JAY

TURNS OUT, ACTUALLY sitting down to make a plan is a lot harder than it sounds.

I don't know how Analysts do this.

Honestly, so much brain power is required.

I am going to start a petition to raise their wages and demand they get more vacation days because this shit's hard.

Dawn was breaking over the edges, bathing the sky in a gloriously warm glow. My eyes were watering, words were swimming and I had gone through about three notebooks. None of the plans I'd made were gonna work. They all had something wrong with it.

It made me feel bad for all the times I made fun of Wilson's plans. I should get her some chocolates as an apology.

"You have the makings of an Analyst."

I winced as I thought of Ada's words. If only she could see me now. Actually, no. She would never let me live it down.

"Hey." Ryder entered the room and slid over a cup. "I thought you might need some more coffee."

"Thanks." I took a sip and my face contorted into a disgusted expression. "Still tastes like crap."

"Yeah, but it's the best thing they serve here."

"That's kinda sad to hear." I tiredly rubbed my hand over my face and let out a long exhale. "Has Ada woken up yet?"

"No, not yet. But the doctors are getting more confident about her recovery."

"That's not gonna bring her back though, is it?" I sighed and shook my head. "Sorry, I just–"

"Nah, you don't need to apologise." He said, pulling up in the chair opposite me. "I get it, I do."

"I just–" I ran a hand through my hair and let out a frustrated groan. "–I feel like a total moron for just sitting here and- and doing nothing."

"You're not doing nothing." Ryder consoled, glancing at the mounds of papers and empty paper coffee cups. "You're...doing the best you can."

"Yeah, which is nothing." I scoffed, throwing my pen down. "The best plan I've got involves us running away to the Maldives for a year."

"Why a year?"

"We have an argument and Ada strangles me to sell my parts on the black market."

He laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like the Addy I know."

"It's a mess right now," I said, gesturing to the computer. "I don't know how the Analysts managed all this back at the Agency."

"Well, I think Addy will, uh, well she'll appreciate the effort." Ryder picked up a sheet. "And if not, I think the money she'll get from selling your organs should ease the pain."

I laughed and nodded. "Yeah. Anyways, why did you come down here? Something happen?"

"Well, I mean, you've been down here for about six hours so I thought I'd come down and see if you're okay."

"Thanks," I said with an appreciative nod. I glanced at the door and thought for a second. "Now this might just be the caffeine talking, but I'm curious- how did you and Silver meet?"

He chuckled and leaned back, crossing his arms. "Aw man, that's- that's a long story."

I shrugged. "I got time."

"Right, well...let's see... It was about five years ago. Za- I mean, Silver, was starting a... let's call it a business of sorts, and she was recruiting people. I was working in a bar at the time and there were some unsavoury people harassing a group. So I asked them to stop, but they got aggressive. So I... had to physically remove them."

"And how did that lead you to meeting Silver?" I asked.

"She saw me fighting," A small smile bloomed across his expression. "And she asked me to join her. Naturally, I agreed. Two years later, I worked up the courage to ask her out and now we're getting married next year."

I had a hard time imagining Silver being romantic. She looked like the kind of woman who would put a bullet through your skull if you offered her some flowers.

"Congratulations!" I lifted my coffee cup in a toast and let out a tired yawn. I think my immunity to the coffee kicked in around the sixth or seventh cup.

"Thanks. Maybe you should get some sleep. You really look terrible," Ryder suggested.

"Aw you're making me blush," I joked then shook my head. "Nah, the coffee has got me energised. I'll finish this up first and then I'll take a break."

"Alright, cool." Ryder got up, "I'm gonna check up on Addy then I'll hang out with Silver for sometime."

"Alright," I said, tiredly pulling the laptop towards me as Ryder left the room. "See you around."

A memory floated to the top of my brain and I froze mid-type, the world around me melted to a scene from one year ago.

"Wilson!" I called out, striding through the Analyst's department, my hands tucked into my pockets. I nodded to a few Analysts that I'd worked with in the past, trying to locate the familiar head of dark hair.

"She's not in today," someone cried out amidst the flurry of paperwork and typing noises.

"What? Why?" I asked.

The Analyst shrugged, her eyes not straying from the screen. "Dunno...think she's sick. Not that you would care anyways."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She tore her eyes away from the computer and arched a brow. "You both hate each other. Last week, you tried to strangle her."

"She started it," I muttered, but I had already lost the Analyst's attention to the confusing world of binary and computers.

Though I wouldn't have admitted it at the time, I was a bit worried. I asked Ezra about it, and he got a really sad look in his eye and said Wilson wouldn't be in all week. I tried to press him for a reason, but he refused to give me one by saying he had 'pinky-promised' Wilson and going back on a pinky-promise meant the death of a friendship.

So, for reasons unknown to me, I decided to send Wilson a 'get well soon' package. It was a small bouquet of flowers, muffins and a sarcastic card. I thought it was a nice gesture, but it back-fired horribly when Wilson came back into work and slapped me in front of the crowd.

Turns out, she was allergic to the flowers I had sent. There was also a horrific typing mistake in the card and what was supposed to be read as a sarcastic card, actually turned into a misogynistic statement. Also, the muffins were burnt.

Looking back, I realised that I had given Ada an entire thesis on reasons to hate me. Sure, she had done some pretty terrible stuff too, but that wasn't really an excuse. I was nearly always the one who instigated the arguments.

Tumultuous chatter reached my ears and I looked up. Seems like the work day had begun and people were clocking in to– actually, I didn't really know what Silver and Ryder did.

I thought about Silver's penchant for murder and Ryder's story about how he met Silver and decided I didn't want to know.

Hours passed and I attained several hand cramps. I must've dozed off at some point because when I next opened my eyes, the day had bled into night. I rubbed my eyes as my stomach growled, but the thought of eating made me nauseous.

Someone had graciously organised all my papers into neat piles and had even covered me with a thin blanket. A sticky note had been taped on my forehead with the words 'DO NOT DISTURB :)' in a thick black pen. I chuckled and mentally thanked whoever did that.

I stood up and nearly fell back down again as my muscles turned to jelly. I pressed my throbbing head and tried to recall what terrible plan I had formulated before passing out. I thought about Wilson, and wondered if she had woken up but someone would have come to get me if she had.

Damned Analyst. I scowled, sighing in relief as I stretched. Why did she have to go in there alone, huh?

**********

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