Bo lay on his bed, the remnants of his vivid memory still swirling in his mind. He hadn't thought about that day in a long time. It was the first time he'd met someone who stirred something other than fear or anger within him, someone who had given him a feeling of warmth and belonging.
But now, the memory left a bitter taste. His mind returned to Val's words in the nightmare: "You are a traitor."
The guilt gnawed at him, tightening around his chest. There was something he hadn't shared with any of them—not even Val, the one person he'd come to consider like family.
'Would Val understand if he knew?'
Bo tried to push the thought away, but he couldn't shake the feeling that his secret was a ticking time bomb, a fragile truth that, once revealed, would change everything. He tried to remember the feeling of Rein's handshake, that moment of genuine connection, but it faded like smoke against the reality he now faced.
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The next day, Team Unknown gathered in the main room of their HQ. General Luis had called them in for a team update, and Val was back to his usual calm demeanor, though his face still showed traces of exhaustion from his last mission. Riggs leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching Bo closely.
As General Luis began detailing their next mission, Bo found himself glancing at Val, who seemed focused, steady, as if nothing had happened.
Had he sensed something in that dream, or was it just my own fear surfacing?
He barely heard General Luis as his mind spiraled with questions, wondering how long he could keep hiding in the shadows of his own conscience.
When the briefing ended, the team broke off, but Val held back, waiting until Bo was alone. He looked at Bo with a slight frown.
"Hey Bo. You alright? You looked...distracted," Val asked, his voice as calm as ever but with a hint of concern.
Bo hesitated, then gave a tight nod. "Yeah, just... some things on my mind."
Val looked at him, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "If you ever need to talk," he started, his voice soft, "I'm here. We've all got things we carry."
Bo nodded again, the weight of his secret pressing heavier on him. He wanted to say something—anything—but his words remained locked behind a wall he couldn't yet bring himself to break down. For now, he'd bury the memory deeper, keeping his demons hidden for just a little longer.
Bo watched Val walk away, his heart heavy with the words he couldn't bring himself to say. He wanted to believe that he could keep his secret buried, that the bond they'd all forged as Team Unknown would be enough to protect him from whatever fallout might come if the truth surfaced. But a part of him knew that secrets had a way of surfacing, no matter how well they were hidden.
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In the following days, Team Unknown was back in the field, working seamlessly as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Bo tried to shake off his worries, focusing instead on the mission at hand. Their target was a high-ranking official in a criminal organization, someone with valuable information on their operation's inner workings. The plan was simple: infiltrate, extract the intel, and get out without leaving a trace.
Bo and Val were paired together, just like old times. As they moved through the shadows of the target's base, Bo noticed how Val's movements were methodical and precise, yet there was something colder about him now—a faint shadow behind his eyes, a remnant of whatever had transpired during his solo mission. Bo wanted to ask him about it but knew now wasn't the time.
They reached the main control room undetected. Bo went to work hacking the security system, his fingers flying across the keyboard while Val stood guard at the door. The mission was going smoothly, but Bo couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
Just as he pulled up the intel, Val stiffened. "Someone's coming," he said in the Mind Link.
Bo froze, the screen still downloading files. He only needed a few more seconds, but they didn't have time. Val took a position behind the door, ready to neutralize the guard, his movements eerily calm, almost detached.
The guard entered, and Val struck with ruthless efficiency, barely making a sound as he took the man down. But Bo noticed something unsettling: Val's expression remained blank, almost as if he wasn't fully there, lost in some darker place within himself.
The download finished, and they slipped out, leaving no trace behind. As they made their way back to the rendezvous point, Bo found himself glancing at Val, the nagging feeling growing stronger.
'What happened to him out there?'
Once they returned to HQ, Bo couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled Val aside, his voice barely above a whisper. "Val, what happened on your mission?"
Val looked at him, and for a moment, Bo saw a flash of vulnerability in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Nothing I can't handle," Val replied, his tone dismissive.
Bo wanted to push further, but he felt Val's walls go up, stronger than ever. He let it drop, realizing that Val was just as guarded as he was, both of them trapped by things they couldn't share.
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Later that night, Bo lay awake, his mind restless. The memory of Val's emotionless face as he took down the guard replayed in his head, mixing with the memory of that boy with fiery eyes from the orphanage so many years ago. The same feeling of dread crept back in.
'What was this darkness in Val, and why did it make me feel as though my own secret was somehow tied to it?'
Unable to sleep, he slipped out of his room and made his way to the training area. He needed something—anything—to take his mind off the thoughts gnawing at him. But as he trained, he heard footsteps behind him.
Turning, he found Val standing there, arms crossed, watching him with a curious expression.
"Can't sleep either?" Val asked, his voice soft.
Bo shrugged, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just...needed to clear my head."
