Resolutions

I like eating ice cream in the winter. There are no lines and no blazing sun melting my frozen treat. Only problem is with less customers that means there are also less options. Supply and demand I guess. That's alright though. I'm going with a classic, Strawberry. I didn't always like Strawberry, but it grew on me. With each lick I can feel myself escaping, or at least attempting to. "Any ideas?" Olivia asks, breaking the silence. I look at her perplexed. "It's New Years Eve. Surely you must have some resolutions." She continues. I shake my head no. "I don't buy that." She says. "I don't want to be so angry." I tell her. "You're angry?" She asks. I nod. "You don't seem mad." She says. "I hide it well I guess." "What are you angry about?" She asks. "Mostly myself for letting the wrong people get in my head. Telling me what I can and can't do. And I'm angry at myself for not having the courage to make positive changes." I finish talking. My heart is racing. It feels as if I could burst into flames at any moment. Olivia puts her hand on my face. "That's who you were. It doesn't have to be who you are." I turn away slightly and bite my lip. "Hey, you want to be less angry? That's good. That's a good starting point, but how are you gonna do it?" She asks. "I don't know. The idea of letting things go is easier said then done." "That it is, but I think that rather than focusing on who you are, you think about who you want to be." She explains. " I know I want to have the courage to live the life that I want to live." I tell her. Olivia smiles. "Then think about that and what it means to you, and one more thing... enjoy today."

No Evidence

The SWAT team stayed longer than expected. It was ridiculous, I didn't think it was necessary bringing in a full force to begin with. That's me though. Night fell, that's when the cops decided to call it a day. That's when Olivia and I searched for clues. We're normally good at this sort of thing. However, this time we could not find a shred of evidence. Even the scattered garbage held no clues. Just fast food bags. I hold up my yellow shield. " If it wasn't for this, I would have doubted this whole experience happened." "I'm not sure if that is even prof anymore." Olivia says. "I see no need to go back to the hospital." I tell her. Olivia nods in agreement. "Nope, I don't think there would be much if anything for us to do there." "What do you want to do?" I ask. " Let's go on a vacation." I half smile. "My life is a vacation." "What is that supposed to mean?" She asks. "It's nothing." I say, trying to brush it off. "It's obviously something." I see the remnant of sugar cone on the ground. "Hey, let's get ice cream." I announce, trying to change the subject. Olivia grins and shakes her head. "Ok, but you're not getting out of this that easily." "Getting out of what?" I ask. Olivia walks in front of me. "We'll get ice cream. Just remember though. New Years is coming up, and it is a very magical time."

The Disappearing Factory

Here we are, across the street from the factory. Or at least where it was. Where it used to be not too long ago. A swat team toils away in search of any clue of what might have been. All that remains is a vacant parking lot with grass growing between the cracks. Jay is behind this somehow. I have no doubt in my mind. I have no idea how he did it, but it is the only explanation I can think of. I wonder if the factory imploded like the haunted house at the end of Poltergeist. That would have been a spectacle to watch. Not that seeing a dozen trained SWAT members scratch their heads isn't amusing. Still I can't help but feel bad for the officer at the hospital. Despite all he has been through, and his weird medical condition, no one will believe him anymore. Not with out any evidence. Most likely his illness with be written off as "something weird that happens." Or it will be explained away tirelessly. The doctor's know they have little, if anything to cling to with this case. The one piece of "logical" evidence that they find, they will use, and that will be that. It is a dirty trick Jay played, but he's gotta cover his tracks somehow.

