●　● Kennedy District, Bogota, Colombia

Having exited their last train stop and stretched off the last of their tired yet restless achiness, food was on both of their minds. Sam was the first to speak the moment fresher air hit her lungs. “I feel like I haven’t eaten properly since going back to Eden.”

“That’s because you haven’t,” Sebastian quipped, now eyeing the area for a spot to stop. He wasn’t too familiar with the area as using that station was rare for him, but as things were, anything would do. “I feel the same about myself, too.” He then tugged her arm gently toward a crosswalk and pointed at a small diner. “How about here?”

“I’ll literally take anything,” Sam fussed, hugging back at his arm. “Anything to get away from lab meat,” she added in reference to the main supply of meat for space nations, which came from laboratory grown muscle tissue designed for consumption. But waiting for the light to change gave more opportunity for her surroundings to bring back a flood of memories. “So much crazy in my life all started happening right here in these streets,” she stolidly spoke with a sigh soon following.

“I know. So much for all of us. But I am so glad that part is over, and we can do things like this together,” he answered with a soft grin. “Many memories we need to start over and make new, right?”

The signal changed, and as they crossed the slightly busy path, Sebastian turned the corner and bumped into a man, causing him to drop his mobile.

[Oh, so sorry!] he quickly apologized, letting go of Sam to hurry and reach down to pick up the dropped mobile. Upon rapid inspection, he was relieved it wasn’t damaged as he looked up at the man to hand it to him.

[It might have been me, no worries,] Adrian awkwardly smiled back with his reply and went about his way.

Sam noticed Sebastian’s reaction seconds later. “Did you know him?”

“Ah, no,” he replied with a shrug. “I just noticed he had an accent like Rodrigo had. He must have been from Argentina.” And as they arrived at the door to the diner, he held it open for them as they felt the aromas of various local comfort foods hit their empty guts.

.

.

Across the block, Adrian picked up his communicator and linked it to his watch before making a call. “Yes, listen, you won’t believe who I ran into on my way to meet up with my lead.” After listening to the other end, he ducked off into a small alley to finish speaking: “That was Samantha Knight, and absolutely for sure. I saw her with my own eyes… the other was some Colombiano. Was it him, maybe?” He let out a chuckle and a shake of disbelief. “Of course, I will track them. Makes this too easy.”

.

.

▽　▽　▽

.

Bellies full, the two were leaned back in their seats while mid-conversation Sam noticed something on the TV display behind Sebastian that caught her eye.

“Hm?” Sebastian thought aloud as he turned, thinking she was looking at someone. He then noticed she was distracted by the title of the news segment [Steps towards New Chinasphere Alliance]. “Wait, when did you watch news?”

“Since you, silly, now shush,” she joked back as she pulled her mobile out to activate her on-screen translation tool. “That’s the mess we just left. Don’t you want to find out what really happened after everything we tried to stop?”

Shrugging his shoulders, he reluctantly pulled out his mobile and began opening a new browser. “I thought we should relax.”

“Yeah, well, tables turn sometimes,” she spoke back with a smirk, reading the translated captions. “Sometimes I get to be the one to ruin it with seriousness- but for real, hold on.”

[In turn for allowing the Confederacy era charter to be reinstated,] the news anchor continued through her screen, [the new administration along with neighboring states are beginning negotiations that will eventually return the South China and the Philippine Sea to the PLA’s control.]

“Huh? I thought they wanted independence!?” Sam mumbled as she thought out loud.

Sebastian continued reading through something he had pulled up as he added: “I could have told you that detail, but I didn’t want to, well, ahn-”

“Excuse me,” the voice from earlier startled the two of them as they turned to see him standing behind the partitioning attached to the back of their table. “Sorry to interrupt,” Adrian continued with a polite smile.

“Yeah… Can we help you?” Sam asked with a raised brow, already feeling her inner-Kerry and Andre kick in as her hand started pondering the best way to her shoulder bag. She felt sure that there shouldn’t be anyone talking to them as if they were acquaintances. Not unless it was a Rocha affiliate from their past coming back to haunt them. She knew if it was from the Galiano Family, Sebastian would have already reacted as such.

“Infinity pilot, Mati Morel, I realized who you two are and I am a big fan,” Adrian spoke under the guise of a false handle and a large grin. “You are Navarre and Knight, right?” he added with a hushed tone as if to keep their identities from being too out in the open.

“You’re with Infinity?” Sam asked as her hand paused, now seeing Sebastian turning an equally suspicious eye.

[Is your phone alright?] he too felt the urge to check out of suspicion, quickly switching languages.

“It’s no problem, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Adrian answered back in English, waving it off. “You two are super popular with the pilots where I am stationed. Did you know that? The duo that stopped the Cloaks?! Please- can I have your autograph?” he continued with convincing enthusiasm, reaching and pulling out a pen and the Ap50 manual from earlier. “You two are why we have these coming soon! I can’t wait!”

