This will be the third and final installment which will serve as the epilogue for Downfall. The story is set where Chad had long retired from any involvement with the KND and is in his final year in college. Rachel on the other hand, had disappeared years prior.
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Her haunting memories were forever engraved in his.
The weight of his entire body automatically gravitated to the ground. Weariness lit his veins on fire. And as his blue eyes softy closed, Chad felt completely at peace. The bed of freshly, trimmed grass underneath the cloth of his varsity uniform soothed his aching muscles. And in that moment he was aware of everything around him.
The smell of earthen materials, the soft sunlight warming his face and the cool wind quietly blowing; they were all too distinctly, painfully familiar.
He will never forget the last moment he set foot in Whitfield High. She had oddly called for him out of the blue in his domain of all places—the football field. And though he supposed it was a matter of school politics succession she wanted to discuss, a small part of him wished it was her final message to him before his graduation from senior high school the following day. It almost made him regret he hoped for the latter.
When he reached the said place, there was no one in sight. All that welcomed him was a lone, newly purchased football sitting in the middle of the field. And the message written on that football had almost ripped apart his sanity.
'Congratulations, sir. You are no longer viewed as the traitor.' Chad swore he recognized the handwriting. After countless of times seeing that very penmanship on almost every document that went through him, he knew it could only belong to one person—Rachel Mckenzie. So he looked; turned his back and frantically scoured each corner for any sign of her. And as the budding desperation pooled in his gut, several questions had begun flooding his head one after the other. Did the TND give her a special mission? Were they even working under the same organization? Or maybe even, she was a double agent all along like he was. But only one, disorienting thought had surfaced from them all.
Rachel stayed by his side after being falsely decommissioned.
But that day ended in the most disappointing way, with every trace of her gone and completely wiped
—as if everything went according to plan.
A week later, he departed from his parents' home and settled in a condominium ten cities away to adjust to his chosen University.
Chad has never again seen or heard from Rachel since then.
His eyes were suddenly jolted open. "Nap time's over, Chad. C'mon, it's your last day. Why not give the ladies your best show?" Maurice teasingly regarded his junior and offered him a helping hand. The blonde young man simply gave a mock look of annoyance but took the hand nonetheless. "Shouldn't you be the one putting an effort at impressing any lady?" The male in question broke into a sheepish grin while retrieving the discarded football. "Maybe after I finish my masters' degree so I won't be forgotten. Then again, I doubt Cree would be too thrilled." Chad's signature smirk crept on his lips. "Remind me again never to get an overly dramatic girlfriend." The gleam in Maurice's eyes visibly softened as he replied. "There was always one girl that ever qualified to be your girlfriend. And she's as primly contained as she ever was." His words were powerful enough to completely keep Chad distracted in the entire game.
He couldn't help but reminisce.
His mind was preoccupied, not even minding his carelessness for leaving his school bag in the lecture room. He idly pressed the button for the floor on the elevator, and thought of how different he saw life affiliated with the Kids Next Door and out of it. His graduation from teenage-hood served as his freedom. With age came understanding, and that understanding led his former comrades to realize the truth behind his so called betrayal years back. And it was a silent realization that slowly, calmed tides with non-decommissioned agents younger than him. Chad Dickson was redeemed.
The doors opened with an audible click and he stepped outside. He couldn't care less any longer that the GKND took in Numbuh 1 instead of him. His teenage turmoil had sizzled out quite nicely over the years. KND or not, he still continued to live his glory days albeit that of a normal high school student. And even if he still worked as a double agent outside of campus, he dealt with his frustrations and saw the light of things. He actually learned to live a normal life. And she was one of the keys that led him to accomplish such.
Chad softly shook his head and sported a crooked smile. His life landed a prominent plummet in her absence, whether he admitted it or not. And though he was the hero once more, he was utterly dissatisfied—miserable at best. Maybe just maybe, he'd fallen in love with Rachel a long time ago.
He reached his destination and quietly opened the doors. As expected people had left, probably preparing for college graduation the day after. He trudged towards the only desk still left occupied and retrieved his bag. But years of KND experience had honed him to the finest and could sniff out a mouse in hiding.
So he sharply turned his back with alert, piercing blue eyes, only to have his breath stuck in his throat.
Indeed, the irony of fate.
She was there, right before his eyes; tangible in every way. Her overall physique had significantly matured as time passed. But even then, he could tell it was her just by looking at that same, beautiful smile he saw years ago. "I wanted to greet you first, but I guess you beat me to it." The tone of her voice seemed completely flustered as if she had lost the will to speak what she really wanted to say. But his mind was far from indulging in warm greetings.
After years of figuring out his life over and over, only a single question remained in his mind but it bears much meaning. "Why?" His voice was hard and thick yet his eyes were the picture of pain. It had taken Rachel by surprise but she completely understood and assumed her guarded, professional disposition. And he hated it. "I'm deeply sorry for keeping my silence for so long. It was part of the responsibility I had to uphold upon joining the TND, thus also staging my decommissioning. I did it so I could protect you." His expression remained blank, unreadable even to her trained eyes. "Father eventually found out about your identity as a spy and was adamant to have you eliminated." Much to her surprise, Chad had begun pacing towards her direction but still, she remained unfaltering. "And that's where I come in. Information regarding assassins was tricky to access so someone adept with Intel gathering was needed." His towering form had soon loomed over her and she bravely responded and looked straight at him. The next thing she knew, he had completely enveloped her with his body. He was tired of playing cat and mouse.
"C-Chad?" For once in her life, Rachel was at a complete loss. Her arms were awkwardly hanging by her sides, unsure of what do. Chad simply nuzzled his nose further into her neck, breathing her in. "No one ever told you to carry such burdens." And little by little, tears had started streaming down her face. She hadn't realized how much she longed for him; how much she yearned to interact with him with no barriers in between.
"Didn't you hear me say when we were children? I am the best espionage agent there is—your best espionage agent." With that she finally yielded and returned his touch with equal intensity. No other words were exchanged. He simply deepened his hold and she understood.
From the grounds beside the building, Maurice looked on to the window of the room where he knew his two former comrades were. And he smiled, completely satisfied with his work and walked away.