Inverted (a Neil / Tenet fanfic)

Chapter 16

"I mean it" The Protagonist said sternly "You have to lead a younger me to the right way, so all we lived together will be real and together we can save the world".

He turned to the woman again "Crystal, I need your help with cryptography. If Neil is good at unlocking doors, you are good at creating codes so we can communicate without being detected by our enemies, your former leaders. You will work with me in the backstage".

"So why would it be a goodbye? We can still keep in touch through calls or through her" Neil intervened upset.

"She will lead the whole mission following my instruction. And you'll have to obey her".

"You just nominated Wheeler as Captain and Ives as Sergeant...".

"While you are just Neil" the boss concluded for him "You will be interacting with an ignorant younger me, so we won't be able to meet again. You'll have to earn my trust and manipulate me to do what I tell that must be done. This is Tenet".

"A whole mess?" Neil translated.

"Sator, Arepo, the Opera, The Rotas, inversion, posterity. All of this. And we are in the middle of this now" The Protagonist pressed his pointing finger on the desk.

"Don't tell me you came from the future and traveled backwards so many years, knowing everything" Neil said sarcastically "How old would you be now, without the inversion side effects?".

"It doesn't matter. We all deserve to decide how to live our lives, Neil" The Protagonist stood up, imitated by the agents "No friends at dusk".

"Well, it will be very awkward to meet you, younger and less omniscient. But I don't want to miss it" Neil commented eyeing his friend with some amusement, then walked to the door.

"Neil!" the boss called him hesitantly "Before you go, I want to thank you. I'll see you at the beginning, friend".

Crystal looked between the two of them. Also Neil was speechless and replied with just a respectful nod.
The Protagonist never looked so emotional like in that goodbye.

Back to her flat, Crystal looked for details on the Russian location that her boss mentioned, then was tempted to seek for news on her past agency.
She didn't want to look for it, instead her curiosity won and she checked the Rosatom public information.
When she got confirmed that Sam was dead, she turned off the PC, deeply upset.

She didn't like how that year started.
Everyone was dying or saying goodbye.
Suddenly she recalled some words of The Korol.

February 2.

It was less than in a month.
The Protagonist or Neil had to die.
He was so certain, like he already lived it.
Posterity.

The sound of the door being opened saved her from being overwhelmed by her emotions.

Neil saw his anxiety being reflected on her face and talked nervously "I'm very shocked too. I can't believe it's our last mission. But it should be fun to start working with the younger Protagonist. I think I need a little practice. How would you react if I try to approach you but you don't have a clue on who I am and what are my intentions?".

"I would glare at you and run away".

Neil didn't expect it and gaped at her "Seriously? Didn't you tell me that when we first met you already wanted to make out with me in that lift?".

"That's the point" she reasoned "You didn't try to approach me then".

He pondered his options and sighed "Then I'll have to avoid that. I'll be just a random tourist who happens to sit next to him".