Watchfire has set me up nicely in the Beacon and, yet, I'm still restless. I'm still unhappy with my life. I still feel I'm without purpose. I still feel like the world would have always been better off without me. I wish I had discovered sooner that I was the cause of my parents' death. I would've been able to remedy the situation when I was still weak enough to die. Most people with abilities who choose to use try to benefit mankind are trying to do what's right, morally and ethically. I tried that for awhile. I tried to help people. I tried to be a hero.

I thought that if I kept moving and saved the innocent from the evil along the way that I could be a boon to mankind. Turns out, everything I did to try to help people just lead to this end. Not only can I destroy the lives of people with my condition, but I've started feeding on the organic sources of my environment as well. I'm not sure if I could already do that before or after I exiled myself, but it was hugely noticeable once I inadvertently created the Blight. People, animals, plants, anything that was alive and in close proximity to me had its life energy drained from it. It wasn't so bad at first because very little of their life energy was lost and it only caused the slightest bit of fatigue. When I exiled myself, people were knocked unconscious immediately and stayed that way until someone removed them from my proximity or until I moved away from them. The longer they stayed in my area, the longer it would take to recover. A few even went into prolonged comas after they were away from me.

People didn't start dying until they discovered the Blight and tried to approach me. There was no one around to get them away from me and I was so disconnected from everything that I didn't notice they were there until it was too late. Moving away from them wasn't really an option anyway. Moving in any direction may have put them out of danger, but it just put someone else or something else in danger in their place. There are consequences to every action and every inaction. People would make the decision to approach me, seeing all the death around me, and they would become a part of the scenery. Even if I was aware of their presence, they had to live with the consequences of their actions. The consequences of moving away from those people would be harming others. Others should pay the price for someone else's actions. I had to stay put. That's the decision I had to make. Let those people die or move, allow those people to live and kill someone or something else. I could never let innocence pay for someone else's ignorance. Whoever said "ignorance is bliss" obviously never got anywhere near me.

But now I have my own personal floor in The Beacon, the headquarters of the superhero group known as Watchfire. It's a superhero group in which I once held membership. Exiling myself changed everything. I didn't give official resignation. I just told them I'm leaving and I could never come back. I didn't even give them time to respond. Since Pilot is often referred to as, "The Last Torchbearer", I'm almost positive they don't consider me a member anymore. That'll make it easier when I do what I have to do. I'm just a tool in their toolbox. When you lose a tool or a tool breaks, you get a new a one. They'll have to get a new tool. They've always been a resourceful group. I'm sure they will.

I have to get out again. I did it once before and they tracked me down quickly enough, but I didn't stay on the move, either. This time, I'll be on the move. I've got a goal and I will achieve it. I have to find the artifact that gave me control over my abilities. I know where I left it. I just hope no one has found it. It's been there for decades. I hope it's still in one piece. Most of these magical artifacts tend to have strong resilience against the natural wear and tear of time so it should be okay. I'll try this the easy way first. I'll ask permission.

I press a button the intercom installed on my floor, "Doctor Ockam, I need to speak with you." No response. Scientists, in my experience, get so wrapped up their work that they pay little attention to anything else that's going on. They have an amazing talent for blocking out what's going on around them. I try again, this time will a little more intensity, "DOCTOR OCKHAM! This is Alex. I need to speak with you immediately!"

One of his assistants came back over the intercom, "This is the doctor's designated work period. He locks himself in his lab during this time and no one is able to contact him, not even us. You'll have to try again in a few hours." I don't bother replying. This will give me time to think about how to tell him I want to go outside for awhile. I can be intimidating and just demand that I be let out. I can give an ultimatum: Let me out or I'll get out myself. One of those easy way or hard way options. Or I can just ask nicely. I'll start with that. They've been as kind as they can to me. They've given me a place to live with as many amenities as they could possible give to me. It's been decades since I've socially interacted with anyone, but I think I can still pull off being cordial when the situation demands it.

