“I’m home!” I shut my front door as I walked inside. After a long morning of comforting and then getting scolded by Nessa, it was nice to be back in my own house. The only problem was how empty it was nowadays as evidenced by the silence that greeted me. “And, of course, it’s just me. Again.”

We’d run into this problem before, but it was more prevalent now. Laura hung with Kaela thanks to her newfound independence, and Manning was always checking up on Rebecca. Even I was usually busy with the forge, but I wanted to eat my own food before I went back to that depressing metal box. The savory scent of fried eggs drew me to the kitchen. Did we have eggs this morning? Did we even eat breakfast together this morning? You kind of forgot everything after learning someone’s entire backstory.

I stumbled upon Manning humming as he laid scrambled eggs on a piece of toast. He slapped another piece of toast on top, forming a delicious egg sandwich. So, if we’d had breakfast, this guy was making a second breakfast.

“Manning?”

He gasped and whipped around then heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh, Mr. L—Wander. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I shouted, ‘I’m home!’”

Manning blinked. “All right. Perhaps I’ve been a bit distracted. I was forcing myself to hum just now. Usually, it comes naturally. I’m just concerned about Rebecca. All her vitals are normal, so why has she been unconscious for a week? She tosses and turns in her sleep, but she’s always done that.” Manning beamed as he undoubtedly recalled a happy memory. “Anywho, I only came home to fix a quick snack before I returned to the hospital.”

I chuckled. “That’s funny. I only came by to get a snack before I headed to the forge.”

Manning chuckled too. “Ah, the hectic lives of rebels. Have a seat. You can eat this sandwich; I’ll make another. Then I can drive you to the forge. I know you still don’t have your own cruiser.”

I frowned as he placed his steaming sandwich in front of me. “I had an idea. I was going to ask Surge if I could fix up one of the public ones to make it mine. Problem is, I was going to ask Nessa for help. It’s not fair, Manning. She didn’t even have to be on that mission. She has goals for her life, but, thanks to something stupid, she may never accomplish them. I just want to help her, but I guess she’s not ready for it.”

“It’s respectful to give someone space. However, this is a situation where she’d be wise to accept your assistance.” Manning whisked eggs around a bowl as he talked. I could barely whisk eggs at all. “The sooner she does, the easier it’ll be to recover. We can’t do everything alone.”

I nodded as an interesting thought entered my mind. “That’s true. One little example: I never could have subdued Rebecca if it hadn’t been for…what was it that you did again?”

The whisking stopped. So did my heart because I might have crossed a line. I hadn’t wanted to be so direct, but I was tired of sneaking around Manning’s past. Manning set the bowl down and heaved a deep sigh.

“I didn’t mean to hide this. It’s just not something that I ever planned on using, so it was irrelevant.”

“But it would have been relevant to me. You said your powers were too passive to teach me, but you had that weird mind thing? Seemed pretty active to me.”

He sprinkled salt over his bowl. “I never held back any information about controlling Hybrid abilities. I told you everything I knew. And look, your control over them has grown significantly. Learning about my ‘Memory Share’ wouldn’t have changed anything.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Memory Share? Wait…Memory Share? You can show someone your memories? What the heck does that have to do with intelligence? Why don’t you want to use that?”

“Memory Share is a product of my evolved brain rather than my intelligence. Brains are extremely powerful bundles of potential. Mine just happens to live up to all of it. I personally find it unpleasant to use because of how vividly I experience the memory, along with whomever I’m sharing it with. If I wanted to shock someone with a war memory, I’d be just as shocked as them. It’s not useful in many situations.”

That made a lot of sense. Like all Hybrid abilities, it was a double-edged sword. One day, I wanted to meet a cool Hybrid with no weaknesses. Like a guy who could shoot rockets from his hands and had an endless supply of them.

“I get what you’re saying. Sorry for freaking out.”

“It’s all right. It’s my fault that you feel lied to. I was wondering…would you like a demonstration of my Memory Share? I have a memory that I think you’d like to see.”

He presented his open hand as a silent question. Was I in? I could have asked for more details about the memory, but I wanted to be surprised. It was something that Manning specifically recommended that I see. So I trusted his judgment.

I shook his hand. “Let’s do it.”

I stuffed my sandwich into my mouth while Manning finished up his second batch of eggs. My throat burned as partially-chewed foods passed through it. I was too excited about the memory to chew properly. My stomach should appreciate it, this was the most food it’d gotten at one seating in months. Once we were both finished, we relocated to the living room. I sat on the couch, while Manning stood over me.

