[center][b]|The Next Day|[/b][/center]

"Hello?" A groggy voice answered, recognizable as Archer's. He sat up in bed, sleep practically gluing his eyes shut. A loud yawn.

"It's me."

Archer's eyes snapped open, wide. "Alex?" He asked, not needing an answer. "Alex, where the fuck are you man!?" He hissed down the phone, the receiver not even at his ear anymore, he was done listening. "Man, we've lost fucking everything. That Agent who was killed last night... Dude! That's some serious fucking shit. You planted one right between his eyes. Fuck man. I knew you were some kind of... Super Human soldier but this whole situation is fucked up man. How did he know who you were? How did he know you were here!?" Archer was full of questions, yet to be talked to by the Police, or worse... Thankfully. With long, deep breaths he calmed himself down to allow Alex a chance to speak. "You know it's not safe to talk on these cells man this is totally against my policy. Where are you?"

"Listen." Alex replied, his voice stern and full of authority. "I know this is fucked up man. You're not the one that pulled the trigger." Alex pressed the fingers of his right hand against his brow. "I don't know what to think. Riley must have told him about the tattoo on my neck or something. Who could've guessed that her fiancee would have been working for these... Fuckers." He began, emphasis on the last word, just getting used to cursing. "I know it's not safe, look I'm out of town, out of state in fact. I'm going to be coming back in a few days. I have to see Riley." He paused, taking his hand from his brow as he looked over his shoulder, confined in the payphone box. "You need to start from scratch. This time start with the girl that was found with the similar tattoo. Work from there. Look, I've got to go." Alex hung up the phone and rushed from the payphone box pulling up his hood he headed down the street not truly knowing where he was going.

"Will do..." Archer replied, despite the phone having hung up.

[center][b]|Funeral Day|[/b][/Center]

Alex hadn't attended the church ceremony, he couldn't. While he had no true knowledge he could only imagine how many missed calls would have been left on his old cellphone, all from Riley. He was back in Seattle and had driven his bike to the cemetery grounds where the burial would take place. Having no idea how much Riley knew, if anything, Alex knew that he had to see her. He'd been parked, stationary on his bike for about an hour with no sign of anybody. He knew he must have just missed everybody entering the church when he had arrived, his eyes fixed on the heavy oak doors that guarded the front of the church, a wrought iron fence between Alex and his bike and the resting dead.

The doors opened and a procession lead the coffin out. Alex took a deep breath from behind his helmet and sighed, he caught a glimpse of Riley, no make-up and a simple black dress. He shook his head. Grief and guilt were two emotions never have been meant to be felt by these "perfect" Humans but they hit Alex now harder than ever. Perhaps it was how long he had spent away from where he was made and who he was. A knotted feeling built in his stomach as he watched the procession head into the graveyard and stop at the open grave, freshly dug.

When Riley stood up to make her speech, Alex removed his helmet. From this distant he couldn't make out what she was saying other than a few words but he could see her face distraught with emotions. He sniffed, it was heading further into the winter now and the weather was showing. Alex could feel the cold on his cheeks. Running one hand down his lower face he continued to watch.

Before long it was only the two grave diggers and Riley left at the unmarked grave, it hadn't been time enough for a headstone to be laid down. Alex got off his bike and left his helmet on the steering bars. As Riley began to walk away he entered the graveyard approaching her. Swallowing the last of his guilt.

"Riley..." He barely managed to mutter as he got in front of her, embracing the girl in front of him. "I'm so sorry." He added, holding her close to him.