Several hours later, I'm still contemplating about what to say and how to say it and Doctor Ockham's voice comes over the intercom, "Alex. My assistants said you urgently needed to talk to me." I rush to the intercom, "Yes! I'm slipping again, doctor. My mind is slipping like it did when I was in the cell. I would like to get out for awhile to clear my head." A few seconds of silence go by and he responds as though he calculated all odds as quickly as a speedster, "You know how dangerous it is for you to be off campus." I knew he'd say that, "I give that more thought than anyone, doctor. I will remain in the deserts, mountains and tundras. They're not the best vacation spots, but I have no desire to be among civilization. I just need to get outdoors for awhile." The artifact is nowhere near civilization. The doctor replies, "We will allow this on one condition. You must allow us to track your movement. If for some reason, whether it's your will or against it, you get too close to a densely populated area, we'll have to send someone to pick you up again. If at any point we're no longer able to track you, we'll have to send someone to pick you up." I smirk to myself because I know who he means by, "someone". There's only one being left that can get me, "Don't beat around the bush, doctor. We both know you mean Pilot. Setup your tracker and put Pilot on standby, but it'll be a waste of your time. I've had this condition for over one-hundred fifty years. I know what I'm doing and I know where I can go." He responds, still with hesitation in his voice, "Give us some time to prepare. We'll let you know when we're ready."

I grab a bag and pack a few things. I shouldn't be gone for longer than a few days if the artifact is still where I left it. I don't even take a change of clothes. Not much point. I won't be around any place that has a shower and I won't be around anyone so my hygiene won't be affecting anyone, but me. I'm immune to every ailment from the common cold to cancer so I'm not worried about catching anything. It's just me and a few comfort items. I get packed up and start plotting my course when the doctor comes over the intercom again, "Alex. The tracking device is being delivered to your chambers now through the carrier tubes. Just slip it on and you can leave through the roof when you're ready. We have enough of your energy stored to last us for a week without you. Return within that time frame." I just say, "See ya within a week", grab and slip on the tracking device which is just a silver ring with the Watchfire logo and head for the roof. I guess they foresaw my need to get out on occasion. They installed an elevator that goes from my floor to the roof. Those are the only two places it goes. It's the only two places it needs to go. When I get out onto the roof, I can see terrain of all kinds in all directions. The floor is wired to continuing drawing energy from me as long as I'm in contact with it. They really thought this out. I step to the edge of rooftop, facing north. It's been awhile since I've used my abilities so gaging my jump isn't really an option. I've just got to jump as far as I possibly can. When I land, I just have to jump again. I have to keep moving until I get to the North Pole. It'll be hard to find the artifact up there since the ice is always shifting, but that's one of the reasons why I hid it up there. I didn't want anyone getting a hold of it. It's too powerful even for me, but it's the only way I'm going to get out of the Beacon on a more permanent basis.

I land on the first icy plateau of the northern icecaps and nothing looks familiar. That's comforting and dreadful at the same time. Things have changed so drastically that there's no way anyone found the artifact on purpose. Humans have been known to achieve great things on accident, though. I'll start at the coordinates where I left it and go from there. I developed such an attachment to the artifact when I used it that I was able to sense it when I wasn't wearing it. I hope I still retain some semblance of that ability to sense it. It was powered by the energy I drained so maybe I'll be able to at least pick up on any residual energy that it may still hold.

I make my way to as close to the North Pole as I can. When someone wants to get rid of something up here, they might just throw it as hard as they can in some random direction so not even that someone would know where it is exactly. My actions aren't that permanent. I always have a plan to undo whatever I've done. It's been decades since I discarded the artifact, but I still remember exactly what I did to get rid of it. I was very precise so that I could have a good chance of finding it again if I needed to do so. I reverse every instruction I had to discard the artifact and follow them exactly. I arrive at the location where the artifact should be, but it's not here. The shifting currents and ice forms have done their job and moved it far away from here. Luckily, I encased it in heavily so it won't float far. Odds are that it's on the ocean floor. Even with my resistance to extreme temperatures, this is going to be a painfully cold and long dive. I leap high into the air several times, landing each time with as much impact as I can to break the ice. When I feel like it'll only take one more jump to break through, I take a deep breath, leap high into the air and ball myself up. I'm like a kid doing a cannonball into a pool... Except that the ice didn't break. My judgment isn't what it used to be. I try it one more time, but this time I dive through like a spear. I close my eyes just before I hit the water and cringe from the cold as a sink deeper.

