Arrival in Toronto
Nick crossed the bridge separating Gilead's border from Canada. Tuello was waiting on the other side, leaning against his car with a folder in his hand and a polite smile that couldn't quite hide his exhaustion. Two men stood beside him. He stepped away from his car and approached them.
"Welcome to Toronto, Commander Blaine." Tuello said, extending his hand. Nick shook it with a firm but distant grip. That title no longer belonged to him, he had just left it behind seconds ago when he crossed that bridge. The thought made his stomach churn slightly.
"Thanks," he replied curtly.
"From here on, you'll be with me. Jon," Tuello continued, gesturing to the man on his right, "will take your car to check for any listening or tracking devices that could compromise our mission. If everything is clear, it will be registered under a new plate and returned to you in a few days. Is that alright?"
Nick gave a brief nod. He felt somewhat out of place here. Jon stepped forward, and Nick handed him the car keys. Without a word, Jon took them and walked off toward the vehicle.
As the man drove away, Tuello opened the back door of his own car for Nick, then walked around and got in through the other side, sitting next to him. The second man took the driver's seat and started the engine. He was stocky, dark-skinned, with curly black hair and a light beard. And just like his companion, completely silent. Nick appreciated that.
As Dopey Two drove toward the city, Tuello started explaining the details of the process as if he were reading from a manual. Nick half-listened, trying to focus while his mind drifted, lost in his own thoughts and the changing landscape outside the window behind Tuello.
"Your refugee status has been approved under strict confidentiality. We have a home ready for you in a safe neighborhood. Nothing fancy, but comfortable. You'll also be provided with a debit card with a monthly balance to cover your personal needs. It's meant to keep you from worrying while you adjust."
Nick stayed silent, processing the words. It felt strange to have someone concerned about what he needed. That feeling had disappeared long ago in Gilead—if it had ever existed at all.
"You also have a phone," Tuello added, pulling it out of his briefcase. "It's basic but functional. It's set up with essential contacts, including mine. Call me if you need anything, anytime."
Nick took the phone, feeling its weight, sensing it more as a symbol than a tool.
"What happens now?" he finally asked, his voice low.
"Now, you settle in and adapt. There's a team that will make sure you're up to speed with your future work and the protocol. During this time, you must remain in Toronto, that's part of our agreement. There will be regular meetings with me to continue our collaboration. Your knowledge of Gilead is still valuable, and your safety is a priority for us."
Nick nodded. He understood the deal; he had been cooperating with the U.S. government for months. Still, he wasn't sure how he felt about working in this new environment.
"Tomorrow at 8:00 AM, we have a meeting. Sayid will pick you up at 7:30. He'll be your driver until you get your car back." Sayid must have been Dopey Two's official name—he glanced at Nick through the rearview mirror and gave a small nod. Tuello looked at him as well and smiled, and for the first time, Nick returned the smile briefly, aware of the irony in that phrase. "The next few weeks will be a bit intense, but tomorrow will just be an introductory session to bring you up to speed on what's happening here. We'll finish before lunch, so you'll have the afternoon free."
Nick settled into his seat, feeling the weight of expectations, but at the same time, relieved that the day was so structured. Tuello took a breath before speaking again.
"If you want, I could arrange a meeting with June and Nichole in the afternoon." He paused slightly and looked at Nick, as if trying to gauge his reaction. "I know you didn't want to tell them anything until you were here, just in case, but you're safe now, Nick. And I'm sure they'd love to see you."
Nick slowly turned his head, a surge of emotions washing over him. A knot formed in his stomach at the thought of seeing them. He stared out the window for a few moments, considering what to say, then finally looked back at Tuello.
"How are they…?" he asked. His expression darkened at the change of subject. It was obvious that seeing June concerned him more than he cared to admit.
Tuello gave a small, reassuring smile. "Nichole is doing well. Growing fast, from what I've been told. She's happy here, surrounded by people who love her."
Nick nodded, slightly relieved.
"June is… rebuilding her life," Tuello continued, choosing his words carefully. "She lives with Luke, Moira, and Nichole in a house on the outskirts—a nice, cozy place. She's found some stability. She spends a lot of time with Nichole, but she's also involved in an organization helping refugees from Gilead. I think it's her way of channeling her energy."
Nick listened silently, trying to picture her in that setting.
"She's okay, all things considered," Tuello went on. "Though, like anyone who's been through what she has, I imagine some days are harder than others. But June is strong. She always has been."
Nick turned his gaze back to the car window. They had reached the city, and the lights blurred past in streaks of movement. Everything seemed to be moving too fast, while he still felt stuck in place. He had come here to be closer to them, especially to Nichole—or so he told himself—but… what was he supposed to do now? How did he fit into Nichole's life? Into June's?
Tuello seemed to understand his internal struggle and remained silent until they arrived at a modest red-brick building, where the car came to a stop.
"We're here. It's not much, but I hope it's a good start." Nick nodded and opened the car door. Before he stepped out, Tuello's voice called him back.
"Nick." Nick turned. "I won't pretend to understand what you're going through, but you did the right thing—not just for the U.S. Things will get better. When you're ready to see them, just let me know."
Nick nodded.
