He moans and stretches at the sun peeks through the blinds and shines on his chest. The warmth simultaneously begs him to stay in bed and welcomes him into the world.

He forces his eyes open and stares at the ceiling. He sits up and looks around him, the room is in shadow, but it's so...alive, in the best way.

He sits there for a moment while the drowsiness very slowly fades away. That was the best sleep he's ever had. The bed had and still feels like a marshmallow, but in a good way.

He rubs his eyes and now has enough energy to force himself to get to his feet. The carpet folds under his feet as he stands, the softness brushing against his souls.

He goes to the bathroom and fixes his hair then walks towards the door and pulls it open. He wanders into the kitchen, Rocket smiles up at him.

"Good morning sir. Sleep well?"

"Too well I think...man I'm still tired. Is that normal?"

"Not that uncommon. Must have been a pretty deep sleep." He laughs,

"You're awake!"

Asher looks at Nicole as she walks in, she looks just like she did yesterday. He smiles, "Good morning. What about you guys? Sleep okay?"

"Eh I've had better."

"Not too bad."

"Where's uh, Noctus?"

"She's downstairs sir, getting a car."

"Okay so, what's the plan?"

"We get in the car drive to D.C. the Court United meets with you tomorrow, the meeting got pushed."

"Why?" Asher asks,

"Because of this."

Nicole walks to the living room, grabs the clicker and switches on the tv.

"You would not believe it."

"So-so wait. He's been found?"

"Yes. I'm told the heir is safe right now. He's been found and is working to claim the company."

"But it's not in New York any longer, not with all those rioters that found out about the meeting I'm glad I'm not him right now."

"Oh I know, can you imagine how many people are after him right now? Trained killers, hitmen, assassins."

"The Catana I'm sure as well."

"Well we definitely wish him the best of luck and godspeed."

Nicole turns off the tv, Asher shakes and sits on a stool. "Comforting." He says,

"Nicely done Nicole."

"Shut up Rocket. Noctus and I wanted you to know. There are people that might try something when we get there. We just...we wanted you to be prepared rather than caught off guard."

Asher nods, "O-okay-y."

"Don't worry Asher, if no one else, Noctus is the best bodyguard in the world. Think of it like this, she's the architect of terror and she's protecting you. You're totally safe with her around and the moment she comes back up, she's not leaving your side."

Architect of Terror. The words stain his mind. The previous night flashes in his mind, Noctus just obliterating Asher's attackers. She's definitely worthy of the title. That alone is enough to get him to stop shaking.

"Alright. Alright. We wait for her then?"

Nicole walks over and turns him around gently. "First. Eat your friggin breakfast sir."

She gives him a light push. Asher smirks as Rocket sets a plate in front of him carrying two pancakes, three sausage and bacon.

Asher sits back down on the stool and thanks him. "Yeah, no problem, I got yours too Nicole."

"Guessing Noctus ate earlier?"

"Most likely, she's pretty hardcore." Rocket says,

"Is she always?"

"Uh...so far. Nicole?"

"Yeah. She's pretty dedicated."

The three sit down and eat together at Asher's request. Apparently the help usually eat separately, but Asher insisted that they stay.

Asher goes into his room, he finds a blue long sleeve shirt, it's got a scattered patten, like...like one of those very very, dark ages, archaic tvs where if it couldn't get a signal the screen would be white and black and fuzzy. But in this instance it's blue.

He walks out and sees his three...acquaintances? Standing in the living room. Rocket carries a duffle bag, the others carry backpacks.

"What's in those?"

"Clothes, food and our stuff."

"You ready sir?" Rocket asks,

"No. Let's go."

'You have nothing to fear.' Noctus says to him,

"Exactly, I got a feeling you'll do well in the company." Nicole chimes in,

They walk to the elevator and wait for it. They tale it all the way down and start out front.

"So...what exactly is the company?" Asher asks,

"It's a few things, drones, surveillance, and AB production."

"AB?"

'It stands for automated body. Robots.' Noctus signs,

"I'd be in charge of all that?"

"You have a room full of advisors but yes, technically its yours." Rocket says,

"Almost." Nicole says,

"Almost, just remember me sir when you reach the top okay?" Rocket jokes,

Nicole elbows him. "What?!"

Asher smiles softly, "It feel so weird. I'm nobody, with nothing. I'm about to take control of one of the biggest companies there is."

As they walk out, Asher stares at the SUV as red as Nicole's hair. "Isn't black the standard you know, secret agent vehicle?"

Nicole grins as she opens the door for him. "Well sir, we aren't exactly secret agents and...red is less conspicuous."