Both Sam and Sebastian felt a bit relieved it was seemingly nothing more than a fan who had heard of their successes, hesitant but obliging as they both signed the pad.

“How long have you been with the team?” Sam casually asked.

“I am a rookie pilot, but I have been a volunteer since after the SAU troop left.”

And with that, Sam’s guard shot back up. “Rookie to Ap50?”

“Oh,” Adrian laughed sheepishly. “I say rookie because I only fly simulations since a long time ago. I haven’t actually, you know, seen real combat, so I call myself rookie.”

“Ah,” Sam answered back more calmly. “I know that experience,” she added with a wry smile, passing the pad back to him.

“Well,” Sebastian cleared his throat as he stood up. “We do need to get moving. We have things to do.”

“Of course!” Adrian smiled back with a hand extended. “So nice to meet you two!”

“Your name was…?” Sebastian asked as he shook hands.

“Mati! Matias Morel!”

“Alright. Maybe we will see you soon, Mati,” Sam awkwardly replied with a smile and a hand shake before the two departed.

.

On their way down the street and headed towards the block where Renzo’s apartment was, Sebastian noticed Sam kept looking over her shoulder periodically mid-conversation. “Sam,” he interrupted concernedly.

“Huh? What?”

“I was thinking, but I don’t believe that man was anyone to worry about. If he was planning to hurt us or something, he had too many chances. He just wanted our sign.”

“I know what you mean,” she answered as she started tapping away at her watch. “But I feel like that autograph was a cover for something. What was his name again?”

“Matias Morel, why? Who are you typing to?”

“Dad,” she spoke into her watch, signaling to Sebastian what she was about to do. “No time to explain yet, but look up Matias Morel in the Infinity SA registrar, please. Thanks!”

“Sam, you’re worrying too much!” he fussed, shaking his head. “Normally, it’s me worrying so much. But this time is different! We are where I know how people work! I think it’s okay, seriously.”

She let out a sigh, shrugging her shoulders. “Maybe you’re right, and it has been a long time since we last worked here. But at least let my dad get us that one thing confirmed. That would make me feel a lot better.”

“Alright, that’s fair.” He then looked up at the upcoming crosswalk. “Look. Three more blocks. Almost there.”

Sam’s nerves then stirred up once more. “I forgot how awkward this feels, going to his house to stay.” She then put on her puppy face as she tugged his arm. “You know we can still bail and get a hotel.”

“As much as I want to,” he spoke back with a suggestive smile, “you know the rules we made and we need to stick to them.” He stood firm in the end, referring to their agreement to not sleep where their name would pop up in someone’s registry, leading to unintended results. That was, unless, it was on Hexa property, something they both strongly wanted to avoid.

But in trying to keep the mood more upbeat, he looked back at her hair which had long caught his eye since meeting back up with her, reminding him of what he had been wanting to say. And her hair being cut so much shorter was one change that took a while to get accustomed to, but having the pink dye removed left the white streaks that he always associated with her “look”. Memories from that fateful June ran through his head briefly before he began to smile.

“What?” Sam suspiciously questioned the sudden grin.

“You know he will call you Cruella the moment he sees you,” he laughed, drawing much less ire than expected. “What? I thought you hated that name!” he continued with a nudge from his elbow.

“Yeah, I do, but,” Sam started before letting her voice trail off, giving in with a chuckle of her own.

.

.

Adrian had been listening in on their conversation through his earpiece before punching in a call request on his watch, turning back the opposite direction from the two. [I don’t trust him, Breaker,] he began in his native tongue this time while speaking in a hushed voice. [And after meeting and following these two, I don’t see monsters. I see some average ass, decent, maybe even scared human beings.]

[Don’t sweat it, Bender,] Orsi’s voice responded over the heavily encrypted line. [Just stick to your second objective. Reaper will take care of everything as promised all in good time. You understand that, though, right?]

[Well, yeah, it’s just this Rex guy I don’t trust. I already know the unofficial suggested order just now was to expose myself and kill those two pilots just now. But… I couldn’t do dirty shit like that. Not me.]

[It was never your job. Don’t step out of line, especially if you aren’t feeling it,] Orsi assured. [Just keep moving. I am halfway done with my end. Call me back if anything else doesn’t go right or feel right.]

[I didn’t fuck up just now, did I? Letting them go,] Adrian shamefully asked after hesitating.

[They won’t have time to get involved before we finish, anyway. Don’t dirty your name for your own sake, and don’t expose yourself for mine,] Orsi replied in a more affirming tone, helping Adrian relax a bit. [Get yourself in place before morning.]

[Right. Will do.]

He sighed heavily after the line disconnected, leaning against the wall of the empty restroom. [I hope Reaper follows through. Something has me damn afraid of Rex. I was only lucky enough to electronically dig my way into those pilot’s communication lines. Maybe he’ll take that instead.]