A Second Chance

Part 52 - A debt I have to pay

Emily and I kept walking down the dark tunnel, trying to find the portal room.

I asked her if she had any idea where we were actually heading, but she just told me to keep moving. According to her, Deathstroke isn't the type of guy who likes playing the assassin. Hearing that was a massive relief because I wasn't exactly in the mood to look behind my back. 

"Jay, Emily, do you copy?" Krasinski's voice crackled through the comms and cut the silence.

"We hear you loud and clear," I replied. "How are things looking on your end?"

"We stabilized the reactor and backup is already rolling in," Krasinski said, though his tone shifted into something much heavier. "But we have some bad news. It looks like the Swordsman and Mr. Parker are no longer with us."

"Oh, I mean, I'm sure they're doing fine," I said, trying to keep the mood light. "They're probably just stuck behind some rubble or something."

"No," Emily sighed, her eyes fixed on the pavement. "He means they're dead."

The air felt like it left my lungs all at once. 

"The lab exploded and the recovery team found three bodies: ReTrace, Mr. Parker, and the Swordsman." Krasinski confirmed. 

"Parker worked hard," I muttered. "He earned his rest knowing he did a great job. As for the Swordsman..."

I trailed off because I didn't really know how to sum him up. I knew nothing about his life before he became a Viper, but Emily finished the thought for me.

"He's probably in hell with Shockwave," she said. "I don't really know how to feel, but he won. He stood by his word until the very end."

"The Vipers are officially gone as of right now," Krasinski added. "It's just you guys and Deathstroke left."

"This feels like a dream come true," Emily mused while checked the map on phone. "Never thought of myself as the optimistic type, but that's what it is for me and everyone who suffered under them."

I smiled. "Now keep that energy for the future, because you're going to live a great life after this, okay?"

Emily didn't say anything for a while. "Hey Jay?"

"Yeah?"

She looked a little sad. "You're going back to your old world, right?"

"Of course," I said.

"That means I won't see you ever again," 

I stopped as the words hit me. "Hey, come on, I'm sure there are a lot of people like me. Other people can also crack jokes. There are like more than eight billion people in this world, so I'm sure you'll find someone."

"Hmph,"

The tunnel finally started to thin out, and I could see a bright, blinding light waiting for us at the far end. I didn't say anything for a second, just trying to process the fact that I was actually leaving, but Emily broke the silence first.

"None of those eight billion people are quite like you, Jay," 

I blinked, feeling a bit caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

"You're just different to me," she continued, her voice gaining a bit more confidence. "I've spent my entire life closing myself off from everyone, but when I'm around you, I actually feel lighter. It's like I'm finally free. You always stand by your word no matter how much it costs you, and you're always trying to hold everything and everyone together. You're definitely clumsy and sometimes your jokes are honestly trash, but to me, that's exactly what makes you unique. It makes me feel warmer just being near you."