“So these kids saved your ass from The Purists?” Terri asked, confirming she had understood all the facts correctly from Dylan.

Brad had been called by Dylan after he was on the receiving end of a hit from the evangelical evolutionist opposition group called The Purists, who will go to any length to eradicate the world of Enhanced Beings.

Previously that year they had abducted the world famous and much adored pregnant Stephanie Del Marta from her home in Italy and took her to Czechia where they cruelly aborted her child against her will, just to prevent the chance of another Enhanced being born into the world.

“Yeah but these boys were well prepared, Terri- like I said. They flew and the young little one was a little bit too switched on for his age,” explained Dylan in his defence.

He had confided in Brad on the way out of LA that he felt a bit sheepish about being rescued by a bunch of teens and so was determined to make sure everyone knew just how capable those boys were.

“Who were they? How do we not know about them?” Brad asked, looking at Lucas as if he should have known, who in turn went defensive.

“Don’t look at me! This is the first time I’ve heard of a band of children in LA flying around. Like we knew nothing about Eden Greenfingers in Clestin before she dug up half the park fighting Dylan. You know very well that we can’t and won’t know about everyone who is enhanced. Some people just want the quiet life. Some people won’t even know they are enhanced. Some people wait until they're mad before going on a rampage with their enhancements,” he protested, getting cross. “I get the impression you forget what it is I do around here. I don’t spend my time counting and recording all Enhanced Beings. I simply prov-”

“Yeah, yeah. Alright. We get the picture,” Brad interjected, rolling his eyes impatiently. Lucas' face went a deep shade of red, his stomach instantly tightening, and he slumped back in his seat. No one said anything to defend Lucas and this was more embarrassing to him. “So are you rethinking your position with us now Dylan?” Brad asked, moving the conversation on.

“I think you need to Dylan. They were probably taking advantage of the fact you weren’t affiliated with us anymore,” Terri suggested.

Dylan sighed in defeat. He had considered that. “That’s what the boy said. And yes, it has made me rethink, I won’t lie. I longed for that regular life that Lucas was talking about so much. How I wished I could be someone who could just exist without using their strengths. Without needing to. But watching that Pan kid perform the way he did in that gymnastics gala, made me realise that I could never could be regular and normal and that being regular and normal just wasn’t my bag. At least not yet. Plus, if it's gonna get me killed, then I want the Government covered funeral that I wouldn't get if I wasn't part of The Collective.”

Terri chuckled. She was glad to have Dylan back. “It wasn’t the same without you.”

“And I’m sorry for ignoring you Terri.”

“Which time?” she teased.

“Both times!” he laughed.

“It’s fine, honestly Dyl. I know how some things can impact someone in ways that they didn’t think possible. I think everyone in this room has experienced something on that scale before. But we’re your friends. We're here for you. Just let us in, ok?”

“You’re right, thank you.” Dylan was touched by her warmth.

"Of course I am," she replied, smiling cheekily and squeezing his hand with hers affectionatley.

Brad sat back and looked around him at the small group formed around the table at The Facility. He too knew of that feeling that Terri described and recognised it personally in Dylan when he visited him during his slump after London. He had been there before himself years ago when his sister died in the 8.1 earthquake that struck Los Angeles, causing monumental structural damage all over LA and crucially, the building they were in when celebrating her engagement. In fact, it was three years ago tomorrow. Yikes, he thought. That came around quick. He snapped himself from his thoughts.

“Well that’s enough of all these kumbayas. It’s good to have you back bro. You’ll be safe here tonight and we’ll look to get you somewhere safer to live,” Brad said.

“We?” asked Terri.

“Well, you know... The Department will. I’ve got things to do.”

***

The next day was the anniversary of Brad’s sister Tiffany’s death. Hers and thousands of others. After her body had been recovered from the mangled, twisted remains of the elevator alongside her fiancé Russ, the Jacobs-Brown family and the Charlton family decided to have their burial where they lived in LA, laid to rest side by side in the city where they intended to live out their lives as husband and wife. It allowed the families to have somewhere they could go to on special occasions to reflect and honour them.

Brad walked into the grounds of the grave yard with his flowers to place down like he did on this day, her birthday, Christmas Eve and whenever he he had something to get off his chest.

It was a glorious day, still and calm. Other mourners tended to grave stones, or sat on benches reflectively. There were some people who were attending a funeral to Brad’s right. It looked like a small affair.

Brad followed the path round but stopped suddenly when he spotted someone already stood at Tiffany’s grave. His stomach dropped instantly when he realised it was Lucas. Brad swore to himself and considered going to sit somewhere out of view until he left, but Lucas happened to turn to leave and saw him stood there.

There was an awkwardness as they registered each other. Lucas looked embarrassed at being seen. And Brad was cross. This was his time to mourn his sister. What was he doing there?

“’Af-afternoon,” started Lucas. “I was er, just leaving. Just wanted to pay my respects, that’s all.” Brad didn’t respond, and instead walked past him to the grave. Lucas waited. “I usually get here after you do.”

“What, so I’m late paying my own respects?” Brad shot back.

“That’s not what I’m saying and I know you know that.” Silence. “I miss her too you know. She was one of my best friends. Her and Russ. You were my best friend! I loved her and I miss her and I miss y-”

“And you let her die Lucas. She’s there because of you! We're here at her grave because of you!” he said angrily pointing at the ground where she lay.

“That isn’t true and you need to stop saying that!” Lucas growled so to not raise his voice completely.

Brad took a step closer to Lucas. “You could’ve got her out!”

“I was working on it! She wanted to get the others out before her. That’s how amazing she was. And I know I could’ve got her out if we had more time.”

“But you didn’t. I should’ve been down there getting them out. Not some tech nerd with crappy upper arm strength!” This time Lucas stepped forward. The two now very much face to face.

“That is not why she died, Brad!”

“It is!” he yelled, ignoring any level of decorum in graveyard etiquette. “You’re a waste of space who let my sister die! You should have gone down with that elevator instead!”

Lucas had had enough. Whether out of embarrassment at being shouted at like that, or with the acknowledgment that Brad was only telling him what he felt of himself anyway. Or maybe in anger at being belittled as the ‘tech guy’, Lucas impulsively shoved at Brad with two hands.

“Shut up!” he yelled back.

Brad returned the shove with a punch to the face, sending Lucas sprawling to the ground. He stood over Lucas, his right hand stretched out and down around Lucas’ neck.

“Get out of here and out of my sight. God knows if I had the chance I would never want to see you ever again. You pathetic excuse of a man!”

Lucas starred back in horror, in anger, and ultimately in defeat, and picked himself up.

Brad watched as Lucas stormed off down the path, the bubbling rage continuing to build in him. He threw his flowers at his sister's stone and tried to bring his breath under control.

Coming on Friday as normal, The Fallout of Two Former Friends continues in Network #5, ‘Corrupted’.

Following on from the events in this issue, a vulnerable Lucas finds himself conflicted when he’s asked to do something that goes against what he stands for. Is he able to see clearly and resist?