“Let’s get right to it.” Manning’s suit peeled back from his arm, revealing his bare palm. It glowed gold just like his hands. “As soon as I touch your forehead, you’ll see something that never actually happened to you. You’ll also experience some thoughts and emotions associated with that memory. You’ll need to steel yourself so you won’t be overwhelmed. Understand?”

“Yeah. I’m ready.”

He nodded. “I apologize in advance if this breaks your mind.”

Wait, what? Manning placed his hand on my forehead before I could ask about that last part. My surroundings blurred as my ears began to ring. I saw nothing but colors and shapes. A familiar scent wafted into my nose. It was sweet, sugary…and burning? It smelled close. Was their kitchen just in the other room?

Their? Some of these thoughts weren’t mine. They must have been Manning’s. He had warned me about this. I hoped my mind wouldn’t break from it.

“Stop, stop. I’ll find a mitten, just hang on a second.” Whoever said that sounded like…Mr. Locke.

“Wand, I’m wearing a space suit,” said a young female. Her voice sounded sweet, like the sugary scent. Cookies, perhaps? “You said yourself that these could handle heat. I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never tested it. I’m not about to let you—Beth? Beth. Get away from the oven!”

Their words blurred together as they argued back and forth about an oven. Though they were arguing, neither sounded angry. One of them was even laughing; the young lady, Beth.

“We’re so sorry about them, Mr. Manning,” said a woman with chocolate brown hair. She sat on a couch across from me. Her hands lay folded in her lap as she smiled. The smile was so natural that it might as well have been her default expression. “They’re just excited. They’re making something for you, actually. Well, Beth is. I have no idea where Wander came from.”

I’d met her before; she was Michelangelo’s daughter. We’d visited her right after Michelangelo’s grandson had been born. She didn’t mention that she remembered me, but I could see the recognition in her eyes.

“He’s just looking after her, like he’s supposed to,” said a man with a balding head of black hair. His hazel eyes were fixed on a wrench as he shoved it into a compartment on his black and gray space suit. This particular suit was designed for combat, meaning that this man had placed that tool where a weapon should have gone. Did he know that? “That’s our kid for you. Here’s a funny story: Wand used to hate Beth.”

“Harold!” said the woman. She was Harold’s wife and…my mom. Here she was, sitting in front of me like that horrible tragedy had never taken place. How? When did Manning see all this? “He didn’t hate her, but he was a teeny bit upset about having to share his parents. It’s perfectly normal…is what all the parenting books said. Luckily, he came around. And pretty quickly too.”

“Barbara’s right. As soon as Beth talked—I mean, babbled for the first time, Wander’s little eyes lit up. She had him right where she wanted him.” Dad smiled as he crossed his arms. I’d forgotten the story; all I remembered was suddenly finding her cute one day. Of course Dad would remember every detail, though. “Kids looking after each other. It’s really all a parent can ask for. So…what’s this meeting about again?

“Wander’s grades.”

Dad…Harold and Barbara’s eyes widened. Had they forgotten the topic so easily just because they admired their children? This was why I refused to have kids of my own. They made you neglect logic and embrace love. I already had Upton for that. I hoped to pay him a visit soon.

“Snacks. Are. Ready!” A girl with a golden-brown mane of hair ran in, carrying a tray. On it were twelve chocolate chip cookies. The tray was steaming, but it was unlikely that she felt it through her blue and white space suit. She gazed down at the tray and frowned. “Wait. I probably should have put these on a plate first.”

“Which is what I was trying to tell you before you zipped off like a cruiser. Oh, hey Manning.” Mr. Locke himself walked in, holding up a plate and a spatula. He had his father’s eyes but his mother’s hair. How pleasant, and…

Weird. There I was, but here I was. No, that wasn’t me, it was a memory. Just like how this wasn’t me, it was Manning. Wait, so who was I? If the mind break was like a headache, then I felt it coming on.

“Wander. Address your instructor by his title or not at all,” Mo—Barbara said. “I’m sorry if that’s how he refers to you at school. We swear we taught him manners. He’s the one who ignores them.”

Mr. Locke shrugged. “Teenagers don’t really do manners, sorry Mom. Oh, wait.”

