"Argh! Get off me! Fuckin' cyborg!" Jules yells, giving it a kick in the chest.

Midas and Jones dash over to help her, the blond swiftly punching the cyborg in the face and knocking him off balance briefly.

"You okay Jules?" Midas asks.

"Yeah, I'm not hurt." She reassures them. "Only this asshole decided to show up uninvited and tried to kill me!"

"Well that asshole, I'm afraid Jules, is our father brainwashed by the I.O." Midas sighs.

Ares quickly recovers and draws his katana, aiming at Midas. However Jones steps in, the blade slashing across his arm and leaving a huge gash that begins bleeding out, taking the hit and shielding Midas and Jules.

"Jones!-"

"I'm okay Midas, don't panic." Jones smiles while holding his arm. "Is nothing I can't handle."

The trio then decide to work as a team and take on Ares together.

Midas summons his staff and blocks another attack from Ares as he swings the katana once more. At the same time Jules brings her wrench down on his head, leaving him a bruise and getting slightly disoriented.

"Jones!"

He turns to Midas.

"Take this and knock him out!" Midas yells, tossing him a golden spear he just manifested.

Jones nods, catching it, and gives Ares a big thwack across the head with the head of the spear, knocking him unconscious.

"Now what do we do?" Jules asks.

Midas looks down at Ares, then at the engineering bay nearby. He then settles on an idea.

"Help me pick him up. We're taking him to the Scientist." He tells them.

"Huh? Why? Shouldn't we just get rid of him right here and now?" Jules says, folding her arms.

"In the past I probably would agree with you, but things are different." He hums. "I have an idea Jules. So just help me carry him please."

Jules sighs and nods.

"Fine."

Midas and Jules manage to pick Ares up with a little help from Jones and carry him to the engineering bay.

-------

When they get there they find The Scientist talking to Origin and Foundation.

"You've finally gotten an answer from her? And she knows something about what I.O's device will be doing?" The Foundation says with surprise.

"Yeah. And the Order returned with these strange keys a few hours ago. They might be linked somehow." The Scientist tells them.

"I'm not sure, Scientist. It could be nothing more than a hoax." The Origin grumbles. "But... We can send someone to the location of where these keys go, and see if she's right."

They notice Midas, Jules and Jones approaching them with Ares in their arms. They look surprised by this.

"What's he doing here? And where've you been all morning? " Origin asks the mastermind.

"He tried breaking into the Sanctuary but the three of us knocked him unconscious." He explains. "And to answer your other question, I had a really rough hangover I had to sleep off."

The Origin looks at Jones who's face is a bright red as he looks at Midas, grinning with embarrassment scratching the back of his neck.

"A hangover. ...sure, whatever you want to tell yourself." Origin sighs before quietly muttering. "Could've sworn I heard noises coming from yours and Jones' quarters last night. It was quite... intense..."

"Scientist, can I talk with you?" Midas asks, quickly changing the subject with a blush of embarrassment on his face.

"Sure. What do you need?"

Midas approaches the Scientist with Ares in his arms while Jules helps clean and bandage Jones' injury.

"The I.O brainwashed my father and turned him into this cyborg killer who obeys Slone's every demand. I know we can't restore his memories, but do you think you can try hacking his programming and at least turn his allegiances to our side?" Midas requests. "That way we can hopefully add another soldier in our ranks."

The Scientist takes him in his arms.

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises I can fix him completely."

"Do what you can. I'll be grateful for your efforts regardless of the outcome."

Midas goes back to Jones and Jules who are currently talking to Origin and Foundation. They seem to be discussing a mission of some kind.

"And that's how it should hopefully go." Foundation finishes. "Which two of you three will go?"

"As much as I'd like to, I feel like my efforts are needed here at the Sanctuary." Jules chuckles slightly. "Besides, I definitely think Midas and Jones can do this simple task without getting 'distracted', riiiight?"

Jones blushes with a laugh, a little embarrassed.

"Take these then you two."