Down the Street

The bus dropped us off about a block away from the factory. Apparently that's as far as it could take us. It's strange. Very strange. Usually one would want the workers to get to and from work quickly and easily. But I guess when you think about it they aren't really human anymore so they would probably want to keep this factory as secret as possible. We've been told the factory is only a few blocks away. A few city blocks. As we walk we see less and less green grass and more more mud and garbage. Usually, but not always, a sign of a rougher neighborhood. I am not afraid though. "Must really want to keep this place secret." I tell Olivia. "What do you mean?" "Well, there's no bus stop to the factory." "That doesn't mean they're trying to be secretive." "Oh no?" I say, confused. "No, they're most likely just cheap. I mean they use robotic workers who they don't have to pay." Olivia explains. I nod in agreement. "We did see them marching out in broad daylight. But I don't get it, if we saw them that means that someone else must have at some point." I say. " Who knows? Maybe someone is being payed off?" Olivia suggests. "But I thought they were cheap." Olivia sighs. "I don't know." She looks ahead. "Shall we?" She says, knowing we still have a hike. I look down at the sample. "Could you make a bubble?" I ask. "Sure, I guess." Olivia cuffs her hands together, and slowly a pink bubble emerges from her palms. "Like this?" She asks. "Bigger. As big as my body." I proclaim. Olivia concentrates and makes the bubble expand. It takes some time, but eventually it is the size of my body. I remove the sample lid and toss the substance onto the pink bubble. Immediately Olivia darts out of the way and throws down her shield, but not before a good amount of the substance spreads over it. "What the hell are you doing?!" She shouts as I glance at the now semi hardened object. Its shape remsembles a saucer with a slight curve. The center is still wet. I take a stick off the ground and poke the center of the saucer. The substance attaches itself to the stick. I quickly pull my hand away before it attacks me. Before I know it, the substance hardens creating a handle. "Did you make a shield?" Olivia asks. I grab the handle and hold the shield in front of me. It is bright yellow and round. "How did you think to do that?" She wonders. I smile. "The substance takes on whatever form it attaches itself to. We just have to use it to our advantage."

Bus Ride

We sit in the back of a city bus. No one bat's any eye at the sight of us in our costumes, holding a sample of God only knows what. I suppose they have all seen stranger things on public transportation. That or everyone is too preoccupied with their own inner dialogues. Not necessarily even any dramas per se, but rather a list of things they have to do for the day. You go to most grocery stores and you can see this. The overly focused, zoned out look on people's faces. You can almost hear them say "Soup, soup, I gotta get soup." Sometimes I think it is amusing. Sometimes I think it is sad. The one's who are so bad, so caught up with their "To do" list, you don't see them make eye contact,let alone say "Hello" to strangers. I'm not talking about a full conversation, but just saying "Hello." Sometimes that's everything. Perhaps I look too into this. At any rate we are on the bus on our way to the factory. Hopefully we can can get a hold of the rest of that stuff before the cops. What we'll do with it once we have it in our possession is another question. We're not really sure of a safe place to put it. It's not exactly like we can dump it down the drain either. Most likely it would create some sort of environmental disaster. We'll figure it out though.

For Employees Only

"May I help you?" She asks again. This time sounding more stern than the last. I think for a moment and answer in the only way that I know. "No." I say, defiantly. The doctor sighs. "What are you doing down here? What are you holding?" I look down and glance at the sample. "Urine" I say, without hesitating. The doctor winces, but believes me. "Who is your doctor? Who sent you here?" She asks. "Dr. Benson." I tell her. "Dr. Besnon told you to go down to the basement by yourself and produce a urine sample?" "Not exactly." "Then why are you here by yourself?" "He's not by himself. I'm here." Olivia chimes in. The doctor shoots her a nasty look. "This is a restricted area. Unless you are accompanied by someone such as myself, you can not be here." "We're sorry, it's just he can't go in public places. " Olivia explains. "Really?" "Yeah, he has to be secluded in order to go." I am slightly embarrassed, but the lie is getting us out of trouble. I see the doctor's face becoming less and less red. "My cousin used to be like that, but why are you wearing gloves?" She asks. I furrow my brow. "Because I'm holding urine." The doctor smiles. "Fair enough." She walks past us with the boy and his mother. "But you might want to drink more water." She adds. "What?" I ask, confused. "Urine isn't supposed to be that bright. You need to drink more water." I take the advice and we head to the elevator. Now to get the hell out of here.

