Jay grumbled as he came into his parent's trailer that day after school, dropping his bag next to the door and smiling at his mom. "Momma, you wouldn't believe the day I had. School killed me."

     Edna chuckled and turned away from the sink where she was washing dishes, drying her hands on the dishrag. "Oh gosh, ya sure it was that bad dear? Come, sit and have a snack so you can relax a bit before startin' on that homework."

     He sat down in the chair, laying his head on the cool table. "Alright maybe it didn't kill me, but it's stressful, Ma."

     She opened the fridge and peered inside, trying to think. "Oh I'm sure it is, dear. But in the long run it'll help you in life. What did ya learn about today? Anythin' interesting?"

     Jay was quiet for a moment, watching his mother pull some vegetables out and some ranch dressing. "Math, sciences, stuff like that. We did learn how to seal a bleeding wound-" He chuckled when Edna paused in cutting carrots up and turned to look at him in confusion. "In science class, mom. We were learning how fast blood can clot within the human body and our teacher told us a war story, it's alright."

     She nodded, satisfied with that answer and turned back to the cutting board, continuing to chop. "Alright then, as long as you're learning and doing your best. That's all we ever wanted, Jay." Edna soon sat the chopped veggies and ranch down in front of Jay, seeing Ed come in and wipe the grease off his face. Edna put her hands on her hips. "Are you still fiddlin' with that darn motorcycle, Ed? I know it's your pet project, but gosh darn it-"

     Ed chuckled and kissed the top of her head as he walked to the sink. "Ah, it may be my pet project but you're the apple of my eye."

     Edna chuckled and shook her head, leaving him to wash the grease off his hands while she cleaned up the vegetable scraps.

     Ed paused in washing his hands, turning to her and lowering his voice. "Hon, did you pay the rent for the junkyard?"

     She froze, expression shifting to worry as she lowered her voice so Jay wouldn't hear. "No, we were a bit short this month so I gave them all we had saved up for the rent-"

     Ed sighed and looked out the window over the sink at his junkyard. "Well we just have to hope they'll be a bit lenient on us, gosh darn it. Jay's sixteen today, Edna. I know we gotta pay rent on this place but we gotta save up for his future. We're gettin' old...something could happen and I don't want him to be left with nothin'." He finished washing his hands and dried them, turning to Jay and sitting down at the table with him. "Son did I ever tell you about the secret lab at my last job?"

     Jay internally groaned and let out a sigh. His dad always had the craziest stories. Secret labs, that he repaired things on a military base before retiring and opening a junk yard..secret military weapons. He chuckled and looked at his dad. "You have, but I don't mind hearing about it." He munched on a carrot, laying his head in his hand and leaning on it as he listened to Ed talk.

     "Well, about seventeen years ago-about a year before we adopted you, I worked on a secret military base. By golly, that was the most interesting job I ever had." Ed chuckled and watched Edna set a mug of tea down in front of him. "Ah, thanks dear."

     Edna nodded and carefully went back to cleaning the dishes-she always loved listening to his stories.

     "Y'see, it was only my second day on the job and I get moved down to the twentieth floor. That's twentieth floor down son, don't forget that." He took a sip of the tea in his mug, trying to think. "Gosh when I got down there and heard the boys and gals all a buzz about this new revolutionary weapon they wanted to build, I.."

     Jay paused, setting a carrot down. "Weapon? Dad you never talked about a weapon before."

     Ed chuckled and looked down into his tea cup. "Yeah, some non-human or partially human weapon with special reflexes, sharp teeth and the ability to ki..." He looked at Jay concerned face, shaking his head. "It ain't important now, base closed down two years ago..I don't think there's anyone left in there."

     He frowned. "When did you retire from the base?"

     Edna chuckled. "About the time you turned ten, Jay. He came home and threw his hands up with a big ol' smile on his face, picked you up and tossed ya in the air. Said his family was more important than some secret job."

     They continued to talk, discussing the details of Ed's job and various other topics.

     She looked up at the clock and frowned. "Golly..we've been here for hours. It's already ten at night. Jay, why don't ya go get some sleep. It's the weekend so you can stay up for another hour or more if ya want, but you did say you were a might tired."

     He sighed and looked at the table. "Yeah, yeah it is kinda late." Getting up from the table and washing his dirty dishes in the sink, he hugged his mom and walked over to his dad, who stopped him and held up his hand, watching Edna leave the room.

