In those moments, he remembered his family.

Jude remembered his mother in Leronde, tearfully hugging him as he stood at the dock waiting for the ship to take him to Fennmont for the first time.. His father, not far off, turning away just when Jude thought he was tearing up as well, as if he didn't want to reveal how misty-eyed he was getting over his young son leaving home. There was Leia, who demanded he write her as much as possible and not forget to visit when he had breaks, and a promise that she would catch up to him someday.

Then the first time he met Professor Haus, how the esteemed researcher took him under his wing, allowed him to work far beyond what the other instructors were qualified. Jude could clearly hear his words of praise; "Even with your smaller than average mana lobe, you're proving to be the ideal student." And Jude felt like he was never deserving of such praise, but he accepted it only because his mentor would not allow him to deny it.

He recalled the harsh words of his father when he told him he was leaving Fennmont for Elympios. He called him a disappointment, that he was chasing a fool's dream by helping that dying world. It was hopeless, he reiterated again and again. The only way to reverse the damage done was to completely change their way of living. And Jude said he knew that, and that was why he was going. To change things.

Jude remembered taking that first, unsteady step onto the soil of Trigleph, looking at the dying city with a mix of anxiety and wonder. He recalled the weight of his suitcase in his hand, the tug of his backpack on his shoulders as he followed his mentor through the bustling streets that smelled of soot and decay. He was frightened back then, but the prospect of making a difference overrode any fears and spurred him onward.

His memory then shifted to that night, the look in the professor's eyes as he said he was going away for a while, that he wanted Jude to continue in his absence. If only he had known back then what would become of him, then maybe Jude would have known to leave while he was still ahead.

But he didn't.

He didn't and now it had come to this.

For a long moment, the only sound he could hear was the ringing in his ears, that and the quieter sound of his own ragged breathing. Eyes squeezed shut, frightened tears streaming down his face, Jude braced for the end. He waited for a splitting pain, the shattering of bone as the world would go quiet around him. And yet it only seemed to grow louder, even long after the trigger was pulled.

Slowly, tentatively, Jude opened his eyes. The ringing had subsided, replaced only with the echoes of fire alarms throughout the base. His trembling breath matched with Alvin's own, faint panting.

No pain, no hole in his head, just the thundering of his heart in his chest as that strong hand remained firmly gripping his jaw, silencing him. Jude locked eyes with Alvin only briefly before the man reached into the front pocket of his lab coat, plucking the GHS and quickly dialing a number. The line rang only twice before someone picked up, silence greeting him. Alvin didn't wait for the other party to speak.

"It's done." He stated, blunt, emotionless. The phone was dropped to the concrete and in one swift motion two bullets were fired, shattering the device beyond repair.

Alvin breathed a slow, steadying breath, before finally letting go of Jude's mouth. "Are you all ri-"

A fist collided with Alvin's nose as soon as Jude was released, hard enough to knock the man off his lap. Jude wasted no time in turning the tables, grabbing Alvin by his scarf and pinning him against the cold concrete much the same as the man had done to him moments before. "You asshole!" He shouted, arm coming up to sock Alvin across the jaw again. A cheap shot, but to Jude, it felt more than justified.

Alvin reeled from the punch, but took it all the same. "Okay, I deserved that." He groaned, flashing a haughty grin Jude's way. It was enough to make the boy want to punch him again.

"What the hell was that about?!" Jude's voice was shaking, the adrenaline rapidly leaving his system, leaving him feeling dizzy, worn. "Why are you doing this?! Who are you working for?!"

Alvin spat blood onto the concrete before gently tugging at Jude's wrists, trying to coax him to let go. "We can't talk here." He said softly, more blood dribbling from his split lip. "We need to get somewhere safe."

Somewhere safe? Jude almost laughed. The 'somewhere safe' had been wherever Alvin had led him. All this time, he felt protected because Alvin had been there, because Alvin was at his side, keeping any danger, real or imagined, at bay. But now… "You say this after trying to kill me?!"

"Damn it, Jude, there's no time!" Alvin grabbed his wrists more roughly now, tearing his grip away. "We need to go before the others get here!"

"Others?!"