Once I'm well past the point of being able to see, I start to get a twinge of something familiar. At first, I thought it was just the cold water messing with me, but it seemed to pull me in a certain direction like it was leading me somewhere. Shortly after that, I slam into the ocean floor. I guess I shouldn't be swimming so fast when I can't see where I'm going. The twinge has turned into an undeniable urge to get to the artifact. I know that's what's calling to me. At first, I just wildly dig into the ocean floor trying to get to it, but it's not proving very progressive towards my goal. I take a minute to recompose myself then begin spinning at a high speed, drilling into the dirt. I burrow through the ocean floor towards the artifact. I get to it, but now I'm presented with another problem. I buried hundreds of feet underground which is under who knows how much water and I have almost no room to move around.

The artifact is typically sealed for something dropped to the bottom of the oceans, intended to be lost for a long time. A safety deposit box inside of a vault encased in cement. The inside of the vault was filled with cement so it would have no chance of floating. Being buried at the bottom of the ocean with it now, the only option I had was to start pounding on cement to break it free. If it weren't for my condition allowing me to hold my breath for an extremely long time, I'd be in real trouble here. It's no wonder no one else ever found it. It's not an easy trip to survive.

I get enough of the cement broken away that I can start grabbing chunks of it and rip them away. It's almost like trying to rip a phone book in half. I've used a lot of energy on this trip. I've got to hurry up or I'll run out. This is only the beginning of my plans. I can't let it end already. I get to the door of the vault and rip it off. I pummel the cement inside, chipping away large pieces each time. I finally just rear back and lay one solid punch into the middle of it. I can feel the casing of the safety deposit box. I grab a hold of it and try to yank it out. The entire block of cement comes out with it. Now I've got a block of cement wrapped around my forearm. With my free hand, I grab hold of the hole my punching has made and rip the cement block in half, exposing half of the safety deposit box and my hand wrapped around it. I yank the box out of the rest of the cement and hold the box to my chest. I start spinning as I did before and drill upward, out of the mud. Once out of the mud, I blindly swim as fast as I can to the surface of the water. I got in too much of a hurry again and slammed into the ice. I swim around, looking for a break in the ice and climb out of the water. I'm sprawled out onto the ice, panting heavily. Once I catch my breath, I rip open the box and grab the artifact. It looks the same as it always did. A black orb hanging from a fiery chain. Magical artifacts are always so gaudy. I've often wondered if there are any wizards or magicians out there that like things plain and simple. Whoever created this thing definitely didn't. There's no way I can walk back into the Beacon wearing this thing. It'll have to stay in my bag until I get back to my quarters. I can't use it until the right time.

I get halfway back to the Beacon and I see Pilot approaching in the distance. I glance at my ring that they gave me as a tracking device which is really beaten up. It must've gotten damaged while I was breaking into the vault. I'm actually surprised it made it through in one piece. I jump straight into the air and flag down Pilot. He probably didn't need me to do that to see me, but it's a good idea to show I haven't gone hostile. He lands and explains the situation, "Your tracking device ceased functioning. Father dispatched me to locate you and return you to the Beacon." Father. That's how Pilot refers to Doctor Ockham. The good doctor created Pilot through a great deal of science and technology. Doctor Ockham is as much a father to Pilot as a mechanic is to a car. Regardless, that's how Pilot views him. I look at him, "Yeah, I think I broke it. Had a rough landing at one point. I was just on my way back." He looks me up and down, "I shall transport you. We must keep you away from civilians." I nod and he carries me high into the air. I can run at super speed and jump great distances. The physics of those never bothered me. For some reason, I don't like flying. It doesn't make me sick or afraid. There's just something discomforting about it. Normally, I'd try to make a wisecrack to lighten the mood, but Pilot doesn't have a very developed sense of humor. His social capabilities are worse than mine.