Candyland

The elevator doors open to a brightly lit lab. So bright that I can not detect my shadow. I guess it is so they can take blood easier, but damn. There are no doctors or technicians in sight. A little odd, but it will make our job slightly easier. We rummage through the drawers. Nothing to be found. Just tubes of blood and medical equipment. "Remind me to sanitize my hands." Olivia says, cringing. "I think you'll be fine." "I don't care. I'm still getting sanitizer." I smile and open a drawer. There on top of the shelf, I see a yellow substance in a petri dish. " Ah ha!" I shout. Olivia walks over to me and stares up at it. "Somehow, I thought it would be more of a challenge to find it." She says. "Eh, I'm not complaining." "Oh no, me either. It's just kind of weird." She assures me. " I know. Guess they didn't expect us to steal it." Olivia chuckles. I grab a chair and stand on it. I can see the label and it reads SAMPLE XK1. "What do you think XK1 means?" I ask. "Who knows? They probably just had to name it something." "So they chose letters and numbers?" "Let's face it, not everyone would name it WEIRDASS THING like we would." She shouts out. I reach for the sample. Olivia stops me. "Wait!" I turn around. "I don't think we should touch it with our hands." She warns. Olivia opens a drawer and finds a box of latex gloves. She hands me a pair and I slip them on. "One more thing." She tells me. "What is it?" I ask. "Hold it away from you." I carefully grab the sample and step off the chair. I walk slowly to the elevator. "This is gonna take forever." I say. "That's ok. We just have to get out of the hospital and then we can figure out how to get rid of it." We walk to the elevator. Right as we're about to hit the up button the doors slide open. We are greeted by a shorter doctor with a lab coat. She is with a ten year old boy and his mother. "May I help you?" She asks in her most intimidating tone.

Elevator to the Lab

Luckily for us, the lab was clearly labeled on the hospital elevator. It's all the way in the basement, and the elevator is slower than molasses. That's ok though. It'll give me some time to mentally prepare. "Are you feeling better?" Or answer questions about my well being. I turn to Olivia and nod. "Are you?" She asks again. She sees right through me. I think for a moment and then respond. "When you were a kid, did you ever have hopes, dreams, and wishes?" "Of course I did." She replies. "I did to, but I can't seem to remember them lately." Olivia laughs to herself. "I'm sorry, but why would it matter if you wanted to fly or become Superman?" She asks. "No, I mean the more realistic, tangible ones." I explain. "Oh, those ones." "Yeah, and I know shit happens. Life throws you curve balls." "But?" She says, trying to pull the words out of my mouth. "But, it would be nice if I could remember some of that. Keep that excitement alive." "You don't feel excited?" She asks, worriedly. "Not like that." Olivia wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug. "Maybe you need a vacation." She suggests. "Yeah, away from myself." I quip. The elevator doors open. Olivia presses the close button. "We are making a difference in the world." She tells me. "You think so?" Olivia nods. "Maybe not on a large scale, but we are." I smile slightly. " That feels nice to hear." "Yeah?" She asks. "Yeah." The elevator doors open. "Here we are." Olivia says. I take a deep breath. "Just one foot in front of the other." She assures me. I nod and prepare. "Think of this as us breaking in to Candyland. Think of it as fulfilling a childhood fantasy." She continues. I stand up straight and get ready for the journey into Candyland.

Pep Talk

Olivia clenches her teeth and prepares for the next epic adventure. I, however, stand listless. Less than enthusiastic, less than caring, less than anything right now. Her back is turned to me, but she knows without knowing my lack of optimism. She turns to me. "What's the problem?" "What's the point?" I say, answering her question with a question. "Maybe I put the pieces together wrong, but don't you think we should get to the factory before the thing falls into the wrong hands?" She explains. "Who's to say we are the right hands?" Olivia taps her foot impatiently. "What do you suggest we do?" She asks. I shrug. "I don't know." "I think we should go to the factory and take it ourselves." I sigh. "Yeah, that sounds good." I say, still less than enthusiastic. "What? What is your problem?" She questions. I shrug again. " Just feel blue today I guess." Olivia grabs me by the shoulders and shakes me. "Snap out of it." I take a deep breath and nod. Olivia looks me deep in the eyes. " I don't know what goes on in your inner world sometimes. I don't know why you feel so defeated out of no where, but you have to pull yourself together. Find a little bit of hope and hold onto it because that is the most precious, empowering thing." Olivia finishes her speech and smiles slightly. Her smile is disarming, and I feel warmer. "Ok?" She asks gingerly. I nod in agreement. "Ok." I say. She turns around and we start walking down the brightly lit hospital hallway. "I do have one suggestion though." I explain. "What is that?" She asks. "I think first we should break into the lab and take the sample that they have."

