Johnathan didn't know how long he had been stuck in this damn cell for. It could have been weeks, months, or even a year.

Why did he even come here?

That question has been in his head ever since his arrival and imprisonment here. He was never even that good of an agent. Being fresh out of training. He was even BELOW the average. He was given the idea that this mission was going to be an easy one, but no! It turns out that the organization he worked for, P.A.T.R.I.O.T., sent him out on a suicide mission.

Perhaps they did it on purpose to see how much of a threat this new crime lord, "Dr. Frost," was. Heh, as if the world wasn't already shitty enough as it was.

One of the other agents that came with him was dead already, with all the intel they possibly knew taken out of them with those… "interrogation" chairs that were right outside of his cell, while the other one was turned into a minion. All while he had front-row seats to it, having to watch it all.

He didn't know when his time was next. He didn't even have that much intel about his organization if he was being honest, so he would probably get tortured to death from anger because he "wasted time and resources." The thought made him chuckle despite how dark it was, which made him realize that his mind was slipping or had already slipped.

There was no point in bothering to think if P.A.T.R.I.O.T. was going to save him or Agent X was going to come to his rescue since he knew how unrealistic it was.

A super-agent going after and saving some random group of low-level agents...? No... he already knew how expendable he was in the eyes of his higher-ups.

It's not like most of his other colleagues would care. They never did, always a cold bunch.

Maybe the team he was sent on with was also the lowest in their branch and was just sent on this mission to die along with him.

He should have never become an agent. He could have become a chef or a massage therapist. At least it wouldn't have as high of a death rate as this profession.

On that thought, there really was no reason for him to not just give up and die. It's not like there was anyone who would really care if he died. He doubted his parents had ever loved him... they were always praising his older brother. The last time he heard, his brother had become mayor of their hometown. Good for him, he guessed...

Always the perfect... his brother deserved the admiration while he remained useless… as always. He had already cut contact with them quite a bit ago during his agency training. He could barely stand living in that town. He felt regret at times, but that constant feeling of not belonging only became stronger as he grew in that town, especially when no one stopped him when he left to go to the agency.

While in thought, he sat on the bed looking down at the cold white floor of the cell. He feels like he should be sad, yet all he could muster was a frown.

This really was how his life was going to end, wasn't it?

He was going to die in an evil genius's lair, giving away whatever information he knew while being tortured.

Maybe he should just tell the intel he knew; after all, he knew P.A.T.R.I.O.T. didn't care about him, and it would save him from torture if he was lucky.

The world was no doubt going to get conquered again anyway, so he guessed it was good that he wouldn't be around to see it. It is lucky that the world was still around today and that the Evil Genius, who managed to almost win and destroy it, hadn't done it right before their disappearance. He wasn't sure why, and only the Evil Genius would know, and he doubted the next Evil Genius would be so kind as to spare the planet and humanity.

His terrible musings of his soon-to-be death and the destruction of the planet eventually came to a stop when he heard the opening of the reinforced door. One of Dr. Frost's main quantum chemists stepped through with arms behind his back as he wore a pleasant smile that hid his true intentions, although Johnathan already knew them. This one in particular had been the executioner and converter of his acquaintances.

It was his time to either die or become another minion, just like the others. He just hoped it would be as painful as he saw, although he knew this particular scientist would torture him just for the fun of it. He seemed to be delighted with the suffering of others since he had been the one to torture the two other agents that had been with him before killing them or converting them after they gave away their intel. He guessed he might have volunteered to do this, and this was why he hadn't seen any other minions, just a singular cruel monster in human clothing.

The worst part was that during the last couple of… weeks (?) (he thinks it's been weeks or was it months), he had been forced to endure experiments involving poison as well as venom and was often left coughing up blood on the ground on the verge of death only to get healed and forced into the experiment over and over again.

Due to the testing chemicals, his body eventually adapted to whatever level of poison and venom they gave him, which only resulted in them giving him more and more lethal doses. He wasn't sure how deadly the last dose he was given was, but when he saw a drop of poison accidentally enter a worker's mouth with them immediately falling to the ground unconscious, he had to be carried to the infirmary only to die a minute later. He was also forced to test new and old traps they had.

Safe to say the entire experience had been living hell. Perhaps death was the better alternative, yet he always stopped due to holding out resolve that maybe someone—anybody—would come for him. That resolve at this point has sailed, crashed, and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

He didn't even bother looking up as he stared at the ground as if it were the most important thing in the world as he walked and stood right at the lasers while looking down at him as he would a child.

