JP - Guy Talk by the Van

“Mind if I come, Alex?” Cody asked as he got up and followed the man.

"Sure" Alex shrugged, heading outside to lean against the van.

Cody would follow Alex. “What’s on your mind?” He asked.

"The only thing that's been on my mind since these 5 years" Alex sighed looking at his phone. On the screen was the photo Riley had taken of him and Susi sleeping on the couch together when they first met. Ever since she went missing Alex didn't have much to smile about anymore.

Cody glanced at the picture and frowned. “We’ll get her back, Alex.” He said calmly. “She’s part of the family and we’ll help get her back.” The healer had been working on plans and ideas, writing down all kinds of things in the notebook he had stowed away in his backpack. “I’ll figure something out for us…we’ll get them even if we have to kill every MegaCorp scumbag along the way.”

Alex smiled looking over at Cody “thanks Cody I know we’ll it just hurts not having her here with me.” Reaching up to his neck he touched the scars where Susi had marked him in the forest all those years ago. For the past five years Alex had stormed every megacorp facility looking for her.

“I’ve been trying to look into facilities with a lot of rowdy metas in them.” Cody explained with a scratch to his chin. “With how Susi had become over the years, I figure she’s not making life easy for any of those fuckers.” He glanced back toward the hotel to make sure no one had come out and was going to force him to pay the swear jar.

“She’s too wild to let anyone tame the wolf inside her” Alex chuckled “I remember the first time I reacted to her eating steak.”

“Oh? How did that go?” Cody asked with a chuckle of his own.

“Startled River with how excited she was to eat it was as if someone proposed to her.” Alex replied a tear falling down his face “I remember the first time I kissed her she passed out I was so nervous that I blew my chance doing that..” The more Alex began to talk about her the more tears began to fall down his face.

Cody gave Alex a sad smile and squeezed his shoulder. “Get it out, okay?” He said and leaned back against the van as well. “You’ve been holding it in for five years, man…”

Alex let the tears fall freely as the two of them stood there. “I should have been with her, we were supposed to look after each other.”

“There was too much chaos going on for any of us to look after anyone, Alex.” James’ voice came as he walked over, blowing smoke out of his mouth. “At least we know your girl is alive…” He still remembered losing the woman he loved back in the village during the attack from MegaCorp. “Don’t give up hope, kid.” Dropping his cigarette to the ground, he put it out with his boot.

Cody stared at James, knowing the man was going through as much pain as the rest of them, but the pyro had a habit of locking himself away behind a brick wall with everyone. He was far calmer, less prone to cave in when it came to his temper, and he always left Tzeitel alone unless absolutely necessary. Though, over the past five years, they had been starting to at least talk with each other and tolerate each other's company in the same room.

Sighing, the healer looked up at the hotel. “Yeah, we got this.”

"True Plus Lyle's finally been able to infiltrate Megacorp again if anyone can help find her it's him" Alex replied. It felt as if a huge weight had lifted off of him. He knew no matter what he would find her and kill anyone that stood in his way.

“Lyle being on the inside will be very helpful, actually.” James said with a heavy sigh, glancing back at the hotel.

“So…new topic, but…I’ve noticed you and Klaire are getting very…close.” Cody commented.

“Yeah, so?” James frowned at the twenty-one year old.

“When are you two gonna just get married already?!” Cody blurted.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Not this again!” James groaned.

"Something tells me they're not each other's type" Alex replied stretching his back. He tried to think of someone that Klaire would let her that close to her "maybe Lyle" he thought to himself.

“You just don’t like admitting how you feel,” Cody chuckled.

“Ha…ha…” James lit another cigarette. “I’m just glad her kids are alive.”

Cody frowned. “Yeah…” James hadn’t even been given the chance to even try saving his children. Two died and the third one just disappeared into the Hellscape. Esther had left behind a note telling them all where she went and that she never wanted to be bothered, but still…James was the one paying the price for it all.

Even the woman he loved had just up and left before the attack, taking her unborn child with her. It left the pyro lonely and a bit broken. There were always dark circles under his eyes and he’d began focusing on taking care of the kids in the group, as well as helping any kids they ran into. He was just trying to pretend the pain wasn’t there…

"I'm going to hit up the gym Thanks for the talk guys" Alex said grabbing a change of clothes from the van.

Cody and James just waved to Alex as he left.