Beth chuckled as their mother shot him a glare. Beth held up her tray of cookies, leading Mr. Locke to scoop them up and lay them on his marble plate. They’d argued mere seconds ago, but now they were working together in perfect harmony. Only siblings could have such a relationship. These two were the spitting image of Upton and me. I felt a twinge of sadness as I smiled.

Mr. Locke looked up at me. “What is it, Manning? You remember something funny?”

“You want to hear something funny? Let’s start with your grades, young man.” Harold picked up a cookie. He took a bite out of it and pointed the rest at Wander. “You said you’d be picking them up, but Mr. Manning just said—”

I cleared my throat as I took a cookie. “I’m sorry, did I imply that Wander’s grades have been receding? It’s quite the opposite, actually. His grades have improved tremendously! You have a very bright young man here.”

Harold and Barbara’s faces lit up at this new revelation. It may not have been the complete truth, but…I could no longer bring myself to fail him. The reason why lay in this cookie I had taken. Its sides were slightly darker than they should have been, but, as I bit into it, I found it so gooey and rich that it didn’t matter.

This cookie was the product of love, created by two siblings who truly cared about each other. I couldn’t fail a loving sibling.

“Never mind what I was saying. Good job, buddy.” Harold ruffled Wander’s hair, which he appreciated if his smile was any indication. “Good job on getting those grades up. Sorry if I sounded kind of scary for a second.”

“I knew you could, sweetie,” said Barbara, clapping her hands together. “I’m so glad you’re finally using that big brain of yours.”

Wander just grinned as he shrugged off their affection. “I keep telling you guys I’m a boy genius. No one ever listens to me. I’ll forgive you if I can get some new tools.”

The only one who didn’t offer words of congratulations was Beth, whose face actually fell as her parents congratulated her brother. She turned away from everyone and munched on a cookie in silence. Odd. I’d expected her to have the most compliments to give. Instead, she had none?

I’d never noticed her reacting that way. Oh, I was Wander, I mean, myself again. Good, because I wanted to appreciate this as long as I could. They just looked so happy here. The other me didn’t realize how good he had it. He was the jerk who was about to lose everything.

My face was wet, but then it wasn’t. I sniffed, but nothing was wrong with Manning’s nose. I was crying in the real world. Of course I was because this was the last time I’d ever see Mom and Dad like this. They’d never congratulate me again. Never buy me tools or video games for bringing home the occasional good grade. They were gone, but the time to cry about that was over.

I’d always miss them but being so upset about their passing was getting in the way. It was time I accepted that I still had a family. I had Laura and Manning and Kaela and Nessa. I wiped my eyes as the memory turned hazy. It was time to go.

“Bye Mom…bye Dad,” I said. The words echoed around me as my surroundings blurred. I have to go now. You guys just stay right here. I’m sorry if my being the Alpha got you killed…but I had no say in it or any of this mess. I have to ride it out, but you guys are free. I’ll never forget you or what you did for me and Beth. I promise I’ll protect her! I’ll bring her back, so…you don’t have to worry. Bye guys…I love you.”

The memory shattered. The colors escaped their outlines and filled my vision. I focused on the wetness of my eyes. It anchored me to reality. The wetness increased as I realized that I’d said goodbye for the last time. I doubled over as my tears fell, and I did nothing to stop them. The carpet crunched under my hands. Its tan color returned. I blinked tears from my eyes as I looked up and saw my living room. It was right where I’d left it.

“It’s okay.” Manning’s hand found my shoulder as he pulled me in for an arm hug. “You’re back; you’re safe. Your mind is intact…correct?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” I touched my head. It felt intact. I sniffed as I wiped my eyes again. “I’m more okay than I’ve ever been. There’s no weight in my stomach anymore.”

He sighed in relief. “Good. That’s closure. Few people ever receive that. I’m glad you’re one of them.”

I couldn’t believe I was finally moving past the chaos that had started all this. Now I could focus on the people I still had because a few of them really needed me.

VRRRM!

My pocket vibrated. I reached into it and pulled out my phone. There were only a handful of people who could have been messaging me. It was not like the Oppressed’s app was public. I blinked the residual tears from my eyes as I gazed at the screen. My stomach churned as I read its contents. I showed the screen to Manning, who furrowed his brow out of concern…or was it confusion? Either emotion would be appropriate. I glanced at the screen again as I stood up. It was a message from Surge and an ominous one at that.

It’s time you learned the origin of this base come to my office for the truth.