Rafael

The numbers who had no idea of what was happening to them didn't always react very well to the efforts of the Machine's assets to save their life. Sometimes, even, they ran in fear. The Machine had to admit, her operatives weren't always the most reassuring either. From time to time, they even happened to be pretty worrying to normal people.

Primary assets, especially, because they were trained operatives; very efficient, but a bit too used to the craziness for some people. While the numbers panicked, they were doing their thing in perfect calm, and apparently, that irked the numbers to no end. That was one of the behavorial human flaws the Machine had a hard time understanding, if not at taking it into account.

Rafael, for exemple, had almost been abducted by a cartel, in response to his father' refusal to work for them, and when John Reese had stopped the attempted kidnapping, the young man had run away in terror. Without even saying thanks, Primary Asset n°1 had pointed out.

The young man had had time to reflect, though, and even if he wouldn't want to be in this same situation ever again, he had found he was grateful for the help. However crazy it had been, it still had been done expertly. He kind of wondered how the stranger had even known he needed help.

Because Rafael himself sure hadn't known until some guys had grabbed him and shoved him in a van... Action which had been put to a stop when the abductors had realized there was one too many person with them, who had apparently appeared out of nowhere.

The Machine contacted Rafael with a simple e-mail, three days after Primary Asset n°1's demise. It had nothing more than the obituary in it, and two dates: one for the day he had been saved, and one for what Rafael assumed was "John Reese"'s death.

This was, yet again, something the young man couldn't explain.

It didn't matter, he thought. He didn't need to understand how or why he had been saved, that day, to appreciate that he had been saved. And whoever "John Reese"'s death had been for, they didn't really need to know why or how.

Rafael only hoped the ones for whom the stranger had sacrificed himself, at least, knew he had died for them. The man deserved to be acknowledged, if nothing else.

Rafael hadn't been able, or even willing, to acknowledge him, once upon a time. He had been too scared, too young, not aware enough of what his life had been worth, at the time. Besides saving him, "John Reese" had also made him rethink what a life was. Rafael hadn't known to appreciate it, at the time.

He intended to right this wrong, even if only by going to this funeral.