Lab Results

The doctor greets us as Dr. Benson and shakes our hands. His handshake shows confidence, but his face reveals confusion. Olivia offers her chair to Dr. Benson. He smiles and sits down. " Now, before I begin, is it alright that I read this information with our visitors present?" "It's not embarrassing? Is it?" The officer asks. "No, but it is puzzling." "What is it?" Dr. Benson takes a deep breath. "First of all, we're not sure how to identify the substance we took from you." "You're acting like it's an alien." I interrupt. Dr. Benson smirks. "You might not be far off." The officer sits up slightly. "What the hell is it?" "We don't know. It certainly is not like anything that I have come across." He states. "What makes it unique?" Olivia asks. "At first we thought it was some sort of virus, but there is no complex organism. At least none that we could identify with a microscope." "But you have super microscopes that can see atoms." The officer jumps in. Dr. Benson nods in agreement. "Which brings me to my next point. Under surveillance of our "super microscope" we realized that this substance functions entirely as one complete unit." "Does that ever happen?" Olivia asks. "Not like this. We couldn't even identify its properties on the periodic table." He says. Olivia and I gasp. The officer stares blankly. "That's great, but what does it mean for me?" He asks. "Once the subject was removed from your body, you began to heal. I have no doubt in my mind that you will be fine." Dr. Benson assures him. "How can you be sure? You said you didn't know what it was." The officer asks with fire in his eyes. "If it would ease your mind we could run more tests but -" "Do it!" The officer shouts, cutting him off. "The only problem is we have just a small amount. I really would like to get more of this to run a thorough test." Dr. Benson says. "I know where I found it. I'll make some calls and issue a warrant." "What are you doing?" I ask the officer. "I'm finding out what's wrong with me." The officer explains. "You're fine. You're not sick anymore." I try to tell him. "We don't know that for sure." He insists. "Plus, I would like to know more about it." Dr. Benson adds. "I don't know if that's a good idea." Olivia pleads. "This isn't a Sci Fi movie. Everything will be fine." Dr. Benson says, brushing off our concerns. The officer shits and sits up all the way. "And we're gonna do it. Get me the phone."

The Officer Rests

In a way I'm jealous of the officer. His room is spacious and far away from the operating rooms. He can sleep as long as he wants, and he can refuse guests. I wouldn't trade places with him, but I have not known quiet like that. I have not known peace like that. Not in a long time. There is a galaxy full of worries and fears that attach themselves to me. Most of which are not mine. In that case it is hard for me to decipher the real me among the sea of sadness and despair in my periphery. That's enough lamenting for one day. We're in the officer's room, sitting by his bed. I'm surprised they let us stay. Usually, it's only friends or family allowed in. I'm not sure if we would qualify for either category. The officer slowly opens his eyes. "Good morning." Olivia says. The officer rubs his eyes. "Guess I was wrong about you guys." Olivia smiles. "A lot of people are." "I take it you're the good guys then?" He asks. "That's the thing, you'll notice that there isn't a clear line between good and bad and -" Olivia jabs me with her elbow before I can finish. " Yes, we're the good guys." She says, finishing my thought. "Alright, so what exactly are you then?" Olivia and I glance at each other. "Well, we don't want to hurt anybody." She continues. "Yeah, and say if there were a war to break out, we'd probably just want to stay at home and eat Cheetos." I add. The officer squints in confusion. "So, you're like cosmic slackers?" Olivia sighs. "That sounds harsh, but it's probably the closets label we've gotten so far." The door swings open and a small doctor holding a clip board enters. He smiles slightly upon seeing us all. "Oh good, you're all here. I have the lab results"

