Thank you, thank you, thank you to Lady Cougar-Trombone, LabGirl2001, and AlienGhostWizard14 for the review last chapter! You guys have no idea how tremendously I appreciate the time you have taken to let me know your thoughts.

After a little over than a year and a half, we had finally come to the end of this whole trilogy. This has been an amazing experience for me. This story holds so much memory. It was also surprising, because it really was just part of a personal challenge - and it ended up as the first trilogy I've ever completed.

The best part of all of this was that I got to share it with readers who are just amazing. I've received so much support from everybody (and believe me when I say I needed it), and there's actually a number of you who had been reading and reviewing unfailingly since the beginning (you guys know who you are ;) ).

I don't know how to communicate my thankfulness to everyone who had expressed their thoughts or even just read along because I seriously can't put it into words.

The best I can manage right now is my sincerest thanks. I hope you all enjoyed the ride.

This may not be the end of the series. There's a one-shot waiting to be worked on in the vault that will spring from something that happens in this chapter.

As a final note for this, I just want to say thanks again to everybody, and please enjoy!

Have a great rest of the weekend!

- Shaine

Twenty-Seven.

Four years later...

Leo sat back on the couch and watched Chase with quirked brows as he readjusted his tie in front of the mirror for what seemed to be the twentieth time. He guessed some things just don't change. At twenty-one years old, his brother still had over-obsession as a nervous tick. He had been very nitpicky with his personal appearance since the day began, and it only worsened after they got into their suits a few hours ago. It started with the boutonniere, which he constantly adjusted as if it was falling off his lapel (which it wasn't) until their mother assured him that it was fine and that there was nothing he had to worry about.

Now, he seemed to have moved on to the tie, which, like the boutonniere, was absolutely okay.

He still didn't understand why his older brother was this nervous. Adam, who was the groom and whose wedding day it was, wasn't even that anxious.

He wondered if it was because of the role he would be playing in the wedding. It must be. Ever since Adam asked Chase to be his best man, Chase had been a little…high-strung. He wasn't at first. Actually, he was surprised and quite suspicious of their older brother's offer to him. However, when the reality sunk in that yes, Adam did want him to be the best man, and yes, he did have the responsibility of helping him with the wedding and everything else that traditionally preceded it, he became increasingly stressed and panicked.

It became so obvious that Bree once told him over the phone that Alexa, Ayanna's cousin and her maid of honor, had joked during one of the rehearsals that she felt unappreciative and negligible of her privilege whenever she compared herself with how seriously Chase took his duty.

Leo knew that the other members of the entourage found his older brother's behavior a little odd, but Chase had gotten many things done and had done his part in making this wedding the best for Adam and Ayanna. To him, that was good.

Although, he wished he could have given his brother more help to ease his nerves a bit, but he couldn't. For one, his being alive was still one of those things that were only known to a very select few. Ayanna wanted to make some sort of a compromise since she and Adam really wanted him to be in the wedding, but he knew that any scenario including him would result into the sacrifice of the attendance of many family and friends, all of whom the couple clearly needed to be there, so he told them not to worry about it. He was content with being in that private room where he could see the lakeside wedding from three stories up, wearing the same suit that the rest of the groomsmen were wearing, a hidden member of the wedding party.

Another reason why he hadn't been able to help was because he had been out of the country and had only really had the chance to come back twice after the engagement was announced.

After being rescued from the island, he heeded his loved ones' advice to go back to school. So as not to stir up trouble and controversy, however, he told his parents that he wanted to continue in a more private setting. They understood when he explained. His parents, particularly his father, pulled a few strings, and he ended up with an accredited tutor who didn't mind helping him pull through with what he had already missed that year and who didn't mind keeping his being alive a secret.

The following year, he and Bree graduated high school. Though he didn't get to walk the stage like Bree, he was happy with just watching his sister experience it, even if it was from afar.

His diploma came through the mail nearly a week after that. He came home that day with the crisp brown envelope sitting on the coffee table—and Torrance waiting on the couch.

He was so glad to see her that she didn't even have the time to greet him or congratulate him. He ran towards her, hugged her, and spun her around in excitement. Torrance only laughed then told him she missed him, too, after he put her back down.

They stayed in Mission Creek for two weeks. Torrance used that time to rest from the great deal of travel she had done, which, after his repeated urgings, she told him in full detail. It also gave her and Chase the opportunity to speak. Meanwhile, he packed what he needed. He had told his parents and his siblings months beforehand what he had planned to do after he finished school. It was obvious his parents wanted him to stay behind and apply for college, but after giving it serious thought and setting some rules that must never be broken, they decided to let him go.

So, for nearly three and a half years now, he had been traveling to different states and countries (mostly the latter) with Torrance, improving his skills in technology and programming while also working as one of Davenport Industry's 'ghost hackers'—a unique job description that his father only assigned to both of them.

Leo sat up on the couch as Chase moved on from adjusting his tie to frowning down on his cuff links. "You keep doing that, your suit is going to fall apart when you walk in," he told him.

