Episode 12: Operative Status: Removed

Chapter 34: Going Home

"Are you insane?" Joseph must admit that it was the first time he has heard Rhode openly yelling at him in a while but of course, the circumstances were far away from evoking nostalgia in him. All his former teammates had cornered him in the Robotics lab where he had been submersing himself in his work all morning. "Do you know how fucking stupid your idea is?"

Swearing… Joseph thought. That's a rare one.

"Adrianne, calm down." Potter tried to calm her down because at this point, all of them were caught of guard by her vulgar speech.

"No!" She affirmed. "I have been quiet this entire time, minding my own business and none of you even thought of talking some sense into him? If you haven't, tough luck because I will."

"Rhode!" Drewmore interrupted her, bringing everyone to attention. "Arguing is going to get us nowhere. He's already done the damage so we may as well see what more he has to this plan."

"Hendrick is right." Alarik sighed before turning to Stanton. "So, what is it that you had planned? Who is going to replace the kids?"

"Like I said yesterday, we are." Joseph said closing the hatch to the robot he was working on before cleaning the motor oil off his hands.

"He is officially insane." Adrianne sighed, shaking her head.

"Now I'm on her side." Potter said. "You do realise that our morphin genes are as good as dead? And not to add onto that, our morphers are out of power so not only do we risk the chance of killing ourselves in the process or anyone surrounding us."

Joseph only looked up at them before shaking his head and standing up, walking to the his cart where his tools were. "Joseph… I get that you feel guilty about the kids and I understand why you want them out of the fight and I respect that. But, we can't replace them even if we wanted to." Alarik said. "Can't you speak to some fellow past rangers and see if any of them can-"

"We're replacing them and that is final." Joseph said. "I've been working on a way to get our morphers recharged and I manage to boost it up to thirty percent."

"Thirty?" Potter asked incredulously. "Do you really think that will be enough?"

"Well, back when we were Rangers, thirty percent lasted us about… two or three months." Drewmore recalled.

"Not you too!" Rhode huffed in annoyance. "Are you seriously drinking the crazy kool-aid too?"

"If he has managed to override the morphin access and get our morphers to work then-"

"And what about our genes?" Rhode interrupted Alarik.

"Our genes will only react if the morphers energies run low." Joseph said. "So we don't let them get to a critical state."

"We fought Nellitum in a critical state which is why our genes are messed up." Potter said. "Besides, this isn't a freaking space brute we're talking about. This is a sneaky teenage girl with the psychology of a serial killer."

"Which is what will make it easier." Joseph said. "Because Nellitum's tactics are far different from Harton's, we will use less energy in the process and the energy in our morphers will last us longer than three months."

Now even Potter sounded a bit convinced. "I don't know…"

"Really, Chass?" Rhode hissed at her and she raised her hands in defense. Rhode could now say she was entirely stupefied. "Are you all mad?"

"Adrianne, it's not like we have any choice." He said.

"We do," Rhode said. "And it is those heartbroken kids getting packed up and ready to go God-knows-where."

"Those kids need help." Joseph said.

"I was helping them!" Rhode exclaimed.

"But I wasn't." Joseph said. "In actual fact, none of us were. You were just prolonging the effects. You weren't helping them at all."

"Excuse me?" Rhode questioned, the offense she had felt eminent in her voice.

"Adrianne…" Joseph said, drawing back her attention. "These kids have problems. They need to focus on themselves and getting better before they can do anything else. They had their childhoods taken away from them because some people didn't give a damn about how they feel. But I do. We all do. If we let them carry on, all they will do is destroy themselves in the process. I don't care if you don't want to fight anymore. That is your business. But I will even though I don't want to. I cannot call some other alumni Ranger to fix this mess. It will make the kids feel like I'm replacing them and that's not why I let them off. So don't fight, I don't care." He turned to the others. "Who will fight?"

They looked at each other and Potter let out a sigh. "I will." She said.

"And so will I." Hendrick nodded as well. They looked to Alarik who looked rather skeptical.

"I… don't think I can, guys." He shook his head with a sombre look on his face. "But… I will help you I whatever way I can."

"Thank you, Malachi… everyone." Joseph nodded at him and all faces turned to Rhode who was still as vehement as before.

"Good, go die then. See if I care!" She said before turning on her heels and stomping out of the lab.

