William lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. A million musings ran wild in his mind as he tried futilely to herd them into an organised train of thought. Zacharias had answered most of his questions, so why did he feel like there was still a big piece missing from the whole truth?

The engineer glanced at the two transmitters sitting on his makeshift RnD lab. He absent-mindedly flipped a switch and the transmitters lit up again. The hologram reflected itself against the wall, still projecting the same location. He tapped his fingers on the wall, deep in thought.

What if I don’t see this as a transmitter, but as a power source instead? By combining Maxwell’s equations with Ohm’s law, I’d be able to achieve the effect of-

A familiar presence behind the door interrupted William’s musings. He quickly walked up and opened it before the person could knock.

“Hey Marianne, what’s up?”

Marianne preened her hair and bowed her head shyly, looking at him with the best puppy eyes she could muster. “Oh… but how can you be so sure? I could be Vivian,” she said naughtily in a higher pitched voice.

William stifled his laughter. “Drop the act; I’ve known you long enough to recognise your blood pressure rhythm, Marianne.”

“You memorised my heartbeat?!” she gasped, her voice dropping back to her usual quality. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or creeped out.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” William walked back into the room and gestured for her to sit. “So, what brings you here?”

“What, do I need a reason to see how my friend is doing?"

Friend…

There was a pregnant pause.

“So much has happened,” William mumbled, looking downwards.

“Yeah… And I missed a big part of it too,” Marianne said. “Victor has already told me all that has transpired in my absence.”

“Erm, hey. About that night, I’m sor-”

Marianne raised a hand to stop him. “It was my choice to go back for you. And it was also my mistake when I fell under the buildings. Don’t blame yourself.”

“I know, I know! It’s just… you wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I wasn’t so reckless. If only I had just accepted your help-”

Marianne interrupted him with a finger to his lips. “You’ve lost plenty that night, and I wish I could’ve been there for you in the aftermath. Every night I spent in that horrid motel, all I could think of was…” Her eyes widened a little as she covered her mouth. “I… I’ve said too much, haven’t I?”

Awkwardness filled the air in the room rapidly.

“D-don’t you wanna spend more time with your sister?” William asked, changing the subject. “It’s been years since you’ve last seen her after all. Isn’t she more important?”

“I already did, but I’m just another stranger to her. There’s no point in me trying to force it now. And hey,” Marianne punched his arm playfully. “You’re important to me too.”

William blushed slightly at her unexpected affection. “T-thanks, Marianne.” He smiled brightly at her.

“I’m gonna go out for some fresh air, wanna come with?”

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Masako stirred, finally regaining consciousness through the trippy haze of her fever dreams. She placed a hand on her forehead, removing the ice pack on it. The young lady suddenly jerked her head to the side, sensing a presence beside her.

Brett was sitting by her bed, sleeping peacefully with his head resting on a nearby table. Masako smiled slightly and immediately felt a wave of nausea hit her. She covered her mouth with her hand, looking frantically for a trash bin, but there was none. Masako jumped out of the bed and ran to the window to throw up, but nothing came out. She clutched her chest, breathing heavily.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“Hey Masako, you alright?” Brett’s voice sounded behind her. Masako turned around to look at him and immediately felt her stomach lurch again. She barfed for real this time, spewing matter into the sea just outside the window.

“Gee, that’s rude. Do I really look that terrible?” Brett jested.

“Sorry… Can’t help it. Very giddy…” Masako said weakly. “How long was I out for?”

“About a day. You must be starving. Let me go get some food for-”

“No.” Masako grabbed his arm. “Stay with me for a while, will you?”

Brett supported her as they walked back to her bed gingerly. The moonlight shone into the room, breaking into smaller rays that illuminated her jet black hair. Her fringe fell to the side, reflecting a more mature look.

“Are you still feeling dizzy? Do you need some water?” Brett asked in a very concerned tone, but Masako shook her head.

“I’m feeling much better already, but…” She glanced downwards. “I’ve never come so close to death before. It… It was scary.”

Brett placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure you did your best, Masako. You’re-”

“No, it’s not that.” Masako gripped his hand, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight. “Ever since the mutation wave, I’ve only had one goal: Survive. And yet, I almost threw my life away. I… I don’t know what came over me.”

She looked at her trembling hands. “This power of mine; it was almost the death of me.”

“But it made you the hero, didn’t it? You saved your friends.”

“I don’t want to be the hero!” Masako cried out. “Heroes are the first people to die! Why would I risk my life for- I don’t understand why I reacted that way. Why I was… so stupid…”

“Risking yourself to save your friends and family isn’t being stupid; it is love,” Brett said warmly. “I would lay my life down to protect my sister without a second thought, just like how you’d probably do the same for your family.”

“I don’t have a family; I never had one.” Masako tilted her head a little. “I was raised in an orphanage for as long as I can remember.”

“You do now. These people, it’s clear they care very much for you, and vice versa. I’m sure they’ll also do everything in their power to protect you.”

“Would you risk your life for me?” Masako asked innocently.

“Huh?!” Brett’s eyes widened in shock, looking visibly flustered. “Well, uhm… That’s not exactly something you do on a whim…” He shifted uncomfortably.

“Because I would.” Masako pondered as though she didn’t hear him. “Or at least I think so. When I imagine you in trouble, I get this strong irrational urge to jump out and take your place. Does this mean we’re family too?”

“Please don’t. Sacrificing yourself should only be a last resort.” Brett held Masako’s shoulders. “Look, you’re a good person and I’m eternally grateful to you for saving my life. But please, take care of yourself too. It’s not only about what you have done for your family, but also what you can do for them. And sometimes, that means staying alive to see another day. Promise me that when that time comes, you won’t hesitate to save yourself too.”

“I… I promise.” Masako nodded her head, although she still looked a little confused.

“Good girl.” Brett chuckled, patting her head.

“You do know I’m older than you, right?”

“Bah! Age is just a number…”

Their voices slowly faded away as a shadow silently slipped away from the medical bay, leaving a slight trail of ice on the wall.

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Yuxia’s legs dangled dangerously over the ledge. Not like she minded, though. She had always been fond of heights; it gave her a bird’s eye view of everything, and that gave her a sense of security. Yuxia stared off into the distance, contemplating her next move.

So close yet so far. She had the perfect bait to draw her father’s murderer out, her wound had almost completely healed as well. And yet she was still forced to wait.

The Red Clover clenched her jaw in frustration. That feeling was suffocating her. It no longer felt like a hope, or a dream; it was now a thirst, a hunger. A ravenous fire that had incinerated the rest of her desires, leaving only a single one which guided her every action.

Revenge.

A familiar pair of silhouettes caught Yuxia’s eye. William and Marianne strolled into the empty dining hall, oblivious to the figure observing them from seven stories above. They were chatting happily, as though they were truly without a care in the world. A tinge of jealousy tugged at Yuxia’s heart, but she brushed it off as mere contempt. She was above friendship and familial ties; such trivial things had long died along with the last of her family. A higher purpose awaited now.

The albino vigilante fired a grappling hook from her gloved palm and jumped off the ceiling beam. She swung over to the fifth floor, landing silently just outside her room.

I will have my revenge, even if everyone else has to die.