[Sheriv POV]
I've only known Devon Miller for barely a month but since we're literally always together, I've become familiar with his moods and mannerisms. I thought that since I'm such a genius, I've managed to figure out the person I share a brain with. However, the events of today has proved me wrong. REALLY wrong. During the interrogation, he showed a face that sent shivers down my spine when the topic of his past was brought up. What happened to him? The officer said that records of his past were sealed. Not only that, when our brainwaves were almost converging, I managed to catch glimpses of experiences: cold, anxious, calculating, detached. I thought they were just my mind playing tricks on me but what if there was something to it?
I watch silently as Devon lumber along the sidewalk with his cane for what seems to be hours now. After the lawyer met with us, the entire matter was dropped and we were released. I watched him agree to the deal and I could feel his gut wrench as he signed the contract. He's always been a "happy-go-lucky" kind of person but today, I've witnessed someone's world shatter and the owner of said world, could only stand by, powerless to stop it.
Eventually, we arrive at what looks to be an abandoned, brick building near the outskirts of the "Inside". Devon silently ascends the rickety, rusty, steps of the fire escape and before long, he leans on the ledge, taking in the scenery of the swamplands beyond the iron wall.
"Devon Miller..." I trail, not knowing the words to say.
"Oh, you're there," he smiles wryly. "Sorry I was ... distracted."
"What happened?" I ask as I take a seat on the ledge next to him.
Without looking at me, he answers, "You know, the first time I got here, I was really amazed. There's running water, food in the grocery stores, and actual houses to live in."
I stay silent, carefully observing his demeanor.
"Of course, it was hard at first, but as I met people here. Good people. I thought that finally, I can have a good life," he says and rests his eyes on his forearms. "Now, it's all gone. In an instant."
The wind blows from the swamplands and hits us with the most unfamiliar pungent smell. The clouds have also begun to roll in. While I was distracted, Devon climbs on the ledge and spread his arms out.
Immediately, alarm bells start to bellow in my mind. "DEVON MILLER DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!"
He cocks his head at me and realizes what I was implying. "No, no, no, man what the fuck? I'm not gonna jump."
"Well, sorry for jumping to conclusions!" I shout. "You said all of that and just stood up on a ledge. What do you expect me to think!?"
He laughs for the first time after a while. That laugh always annoyed me since it always came at my expense or it was caused something I could never understand. But now, all I feel is relief.
Eventually, his laughter dies down and he continues to feel the breeze on his face with his arms still stretched out.
"My friend, Mitchel, always dragged me here whenever I was feeling down," he says after the long pause.
I raise an eyebrow. "Weird place for a college student to hang out."
He chuckles. "Give him a break. He was sixty when I met him."
"Oh, so he was more of a father figure than a friend."
"Yeah ... a father I never had," he replies.
He then shivers and decides to takes a seat beside me.
"He always told me, 'Devon, you see that shit out there? Yeah, whatever you're experiencing, it can never be compared to what's out there'," he quotes while imitating a grumbly old man's voice. His eyes turn joyful for a small bit but then return to being downcast. "If he's still alive, I would tell him that my situation right now is as good as what it is outside."
"He's dead?" I blurt and immediately cover my mouth in regret.
"Yeah... but he had a good life."
A pause again. I look at him and observe his feelings of loneliness and confusion. This sucks. I've never had to deal with anything like this before. Looking back, maybe I just didn't care? This is why I prefer dealing with machines. But I guess even that didn't work out.
*BRRRR*
Suddenly, the phone in Devon's pocket vibrates. He takes it out, looks at it, scoffs, and tosses it to the alley below.
"What was that for?" I exclaim.
"That was the school," he replies. "They basically told me to fuck off and returned all the money I spent."
"And the phone?"
"They told me to cut off all contact. Throwing my phone's a great start I think," he smirks but his eyes don't show the same mischievous shine.
This sucks! This really sucks! Isn't there anything that I could do for him? Wait, why do I even care so much?
"AAAARGH!" I scream as I tussle my hair in frustration. "Fuck this!"
Devon recoils. "Wh-what?"
I point at him angrily. "You! I'm sick of you being like this." I then wave my hand to activate his Kaleidoscope. "Here, go to this location," I finish as I show him a map with a pinned location North East of Central.
"Wh-what for?" he asks in confusion.
"Just shut up and go!" I shout as I dismiss my physical form. "Or what? Are you planning on moping around here until you die?"
Devon hesitates for a bit and looks one more time at the map before briskly walking to the destination.
*********************************************************************************************************
[Barry POV]
"What do you mean he's gone?!" I yell at the officer in charge of guarding the interrogation room.
The officer doesn't even make eye contact with me and just stare into the far distance.
"Oh leave him alone Davenport," the Captain approaches from behind me. "Matter's been solved and we got a hefty reward for our troubles," he says as he does the money hand sign.
"What do you mean fat- I mean Captain?" I retort. "Something's fishy about the kid. You saw his record!"
He sighs. "I don't give a fuck Davenport. Investigate him on your own time," he says as he dismisses me with his hand and walks away.
I stare at him as he waddles out of my sight before I call out to my partner. "Samantha!"
At once, a blue-haired, young, starry-eyed, pug nosed officer bursts from one of the offices and runs towards me.
"Yes boss?" she asks while standing at attention.
"Come with me," I say as I take my coat from the rack and flourish it over my shoulders. "It's time to see how good you are at stakeouts."
As I walk towards the exit, I see a fiery red head shouting and cussing at the receptionist. Even innocent bystanders are taking stray insults. Normally, I would break up the situation, but the Captain has given me too much shit recently that I'll just let her go wild in the precinct.