"Oh good, you're awake." Utara said as Harton got up after she dabbed a wet cloth on the Empress' face. "Greetings, my Empress."

"What happened?" Harton groaned as she sat up but hissed at the pain in her shoulder. Utara bit her lip but was caught off guard by her crying child. She bowed in respect as she stood up and went over to her baby whom she left playing on the mat. "Utara?" Harton called out to her as she picked up her baby.

"Yes, my E-"

"When did you stop calling me Harton?" She asked immediately, catching the Amysthean lady off guard.

"I beg your pardon?" Utara asked.

"It's funny; how we stopped being equals... because I know it happened some time in the past but I can't exactly pinpoint when it happened or when it started feeling normal. I remember when we were younger and we used to play outside the castle walls every now and then, get in trouble and be scolded at." Harton sighed. "That seems like a lifetime ago. You even got married and you have a child."

"Well, you have changed too." Utara bounced her baby to soothe him. "You are the Empress and one of the fiercest this side of the galaxy."

Harton let out a scoff at that statement. She was not about to start thinking that way again, especially after the way Dunvall out her back in her place. Harton bit her lip. "I... don't even know who I am anymore." She sighed. "Where is Dunvall?"

"You cherish him a lot, don't you?" Utara asked.

Harton sighed. "... But at this point, I don't think he cherishes me."

"Are you being ridiculous?" The baby started to wail again and Utara groaned in annoyance.

"Let me hold your kin." Harton said and Utara looked skeptical. "My arm is fine."

"Very well." Utara sighed before letting her carry Plonare and he seemed to calm down completely. "You had always been great with children."

"I'm surprised I still have effect." Harton said. "Even though I have become a monster, they still don't pick upon that."

Utara frowned before sitting back down. "You are not a monster, Empress."

"I am, Utara." Harton said. "I did something terrible and for the most part, I wasn't even aware that I did it." Harton sighed. "What I did yesterday, feels like a dream when I look back at it but in all honesty, I may have compromised our entire situation. Hell, I may have compromised even our survival as a race. I'm half expecting those earthlings to show up with a declaration of war."

"Empress, is there... something that may have... coerced you into doing that?" Utara asked.

"That would be making up excuses for myself." Harton said. "I need to face the consequences of my actions... and that means facing Dunvall."

"I can assure you, he doesn't hate you." Utara said. "Quite the opposite actually. But right now, rest. You'll face him later."

"Too early." Harton said, motioning to his figure by the door of her chambers where he had walked in. "Utara, can you excuse us?"

"Of course." Utara reached out to take the baby but Harton refused. "But Empress..."

"He is the only guarantee I have that you will return." Harton teasted. "I need my friend, not my hand-maiden."

Utara rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, I will get the kitchen maidens to prepare us something and we will gossip the day away until you feel better."

"Just like old times." Harton chuckled.

"But the baby comes with me." Utara said before teasing in a low voice. "His eyes are still innocent."

"Take him and leave." Harton said and Utara laughed before taking Plonare and walking out of the room, giving a respectful bow to Dunvall before leaving. Dunvall entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"Good morning Your Excellency." Dunvall bowed and Harton frowned at his proper way of addressing her.

"I guess I lost my right of normalcy with you." Harton said but Dunvall ignored her comment and went on.

"I have come to inform you that the government has changed exactly in your favour." He said. "Should we continue with the plan of action or do you have something else in mind?"

"I want to apologize for the way I behaved yesterday." Harton blurted out. "I don't now what came over me and I know you are angry at me and-"

"Harton." Dunvall interrupted her, grabbing her attention. "I want you to be officially inaugurated as Empress."

"Huh?" Harton was confused.

"I have a theory." He said as he sat down where Utara was seated before him. "Aklestal was the one that influenced you earlier. It's happening."

Harton sighed, shaking her head. "Of course. Being a ruler always comes with... that perk."

"Making you familiar with Aklestal may reduce the chances of you being... possessed like that." He explained. "But it will increase the chances of him consciously influencing you." He stood up. "The state of D.C. is calm so we may continue or plans some other time. I'll leave you to rest." He turned to leave but Harton clutched onto her wrist.

"I'm... deeply ashamed of what I did." Harton said. "I just wanted to you to know that. I put everyone at risk."

Dunvall looked at her and sighed. "Don't think of me as a saint." He said as he sat back down. "I have made mistakes, betrayed people... and the odds of me doing it again are not slim."

