Fine Lines: Burn Outs #2

by Dani Hermit

  “That would be great!” Colton turned excitedly and saw way more of Syd than he was expecting. He turned back shyly. “I’ll work with you, and we should consider you as a Phenom as well. My major concern is Boris. We only have your battle with Matt and Thomas before you found me the first time and the one with Dark Mirror but we need to assess where your second power might have shown itself.”

  Thomas cut in. “I’m sorry. I know you’re a very positive guy but maybe some of us weren’t born with Phenom in us. Maybe a cat is just a cat. A power that makes a great sidekick is just that. Do I really have to be the voice of reason in this bunch? Let’s stop living in fairy tales before we even start. It’s better that way.”

  When more pairs of eyes fell on him than he could count, Thomas got defensive. “What? What’s wrong with wanting to focus on making what we already can do better? What we have is what we have.” He glanced slightly towards Boris. Thomas’s irrational jealousy towards the man in the ambulance was sending a streak of meanness through him. “And what we have I’m guessing, is a hostage who is going to suffer if he doesn’t tell us something useful. There’s a lot of wiggle room between uninjured and dead. Any objections, Boris?”

  “I find it hard to argue with your logic,” Boris acknowledged after a tense moment of staring at Thomas. “He won’t be any good to us dead, you’re right about that. He’s convinced that the Necromancer can’t live without him. I don’t think it’s that serious a connection, but I’m inclined to think he could be a valuable hostage. There’s a reason the Necromancer restored his powers.”

  “That makes two people he’s restored,” Matt pointed out. “And do we know if there are any more?”

  “We also might want to brainstorm why because I don’t have a good theory.” Colton, clearly frustrated, started rearranging the papers people were handing back. “Especially if all of us are becoming Phenoms. That would level the playing field and it wouldn’t matter who he started again because obviously the Disk is setting people off too.”

  Thomas stood. “Since we’ve gotten Boris’s blessing, how about we start the interrogation and get some answers? Syd ,can I get some buckets of ice water and a few of the big glasses?” He stood, flexing his hands. “I’ll go first, soften him up a little for you Matt. Boris can go last if we don’t get the job done.”

  Colton sent Matt a worried look as Thomas left to get the things he requested. “Is he okay? I don’t recognize him today. How bad was he hurt? Did he burn out and no one told me?”

  “No, it’s not that,” Matt replied, cutting his eyes towards Boris, who had turned away from the room and was staring at the ambulance again. “He’s got some stuff going on right now, and maybe this isn’t a bad way for him to blow off some steam. And better that he go out and try before I do. I’m not exactly sure I won’t rip that fucker’s head right off.”

  “There are better ways to blow off steam, Ham-Ham.” Colton leaned against Matt, coaxing him to put his arm around him.

  “Yeah, but I think that Thomas is mad at him.” Matt said, nuzzling Colton’s head and pulling him close. “Or vice versa. So neither of them are getting blown tonight.”

  “That’s sad.” Colton meant it sincerely as he snuggled into Matt’s touch. “I think I could make a more rational assessment if-” He yawned and shook himself and sat up, pulling away from Matt. “No, none of that. Did you hear me earlier? I think you could become fire. Training is another great way to blow off steam. I’ll be your opponent and Syd can supervise and coach you, if that’s cool with her.”

  “Not until you get some rest, Pony,” Matt pulled him back down. “You’re exhausted and I’m not about to be turned into a sheep because you’re too tired to direct your powers properly.”

  “But you’d be the cutest, angriest, sleepy sheepy,” Colton started to say as he let the safety of Matt’s embrace make that rest come faster. “An adorable, fluffy, rage sheep.”

  “Which is why you are going to sleep now. I refuse to be adorable.” Matt patted Colton’s head and turned to Syd. “Hey, how’s Vanessa doing? I know it’s been rough since, you know, the incident.”

  “Adapting like only the young can do,” Syd moved to sit near Matt. “You sure it’s a good idea to let Davos out there unattended? He’s kind of a walking rage monster right now.”