     "Now son, we didn't forget that today is your birthday...I left you a few gifts in your room while you were in school, alright?"

     Jay gave his dad a small smile and nodded, leaning down and hugging him tightly. Ed squeezed him for a minute, shutting his eyes.

     "We love ya, son." He patted Jay's back and let him go.

     "I love ya too, Dad. G'night." Jay headed to his room, pausing when he saw the gifts on his desk..and quite a few of them. Grabbing a smaller one and opening it, he chuckled at the old worn out ID Badge. "Keepin' up the facade, huh Pops?" He stuffed the badge in his backpack that he'd taken back to his room, sitting on his bed. "Ain't no way he ever worked at some secret base." Jay shook his head and rubbed his eyes, opening another gift. A new wrench set. Hey, now this one he liked. He picked up one wrench and weighed it in his hand. "Got some good heft to it, too." Yawning and setting the wrench back on his desk, Jay got into his blankets and shut his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

     Jay grunted as he woke up four hours later, squinting at the glaring red numbers on his alarm clock.

     Two in the morning.

     Right.

     Jay yawned and coughed, trying to swallow. "Need some water..." He mumbled as he got out of bed, carefully stretching before heading out of his room into the hallway. Once in the kitchen, Jay had his water and began his walk back to the bedroom-only to stop once the scent of blood hit his nose. Gagging and covering his mouth, he looked around for the source of the smell. He stopped when he found it.

     Two masked men were standing over his parent's bodies in their bedroom.

     "Oh...Oh my god! Mom! Dad?!" Jay nearly screamed, shaking and watching their bodies bleeding out on the floor.

     That was a mistake.

     The two men whipped around and ran for Jay.

     Jay ran to his room, looking around for something to protect himself with. His wrench! That would work. Grabbing it and readying himself, he watched the door burst open and the two men run in. He took his first swing, missing.

     The second swing hit, the heft of the wrench knocking one man out. Blood pooled under his head and he lay motionless.

     The second man lunged at Jay and stabbed the knife he had into his shoulder.

     "Fuck-!" Jay grunted in pain and swung at the second man, missing.

     "Boss says no witnesses to your parents, sorry kid! Unless you got the cash they owe and the plans your dad knew about, ain't no way you're leaving here alive!" He swung his knife again and caught Jay in the arm, grinning when Jay staggered backward and nearly fell.

     "I don't know what you're talking about!" Jay cried out, swinging his wrench and slamming it into the man's arm. "They didn't owe any money! The previous job my dad worked is just a story!" His eyes watered as he swung again and again, slamming the wrench into the second man's head over and over. "It-It's just a story!" He sat down on the floor, clutching his head with his bloodied hands. Jay shakily rocked back and forth. "J-Just a story..."

     Dareth carefully stepped through the trashed trailer, avoiding broken glass. He didn't usually come personally to things like this, but Ronin was still resting from the previous day's search. Pausing when he came to Ed and Edna's bedroom, he carefully stepped inside and looked them over.

     Ed and Edna were bloody, skulls smashed in with some sort of blunt object. Likely a bat, or wrench. Edna's hair was a matted mess, eye socket crushed and blood dripping from her nose. Ed on the other hand, was worse for the wear. Various stab wounds covered his body, and his tongue was missing.

     Dareth covered the two of them with a blanket, making sure their eyes were closed. "Shame...nice people, y'all were." He left the room and headed toward the back, listening for any noise. "Hello...? Anyone in here?"

     "G-Go away! No one is here!" Jay sobbed from inside his room, still trying to convince himself this wasn't real.

     Dareth sighed and came up to the door, slowly pushing it open. "Hey...Jay, right?"

     "H...How do you know my name?" Jay wiped his eyes, smearing blood across his face.

     "I was friends with your parents." Dareth knelt down beside Jay. "I'm sorry about all this. Be glad you're alive, Jay. It's gonna hurt for a long time, but you can't stay here. Do you think you can pack a bag and meet me outside? I can take you to my place so you can wash up and try to calm down."

     Jay slowly lifted his head, watching Dareth with an empty stare. "A...Alright. What's your name?" He carefully stood up, looking around for his backpack.

     Dareth gently patted him on the back. "Dareth. M'name is Dareth."