"When agents die, we don't mourn. Black is our color, and death is only an obstacle."

Alba looked at Agent 19. The soil above her father's coffin was still fresh.

"We rarely go to their funerals, we prefer remembering their work and their achievements, making sure to follow their legacy, but once in a while, someone breaks the tradition. The Chief came to my parents' funeral," the young woman explained.

"He did?"

Agent 19 smiled. "Yes. I was alone because both of them had left their families. I don't know where my family is or if they know that my parents are dead. But the Chief came and hugged me and told me that the base was my home, and he would be my family." She wiped a tear.

"He was...thoughtful."

"He was. You should have the chance to know him better."

Alba didn't speak, only stared at the row of tombstones in front of her. Everyone else was gone, including Axel.

"I'm your family too," Alba finally said. "Whenever you are ready to explore the world, call me. You can stay with me, and I can show you how life outside those grey walls is."

"I thought you were joking yesterday." The girl's eyes were sad, her lips making a small "O".

"I'm not. I'm leaving. For now, at least."

"Does he know?" she asked, but they both knew who the "he" was.

"Not yet. Come on." Alba pointed her head to the last car that was left outside the cemetery. "Are you ready to see how good I drive?"

They started walking the small distance until to black car.

"He'll need you."

"He'll be fine." She opened the driver's door and got inside.

"He's got a lot of experience, but that's not enough. Everyone is looking up to him, and he has to deal with the base's destruction, the aftermath of Agent O's betrayal, and PROTEA has to protect the world too."

"I'm sure a lot of people will help your new Chief." She started driving, the cemetery's trees looking tall, their branches protecting the dead.

Goodbye, dad. Give them my love, she thought as everything disappeared from the rearview mirror after a turn.

"Agent 40-S, the Chief-" she shook her head, the new title still not rolling on her tongue- "will need his friend. That's you."

Alba laughed lightly. "Oh, really? Never crossed my mind."

They laughed for a couple of minutes. Not because of their words but because they needed some relief.

"I'm only a call away. Next time I won't be so surprised when I receive a message saying that I've been activated."

"I still can't believe it. You know, I thought something was off, but I convinced myself that I was wrong."

"Insane, I know. How's Nat?"

There's no reason to pretend, she heard me call the woman Nat while I was carrying her to the operation room.

"Better. The doctor was surprised that she hadn't broken all her bones. But she's glad the chip's out. You should go visit her. I think she wants to talk to you."

Alba turned her head. "She said that?"

"No, but she asked for you. A lot."

Alba reached for an earpiece on the inside of her black suit and put it in her ear. She activated it. "This is Agent 23. Open the gate."

Soon, the familiar gate opened like a laptop screen.

Only a few days passed, and look how things have changed.

She parked and left the keys to one of the guards.

"The Chief has asked for you," one of them said.

I'm very popular these days.

"Where is he?"

"In his new office."

Alba nodded and walked to the office, Agent 19 by her side.

"I should go. See you later?" the girl asked, whispering the last word.

"Sure." She smiled.

Walking through the now familiar grey corridors and admiring how clean the place was only three days after the attack, she halted in front of a door. The west wing was under construction, and the new Chief had found a temporary office until everything was rebuilt. They didn't want people to find out about the secret tunnel.

"Come in," he said as soon as she knocked.

"Hey."

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, suddenly aware of the huge bruise around her nose and eye.

"I wanted to talk to you, but you always escape."

"I don't."

You do, her mind said.

Axel rolled his eyes. "You still haven't said anything about my story."

"Maybe because I don't know what to say."

He started talking, but she raised her hand, her palm facing him.

"I get why you did it. But everything is just too much. You've been lying to me for two years. Firstly, about your family and your name. Then, you learn that the Chief is my father and still nothing. When you last saw me, I was mumbling, and then I come back, and I say I have amnesia. And what did you do? More lies. You said you had suspicions. Bullshit!"

Her face was red, and the suit was becoming suffocating. She opened the buttons.

He walked to her, but she made a step back.

"When I didn't remember us, you talked to me about our great friendship. How we cared about each other, how we protected each other. But did you really protect me by hiding the truth?"

"You know it wasn't my secret to tell."

"That's your defense?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Look, I screwed up. I know. I should have trusted you, and maybe, things would be different if you knew about your father. But you can't punish me by giving me the silent treatment. You need to talk to me."

"I am!" she shouted. "But does it matter?"

"It does."

"You are a liar, Axel. And no matter how much I l-" She stopped talking, swallowing hard.

He was stunned, and no matter how much he wanted to hear the rest of the sentence, he didn't push her. "Forgive me. I promise I won't lie to you again."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to put her thoughts and memories in order.