Harton shook her head. "You would never do that." Dunvall simply looked at her before leaning forward and pressing his lips against her forehead.

"Get some rest." He whispered to her but before her could pull away, Harton placed her hand at the back of his neck, keeping him back. "Utara will be back any moment."

"You spur the moment yet you cannot fulfill it?" Harton asked with a teasing smile.

"I already broke too many rules as is." Dunvall said.

"You broke them once, you can break them again." She said. "But I suppose you're right..." Harton pulled away before bowing. "My apologies." Dunvall nodded before standing up.

"I will come check on you later." He said before walking towards the door. Her pulled it open and saw Utara waiting very close to the door.

"Pray tell, just how many rules have you broken?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him and Harton giggled while Dunvall glared at her. The exchange was most definitely going to be something goofy. Utara and Dunvall have never liked each other, it was kind of boring seeing them be civil to each other these past few weeks.

"You have always been a clown." Dunvall commented.

"And you have always been a gigolo but I'm glad the Empress is holding down your leash." He rolled his eyes at her before leaving. Utara giggled before hiking Plonare up a bit higher on her side before entering and closing the door behind her.

"The sex must be stellar if he is that gutted for me cutting the time short." Utara bluntly said.

"Utara!" Harton hid her face in embarrassment and her friend simply laughed at her.

"So we're relieved of duty just like that?" Finley gnawed on her lower lip before nodding and Wyatt sighed. He had woken up earlier the next morning but his body was still in immense pain. "Well... I guess he was tired of us failing." Wyatt let out a tired sigh but Finley felt that he was getting the wrong message from his whole ordeal.

"It's because we're not well so-"

"Isn't that the same as us failing?" Wyatt asked. "We let this stupid part of ourselves get in the way. Truth is, even I don't think we're cut out to be Rangers."

"Wyatt!" Finley whined but the Red Ranger shook his head.

"No, Fin. We have to start thinking about ourselves if we're ever going to help anyone." Wyatt said. "We're a danger to others in the process. If Stanton will be able to pick up where we left off then we should let them. They are experts."

"Yeah but..." Finley paused, wondering how she would voice her concern over their mentors taking over. She knew that it was impossible for them to hand over their morphers to other people because the powers bonded to them permanently until they themselves died. They had a system before of power transfers but they abolished it after they learned ways of developing newer morphers without a hassle especially since power transfers were very dangerous. Alarik had once explained to the Rangers of how Ranger tech was constantly evolving from what it used to be. In retrospect, using older morphers were more dangerous than newer ones because they were less stable. And what made Finley worry even more was that their mentors had the worst end of the stick.

Their morphers - despite them not being the first Ranger team - was the first prototype morphers ever to be made. The foe they faced breached the Morphin Grid and stole what was known as the Eltarian Star which powered the Morphin Grid and without it, it rendered all Ranger teams at that moment in time useless. The only option they had was the prototype morphers Zordon and their foster father created because it was not powered by the Morphin Grid. Rather, they broke five gems out of the Eltarian Star and infused it to create the morphers. What was so dangerous about that was that the Eltarian Star in a whole had a core that kept the flow of power going on through and through similar to how the heart keeps the body running. When they broke off gems from the ore, it only possessed a certain amount of power to last long enough. What made it more dangerous was that it bonds with the user so once the gem is depleted, the user is depleted as well and dies.

Alarik explained that the creator, Zordon, was the first user of the White Morpher but after his fight with his foe, Rita Repulsa, the gem depleted until his life force was almost none-existent which is why he was kept in a power chamber as a floating head- to conceal the very little life force he had left. What if something like that happened to them?

"Finley?" The girl woke up from her reverie as Wyatt stare at her with concern.

"Nothing... I... guess you're right." Finley said before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Wyatt asked and Finley turned around.

"I'm going to pack." Finley said. "My brother, Ezra is coming in a couple of hours to get me."

"So soon?" Wyatt asked rather shocked and Finley nodded.

"What about Dante and Thalia?" Wyatt asked. "Morgan came in earlier to say goodbye too but you know how he is with the whole... emotions thing."

"Yeah.. Morgan left already." She said with a small frown. "He was the angriest out of all of us so it was... expected. Well, Thalia will be here for the meantime due to her condition." Finley said. "Rhodes will... probably look into her a lot more closely and Dante will probably go when Alarik goes to meet his wife since he'll be staying with them until further notice." Finley let a small smile. "You didn't think we'd leave without saying goodbye, did you?"

