I head out once again, this time to the rooftop. To meet the doctor and tell him what I saw.
Outside the door I strolled to the elevators, looking around the hallway seeing mercenaries walk around some entering or exiting their quarters. I arrived at the elevator, stepping inside with a simple button press to the rooftop. I wait until the elevator reaches to the roof. After feeling a small bit of fatigue from awakening, I slowly gain more and more energy till I feel fully rested.
The doors open to the rooftop, the sky was near dusk as the sun was setting and the sun loomed on the horizon from a bright white light into a yellow yolk. I stepped out and as I did, lights lit up around the rooftop, with lamp posts and lights meant for any transports that would land here. On the rooftop, a man with his back turned stood on the edge of the rooftop, blocked from the very edge by a railing. That must be the doctor, I approached the doctor, he held a lit cigarette on his hand and stared at the view from the roof.
"Damon, how did it go?" The doctor spoke, not turning back to look at me.
"I saw another vision."
"So it does affect people in a chemically induced slumber."
"Damon, look at the view from here."
I stood next to the doctor, below us was the city. Lights everywhere from lamp posts to large buildings, below the academy were cars driving around, occasionally honking their horns
"As our academy progressed, so did the city. It was good before, but our presence made it better. We sent mercenaries to every part of the nation to fight for money, in turn they also made the country a lot more safe. The doctor placed the cigarette back inside his mouth taking a long puff from it. "Though threats still loom over us from stronger more organized insurgent groups. We continued to fight them, long enough to see cities like this prosper in safety. Though, the restriction enacted made governments around the world invest far more into their own military. From putting money to our mercenaries to putting it to the military. It's good though for the nation, but for people like us." The doctor throws his cigarette off the ledge, "I guess we will rebound with more private customers not affiliated with the military." The doctor continued.
"So Damon, what did you see now?" The doctor asked.
"A desert, it was a team of mercenaries. One of them was called Xavier. They were sent to get something, it was in a wrecked convoy, 3 cars and 2 armored trucks. The mercenary i was viewing through found the box, another merc got the box to try and open it. As he did though he was shot, the last moments were the merc i looked through dragging his injured teammate to the other side of the truck for cover, and it ended there."
"Xavier.... Desert...." The doctor pondered.
"I'll check for any missions if they involve a merc called Xavier and are in the desert, but for now let's talk more about visions."
I lean on the railings, resting both my arms on it. Waiting for the doctor to talk.
"The mercenary I helped before had visions at random, it can happen one night and happen a few days after. He had no control of who it was, though I did hand him a picture of one of our mercs to try and make him see through them the next time he slept. The first few tries were unsuccessful but later on it improved until he will always see through any merc's eyes when I show him their pictures." The doctor hands me a small picture. The picture showed a woman.
"That's one of our mercenaries, her team is on a mission. Next time you sleep, try remembering her face and we'll see if it would work. But I presume you slept not too long ago right? I don't see any syringes with you so I assume you took it."
"Yeah, I immediately went up here after waking up from the drug."
"Well we accomplished two things, i now know that chemically induced sleep may also show visions, for you, you got another vision, this time one in the desert." The doctor pulled out a cigarette pack along with a lighter and lit one from the pack after taking it out.
"The view from here is nice in the day, but when it becomes night. The rooftop gives a marvelous view of the city, lights galore shine in the night. Not one street corner unlit. So close yet were closed off from them, closest interactions we have to them are when we drive on the roads." The doctor placed the cigarette in his mouth, getting a puff from it.
"Despite being inside a city filled with civilians, our ways of life are so different. We get money from killing, they earn from working in any way. Our money is received from spilling blood, we've been warring against each other since the dawn of man. It's only natural to get some money from the oldest profession we have. But now we became more orderly, we adopted a civilian economy for the people not involved in war. While the people that still stick to it like us, have our own. Weird how they both coexist without conflict. How do you feel about being a merc Damon, after everything you saw?" The doctor asked.
"It changed a lot, first for the adventure and making friends, then it changed many times as i stayed here longer and longer. Now... I don't know."
"It's alright Damon, our views change of war when we first arrive at training, first we like war, then it changes to different perceptions of what we will do. It all depends though on the circumstances. But to balance our emotions on the matter of killing for money and for the thrill of it like you. We have luxuries as well that the common citizen may not have. As a bonus reward for getting to this point. You may have already seen the many things in the academy, from advanced medicine to copious amounts of money." The doctor replied to me.
The sun continued to set, making the sky turn from a little red to faint dark and black. But as I look at the sky, there were little stars.
"This view is beautiful, though I must head back to research. Damon remember your new task, try to get a vision again but this time while you sleep try and recall her face. If you get a vision, meet the strategist at the planning room, tell him to take you to me. In the meantime, take advantage of your rest time, maybe hang out with all your teammates, after all. It's gonna be a while before we get a normal flow of contracts again, either they lift the restrictions or more and more private customers ask for our help. Goodbye Damon." The doctor flicked his second cigarette off the ledge. Walking away to the elevators. I look back at the view. Now the sun fully set and the city's lights were in full swing. Everywhere was bright from apartment buildings to high rises. The roads below lit up as well, lining the streets. After for a long time of fighting, I had some peaceful alone time. To relax truly unlike before. The wind blew strongly from the rooftop hitting me with cold air, this rooftop is very quiet, and rather calm even with the cold wind.
Even though it's nighttime and I won't sleep for a couple more hours I should head back to put this picture in my room for safekeeping. Heading back to the elevator i placed the picture of the woman in my pocket.
I entered the elevator, inside was a contrast to the cold atmosphere of the outside with the warm interior of the elevator. I press the button, waiting till I get to the quarters floor.
The doors open to the quarters of the academy, like before I walk back to my quarters. The hallway was still filled with many groups of fellow mercenaries chatting to each other.
I opened the door to my quarters, inside I see the whole team. Lennox, Sebastian, Thalia, Alina and the others were there even Luna. They all looked at me as I opened the door.
"Damon join us, Thalia brought wine!" Sebastian announced, stepping inside Alina hands me a glass cup.
"Red wine, the more expensive kind." Thalia spoke while examining the wine bottle.
The whole team held their own cups, all empty. Thalia pours down the red wine on everyone's glasses, till she pours the wine to her cup as the last.
"A toast to our team, and to fighting together on our missions." Thalia rejoiced, raising her cup. As she did, we raise our cups as well along with her, shouting her toast as we did.