Hours had passed.
The fake street buzzed with all the people now frantically walking around it. FBI, as well as IBAA personnel, moved between the scattered buildings, docunting evidence and interrogating all the staff of the secret governnt organization.
They made sure not to miss anything at all… but no one approached the house with the crooked mailbox. Even the mbers of the RLRD who went straight there after clearing the Purple Leak.
Leona crouched beside one of the fake storefronts, running her fingers along the painted brick facade. Harvey stood near the center of the street, arms crossed, staring at the ADAMS house.
"Did you see the pig?" Harvey asked suddenly.
Beatrice looked up from her tablet. "Huh…?"
"The pig. Patient 17. Thing looked exactly like Caleb." Harvey shook his head. "I swear, if you put Caleb's head on it, they would be completely similar."
Beatrice only shook her head at him.
"And…" Harvey shifted his weight. "Why isn't anyone calling Adam? He's been in there for hours."
"Leave him be," Mira, who was letting her nose travel across the underground street, blocked Harvey's path.
"Leave him be?" Harvey's voice rose. "The guy just found out the woman who practically raised him is dead, and we're supposed to just—"
"Harvey." Mira shook her head. "Enough."
"No, seriously. Why isn't anyone going in there? We're his friends, right? We're the only people he has."
Harvey took another step toward the house, but Mira moved faster. Her hand caught his wrist.
"It's not us he needs," she said quietly.
Harvey stared at her. "Who else but his friends?!"
His shout echoed through the fake street, causing the investigators to pause their work. "We're the only people the guy has!"
Mira stared at him for a long mont. "Not exactly."
Before Harvey could ask what she ant, hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance. Soone was running.
"Adam?!"
Katherine burst into the street, her golden hair completely disheveled from worry.
"Where… where is he?"
The won pointed at the house. Katherine didn't imdiately enter and only collected her breath and emotions first.
***
Inside, Adam lay on a bed that had been hidden in the back room—there was a bed, after all. The mattress was musty and hard, the springs creaking with every small movent. He had said he was going to sleep… but sleep wouldn't co anymore.
He stared at the ceiling. Water stains ford abstract patterns in the drywall. His face remained completely blank.
Soon, he heard footsteps on the noisy floorboards, and the abandoned house groaned under the weight.
The groaning stopped just in front of the door, and a minute passed before a soft knock followed.
"Adam?"
Katherine entered without waiting for permission and sat beside him on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped under her weight, causing Adam to sit up.
They sat in silence. Another full minute passed, and then another minute before Katherine sighed.
"We're going to talk about why you didn't call for help as soon as you found out where the Hospital was," she said, her tone slightly pissed. "I should've been here as much as you."
Adam glanced at her, then replied with his own sigh.
"But for now…" Katherine stood and slid a laptop toward him across the bed.
"The weird guy with the beard gave this. He… found sothing." She paused. "I…I watched it. You need to watch it too."
She looked at Adam, staring at his empty expression. "I'll be waiting downstairs. The FBI has questions for . The world's turning crazy, even more so than before, because of this. The bearded guy uploaded the files on the internet, and I don't know if it was the secret service or whatnot, but they're telling him to hold and delete so files."
Katherine stepped toward the door, then stopped. "Adam?"
He looked at her.
"Take your ti. I'll… always be waiting."
The door closed with a soft click. Adam stared at the laptop for a while, then sighed as he opened it.
"Hm…?" A folder was already open, filled with video files.
The screen displayed: Dr. Aniston (TA) Private Logs - Encrypted Files
Tomoe Adams…?
Adam blinked several tis, then opened the very first file. The tistamp read nearly thirty years ago.
Imdiately, Dr. Aniston's face appeared. No—Tomoe's face.
It's… her. Adam's breath stuttered. This was it. This was the face he rembered. Younger. Excited.
Tomoe adjusted the cara, then let out a heavy breath that cracked the mic.
And then the video cut.
"That's… it?" Adam quickly continued to the next video.
Tomoe was giggling excitedly. "Patient Zero smiled at today!"
Adam's face twitched. A small breath escaped him, but not yet enough to form a smile, just a "Huh."
The videos were short, most less than thirty seconds. He clicked the next one.
"What…"
This ti, Tomoe was wiping tears but still smiling.
Tomoe stared right at the cara, her face determined.
Next video.
Adam went quiet. The next video was dated far from the previous one.
Now, Tomoe looked tired.
Tomoe closed her eyes, her lips trembling.
"No…"
Adam blinked, then watched the next video.
But… she looked completely different now. She stared at the cara, her face covered in blood.
"What…?" Adam's eyes widened at that. Tomoe… had a child?
Adam clicked the next video… and Tomoe looked stone-cold.
In the next video, Tomoe looked hurried, almost crazed.
Tomoe looked around.
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