"What was so urgent you needed a private meeting with me?" Leon asked. 

"The mission," Tristan took a sip of his coffee, "Before I started, I was informed that there would be a fight of some kind, that it would cause a fire. Then I was told that Z.E.I.T. agents would cause the fire."

Leon waved the approaching waitress away.

"During my last meeting, they said four Kerzillion employees were supposed to get fired," Tristan continued, "I can't finish this mission successfully if I'm not getting all the details, Leon. It feels like every meeting a new detail pops up and it's messing with my progress."

The older man stared at his cup, "The details are changing, 801. There was going to be an argument; the financial and project departments. That was going to happen when they got dismissed. That coupled with another problem 248 should've made were supposed to cause a huge fight. During the fight another agent was to cause a fire."

"But they haven't been dismissed. So all of this won't happen."

"That doesn't matter now," Leon looked out the window.

"What do you mean?"

"The whole mission doesn't matter anymore," he clenched his hand.

"You're going to break the cup."

"I don't know what's going on in Z.E.I.T. 103 stopped all future missions. Only José-related missions are still operating."

"What does José have to do with us?" Tristan already knew the answer, but he needed to fully understand what Z.E.I.T. was planning to do.

"I can't tell you that."

"Because I'll betray Z.E.I.T.?" he rolled his eyes, "The one home I know," he lied. It never felt like home. "My entire existence revolves around it."

"It's not that simple."

"Just tell me, Leon."

"Becker came here. He's helping his younger self make the company."

"How does this affect us?"

"Our job is to prevent large-scale problems. We can't do that when someone else is tampering with time. They're changing the future, 801, and they're doing it for profit. Someone with enough money loses a loved one; José contacts them. A businessman makes a huge loss that destroys his life; José suddenly appears," Leon pushed the untouched coffee aside.

"And all of these people know about time travel?" Tristan sighed. This could cause all types of problems. It's a miracle the whole world doesn't know about time travel at this point.

"I don't know how they're dealing with it. What I know is that José is feeling threatened by Z.E.I.T."

"What?" Tristan scoffed, "Does Becker think Z.E.I.T. is a competitor or something? Suddenly we're competing for time travel services?"

"Basically."

"What?" Why would José think that? Z.E.I.T. doesn't take money from individuals in exchange for services. 

"Is Z.E.I.T. doing that?" Tristan started slowly, "Is it providing time travel services?"

"Even I'm not getting all the details, 801. A few agents said our board members are making awful choices, taking the wrong path. Two of them haven't contacted me since."

"He looks troubled," Tristan noted. Leon never looked like that before. He always seemed to be in control, all the agents did. Yet during his meetings, there were many incidents where they acted unprofessionally. Tristan didn't see it then but he knew it now; Z.E.I.T. is doing something it shouldn't be doing. And it was making everyone on edge.

"What are you going to do?"

Leon looked at him, contemplating whether he should say the next words, "Donal and I will look into it."

"Donal?" Tristan raised a suspicious eyebrow. Donal was an old friend of Leon's. They were as close as Z.E.I.T. agents could be but Tristan didn't trust him. Donal would throw anyone under the bus if it meant he got in favor with the heads of Z.E.I.T.

"I know you don't like him, but I trust him."

"Will you tell me what you find out?"

Leon didn't hesitate, "Yes, I will," he stood up, "Stay safe, don't do anything reckless."

