The next day, Jackie was even slower with getting up, groaning as he did so. His back hurt from laying on his stomach but he couldn't have helped that. He tried cracking his back but that didn't seem to work too well.

'Maybe I should visit Henrik today and get some painkillers'

But he already knew what the doctor was going to say.

'Don't push yourself! Eat and sleep right! Stop sleeping on your stomach!!'

'But it's really hurting today' he whined to himself, 'Eh what the hell. I'll walk on in. I think I deserve a break today. I'll go back to the station to see Abe afterwards'

Jackie didn't even dress up in his uniform. Instead, he threw on some jeans, a red T-shirt and black zip-up hoodie, placing his blue mask under his pillow. Hell he didn't even pull up his hair. He just brushed it out a bit and even though it was a bit long, it wasn't unmanageable. This was his 'citizen-wear'.

Hunching a little, he put his hands in his pockets and grabbed his wallet, walking out the door. His apartment was  . . . . average to say the least. The landlord was fair and the building was 'okay'. He just got a few looks every so often because it always seemed like he was a hermit, nobody realizing he took the window most times.

He didn't have a car because why would he when he could use his grappling hook? But for times like this walking around as a citizen, it was missed.

So he took the bus.

But he didn't want to be an asshole and just walk in to a busy clinic so he took out his phone and texted his brother.

Jackie didn't realize someone was watching him, though.

From the other side of the bus, eyes were on him but Jackie was too invested in his phone to notice, really. But really who wouldn't stare at him? He was wearing a hoodie and T-shirt but he couldn't help it if he got too cold sometimes. That and sweating more would help cool you down.

But then Jackie's hairs tingled on him and he felt threatened. Looking up, though, he didn't really see anything.

No one was staring.

'The fuck was that? Maybe I haven't really been sleeping too good after all?'

Shaking it off, Jackie got off on his next stop by the clinic.

Little did he know, he had a tag-along watching him through street cameras, bouncing along each one to keep an eye on him.

Guess who?

The first thing Jackie did when he walked in the clinic was go up to the secretary to fill out some paperwork. While he did that, he went to go sit down somewhere but immediately spotted something familiar.

Normally, yes of course you'd see kids by the toys or kids books or TV but Jackie never expected to see his niece and nephew there. And alone to be exact!

Curiosity and concern hitting him, Jackie went up to them and at first they were wary but Sammy was the first to recognize him, "Uncle Jackie!"

Jackie could see some mothers calming down as he neared when Sammy and Kallie rushed to hug him, "Hey kids! How you been? You guys feeling well?"

"Yeah, we're alright!" Kallie grinned, "We're waiting on daddy"

His blood ran cold, "Is he okay?"

Sammy shrugged, "He's at work"

Oh.

Jackie slowly nodded, "Oh. . . okay. Does your uncle Henrik know you're here?"

"Uh-huh!"

Jackie was frustrated but decided not to question the kids too much. He didn't want to work them up, "You guys want to keep me company until the Nurse comes to take me away?"

Kallie giggled, "Okay Uncle Jackie. Do you feel okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine, sweety, why do you ask?"

"You're at the doctor's office" Sammy filled in.

"Oh that" Jackie chuckled, "Uncle Jackie's back is just acting up is all. Nothing too bad, kids."

"Is Uncle Marvin doing okay?"Kallie asked, "He hasn't visited in a while"

The hero twitched, "Oh he's okay, hon. You know your Uncle Marvin. Just like a cat, he'll swing by when he wants. Probably if Chase offers to make him dinner again"

"I like Uncle Marvin" the little girl giggled, "He hisses sometimes and it's funny"

Jackie made a mental note to talk to Marvin about that later.

"That's why I like dogs" Sammy rolled his eyes, "Uncle Marvin's weird. Do you like dogs, Uncle Jackie!?"

They all talked for a while until the nurse finally called him, "Now you kids be good, you hear? I'll see ya in a bit"

The kids only mildly agreed, finding interest in other things pretty quickly.

Jackie mentally groaned but calmly went through the questionaire with the nurse when getting to the room.