"I think you just like it cause of the color." Asher jokes,

"Are you kidding? Red is the best sir!" She plays back,

Asher laughs, Noctus turns the car over and they pull away.

"So, Noctus will still be there, will you two still be around?" Asher asks,

"That's up to you sir." Rocket says,

"It would be nice. I'm feeling pretty..."

"Alone?" Nicole suggests,

"Yeah."

"Don't worry sir, we get it. You got this."

He takes a deep breath, "This is crazy."

BAM!

Asher slowly opens his eyes. It all comes at him at once, he coughs hard, his hands dangle above him, well actually...it's below him he notices as he realizes the car is flipped.

Asher groans and brings his hand up to hit the red button to release his seat belt. He finally gets it and hits the ceiling of the car with a grunt. He didn't notice but Nicole is already on her hands and knees, Noctus trying to unbuckle herself too.

"Y-you okay?" Nicole asks,

"Ye-ah...you? Noctus?" He asks,

Nicole is already leaning forward and helps her down. Then Rocket who is unconscious.

Asher crawls out the window and painfully stands up.

BANG!

He jumps and drops to his knees. The gunshot echoes. Three more gunshots shatter across the sky.

Nicole yells out, she slides across the wrecked hood of the black truck. She throws her feet into the shooter and they both crash to the ground. She grunts loud in pain.

Asher jumps up and starts to her side but Noctus grabs his arm and throws him back.

Nicole kicks the man in the face and picks up his gun.

BANG! BANG!

She looks at them, tiny cuts splatter the side of her head above the cheek.

BANG!

She shrieks and drops, Noctus looks at Rocket pointing a glock at her, he quickly turns to Noctus, but she disarms him in a fast blurry motion and kicks him to the ground and fires twice.

Asher is already running to Nicole's side. She groans, blood gushes from her stomach. She growls.

"You little brat!" She spits,

Tires squeal to a halt. Asher helps her to her feet, they look over the truck at a giant van that's skidded to a stop.

Nicole pulls a small ball out of her pocket and hucks it over the truck.

She closes her eyes and slaps her hand against Asher's eyes.

BAM!

The flashbang explodes, almost instantly Asher is pulled away.

"Ge-get him out of here! I got this!" Nicole shouts,

"What!? No!" But before he can finish talking, Noctus has grabbed his arm and pulls him away.

"We can't leave her!" Asher shouts,

Nicole throws her arm over the roof of the truck.

BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG-BANG!

Asher looks back as Nicole unloads her tiny automatic on the men as they pile out of the van.

Her gun clicks, she drops her magazine and shakily pulls another, but not fast enough. A giant of a man grabs her by the hair and pulls her over the truck, he grabs her leg and throws her into their van hard.

As Asher and Noctus round the corner, he hears them calling attention to him. Gunshots shriek across the air.

Tears gush out his eyes, its so much that he can barely see where he's stepping. Finally, his heart is about to explode, Noctus stops them and pushes him to the ground into an alleyway, she pulls her cane and pistol and waits.

She lifts her gun and fires as they turn the corner down the street. She drops two, Asher is on his feet, running again.

She hurries to catch up to him andstarts firing behind her at the hitmen. They turns the corner and run into an office building.

Everyone stares as they sprint to the stares, guilt, horror, fills Asher up. They just left her to die. Noctus pushes him gently into the wall behind a plant around a small corner.

Asher stands there, his hand to his mouth. It's Rocket, it was his fault. Gosh dang it! Asher turns and punches the wall three times.

Suddenly he hears the shouting voices, he peeks around the corner and see Noctus shooting and stabbing and cutting them down. It doesn't take long for the police to arrive on the scene.

"Put the weapons down now!"

She holsters her pistol and turns her sword into a cane. She stamps the ground with it. Asher looks at her from the corner.

She waves him over. Hesitantly he does as commanded. She holds her hand out to the five officers.

"I-I-I'm Asher...Palmer."

The officers gasps and slowly stand down and holster their weapons except one. Noctus leans forward and puts her hand on her pistol. The other officers notice, one of them mirrors Noctus.

Noctus takes a step in front of Asher. "Ron, stand down."

He grunts and holsters the pistol. 'We are leaving.'

"She says we're leaving." Asher sniffles,

"Is she helping you? Seriously? You can trust me." The female officer says,

"She's the only one I trust right now."

"Do you need a ride?" She asks,

'We're fine.'

"We're okay, just...let us go." Asher says,

"We didn't see you."

"Lacey!"

"We didn't. See them. Good luck." She says,

They slowly walk past the officers, Noctus makes sure Asher is inbetween her and them the entire time.