As he stepped into the building, he felt the weight of everything that lay ahead. He knew he couldn't avoid that meeting forever, but at that moment, the idea of facing his new reality felt like too much to bear.
The next week passed quickly for Nick as he settled into his new environment and routine.
Strangely, the work routine gave him a familiar feeling: the schedules, the meetings... Everything felt eerily similar to Gilead. Except for the small detail that 35% of the team was made up of women, and Greg, a tall, gangly twenty-something whose awkward gait seemed to suggest he hadn't quite mastered the proportions of his body, was the one serving the coffee.
The exhausting meetings were a welcome distraction for him. During this time, he got to know his new team and the pace of life in Toronto. There was something about it all that gave him a sense of security, of fitting in, without the constant worry of ending up on the Wall.
His house was in a quiet neighborhood, not far from the offices where he worked. In the evenings, he would stroll between the modern buildings, the tree-lined streets, and the neat houses that surrounded his own, with small, well-maintained gardens. Sometimes he wondered if he truly belonged there, if he deserved this kind of life.
His house, though small, had everything he needed. There were moments when the stillness of the place suffocated him, and the walls seemed colder than they were. But gradually, he grew accustomed to the calm, finding comfort in the simplicity of his new surroundings. He began organizing his things, putting up pictures on the walls, as if that could give him the feeling that he finally had a home. The sense of stability he had never had in Gilead, the one he couldn't have even when he lived in Chicago, was now something he felt here, though not without some internal resistance.
Tuello visited him regularly. He never pushed for the meeting with June, instead, he gave him space to adapt and feel comfortable. During their meetings, Tuello would talk about work, the importance of what he was doing, and always showed himself willing to help with whatever Nick needed. Nick confirmed his initial impressions of him: he was someone you could trust. A guy obsessed with his country, but who also genuinely cared about his fellow citizens and their well-being. A sincere, honest guy, something that, based on his experience, wasn't exactly common in the world.
Meetings with his new bosses were frequent. Nick quickly found himself immersed in a series of projects and initiatives that demanded all his focus. At times, work seemed like the only thing keeping his thoughts at bay. He knew his knowledge of Gilead was valuable, and his bosses made full use of it, seeking the perspective that only someone who had lived in the heart of Gilead could provide.
But in his free moments, his mind would return to June and Nichole. How were they? What had become of their lives? How would they react to the news that he was here? He wondered if she still thought of him, if she worried about how he might be or what could happen to him; and in those moments, the urge to call her was overwhelming. Yet, he also wondered how he would fit into her new life, what place he would have; and once again, fear won the battle.
He started looking into her, beginning with the organization Tuello had mentioned she was involved with. Moira, Emily, and Rita were also part of it. It seemed that despite all the obstacles placed in their way, they were achieving great things. It couldn't be any other way; those four were an unstoppable force of nature. Nick felt pity for those foolish enough to oppose them. Reading about her made him feel a little closer, but also much more distant. "She's found some stability," Tuello had told him during their first meeting. Did he really want to risk breaking that stability? But… why else had he come to Toronto?
One evening, in his second week there, he deviated from his usual route after work. He'd been assigned a car a few days earlier, which he was incredibly grateful for—he wasn't a fan of traveling with a chauffeur. Given his current position, it hadn't been difficult for him to find June's address, and suddenly, taking a drive through her neighborhood seemed as good an idea as any.
He drove through the quiet streets, watching the houses lining both sides from the car, careful not to be seen too much. When he finally found the right address, he stopped a few meters away. The lights were on in the downstairs windows, and he could hear indistinct conversations coming from inside. June was there, so close that for a moment, he felt the urge to get out of the car and ring the doorbell, but he held himself back. He continued watching, unable to really see or hear anything, and waited.
Minutes passed, maybe even hours. Nick was absorbed in watching the figures moving behind the curtains, the muffled noises inside. On several occasions, the sound of a child's laughter overlapped with the noise, and Nick's heart skipped a beat. Then the front door opened, and June came out, pushing a stroller. Nichole. June was glowing, bundled up in her winter coat, her face flushed from the cold, smiling from ear to ear as she spoke to the little one. Nick waited until they turned the corner, then followed them at a careful distance until they reached a park.
Then he could see her. June lifted Nichole out of the stroller, and he saw his daughter—she was huge and radiant, the spitting image of her mother, with those bright, intense blue eyes that could devour the world. June sat her on a swing and began to push her while speaking softly. Nick parked the car and watched them for a long while, lost in the perfection of that scene.
He stayed there, still, as if his presence could shatter the bubble surrounding them. It wasn't until a woman approached and began confronting June that he realized what was happening. The woman, in an aggressive tone, seemed to be threatening June, though Nick couldn't hear the conversation. Nick grew concerned and braced himself to get out of the car. However, June took control of the situation first, standing her ground against the woman before walking away with Nichole.
That was the June he knew, strong and brave, capable of facing the world for the people she loved. Something stirred inside Nick. As soon as he lost sight of June and Nichole, he started the car and drove home. Then, with his pulse racing, just like Greg desperately trying to steady his hands while serving coffee, he grabbed his phone and called Tuello.
"Mark, I need you to set up that meeting with June."
Nick could almost see Tuello's smile on the other end of the line.