Jonh's eyes widened, finally understanding. "So.… the boy..."
Katherine nodded. "Yes, I think he was on that ship."
Jonh was incredulous. "But that's impossible!"
Katherine agreed, looking at the ceiling with her hands crossed. "I also find it hard to believe, but that's my theory. Did you check the ship in the wreckage?"
John remembered the ship. "It was a standard UNION emergency ship, but I don't understand why the boy came to this planet, of all the ones in this system this is the most dangerous."
Katherine shook her head. "I don't know either. That's why I want you to find out."
Jonh almost cried. "Why me?"
Katherine spoke in a cold, icy voice that made John shiver in fear. "Because you are the only person who has contact with the boy you brought to my hideout without my permission. And also because I am ordering you to do this or face the consequences of your mistakes."
"but...?"
"How are you going to keep in touch with him?"
Jonh hesitated before answering. "I gave the boy a G wristband."
Katherine started generating fire in her body the moment she heard that. "You what? Why did you give him that? Now the boy has our contacts and information about the rebellion! Not to mention that our wristbands are unique, with high-security encryption, difficult even for the UNIÃO. It was one of our advantages in this war, our survival."
Jonh, desperate, thought of a way to respond, but only one thing came to mind.
"It was a deal I made with him about information." He tried to justify himself, but his crying didn't help much.
Katherine, her voice icy and her eyes red with anger, pointed at John. "What information?"
On the table I left over there, boss, at least take a look, it might be useful for the rebellion!!" John pointed with a trembling hand.
Katherine approached the information sheet that Viktor had given John, which was on the table. Her steps were light and steady, sending sparks and heat as she moved towards the information. She looked at it curiously, wondering how a boy so young could have information of interest to her.
As she approached the documents, the fire in her body quickly faded. She took the papers in her hands and brought them closer to read. Her curiosity grew even more as she read the information they had received from a boy she barely knew. The more she read, the more her eyes widened in shock and fear.
"What's the boy's name?" she asked, frightened.
Jonh, moving his head from side to side with fear of giving the answer, showed that he didn't know.
She tugged on John's collar. "How do you not know his name? You brought him here without knowing who he is?"
Jonh, scared. "The information about César is so worrying."
Scared by Jonh's response, she asked. "How does he know about César? Jonh, who is this boy?"
"I don't know, almost nothing, I didn't have time to ask, didn't you hear what I said, my whole story?" Trying to get up from the floor.
Katherine took a deep breath. "Okay, let's say I believe you, for now..." She continued flipping through the documents, making the only sound in the room. Jonh, afraid to respond, remained silent.
Jonh, afraid, interrupted the silence. "Don't you have information about César?"
She remained silent and sighed.
"There is no information about Caesar, but it is about something worse." Perplexed, John did not understand anything.
Katherine didn't have time to explain, she started reading and walked away. "It's better to recover."
Katherine continued reading and confirmed her suspicions. "The boy knew about me the moment he saw me. That's why he already left."
John, surprised "He already left?"
Her smile began to widen without even a hint of disguise in her smile. She looked at him silently and nodded.
"Yes, he left without saying goodbye and took all the water I offered." Looking at the completely empty jug, John finally sat up in bed, but felt his strength draining after hearing this.
"But... wait... how did he know about you?"
Katherine continued reading. "Because this information isn't about Cesar, it's about me!"
"Wait, what?"
Katherine continued without bothering to give answers.
"It's better that the boy doesn't expose us..." threatening John with a stern look.
John, trying to justify himself.
"You can trust me."
But Katherine didn't have time to argue with John now.
"....."
With no time to waste, Katherine continued to leaf through the documents and began to leave the room.
John asked wearily. "Aren't you going to help me?"
"There are antibiotics and anti-inflammatories on the shelf above. You're not an elemental, so you'll recover. I need you available."
John was stunned. "Why now?"
Katherine, with a cold look. "I need everyone to eliminate some rats."
Jonh, feeling the pain in his body. "My body is hard to regenerate..."
Without turning around, Katherine replied in an icy tone of voice. "You'll make it. If you don't make it in time, I have some... suitable motivations for people who need a little push."
The door closed with a soft click, plunging the room into darkness. The only sound was Jonh's sobs, which he couldn't contain anymore.
"Why is this happening to me?" crying with sadness.
Viktor walked through the busy streets, surprised by the unexpected reunion with Katherine early in the morning. He couldn't believe he had seen her again, after so long. Atlas interrupted his thoughts.
'DRINKING TOO MUCH WATER CAN LEAD TO KIDNEY OVERLOAD!!! IT ALSO LEADS TO NAUSEA AND VOMITING!!! ESPECIALLY IF A USER DRINKS AN ENTIRE 3 L BOTTLE!!! A NORMAL BODY CANNOT HANDLE THAT...'
'But my body is not ordinary, Atlas, you of all people should know .' Viktor interrupted Atlas.
Atlas was silent for a few seconds 'UNDERSTANDED USER!'
'My only concern at this moment is Katherine Desmond.'
