Revert

A few years after Ses became my partner, a second Willless joined Spec Ops. His name was Cody, an unidentifiable Willless boy who named himself. He had a simple boxed-number tattoo on his right cheek: 1145. He was what the Rehab Center calls a speedy recovery. No one knows whether he was earlier in processing or was a Deviant, but Cody was able to readapt to a normal life a fraction of the time it normally takes to get one through. He developed a cocky nature & wanted to show himself. So when asked what he wanted to do, he asked if he could be with us out in the field finding and busting Willless rings. Commander Tatra approved mostly to see if it was possible for more like to Ses to be.

The thing about rehabilitated Willless is how they are able to retain their quick skill learning ability for up to a year. And during that year, he learned everything he thought he needed: parkour, gun slinging, swordplay, taekwondo. He didn't waste his time. By the time he was ready, he was about 17 or 18 years old, 2 years younger than Ses at the time though she had 5 more years one him.

Cody was assigned to Captain Avery Koleff, a fellow Spec Ops member who had just assigned a new partner. It didn't take long before he learned his partner was a former Willless. He came to me for advice, but I had little to offer.

The two went on a mission to coastal region of Manitoba, Canada. A mostly landlocked water area with an escape route to open seas. Almost too perfect for a route.

Koleff informed me of the situation. Cody was very motivated to find the ring. He had honed his skills ultimately becoming one of the best trackers. Koleff said that Cody was leading most of the mission calling it one of the quickest operations he had been on.

Things were going smooth. They had located the transport vessel and a docking bay. The bay was recovered but it wasn't the main ship. According to Koleff, this was when Cody started showing signs. Having found captured victims must have triggered some sort of relapse in memory. Premature so he was able to subside it.

Having gathered intel, they were able to locate the main facility - a detachable harbor that had a helm to navigate without the need for a barge or tugboat. It's not built for open seas meaning escaping out of the waters is not an option. Unless they have a backup ship waiting somewhere.

Using Cody, they were able to locate the barge. As expected, a processing facility was on board. The operation was going well until Cody decided to storm the holding facilities.

It's an unspoken rule never to discuss what was found on missions between the operatives. That's our burden. No one else needs to know, especially those who try daily not to. We leave all that for therapy sessions.

For Cody, I can imagine what he experienced. I should know. I was young like him when I entered my first facility. That will scar you no matter how prepared you are.

Though now we know what happens when a recovered Willless faces trauma. Instead of passing out, Cody reverted back to being a Willless. His thoughts blank. His skills still intact, but limited by his inability to use them independently. Koleff still has him as his partner. Tamer is more accurate.

As for Cody himself, he proved to be more troublesome. He would listen to every command from everybody. He ended up shooting a few of our troops. Eventually, he killed Koleff on the field. He was taken in and put in the further part of the Rehab Center where the darkest cases are taken.

After this, Tatra kept all information about Cody under wraps. Most likely, she considered this a personal failure and refused to let it happen again. Her biggest blunder as commander.

I bet, if given more time, Cody would have been a perfect Operative. But then again, I thought the same of myself. If he had been trained while still going through rehab, he might have.