We return to the rooftop of the Beacon. Pilot descends straight down into the roof so that my draining doesn't effect anyone on an angled descent. He knows how to handle my condition almost as well as I do. He definitely does it with more care, though. "Care" is probably the wrong word. "Efficiency" is probably a better word. I know some part of Pilot is organic because my condition has affected him before, but still feel like he lacks a certain humanity. Doctor Ockham has taught him a lot, but there are some things you can only learn from experience. Pilot has knowledge like no one I've ever met, but his experiences are severely lacking. From my history, I know he'll gain that experience eventually. I sometimes forget that the youngest Pilot is at a time in history when Watchfire is its oldest. However, my plans for the artifact bring that fact sharply into focus. What the doctor plans on doing with Pilot is what I intend to exploit.

I use the elevator to return to my floor. Pilot goes his own way and reports back to Doctor Ockham. I take a shower, get a change of clothes and rest up until the doctor gets in touch with me over the intercom, "Alex. Pilot said you claimed the tracking device broke and that's why we lost you." An odd choice of words. It sounds like he thinks I'm lying. I hop over to the intercom and reply, "Well, it didn't just break. It just couldn't handle the beating I put it through. Making it into a ring wasn't the wisest idea." I have to give him crap about it. It's just what I do. He comes back, "Well, I hope you enjoyed your time out. You can't do that very often. Next time, we'll try to pick an accessory to model the tracking device as so that it can survive your outings." He doesn't want there to be a next time. With what I have planned, neither do I. The next time I leave the Beacon, I plan for it be on a more permanent basis. I have to play along, though, "Yeah, how about an ear piece... Maybe I can just swallow a pill." Maybe a little too sarcastic, but just ignores it and moves on, "We'll figure something out."

Once the night gets into the early morning hours, I find a corner of my floor that's not under constant surveillance and put on the artifact. I can immediately feel it sharing my energy. Now, I just have to remember how to use it. From what I remember, I just had to think about what I wanted to do and the artifact would manipulate the energy I had absorbed to make things happen as long as it was within the artifact's capabilities and I could supply enough energy to make it happen. I focused for a moment and thought about being invisible. I opened my eyes and looked at my hands, but I couldn't see them. It seemed to have worked. I walked over to a mirror and couldn't see my reflection. I'm invisible, but I know it'll take more than that to get passed Pilot's vision. I have to conceal my body temperature as well. I have to be completely undetectable or this won't work. I'm going to have to go on a little faith here because I have no way of testing what ways in which I detectable. I just have think about being undetectable by any means and hope it works.

I just stayed by the doorway onto my floor all night, using the artifact to suppress my energy drain effects, rendered myself undetectable and waited. Shortly after sunrise, Pilot and several scientists came looking for me. They didn't see me on any of their surveillance methods and I was no longer supplying the Beacon with power so they knew something was wrong. It appeared that I was gone. The only way to find out for sure was to come in person. When the door opened, I snuck out behind them just before it closed. While they were on my floor looking for me, I made my way to the room that contained the Flame Gate. I couldn't get in because I don't have any security clearance in this place. I had to wait until someone else went in and sneak in behind them. Once that happened, I just hid and waited for Doctor Ockham to send Pilot through the Flame Gate.

I memory of Pilot's stories was fairly accurate. I didn't have to wait long. I don't have a great angle, but I can see the Flame Gate power up and Pilot approach it. I double check to make sure the artifact is doing it's job and just as Pilot is approaching the gate, I run as fast as I can towards it. No one is noticing my presence and I enter just as he does.

We arrive in Meridian on June 7th, 2000, only moments after the Phalanx Illuminata was attacked by the Universarian. Pilot approaches the survivors to speak with them. While they're all focused on Pilot, I take the opportunity to get as far away as possible and figure out what to do next.

It's the year 2000. My younger self isn't even an adult, yet. At this point, he should be wandering around the country, just trying to stay away from people. He won't show up at the comedy clubs for another year or so. I won't be able to track him that way. Until I figure out how to track him down, I'll need to build up some energy. All that time in the Beacon and doing everything I did to get here took a lot out of me. Worst case scenario, I'll spend a year gaining a guaranteed edge against my younger self.