"What are you looking at?" He asked as if he was actually interested in what he was doing.

Johnathan snapped his fingers with some annoyance just wanting to get this done and over with. "Nothing."

"Hmm ok..." He seemed bored by this answer as Jonathan continued to look on the floor. Until he finally decided to cut the small talk.

"Either you give me the information now and be rewarded with a quick painless death or I'll torture you and get the same results, but it'll be more fun for me."

He chuckled lightly, which made him even more mad. This person was laughing after it killed one of his comrades in P.A.T.R.I.O.T. and converting the other.

He wanted to kill him, oh did he want to slit his throat right then and there but he knew that there was no chance in hell in that happening. Plus, that wouldn't bring them back and he knew vengeance wasn't the key, but he wouldn't be damned if he didn't want to do it every time he stepped in here.

"Oh, you know me too well." Well, I was just thinking to spice it up a little since you are the last one alive out of your squad, Mr. Flex." He shrugged with that mockingly innocent smile as he asked, "So, what's your answer? Please take your time; after all, we have all day. Since I decided to let one of the minions under me do a checklist on one of Mr. Frost's little side projects he tasked me to do." He told this to him since he didn't really have anyone else to tell it to, and he would be dead anyways, so there was no point in hiding anything from him.

He decided to take out his ray gun and began admiring it. He remembered when one of his three colleagues tried to attack him once he was released; he shot lasers through her legs and limbs before dragging her disabled body to the "interrogation" chair.

There really was no way of winning. This was the day he would die. So, it was best if he just told him what he knows and died. At least some pain would be spared.

He opened his mouth to-

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The alarms interrupted what he was going to say as the room flashed red repeatedly. He looked up at it annoyed at the speakers waiting for why his "fun" time was interrupted as his face twitched until he heard what the announcement was.

"WARNING, THE EXP- A SUPER AGENT IS CURRENTLY IN THE BASE! BE ON HIGH ALERT AND CAPTURE THEM!" A voice came from the speakers that he guessed was Dr. Frost's voice, although he never met the man since he got captured immediately when entering.

He felt a flicker of hope cross himself for a second as his once dull eyes regained a spark. Did P.A.T.R.I.O.T. actually care and send their Super Agent to retrieve their squad?

Was it really possible? Was Agent X here to save him? Was Agent X here to save—no, no. He shouldn't hope.

He didn't want to hope. It was likely to just shatter since it might be some other super-agent on a completely different mission, but one part of him still hoped it was the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. who came to rescue him no matter how small that chance may be. It was stupid. He knew it was stupid since he was a below-average agent not worth anyone's time, so maybe they thought he was already dead and sent Agent X to destroy the base or something. Agent X is so cool; he hoped he could meet and talk with him.

The quantum chemist had dropped his mask and now had an annoyed scowl on his face as he muttered something about leaving an idiot in charge of... something. He couldn't quite hear what he was saying due to his mumbling as he chewed out the minion who he left with one simple task. His teeth clenched from anger... and fear since he knew what his boss was going to do to him for letting it escape.

He turned around and glared at Johnathan as he put back on his mask while clenching his ray gun. "It seems luck has gifted you with a couple more minutes to think about your decision, Mr. Flex." He hissed those words out as he stepped away from his cell and turned towards the reinforced door before walking towards it as he continued to speak, wanting to squish any hope he had left. "Don't think this "super-agent" will rescue you. They will be killed or captured before ever reaching you. Even if this "super-agent" somehow gets past, don't think someone like them would waste time on rescuing some low-level agent such as yourself."

Without any hesitation, he went out to defend… himself as he tried to go somewhere he could be safe until the "Super Agent" was dead or captured.

He sat back down as he listened to the alarm of the base still going off with the super-agent, who he believes to be a super agent… maybe Agent X. Whoever they might be, there is no doubt defeating hundreds of minions. If it was Agent X, he was no doubt beating them all with his dual shotguns, Truth and Justice, which he heard fires mini fireworks. Agent X was like a force of human nature that no other agent besides other Super agents could compare to. A real beacon of democracy.

Through the muffled sounds of walls, he could hear numerous minions shouting and running past as it all was slowly tuned out until the only thing he could hear was his own thoughts as it truly hit him.