"And what about me?" Wyatt asked and Finley's face fell.

"Well... I asked Hendrick this morning and he said that since you are still injured, your mom will come and get you on Wednesday most likely." She said.

"So... this is it, huh?" Wyatt asked and the Silver Ranger nodded. She turned to leave but as soon as she placed her hand on the door handle, she paused. "Fin?" Wyatt noticed Finley's hesitance but he was shocked as she turned around, moving back towards Wyatt's bed before sitting down by his side and grabbing him into a hug. Wyatt guffawed a little at what was happening but calmed down when he heard Finley let out a sniffle.

"I'm really going to miss you guys." She admitted, burying her face into his shoulder.

Wyatt stopped thinking and reacted, wrapping his arms around her midriff despite the pain in his arms. "I'm..." He stopped before deciding to correct himself. "We're going to miss you, we're going to miss each other." Finley nodded. "I'm never going to forget you guys."

"Yeah, me neither." Finley said before pulling away. She smiled at him before shocking Wyatt even more by leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek, making him freeze still and his heart race. "Thanks for everything." She said before standing up and walking out of the room, leaving behind an utterly stunned Wyatt who was too slow to react when Dante came in a few moments afterwards and yelled buddy! before engulfing the Red Ranger in a huge bear hug.

Thalia knew she was not supposed to be there but she couldn't help but be curious. She had navigated her way through most of the ship, looking for Rhode to see what she would do next. Their command center was now locked and Thalia was forced to spend most of her day in Rhode's office which was depressing. Thalia never realized how much she hated being idle and it only showed now.

It was when she heard grunts when she was suddenly intrigued as to what was going on. She moved a bit further into the halls until she found an opened door. She peeked inside to see Drewmore, Potter and Stanton sparring in against a G.I taskforce. Thalia had a feeling that she was supposed to move away and continue down the halls but she was mesmerized by them. The fact that they were veterans must have registered to her that they were amazing fighters but knowing it and seeing it were two different things.

Potter was incredibly fast and the way she used her elbows and knees were really impressive but it made plenty of sense. She was small and less stronger in comparison to the two but she needed to keep the playing field leveled. Drewmore was with size but he used his head for most of it. Drewmore seemed like one of those cautious fighters who would strike when necessary but the fact that he was so tactical and quick made him seem much more skilled. Stanton was crazy good as well. He was a mixture if both Potter and Drewmore but was a lot more forward and precise than the other two.

Thalia watched the taskforce go down like flies as the three fought against them and Thalia was amazed at how quick, nimble and strong they were. Now she understood why they were being replaced. As Joseph brought another taskforce member down, he noticed Thalia at the door and gave off a little smile before taking another down. He then motioned something to the others and made his way to where she was. "Were you looking for me?"

Thalia was a bit dazed as she stared at him but shook her head. Ever since the incident with her mom, Stanton was becoming less and less scary or creepy to her but it was getting harder and harder for her to speak to him and she didn't understand why. Maybe because she understood where that outlet stemmed from. She could remember a bit of her childhood and the fearsome parts of it that she had sworn to forget were involving his doppelganger. "I was looking for Rhode..."

"She went out for the day." He said, reaching for the back of his neck to wipe the sweat away. "She'll be back soon. Don't worry about it." She nodded. Joseph raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not going to make fun of me? You're awfully quiet for a Turunen." He sighed. "If you're angry about us taking your place..." She shook her head almost immediately. "Then what's the matter?"

Thalia shook her head. "Go back to your training."

Joseph looked at her before shaking his head. "Well, I need to keep you occupied instead of having you wander around. Come on." Thalia was a bit surprised but nodded before following him slowly from behind. It was silent for most of the walk but Joseph spoke suddenly. "I didn't want to relieve you guys of your duty." Thalia looked up to see Stanton's back before looking back down. "I understand if you hate me... But I did it for you guys." They entered a secured quadrant of the ship that Thalia never recognized.

As she wondered where she was, Stanton placed his key card against the lock and let it scan before it was affirmed with a beep sound and the door slid open. "Come in." He said as he walked in and Thalia walked in after him. She noticed the furnishing inside the room and it clicked to her.

"You live here?"