Tristan didn't answer. He was going to do the most reckless thing an agent told not to love could do and he didn't want to lie. Not to Leon, at least.

~~~~~~~~~

"Why do you want to drive me home?" Dahlia asked as she closed her laptop.

"Because I've been meaning to tell you something all day but can't gather the courage to do that," he thought.

"The weather's not good for a walk."

She furrowed her brows at him. The weather was just fine. 

"Are you all right, Tristan?"

He wasn't all right. He was nervous for more reasons than he could count and the one thing he could count on was now unstable too.

"I am," he tried to smile, "I just miss you."

"It's been a busy month. I miss you too but I can't make any more mistakes," she snapped her bag shut, "Which means no taking time off work," Tristan gulped. She wasn't accusing him of anything but he knew what he'd done. He'd always know that he hurt her.

"I insist," he opened the door for her.

"Let's go then," she smiled at him.

A month. Tristan hadn't realised that all that time passed. A whole month since the fair. A whole month since he talked to Leon. 30 days, and he still didn't get any information from him. Tristan had been busy with Kerzillion, it was, as Dahlia said, a packed month. On top of that, he had to make sure no one tried to get her dismissed, even though nothing threatened her job anymore. 

Perhaps the agents were right. Maybe it didn't matter anymore. What mattered now? Finishing his mission? Taking José down?

"What're you thinking about?" they got into his car.

"Someone important hasn't contacted me in a while. I'm wondering if he's," he tried to choose the right word, "Alive."

"A coworker?" 

"Yes," he started the car, "But he's also a lot more than that."

"Have you heard about anything going wrong where he is?"

"No, but I wouldn't really hear about it."

"Don't worry about it now. That'll only cloud your judgement," she took his hand, gently kissing his knuckles before smirking playfully at him, "And your actions."

"Thank you," he ignored the blush creeping up his neck, "Normally I'm more professional than this. More in control. But this mission," he trailed off, leaning his head back. They hadn't left the parking yet.

"It's ok, Tristan, you don't always have to be in control. Give it time. Trust your gut and don't do something too stupid."

"I've already done that," he looked at her. She was smiling that tired smile. The one she gave him a lot. 

"No, it isn't tired," he now realised. It was happy and sad and full of warmth and understanding. It didn't make him feel pitied as so many smiles did. It was perfect.

"Shall we?" he finally pulled out of the parking.

"Is that Tiny Tom?" she picked up an empty donut box.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tristan chuckled.

"It is," she laughed, "So you do like it!"

"I never said I didn't like it!"

"You wouldn't answer me. I thought you hated them."

"I don't think anyone can hate donuts."

"Yeah, I was starting to rethink you as a person."

"Based on my taste in sweets?"

"Yes."

Tristan laughed at the serious tone she used.

"Tristan Antonov, do you think I'm joking?"

"So you're telling me, The Dahlia Garcia would judge someone based on sweets?"

"Imagine loving someone then finding out they don't like chocolate." 

"Oh yes," he gasped dramatically, "I can imagine the horror."

Dahlia chortled at the horrified face he pulled.

"Well, I like chocolate, don't worry."

"I'll have to test that."

"And I'd love to get spoiled by you."

"I've never gotten you anything, have I?"

"Why would you need to get me something?"

"I'd say because you got me churros, a necklace, a pineapple cake-"

"Actually that was a team effort."

"Yes, but we seem to be the kind of duo to get each other gifts."

"Duo?"

"Do you have a better label?"

His eyes found hers before turning back to the road. He wouldn't like the word 'friends', 'coworkers' was too professional. A couple? 

"No," he finally muttered.

"Perhaps if you were to stay for more than four months, we could've had one," and this time there was no smile. 

"Perhaps," he echoed, mind going through the possibility of another life.

"Thanks for the ride," she opened the car door, "Don't worry about your friend too much, ok?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She shook her head before leaving the car with a grin on her face. Then Tristan remembered what he wanted to tell her for the past month. He had to do it. Even if he was leaving her.

He quickly opened his door as Dahlia stepped inside the building.

"Dahlia!"

"Hm?" she turned around.

"I love you," he said it slowly, watching the surprise on her face, before entering the car and leaving. He didn't want her to say it back. He knew how real things got when you said them out loud. He didn't want her to love him back. He didn't want her to suffer. At least, that's what he told himself. 

It was a lie, for when Dahlia neglected to say it back the next day, a little part of his heart broke. It wouldn't stay broken for long, however, because in ten days, Tristan Antonov would make another stupid decision. One that was more dangerous than three words.