He was right about him. He had known it, and it had been on his mind since forever now, but hearing it be confirmed by someone else so casually really was too much for him at that point.

He wasn't even an agent. He was just a failure. Someone who got captured on his first mission.

The floor he was looking at felt like it was now staring back with a growing sense of numbness overtaking him. All the fear and hopelessness he had felt while being here quickly disappeared, leaving a void of nothing. He was justtoo tired to care anymore. Maybe too tired to get scared...

Perhaps it would have been better if they just came back and killed him now.

It was at that moment he was dragged out of his thoughts by a different noise.

Small at first, he heard firing, explosions, and sounds of panic coming softly from beyond the walls.

The noise slowly grew as it became louder and louder, with Flex finding himself gripping the edge of his bed until his knuckles turned white, only staring at the door with some hope and anticipation.

Finally, the noise was just outside his room, which made him stand up with hope as he heard something hitting the door (probably a minion) as he felt a smile tug at his lips as well as tears beginning to slip as he truly felt hope overtake him for that moment in time.

He felt himself freeze looking at the door since the noise... moved away from the door and to the other direction.

All hope inside was crushed as he felt a chuckle leave his mouth. Why did he even bother?

He sat back down, his chuckles hushed into nothing. Not even a cry came out. He was useless. No one wanted him. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. didn't care, and he should have never hoped otherwise. Agent X wasn't here to save him, just bring the Evil Genius down where his squad had failed to do.

What was the point of his existence?

He was nothing more than a burden to everyone he met.

No matter where he went, he was nothing more than useless; he was no use to the agency; he doubted anyone liked him or would care to wonder where he went.

The sounds he made were drowned by the alarm that still painted the room red.

All of his memories were replaying to him on loop. From childhood to the agency and to this hellhole.

He just waited, as pathetic as it was. Perhaps the super agent would destroy the generators… or the super agent would lose, and he would just go back to waiting for his death. It didn't matter anymore.

So, he waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. Seconds stretched to minutes as Johnathan just wanted to go to sleep, not even wanting to cry.

He was wondering how long it was going to be until this was over. That was until the alarms just stopped as the room returned to its original state with no blaring alarm.

There was no announcement, so either the super agent won or everyone in the base was trying to restabilize everything.

He didn't hear anything outside of this room. Perhaps the super agent did win. Although he seemed to have not destroyed the generators. That sucks. It seems he would have to die of starvation, or he could just walk into the lasers of his cell...

...Maybe it was best if he just went to sleep and thought about it when he woke up. Johnathan layed on the bed before he shut his eyes and began to try to sleep.

That was until he heard the reinforced doors suddenly open. He guessed it was him coming back to kill him since he probably was no longer in the mood to toy around anymore.

So, he kept his eyes shut, not bothering to open them as he felt their presence walk over to their cell as he heard the laser's small hums stop. They must have deactivated.

It was time. He waited for his head to get shot.

Seconds passed as he didn't hear the ray gun. Instead, a smooth male voice spoke. "Hey, are you actually asleep? I can't wait here all day acting as a frozen statue." He heard chuckling. The person seemed to be laughing at their own joke.

This made him open his eyes wide in surprise as he almost launched himself up to look at who was speaking at him only to be met with a complete stranger he had never met. The announcement said it was a Super Agent yet it was none of the Super Agent's he had heard of or was given a briefing about.

He had white hair, blue eyes, a cyan coat, white gloves, dark blue pants, and a cyan bowtie, along with a blue flower on his left chest he wasn't too sure was called. His build was quite lean, although it was hard to tell due to the coat, he was wearing that was covering up his arms and muscles, not giving a good indication of where they were at in terms of training.

"Oh, you're awake. Good, that means I don't need to wait." He smiled warmly at him, which made him feel odd (?).

Jonathan slowly stood up while keeping a cautious eye on the stranger, who was politely waiting for him to finish.

There was only one thought in Jonathan's mind.

'Who the hell is this guy!?'

The stranger extended his hand for greeting while giving him a wide happy smile that showed off teeth that were as white as freshly fallen snow. "It's quite ice to meet you! The name's Ice. Agent Ice."

A new thought appeared in Jonathan's mind.

'That was... a bad pun.'

Even if it was a bad pun, it did what "Ice" hoped it would and helped Jonathan relax a little as he felt his previous caution towards him crumble away like a straw wall.

