Life After The Cure

Chapter 5

Rex
I immediately started packing for the trip followed by Bobo. It's weird to see him pull out a suitcase to pack considering I'd only seen him wear one type of clothing. I didn't have much either but that just means theirs less laundry to do. I heard the sliding doors open again behind me to reveal Six standing there silently as he always does when he wants to tell me something that I don't really want to hear.

There was nothing he could say that would make this any less exciting. Instead of letting him start the conversation cause I knew he was coming up with something about responsibility. I can handle anything that place throws at me. I thought I'd prove that to him on so many occasions since the nantie event.

"Hey, Six, here to send us off?" I said with a smirk without looking up from what I was packing.

"No, I'm here to tell you that Kenwyn is waiting for you in the carrier hangar. Pack lightly,"  Six's voice remained the same as he responded.

"Like we have much of a choice in that," Bobo shut his suitcase and replied with a sarcastic tone.

Sometimes you just have to ignore Bobo's comments so I answered Six directly and said, "It's cool, we'll be right there."

"Your cover story is as a diplomat of providence making you an honored guest in a certain villa,"  I now was facing him as he answered and that statement somewhat confused me.

 "What do you mean by cover story? I've been a diplomat before and a good one at that." 

"Oh yeah, when?" Bobo again budded into the conversation. How could he ask me that? If anything, he should be backing me up here.

"What's with your memory? You went with me; remember it was in Brazil I think, near the Amazon rainforest," I told him.

"I meant when you were a good diplomat," That only made Bobo smirk and I rolled my eyes at him. I just walked right into that one. I felt an eye twitch from irritation but I'm not letting Bobo get to me.

"Very funny, I wasn't the one ready to leave just after one evening. Anyway, Six it's not undercover, I'm a diplomat showing an interest in the development of a community. I'm all about community; I cured all of them didn't I?" I responded.

Six remained with a straight face and didn't answer my question directly by saying, "I hope that means you will take the mission seriously."

I shrugged when he said that. He was just making a big deal over nothing. "Come on Six, when haven't I ever taken a mission seriously? Wait! Don't answer that. But no worries, it's all in good hands."

I couldn't see his eyes through those dark shades he usually wears but I could sense that the moment I said no worries, he officially started worrying. The way he just silently stared at me through his shades meant that it would maybe be best to change the conversation's direction."So Six if I'm the diplomat along with Bobo. What's Kenwyn's role?"

"The monkey's the mascot and as for Kenwyn, you will have to ask her," Six answered.

"Mascot?! I'm every bit of diplomat material as Rex," That got Bobo's attention and he immediately exclaimed.

"Feel free to take that up with White Knight." Six then dryly said in reply. It was somewhat satisfying seeing Bobo grumble as he had to come to terms with his role. I had just zipped my duffle bag up and didn't want to wait around here any longer than necessary.

"It's OK, you're with a diplomat so if anything happens to me you're next in line. Well, Six is there something else you want to tell me before I go off?" 

"I know you worked hard and this may be a vacation to you, but you're never really off the clock. Remember that entering into a new community you're the outsider. It won't be all about you," I didn't expect his reply and I didn't really know how to respond.

"Um, sure." For once I would just like to be responsible for myself. Even now without a fate of the world threat, I'm still stuck with the responsibility of representing them. I then put my duffle bag over my shoulder to pass by Six who I know remained staring at me through those dark green shades of his. I know it's not all about me but this is the closest to any time off I've gotten in well, forever. This may be a good time to at least see what the world has in store for me as a person. A chance to work out my own identity far from Providence. It's not like I have parents to help me with that.

Six just needs to lighten up, even if it is Van Kleiss or Black Knight, they're powerless now. So it isn't a big deal anyway. Speaking of which I've got to brag to Noah about this. As I was some distance away from Six he called my name to which I turned to see him toss me something that I caught. "This is your ID card for the trip."

I looked at the ID Six gave me and it looked different. It was me but I was wearing reading glasses and a tie along with a suit."Who took this picture? I've never worn this before."

He casually replied by saying, "As I said, it's not about you. You represent providence even in your downtime. Go and see Doctor Holiday, she'll help you look the part at least to get you started. What you choose to do from here on represents all of us."

Bobo laughed and I felt a little less confident that I would even bring this up to Noah at all. I'm not going to hear the end of this from Bobo for weeks to come. Then as Six continued to walk past me he spoke to Bobo who was currently pointing and laughing at me. "You too, Bobo. You have to get your vaccination papers from Doctor Holiday and possibly a leash also."

His laughter stopped abruptly as his forehead wrinkled in and low angry mutterings that only he alone could hear. Now it was my turn to laugh at him which only got him more upset. "Listen, if you put a leash on me I'll bite you for real this time and I ain't monkeying around!" He loudly exclaimed.

I wasn't taking any threats from him so I replied, "Oh yeah well I wasn't ready then but I'd like to see you try it again. Hey, wait! Six, isn't this whole thing for me to blend in with the community? I'll stand out dressed like this in a tourist town. I'm not like you to go around dressed in a suit all day."

He was walking away but stopped, turned, and raised his right eyebrow as if acknowledging what I had said was obvious to everyone. "Clearly. You can take the dress code up with Holiday. Report when you make first contact on your trip."

Then he turned to continue walking and I knew that it was his way of telling me he wanted me to have a safe trip under the rouse of orders. I smiled, I'll have to get him a souvenir when I get there. We may be two very different people but he always manages to meet me halfway on certain things.