'ACCESSING DATABASE ON INDIVIDUAL KATHERINE DESMOND... KATHERINE WAS DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE UNION FOR 3 YEARS, BUT WAS EXPELLED FOR DISRESPECTING HER SUPERIORS, BECAME A MERCENARY FOR A FEW YEARS, WAS RECRUITED BY THE RESISTANCE...'
'Yes, yes, yes, but the resistance was a failure, she became a mercenary, further away from the Union, just like me...'
'YES, SHE BECAME YOUR MENTOR.'
'How...?'
'I LOOKED AT YOUR RECORDS OF YOUR FRAGMENTED MEMORIES OF YOUR PAST!!'
Viktor remained silent 'New rule between us two! When you access my memories, at least ask my permission first!'
'UNDERSTANDING!'
'You're not even going to ask why?'
'DO I NEED TO... ASK?'
Viktor takes a deep breath and sighs so as not to lose his patience, especially on a busy street.
'Yes, after the rebellion was a great failure, she returned to her mercenary branch, outside of the UNIÃO's control. Just like me. She found me and took me in. She noticed I had potential and helped me recover my elemental particularity, even in the situation I was in.' Agreeing with Atlas
'I think she was my only paternal figure, like a mother and mentor.'
Atlas, curious 'HOW DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS FROM THE RESISTANCE? '
Viktor laughed in his mind. "You didn't access all my memories, Atlas."
'I ACCESSED SOME. ' Atlas replied. 'DUE TO OUR FORCED TIME TRAVEL, MIXING YOUR MIND WITH MINE, THERE WAS A MEMORY OVERLOAD. I WAS FORCED TO REMOVE SOME. AS OUR MINDS PARTIALLY MERGED, I DON'T KNOW WHICH OR HOW MANY MEMORY FRAGMENTS WERE DELETED.'
'Practically, you sent our memories to the trash.'
'AFFIRMATIVE'
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath as he walked. 'Atlas, is there any way to recover the memories we lost?'
Atlas remained silent for a MOMENT '...'
Viktor sighed. 'You still don't know, do you?'
'....'
Sighing. 'My 'mentor', while training me, talked a lot when she was drunk, she had some difficulty with drinking. Let's just say she told me everything I needed to know about her previous life as a revolutionary. But she never told me she was on this end-of-the-world planet.'
Atlas interrupted. 'YOU THINK SHE WAS AFTER US!?'
'Knowing her, definitely!' Viktor kept walking.
'Atlas, did you reset and reinstall the G-bracelet I got?' changing the subject.
'I'M DOING IT WHILE WE TALK. ' Atlas replied. 'BUT I'M CURIOUS. DO YOU WANT TO SAVE JONH'S DATA AND THE REBEL RECORDS? '
Viktor thought for a moment before responding. 'Keep only Jonh's data. It's good to have contact with someone from the resistance. As for the records and documents, you can delete them. I already know enough, and my 'data' is more up-to-date.'
'UNDERSTOOD, ' said Atlas. 'DELETING RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS, KEEPING ONLY JONH'S DATA. '
'WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?'
'First, I need to recover my strength if we want to survive..' Viktor sighed. Atlas knew that this was not just a matter of physical rest, but also of reorganizing his memories and skills.'
The time travel had been a shock for both of them, and the loss of memories was a problem that needed to be solved.
'FIRST, WE MUST FIND A PLACE TO HIDE!!! ' Atlas suggested.
Viktor agreed, knowing that the idea was not bad. The UNION, a powerful and ruthless organization, was always on the lookout for deserters, rebels, and wanted prisoners. Viktor couldn't risk being captured again, and a safe place to hide and recover was essential for his survival.
'Yes, the idea is not bad...' Viktor agreed with Atlas.
'SECOND STEP, WE MUST RECOVER THE USER'S SKILLS AND RESTART THE PROCESS OF HIS EVOLUTION AGAIN!!!' Atlas concluded.
This was the most important thing. Viktor needed to recover what he had lost or rather, taken. He needed a way to quickly regain his elemental individuality in unconventional ways.
Atlas began to process the information and create a plan of action, while Viktor thought of something that could restore his strength and improve his abilities at the same time. Viktor, on the other hand, smiled, thinking that he had found the perfect solution, a place to hide and at the same time a place to recover his powers, but Atlas was not happy with the idea.
'USER, I MUST WARN YOU THAT, OF ALL YOUR IDEAS, THIS MAY BE THE WORST YOU'VE EVER HAD' Atlas warned, with a serious and concerned voice. Viktor, however, was not intimidated.
'Atlas, trust me, since when have I gotten you into trouble?' Viktor swith a confident smile. Atlas, however, was not convinced.
'USER... I'M RETHINKING OUR PARTNERSHIP '
'What's wrong, Atlas? Just trust me.' Viktor said, with a reassuring smile.
Viktor melted into the crowd, lost in the people rushing to their destinations. Atlas, still connected to Viktor's mind, continued to process the information and assess the situation, analyzing the risks and possibilities. Viktor was determined to move forward, driven by a mixture of fear and determination, but he had many choices in his current situation. UNION would stop at nothing to capture them again, using any means necessary. The ARES squad was a prime example for him.