"Jonathan Flex..."

"I'm a super agent of the SYNDICATE. I have taken down the Evil Genius of this lair and saw a bay near here we can use to escape."

His mind blanked hearing the word super agent. 'Wait, what?'

Jonathan walked alongside Ice through the now frost-filled halls of the evil base, aligned with the countless minions frozen in Ice that had once roamed these warm halls.

He looked to one of the walls they passed to see the person who had tortured, killed, and brainwashed his friends had a spike of ice going through his head. Shock was written on his face right before he died due to not having enough time to react before Ice shot him down and dead.

It would have looked like even more of a horrific scene if it hadn't been for the fact that no blood nor brain matter was spilling out. The ice that was lodged into his head was not melting nor showing signs of melting (which was strange). It still was quite the horrific sight, but it was deserved, especially for someone like him.

He felt like throwing up, but oddly at the same time, he was amazed. To think, a single super agent could defeat an entire lair (along with the Super Agent's team) and take down the boss of this base. Or at least someone who claims to be a super agent.

Jonathan's eyes glanced to his side to see Agent Ice walking beside him without a care in the world, as if he wasn't the thing to cause this massacre. He just guessed super agents had more resilience to this kind of thing (if he was a super agent). He was alright with him killing them all since every last scumbag in here deserved to die for working for a villain who no doubt ended the lives of many.

They didn't really speak since he released him from his cell. He introduced himself as Agent Ice, a super agent of an organization he has never heard of before. He said there was a dock of boats near here where they could make their escape. He also asked which organization he was a part of so he could deliver him back there.

It was unbelievable that there was an organization he hadn't heard of. He had thought he knew of all five organizations as well as JAWS. He had been given history lessons and briefings about each one. Even files to study from in order to better understand them, but he had never heard about an organization called the SYNDICATE.

He wasn't sure if he should bring it up to him or if he might sound like an idiot for not knowing it.

This person was his savior after all; he came when P.A.T.R.I.O.T. This left him not knowing what to say or what to do.

Should he break the awkward silence that was between them right now or just leave it?

He was wondering if this person actually just wants to become a super agent like that one person, he heard about recently online called Espectro, stopping crime in SMASH territory. What disproved this theory was the fact that he said he already was a super agent despite never hearing of him or his organization.

He just HAD to believe him. Which he would; he didn't seem like the type of person to lie. He hoped. He hadn't seen the agents that were supposed to be with the super agent as his group yet. He wondered where Ice's team currently was, probably placing bombs on generators... or does Ice does not have a...

Jonathan looked over at Ice only to be met with blue eyes staring into his very being as he felt frozen in place despite his body continuing to walk on its own without him.

Ice raised an eyebrow in concern due to Jonathan's face suddenly freezing in place looking at him. "Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing, it's j-just..." He looked away while stumbling over his own words trying to find what to say.

Ice tilted his head. "Hmm, I'll guess. You're probably wondering why you haven't heard of my organization before, right?"

The words were caught in his throat hearing this. He looked at Ice with widened eyes while Ice sighed and gave a small, tired smile.

"I... expected this. You see, my organization is really, really hidden. To a point where they erased my memories of the location of their headquarters as well as their higher-ups." Ice explained the best he could.

"Why would they do that?" Hearing this response from him, Ice frowned before responding.

"Well, when the previous Evil Genius took over the world by making "The Forces of Justice" turn on one another by hiding within the shadows and controlling them like puppets, some realized they would need an organization that would be able to hide as well, but not just from the shadows, but within the shadow's shadow."

A chill ran down his spine from his explanation. A shadow within a shadow, far from the public eye, so many things didn't make sense. How was it even possible? "B-but... if you don't know where your own headquarters is, how the hell are you receiving orders? How do you even report back!?"

Ice just looked at him while walking before closing his eyes and turning his head forward again without answering the question.

Ice had no way to explain this to his new companion as he tried to keep up a calm demeanor on the outside.

Once he was transported off the SYNDICATE headquarters' site. He was supposed to be given a device that would give him missions from the SYNDICATE. Since he was kidnapped (somehow), the SYNDICATE would no doubt deem him a failure since he wasn't able to stop himself from being kidnapped, meaning they would just create another one of him, which would probably be even better than he is.

He tried to think of a good excuse as he peeked his eye open to see Jonathan was still looking at him, waiting for a response despite him just turning his head.

