The first thing that Richard hears is the whirring of the blade of a helicopter as he tiredly opens his eyes. He seems to be moving, with a beep-beep echoing next to him and multiple medical equipment being passed right before his eyes. Up in front, he can see his hands intertwined with someone else's.
"Richard, look at me" an angelical voice says.
He looks up, meeting Kory right there, looking down at him, a worried look on her face.
"Stay with me" is the last thing he hears before he closes his eyes again.
A couple of hours later, Richard opens his eyes again, instantly being blinded by a strong white light coming from above as he appears to be moving. Is he in hospital? He notices two doctors pushing his stretcher as they move through a hallway. Bruce is also there, looking down at him as they move.
"We're here, Dick, we got you" he says.
He then hears multiple shouts coming from the doctors. "Clear!", "Again!", "He is breathing."
"Kory…" he whispers before falling unconscious once again.
The monitor is beeping steadily as Richard opens his eyes, instantly taking a look around. It's a hospital room. He notices a small bouquet of flowers next to the bed, maybe Kory's? Seems unlikely. Theres also his phone over the table. Slowly he reaches it and takes it. He then sighs as he tries to get up.
"It's been a spectacular couple of weeks, huh Dick?" Wayne asks. Instantly Richard turns around, coming face-to-face with his boss, sitting on a chair by his side, also two bodyguards next to him. Wayne appears to smile.
"Its good to see you, Bruce" Richard fakes a smile. He slowly moves his phone trying to hide it below his body. "Hey guys" he salutes the bodyguards.
"You cleaned house, Richard" Bruce says, referring to Xavier. "I have to thank you for that." He takes a deep breath. "I trusted the wrong man."
"It happens."
Bruce smiles. "Victors happy. He has a new lab."
"Where's Kory?" Richard suddenly asks.
"I sent her home." Richard just looks at him, not happy with that. "She gets it. She knows you lead two different lives and she's moving on. As should you."
Silence.
Bruce notices Richard's unhappiness. "You gave up those things, you let go of who you were. Family, friends… that's the deal…"
"Why are we still talking about this?" Richard interrupts him rudely.
"Because the agency invested a lot in you, and you're an asset only as long as you stay focused."
Bruce motions to one of the bodyguards. The bodyguard nods and moves to Richard, taking the phone away. Richard not opposing resistance. He turns to Bruce once again. Bruce smiles and gets up.
He watches him for a couple of seconds. "You look good, healthy. Get some rest. We are gonna transfer you to a secure facility tomorrow, for your safety." With that, Bruce turns around and leaves the room, followed by the two bodyguards.
Richard lets out a small chuckle, already knowing what Bruce meant with that last part. They're probably going to kill him or having locked up. He's a dangerous loose end because of all he knows. He's the living proof of their mistakes.
Silence. Richard looks up at the ceiling.
A nurse enters the room and leaves a tray with a blue pill over it. Richard turns to the tray, takes the pill, and swallows it.
He instantly starts becoming dizzy, his heartbeat increasing rapidly.
"Uh nurse? Wha… what did you give me?"
The nurse turns around revealing Kory dressed in a nurse uniform. She smiles. "Brotine-zero."
Richard closes his eyes as he collapses over the bed.
Richard opens his eyes instantly, noticing a blanket over his eyes. He moves it down, trying to look around. He's again in the hospital hallway with Kory pushing the stretcher.
She looks down at him. "Stay under there, Richard." She moves the blanket over his face again. "You're dead."
She takes a turn and continues pushing the stretcher. "Make way, please" she says to the few people on her way as she advances.
One doctor looks at her a bit suspicious.
She smiles and motions down. "Going for the mortuary."
Richard again falls unconscious.
Richard is woken up as his head hits the door of a car. He groans as he tries to open his eyes; he's lying on the backseat of the car. There in front, he can see Kory driving out of the hospital, currently nighttime.
She turns back to him. "Do not worry, Richard, I got this." She takes a turn getting on the highway. "It is time for a vacation," is the last thing he hears before falling unconscious again.
Ocean waves crashing into the distance, seagulls calling... it seems peaceful, is he on a beach? Richard opens his eyes, instantly being blinded by the sunrays creeping from the windows. He covers his eyes and tries to look up from the car. The car is parked right outside of a beach, a couple of kids playing on the shoreline. It seems to be noon, judging by the position of the sun.
He turns to the side noticing Kory walking to the car, she is wearing a white summer shirt, a pair of shorts over her long legs, a straw hat, and a map in her hand. Basically, a full vacation outfit. A smile creeps on his face. He then looks down for the first time, noticing he is wearing a blue shirt with some shorts, when did he change?
Kory, noticing he's awake, smiles. He starts running and enters the car. "Greetings, sleepyhead," she giggles. She takes a seat in the driver seat next to him.
"What day is it?" He asks confused.
She looks at him for a second before smiling. "Someday, someday, Richard." She then slowly leans forward and kisses him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Although still confused he kisses her back.
Until a question comes to his mind. He leans just slightly back, not breaking the kiss, but allowing him to ask. "What am I wearing?"
She leans back looking at him. "A pair of shorts." She answers as if it were something obvious.
He looks to the side trying to remember. "W… when did I get in the shorts?"
"Richard, I have been trained to rebuild a six-speed transmission with nothing but a pair of pliers and crescent wrench" she says, a fake offended look on her face. "I think I can get you in a pair of shorts without looking… not saying that I did." She giggles before turning to the steering wheel, leaving Richard speechless.
Kory closes the door and gives him the map. "You are both the navigator and the DJ, we got a long way before getting to Cape Horn."
Richard just looks at her, still confused.
Kory motions with his hand to a high height. "With me." She then motions lower. "Without me." She smiles. "With me." She motions higher. Richard smiles. "Without me." She motions lower.
He doesn't even have to think about it. "With you."
Kory smiles before turning to the steering wheel. "Glorious, now put some of the tunes, Mr. DJ." She puts on the seatbelt and starts the engine.
Richard laughs as he reaches forward, grabbing his shades and putting them on. "Yes, madam."
Kory puts the brand newly restored 67 GTO on the reverse as they leave the beach getting on the route. A sign on the side of the route indicates four thousand kilometers until Cape Horn. Kory puts on first, and they are off, off to someday.
Grayson House.
Mary checks the correspondence. "Oh my god, John, what is this envelope with tickets to Cape Horn?"
"What are you talking about?" John asks from his armrest.
"Did you order tickets to South America?"
"Mary, I didn't order tickets to anywhere."
"You don't know what you're typing on that computer, John."
"Mary…"
"Then maybe we must've won them!"
That concludes the story. Thank you to everyone who made it this far and reviewed. Did you like it? I started this one as a fun little story while I wrote my other story. Is it my last story in ff? Maybe, I'll take my time to think about it and come up with another one. If not, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed writing these stories, and hopefully you enjoyed reading them.