Absalom hesitated as he stepped up to the familiar-yet-unfamiliar front door of the Dawson Apartments. It was called "The Complex" now, but it would always be the old reliable "Dawson Apartments" in his mind. After some moments of deliberation, he finally pressed on the buzzer connecting to the main office.

No answer.

He pressed it again, then waited. And again.

Just as he was about to press it a third time, a voice came over the speaker: "Is there something I can help you with, son?" It was his voice. A fatherly kind of voice which sounded so very tired and sad. Absalom's heart jumped as all the memories played back in his mind...

quote:
"--so ever since our mom died, she's just been real quiet. Doesn't say a word any more. Dad's kinda worried, and so am I," Denyce said as she sat next to Absalom on the front steps of the quiet City Hall building. They both had perspiration on their skin, not only from the tropical sun but from the active day they'd had together. "I really, really miss her. But Latisha was there when mom died. She saw it happen. I think she just doesn't want to talk about it."

Absalom sighed and said after a long pause, "My mom died, too... when I was young."

"I'm sorry," Denyce said, looking at him for the first time since they sat down.

"It's okay, I guess," the boy went on. "I was only five, and I can't remember her too well any more. I know she was beautiful, but I don't remember... what her face looked like."

"What about your dad?" the girl said in a soft voice, almost a whisper.

"I-I never knew my dad," Absalom replied. "My mom always said I didn't have one."

"Well, that's silly. Everyone has a dad."

"Not me."

Denyce couldn't think of anything to say for a moment. Then she said, "I think you'd like my dad, Absalom. He's really funny."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He's a 'salesman with a mouth that just don't quit'," she said laughing. "When he took me to get checked out by Doctor Quantos, he kept on making me laugh so hard I couldn't br--"

"WHAT?!" Absalom exclaimed as the name jumped out at him. "What did you say?"

"Huh? I was just saying how my dad made me laugh during my doctor's appointment so much I didn't feel anything."

"No, no -- what was the name of the doctor? Did you say... Quantos?"

"Yeah. That's one of my dad's business partners. They're also good friends."

"Dr. Henry Quantos?"

Denyce giggled. "Yeah. You know him, too? He's a real nice old guy." She looked at him and saw tears suddenly running down his face even though he was smiling. "Hey, what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

"I can't believe it... I didn't know he was on the island," Absalom said, smiling and crying at the same time, his emotions suddenly at the forefront. "Mason must've known he was here. It's why he brought me back here. Back home."

Denyce watched as Absalom got up and began running down the steps of City Hall towards the hill. "Hey, waitasec, Absalom! Where are ya going?"

"I'm going to see Doc Quantos!" the boy replied, waving back at her excitedly.

"Okay, then..." the girl muttered, scratching her head. There was something strange about that kid. And for some reason or another she somehow knew he was going to become her best friend...
Absalom had almost run out of breath as he ran up the hill toward the old Dawson Apartments which was now called the Complex, knowing that Doc Quantos could only be there, at the headquarters of MBL Consulting. Or as they called themselves now, Vanguard International. Standing here in front of the door now, though, it somehow felt unreal. Surrealistic.

"Son?" the voice said again. "Son, can you hear me?"

"D-Doc..." Absalom's choked voice said as new tears began running down his already-slick wet cheeks and he looked at the video camera above the doorway. "Doc, it's me. It's Axel."

Quiet. Dr. Quantos racked his memory, trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar.

"'Axel'?" he said, considering the brown-haired youth who had been a blonde when the protectors of La Perdita were still active. "You were the youngest member of the PSI-Unit, weren't you? Son, everyone thinks you're dead."

"I'm not dead," Axel laughed. "But don't you remember, Doc? Don't you remember how you saved me?"

"I-I don't know what you mean..." Dr. Henry Quantos said, his voice trailing off as his memory tugged at him. Something about this pre-teen boy was so damned FAMILIAR to him, but he couldn't remember WHY! "Stay right there, son. I'm coming to meet you."

Axel couldn't have been happier about it.