April Parker's plan for senior year is to tough it out with her overbearing stepfather for nine more months and move far away from home the second she graduates. It's what drives her to go through the motions every day and the reason his cruel expec...
(Bonus chapters from Marcus's POV! We all know Willow-hypnotized Marcus met April in Block Three at the beginning of WTW. But what if the old Marcus had seen her before then?)
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Four Months Ago
Marcus Fargo didn't like to be confined. Which was a real problem, since he was stuck twenty-four-seven in an underground facility where he'd been raised all his life. It was no wonder he'd been such an angry kid growing up.
The others went along like obedient sheep, content with the small favors and allowances that Gardiner bestowed upon them, excited to discover new aspects of their powers, but all he ever felt was restlessness. A need for more. It was like a flame under his skin, simmering uncomfortably in his blood until he would sulk and pace and snap angrily at fellow Mods and trainers alike.
He wanted something to change. Anything. He liked the world a lot better when it didn't bore him to death. So when the brown-haired girl started showing up at his facility, flitting from one laboratory to the next in tow of trainers and doctors in white coats, the mystery of her existence made his restlessness grow stronger.
Who was she? What was she doing here?
And was she like them?
"Who the hell cares?" Eli drawled when he asked him about her. They were sprawled out on the worn sofas in the rec room, a big bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and First Blood blasting on the large screen TV on the wall. "Stop being so hung up on a girl you've never met and just watch the damn movie."
Marcus reached under his arm for a throw pillow and chucked it at Eli's head. The girl cozied up next to Eli on the love seat squealed and ducked. Tory Marks. Very blond and very voluptuous. And very opinionated. She glared at Marcus. "You're such a child."
He made sure to let his eyes linger on her long golden legs. "Yeah? You normally hook up with children in the laundry room?"
She flushed a deep shade of red. Eli looked between them, amused. Tory might be someone he was currently interested in, but he wasn't invested enough in her to care that she and Marcus had been very hands-on up until just a few weeks ago.
That was what Marcus liked about Eli. The guy kept things simple. Wasn't one to argue, to get jealous. All he cared about was having a good, uncomplicated time.
Which was kind of a problem if Marcus wanted to have a serious discussion about Mystery Girl.
"I'm gonna let you two lovebirds have some privacy," he said. "Good night."
Marcus decided to ask Janie about it the next day after they were done sparring together in the practice room. She wore a white tank top and sweatpants, her sleek black hair in a high ponytail that made her cheekbones sharper than they already were.
