The Modi-mobile drove through the streets of Forgo City. The night air outside as frosty as ever. "It sure was nice of Susan Shadows to give us her car," Xero said as she turned the corner. "But I wonder why she would give up such a nice car like this?"

Zero pondered that for a moment. "Maybe she thought you were a fan of hers," he said nonchalantly.

Xero drove in silence for a moment before a minor red light started beeping on the radio. "I wonder what we are we dealing with now," Xero asked as she drifted through traffic.

"And on our first day back no less," Zero said as he turned a radio dial revealing a monitor underneath the dashboard.

"Welcome back to work Agent's," Katz spoked through the monitor. "A silent alarm has gone off at the 'Forgo City Chemical Plant'. Security and personal have safely been evacuated. But a few employees have reported seeing a… man size cockroach in a suit and top hat."

The duo turned to Mole who sat in the back seat. "Well," he said searching his connected info bank, "HQ files indicate, based solely on this description, that the power plants intruder is more than likely the workings of The Roach. But he is considered a petty, low-level criminal."

"Low-level thugs. Really?" Xero said disappointingly.

"This is an easy mission," Katz assured her, "And on your first day back no less. There is no chance you two will have any issues dealing with him."

"My calculations say there is a 23% chance this mission will go off course," Mole said under his breath.

Xero, Zero, and Katz all looked at him with a disapproving stare.

"Don't worry," Zero said trying to lighten the mood. "This mission won't end in a Katz's-trophe."

Katz then looked at Zero unamused. "Ha-ha-ha," he falsely laughed. "I've never heard that one before." He shocked his head like a parent that had heard the same joke for the last 10 years. "Katz out," he said before the monitor turned black.

Xero turned to Zero, hiding a smile with her hand, "Seriously?" she said remembering the first time she said that joke. When she was 10.

"It was worth a try," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"Not really. He didn't even smile," she rebutted.

"No… he didn't,"

She turned to look at him, but he had already adverted his gaze outside the window as though something was more important outside.

Xero lowered her head to the steering wheel, hiding the blush that rushed to her cheeks. This wasn't the first time he had caused these warm bubbly feeling to erupt from her. And if she didn't know any better, she would say, or at least hope, that she had the same effect on him. If only she knew the right words to say, and in the right order.

A figure from above watched as the Modi-mobile moved through the streets. While he didn't know how they procured a car, he knew the occupants like the back of his… robotic hand. The moment the passengers exited the vehicle, he tried to lunge towards them, only to be stopped by a steel-like grip on his shoulder.

"Father said not to engage. Observe only," she warned him.

His red synthetic eyes turned on her. "We've been doing observations for weeks already," he said in a mechanically distorted voice.

"Father said…"

"I'm not going to engage. I'm just going to… observe the closely." Without warning, he grabbed onto her wrist and gave her a quick controlled shock from his glove. Only enough of a sting to force her to release her cage like grip.

She watched as he jumped down from the rooftops to their unsuspecting prey. Prey that was already splitting up.

The group continued to drift apart, Mole walking in one direction, while Xero and Zero continued to walk in the opposite direction.

"So what are the chances we'll run into this cockroach man," Xero asked curiously as she waved her flash like back and forth, their steps in sync.

"Well, the usual person would have a pretty low chance of ever encountering anything such as a giant cockroach. Unfortunately, we're not usual people…"

Xero fell into silence as they continued to walk, her mind began to wander. When would be the right moment she thought to herself.

"You know," Zero finally said breaking the silence, "I don't think Mole liked your idea of splitting up."

"Well, splitting up gives us the best chance of finding something. We can cover more ground," she said. She could feel her confidence building up from that one truth. "Besides," she continued, "I suggested we split up because… we need to talk," she said choosing her words carefully.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked genuinely surprised.

After another moment of silence, he turned to her. She was on the verge of tears. "Xero…"

"I am so sorry!" she said as the dam holding back her tears burst.

"Sorry for what," he said as he immediately brought her into his arms, embraced her in a hug. She only laid her face within his chest.

"Lacey almost killed you because I left you to deal with her alone. I almost lost you," she said as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. While the tears hurt at the moment, a new feeling of relief washed over her. The relief of saying something that was tearing her apart. "And neither one of us have talked about this since it happened. I'm worried that's because you're upset at me, that you'll never forgive me, that you'll never look at me the same, that-"

He gently lifted her chin to his face, away from his chest, stopping her rambling. She could now see his own misty eyes.

"We didn't talk about it because I didn't believe there was anything to talk about," he said as his warm eyes looked back at her. "Xero, you didn't leave me, you saved me. You jumped off a dam for me. That alone makes you the strongest and bravest woman I know. I will never hold a grudge against you for doing your job. Much less going above and beyond for me.

She kept her eyes on him as he slowly used the sleeve of his coat to whip away the tears from her eyes. At that moment she so wanted to tell him what she felt. What she was feeling right now. "Zero…I-"

Before she could say another word she heard a long scream. They both turned in time to see Mole being right at them from above a balcony.

"Mole?!" she said somewhat shocked and yet a little bit annoyed.

"I think I found him," Mole said as his head began to spin from the fall.

"That's one big bug," Zero said as he looked up the balcony Mole was thrown from.

Xero turned to her attention to the balcony, and standing up above was what could only be described as a human-sized cockroach, standing on two upright feet, decked out in a stretched long coat, raggedy pants, and a top hat.

The Roach looked down at them with a discussed look that would normally be reserved for him. "Cops?" he said in a raspy voice, looking them up and down. "No… Modifyers."