  “We all are,” Matt said quietly. “He’ll be fine. It’s the other guy I’d worry about.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Thomas opened the door to the ambulance, carefully lifting up his ice buckets and putting them just out of sight of the man known as Dark Mirror. It wasn’t hard, considering that Dark Mirror was resting easier than anyone else had been given a chance to do. Thomas looked over the man.

  What makes you so special? Thomas couldn’t stop the same kind of hateful thoughts his 19 year old self felt towards Colton from flowing into his mind.

  That Blue Bolt brat had really done a number on him. He put a hand on the back of his own neck and squeezed as if he could strangle away his awful intentions. Hours ago, he was the one saying they couldn’t leave Curtis behind to die of an overdose. Maybe if Boris had agreed with him, if they had taken him as a hostage together, he wouldn’t feel like this. But Boris had left him with Matt and gone off to save Curtis alone. Thomas had had enough of being the fun guy I like to fuck and the best friend who never has his own love story.

  “The question isn’t what’s so special about you. It’s what’s wrong with me? But as that’s not a dark hole I want to dive down. I’ll choose another.” He opened one of the sleeping man’s eyes with angry fingers. “You’re the enemy and you know what you risked when you decided to attack us. There was always a chance you’d lose. Always the possibility of a bad end. I’m here to give you what you’ve earned.”

  He stepped back to give Curtis a chance to fully awaken and start to understand what was about to happen to him. “Not as powerful as you were before, are you?” He had pulled an empty needle from one of the drawers and dragged it across the flesh of Curtis’s palm hard enough to cut. “It’s funny. I’m feeling great. It would be a piece of cake to break every bone in your body and I wouldn’t snap them. That would be too easy.”

  “So, your modus operandi is going to be to talk me to death?” Curtis quipped lifting his head to better see Thomas. “I would have thought they’d send the smart one in for that.”

  “If you’re trying to insult me,” Thomas got right up in Curtis’s face,.“Try harder. We all know Colton’s a genius. It doesn’t threaten me at all.” He slammed his hand against Curtis’s forehead forcing his head down hard as the other one took the restraints Boris had left undone and strapped Curtis’s head down to the gurney before he could recover.

  “Did I do something to upset you personally, big boy?” Curtis blinked, trying shake off the head trauma of Thomas’s attack.

  Thomas chuckled. “Does it matter?” He played with a few dials and found he could get the defibrillator paddles to turn on. “Like I said, you chose your fate. I might just be hurting you because I’m the guy with the stomach for it. Matt would probably kill you too fast. Colton won’t even get involved with this part. And your precious Boris isn’t going to do any real damage to his special friend.”

  “OH! I see, you and Bori are fucking.” Curtis moved his body as if he were settling in for what comes next. “And you think, what? He wants me? You’re going to torture me because I-” Curtis was cut off as Thomas slammed the paddles into his bared chest, giving him a strong shock.

  Thomas watched the thin body buck up, fists clenched in pain. “Welcome to your interrogation. Get ready for your first question.” Thomas lifted the paddles and studied them thoughtfully. There was murder in his smile. “But first,” He sent his power into the paddles. “Amplify.”

  The shock that went through Curtis wasn’t just electric. It held Thomas’s power and made every nerve burn for the duration of the current.

  It took a few minutes to recover before Curtis could find
his tongue. “Shame you’re probably impotent. This would be much more fun if you were sticking your dick in me.”

  Thomas was now the one struck speechless. This guy wasn’t just trash talking. Thomas was pretty sure he meant what he said.

  “What? I’ve been raped before, and by less attractive men than you.” Curtis hoped he’d hit a nerve.

  Or at least made Thomas question how far he was willing to go. He’d read his energy signature and Curtis felt like Thomas was incapable of much of a cruel streak if he could be snapped out of his rage and recognize it was happening. He was also obviously falling for Bori, or like so many before him, it was Cat Fight that Thomas was enamored of. And in his lustful stupor, he had come to the ridiculous conclusion that Dark Mirror was competition for Cat Fight’s attention.