An excuse suddenly came to mind as he opened his eyes before explaining.

"Well, you see, the way they give me missions and tell me what to do is by, what would be unconventional to say the very least." He would say he was quite a fine liar, seeing as his tone did not change from a steady, charismatic, and cool tone. He tried to drag this out in order to add more to the lie as quickly as he could in his head.

Jonathan narrowed his eyes with skepticism and intrigue, as well as hesitation, feeling as if he didn't want to find out. "What are the methods?"

Ice decided to give him a small smile in order to hide the panic inside as he accidentally gave the most idiotic answer he had ever given in his life as he let his mouth run. "Well, they put a chip in my brain so that I would receive commands from them directly; that way I don't have to carry around a device. It also can never be tracked, hacked, lost, or stolen since it is really tiny and in my head. It's basically a direct link to my bosses."

It was at that moment Ice internally screamed at his stupidity.

'WHAT THE HELL KIND OF ANSWER IS THAT!? DON'T PANIC, YOU FOOL! Seriously! A chip in your brain!? Who in their right mind would ever believe that! I don't even think technology has advanced that far!' Ice looked over at the black-haired agent to see his reaction, hoping he somehow bought that stupid lie.

"So... they just give you orders in your head? How does that work? Is it like, some sort of voice in your head?" He tried to grasp how that even worked.

Seeing Jonathan like this, he internally let out a cheer. He seemed to believe it, kind of (?). He just needed to lie, more.

Ice tilted his head to the side while looking in another direction as if he were thinking hard but really didn't want to meet their line of sight. "Well... not really a voice in my head, more like..." Ice snapped his fingers while making a slightly wondering expression while putting a hand on his chin, making it seem like he was trying to find the words to describe it, but he was just trying to buy more time in order to think of more bullshit to add to the throne of lies he was building.

He then smiled as he "found" the right words. "A sort of command or instruction. I just know what to do as if it's instinct. It's instantaneous; that way I don't waste any time. I just know what they want me to do." He looked at Jonathan, who, upon hearing this, went into contemplation as Ice had two fingers crossed behind his back.

'Please, please, for the love of God! Do not ask any more questions!' His expression became one of panic as he instantly relaxed it as soon as Jonathan looked back at him with his eyebrows furrowed and looking at him with a bit of skepticism trying to wrap his head around such a concept, although he had seen it before, but only in fiction.

"So, how would you know if what you are doing is you? Couldn't they just control you without you even realizing it?"

Thankfully, this was an easier question to answer as he let out a soft chuckle at his acquaintance's guess. "Not exactly, just think of it more like a suggestion. I am still in control of my every action. I am just given the information I need to complete the mission as well as what I should do during the mission. Just think of it as solving problems such as being given multiple debriefings and having to sift through piles of articles. If I didn't want to follow the orders, then I could just NOT follow them. But what kind of super agent would I be then? I must always follow the duty that was given to me."

Thanks to Ice's relaxing presence and charisma, coupled with his calm responses, Jonathan's doubt went away. Yet, some of it still lingered. "I guess that makes sense... but how do they have this kind of technology? I have never heard of tech like this existing in real life."

"Oh well..." Ice quickly darted his eyes to the side before continuing while making up what he said as he talked. "The SYNDICATE has the best resources and greatest minds of all "The Forces of Justice" since they were all former parts of "The Forces of Justice" that decided to create this organization right after the world began to rebuild itself so no Evil Genius could take over again. They have also been researching this stuff for years, ever since the last Evil Genius nearly ended the world, so that we outmatch any normal agent from the main ones the public knows of. That way we can take the Evil Geniuses by surprise."

Ice pondered how many lies he could tell before Johnathan finds a contradiction. Johnathan seemed to buy his lie while looking around at the frozen statues and knocked-out minions. "That would explain how you took down an entire base along with your team."

This made Ice raise an eyebrow, not understanding a single thing that came out of his mouth. "Team?"

"Yeah. Your team?" Jonathan replied, confused on why he was suddenly raising an eyebrow. He looked around. "Speaking of which, where are they? Are they gathering info or something?"

He quickly processed the situation in his head while looking at him. 'All right, so he is asking for my non-existent team. Is it strange for a Super-agent to not have a team? Should I lie that I do have one? But when they don't come at the bay, it will show that I lied. Should I say that they all unfortunately died here?'