Gosh, why do I have to remember now? Why do I have to remember so much?

Opening her eyes and staring back at his hazel eyes, she said, "If you want to be my friend, then give me time. I need to get out of all of this." She made a gesture in the air, showing the walls around them.

He gasped. "You are leaving."

"I am. Kayla is waiting for me today. I'm still an agent, but right now, I need to leave. When I'm back, we'll talk about this again."

He nodded in understanding, but his hands turned into fists.

"Bye, Axel," she said and turned around.

"I need you. More than anything I've needed in my life."

Her back was looking at him. "We'll talk about it when I return. Please," she added.

"But I don't want to be your friend. I want to be more."

More?

His words echoed in her head, but she couldn't react.

Someone knocked on the door, and Axel cursed.

"Come in," he said finally.

Susan opened the door. "Sorry, Chief, but we need you in the Great Room. Oh, hi," she greeted Alba. "I heard you are taking a break. You deserve it."

"Thanks." She gathered her courage and gave one last look at Axel. "I'll be back," she said and left before he had the chance to say anything.

Keep it together, Agent. No one needs to know your drama.

She headed to the last room she meant to visit.

Nat was lying on the bed, her whole body in bandages.

"Hey," she said, her voice hoarse.

"How are you?"

"I've been better. I'll survive," she added when a shadow covered Alba's face. "Sit."

Alba sat on the only available chair in the white room.

"I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"I suppose you don't remember how you came here."

"I don't. How do-"

"Two and a half years ago, I found something strange about one of the companies that helped PROTEA. I did some research because some numbers looked suspicious. Please, don't interrupt me," she pleaded when Alba tried to ask something.

"As I was saying, my gut was telling me that something was wrong. I traveled a lot those months, and I found a series of airplane crashes for no obvious reason, but all of them were supposedly caused by an engine malfunction. The company that made those engines went bankrupt, and everyone was pleased.

"But it was a set-up. Someone wanted to attack the bankrupt company and used the airline company that worked with PROTEA. I later found out that the engine company was later sold to someone from Russia. Only that he had a fake name at that time. His real name was Vasily Azarov. He resurrected the company and used it as a front for his illegal activities."

"Nat, what are you saying?"

"Your parents were murdered because someone wanted to bankrupt a company. Hundreds of people died so that someone could become richer. When I saw the victims' list, I didn't know what to do. I was afraid of what would the Chief do with that information. But I believed that you would do something."

"Me?"

Nat nodded. "I had learned about you and how good you were with computers. I encrypted the info and sent it to you with a signature. I hoped you could use your hacking abilities and find legal proof. I hoped that you would bring justice."

"But I didn't." She rubbed her neck. "Wait-"

Nat's lips turned upward, seeing that Alba remembered.

"The flower was the signature."

"Yes. I was surprised when I saw you among the newbies. I could never imagine that you would be willing to mess with PROTEA."

"But you didn't tell me anything later, did you?" She wanted confirmation for her blurry memories.

"I didn't. It was so reckless and stupid. If the Chief knew or if I had talked to you, maybe..."

"Don't. It's done. People died, and people made mistakes. But we are alive, and we can try to be better. We don't mourn, we follow the legacy," she repeated Agent 19's words.

"People should know about you. You'd be a good Chief. And I know that everyone would follow you."

"If I become chief, I don't want to be because I'm my father's daughter. I want to earn it. And I don't have the experience."

Nat smiled. "He was proud. You should know it."

"Thanks." She remembered his last words before he sacrificed himself for her.

Alba stood up.

"What are you going to do?" Nat asked her.

She shrugged. "I'm going to tell a crazy story to my best friend. She was shouting at me during our call. I'll tell her the truth. And then, I suppose I'll rest. Maybe visit a beach or do some physiotherapies. My hip is a mess."

"You are an Agent, don't forget it. And you earned it. You trained, you ran, you hacked for us, you went into battle for PROTEA and almost died for the world. PROTEA is your home too."

"Home is where our heart is," Alba answered back.

Nat's eyes brightened, and a mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Exactly." She paused for a few seconds letting her words sink in. "Take care, Agent 23."

Alba raised her hand in salute and left the room. An agent would drive her to Kayla's apartment.

She'll be shocked when she sees my face. But I bet it won't stop her from shouting about my disappearance.

A small smile formed on her face, the car getting away from the base.

It's okay. I'll come back.

The Prussian blue sky was covering everything as if eating the world, but Alba couldn't help but notice the last rays of cadmium orange still falling on the earth.

Touching the star necklace that rested on her chest, she replayed her last conversation in her head.

She didn't remember everything, and maybe, she never would. But she knew who she was, and at that moment, everything fit into place as one thought filled her mind.

Nat was right.

THE END