  But, no matter how dumb Curtis thought he was for believing that, Thomas was dangerous because of that jealousy. It was important Curtis get him away from the idea of electrocuting him. Curtis wasn’t sure his overworked heart would survive too many more amplified shocks.

  “I don’t even understand why you play for this team though. Your talents are obviously wasted.”

  The hand covering his mouth told Curtis he’d done something. Caused some new trigger in Thomas. He’d dropped the paddles, so that was good. However, the terribly cold water that hit his face before he could prepare for it suggested he hadn’t stopped anything. He screamed into Thomas’s brutal grip around his mouth. He barely got a breath before a second dousing.

  “See, I figured the shock would set off all your receptors.” Thomas was so close to his face, Curtis prayed for him to keep talking so his breath would warm him up. His hands fought the restraints, just wanting to protect the tender skin. “So this would hurt more.” Another big glass sent the water over his face and Thomas’s unyielding fingers. It didn’t seem to bother Thomas but the effect on callused hands would be nowhere near as bad as what it was doing to Curtis’s face.

  Thomas withdrew his hand. “Now, about my questions…”

  Curtis wanted so badly for something, anything to warm up his skin. It was a new hurt and he wasn’t loving it. “I’m not going to tell you anything.” His resolve didn’t sound great but he pressed on. “I’m nothing if not loyal. But he rewards us greatly. And you are on the list, you know. You could have anything you want.”

  “What list?” Thomas asked sounding bored as he refilled the glasses with the water from the buckets. He dumped one on Curtis’s bared chest just to see how he’d react.

  Curtis bit his lip. Not as bad as his face but not pleasant. “The list Leo has of the people he’d like to share his vision with. It’s right there in black and white. Thomas Davos, the All Powerful Echo. The only one of this whole lot on the list. You must be really special because Leo underlined it.”

  Thomas sat back on his knees scratching his head. “I’m nobody. I mean, I had an okay run and I do well enough in the back lots.”

  Maybe I can work with this.

  Curtis wondered how he could use this sudden change in demeanor to win over or at least stop Thomas from tormenting him. Before he could get the words out he was trying not to drown as Thomas dumped an icy cold cup over his mouth. He shut his mouth fast but not being able to turn his head, Curtis ended up with quite a bit of water in his mouth and up his nose. He fought to cough the water out as soon as Thomas pulled back.

  “That’s what you get for telling lies. Amplify.” Thomas’s calm voice alerted Curtis to the attack coming this time and he forced his eyes and mouth shut as Thomas dumped one, two, three cups over his face with only enough time for him to feel the burn of the air on his skin. When Thomas finished, there were blisters forming on Curtis’s face as if he’d been burned by chilled fire.

  “Funny,” Curtis said through broken sore lips. “That you don’t think you’d make a great Villain.”

  At least his tears were warm on his chapped and blistering skin. And it would heal, despite how agonizing it was now. There was even a sliver of a chance what Thomas had done would piss Bori off and drive a wedge in the fledgling band of heroes. Curtis might still be able to return with Mythos.

  Thomas, seeing clearly past his rage as it was now clearly manifested on Curtis’s face, backed away slowly almost tripping himself as he jumped out of the ambulance. He shut the door and not knowing where to go or what to do, he hurried back to the car they had rented. Thomas laid down, curled in on himself in the backseat, crying harder than the man he’d abused in the ambulance.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “Here,” Syd returned to the back room with an armload of blankets. “You guys need a rest. Especially that one.” She nodded to where Colton had basically crawled onto Matt and was currently using him as a mattress. “I’m not going to let any of you beasts upstairs, but I can lay the tattoo chair flat and there might still be some camping cots in the shed.” Syd indicated the small building they could see if they looked out the back door.

  “Let’s get Colton set up in the chair,” Matt requested, grateful that it was Syd’s place they were crashing at. She might be a bad ass but she was also a fusser. She’d think of things that never occurred to any of them. Like sleep.

  Syd threw the pile of blankets on the table and went to adjust the chair. When she got it nearly flat so Colton could sleep with his upper half only slightly elevated, Syd got out of the way and let Matt settle his lover into what ended up looking like a nest of blankets in the chair.

