senses heighten."

"...Is that why you're so skittish in the enclosure?" Roman asked.

"Remus is an alien creature, we have no idea what could upset him. I try not to be much of a disturbance." Janus explained.

Logan came limping in and he carefully sat down next to Janus. Janus slid his coffee mug over to the nerd, since he didn't really drink the stuff. Logan took it, but he trembled a lot.

Patton nods in agreement. "Yeah, Remus is a whole other creature. Anything could upset him." He said softly.

Virgil nods and noticed Logan had a limp, he knew what happened so he quickly and rather awkwardly pulled his gaze away.

"Logan, are you okay? You're walking like a pineapple was shoved up your ass." Roman said bluntly.

Logan hid his face in shirt and whined a bit. Janus hissed a bit. "Roman, be nice."

"Sorry, it was a genuine question." He shrugged, not understanding the severity of the situation.

Janus rubbed Logan's back, trying to coax him to eat something light, like the oatmeal or toast. At first Logan nibbled the toast, he finished it of course and then took a bite of the paper plate and then retreated to the kitchen to get more food. Janus just had a quizzical look.

Patton watched Logan, he was a bit confused. Virgil had long since put on his headphones.

"Did... did he just eat the paper plate?" Janus asked.

Patton started getting worried. "Uh! Logan, why did you eat the plate?" Patton seemed very worried.

Logan had grabbed a bunch of meal kits, pausing when he saw Patton. "...It tasted like the jelly on the toast."

"...but...I-...you ate paper, that will hurt you." Patton said still holding a worried tone.

"I'm uh... I'm fine. I didn't mean to. I don't know what's going on, Patton. I just feel... like I'm starving."

Patton looked at Janus for help.

Virgil felt his head phones get pulled out of his ears, he looked over and looked at Roman.

"Logan, I think you need some time to rest." Janus declared. "I think all the constant missions and lack of breaks is manifesting in new ways." Although, Janus knew that wasn't the case with what his new research showed. "Take a month off, at least." He looked to the others to agree.

The others agree, nodding in agreement.