"I can't sleep in my office now, can I?" He said as he put the card on the table. "You'll be staying here until Rhode clears you. I'd have you stay with her or Potter but Rhode lives with her father off the G.I. ship and Potter insisted she stay in the taskforce quarters since she won't be staying long."

"Where is she going?" She asked.

"Back to Thestile and Mornicus." Joseph explained as he entered the kitchen to get water. "Her husband is there so..." He came back out and handed her a bottle of juice. "Feel free, alright? This is only temporary." She nodded. She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a ring at the door.

"It's open." He said as he cracked open his bottle of water.

"Joseph, I have a proposal for..." Aleister said as she came into the room but stopped short of seeing Thalia. "Oh... She's still here."

"Aleister, whatever it is, make it quick." He said.

"Can we discuss this in private?" She asked.

Joseph looked at Thalia then back at her. "Thalia is part of G.I. What is there that you would want to discuss in private now that you see her here?"

"I would not like interference in this discussion." Aleister said.

Joseph raised an eyebrow at her. "Aleister, I am very busy man right now."

"Five minutes." She said. "You will not regret it."

Joseph nodded before gesturing to her to follow him outside before the door slid shut behind them. "What is it?"

"I took the liberty of preparing a profile of myself and four of my best men." She claimed, trying to give him the folder and Joseph raised an eyebrow at her.

"You want to replace the Covert Operators?" He asked.

"Well, in times like this, I don't see the harm." She said. "Taskforce G is the best combat team in G.I. so it would make logical sense to pick your next team from there given the situation at hand."

Joseph shook his head. "Aleister, your taskforce is on probation... But now, I'm thinking of putting it under review."

"Really?" Aleister looked hopeful.

"Yes... There are some rotten eggs that seem to have forgotten their place." He said and Aleister was now utterly confused.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm well aware of the stunt you pulled that caused this whole mess." He said. "They posted some of your men in the sewer that day and you refused to cooperate. That's the reason why the status of security was breeched that day."

"But... Josep—"

"It's commander to you." He corrected her sternly. "You sabotaged your own team just to get ahead and that is inexcusable. Remember your place, Ms. Aleister. If I was looking for replacements for them, which I am not, I would have started looking in the janitorial section or the likes rather then any of the top taskforces."

"So this is how you belittle us?"

"No, this is how you belittle them." He clarified. "There's something that those kids have that you lack and that is sacrifice. Those kids may have been weaker or less intelligent in combat or even problematic in your eyes, but they have that one special element that Rangers need that many lack– sacrifice. Remember how I found them, Aleister. How we found them because you were there. Would you have done the same when if you were them and not obliged to save?" He shook his head at her. "Starting from tomorrow, taskforce G will be temporarily courses until the review its finished. Pray to your ancestors that everything is alright in your division."

He turned back around to get into his apartment, letting the door slide closed behind him. He looked around to see Thalia was missing until he noticed a balled up figure on the couch, fast asleep. Joseph watched for a moment, feeling the guilt build up again. Sometimes he wished that decisions were easier to make and less painful to get over.

"Welcome Morgan." Oscar said as Morgan passed the threshold with a duffel in hand. Morgan looked around the entryway and he could have sworn nothing had changed about this house. It still looked the same and it still felt the same. He always had that warm, homey feeling when he walked in through the doors like he was at home. Technically, Mr. and Mrs. Hussein were like a second set of parents to him but considering what Morgan did to his first, he did not believe he had any right to claim family members. "What's the matter?" Oscar looked at Morgan and Morgan looked to the oldest Hussein child. He had certainly grown since the last time Morgan saw him. He was now a firefighter, a far cry from the wimpy nerdy college boy he once knew so he was sturdier and bulkier. Morgan frowned as he realised that the odds of him getting a mundane job is next to zero now. Before, Morgan frowned upon the idea of becoming a police officer like his father but now, he knew that getting into something like the police force seemed slim.

... Not that Morgan would want to; Dr. White and her crazy saga had made him cringe at the idea.

"Nothing man," Morgan said. "'Thanks for taking me in bro."

"Anytime." Oscar smiled as the two engaged in a handshake.

"And I'll be out of your hair once I get my feet on the ground." He said.

"Morgan, we're family." Oscar said. "You are welcome to stay as long as you like." He took the duffel out of his hands. "Is this all you have?"