  “Do you want to sit here on your ass and watch him sleep or you want to head out to the yard and see if there’s anything to this Phenom theory of his?” Syd asked after a watching Matt hover over Colton for a good two minutes.

  Matt looked like he was going to turn her down, but then he sighed. “Sure, let’s head outside.” He turned to Boris. “Keep on eye on him, will you? And get me if he needs anything.”

  Boris nodded, not turning from his vigil over the ambulance, where Thomas was currently starting the interrogation of their hostage. Matt tried not to think about it. He could feel the burn of rage in his gut at the thought of that junkie. He’d hurt Colton, and if there was even a grain of truth to what Mythos said, it was pretty bad. Not to mention he’d left him to die in that motel room. Matt had nearly killed Boris for less, and he was still kinda raging from that. And from what happened under the Serpent Mound with Thomas. And about a dozen smaller things and three decades of bigger things.

  “Are you sure about this, Syd? I’m not sure how bad this could get,” Matt tried to warn her off. He didn’t want to accidentally hurt his friend.

  “Please, I’m not going to let you shoot at me,” Syd said, grabbing a recycling bin that was sitting just outside the door and dragging it along as they walked across the parking lot. “Remember how we used to go out in the back of that shitty little house they gave us and shoot arrows at bottles?” She was already pulling out beer bottles and larger whiskey bottles and lining them up on the low cement wall at the back of the parking lot.

  “Well, that’s a start,” Matt paced out about fifteen feet from the wall, and watched her finish setting up the targets.

  “We’re starting slow, Matty,” Syd said, coming to stand next to him. “I’ve only had my powers back for about twenty minutes. No way I’m going let you kick my ass because I’m out of practice.” Syd flicked her hand, sending out one of her air blades. It nicked the bottle she was aiming at and hit the bushes behind it.

  “Shit,” Matt couldn’t remember ever seeing Syd miss a target. “I almost feel bad about this now.” He fired off a couple of small bursts of flame that hit and exploded the bottles.

  “It’s not like we’re keeping score,” Syd reminded him, using her other hand and looking satisfied when she sheered two bottles in half. Flexing her fingers and rolling her shoulders, she smirked at Matt. “Or maybe we should.”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Matt blasted the remains of the bottles Syd had cut with her air blasts.

  The conversat
ion fell off for a few minutes as they took turns blasting and breaking the bottles. Matt went to reset the targets, and that’s when Syd started talking again.

  “So, why didn’t you tell me you were back with Colton?” She asked.

  “It’s sort of new,” Matt replied, pausing in his task. “I didn’t have a chance to text you.”

  “Looks like the two of you got cozy real quick.”

  “Yeah,” Matt finished and came back to stand by Syd. “It’s like the time apart never happened. But it did and we both know it. It’s going to be an ugly conversation when we get the chance. I barely had the chance to tell him about you and Nate.”

  “Christ, how long are you going to wait to talk to him about all that?” Syd frowned. “It’s a lifetime that the two of you missed. I get wanting to enjoy the honeymoon, but you’re going to ruin it again.”

  “I know but there just hasn’t been time.” Matt shook his head. “I saw him for the first time three weeks ago. We talked for like thirty minutes, max and then all that stuff with the Necromancer and the Disk happened. He went missing for almost two weeks. And we’ve been doing all this,” Matt gestured helplessly at just everything. “For the last three or four days.”

  “No wonder you all look like you’re half dead.” Syd started up the bottle breaking again. “Are you seriously looking to play hero against this Necromancer character?”

  “That looks to be the plan.” Matt stood back and watched Syd work. “Otherwise, I’m going to lose Colton to that maniac’s brainwashing. I can’t let that happen.”

  “Fair enough.” Syd kept going with the target practice. “Any plan on how to do that, and is that why there’s an mobile interrogation unit in my parking lot?”

  “We’re hoping to get something out of him. Any word from Nate yet?”

  “Nothing,” Syd sighed. “Nessie refuses to text or call him, and he isn’t responding to me. Have you tried him?”