I try to avoid the news, but it's difficult when I also want updates on Clover's condition. He doesn't make any public appearances during this time, probably just focusing on recovery. Still, he got out of the hospital extremely fast for his injuries.

It doesn't even matter though, I have such a difficult time focusing throughout the duration. Delta doesn't call any more meetings during this instance although I still visit the MO a couple times.

I keep wondering what Clover is doing. What would happen if I touched him again? He wouldn't rot like the first time, he already fixed that. He'd be okay. He can make himself okay.

Mayor Saleh and a few other officials make announcements about finding me and bringing me to justice, the internet is talking about how I'm jealous I'll never be as good as him or something—at least, according to Delta—which doesn't make sense. They're basically just calling for my head.

I feel restless.

I'm not sure why. I don't understand why I keep thinking about seeing him again. It's not like that will be any time soon, not with Delta ordering everyone to lay low like this. Then again, I'm not sure how much longer that will last. I shouldn't want to see him to begin with.

I haven't been sleeping well. I'm currently in the shop, approximately 11 days after the encounter with Clover, and I just want to close. I just want to be alone, to focus on my fish and my art and books and all the other hundred hobbies I have. I need a break, even if I already took a break for a while.

An autumn breeze knocks some nearby wind chimes around, which I find grating. I wouldn't normally, but my hearing is absurdly sensitive and I'm just not in the mood. It also echoes strangely due to the rain that is also pouring outside. So, I close the window next to me, though I do typically enjoy the sound of rain. I enjoy most sounds in nature.

I've been trying to draw my plants and my fish. For some reason, however, it appears as though all the talent I acquired in prison has just drained. Everything I draw looks wrong, like I've completely forgotten the anatomy of all the animals I've spent years fixating on. Learning.

It's a slow day. I'm bored. When Delta finally decides to give me the official follow up call she mentioned, I'm strangely relieved. Lately Delta's kind of been going off the rails with the crazy press so her calls have been making me nervous, but hopefully she's calmed down a bit now.

When I press the green button, she doesn't even give me a second to speak.

"Alright, we're meeting tonight. False alarm, Monarch is supreme."

Wow. That's a drastic change in attitude, even if it has been a week and a half. It seems like only yesterday she was acting like the world is ending, but now she's happy.

"Huh?"

"They're scared."

Is she being vague on purpose? Am I not picking up on something? I'm too sleepy, I've hardly slept at all for days now. Maybe more. I don't know, but I do not have the brain power to be deciphering this. I can't even draw a fish.

"Who?"

"The government," Delta answers easily. "They're terrified of you. But they can't find anything—can't figure out who you are. I think you might be our secret weapon."

That makes sense, I guess. They threw their best at me, they sent their number one hero, and I put him in the ER. The symbol of hope, resilience, the golden boy. Solace's Sweetheart. Soaked in blood on a gurney. Of course they're scared. I'm scared, and I'm the one who did it.

"Pretty sure I'm already the secret weapon." Seriously, I'm already used as a guaranteed last resort for success in most cases. I don't understand why she's so excited. The public has always been scared of me. It sounds like quite literally nothing has changed aside from possibly the intensity.

I'm turned away from the front door as I speak to her quietly, knowing I'll hear the bell when someone comes in here. Even if I may look suspicious or like I'm being lazy, whatever.

"Yeah, well, we're dropping the 'secret'. We'll be pushing you more into the public eye if that's okay. I figure since we're already building way more of a reputation than we meant to, might as well embrace it. Might as well scare them."

I'm not particularly thrilled about that, especially since there's basically a witch hunt for me right now. I think back to the kids in my store last week, how the girl admitted she was scared of me. I don't want to scare children. I...

"I don't want to scare anybody."

Which is unrealistic wishful thinking at best. My name is quite literally The Executioner. Getting within an inch of proximity to my skin makes things decompose. I have glowing red eyes and wear a grim reaper hood with scythes on my arms.

I should probably give up on that dream. The hope that one day, I won't be feared. Maybe I'll even be... I don't know. Regarded well in some way.

"Kinda late for that, dontcha think?" Delta observes, and she's right. Doesn't mean I like hearing it though. I want this phone call to end.

I purse my lips, trying not to let that bother me. Trying not to take her words to heart. I know she just loves my ability and that's why she's so blunt when she talks about it, but she and I are different. We value different things. She wants power and fairness, I want to not go back to prison.

"Yeah. Someone else is calling, I have to go." I tell her, hearing a silence on the other end.

"Who the hell's calling you?" She asks after a deeply confused pause, genuinely lost. That's fair. She's basically the only person I talk to. Well, aside from customers.

"Uh, friends. Gotta go. See you tonight."

"What fr—"

I hang up.

I'm definitely hearing about that later.

I sigh, tossing the Monarch-issued phone onto a nearby cushioned chair. I run a hand through my hair, taking a deep breath and feeling strangely empty. Off. The air feels kind of... different, now. I hadn't noticed while I was on the phone, but it's setting in now. How quiet my store is. How strange the atmosphere is.

There's someone else in here.

I whip back around in my chair, facing the front door again, hoping to find my shop normal and empty like it was before.

Instead, I'm met with no light aside from directly in front of me. I'm enveloped in the shadow of a towering figure. A shock runs through my system at the sight of the large man, who's already leaning over the counter. He has his elbows resting on my art, which irritates me, but I'm too preoccupied by what is happening right now to even chide him for it.

Clover.

He's here. Dressed in civilian clothes, a t-shirt with an unbuttoned button-down over it. He's also clad in jeans and boots, his hair a bit neater than it was the other night but still looking like crazy messed up spikes. His glow is back, far more luminous, and he doesn't look like he's in pain. He doesn't look injured or unwell, he's fine, standing in my flower shop and leaning over the counter, amethyst eyes trained on me.

How does he keep sneaking up on me?!

Wait. Wait, no, that's the least of my problems.

I freeze, staring up at him with wide eyes.

The realize hits me, and I swear my heart stops.

No.

No, no, no.

A truth sinks in like acid. What this means. What's about to happen to me. It's clear from a look at his face alone that he knows who I am. There's no getting out of this. He already knows he won.

He heard my name. He remembered my face, even after all that.

He found me.

This is bad. This is so, so bad. Not even bad—I'm done. I don't stand a chance. Everyone is about to find out my identity. I'm about to lose it all.

Milan Wolfe grins, way too close to my face for my liking.

I can barely breathe, for many reasons.

Sharp teeth flashing in the light, fiery gaze trained on me, the man speaks.

"Hi, Sunny."