Lucid

Chapter 38

POV: Y/N (Fixer)
Well, home at last. The trip was... interesting. I decided to take the low flight coming back, sticking to over the water and a more subtle landing spot, and it went much more smoothly than last time. At least, for events. Turbulence was a little bothersome but nothing dangerous. We landed, I dropped off Liz, and I made sure to check on my news. Finally, I'm home again, and I can sleep.

Or at least that's what I tell myself. Really, I've been in bed 6 hours and awake for 3 of them. Sleep isn't my strong suit, so instead I've been scrolling through newsfeeds from Central Africa. Useful? Slightly. Helpful? No. I stand up, strolling out of my room and down the hallway. My bare feet slap against the floor, the occasional clacking sound as a metal rivet strikes a tile floor. Stepping into the armory I grab a rifle off the wall. Looking at it, it's a D5 copperhead. Good to know. I grab a mag and load it as I stroll to the firing line, before unloading a fully automatic stream of projectiles at a distant mark. Each of them strikes their target, sparks and shrapnel flying as I hold the barrel steady on the mark. Finally it runs dry, mechanism clicking as I sit there, the flashes still echoing in my ears. I don't feel any better now, but at least I feel something. I drop the copperhead to the table and walk out, going over to the window and looking across the city. I can see Lotte tower, the central downtown, and Narion park all easily. Iconic, I guess. I turn, with a semblance of a plan forming in my mind.

The Lotte tower is empty this time of night, which is good. Stepping out of my car, I stroll down the empty street, past the empty park, and along the empty road. Walking into the open main lobby, I pass through the employee gates with a swipe of a scrammer, and hit the button next to me to ascend. I ride the main elevator up to the highest point it'll take me before stepping out. It drops me in a dark and empty office space with all locked doors, but no matter. I walk around the corner to the maintenance door, swiping a tag over it to overload the reading system and it slips open. I head up further, from janitorial to engineering areas, finally reaching the open center of the building. The wind is buffeting and deafening, as the air screams around me. The two peaks of the tower rise over me about ten floors, even as the rest of the city is far below. I could take the ladder, or the stairs. Boring, though. Instead, I sprint towards the glass wall before leaping for it, grabbing my mounts as I do and slamming them as high up against the wall as I can. They attach, and I start to climb, moving up the wall meter after meter until I finally reach what I'm pretty sure, is the tallest place in the city. Finally, I lie down, resting atop a steel girder in one of the pointed tips of the building. Looking up at the stars is easier here, no noise or lights. Nothing but me and the open sky.

"Hey Dad. It's me." I pause for a second, not sure what to say. "I'm doing well... I guess." Another pause. "I found someone. Well, some people. I'm trying not to say too much, or be too optimistic, but.... They really make things worth it. I haven't felt like that in a long time." I sit in silence, not quite sure still how to treat this new revelation. "I don't really talk about my past with them. They don't know who I am, or where I'm from. Some time I wonder if I don't either. I don't think about it anymore, I keep it out of mind. What happened then was the old me, what happens now is the new one." I think he gets it. "So... yeah. I don't mean it against anyone. Especially not you or the family. I'm sure you've done your best to help. But at this point? There's probably not too many people who want to find me, and I'm not sure I'm one of them." Closing my eyes, I feel a little retrospective. Am I to blame for avoiding my past? Should I go try again? But then again, I tried that. So many times I tried to fix everything, and look where it's gotten me. An outcast, excommunicated and ignored. They gave me the lofty promotions, and dramatic speeches, and fancy medals. But when I asked for help they ignored me, and when I forced their hand they rebuked me. They always said it was my job to fight for the things our people needed. But the same people who decried others for questions me when I fight our enemies? They fought me harder than our enemies ever did, as soon as I came to realize that they were the next biggest enemy to our people. Fuck, I said I wouldn't do this again.

I stand at the edge of the tower, my hair rippling in the wind as I step atop the fence. 1,800 meters down, the city lights twinkle. I take a step forward, feeling the universe fall away as I fall. It's really nice, honestly, the free fall. I tilt, sliding through the air away from the widening tower. The Lotte world building is massive even from this altitude, and the island across from it seems small in comparison. As I pass through altitude by the hundreds the ground seems go grow, closer and closer until finally I tap my shoulder, deploying my parachute as I suddenly feel myself snapping upright. It's good I have a neck brace behind me, else I'd probably be sore for a week from that. I twist left, floating over the lake before coasting to the ground right by the Lotte hotel. I pull the chute away, as it neatly slides itself back into its backpack slot behind me. Pulling the back off and tossing it into the seat behind me, I slam the door to the car before getting into the driver. I should head home again, perhaps I'll sleep better.

*Bzzzt Bzzzt*
I grab the phone next to me, pulling it up. Sure, anything on only the phone isn't important, but try telling how many years of instant wake-up's that you don't have to wake up for exclusively that one alert but for all the others still. Shaking my head, I read the text. It's 7 AM, and Liz wants to know my address. Honestly, why do I even bother. I send the address, thank God for autofill. It goes through; and I pull my arm over my face. I really hope I can sleep again before I undoubtedly get up and get back to everything outside. Is a few hours more too much to ask for?