Endgame (Book 3)

Chapter 43

My eyes shot open. I bolted to an upright position, my sheets once again doused in sweat.

I had that vision again. Of my- or Zero's- death.

My chest rose and fell heavily, adrenaline pumping through me. I had to calm down.

I looked through my window. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, allowing a few rays to enter my room. It felt good on my skin, which had already begun taking it in.

Trying not to make a sound, I crept out of bed, sliding to the floor and slipping on my socks. If this was going to work, no one could know I was gone until it was too late to stop me.

I let out a huff as I realized that none of the objects in my room were supposed to be there. Jeremiah had moved them to the facility...unless...he made a copy of everything? How could he have done that? And why would he lie about it after?

I guess it doesn't really matter now, does it? I thought.

After putting my socks on, I rested a hand on my dresser to find some clothes to replace the ones I had on, feeling the wood one last time.

I heard a yawn behind me and turned around. Ben was fast asleep on the ground in front of my door. I forgot he had to sleep in here.

I slipped out. Then, after checking over the balcony to see if Sage was still on the couch- she wasn't- I peeked into her room and found her and Ashley both sleeping peacefully.

I crept into my parents doorway down the hall, knowing I would probably never see them again.

They looked a lot more relieved of stress when they weren't awake. At least I knew they weren't worrying about me in their sleep.

I dwelled on how complicated my relationship with them was. It was so hard to keep in mind all the time that these were not the same people that I grew up with. They knew so very little about their son.

They had no idea where he was when he was with Jeremiah, what his powers had developed into, how much danger he was in and posed to everyone else. What would have happened if they had noticed? Would it have even made a difference?

They tried so hard to make me feel included in my time here. Like I was actually him. Like I could adapt and learn.

I didn't want to have to live up to their expectations of their Jay, but now it seemed like a twist of fate had handed me the short stick, and I wouldn't live at all.

Adaptation was tossed out the window as soon as I learned of Zero's existence. So was any chance of romance or a future. Life as a superhero, if that was what I wanted.

It was so long ago, that time when my biggest worry was what an Infinity Matrix was and some great all-powerful evil that turned out to just be my dad.

He totally sucked now compared to that guy.

I used to hate superheroes. And superpowers in general. Society just didn't need them, I had told myself.

I was wrong. Sure, the world might be better off without metahumans in general, but they were here now. Without heroes to stop the villains, the world would descend into chaos and disorder.

Mom and Dad didn't know anything. They were just my guardians, aloof to my problems until they erupted.

I didn't blame them. I just had no real connection to them.

And that begged the question: who did I have a connection with?

Zero. Zero Zero Zero Zero. Zero.