Alvin pulled Jude brusquely to his feet, taking hold of his wrists and pulling him along. "We've got less than two hours before they realize I don't have a body to dump. We need to find a place to hole up before they catch us."

"They? Exodus?!"

"Less talking, more running!"

The trip to Duval went by like a blur.

Alvin had been running almost the entire time, keeping to the shadows of the side streets and alleys, his hand gripping Jude's the entire time. Always moving, constantly looking over their shoulders. It was as if Alvin thought they were already being pursued, but not once did Jude ask if this was true. He didn't want the answer.

They only barely caught the last train leaving Trigleph, the third-shift workers cramming into cars for final leg of their trip home. Alvin went along with the crowd, paying for one pass and using the last-train rush to mask his unticketed companion from the train's guards. Jude would protest if he'd noticed, but given the circumstances it would only fall on deaf ears. That aside, his GHS was gone; he had no way to pay for it anyway.

The whole trip Alvin kept his back to the wall, with Jude pulled close to his side as he hammered out text after text to a name Jude only vaguely recognized. Jude continued to watch Alvin, not speaking a word, as if the very mention of the group that was after him would make them appear. Jude was grateful for the amount of people around them; easier to hide, easier to blend in a crowd just in case Jude needed to make a run for it.

When they got off the train, Alvin led him down a familiar path once filled with fond memories of a night out, now clouded by anxiety and confusion. Alvin paid no mind to the Sorry, We're Closed sign posted in the window of Film Noir and pushed the door open, pulling Jude inside behind him. There, standing at the counter was a familiar pale man. Two-toned hair, smartly dressed in a blue jacket with suspenders and slacks, a pair of sizeable daggers strapped to his hips.

Jude knew this man, but only in passing. His name was…

"Ludger." Alvin wasted no time approaching the man, throwing formalities to the wayside. The other nodded, regarding Jude only briefly before pocketing his phone.

"I'm glad you made it safely." Ludger responded, his voice far different than what Jude would have expected. Soft, welcoming to his ears, a reprieve from the vibrato that Alvin always exuded. "I just got the broadcast. It's… It's not pretty, Alvin." He passed his GHS Alvin's way, letting him read over the mass text. "Julius has a team heading to Helioborg to intercept, but Rideaux's team is heading this way."

"Damn it… Breaking out the big guns for some kid." Alvin was becoming agitated again, and Jude couldn't quite understand why. Who were all these people? Were they all part of Exodus as well? Was he being led to his death? Jude wanted to ask, but Alvin continued before he could even form the question. "Does Julius know you're here?" He queried, handing the phone back.

Ludger shook his head, black fringe falling into his eyes. "No, I haven't spoken to him yet." He sighed, carefully tucking his hair back again before fiddling with the feathered charm of his GHS. "Even so, this is above both our heads, Alvin. The order is coming down from the board."

Alvin gave a short laugh at that, bringing a hand up to squeeze Jude's shoulder. "Figures. It's never easy, is it?"

Once again Ludger's gaze fell to the young researcher, eyes filled with worry and pity both. Jude was sure he looked just as petrified as he felt, standing there like a lost child hugging his lab coat close to his body like a security blanket. There was empathy in Ludger's gaze as a warm smile crossed his lips before disappearing completely, replaced with a determined frown. "This way." He hitched a thumb towards the back of the bar and motioned for the other two to follow.

With strength Jude wouldn't guess the slender man possessed, Ludger pulled one of the liquor displays to the side, revealing an old steel door. A single key was pulled from Ludger's pocket and jammed into the rusted lock, all the pins clicking audibly before the rusted door gave way to a narrow staircase. Ludger made the descent first, Alvin urging Jude to follow before heading down himself.

A thin chain was pulled overhead, the fluorescent panels flickering to life and illuminating the basement of Film Noir. It was small, the air around them damp and chilly. The furniture was scant, comprised of two single beds pushed into the far corners of the room, a worn dining set stacked near the entrance with a TV atop it.

"No one knows about this place except the barkeep and a few anti-governmentalists here in Duval. They won't look for you here."

"Thanks, Luds. I owe you one." Alvin clapped a hand on the other's shoulder, his expression almost triumphant.

