The Undoing Of Villains | ✓

thirty six

thirty six

I SLEPT like a comatose patient. This fact was quite ironic, as I had been comatose for nearly two months, but waking up had taken a physical toll on my body. The only thing keeping me going was the prospect of meeting Tetra, and coffee. I chugged it like water, and there was constantly a pot brewing in the kitchen. The entire family had piled into Sawyer's apartment, which I discovered was a duplex, and whose floor plan made me boil with jealousy. 

I took great pleasure in the terrace Sawyer had, overlooking the larger part of downtown Dynamo. The late summer sun took its time lazily dousing his terrace garden with sunlight, and I helped with tending the plants as Sawyer was busy making plans for me to meet up with Tetra. He'd need to cross a lot of bureaucratic tape, and I was eternally grateful for him taking these steps for me. 

He still seemed guilty over his actions toward me, even if he had done most of it in good faith. We'd covered the rift between us, and I'd forgiven him for nearly shooting me. I was lucky, lucky I had all of the people who loved me under one roof. 

Almost unknowingly, a familiar face floated to the forefront of my mind. Vector – Declan. Our last few interactions were stuck on my mind, replaying in an endless loop. I busied myself with watering the plants, waiting for another pot of coffee to finish brewing. My hair was pulled back in a bun, shades covering my eyes. I was still frail – a word I'd found myself hating.

When none of my brothers were around, often in the dead of the night, I would attempt to draw out my powers. Was it stupid? Probably. 

You're not entirely out of character doing stupid things, Charlie. 

I couldn't help it. As my body healed, and my mind regained the better parts of my memories before, during and after the battle, I relived the moments where I had been at my strongest – drawing all of my power at once. I knew better than to try that again – I wasn't that stupid – but when I managed to tease a small flicker of red, energetic energy from my hand, I barely resisted squealing out loud. 

Around five days had passed when Sawyer walked up to me in the kitchen. It seemed coffee addition was genetic, as he reached for the pot, pouring himself another cup of coffee while he started speaking. 

"I've spoken to my bosses. You're to meet Tetra tomorrow." He leaned back, long frame nearly bumping into the cupboards, and hissed when he tasted the scalding coffee. 

"Where?" I asked, and he shot me a funny glance. 

"You know I can't answer that."

"As long as it's not the shitty prison where you held her the first time." I muttered, reaching for a cup of coffee. In the reflective surface of the fridge, I saw a quick, rare grin pass across Sawyer's face.

"I can guarantee you it's not the shitty prison where we held her the first time." replied Sawyer in a dry tone, his trademark voice. 

Nodding, I poured some milk into my coffee, happy to find the cold had mellowed out its temperature, "Any time limit? Restrictions? How is she held?"

"You're given 15 minutes." said Sawyer, grimacing as he sipped his coffee again, " – she's behind a wall made out of a hybrid between glass and carbon fibre and something else technical designed to keep her powers at bay. She'll also be wearing power-dampening cuffs."