043

It wasn't that he was unable to feel anything but rather that he couldn't process the multitude of feelings he had. Anger, pain, despair and such mixed with joy to see her alive and hope to see her wake… It was too difficult to express correctly.

He left because he knew there was nothing that he could do for her. He wasn't a doctor and even those couldn't wake her up. For now, he could only take a step forward himself. He would come visit her again…

…

Once he reached the hospital lobby, he saw Dr. Amundsen speaking with fervor to the middle-aged man he met previously. They stopped the discussion as they saw him approach, making him feel slightly awkward.

The Doctor placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and told him with a voice filled with care: "I wish you all the best Ron. Don't let what happened stop you from living your life"

Ron nodded with a smile. The sadness remained with him but he wouldn't let the sadness direct his future. As the doctor was leaving, Ron told him: "I will come back to see Laila, doctor. Thank you for your care"

He bowed. The doctor bowed back and then left the lobby. Ron turned towards the middle-aged man. He spoke: "Good to see you with clothes for once, Mr. Morgensen. You look good"

Ron snickered. He had a mechanical arm, scars and was bald, how did he look good?

The middle-aged man chuckled and added: "Compared to our first meeting, I meant. Anyways, I believe you probably didn't bother to remember my name?"

He didn't wait for Ron to agree with his words before he introduced himself again: "I am Sijmen Ralte. Just call me Sij if you want. I will be your liaison officer from today on which mean that I am the one in charge of you from here on out on behalf of the government"

Ron nodded without much heart into it. While the man himself probably wasn't bad, he couldn't help but have a bad impression of him after having been threatened to sign the documents. Ron knew the man had no choice in the matter but he couldn't help resenting him.

The middle-aged man did not lose his smile as he took out a box and presented him to Ron: "This is for you. A new wrist-com. Obviously, it is not the latest version but it's already a good one"

Ron picked the box and thanked the man. It was one thing to dislike him, it was another to be an ass. He didn't want to lose himself. He didn't want to become someone with an ugly interior. He could dislike someone but he couldn't let himself be impolite. He had to grab tight on such small things. They mattered a lot.

He opened the box to reveal a black wrist-com. It was a similar model to what he had previously. He never bothered checking how new a design his previous wrist-com was and wouldn't care this time either. It was fine enough to have one. It was even better to get one for free.

Obviously, the middle-aged man didn't know Ron's thoughts so, he added: "Due to certain protocols, there is a tracker installed in it. It is only to make sure you won't do anything dangerous. We've had a few cases of survivors killing themselves and such previously… I will take off the tracker in a few months but I need you to keep it for now, ok?"

Ron nodded. As he thought, it wasn't free. This was likely an excuse. Maybe they wanted to make sure he didn't escape the contract he signed or something. Whatever the case, they planned to monitor him. Well, he didn't really mind. He had no plans to leave the planet or even this new city. It's not like he had any better place to go to or anyone to find.

Sij seemed satisfied and offered him to go. The both of them left the hospital. He took Ron to the parking where his black flying car was. It was an old model if you considered that it was around four years old but it worked well. And to a government man like him, this was more than enough. As for Ron, he didn't even realize such a thing. Sij expected him to make a remark since he knew from the files that Ron worked as a car engineer. But he didn't. It gave him an even better impression of the kid. It was a misunderstanding of course.

It was, in fact, the first time Ron even got inside a flying car. He took the flying shuttle a few times but never a flying car. As he sat inside, he couldn't help but admit that it felt cozier.

Sij started the engine and the car began to ascend. Then, he began to push on the accelerator and they joined the traffic. While he drove, Sij told him about the city he was in. It was called Aramore and was the biggest metropolis of the planet, also home to three of the best universities with one belonging to the government.

That's where they were going since that's where he would study and live. They had dormitories and he would be given one. That's what it meant by free housing.

Ron didn't mind it. To be honest, he thought that it might be a good experience. Right now, he only felt the need to rest and laze about and he knew he had to fight against those depressive feelings. The human contact he would probably have while living in the dorm might be of help.

He could never return to who he was but he didn't want to remain as he was now any longer.

Since he survived, he would do his best to live.