Ludger, however, didn't appear so convinced. The friendly hand was brushed away and Ludger leveled a look towards Alvin. "You owe me an explanation, but that's it. If they're sending Julius and Rideaux your way, you really got on Spirius's bad side."

Alvin shook his head, shrugging. "Not Spirius, I'm afraid. Not quite. I'll explain later."

Ludger's phone chimed and he pulled it from his pocket, frowning as he read over the text. "Stay down here. I'll signal if there's trouble."

Alvin nodded and Ludger disappeared up the steps, shutting the door behind him. It was then that his bodyguard finally turned to address him.

Former bodyguard, Jude reminded. Bodyguards don't try to kill their charges.

"We should be safe for now." Alvin took a seat one of the beds, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it aside. "You should try and get some sleep. You had your two hours."

Jude crinkled his nose at the off-handed remark. How could Alvin be so calm at a time like this? There were soldiers hunting for him, Spirius agents even, and Exodus on top of that. Not only that, but Alvin had just tried to kill him, even if it was presumably an act to throw off their pursuers. The bruises from their scuffle remained on both their bodies, Jude far too shaken to focus on healing himself. There were too many questions to be asked, and they all started with Alvin.

"…You owe me an explanation, too." Jude muttered, eyes locking with Alvin's for the first time since he had pinned the man against the ground at Helioborg. He wanted, no, needed answers, and Alvin was going to give them to him.

Alvin only held his gaze for only a brief second before looking away with a soft sigh. "You're probably wondering what's really going on."

"That's an understatement." Jude's anger beginning to bubble to the surface once again. He wasn't normally one to lose his cool. But this… This was an exception, and a big one at that.

"Fair enough." Alvin patted the spot next to him on the old mattress, inviting Jude to sit. Jude refused to go near him and instead pressed further against the cement wall. After what just happened, he didn't want to get near the man, let alone sit with him.

"Who are you?" He began. "Is Alvin even your real name?"

Alvin's expression faltered before falling completely. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?" He muttered before lifting his head to face Jude again. "My name is Alfred Vint Svent. I'm a mercenary and informant."

"And who hired you to watch after me?"

"Bisley Bakur of Spirius."

"And who else?"

Alvin didn't respond. Jude took a step forward, as if to threaten him. "Who else, Alvin?"

A moment later, Alvin answered, voice low and laced with what Jude hoped was genuine guilt. "Exodus as well."

Jude breathed a soft gasp as his fears were confirmed. The man who had been hired to protect him had been working for his pursuers all along. Then why-

"I know what you're thinking." Alvin interrupted his thoughts. "No, I'm not some crazy terrorist, and I've got nothing really against Rieze Maxians."

"But you do work for them, don't you?" Jude countered, voice shaking. He was afraid. Afraid of the man who for so long had been his constant source of comfort, now little more than a murderer out for his blood. "You work for the people who have been trying to kill me… To kill my people!"

"It's not that simple, Jude."

"Then simplify it!" Jude spat, bordering on losing it entirely.

Alvin was on his feet and before Jude in a flash, and he backed away, wanting as much distance between himself and the purported murderer as the cramped basement would allow. At the very least Alvin seemed to take the hint, allowing Jude his space.

After a tense few moments, Alvin finally spoke. "I was hired initially by Spirius to keep an eye on you and make sure you kept up your research."

"And… What did Exodus want you to do?" Jude asked weakly, almost afraid to hear the truth.

"I was also ordered by Exodus to get close to you, earn your trust, and make sure you stayed out of their hair."

Jude gulped thickly, hugging himself tighter, wishing he could curl up and disappear. "You knew, didn't you? About everything?" He muttered, eyes glued to the floor, afraid to face Alvin in that moment, as if locking eyes with the man would end with a pistol to his head again.

"Yeah…" Alvin answered quietly. "Yeah, I did."

Jude squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back angry tears as he continued. "The attack at the square…"

"I got tipped off."

"And… And the break in at my apartment?"

"They planned to interrogate you for information on Haus's file."

"The chem lab?"

"That one wasn't me." Alvin chuckled bleakly. "That was some freshman messing with dangerous chemicals."