After the Operation

While the substance was being analyzed at the lab, we noticed that the officer's body was going back to normal where the hole was made. The doctors saw that as a sign to continue their endeavors. Little by little they made tiny cuts here and there with the laser. He looked like a balloon being deflated. When it was all over with, he appeared as he had before the incident. He was back to his regular size and complexion. His body went through a tremendous deal of trauma though. As a result he is currently resting and has been for the past few hours. Despite that, everything else seems to be fine. The officer looks to be in top shape. Right now the doctors are just writing off this event as "Something weird that happens sometimes."

The Officer's Condition

The officer's strange condition seemed to baffle everybody. Neither the Doctors nor the nurses had ever seen such a sight. No one knew what to do. That is until one young med student thought to make a small insert into the body. See if we could fit a camera in there, poke around a bit and figure out the problem. Initially, the project was a bust. As soon as the surgical tools would meet his metallic skin the blades would curl and bend. It was at that point that we decided to use a laser. The laser pierced the skin, creating a small hole. Then the yellow liquid flowed out of the opening. One of the doctor's carefully put the liquid into a pitri dish. It is currently on it's way to the lab. After that, hopefully we'll know what exactly this thing is and how to deal with it.

Continuing the Process

We've been staring at the cop for so long that my eyes begin to water. Jay notices me wiping my eyes and makes a sny remark. "Don't cry. He was just a cop." " This was all your doing." I inform him. " I know." He says, simply. "And I don't care." Jay steps closer to us. " If it wasn't him, it would have been you." "I have a sneaking suspicion that the pink hearts finally wore off." I tell Olivia. " Good thing I know exactly what to do." Olivia throws out her hands and blasts a pink bubble at Jay that quickly surrounds him. The officer moves his head to the side like a confused puppy. It's subtle, but I notice right away. " I know exactly what we have to do. Hold up the bubble." I shout to Olivia. While Olivia concentrates on maintaining the bubble, I make as much noise as I can. I stomp my feet, slam drawers and doors, and bang on the tables with my fist. Eventually the excessive noise pays off. The officer gnashes his teeth. The innocent puppy has now grown into a wild dog. With clenched fists, the officer inches closer to me. " Looks like your plan backfired." Jays says, mocking me. "Or has it?" I reply, picking up the mason jar of the yellow substance. I hold up the jar. The officer stops dead in his tracks. "That doesn't mean anything to him." Jay tells me. " Yes it does. Come on, the man over there used this on you." I say while pointing to Jay. The officer looks at Jay then back to the mason jar. It is almost like you could see the cartoon light bulb above his head. The officer squints his eyes and walks to Jay. Olivia throws down the bubble and steps out of the way. The officer grabs Jay by the shirt and holds him in the air. " I think our work here is down." Olivia says while watching Jay struggle to escape. We begin to leave when all the sudden we hear the officer yell and fall to the floor. " What the hell happened?" I ask. "Beats me." Jay responds, and like a worm he starts to escape. Olivia holds our her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" "Listen, I'm not sure whats wrong with him, but he needs medical attention." "But you're not going anywhere." Olivia warns. "Yes I am. And you could try and stop me but I think your conscience wants you to help that man." " We could split up. I can make sure you don't escape." Olivia explains. " You could do that, but I don't think you two operate like that." I interrupt the conversation. " Just let him go, I have a feeling we'll run into him again."