While Ice was in thought, he just kept staring at Jonathan, who felt like sweating, but due to the chilled air all around, he couldn't.

A conscience quickly came to his mind to say another half-truth. "I don't have a team."

"Oh, o-" Jonathan nearly tripped hearing this as he quickly caught himself as his shock turned him pale. Even Agent X had a team, so how...? He opened his mouth before closing it as no words came out.

They knew exactly what they were thinking as they shrugged while his eyes looked the other direction while putting his hand in his pockets, starting to feel relaxed. "Well, I never really found me needing a team. When you're the best of the best. Everyone else kind of just slows you down."

All the confusion went away as an understanding quickly settled into Johnathan as he smiled while looking forward.

Right, he was with a super agent who was no doubt a cut above the rest. Someone who was the best of the best.

Why did he even ask? From what he just heard, he wasn't just a super agent but a super agent of an organization that is so secret that not even the library in P.A.T.R.I.O.T. had any info on them and has technology so advanced that it looks like it came from fiction.

This all led to a question that spread and plagued his mind. Why did he come back to get him? Why bother wasting his time? He wasn't even a good agent.

Only for a second did he hesitate to ask as he looked down as a shadow cast over his eyes. "So... why?"

"Hmm?" Ice glanced over at him, wondering what he was going to say. "Yes?"

"Why would you come back and rescue me?" These words were mumbled, but he heard them clearly.

A blink and then the narrowing of eyes. "Why wouldn't I?" His suspicion was raised as he kept a steady tone.

Jonathan was almost taken aback by how simple of an answer he gave. "I'm not anyone special. Hell, I am not even a good low-ranking agent. Nothing more than a waste of resources and space. If you'd just left me here, well, I wouldn't really blam-...?"

He stopped speaking since Ice had stopped walking before suddenly turning around and-

SMACK

Only to be greeted with a slap across his face. He quickly clutched it as he looked at Ice, who was glaring at him.

He didn't care if he was a super agent! That was out of nowhere! "WHAT THE HELL ASSHOLE!?"

His heart rate stopped as he looked into endless eyes of blue. The atmosphere surrounding them became colder. "What did you just say?" Ice's voice was low yet commanding with an edge of anger. All thought had left his body.

Any anger he felt left him due to the pressure around him increasing as he couldn't look anywhere but his eyes. It felt like he would die otherwise.

"What would make you think you're not worth saving? Your background? Your rank? Your skill? Your wealth? Do any of these things matter if you're dead?"

His mind could barely work under this pressure Ice was letting out. His brain scrambled to work on an answer. "I-I... I'm just not good enough! I failed my first mission! I let my teammates die in front of me!"

Upon hearing this, Ice just shook his head, not accepting this answer as he knelt down slightly to his eye level.

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, just staring into his soul. "Not good enough?" His voice cut like steel. "Do your current failures define your value?"

Jonathan felt his heart quite literally pounding in his chest. He felt like a rock getting stared at by a mountain.

"I have watched agents, seasoned ones, fall to their own foolishness and arrogance, believing themselves to be unstoppable and the best. I have even seen the so-called 'best of the best' fall due to things not going according to plan or, when outnumbered, simply give up. Yet out of all of them, here you are... still alive after everything. Despite everything that's happened to you, you're still here, breathing, fighting, and surviving. That alone makes you worth saving."

His eyes darted down due to Ice being wrong about something. He had given up. He thought he should have just died. Especially after he couldn't even... "But... I failed them... I didn't do a single thing to try an-."

A hand was placed on his shoulder as his body tensed as he looked up at Ice. His expression had softened as he stood back up to his regular height. The pressure around them seemed to dissipate. "Yet. Here you are, contemplating your failure. Wanting to do something differently so that it doesn't happen again. You feel your guilt and sins crawling on your back. It tells me that you're someone who cares about other people, and you don't simply brush deaths aside. That's what makes you worth living. Your heart, and in this kind of world where many have already lost their humanity to complete the mission, that is what makes you special."

After his speech, Ice then went back to his regular mood as he walked past him as he watched Ice raise his hand in a gesture to follow him while saying, "Hey, I think the docks are just ahead. Let's go."

Ice was happy; he managed to cover up the fact he had just woken up here, although he did mean what he had said, although he was probably going to forget what he said in the next couple of minutes. Although he did feel like slapping him and giving that entire speech was a BIT much.