Jude went quiet once again, the new information making his head spin. All those horrible things that had happened to him, Alvin had known about beforehand. He could have prevented them entirely, and yet he put Jude through more hell than he ever had to endure in his short life. And to what end? To get his unwavering trust? To make him so afraid of the outside world that Jude would have no choice but to rely on Alvin?

It was sick. Alvin was sick and the room felt too small for the two of them. His chest felt tight, the musty air clogging his lungs as he absorbed the evidence he was given. Jude's limbs shook even more as he uttered another question, this one deciding whether or not he could ever trust Alvin again.

"…Professor Haus…" He mumbled, eyes slowly coming up to stare Alvin down. Frightened, yet determined. "Did you…"

"No." Alvin answered flat out, voice stern. "I wasn't part of that."

There was a soft sigh of relief with that knowledge, but not enough to uncoil the tightness in his chest. Jude continued, willing himself to keep his eyes on the older man. "So what was the point of all of it? Scare me until I gave up and went home?"

"Not quite." Alvin crossed his arms over his chest, appearing thoughtful whilst he spoke. "The idea was to keep you motivated. You were the closest to Haus, and the higher-ups in Spirius needed his research completed. But their reasons aren't as altruistic as they make them out to be." Another pause, as if Alvin was mulling over whether to let Jude know the next bit of info. "…Exodus also has a use for your work."

It all clicked.

"The Lance of Kresnik." Jude realized all at once why there was so much pressure on Haus and himself to finish their work. "Exodus wanted us to fix the Spyrix issue to power the Lance of Kresnik, is that it?"

Alvin was silent, but Jude couldn't take this sitting down. Jude sprung forward and grabbed Alvin by his scarf, yanking him down to his level. "Tell me, is my research going towards the Otherworld Reactor Plan?" Jude gave him a rough shake. "Are they going to use it to take the spirits from Rieze Maxia and use them as fuel?! Do they want me dead because I know about it?!"

There it was, that look of guilt again. Alvin couldn't meet his gaze, instead staring at the wall while gritting his teeth.

"It's better you don't know." He finally mumbled, but Jude wasn't hearing it.

"Like hell it's better!" Jude shook him again and Alvin finally looked his way.

"Easy, kid!" Alvin gently gripped his wrists, trying to get Jude to ease up on his neck. "You need to calm down."

Something inside Jude snapped and he wanted nothing more than to give Alvin another bloody lip for even daring to rebuke him in such a way. "Calm down? Calm down?!" Each sentence was accentuated with another firm shake to Alvin's person. "My research is being used by a terrorist group and my bodyguard works for them! How am I supposed to calm down!"

Alvin growled angrily before roughly grabbing Jude by his shoulders and shoving him, the other only barely managing to stop himself before his head collided with the wall. "If you're so worried about it, go home and forget about what you saw!"

"And then what, wait for Spirius to hire someone else to finish the job? Wait for Balan to figure out the loose ends? Is that what you want?!" He was shouting again, and didn't care. Too much, too much. "I came to Elympios to help your people. I can't just go home and wait for Exodus to destroy it!"

There's a knock on the ceiling tiles, a heeled boot dragged across the wooden floor of the bar above them. Alvin only took a split second to act, grabbing the cord for the lamps and killing the lights, enveloping them both in darkness.

"What are you-" Jude felt himself tugged towards Alvin, throwing him into a panic. He desperately pushed at the man's chest, struggling to get free of his grip. "Let me go!" Jude demanded, voice cracking with a desperate fear as he continued to fight against his restraints.

A hand clapped over his mouth and for a brief moment he froze, waiting for the pistol to press against his forehead again. But no such action came. Instead he felt Alvin's breath against his skin, shushing him quietly.

There was a parade of footfalls above their heads, knocking dust down from the ceiling and onto them. He could hear someone shouting demands, threats, and he realized that the team Ludger mentioned had barged into the bar, and that the thin man was up there alone.

More threats were made, commands that Jude could barely make out. Then, the sound of gunfire and shattering glass, the pounding of feet and cries of pain. Jude's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach at the scene he imagined was playing out a mere meter above their heads..

