Ticking Away Part 6

He walked into the office to file the report of what he had done after having worked with the bomb squad with the bomb, yet he did not expect anything unique, the elevator doors opened and he saw Mark, Helena, Sarah, Julia along with other officers he had worked with in the past and his commander, "To the hero of Gallbatonia!" The group cheered and all William could do was smile, he received congratulations from all of his colleagues. His commander walked up to him and she shook his hand, "William Regent, good job."

"Just doing my job."

"Yet defusing a bomb isn't your job."

"Well, yeah," He smiled awkwardly, "I didn't want another Cityhall 2142."

"I can tell, well, for your work, you and your team have a few days off."

"Thank you, Commander, I appreciate it."

"This city thanks you and your team's work."

"Yeah, well, that it my job, Commander."

"You are turning 36 soon, right?"

"Yes, in two days."

"Well, at least you can celebrate that in peace."

"I guess you are right."

"Have a good rest of the day, William, I need to report to the General."

"Have a good day as well, Commander," Mark placed his hand on William's shoulder.

"So Will, how does redemption feel?"

"It doesn't feel like much, but I know I saved lives."

"How did you defuse the bomb?" Helena asked, "I saw that it asked things about bots, how do you know about that?"

"Yeah, do you just know a lot about bots?" Sarah added, he chuckled as he realized that neither Mark or Julia had told them, "Tell us."

"Well, I am going to go home, Alex is waiting for me."

"Who is Alex?"

"My partner."

"You have a partner?"

"Who happens to be a bot."

"Oh," All five of them laughed as the other officers shook William's hand on his way out, congratulating him once more.

He was sitting next to Alex on the couch in the morning, "It is nice to have time with you," She said pushing herself closer to him, "I have to go work soon."

"I know, I know, we are reversing the roles, huh."

"I guess we are, but I am happy to not have to worry about you."

"Well, have a good day at work, I love you, Alex."

"I love you too, Will," She said taking her hand bag and keys, "Call me if you need something."

"You don't need to mimic me."

"But I want you, honey."

"Then knock yourself out," His phone began ringing, "One sec, Alex, Hello, William speaking," He seemed surprised, "Good morning, General, what can I do for you?" He closed his eyes and chuckled, "Of course, that would please me greatly, thank you, sir, have a good day."

"What did he say?" She asked leaning over William, "Tell me."

"Well, I need to dust off my old military coat."

"Why?"

"You know about the medals that the government grants to certain people who are deemed honorable."

"And you, you were told that, that, you would get one?"

"Yep, I guess that they found my work recently to be worthy of it."

"You are amazing, Will."

"I don't see how I deserve more than my team."

"You defused the bomb."

"Yeah, I guess, but that's it."

"Well, I have to go to work, babe, I'll be home at 8:30, if the trains run well."

"Okay, have a good day!"

"Thank you, Will," She said, leaving the apartment.

"Now to find something to do, maybe I could catch up with politics a little, all the bomb stuff took my mind away from politics," He grabbed Alex's computer and placed it on the table in front of the desk, "I really need my own computer."

He stood, wearing military clothes with his head held high as the General walked up to him, "Officer Regent, I hereby bestow this medal to you, the medal of Gallbatonian Honor," He placed it on William's military coat, "Thank you for your service to our nation."

"My honor, General," He smiled as the rest of his team received a medal along with the two officers that had descended into the sewers with Mark and him. Alex was sitting in attendance to the ceremony. He felt accomplished, making the guilt he had from several years before fade. He was now a hero, something he had never wished for or even had dreamed about becoming, but now he was, not as a natural, but as an enhanced man, showing to the doubtful that they were not a cancer but a necessary gear in the machine.

After the ceremony, he was joined by Alex, but not his Alex, but the version of herself that was a reporter along with several camera men, "Good afternoon, Officer Regent, thank you for giving us the time to interview you for Channel 4."

"Of course, my pleasure."

"Before we get to the questions about you, I wanted to ask you about today, how are you feeling?"

"Accomplished, I've been working as a member of the Gallbatonian police force and military force for nearly 16 years now, and I think it finally came full-circle."

"Yesterday, you possibly saved over 3,000 people from another Cityhall 2142, how does an event that big make you feel?"

"It hasn't hit me completely yet, I am still living in a sort of haze, but, um, but at least I feel redeemed from a few years back, in which I failed to prevent the infamous Cityhall 2142, but today, I am proud of myself and of my team for the job we accomplished to keep this city safe," He answered.

"Thank you, Officer Regent," She turned to the camera, "Alex Lilly from Reign's Square, back to you, Josh," The cameraman signaled with his hand that they weren't broadcasting anymore and she let out a sigh of relief, "Will, I am so proud of you," She hugged him and he did the same, "Did you receive the message that my boss sent you?"

"No, I didn't check, what is it about?"

"They wanted to give you a full interview, not just a quick two minutes."

"Oh, well of course, tell him that I can, I don't have a case that needs working on right now."

"Have a good rest of the day, honey," He smiled at her as she walked off.