Chase looked at him through the mirror, annoyance but also worry etched on his features.

Leo grinned. "Chase. Chill. It's all going to be okay," he said, leaning back on his seat. "You have to relax."

Chase turned his attention back on the cuff links but surrendered with a sharp sigh soon after. "How can I?" he asked, swiveling around to face him. "Today's the big day."

"Adam's the one getting married, and yet he found the time to play one round of hide and seek with Ayanna's little cousins earlier."

"But that's Adam. You're talking about a guy who would turn a dangerous mission into play time if he felt like it," Chase pointed out. His frown deepened with something came to him. "By the way, what are we going to do if a mission alert comes in during the wedding or the reception?"

Leo shrugged. "We've already talked about it last week," he said, referencing to his relatively fledgling team. "We got you covered."

That was another reason why he hadn't been able to participate in the wedding as much as he had wanted to. Even after they were reprogrammed, Darwin, Echo, and Fielder only responded most readily to him – which didn't surprise him after he found out what he did.

When they were reactivated from their sleep four years ago, they recognized Adam, Bree, and Chase, but only as the people who they were modeled after. Actually, even if they had no clue as to who they really were, Darwin, Echo, and Fielder were very friendly towards his siblings once they started speaking to them. It was kind of like how his siblings were towards the people they met when he brought them to school for the first time.

Finding the absence of aggression and deception a satisfying result, his stepfather introduced the three to the covert line of work that Adam, Bree, and Chase did and soon proposed that they be trained to do the same. Darwin, Echo, and Fielder were willing, but over time, it became apparent that they weren't inclined to listen to him or the other three teens.

When his father brought that to his attention, Leo suggested that he come home from Sweden and take over. His father only laughed at that, pointing out that if he couldn't teach them, he also probably wouldn't be able to, but he insisted, and his father didn't have any choice but to let him.

To his father's surprise, they paid attention and even strove to improve.

In fact, their trainings had gone well enough that the four of them were assigned as the Beta Team last year, with him as the team leader and Fielder as the mission leader. They hadn't gone on too many missions yet, both as a precaution and since Adam, Bree, and Chase were usually able to go and complete whatever came their way, but he wouldn't complain about it. He was just happy that he had a team of his own.

At times, however, he felt like he cheated to get it, but it wasn't his fault. He did what he could to access the chip so he could disconnect from the three, but he had yet to find success. He almost came clean to his family and to Torrance at one point, almost told them the truth about the small, powerful object wired along his veins and the lie that the deletion of the override program had forever nulled its use, when Fielder approached him, shaking his head. Don't tell them, Fielder had said.

But you know this is not fair, he had replied. To you three or me. You deserve to live with free will.

We do. This is why we're asking that you just leave things as they are. You and our father are the only ones we had since the beginning. Now that he's not here anymore, you're the only one we have left. You're our only family. Don't take that away from us.

But I don't want to always be in your heads. That's not right, he insisted. And, I'm sorry, man, but as much as I like you and your siblings? I don't want you to be constantly in my head either. I kinda want to have my own space up here.

Fielder had grinned at that. Don't worry. We don't have any access to your thoughts anymore.

What do you mean?

Without the control panel and the simulator unit, we have no way of connecting to you. The only way, really, that we'll know now what you're thinking is by observing you or asking you directly.

But…I'm still connected to all of you.

Fielder hitched a shoulder. That's the nature of the chip, he had said. Though, to my understanding, you can disable certain abilities that come with it if you want.

Disable? How do I do that?

You train yourself to. Fielder pointed to his left wrist and added, That chip is still a chip. It's not like the ones that the six of us have, but it's similar in that it's connected to your nervous system. If you concentrate hard enough, and if you keep practicing, you'll be able to control it instead of it controlling you.

He thought deeply on that. I don't know how to do it. I don't know where to start, he admitted. I wasn't born with this like you guys.

Fielder only smiled confidently. We can help you.

Leo smiled at the memory. Learning had definitely been something he and his team did together. As he was training them, they were also training him.

Chase frowned when he saw the expression on his brother's face, intrigued by it. "What," he said.

Leo looked up at him. "What do you mean what?" he asked, confused.

Chase straightened his collar. "You were smiling," he said.

"Oh." Leo just shrugged, leaving it at that.

Chase glanced at him through the mirror, finding the answer unsatisfactory "I've been meaning to ask you about those nightmares you were having," he said casually. "You haven't been talking about it."

"Eh, they're not too bad as they were before. They're not as frequent either. The worst one I had this week was when I dreamt of Principal Perry chasing George Clooney down Rue de Paradis in a racecar," Leo responded, grinning as he made the joke.

Chase was unamused.

"No, seriously, I'm okay," Leo amended, knowing his older brother asked out of his worry for him. "It's just something I've gotten used to. Torrance helps me when the really bad ones come."

"Have you considered taking a break for a few months? Stay back here in California?" Chase asked. "We can help you, too, if you're close by."

