Page 31 of The Not So Super Hero

“He’s literally right there. We could shout and wake him up, so stop making this difficult,” he said.

“Nate,” the girl hissed, elbowing him. Nate held his hands up defensively as he took a step back. While he scowled, the girl returned her calm gaze to Bailey. “I get we don’t look that trustworthy nor do you know us.”

“Then you should understand why I’m tempted to slam the door,” Bailey interrupted.

“We’re here to talk. It is important.”

“I can decide if it’s important or not.” Bailey’s cheeks heated upon noticing Nate’s disbelieving expression, then he snorted.

“What if we’re old friends and Zane actually wants to see us, but you’re in the way?” The girl suggested, raising her brow in a challenging manner.

Bailey felt a little shitty for doubting that. However, he hadn’t the time to refute before he felt a presence behind him. Nate and the woman grinned. A hand rested on Bailey’s shoulder, gently pulling him into the apartment. He glanced up to spot Zane’s narrowed, annoyed eyes.

“Nate, Natalia, why the fuck are you two here?” Zane didn’t bother to hide the disdain in his voice. He continued pressing Bailey back until Zane became a wall between him and the strangers.

“To see you, obviously,” Nate responded with a sneer. “We saw the news. What happened? Sasha should have been easy for you, although judging by your appearance, you took quite the beating.”

Zane stepped forward. He gazed down at Nate, who glared right back.

The temperature dropped. Bailey shivered.

Natalia seemed like the calmest of the three as she stopped them.

She pressed a hand to Nate and Zane’s chests, separating them.

However, Zane brushed Natalia off, although Bailey couldn’t help to notice the way he did.

Though annoyed, Zane wasn’t rough with her and that said there was a story.

More puzzles? Seriously? How many secrets could one person have?

Bailey was shocked Zane hadn’t exploded from sheer paranoia yet.

“We aren’t here to start any of that rival shit,” Natalia stated, giving Nate a stare that told him to back off. Clicking his tongue, Nate took a step back. Natalia returned her gaze to Zane, who refused to meet her eyes.

“We are here to talk about what happened with Sasha.” Natalia glanced at Bailey. “Preferably in private, for your sake.”

“Bailey, could you step outside?” Zane asked, looking at Bailey with an apathetic expression.

A sickness fell over Bailey. He wasn’t sure why, although his heart seemed to know the reason.

Something gnawed at the back of his mind; Zane doesn’t trust you.

The words stung. Even if Zane had never been the most open with Bailey, there were a few moments where he felt special. Now he was feeling like an idiot.

“Sure,” Bailey answered, stomach churning. He stepped into the hall, tripping over the door frame. Nate chuckled, then went quiet when Zane offered him a glare.

“I’ll just get going then,” Bailey said with every intention of leaving. Return to the hotel and, maybe, curl into a ball and cry. That was probably the best opinion.

Zane grasped Bailey’s wrist. The feel of his fingers curling around Bailey’s wrist, likely feeling the escalating pulse beneath his fingertips, made his legs shake.

“Wait outside,” Zane said, almost requested. Bailey stood there a moment, unsure of how to reply. He considered demanding to hear what Nate and Natalia had to say, but ultimately nodded and leaned against the opposing wall of the hallway.

Natalia and Nate entered Zane’s apartment. The door shut. Bailey sighed. Even with the winter chill in the hallway, Bailey grew warm. His body burned for idiotic reasons, but no matter how much he said that, he couldn’t keep himself from burning up.

A small, almost non-existent part of Bailey considered trying to listen in on their conversation.

Sadly, Bailey had a conscience that told him no.

Sometimes he really hated that. Why couldn’t he be a jerk or a normal human being that was so curious they did what they desperately wanted to do?

It would be so easy to listen, however, if he learned the truth from Zane, that would be… great, like, very nice.

Yeah, he blushed, and it wasn’t going away after thinking about that.

Imagining Zane opening up to him, revealing the secrets that Bailey knew he had, it was what he wanted.

He wanted to fall into the trustworthy category.

When Zane needed help, Bailey wanted to be there.

When Zane wanted to talk, Bailey wished to be the one he called upon.

Deciding that he much rather wait for Zane to tell him, Bailey did what was asked of him and waited—kind of—patiently in the hall.

Time ticked away bit by bit without a single sound coming from within Zane’s apartment.

It was nerve-wracking. Bailey grew anxious.

His mind spiraled. What were they talking about?

How did they know each other? What was up with the rival thing Natalia mentioned?

And what did Nate mean by Sasha should have been easy for you?

Sighing, Bailey wondered how long that “talk” would take. He hoped they would not be forever, because being alone meant his thoughts never shut up. It was difficult waiting when his mind wouldn’t take a moment to breathe.

Within the apartment was far worse. If Bailey had stayed, he probably would have been going just as crazy, if not more so. The tension was soul crushing, heavy and hot with obvious annoyance and distrust. Zane refused to look away from the twins, who did the same to him.