As he watched him walk ahead, he felt his eyes begin to well up, a mix of shame, relief, and something he hadn't felt in a long time. Someone had told him that he was worth something and that he had an actual purpose for existing.

It felt... strange and nice. Although he was just threatened while given a pep talk. He could feel his mouth bend up, something that it hadn't done for a while. He stood up before running forward to catch up to Ice.

Ice and Jonathan looked around the dock; the flickering light of the base revealed the ice and snow around them as Jonathan hugged himself for warmth, yet Ice seemed to be unfazed by the below-zero temperatures.

They both saw several large boats in the water bobbing up and down gently. Completely untouched as they walked over and picked one that was a middle size that wouldn't be easily detected yet have enough room for them to travel in.

Once they were both on it, Ice quickly went to the controls to inspect them as Johnathan went inside the boat to get warm. Johnathan took a seat as the engines of the ship hummed to life as they began to slowly move away from the docks, with the ship slowly going faster and faster until they were speeding away far from the evil base.

He wanted to say thank you, but words simply weren't going to cut it for the gratitude he was feeling.

Jonathan was unsure what he was going to do after this. He was probably going to quit PATRIOT; not like they would care if a low-ranking agent they think dead would quit. All he wanted was to follow Ice and truly show his worth. Even if Ice saw some sort of worth, he wanted to truly earn it. Even if he had to follow him to the ends of the Earth. Then so be it.

Meanwhile, Ice had picked out a destination on his map where a safe house wasn't too far away from the shores and was in a forest powered by a fusion generator. It was located in PATRIOT's territory. Specifically, that way his companion could catch a ride on the road (or train) and go back to HQ in order to report the crime lord's defeat.

After nearly 4 hours of driving the boat, they had finally reached NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR otherwise known as being part of the NORTHERN P.A.T.R.I.O.T STATES.

He parked the ship in this location so it would be a while until anyone found it. By anyone, he meant until the S.Y.N.D.I.C.A.T.E found it and quickly figured out that he had beaten the crime lord who captured him. Which would mean that they wouldn't have to create another one of him and retrieve him. It shouldn't take too long. Maybe a week before they find him or something.

Jonathan and Ice stepped off the boat as their feet made contact with the snow with a crunch, as it was slightly less cold here than it was in Greenland, but only by a slight amount. Jonathan had put on a jacket he found on the boat as he looked around while putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket so they would be warm as well.

"So, where are we going?" Jonathan asked, walking forward behind Ice as he looked around the snow-covered forest since he never really asked what they were going to do or where this place even is since he never questioned him until now.

Ice paused as he quickly turned around while snapping his fingers since he forgot to tell him. "Oh, right. It seems I didn't say this earlier. My apologies. I have taken us to a place where we can both finally go our separate ways."

Confusion, shock, and realization hit Jonathan all at once, causing his voice to still for a moment before saying, "What?"

Seeing this, Ice smiled faintly while internally sighing since he was actually starting to enjoy some company for once. "Well, the way I am going is different from yours. You need to head west to find the main road, which is 10 miles away, in order to get back to your HQ while I am going east."

This answer hit him like a bat. This was the end of the journey, and he was never going to see them again.

…

No.

He wasn't going to return back to serve those people that had sent him to that hellhole. That simply let his team die and let him get tortured for weeks on end.

"Where are you going?" Jonathan said calmly, for once his voice unwaveringly determined to see this task through to the end.

Ice shrugged. "Well, I am going to go to the Safe House, chill for a bit and wait for SYNDICATE to pick me up." With this, Ice turned around and began to walk off.

This made Jonathan's resolve quickly crumble into panic as he quickly yelled out while quickly thinking of what to say. "HEY!"

With him yelling it out, Ice turned around with a raised eyebrow while tilting his head slightly. "Yes?"

Jonathan quickly got on one knee while lowering his head. "Please! Train me!"

This made his mind go blank for a second; after hearing it, he just shrugged while saying, "Yeah, sure." As he turned around to begin walking off until he realized what just happened.

He then turned back around before pausing as sweat appeared on his face as he realized what he just did. "W-wait! What!?" He quickly turned around to Jonathan, who had just looked up at him with the same unwavering confidence and stone look. It was a completely different look from what he had been seeing of this agent till now.

What the hell had happened!?