Jude tugged away from his mouth, "We have to help him!" He whispered harshly, only to have Alvin shush him again.

"Ludger can handle it." Alvin muttered into his ear. "He doesn't look it, but he's a Spirius Agent."

"But Spirius Agents are after us, aren't they?"

The brush of hair against his skin gave the illusion of Alvin nodding. "This situation goes deeper than you can imagine, kid. Just remember that Spirius is the one pursuing you right now, not Exodus."

"That…" There was another shout from above, cutting off Jude's line of thought. The scuffle seemed to intensify before reaching a crescendo, then fell completely silent. Alvin and Jude waited silently as the boots filed out, leaving just the scraping of broken glass against old wood floors.

Another tap of boots overhead, then a drag, same as before. Alvin breathed a short sigh of relief before clicking the lights on again. No sooner did the room illuminate than Jude became keenly aware of how close Alvin was, his back pressing against Alvin's chest, arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Jude glanced up at him, almost shyly as the lights flickered just above Alvin's head, giving him an almost angelic glow as he smirked down at his young charge. A calloused hand came up to gently rub at the reddened patch left by Alvin gripping his mouth so suddenly, a sort of apology shared by touch. Jude allowed himself to lean into it, eyes fluttering closed, comforted by the tender touch.

For a glimmer of a second Jude felt at ease, Alvin holding him close, bringing him a sense of comfort, just like before. But the feeling left as soon as it had come, replaced with the dread stemming from too many lies revealed all at once. Jude roughly pushed away, backing himself against the wall again. No, this tenderness, the kindness bestowed upon him, it was all an act. It had been an act from the beginning so Jude would trust Alvin incontestably.

And this fact hurt just as much as the bullet would have.

"I can't believe this…" Jude breathed, pressed against the concrete wall as if it was the only thing holding him up. "All this time… Everything you did was just pretend, wasn't it?"

There was no confirmation nor denial, just the sound of Jude trying to keep his emotions in check and failing miserably.

And then, there was a touch, soft against his crown. "Jude, listen… I…"

Alvin's hand was smacked away, the fire in Jude's eyes only countered by the tears threatening to fall.

"Don't touch me!" He spat venomously, his voice sounding foreign to even himself. "I trusted you, and all this time you've been lying to me! You made me think that you… Actually…" he trailed off, unable to say what had hurt him the most. Everything Alvin had done, all those smiles, the longing touches, the unspoken words… You made me think you actually cared…

Jude's shoulders shook as the dam finally broke, tears cascading down his face as he sunk to the floor.

And Alvin said nothing, even as Jude sobbed into his knees. Too much… He played the part of the mature adult, but deep down… Jude knew he was still a child. He was vulnerable to the madness of this world, and it was because of this madness that he had reached out so desperately to Alvin when he offered his hand. He had relied on him fully, trusted him with his life and then some, only to have all of that crushed. And even now he couldn't understand why Exodus was going through such lengths to keep him on edge, or why Spirius chose to send people to take him back. What had he done? What was happening behind the closed doors of Spirius HQ? And… Why did Alvin choose to spare him?

Jude looked back to the events leading up to that moment, realizing who it was that had saved him at risk of his own life; Alvin had, each time. He ran in head first into a chemical fire to get Jude out safely. Alvin had gotten shot trying to get them away from the clash at the square. He even held him as he cried, lamenting over the destruction in his home. One could argue that this was inconsequential, that Alvin was doing it as part of the massive farce that was their budding relationship. An act, and nothing more.

But…

Alvin had asked him to go to dinner that night knowing that agents were coming for him. He had repeatedly urged Jude to stay home the day of the attack, yet he refused and went to class anyway. And the chem lab… Even if he didn't know about it, Alvin had still insisted on staying with him.

Was it all part of the plan? Or did Alvin legitimately care about him? Jude could know nothing unless he asked, and yet he was afraid of the answer he may receive.

He just couldn't bring himself to ask.

Finally, Alvin sighed and walked past him, presumably heading for the stairs. "I'm gonna check on Ludger. You wait here." And with that, he disappeared up the steps, the opening and closing of the door signaling that Jude was alone.

He wondered if it was better this way.