Gnosis

CHAPTER 1: RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED I

Word Count: 2136

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November 15, 1963

- Somewhere in Dallas

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Five landed on the rooftop, his back colliding with the rough surface of the roof. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself up and with a quick glance across the cityscape; he disappeared once again, materializing in a nearby alley. It was the same alleyway he had arrived in the first time he was in 1963.

His breaths came in shallow as he adjusted his suit with an irritated tug. His tie was crooked, but his hands worked almost on autopilot to straighten it. The wail of sirens pierced the quiet alley, and he ducked instinctively, eyes flickering around, frantic as he looked for a place to hide.

Despite being in such a state, Five couldn't help but feel eyes on him. This constant paranoia had become second nature after years of being hunted. But it wasn't just paranoia. Over the years of constant threat, he had learned to trust his instincts. His gaze immediately snapped upwards, locking onto a certain window.

There—behind a dirty pane of glass—a silhouette. The moment their eyes met, the figure jerked back, disappearing behind a curtain. Five narrowed his eyes, intrigued. Whoever was watching him might have answers—or worse, they might be trouble. Either way, he needed to know.

He approached the back door of the building and blinked inside. He moved soundlessly up the stairwell. The further he went, the more the air in the building smelled like eggs and an old man's perfume. Reaching the top floor, he stopped in front of a door marked, 'Mortimer Gussman, D.D.S.', the faded letters hinting at an old dentist's office. Five peered through the window. The interior was dimly lit and appeared to be a cluttered office.

He saw no movement and heard nothing, so he straightened up and knocked three times. The door creaked open almost immediately, revealing a middle-aged man. His eyes assessed Five with suspicion and wariness. His gaze flicked up and down the empty hallway as if expecting someone—or something—to emerge from the shadows. He kept one hand poised at the door handle, ready to slam it shut at the slightest hint of trouble.

"What do you want?" He demanded, his voice low and edged with irritation.

Five slipped his hands into his pockets and summoned his most innocent smile.

"Hi, I'm selling encyclopedias for my youth group. I was curious if—"

Before he could finish, the man slammed the door shut with a resounding thud. The sound echoed down the hallway, leaving Five momentarily stunned.

Irritated by the abrupt dismissal, he jumps through the closed door, reappearing in the dimly lit office. The man inside whirled around in surprise, his eyes widening as he did a double take, taking in the sight of Five materializing right in front of him. In a frantic scramble, he lunged toward a nearby drawer. He yanked it open and pulled out a scalpel, gripping it with a trembling hand. Five regarded him with mild amusement, his posture relaxed and unfazed by the sudden threat. The casual ease with which he handled the situation contrasted sharply with the man's mounting panic.

"How'd you do that?" the man demanded, his voice a mix of awe and fear.

"Don't really have time to explain," Five replied curtly, his eyes shifting as he took in the sparse furnishings of the room: a cluttered desk, old medical charts, and a faded calendar pinned to the wall. The man's grip on the scalpel tightened.

"You from the Pentagon, huh?"

Five scoffed, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Definitely not."