The Origin passes the boys a rectangular key each.

"They're important. So don't lose them." He warns them. "Your target is the I.O's main base of operation on the Island, a mountain North from here called Covert Canyon. Our spy tells us of a room locked behind a door. You'll have to find your own way in without being detected."

Midas and Jones nod, the mastermind summoning his staff.

"Understood Origin. We'll try to make this quick."

And they disappear in a flash of light.

----------------

Midas and Jones land just outside the mountain out of any I.O guard's site. They peek around the corner of an entrance, seeing a few patrolling the area but thankfully not spotting them.

"Alright. Now we need to find a safe route to the door Origin mentioned. Any ideas on how to get through those guys without attracting attention to ourselves?" Midas asks Jones.

He doesn't get a response from him. Midas turns around to see Jones looking into the distance, a hint of sadness in his eyes and a dazed lost expression. Midas taps his shoulder.

"Hey, blondie! Did you hear me?"

"Huh? Wha? Oh, uh... y-yeah, I heard you." He chuckles awkwardly. "Perhaps we could go through the ventilation system?"

Jones points to a vent door on their left at the end of the corridor. A guard was walking near it though.

"Well, that could work. But we need to be stealthy and quiet so as to not alert the guards, okay?" Midas says.

Jones smiles with a thumbs up before holding out his fist.

"Fist bump?"

Midas rolls his eyes with a blush dusting his cheeks, clenching his fist and bumping Jones'. He can't help but smile though.

"You're damn lucky I love you Jonesy." He mutters softly.

"And I'm damn lucky to have the most handsome man on the Island as my boyfriend." Jones counters, his chin resting on Midas' head.

The two of them decide to stop flirting with each other and creep on over to the vent, being careful to not alert the guards. Jones slowly opens the vent door, letting Midas slip inside first before he follows after and closes it just in time. A guard turns around as it closes but thankfully doesn't see them and goes about their day.

"Phew, okay. Let's move."

The two of them clamber through the ventilation system, coming across twists and turns. Occasionally one of them would stick their head through a shaft and see if they had arrived at their destination.

"Still nothing." Midas whispers. "Let's keep moving."

Jones hums in acknowledgement behind him.

As they crawl further into the vents, Midas can't help but notice how silent Jones is. Even if this was a stealth mission for the most part, he would've expected him to make some small talk with him.

"Hey, Jones?"

"Hm?"

"Are you okay? You're unusually quiet."

Jones remains silent for a second before answering.

"No, I'm fine. It's a stealth mission after all. Gotta be quiet, haha."

He chuckles lightly. Midas however isn't convinced. Something was bothering him, and he wanted to know what.

Eventually, after what feels like forever, they finally reach a vent exit that leads to double doors that are locked tight. The two of them leave the vent, stretching their arms.

"Ugh, thank god. It's way too cramped in there." Midas groans.

"Origin was right. These doors are locked up tight. How do you think we'll get in?" Jones wonders.

Midas' eyes do fall on another vent door on his right, but he doesn't really fancy being in such a cramped space again. Unfortunately he's not given much of a choice as footsteps begin approaching them.

"Shit! Jones we gotta vent!" He whisper shouts to him.

"Wait wha-"

Midas points to the vent he was eyeing and shoves Jones inside, closing it behind him and shuffling a good distance away from the door, going round a corner and hopefully out of anyone's sight.

"Midas that was kinda harsh, can you explain what's-"

"Shut up Jones!" Midas quietly yells at him.

He puts a finger to his lips and a hand over Jones' mouth. A few guards wandered into the room they were just standing in. Gunnar could be heard too.

"Are you sure you heard them, soldier?"

"I'm sure of it!"

"Well if they were, we'd have cornered them by now."

Their footsteps soon fade away and Midas removes his hand from Jones' mouth.

"Phew... That was WAY too close for comfort." Midas mutters.

His relief is turned into worry again though as he hears Jones breathing rapidly beside him. A hand over his chest as he hugs his knees and shivers.

"Jones? What's wrong?"

