Chapter 18: Attonement I
Emma drove me home in silence. As much as I fancy her and her powers, it is too early for us to have this conversation. Up until recently, I wasn't even intending to make a name for myself in the underworld as a mutant. It just happened. I took the chance, and it has led down a chain of unexpected events.
I'm supposed to be a fifteen-year-old boy, and yet there are already dangerous people hunting me. Today, this incident made me think about something that hadn't occurred to me before.
'Does my ability have a weakness?'
As far as I can tell. I can't die. Not my conventional methods; it is not like I want to test all of them, but so far, nothing has been able to kill me, only hurt me. It wouldn't be good to be conceited and overconfident, so I don't know how I will do it, but I have to investigate... what are the limits of nothingness?
...
When we arrived, I went up to the apartment to get the bags of money from underneath the bed. Emma was going to take it and deposit the laundered money for me. How sweet of her.
I entered the house and saw Veronica sitting on a sofa, sleeping with the TV on just like I left her, wearing only a shirt.
'This woman…' She didn't even bother wearing something proper. I looked around and there were glass shards on the floor, 'What happened here?'
I even tentatively checked up to see if she was okay. She was breathing normally. I picked up all the glass, threw it in the bin and headed downstairs with four heavy bags full of dirty cash. Emma put the bags in the copilot seat; that's the bad thing about a luxurious old Ferrari; it has no space at all.
"You don't have an account, do you?" She asked me.
I shook my head. I was too young for that.
"I'll make a current account on my name and deposit the money and your payment for today there. Use it in the meantime, until you make yours. I'll bring you the card tomorrow… what's your plan from now on?" Emma sat in her car and waited his answers, it was dead in the night, no one around.
I leaned on her Ferrari and thought, assuming she was asking long term.
"To graduate… and cope with whatever happens. Invest that money on something, move out of this house. I have to think about it, Emma... I didn't expect things to turn out this way".
"Do you think graduating… studying is so important right now?" She frowned, unable to understand my train of thought, and I didn't blame her. People like us, with powers, can do what we do; it makes no sense to follow regular standards.
"If I had to say, it is just an inner desire of mine. Something I always wanted to achieve, that's all. It is not too important" Perhaps if I achieve that little objective we worked so hard for, I will feel like moving on eventually.
"I always wanted to be an engineer. And before you entered the picture, I was planning to leave peacefully… until the first round starts" I frowned at the end, recalling I have a fate I can't flee from.
I don't know when it is going to come, but it will come... and I can't avoid it.
Her brows tilted, "First round? What are you talking about?"
"Forget it. I don't have conclusive plans. I'll deal with things as they come, Emma".
"You decided to get yourself involved in the bank. Your life can't be peaceful ever again, Ray. You should move away from the people that you cherish," she advised sternly.
I resisted the urge to laugh. I don't know if I have such people, but yeah, I guess there are people around me that I shouldn't get involved with anymore.
"You don't need to worry about police in regards to this incident; there are people who are paid to take the blame, and there are people who are paid to clean the scene. Nobody will know of you, but you don't have anyone to blame but yourself if you get shit on by Mystique. You killed Sabretooth, Magneto will be after you".
If push comes to shove and I see too much involvement, then I may have to get to this Magneto first.
"He may even be interested in recruiting you into his brotherhood if you decline... then there is a saying that goes: A dead enemy is the best enemy" She laughed.
"And he will get a hole in his brain too if he tried… see you later and sleep well" I waved my hand in farewell, but she took the wrist and prevented me. An action she didn't notice she was getting more and more comfortable with.
"Wait, what about us?"
"About us?"
"About what I spoke to you a while ago" She frowned, daring me to forget it.
"We will be working together, won't we? Tell me where and when, and I'll kill Shaw, that's all. You are an opportunity for me to take over the Hellfire Club; I won't waste it."
Emma smiled, pulled me and pecked my cheek softly, possibly leaving her lipstick if there was still any after the rough night we had.
"I'll see you later, babe~"
"…"
Emma drove off, waking up a few neighbours with the Ferrari's revs as I touched the spot where her lips had contacted.
'She's an interesting girl, that's for sure'.
**
**
"Why are you coming back so late… was that your girlfriend? Were you at a party?" Veronica asked me once I entered through the door. She woke up... or she had always been awake, whichever.
"Since when do you care?" I asked and removed my shoes, a bit fatigued from the day, but it was already two o'clock in the morning; I might as well stay awake and do some research.
"If you come home this late… even I will be worried. What were those bags you got downstairs… are you involved in bad stuff, Ray?" She asked sternly.
"Nothing you have to worry about".
I entered the room and closed it behind me, heading straight to the computer with a name in mind: 'Magneto'.
Anything I could find about him, Mystique and Sabretooth. I can't be totally unconcerned; they're powerful mutants mingling with powerful people.
There wasn't much information about them except for the fact that they were criminals, categorised as terrorists with a list of incidents to their name that went from extortion to homicide.
In the middle of my research, when I was about to start looking for some properties, I heard the door knocking.
"Ray, may I come in?"
I think I can count on one hand the amount of times she has come to my room ever since we moved here.
"You can. What is it?"
It's already three o'clock in the morning, 'Why is she awake, and what does she want?'
Veronica came in, now wearing something more proper and with an expression that I had rarely seen on her face ever there was resignation and defeat. Didn't breaking up with Jonathan impact her that much?
"I just thought we could talk. Sorry for today... the vomit and everything, it must have been disgusting," She began and sat on the bed; I gave her all my attention.
"I'm used to it".
"D-Do I vomit all the time?"
"Thankfully not, it is still not a pleasant sight though".
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