And then Henrik walked in staring at his clipboard, "Good morning Jackie. How are you today?"

"Hen, why the hell are Chase's kids in the waiting room?"

Henrik looked up from the clipboard, "He dropped zhem off an hour ago"

Jackie was even more infuriated, "Hen. . . . .are you babysitting Chase's kids . . . by leaving them in the waiting room!?"

The doctor could tell he was upset, "Oh wait, wait, wait. Why is zhat so bad? They have toys and shows to watch all day"

"Yeah because soap operas and shit for toddlers is really going to hold there attention for nine fucking hours, Hen!"

"Hey do not blame me!" the doctor defended himself, "Chase didn't even ask me! He dropped zhem off last second because he couldn't find a babysitter!"

"You should have said no! Do you know how easily they could have gotten kidnapped!? STILL could get kidnapped?!"

"My secretary would not allow-"

"Hen, all I had to do was say I was their Uncle and that only worked because Marvin made it look as if we are all mildly similar looking to each other. What if Anti had found them instead of me?"

Henrik thought about it, took off his glasses and sighed, "You are right. I apologize. I vas not thinking. I'll call Chase at lunch and get him to come pick up his kids. In zhe meantime, I'll put them in my office when we are done here"

Jackie nodded, "Good."

"Now about you." Henrik tapped the clipboard, "Your back is sore?"

"Fucking killing me, doc"

"Let's see"

When Jackie was out of sight, Anti decided to make his move. He wouldn't get this chance again today if he knew Jackie as well as he thought he did by now.

Pulling down his hood, he walked in the waiting room, spying the kids. He saw what happened with Jackie and other women suspecting him so the glitch decided to play it cool right off the bat.

He strode over to them confidently and Sammy was the first to notice him when the TV glitched. The boy turned around, seeing his shadow in the TV and grinned.

"Uncle Anti!"

Kallie was almost just as excited but before they could rush at him, the glitch put his fingers to his lips.

"Remember what I said before now." he grinned, "Uncle Anti can't get spotted."

"Okay" they whispered.

His ploy seemed to be working as nobody looked suspicious of him. They certainly didn't he's what he just whispered and they already saw enough people that looked similar to him after all PLUS the kids knew them.

Anti chuckled at the demon spawn. He may not be a fan of kids but Chase's were fun to play with.

"Are you on a mission, Uncle Anti?" Sammy asked him.

Oh that's right. They thought he was a spy and THAT was why they couldn't tell the other egos about him.

"That's right" he winked, "And I need your help." Anti pulled out a piece of paper and gave it to Kallie, "I need you two to give this to your uncle Jackie, alright? Don't tell him it was me. He'll get the picture"

"Are you guys working together on your secret mission?"

"Oh yes, of course, of course. Now will you do this for me?"

"Of course!" Kallie and Sammy smiled and nodded vigorously.

"Oh good. That's good." he lightly pat their heads, ". . . . . shouldn't you two be in school though?"

Kallie laughed at him, "It's the weekend, Uncle Anti! You're silly!"

He snapped his fingers, making the lights flicker coincidently.

"Oh that's right! I'm always so forgetful. Do stay out of trouble, kids. I'd hate to see anything. . .. . unsavory happen to you two. Your daddy's got a lot on his plate as it is. Wouldn't want anyone knowing about today"

"What do you mean, Uncle Anti?"

"Nothing. . .. " Anti grinned strangely again, "Be good. I'll get you presents next time"

The kids smiled ear to ear, waving at him as he left and only then did the TV stop glitching.

And the cameras turned back on.

"So you think it's just stress?"

"Oh I'm completely positive. When's the last time you took a break, moron?"

" . . . . . ."

"Jackie?" Henrik tried again and sighed, "Vhat have I told you?" he knocked him on the head with the clipboard, "Are you even eating properly!?"

"Ow!" The hero rubbed his head, ". . . . y-yeah? I am. Don't worry, Hen"

"Oh 'don't worry, Hen'" the doctor snorted, "Classic evasion. I am not stupid. You need rest, Jackie! Or else you cannot properly function! Are you sleeping good?"

