It was December 23rd, the busiest shopping day of the year.
Even in the bustling tourist-filled capital of La Perdita (or perhaps I should say especially in the bustling tourist-filled capital of La Perdita) called Puerta Mibela, the spectre of crass commercialism reared its ugly head on what should have been a time for joy and spending time with friends and family, but which turned out to be one of the most stressful times of the year. Working mothers and grandmothers everywhere filled themselves with extra-strong coffee to stay up late in order to finish wrapping presents at the last moment while missing out on spending time with their kids and grandkids. Grandparents died of heart attacks and other ailments, while homeless people slept in dingy alley shacks a block away from a store filled with expensive toys which, if they were sold, could feed these homeless people for a full month or more.
It wasn't as if the so-called "Christmas Spirit" was completely absent from the streets of Puerta Mibela -- it was just that it wasn't as evident as it should have been. Advertisements and cheesy Christmas-themed movies and music drowned out the genuine love that should have been prevalent between the people. The situation was different in the other villages on the island, which were much poorer and less developed yet, strangely enough, all the more richer in love.
Axel wandered around his old haunts in downtown La Perdita, still in disguise with sunglasses and a hat. There weren't too many people who would recognize him, anyway -- he had changed since he was the youngest member of La Perdita's premiere super-hero team, the PSI-Unit. Axel looked up at the building with the star-shaped roof in which he and his team had been headquartered. Yet he did not attempt to go in. He couldn't remember why, but there was something dangerous about that place. A name flashed through his mind -- or, more properly, a title -- the Colonel. But who, or what, was the Colonel? Axel couldn't remember. The name filled him with fear, though.
After staying indoors at the Vanguard Complex for a long while, Axel had finally decided to look up some of his team's old government contacts and try to read their minds. He wanted eventually to make it known that he was still alive, but he knew he had to be cautious for some reason. Faint memories of his torture a year and a half earlier which had thankfully been mostly blocked from his memory told him to be very, very cautious about making his presence known until it was safe to do so.
Axel was somewhat surprised, however, to find that none of his old direct government contacts were still alive. The only man who was not part of the PSI-Unit Project who was still around was Lucius Maddox, the Minister of Defense. He had been the Parliament's official PSI-Unit liaison, though Axel never liked the man very much. He always seemed to carefully guard his mind when he was around him and the other psychics, even moreso than most people would. It was strange that anyone connected with the PSI-Unit was gone, and that the PSI-Unit building was still closed up and apparently deserted. Axel and the other PSI-Unit members had the codes for the building, but only Axel was still left. What if everyone had been locked out permanently?
The boy shivered and turned around to quickly walk back to the Complex, no longer feeling comfortable there on the streets, busy as they were with Christmas shoppers. He jumped as if startled as a hand grabbed him from behind, though.
{{Axel,}} a voice whispered in his mind.
Axel's heart was thumping furiously fast as he turned around and saw a tall man with long grey hair towering above him. His eyes bulged at first, but he squinted as he looked at the man who was silhouetted by the sun. The man seemed to be smiling. Not a cruel smile, but a kind one. And a familiar one.
{{Marc?}} Axel replied through telepathy.
{{Yes, it's me, Axel,}} Marc replied, still smiling. Marc had been one of two psychic trainers (along with Tanya) who had trained the PSI-Unit team in the beginning and had overseen them directly along with Dr. Hugo Brechert when they began protecting La Perdita. He and Tanya, though they were much older and were considered more like teachers or instructors, were the unofficial eighth and ninth members of the team.
{{But -- but you disappeared! You and Tanya disappeared when the others died! I thought you had died, as well!}}
{{We are still alive, Axel. We got off the island just in time.}}
{{What do you mean?}}
{{Something... something very bad has happened to your old headquarters, Axel. I can't tell you about it, but Vanguard International will have to confront it sooner or later. They killed everyone involved in the PSI-Unit Project, Axel -- everyone except Tanya and me. Just before we escaped the island we removed all memories of our existence from everyone on the island who had known of us, and we went back to our employer, our master -- the man who had sent me and Tanya to help with the PSI-Unit in the first place.}}
{{Who?}}
{{You will meet him soon enough, lad. I can tell you that you were not the only survivor of the team, however. Kevin and Brianna, as well as Dr. Brechert, escaped the island themselves at the same time.}}
{{They did? Where are they?}} Axel's heart lifted up in joy at the thought that he was not alone any longer.
{{Unfortunately, Axel, they've disappeared. Neither Tanya or I can find them anywhere on Earth. I'm sorry.}}
Axel's face, which had lit up with hope, now became downcast again at the thought. He really was the last member of the PSI-Unit to survive. He had never wanted it to be this way.
{{Well,}} Axel said, {{at least you and Tanya are still alive.}}
{{That we are. And you will see both of us once in a while, Axel, but La Perdita is your home. You've found a good father-figure in Dr. Quantos.}}
{{Yes.}}
{{Let him take care of you.}}
{{And friends? All of my friends have died. Well, all except one or two I've made since I came back here.}}
{{You'll make friends with others, Axel. Give it time. Even Vanguard will embrace you as one of their own in time.}}
{{No. No, I don't think so, Marc. I don't want to be a hero any more. It's... it's just... I can't do it. I've seen too much death -- too much pain, it's... I can't.}}
{{Don't worry about it now, Axel. When the time comes, you will know what to do.}} Marc smiled at Axel and flapped his baseball cap down over his eyes as a playful gesture. {{You'll do just fine, lad. If I've taught you anything, it's how to survive. Don't try to go it alone, though, Axel. We all need others in order to live a full life. Independence is a fine quality, but it is not the best quality a person can have. You will soon learn how to depend on people the way you and your friends depended on each other in the past. You will learn to trust again. And now I must go.}}
{{No, don't go, Marc. Come back to the Dawson Apartments with me! I'll introduce you to Dr. Quantos.}}
{{It's best that I don't meet anyone here, Axel. I will see you tonight, though, after your birthday party. Speaking of which--}} Marc pulled out a wrapped gift-box from his long coat and placed it in Axel's hands. {{--happy 12th birthday, lad! According to some cultures, you are now a man. Or, at least, you will be very soon. I will come calling tonight. Farewell.}}
The gray-haired man named Marc suddenly disappeared from sight, teleported away to places unknown.
And Axel found himself holding his first birthday present in two years, alone again in the crowded city streets.
