494 stood outside the house, staring at it. This wasn't what he expected. He had expected dirt and trash and peeling paint. Not a white Victorian house with a well-cared for yard, and a 3 car garage with a long driveway with a basketball hoop.

This was not how it was supposed to be, he attempted to convince himself as he pulled his leather jacket off. He paused for a second and slipped it back on, preparing himself for what he was about to pull off.

He shouldn't be hearing laughter and yells from inside. There should be silence, somber tones of X5s who left their home and couldn't return.

This was wrong.

And what drove it all in was the mat he was standing on. A simple old mat that sat in front of their door—a welcome mat.

They hadn't warned him, and he hadn't prepared for this… this feeling.

The feeling that overcame him for just a second: doubt. Doubt and regret that maybe, just maybe, he was wrong. Maybe they were all wrong. Maybe the traitors weren't traitors at all. Maybe they were the correct ones. He'd have to see, have to live their lives and then he'd find their misery. Because they left, they did wrong… they must be miserable.

Otherwise it wouldn't make sense—

494's soliloquy was cut short as the door flew open and he was greeted by six—no, make that seven—seemingly normal college kids.

***

The group stared at the familiar stranger. Finally, Jondy spoke. "Ben?" she whispered.

He didn't respond. He held out his arms to her and wrapped her a hug. "Jondy." He said, identifying her from the pictures. She sniffled and pulled back. He went on. "Zane." A manly hug. "Krit." The same. "Syl. Brin. Tinga." More hugs, kisses on cheeks. Finally, "Max." He hugged her.

"Ben." Max responded. There was a moment of silence, broken as confusion reigned over happiness. "Wait, Ben?" Max continued incredulously.

He turned around, pulling down his collar to show them his new 493 barcode. "Ben," he agreed.

Krit looked him up and down. "Huh. Ben."

Suddenly, Tinga grabbed him and dragged him inside. Her sudden joy and burst of energy shocked everyone else into movement as she emitted perkiness to the general area. "Where's your stuff? I mean, you have to have some stuff—you are staying, right?"

'Ben' laughed. "Yeah, I'm staying. My stuff is on the porch."

Zane and Krit walked outside to grab his stuff, while the girls dragged him upstairs. "We don't have a room for you, Ben, 'cause it's just been the seven of us since the escape."

494 looked down. "That's fine. I can find an apartment somewhere."

Tinga laughed. "Nonsense! You can sleep in our room, we don't actually use the beds for sleeping."

494 paused and then recalled the nocturnal DNA in the two girls—what they referred to as 'shark DNA'. "Sure, that sounds great."

They stood in silence as the boys brought two duffle bags upstairs. The dumped them unceremoniously at 494's feet. Zane glanced at his watch. "C'mon, let's go! Brin got me hyped for coffee."

Syl glanced at him. "With the whole 'finding long lost brother' thing, don't you want to... I don't know, talk?"

He pouted. "What, we can't talk over coffee?"

Jondy patted Syl's arm. "Boy's got a point."

Syl stuck out her tongue. "Traitor."

They hustled towards the door with their newly-found friend, only Max standing behind for a few seconds to watch 494's retreating back. Shaking her head, she rushed after him, and up to Krit. She grabbed his shoulders and launched herself onto his back. He coughed and bent over forward, trying to tip her off.

She adjusted herself again and stayed securely fastened to him. He began to run forward, not being able to see where he was going. He hit Tinga, who smacked attempted to smack him, instead hitting Max. Max grabbed her wrist and began to take her with them. Taking up the entire pathway, Zane and Brin grinned and suddenly stopped, forming a wall. The three didn't slow down, and Brin squeaked, realizing that Krit was planning on taking them down. Brin and Jondy, leading them, stopped and turn to watch.

It was a most interesting collision. Max and Tinga and Krit hit Zane and Brin, and the five of them tumbled down the hall before they reached Brin and Jondy. Jondy stuck out her foot Brin lost her balance and tripped. The seven tumbled to the grass, a mass of flailing limbs and indignant screams.

Max and Krit lay on the bottom, with Tinga on Zane's legs and under Max's. Brin was sitting on Max's stomach, with Brin in her lap. Jondy and Zane lay a few feet away, both laying on the floor. All seven were laughing hysterically. 

494 stood down a good two yards away, watching the group. He shrugged to himself… The director had told him to fit in. Acting like every other college guy he had ever met on a mission, he sprinted towards them. Brin spotted him first. "BEN!" She screamed.

He didn't stop. Launching himself on top of the pile, he let loose a war cry from midair.

"ORGY!"

The entire group burst into laughter again.