Val was silent for a moment, then he stepped forward, his gaze serious. "You're not the only one with secrets, Bo. Whatever it is you're hiding, you don't have to carry it alone."
The words struck Bo like a punch to the gut. He opened his mouth to speak, to finally tell Val the truth, but the words got caught in his throat.
How could he explain the part of him that was tangled in shadows, that was marked by something he wasn't ready to face?
Instead, he looked away, his voice barely a whisper. "I...I'm not ready."
Val studied him, his expression softening. "Then whenever you are. Just know that I'll be here."
With that, he turned and left, leaving Bo alone in the dim light of the training room.
Bo watched him go, feeling both relieved and tormented. He knew he had to face his past, to confront whatever it was that kept him locked in this silent battle with himself. But as he stood there in the quiet, he couldn't shake the feeling that when the time came, revealing his truth would change everything—for better or worse.
The days passed with Bo trying to ignore the growing tension within himself. But Ember, who often noticed the small things others missed, had started to catch on to Bo's unease.
Ember had always been perceptive, quietly observing his teammates in a way that was almost unsettling, but somehow he managed to keep things to himself.
This time, though, something felt different. Ember could sense that Bo was holding something back—something big.
One evening, as Team Unknown wrapped up a training session, Ember lingered in the dimly lit room, his gaze resting on Bo, who sat alone on a bench, staring at his hands. Bo hadn't noticed Ember watching him, too lost in thought, his brow furrowed, his eyes distant.
Ember stepped forward, his footsteps soft, and took a seat on the opposite bench. "You look like you're carrying the weight of the world, Bo."
Bo glanced up, startled. He quickly looked away, muttering, "Just… thinking about stuff. Missions and all."
Ember gave him a long, knowing look. "Is that all it is?"
Bo shifted uncomfortably under Ember's steady gaze. He tried to mask his discomfort with a shrug, but he knew Ember was the last person he could hide anything from. There was an understanding in Ember's eyes, a depth that hinted at things Bo wished he didn't know. But he couldn't risk opening up, not even to Ember.
"Look, I'm fine, Ember," Bo said, forcing a smile. "Just tired, you know?"
Ember nodded, leaning back as if he'd accepted Bo's answer. But inside, he felt a pang of sadness. He knew exactly what Bo was hiding, though he had no intention of bringing it up until Bo was ready. But watching his friend struggle in silence stirred something in him, and a memory rose unbidden to the surface.
---Flashback---
It had been nearly a year ago, when Team Unknown was still relatively new, each of them strangers learning to trust one another.
Back then, Ember had been given a solo mission in a city far from their usual operations. He had to infiltrate a secure building to retrieve some critical files. It should've been routine, but something unexpected had happened that night.
As Ember moved through the building's lower levels, he overheard a group of guards talking about an ongoing investigation. They were nervous, whispering about some "double-cross" and a certain young man who'd been spotted with the target. Ember's interest piqued when one of the guards mentioned a name he hadn't expected: Bo.
Curious and cautious, Ember followed the guards, staying hidden until they left. He snuck into a nearby security room and scanned the surveillance footage, his heart racing when he saw Bo on one of the screens. Bo was younger, maybe just a teenager, but unmistakable. He was with a dangerous figure—someone with deep connections to their current target.
Ember continued watching as the footage showed Bo meeting with the target, exchanging something in a way that made it clear they had a history. Bo seemed hesitant, nervous even, and when the target offered him a small envelope, Bo's face twisted with what looked like guilt. The footage cut off there, leaving Ember with more questions than answers.
He'd debated whether to confront Bo about it, but in the end, Ember had chosen to stay silent. He hadn't told anyone. If Bo had been involved with someone dangerous back then, it wasn't his place to reveal that secret—not until Bo was ready. And Ember knew the weight of carrying secrets too well; he wouldn't force Bo to face it if he wasn't ready.
---End of Flashback---
As Ember returned to the present, he saw the same haunted look on Bo's face that he'd seen in the footage all those months ago. Ember wished he could tell Bo that he understood, that he knew what it was like to carry a burden that felt like it would crush you if you spoke it aloud. But he also knew that Bo wasn't ready.
So instead, Ember decided to offer something smaller, a subtle invitation that he hoped Bo would accept one day.
"Bo," Ember said quietly, his tone soft, "I don't know what's weighing on you, and I won't ask. But when you're ready… I'll listen."
Bo looked up, his eyes meeting Ember's, surprised. For a moment, he looked like he might say something, but then he closed his mouth and nodded.
"Thanks, Ember," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Maybe… maybe someday."
Ember gave him a small, reassuring smile. "No rush. Just know I'm here."
He left Bo alone then, knowing that sometimes, offering silent support was all he could do. As he walked away, Ember hoped that one day Bo would find the courage to share his story. But for now, he would wait, ready to listen when the time came.