Midas begins rubbing his back in a soothing manner, trying to calm Jones down from this sudden panic attack. After a few minutes the blond's breathing slows to a steady pace.

"Are you alright now?"

"Y-Yeah... I'm okay. Sorry about that..."

"Are you claustrophobic or something?" Midas asks.

Jones blushes slightly, a nervous chuckle leaving him.

"Uh, a little bit. Haha, I'm not used to being in a tight space." He admits.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have forced you into here with no warning." Midas sighs.

They sit in silence for a moment to regain their composure before continuing. That's when Jones finally says something.

"Can I tell you something? Something I've never told anyone?"

Midas looks at him.

"Remember when I told you that I worked at I.O for 6 years when we first met?"

Midas nods.

"Well... I may have sorta lied about how long... The truth is I actually worked with them... for hundreds of years..."

Midas raises an eyebrow, confusion all over his face.

"Hundreds of years?! But you don't look a day over 30." He says, scratching his head.

"Yeah, but that's because as soon as you join I.O you're given immortality..." Jones explains. "It also meant that I couldn't see my family again as the reality I come from... isn't really a safe place. But I.O offered to protect them as long as I worked with them."

Midas listens close to him.

"What was your family like? If you don't mind me asking."

Jones smiles, fondly recalling some memories.

"Heh, just your usual kinda family. Mom, dad and two sisters." He chuckles. "Though when I joined I.O, I offered for them to join too. But they weren't interested. They always thought it sounded fishy."

Jones' smile soon fades again.

"I used to think that immortality was a blessing, being able to live forever and keep your youthful looks... But nowadays I see it as a curse, as I had to watch my family grow old and have grandkids and... well you get the idea..."

Soon enough things begin to click with Midas as Jones explains his past.

"I think one of the reasons I married Janice was not only for love, but she made me feel less alone in that place." Jones goes on. "Though of course, things happened and we fell out of love... and I have you now."

Midas smiles a little.

"But now it's been a year since I betrayed I.O... And I can only imagine what Slone did with my family after doing what she did to Janice. And hell knows where Ramirez has gone..." He whimpers.

Jones shivers as a few tears streak down his face. Midas goes back to rubbing his back gently in an attempt to comfort him.

"Is this why you've been so quiet today?"

Jones nods.

Midas sighs sadly.

"I'm sorry you have to carry that big of a burden Jones."

They sit in silence for a few minutes before Midas realises something.

"Wait a minute. You said that Slone killed Janice by shooting her through the brain, right?"

Jones nods.

"Then... wouldn't she be alive somewhere in I.O?"

The blond chuckles slightly, shaking his head.

"I don't know. I didn't see her disappear into those blue cubes. If she is then Slone would've probably erased her memories of me." He says, wiping his eyes.

Midas hums, resting his head on his shoulder.

"If I were immortal like you, would that make you feel better?" He asks.

"Well, yeah. But the people who live on the Island kinda sorta already are immortal... there's just a twist where they instantly lose their memories upon regeneration unlike I.O employees." Jones tells him. "I didn't wanna tell you because I was afraid you'd freak out or something."

Midas sighs.

"No wonder Jones has been stepping in-between attacks aimed at me lately. He knows that if I end up dying my memories will be wiped..."

Midas puts a hand on Jones' shoulder, making the blond turn to him.

"Jones sweetheart, you're talking to someone who's seen worse things than that. Hearing that is just another thing to add to the list." He tells him. "Though I wish it hadn't taken you forever to tell me...but better late than never I suppose."

"At least we'll be together for the rest of our lives, haha." Jones smiles. "Sorry for acting like a mess today by the way."

"Don't be. I guess you just needed to your emotions?" Midas hums, raising an eyebrow and pointing at the vents they were sat in.

The blond lights up with a bubbly grin and begins laughing.

"Oh jeez Midas. Did you really just do that? Haha!"

Jones snickers uncontrollably while Midas chuckles softly.

"C'mon. Let's keep going."

--------------