“What did you want to talk about?” Zane inquired, standing in the center of his room with his arms crossed.

“Don’t play dumb. You know why we’re here,” Natalia stated with a roll of her eyes.

“Rebirth?” Zane’s teeth clenched.

Natalia nodded, and Nate’s hands clenched at his side.

“Why do you want to talk about them? I thought you heroes could handle them,” Zane said.

Nate guffawed. “Unlike some people who are too cowardly to do so.”

The room darkened. Zane’s eyes went dark. The shadows in his apartment quivered. Natalia hissed at Nate, although he didn’t flinch. He glared as fiercely back.

“Don’t act tough like you’re going to do something. We both know that isn’t your style,” Nate said.

Zane was very tempted to change his “style” because the longer Nate was around, the more annoying he got. However, Zane backed off, just as Nate said he would. The room returned to what it once was, though Zane’s eyes remained black and cold, sealed away from the world.

“If you’re here to bring up the past, then leave or I’ll make you leave.” Zane looked at Natalia, the one who knew he could actually hold a semi-normal conversation with.

Natalia whacked Nate over the back of the head. He yelped, then rubbed the back of his head.

“We’re not here for that. You know how Nate is. He’s an idiot,” she said.

Zane smirked while Nate gave his sister a hurt look that was ignored.

“You have to know what’s happening. Mutants are disappearing daily. Where do you think they’re going?” Natalia asked the question that Zane refused to even acknowledge. “Villains are attacking in numbers the world hasn’t seen since Rebirth and we all know it’s them. They’re back.”

Nate looked like he was ready to explode with rage. Natalia was clearly on edge, her senses on full alert, while Zane, well, he obviously wasn’t any better.

“They’re going after everyone. Nate and I have already been attacked,” she added.

Zane bit into his lip. His fingers dug into his arms so that his nails made crescent shapes in the skin.

The thought that they had already been attacked put him on edge.

He hadn’t even heard about it. More importantly, he wasn’t there to help.

Not that they really needed it, but part of Zane wanted to make up for the past.

Natalia stepped forward hesitantly, slowly. Zane didn’t make any move to back away. Natalia pressed her hand against Zane’s arm, squeezing comfortingly as she said, “They are going to do whatever it takes to get you, too. You know they will and your friend outside…”

Zane froze, his heart jumping into his throat.

“They will go after him to hurt you,” she continued.

“They’ll go after Chris. Anyone in your life of value, they’ll use them against you.

Rebirth has always played dirty. They’re pissed that their plans were put on hold for so long that you know they are going to hit far harder than they ever had before. ”

“You’re in more danger than the rest of us,” Nate said, earning the gaze of his sister and Zane. He wasn’t being snarky, for once, simply speaking with actual concern. “Law won’t waste his resources on us. He’ll give up in time, but he’ll never stop hunting you.”

“I know.” Zane desperately wished for his mediocre life back. Maybe it was never there to begin with. Merely a lie he told himself.

Natalia backed away, frowning. “What do you plan to do, then?”

“Nothing,” Zane responded, which seemed to bug the twins, who gave him a disbelieving look. “There’s no use hiding or running. Rebirth has eyes everywhere.”

“But that doesn’t mean you sit around and wait for them to attack. There are civilians all around you,” Nate hissed, gesturing to the door. “And what about that boyfriend of yours?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Sure, whatever, he’s a friend, at least. He’s in danger because he’s associated with you. Are you going to put his life at risk because you’re too lazy to do anything?”

Natalia glared at her brother. Nate fixated on Zane with a fire in his eyes. “For once in your life, stand up for something. Come with us. You could honestly help if you got off your ass.”

Natalia spoke calmly, “You can’t do this on your own, even you can be taken down with enough force. For your sake and those around you, let us take them into custody until this blows over. Come with us, help us find and defeat Rebirth once and for all.”

“No.” Zane didn’t even consider it. The thought sent a shiver down his spine as his mind replayed every event of his past that proved… “I’m not a hero.”

“No argument there,” Nate spat. “Whatever, that kid’s life is yet another death on your hands. Let’s go, Natalia, he’s a waste of time. We shouldn’t have even bothered.”

“Nate,” she huffed, glancing between him and Zane. He kept his solemn expression on the floor, shoulders slumped forward and brows furrowed.

“If you need us, please don’t hesitate to call.” Digging into her pocket, she offered Zane their number. He wouldn’t take it, so she shoved the paper in his pocket, then patted his arm and headed for the door.

However, Nate didn’t leave. He faced Zane, lips pressed into a thin line and brows knitted.

He spoke in a chilled whisper, “There was a time you wouldn’t hesitate to help those who needed it.

I was far more than proud to call you a friend, my brother even, but what a disappointment you’ve become, Fear. ”

With that, they left. The name rang in Zane’s head. A constant reminder that no matter what he did, he would never escape his past or the nightmares.