"Sort of. Look, Hen, I'm doing better than you think-"

"I vill not hear it. Do as I say."

The hero rolled his eyes but nodded, "Now about those pain killers-"

"No pain killers for you. Just rest"

"But Henrik!" He whined.

"No buts!"

His word was law and Jackie relented, "Alright fine, fine. I'll take a couple days for some lighter work. That's the best you're getting from me!"

Henrik relented as well, "Good enough I suppose. . . . .  so how is Marvin doing?"

"Busted him out of jail again for selling goods on the black market. How's Jameson doing?"

"His tailoring business is still afloat. Must be a pretty good salesman. I've never seen him in action but I've heard he's doing vell for himself"

"That's good."

"And Anti?"

Jackie froze. He looked up at Henrik strangely, "What about Anti?"

"Have you heard of him? He's been quiet lately"

He shrugged, "I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that he's-"

"Taking a break!" Henrik swat him again with the clipboard, "Like YOU should be! Now go home and rest, you fiend!"

"Ow! Jaysus, Hen! Fine! Fuck, is this how you treat ALL your patients!?"

"Only the most stubborn ones!"

Despite his head hurting now, Jackie chuckled.

Henrik scoffed but led him out of the room and back out to the waiting room himself to come and get the kids. Henrik and Jackie walked up to them but the hero felt that strange feeling again like he did on the bus earlier.

Like a weird, familiar presence was there.

Kallie bounced up when she saw them, "Uncle Jackie! Uncle Henrik!"

Sammy giggled, hardly able to contain his excitement, either.

"What's got you kids so hyper?" Jackie asked.

"Little mouses, did secretary June give you candy again?"

"No!" Kallie giggled, "We were told by a secret man to give this to Uncle Jackie!"

She suddenly held out a piece of paper.

Jackie froze as did Henrik, their smiles fading quickly.

Cautiously, he reached out for the paper and took it from the little girl. Unfolding it, he bit his lip and sighed.

"Vhat is it?"

"An address"

"To vhere?"

Jackie shook his head, "Kids, who gave this to you?"

Sammy just grinned, "We're not supposed to tell"

"It's a secret!" Kallie insisted.

The hero and doctor both swallowed, looking at each other with unease. They did t want to scare the kids so they stopped asking them questions.

"Do you have cameras here in the waiting room, Hen?"

"Of course. Come along kids. We're going to a very special room vith even more treasures. Come along!" Hen got the two to follow him, leading them to his office so they'd be safe. If the person was who they think it was, the kids needed to be kept away as far as possible.

Putting them in the room with him, Henrik gave Jackie the code to look on the computer for the security cameras.

Not even thinking, Henrik groaned, "If it glitches, we know who it vas"

And just as Henrik said it, it glitched, even skipping ahead to a different time as if those five minutes never existed.

"Fuck" Jackie whispered to himself.

They just had to jinx it.

"Vhat do you think he wants?"

Luckily the kids didn't understand what was happening and they really didn't care, messing around in Henrik's office with the weird things he kept in there. Some things Jackie recognized as stuff Marvin had owned. He'd talk to Henrik about that later.

"I don't know. Doesn't just want to talk though, I know that. Dammit, and here everything was running so smoothly." Jackie growled, crossing his arms, "Looks like rest isn't an option anymore"

"May vant to fetch your uniform before you go" Henrik suggested, "I know you'll be hasty but think first. How much time do you have?"

"It doesn't say but I imagine he won't wait long. I may have just enough time to get my stuff, though. Take care of the kids, Hen. I'll see you later. We both know how this will end."

"Be careful, Jackie"

"I'll call you when it's over."

With that, he waved good-bye to the kids and set off for home, his back still killing him.

'Now what the fuck does that glitching bastard want that he needs to meet me at that fucking abandoned shit-hole? And to involve the kids. .  . . . he always goes too far'

Making his way through alleys and ditches just to get home as fast as he could, Jackie glared ahead of him, 'What are you planning, Anti?!'