Crypto Chronicles: Mutants & Murder

"I don't have time to fight the world anyway. I have a mission to complete. I will make the Syndicate pay if it's the last thing I do, for me and every other mutant out there. We must survive at all costs. We cannot surrender. Surrender, and you die. They made sure we learned that lesson well.

"I will obey the rules, and follow the path of least resistance. I will find a way to fit in. To serve, but not stand out. To benefit, but not take risks. And then I will strike at their heart! It is the only way for us. Being different is a flaw, and it will get you killed, but only if you let it. I will not be killed."

You stare at her, trying to look into her mind, but her head is down.

"Do you agree?" she asks.

"No. You don't have to have that life anymore. You can have a better one here with me. We can even see about fixing whatever they did to you, if you want."

She looks at you, and some of the tears on her face disappear. "It's too late for that," she says.

You shake your head. "It's never too late. An hour ago, you thought it was too late for your father. A day ago, you thought it was too late for Benny. You can make sure it's never too late."

She looks at you, a stare that's impossible to look away from. "Maybe..." She takes your hand, and squeezes it reassuringly.

You say, "Look, when we go see your father tomorrow, we'll have the docs give you a check up. They should be able to fix most if not all the mutations. No charge. No waiting lists."

"You're too kind," she says. "I don't mean to impose on you."

You laugh. "I didn't lose my left arm in the Old War for nothing, hon. I've got lifetime connections with the best of the best, and that goes to my family too. That's you, if you hadn't noticed."

"Yeah...," she says, smiling.

You wonder for a moment if she's going to kiss you, but she gets up and walks into the kitchen, seemingly to go grab another drink.

You say, "We can stop by the ECS Recalculation Office on our way home too. Set you up with a new life and a clean record. Give you a fresh start."

"You're going to make me... What's the phrase... promote my career?" she asks.

You nod. "In a matter of speaking, yes. You'll get a new one. The best part? The Syndicate won't be able to find you. It'll be like the old you never existed."

"I guess I have to say goodbye to my old life, then."

"We can say you're taking a well-earned break. Nobody will question it."

"That's a nice thought, honey. I just wish it were as easy to implement as you think. I guess it'll be a long day tomorrow when we find out."

You shrug. "If it helps, you could even put in a request to take on missions for the ECS against the Syndicate. Get a little payback, but with proper support and backup this time. I'd join you. Make them regret what they did."

She stares at you for a moment.

"How...?" she asks.

You grin. Then, you hold up and flex your bionic arm.

"You give the ECS Intel boys a run down on everything you know about the Syndicate tomorrow, and I'm sure they'll find ways to take them down."

She smiles faintly. "You're too good to me," she says.

You both move to the couch and relax, spending the rest of the day watching movies. She lays her head on your chest, and you wrap your arms around her.

In the morning, you wake beside her, kissing her.

You smile. "Are you ready for the first day in your new life?"

She smiles sleepily. "Let's do it."

Over the next few weeks, you take Allison through her new life. It's very simple, for a woman with her experience at least.

Her father gets better medical care than any civilian. He is able to make an almost full recovery, only suffering a small limp with his right leg. And she gets treatments on her mutations, reversing their damage by roughly 90%.

The ECS eventually insists you pull a few runner jobs for this after awhile, but they're easy milk runs for you. You really get back into action as backup for your girl, though.

Allison is given a new ID, background, a clean criminal record, and a new career in the ECS as a special agent. She's known as a 'ghost' operative. Her missions are much more subtle than yours as a runner.

Her corporate infiltrations, assassinations, and systematic take downs are all specifically designed around picking apart Syndicate operations. Her former experience with them aids in her ability to get in and out with none the wiser.

And she does all this while still managing to maintain a close relationship with you. Your relationship continues to be a topic of interest for the media, but the ECS is fairly tight lipped in the matter.

As far as anyone outside the ECS is concerned, Allison is a science fiction author with a best selling book already published based on your adventures and another book soon on the way. And according to the media, you two happened to meet during her first interview with you for her book a couple years ago and you recently rekindled your relationship.

You never watch media about yourself, so you don't know what this 'fame' for you is all about. But for the first time in your life, you're a little proud of what it has done for your girlfriend.

This is just the start of a brand new chapter in both of your lives. From enemies to lovers, strangers to best of friends, life has a way of keeping things interesting.