"Pretty much." Morgan nodded. When he had come out of prison, he literally had nothing but along the way i staying in G.I. he was provided some civilian attire. He had the privilege to get more but it was never important. They always lazed about in their training uniforms so what would be the point of a ton of civilian attire they would rarely wear?

"Alright man," He nodded. "You'll be using Yasmin's old room since it's the only room not be-" Oscar paused as he realised what was wrong with this reasoning. The house next door used to belong to the Rockdales and they were the same but mirrored in structure. Yasmin asked for that room when they were younger because she wanted access to talk to her best friend as much as possible; and that best friend was Nadine. As a result, their rooms were similar so Oscar wondered whether it was a good idea to put him there. "Or you could switch rooms with me."

"No, I'm fine." He said. "I'll take Yasmin's room." Oscar looked skeptical but took his word for it and nodded before taking the bag upstairs, leaving Morgan in the walkway. Morgan sighed before walking into the living room where Tessa and her mother were seated, talking and sewing together. Tessa was the first to notice him before getting up and running over to him.

"Morgan!" She exclaimed before engulfing him in a hug. Morgan smiled as he hugged her back. "Welcome home." His smile fell off his face the instant she said those words but he quickly hid it as she pulled away and looked up at him. Morgan knew that this would never be his home. Even for years as they grew up as neighbors and best friends, he never considered this place as home even though he spent most of his time here. G.I. felt like home to him for the slightest moment because he belonged.

Now he no longer had a home.

Thalia woke up with a scream as beads of sweat rolled down her face. She panted as she tried to calm down from her dream. It has been ages since she had a bad dream about her childhood. The memories of being starved and locked up and overworked flooded her mind and she sighed, hugging her legs close to her chest to give herself some form of solace only to find that she... was covered in a soft fleece? "When..." She looked at the fleece awkwardly, wondering when that was put on her. All she remembered was falling asleep on the couch.

Her surroundings started to make itself more prominent to her once she could smell the aroma of food coming from the kitchen. She slowly picked herself up to her feet but felt a bit of a chill coming on and she picked up the fleece, wrapping herself in it. She started to walk towards the kitchenette too see the Commander cooking. "Oh, you're awake?"

Thalia nodded but realised how stupid that choice was considering his back was turned. "What are you making?"

"Rissoles." He said. "Are you allergic to shellfish?"

"No..." She shook her head. "Didn't know you could cook."

"I was one of the only people who would stay when my mom was cooking." He said. "Adrianne and me. The others were always too lazy or too busy- or at least, Malachi was always too busy."

She nodded. "Do you need any help?"

"Well, the rissoles are in the oven and I'm done sauteing the potatoes." He said. "You can help wash vegetables for the coleslaw." He looked back. "You can fold the blanket and leave it on the stool." He noted and she nodded before following his instructions and then moving forward to the sink where the vegetables are. She picked up the cabbage and looked at it.

"Wait... how do you wash this?" She asked.

She saw Joseph turn away momentarily from the potatoes he was sauteing. Thalia was half expecting him to give her that look Finley would give her that said: 'you are straight up effing me, right?' but he started to laugh, shaking his head. "Hey! Don't laugh!" She huffed at him. "I never had a cooking encounter before I got to G.I."

"I could tell." He said, turning off the heat and taking the potatoes off. "Your mom didn't look too big on cooking."

"She wasn't." Thalia said as she opened the tap to fill the sink with water. "She had a new chef each week because she got bored easily. But to me... food is food so, I doesn't give a fuck as long as it's yummy in my tummy." She paused to close the water. "Where... is she... my ma?"

"She's in New York." Joseph said. "Doing a modelling contract as if nothing happened. I ordered her for mind erasure."

"And the stab wound?" She asked.

"We tried our best to patch it up but we're not magicians."

"Do you have an answer for everything?"

"Considering that I am running and intergalactic organisation, I have to be on top of everything or it will all fall under." He said.

"Ever have any help?" She asked.

"All the time." He said.

"From who?" She asked. "You're literally everywhere."

He looked at her and shook his head before dawning his creepy grin. "I am everywhere." He said with an eyebrow wiggle before transferring the potatoes to another dish. Thalia watched him and for the first time, she could see right through him. It was a front. And that's when she realised that all of it was a front.

"What happened to you... ten years ago?" She asked.

Joseph was confused. "I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing." She shook her head as she dipped the cabbage in water. "Hopefully, I'm doing this right."