From a TV, a news reporter was standing up in front of a beach. Surrounding her, worried civilians and occupied police officers.

“It has been six days since the incident that took place here last Wednesday, as reported by witnesses.” She begins. “A grand total of 15 yet to be identified bodies were retrieved. From the looks of it, one of them, an older man wearing a military uniform, died from shock after having both his knees fractured but some argue it was due to an induced heart attack.”

She presses her ear pin. “Recent reports say that the responsibles for this gruesome act were a group of unknown extremists, although some theories suggest a gang war of sorts.”

Before she can continue, the TV is turned off. “They forgot to mention the secret base and the fact that geezer didn’t actually die.”

A man wearing standard white hospital clothes was laying on a standard white hospital bed. He had some tubes attached to him but nothing that hindered his movements. He still ached from all his wounds from last week though.

To his left, a dark skinned woman wearing a match of his clothes except black was peeling a tangerine, the TV’s remote on her lap.

To his right, a woman with freckles was searching through the news on her phone.

“They probably want to keep this under the rug for now.” She comments. “There’s a bunch of stuff online though.”

“I just want to forget this ever happened.” The man in white rubs his forehead with his fingers.

A nurse walks through the door. “Mister, there are some people here who want to have a word with you. Can I let them in?”

He raises an eyebrow but nods anyway.

“You think the feds finally busted us?” Jane asks worriedly.

“Even if it is, there’s no evidence. Besides, what would they ask? I’m an innocent bystander that got caught in the crazy crossfire of last week’s gang confrontation.”

“And we’re friends who you called just in the nick of time.” Both girls say in unison in a somewhat playful tone.

They all have a giggle from this before two men wearing suits enter. “Excuse us, please.”

Two hours pass as both men interview the group. After they feel like they had gathered enough information, they excuse themselves and leave. Turns out they were looking for Deck.

“Where do you think he is though?” Jane, surprisingly, asks.

“Don’t know, don’t care. Hopefully, with the cash we made, we won’t have to.”

Turns out Law was more than eager to help with getting rid of the byproduct of his failures as a father. His daughter, even more so. The man went out of his way to pay for the pills back just so he could destroy them himself. He wanted nothing tracing back to what he agreed to do.

It was twice as convenient for everyone because it meant those things wouldn’t fall in the wrong hands.

After all was said and done, with the TV turned off, Samuel asks. “So, Jane, you became Captain America now or something?”

“Not really.” She counters, opening and closing her fists. “I couldn’t feel them after a day or two. They never told us the effects were temporary.”

“You think they ever got to the final stages of their testings?” Crimson ponders, to which they all ultimately shrug

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“With”.

“I hope to hear from Cloud again.” Jane comments, to which Samuel shakes his head.

“Not a good idea.”

“Why not?” She asks, somewhat offended.

“Do you think caring for a scarred person is easy?” He then reiterates. “Do you think caring for a scarred girl is easy?” He finishes his thought with a whistle.

“Ok but what if I want to?”

The man in white leans back on his bed. “That’s up to you.”

With a sigh, she stands up. Crimson asks. “Where you going to?”

“Seeing Bloom. She’s probably feeling lonely.”

Samuel rolls his eyes. “Let her.”

Knowing everything that happened, she opts to say nothing.

“I think I’ll stay here.” Crimson says a bit too excitedly while holding Samuel’s hand. They both smile at each other.

Wanting to give them their privacy, the dark skinned woman goes to another hospital room. In it, a disfigured blonde woman who could no longer be mistaken for a teenager.

“Hey.” Leaning against the door, Jane calls for her.

Bloom doesn’t look at her. “Come in, please.”

She sits to her side. “Still broken?”

“For another two weeks.”

An uncomfortable silence settles in for a moment before Bloom tries to move the subject away from her. “How’s Hawk?”

“Alive.” Jane blunts out. “Lost a chunk of his right ear but he’ll live. He got out today, matter of fact.”

“That’s good…” The blonde trails off.

And once again, that uncomfortable silence.

“Hawk isn’t your brother.” Jane once again blunts out. “And neither is Syndrome.”

“Do you think that matters?” She finally looks the dark skinned woman in the eye. “Whenever I see men, all I think of is ‘off they go to abuse me again.’ It’s not on purpose, I just need to look out for myself. Or what? Rely on them?”

“That’s what I’ve been doing for over eight years now.”

That statement visibly hits Bloom. “I guess you just got lucky.”

“Not at all.” She looks ahead. “I told you already, the people that I was with didn’t do me justice. I feared men too. But that was before I met him.” She then looks at her. “Give him time and try again. He’s the kind of guy to give second chances.”

“I don’t want to give myself a second chance. I don’t deserve it.” Bloom also looks ahead to avert her gaze.

“Maybe you don’t.” Jane stands up, readying herself to leave. “But it’s not just about what you feel. I matter too.”

They share one last glance before she walks away from the room. Right at the doorstep though, she’s called by the blonde.

Once back, she asks. “What?”

“Can we still be a thing?” She had teary eyes. “I-”

“Not now, Bloom. I need space and time.”

“But I need you. Now.”

“Now, you’re just being selfish.” Jane frowns. “And I said that my feelings matter too.”

She tries to counter argue but nothing comes out. Jane waits for a while longer before stepping outside again.

Figuring Crimson was having a more private talk with her new boyfriend [a concept that the dark skinned girl was still trying to wrap her head around], Jane goes up to the hospital’s rooftops. Usually an area reserved for personnel, she manages to sneak in through the blind spot of the cameras.

It was refreshing. Breathing this toxic urban air full of carbon dyoxide, feeling the strong winds blow against her hair, seeing the pigeons fly within the proximity.

Seeing the drop below. A really high jump. If she was a few years younger, she’d try it. For the laugh of it. She chuckles over the silliness of it.

She remembers the way she felt and wishes she still had that strength. That power.

Killing those men with such ease didn’t make her feel good but it made her feel thrilled. Excited. The rush of adrenaline, that… she wanted to feel again. She had to.

But truth be told, she just wanted to feel useful again. She was craving being relied upon by that girl again.

Granted, she would never admit it. Samuel wouldn’t let her hear the end of it.

She unpockets her phone, calling a number she made sure to save. After a few rings, the other side picks it up. “Hello?”

“It’s me.” She says. “Is Cloud doing ok?”

If anything, she’d be making more money, something Samuel would be happy about. She just had to make sure he didn’t find out.