"Are there any other Nobodies? I mean, any outside the Organization?"
Saix frowned.
"Of course not. Why do you ask?"
Axel shrugs.
"I just wondered if there were more like us, that's all."
"There aren't. Stop wondering and get to work. You've an assignment in Port Royal, don't you? Get to it!"
Axel nods and leaves.
Altair sits on a barrel of rum, idly kicking her feet. Her lavender hair tumbles over her shoulders in a riotous mass of curls.
"Hey, Andrew!" She calls out to the bartender. "Give me another." Andrew nods assent and hands her a mug of whiskey. The liquid burns down her throat, fogging her thoughts. She can't drink away her troubles, but that doesn't keep her from trying. She finishes the last of her drink and stands. She stalks through the bar's crowd and leaves without another word.
…
She stares into the water and wonders why Nobodies cannot commit suicide. She thinks that perhaps it has something to do with the heart being broken, truly broken, rather than missing. She hears footsteps behind her and spins around.
"You!" Axel says in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Not attempting suicide, actually," she says easily. "Having fun running errands for you Superior?"
"How did you know about that?" Altiar smiles at the look of confusion on his face. She loves to wipe away his smirk.
"Maybe I didn't. Maybe I'm a hallucination. It's foggy, after all. Have you been drinking again?"
He pushes past her.
"I don't have time for this."
"You used to. We used to have all the time in the world… until we broke it. Do you remember yet?"
"Remember what?" His voice is sharp.
"Who I am, of course."
"I don't know you." He walks past.
"But I know you!" She calls after him. "I know all about you, 'Axel'. I know who you were before you became a Nobody. I know whose fault it is that you are the way you are."
He stopsand turns to face her. His bright green eyes are wary, masking a painful hope.
"Will you tell me? How can I know I can trust you?"
"Oh, I'll tell you the truth, all of it. In return, you'll owe me a single favor."
"Done."
"Meet me at Memory's Skyscraper tonight. I'll be inside." She smiles and vanishes into darkness. Traces of whiskey hang in the air like spilled perfume. Axel takes a deep breath, eyes bright, and walks away.
….
