Narcolepse opened his eyes when the door opened and looked over at Mirage, sliding into the room.
"Ready?"
She whispered. Narcolepse sighed.
"Not really, but it doesn't matter."
He got out of the bed and heard Mirage gasp and saw her flinch. He made an expression of confusion, then realized his arms felt incredibly bare. He folded them against his chest.
"Whoops."
He grabbed a jacket from a cabinet and pulled it on, then the two slipped back out into the halls.
"When did you plan to tell me about that?"
She whispered as they snuck through the darkened lab.
"Never..."
Mirage let out a huff and shook her head.
"What did I expect?"
They both fell quiet and continued into a server room. They gained access through a keycard that Mirage had swiped. He found it strange how much they trusted her with her abilities... They got inside the room and immediately got to work, plugging thumb drives into each and every one of them, absorbing all the files. Narcolepse willed the downloads to go faster and was sweating for every second that passed. When one download was complete, he took the thumb drive and pocketed it, then put in another. The process took all of ten minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Mirage opened a laptop and Narcolepse passed her the first copy of drives. She began uploading all of the files, her breathing shaky. She was panicking and afraid, too. Narcolepse put the remaining drives in a vent for safekeeping when she wasn't looking. He still didn't completely trust her. Plus... If something went wrong, they had back ups. Narcolepse went back to Mirage and gulped, looking at the laptop screen.
"How's it going?"
He whispered.
"Slow..."
She whispered back.
"I'm afraid we won't have enough time."
Narcolepse swiped a hand over his forehead and headed over to the door to the server room and peeked out into the hall through a small window. It was still dark outside, but he could see a flashlight on the floor making its way down the hall.
"Mirage, you better fucking hurry it up. Someone's coming."
"Fucking hell. Distract them."
"Distract them? Are you kidding me? They'll end me right on the spot."
"No, they think you're valuable. At most you'll get a few bruises."
"Like that's supposed to make me feel better..."
He rolled his eyes and quietly slipped into the hall. He snuck around in the dark for a moment, then came up with an idea. He walked down the hall toward the guard, using his best acting skills to appear controlled. The light shone up on his face and he stopped and stood statue still.
"What're you doing out of bed?"
Narcolepse stayed silent.
"Hello? Anyone in there? Speak. What are you doing up?"
Narcolepse maintained his silence.
"Get back to bed before I call for backup."
"My orders prevent that scenario."
"Your orders... What are your orders?"
"I am to report any visions to the first person of authority I come across."
"Authority... Who is authorized?"
Narcolepse raised his arm slowly and stiff and pointed at the security guard.
"Oh fuck... Seriously?"
Narcolepse lowered his arm and went quiet again. The guard sighed and lowered his flashlight. He walked over to a desk with a notepad and took it, ready to write down notes.
"Alright, then. Let's hear it."
He looked up, but Narcolepse had disappeared in the dark. The guard gasped, then groaned as he was hit upside the head and fell to the ground unconscious. Narcolepse gulped and ran back to the server room, looking inside. He didn't have the keycard, he couldn't get back inside. Mirage hadn't turned or looked up and he growled in frustration. Of course this would happen... He turned and looked at the unconscious guard. Now what to do about this guy? He couldn't simply leave him there to be found in such a position. That wouldn't end well. Narcolepse looked around, then a smile slowly curled his lips. He had the perfect idea.
——
When the guard awoke, he had a bottle of alcohol in his hand and was sitting inside a storage closet with lab workers frowning down at him.
"Drinking on the job like this is against the rules and regulations you signed an agreement to. You're fired."
"But... I wasn't... I... The kid!"
"Sure."
He was hauled up from the floor and soon escorted off the premises.
——
Snow jerked and gasped at the feeling of fingers in his hair.
"Shh... It's just me."
Snow looked up into Narcolepse's teal eyes.
"You're back earlier than usual..."
He sat up and scooted himself back against the headboard. Narcolepse smiled.
"I had to tell you about this little event before it goes viral."
Snow's gray eyes widened.
"Viral? How do you know it will go viral?"
"Oh, it will."
Narcolepse sat on the edge of the bed.
"So yesterday, we broke into the third server room in the third of the three labs I told you about before. We uploaded all the files on them to a website explaining everything they've been doing to us. It took a lot of work because we had to edit out names and such and such but their research is out in the open now, all their operations."
"Fuck."
Narcolepse grinned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Great news, right?"
"Yeah. But...?"
The grin slowly fell and Narcolepse looked down at the sheets.
"I have to disappear."
"What? Why? For how long? Just stay here, Narcolepse. Stay with me."
"You think I don't want to? Jasper, I'm doing this to keep all of you safe."
Snow stared at him silently. Narcolepse's brows drew together.
"Don't be mad. Please don't be angry with me. I'm doing what I think is right."
Narcolepse reached out and touched Snow's hand. Snow brushed his hand off and stood, going to the window. Narcolepse stood and watched him.
"Jasper."
"Just... Go. Maybe it's better to rip the bandaid off now."
"What does that mean?"
"It means..."
Snow's shoulders drooped.
"I don't want to say goodbye to you. I don't want this to be the last time I see your face."
Snow looked at Narcolepse, tears dripping down his cheeks. Oh. Narcolepse thought. No, he's not angry. He's a different sort of upset... Suddenly Narcolepse wished he would be angry... Narcolepse walked to Snow's side and pulled him into his arms. Snow hiccupped and hid his face in Narcolepse's shoulder.
"Don't go..."
Narcolepse swallowed and worked his jaw, then pressed his lips to Snow's white hair and held him closer, tighter.
"I won't go anywhere..."