"Either way, I'm still going to have them." Leo smiled. "I appreciate the suggestion, though."

Chase nodded, a little dismayed by the half refusal. "By the way, how's Torrance doing?" he asked.

Leo narrowed his eyes. "You talk to your girlfriend all the time, Chase," he pointed out. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're the one who just got back from a seven-month long business trip in Paris with her," Chase said after turning around.

Leo shot him an inquisitive look. "You were there with us almost every weekend," he pointed out. "Fielder always takes you – which, by the way, I've been meaning to say, shame on both you and Big D, using my team's mission leader like that."

"But he said he didn't mind," Chase said. "And we needed to be there. Mr. Davenport needs me to learn the business and get a firsthand experience in opening an overseas branch. I had to be present for our new location in France."

"Hm. How convenient. You suddenly get so involved in the company when it's establishing a branch in the most romantic place in the world and when it takes your girlfriend there."

Chase rolled his eyes with a huff. "Whatever. Interpret it however you want, but the truth is that I was usually there because of the company."

Leo smiled a wide, sly smile. "Just the company?"

"Leave me alone," Chase said resignedly, walking over to the windows. He gazed ahead towards the lake, a part of its shore decorated with pristine white chairs, white carpet lining the aisle, beautiful soft pink and white roses, and guests laughing and talking to one another. From where he stood, he could hear, though it was muffled, the string quartet playing a classic piece as everybody waited.

The scene took his breath away.

"I just asked how she was doing because both of us had been very busy these past two weeks that we haven't spoken," Chase said as he watched the people below, his tone ridden with guilt. He looked at Leo. "Will she be coming today?"

"You know she will," Leo said. He checked his watch. "She should be coming out of the airport right now. She may be late to the wedding, but she'd definitely be there for the reception."

"Okay," Chase said, turning back to pace the room.

Leo stood up, smirking. "Can you believe it? Adam will be a married man in about an hour."

Chase scoffed good-naturedly. "Yeah," he said. "It's weird."

Leo laughed. "He's officially going to be Mr. Davenport after today," he said, "with a Mrs. Davenport living with him."

Chase chuckled.

The door to the room suddenly opened with a loud crack, causing Leo and Chase to look up alertly.

Bree was somewhat taken aback by her brothers' stares when she poked her head into the room. "Oh. Didn't mean to scare both of you," she said, the flowy material of her long, pearly pink bridesmaid dress swaying in with her as she half-stepped inside. "Chase, Mom has been looking for you. We're about to start. The coordinator said it's time for you and Adam to go up there."

"Adam's downstairs already?" Chase asked.

"Yeah." Bree then smirked. "You should hurry before he goes out the door. You should see him. He's a nervous wreck."

Leo grinned. "Did you take a picture?"

"Picture?" Bree repeated, sounding insulted. "I took a video."

Leo nodded approvingly, a similar devious smile on his face.

Chase started towards the door but stopped to look back. "Are you sure you're going to be okay here by yourself?" he asked.

Leo's grin turned into a warm smile. He nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure," he said.

"Okay," Chase said.

"See you after the wedding," Bree told Leo.

Leo only watched as Bree stepped back to give Chase room as he pulled the door close. Their footfalls and the light rustling of Bree's dress echoed through the walls outside soon after, the sound gradually decreasing into whispers until it disappeared to nothing.

He slowly walked towards the door to lock it.

He chuckled sadly as he turned the bolt on the knob. Adam, his older brother, was getting married. It didn't seem like it had been that long since he first stepped out there in the world, meeting new people and getting to experience what living life outside was really like. Now, he was going to start a new chapter, discovering the world again with the love of his life on his side.

Leo really wished he could be out there with him and his family for that first step.

A hush swept upon the small crowd outside, a light, sweet breeze blowing across the lake in its wake. There was the mutter of guests settling into their seats. Then, the first note of the procession tune crisply hit the springtime air.

Leo headed back to the window and watched. He saw his parents sitting in the crowd, his mother already dabbing a handkerchief underneath her eyes and his father giving her an encouraging smile, his hand holding hers. Adam, with Chase by his side, had a small smile on his face, and through it, Leo could tell that he was terribly nervous – but also overwhelmingly happy. Not long after, he saw Bree walk in with Robert, one of Adam's friends from work, right before Alexa came in.

Leo placed his hands behind his back as he looked over his family, his right hand clasping his left wrist. There, he felt the anomaly under his skin: the chip that had forever changed his life.

At a certain angle, the future was frightening, not only for him but also for the people he cared about. There existed many uncertainties, many undefined factors that he knew might turn into hurdles as they head onward. Yet, even with these, he wasn't scared. In spite of everything that happened after he opened that red envelope years ago, he and his family survived. Life went on, and now they were all at the threshold of something new and exciting.

Above all, he came out of it stronger.

Leo decided, as the clock struck the twelfth second of that minute, that the future, although unknown, was something to look forward to.

END OF STORY THREE.

END OF STORY.