(( Berkeley, California. The sun is just rising over the city top. The bums on the streets are waking up off of the park benches. The drunks are staggering home. Your usual morning in Berkeley.

        Along Gilman street, next to the cheap motels, lays Gilman apartments. Not the bright and cheery apartments that most people in America are used to. These are more basic, not too fancy, and are there for people who have problems with money. Also, they're there for people who just want to get away from it all.

        Up the stairs, in room 13, Zero sleeps. From the look of his covers, he didn't sleep easily. His pillow has been thrown from his bed, and his bed sheets are knotted and twisted around his body. His head hangs almost off of the bed, and his right arm is red from the scratching of the itch of a new tattoo.

        He rolls over in his bed, in comtempt of no rest. He is still asleep, but obviously in not the best fashion. He scratches at the new double line tattoo on his elbow, and rolls over in his bed again. He begins talking in his sleep. "HaVoK......'thority.......Blade....."

        He rolls over in his bed, his arms automatically reaching for a pillow, but there is none. Suddenly, the pone rings. The loud ring causes Zero's eyes to open a little. The phone rings again. Zero reaches over to his night stand, knocking the phone off accidentally. He notices this, and, while still half asleep, reaches down to pick up the phone. He is still laying in the bed when he answers... ))

        Zero: " **sleepily** Hello? "

        (( The person on the phone answers, causing Zero to wake up a little more. ))

        Zero: " Who is this?

        Simon?! Simon Kit?! What are you doing calling this early, and how did you get my number? "

        (( Zero is fully awake now, and listening to what Simon is saying on the other end of the line. ))

        Zero: " The HEW gave you my number! HaVoK himself did! He's taking this to a personal level, even giving out my phone number now! Ok, you got me. What are you wanting to know? "

        (( Zero listens as Simon starts to talk. Zero's mood goes from sleepy, to surprised, to anger. How dare Simon try to get back in touch after ten years. After what had happened between them when they last saw each other. What nerve did Simon have to want to speak again to him. ))

        Zero: " Listen, I hear what you're saying, but that doesn't mean I'll forget what happened. I'm aware that that was ten years ago, but I remember the days clearly. It hurt. And now, you want me to just forget about all of that? "

        (( Simon cuts into what Zero was saying, but Zero retaliates. ))

        Zero: " And quit calling me Lint! I no longer go by that name. My name is Zero. It will never change. To change is to go back to what I was, and that will never happen.... "

        (( Simon cuts him off. He begins to speak as Zero gets angrier. ))

        Zero: " I don't care. Some would say that people should let the past be the past. But I have a hard time doing that, unlike you. You see, when you left, everything got better. But after you left, things only got worse for me. For you, life might of seemed fine even without me around, but when you left, my world was completely empty. Now I had a hard time adjusting to it. You, though, went easily through life, not having to worry about anything. How do you think that makes me feel?! "

        (( Zero listens to Simon tell his side of the story. Zero doesn't want to hear it, and feels like slamming the phone down on him. Zero feels used by listening to Simon speak. ))

        Zero: " I don't care if life got harder for you. How could it? You had parents! They loved you. They were there for you! They bought you things when you wanted something. I had none of these things. Your parents were the closest thing that I had for parents, and I don't even think THEY liked me. But don't you start telling me that your life was as rough as mine. I've went to hell and back. You've graced a hot stove, but that would be as close to hell as you've ever come. I don't want to hear about how you were done by your parents. "

        (( Simon reacts to what Zero says by trying to explain to Zero what really happened. Zero listens to him.

        After hearing Simon's words, Zero sits up in his bed, and puts his feet on the floor. He's tired of arguing. He's had enough of it already. He listens to what Simon says, and then says what he thinks. ))

        Zero: " Listen Simon, I have a career now.......yes, the Lint Douglas that you knew as a kid, the kid who every one said wouldn't live to be 16, now has a career. I'm a wrestler, and I enjoy what I do, even if things sometimes do get hectic.

        But listen, HaVoK is trying to make my life hell since he took over power. It's ruining everything that I enjoy about the HEW, and I'm sick of it. And now, your calling adds even more trouble to my life. How do you expect me to handle all of this?!

        Look, I can't just dogs die. What happened back then still lives with me today, and I can't just let it rest like you obviously can, because it didn't affect you like it does me. Sure, you might of went through trouble, but it's nothing compared to what I have went through.

        I want to just forget about this, and let both of us continue with our lives the way we're currently living them. Thats what I want. "

        (( Zero grabs a cigarette and lighter, and lights a cigarette. He listens to Simon speak, and then slowly responds. ))

        Zero: " Yes, this is what I want. Don't make it any more complicated..... "

        (( Simon quickly says something, and then hangs up the phone. Zero tries to hear if he really got off. ))

        Zero: " See you soon!? Didn't you understand what I just said! Simon! Simon! Dammit! "

        (( Zero slams the phone down on the receiver, and lays back down on the bed. He takes a drag of his cigarette, thinking of what Simon just said... ))

        Zero: " What is he talking about, 'See you soon'? I could care less to see him again, not after what happened. "

        (( Zero raises up from his bed, and decided he might as well start getting dressed for the day. But he still wanted to know, why did Simon, a person who used to be his only friend when he was a kid, have to call, and what did he mean? ))

midi: "Infected" by Bad Religion