2 months later...

A couple of months had passed by ever since the aliens, identified as Kymeras, arrived onto the island and the war between them and the Imagined Order started.

With some convincing, Marigold eventually managed to find herself as an undercover agent in the Imagined Order. Using her smarts, she lead Slone to believe she was another 'snapshot' of Midas, but being mindful telling her that he and Marigold didn't know each other.

Slone bought it and gave her a job.

There was only one reason why she chose to get a part time job at I.O though.

It was so she could get information on what Slone was planning, and deliver it to Midas. It was their way of keeping track with I.O's plans and what the Kymeras were planning too. As for Midas himself, he and Jones sought out a temporary idea to keep the blond hidden from Slone's sight. He disguised Jones in a cow costume, the agency leader saying he'd look as though he was one of his own snapshots and blend in with the other Jonesies scattered around the island.

It was working surprisingly well! On the guards at least.

As for Slone...

Well, it wasn't long before she sussed him out.

Jones sneaks a peak of his surroundings. He was just outside Corny Complex, a place he knew he shouldn't be at as it was riddled with I.O guards and a Doctor Slone waiting for his dumbass to get himself caught. Thankfully for him, no guards seemed to be on patrol at the moment.

"Man. All this trouble for a few cartons of milk?" He mutters, taking one from the bag on his shoulder. He cringes at the 'MISSING' advert plastered on them, displaying his face. "I feel like a wanted criminal with my face being put everywhere."

He briefly goes over the thought again.

"...I suppose I am one. And all I did was save this place from destruction...and fall in love with I.O's sworn enemy." He chuckles, his laugh slowly developing into a frustrated shout.

"UGH!! What did I do wrong?! All I did was save countless realities!" He yells, his voice increasing in volume. "What do I get as a reward? A deceased ex-wife and a boss out to kill me for doing a heroic deed!"

Seeing a nearby stone, he looses his temper and kicks it away into the air out of frustration. However, he didn't plan for it to fly directly into a window in the nearby house, followed by a female voice shouting. It causes a group of I.O guards to come flocking out, accompanied with Doctor Slone who had a fresh bruise on her forehead.

"Who the fuck is kicking stones out here?!"

Jones sheepishly slides behind a tree, hoping he was hidden.

"Well shit." He whispers, punching himself softly on his side. "Why'd I do that?"

"John Jones! We know you're here! Come out wherever you are with your hands up!" The guards call out, raising their weapons.

He doesn't budge, keeping a hand over his mouth. It was so silent he could hear his own heart pulsating inside him out of sheer dread and fear. Doctor Slone groans in frustration, taking what looked like a plasma ray from the holster on her hip and firing it at the tree Jones was hiding behind.

When the smoke clears, he swivels around only for the guards to run from behind him and push Jones to the ground, the hood of his disguise slipping off and revealing his face.

"Ah Jones. You really are a naive idiot to think this disguise plan of yours would keep you hidden." Slone tuts with a sigh. "Though I must say it fits your personality."

Jones looks slightly offended by that comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What I'm saying, you imbecile, is that you're a complete and utter coward." Slone spits, the guards picking him up and restraining his arms. "Maybe that's what Midas was trying to tell you when he picked it out for you."

"Midas would never! I know I can be a recipe for disaster at times-"

"You are one."

"Hey I'm not finished!" Jones yells. "But I was the one who actually saved reality! Whereas you just sat back and watched! You can ask Midas and he'll tell you it's true."

"That child did your work for you Jones. She has more balls than you ever will! All you did was trap yourself here."

Slone turns to the guards, them standing up straight and awaiting her orders.

"Guards, take him into our base under the barn. Make sure he stays there until HE realizes Jones is missing."

"Yes ma'am!"

They begin dragging Jones away, him straining to break free from their grasps.

"Ugh!! I'm not letting you make me look like an idiot again!!"

Freeing one of his hands Jones elbows one of the guards in the head, while using a foot to kick the other in the chest, thus forcing him to loose his grip. He then makes a run for it as Slone yells in anger.

"You idiots! Stand up and get that traitor!! NOW!!"

Jones breathes heavily in exhaustion. The costume he was wearing wasn't the best thing while the hot summer sun was blazing down onto the island. He dives into a pile of hay, taking out his phone and dialing a number. Midas' number.

"This is Midas. How did you get this number? Whatever the reason, I can't come to the phone right now. Leave a message and we'll see about a response."

"Midas, it's Jones! First off, could you have a less threatening voicemail greeting? Second, my cover's been blown, and now I.O is coming to arrest me! Please help-"

He can't even finish the voicemail before the hay dissipates as the guards fire their pulse rifles. Doctor Slone takes out a different looking pistol and it shoot out a dart. It pierces through his left arm, injury it badly.

"A tranquilizer gun."

As he slowly begins to feel the effects and struggling to stay awake, the guards pick him up and drag him away, Slone picks up his phone and finishes the voicemail herself.

"You better be quick Midas. You have 2 hours to show, or your little Jonesy is toast."

Slone then stops the recording and sends the message, walking past Jones and slipping his phone in her pocket.

"Guards, get him out of that ridiculous outfit and put him into some normal clothes. He can get his phone back after he's dressed."

The guards nod, while Jones' eyes slowly begin to close as he looses consciousness and falls into a deep slumber.

-----------

Meanwhile...

"Okay, Jones. I know this relationship of ours is probably weird and new for the two of us." Midas starts, putting his hands together. "And I know during an invasion isn't the best time to ask this question."

He takes a deep breath and turns around.

"Are you interested..."

He pauses, sucking the air through his teeth.

"....in going out on a date after all this?"

Jules blankly stares at him while wearing a blond wig and a blazer.

"Yeah, no."

Midas groans, pinching the brim of his nose.

"Jules, you're not helping me feel more comfortable about asking him if you give me that response."

"Well I'm sorry lover boy, but I'm not Jonesy." Jules apologizes, slipping the wig off. "Besides he's been in a past relationship, so this isn't exactly new for him."

"Well it is for me. I just... don't want to fuck it up."

Jules sighs, getting tired.

"Midas we should stop. It's really hot out and I don't wanna wear this blazer all day."

"No! We can't stop now. I need to make sure it's perfect before Jones comes back."

"For crying out loud Midas we've been doing this for an hour and a half!" She groans. "Besides surely he'd be back by now, right?"

He nods in agreement, hearing his phone vibrate on his nearby work desk.

"I suppose you're right. We can try again tomorrow or something. And maybe that's Jones calling me right now."

He goes to answer, seeing he had a single voicemail from Jones not too long ago. He lets it play out, and his calm neutral expression fades into a pale worried one. He clenches his teeth as it ends, Jules noticing.

"Brother? You okay?"

He turns back around.

"Jules, Jones' cover has been blown. And now Slone has him held captive at Corny Complex."

Jules looks unsurprised about it, but is still worried for him.

"Welp. You better go get him then."

Midas nods, grabbing his drumgun and heading for front door as he runs downstairs.

"Are you coming, or will you remain here?"

"You're already powerful enough on your own. I don't think you'll need my help getting him back."

Midas chuckles lightly, his cheeks going a slight pink at the compliment. Jules smiles back with a snicker.

"Very well then."

Midas closes the door behind him begins talking telepathically to Orelia who, in a sense, was Marigold's version of Oro.

"Orelia, get me to Corny Complex. Quickly, if you please."

She could tell from the sound of his voice that Jones was in danger, and she knew he wasn't going to let Slone lay another finger on him again.

And so just like that, he disappears from sight.