Bringing Him Back

Nothing is working. Nothing I show the officer is registering. Is all hope lost? I'm certainly staring to believe that. "You're not going to get through to him." Jay says to us behind a protective pink bubble. The pink hearts have not worn off on him. However, we can not be too cautious ,so Olivia is currently using all her energy to imprison him. "What makes you so sure we can't bring him back?" I ask. Jay shrugs. " I just know." I ignore him and continue. His skepticism only pushes me further in my efforts of bringing the officer back. I hold up the Map of Main. The officer stares blankly with his unblinking eyes. "Come on! This is the state you live in." I shout to him. I point to a few circled areas on the map. "You did this. It has to mean something." "You're going about it all wrong." Jay chimes in. I pay no attention to his two cents. I pick up an old receipt and place it in front of the officer's face. "You bought a burger and fries two days ago." "You really expect him to remember mundane things?" I finally turn to Jay. "What is your big plan?" I ask. "Well, if I were you I wouldn't waste my time with trivial things that are easily forgettable." "We know how you feel." Olivia quips. Jay rolls his eyes. "You two are quite out of the ordinary. I don't think you realize that." "Maybe we are, but how does that help us?" I ask. Jay laughs. "You still don't get it. Just the sight of you two could bring back memories if you concentrate hard enough." "The only thing is, the last thing he probably remembers is arresting us right after and unpleasant encounter." Olivia explains. Jay's eyes light up. "Even better. If you can link that memory to an emotion then you have a greater chance of bringing him back." "But what will happen to us?" Olivia asks. " I don't know." Olivia and I look at each other. "You don't have to do this." Jay says. "Yeah, but we probably should." I say. Olivia weakens the pink bubble and shifts her focus to the officer. We gaze at the golden cop and begin our process of bringing him back once more.

Searching for Memories

He left his car door unlocked. Can you believe that? In this day and age, a police officer leaving his car doors unlocked? It's insane. He must be the most naive man. I have to admit though, I am glad he is absent minded when it comes to matters of automobile security. It makes my job a hell of a lot easier. No breaking glass or anything like that. Just use the handle. I open the door and search for anything that could jot his memory of his former life. The very first thing I see : a pack of Doublemint gum. I snatch it right away. It could have been the last thing he bought before he came for us. This pack of gum could spark a memory. You never know. Plus, I want a stick of gum for myself because I deserve it, damn it. The car is relatively clean. The pack of gum was the only thing in sight. I open the glove compartment. A stack of papers and a map of Main falls out. I sort through the stack of papers. No wallet or pictures. That was smart, I'll give him that. Most of the papers seem to be receipts and bills. I grab them anyways. It's worth a shot. I sure hope this works.

The Ajustment

Unfortunately, we were unable to save the officer. The substance spread so quickly that we could not even humor the idea of cutting off his limbs. He stands motionless in the center of the room now. Like a yellow statue. Olivia gazes at the officer. " So that's it?" She says. " I'm afraid so." Jay replies. "Why isn't he moving?" I ask. "He is waiting." "Waiting for what?" Olivia asks. "My command." Jay says, simply. "And you're not gonna give it so him?" I question. Jay crosses his arms. "Normally, I would tell him to get to work, but I don't feel myself at the moment." Olivia grins, knowing that her hearts where the result of his current state. I stare into the officer's unblinking eyes. " I wonder what he's thinking." I muse out loud. "He's most likely adjusting to his current state." "What are you talking about?" Olivia asks. Jay sighs, somewhat annoyed, as if we should automatically know what he is talking about. "His body may be different, but his mind is the same. At least right now." I look deeper into the officer's eyes. " You mean he's still in there?" Jay nods. "For now." "What do mean for now?" Olivia demands. " All his memories are still intact in his mind, but they're trapped in a new body. Once the shock of a new body wears away so will his memories and the officer will be no more." "You're a bastard." Olivia declares. "It's the only way I could assemble the most productive team." Jay explains. "But he's a human being." "Not anymore." I can hear Olivia and Jay bickering, but it's just white noise right now. I focus deeply on the problem and idea hits him. I snap my fingers. "What if we don't let him forget who he is?" "In theory if you were able to get him to keep his memories we might be able to save him. But you don't know a thing about him." I smile. " I can do research." I walk over to Olivia. " Can you stay here and watch Jay? I'm gonna go to the cop car, see if I can find any pictures or anything from his former life."