Page 62 of The Not So Super Hero

B ailey’s eyes opened. Fear coursed through his veins.

An ominous white light shined above. He felt the restraints around his wrist, ankles, and neck, biting skin.

He struggled against them, realizing he wasn’t strapped to a chair.

A pair of glasses sat on an end stand beside him.

Groaning, he grabbed them. His vision cleared.

He laid on a bed in a hospital room, away from Antoine and those crazy Rebirth bastards.

But where was Zane? Was he ok? What happened after he blacked out? What happened to Antoine? Where were Chris, Natalia, and Nate? Were they ok? What was going to happen from then on out?

Eyes frantic, Bailey peered about the room.

Another bed sat to his right. Zane slept there.

Bailey’s heart leapt from his ribcage, an assault on his senses.

His vision blurred from tears, and memories flooded in.

Blood on his hands. Zane’s blood. His slow breaths.

The world crumbled until he heard the beeping of Zane’s heart monitor. Bailey released a relieved sigh.

Chris sat between their beds in a chair. His head hung off the back, with quiet snores emanating from his mouth. Nate and Natalia were nowhere to be seen, so all Bailey could do was hope they were ok.

He searched for the button to push his bed up.

The bed pushed him into a sitting position, allowing him to move the covers aside.

He wished to see his leg and wasn’t surprised to find himself in a cast. Nate had already signed it in a red sharpie, Natalia with blue.

He snickered. But that laughter diminished, replaced by dread that had buried into his bones.

Where was Antoine? When would Rebirth strike next? Would his life ever go back to normal? He yearned for days when a malfunctioning air conditioner on a hot day was the worst of his problems.

“You’re awake,” said Chris. He smiled, eyes drooping.

“Yeah. Is Zane going to be alright?” Bailey asked. His throat was parched, but he’d get a drink later.

“He’ll be fine. We were lucky to have a mutant with healing abilities in that ambulance.”

Bailey shivered at the implications. What might have happened if there wasn’t a healer?

“Has he woken up yet?” he asked.

“No. You’ve both been out for almost four days.”

Four days?! Bailey didn’t feel like he slept that long. In fact, he was ready to pass right back out.

“Where’s Nate and Natalia?”

“Out with other officers in search of anyone in connection with Rebirth. They haven’t been quiet these last few days,” Chris answered. “There’s been more attacks and mutants going missing, among other things.”

That piqued Bailey’s interest. However, Chris stood to brush strands of hair from Bailey’s face. A simple and warm gesture that reminded him of his father.

“Good thing you have thousands of extra glasses,” Chris chuckled, gesturing to the pair on Bailey’s face.

“Yeah, I always have extra for emergencies, which are more common than I’d care to admit.”

“Mhm. How are you feeling?” Chris asked, examining his bruised face.

He caught sight of himself in the bathroom's mirror. The door was open and Bailey’s bed was situated close enough to see that, even after four days, he resembled a punching bag.

The healer had done what they could. Forcing a body to heal, especially one without a mutation, could be risky.

It was always better to let the body go through its own process, even if that meant his face had to remain swollen and leg broken.

“I’ll be better once Zane wakes up,” he answered, shrugging.

Chris cast Zane a worrying glance. Though his expression remained warm and comforting, the darkness of his eyes told another story. Chris almost lost his son. If Bailey was in his shoes, he didn’t know what he would do.

Chris returned his attention to Bailey. “Sorry to ask so soon, but did Antoine or anyone say anything to you?”

“Like what?” he asked, curious if this was Chris the detective asking, or Chris the father.

“Anything. Their plans. What they’ve been up to. Did you see anything peculiar?”

Bailey explained Rebirth might know how to take away mutations. Chris chuckled, the sound hollow and devoid of mirth.

“Bastards,” he whispered beneath his breath. “When I was undercover, I heard talk of such a plan, but they never seemed to get anywhere with it.”

“Do you think he was bluffing?”

“No, though I am sure there’s a catch. If they had that technology, they would use it. Still, I need to report this. Want me to get you anything while I’m out?”

“Out?” Baileys’ eyes widened at the thought of being alone. Zane was there, but unconscious, and he couldn’t defend them if anything happened.

“No need to worry. Believe me, Nate and Natalia are on Antoine’s trail and there are guards everywhere,” Chris explained.

“Last time we were in an unknown facility with guards everywhere and they still got in,” he countered, words hissed between clenched teeth.

Frowning, Chris gestured towards the door. “I won’t be long and I’m not going far, just to the cafeteria.”

Bailey squirmed, gaze shifting between the door and Chris.

He gave a reluctant nod and requested a meal.

His stomach had rumbled. Luckily, just as Chris was leaving, a doctor came for a checkup on Zane and Bailey, so he wasn’t completely alone.

He got a glimpse into the hall, counting four armed guards.

Then the doctor left, leaving Bailey with his thoughts. Said thoughts were limitless.

What happened at Raiffel? How did Zane survive having a father like Antoine?

Who was Zane’s mother? Did Zane have any information about her at all?

What exactly did Antoine want with Zane?

What would be his overall scheme? And, the one thing that really bugged him, who was Isaiah?

Zane didn’t actually kill Isaiah, did he?

Bailey shook his head, glancing at Zane resting in his bed.

Even if he did, there was a reason for it.

Antoine forced him. It was an accident. There had to be a catch.

Especially after meeting the bastard. He and everyone at Rebirth loved games.

Surely, they put Zane and Isaiah through some type of “game” that ended with Isaiah’s death.

The hospital door opened. Bailey jumped, then noticed Chris entering with food. His stomach growled.

“Thank you.” Bailey immediately shoved a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. “Em stawing.”

Chris chuckled at Bailey, inhaling his food. Chris sat patiently at his bedside, reminding him to chew and swallow if he wished to live. He smiled. With some food in him, his body unwound. When he was done, the boy released a satisfied sigh, leaning back with a grin stretched from ear to ear.

“What did Antoine mean when he said you ran out of time?” he asked after Chris sat his empty tray aside.

“Ah, right, my mutation? I can stop time,” Chris explained.

“But there’s a catch. It’s like I’m on a timer.

I’ve got ten minutes. I could use two minutes in the morning, five in the afternoon, and three in the evening, but once I use ten minutes, then I have to wait three hours for it to start over again. ”

“That’s amazing.”

Chris waved the compliment off, although his face stated he liked it. “It certainly comes in handy, but determining the best time to use it is a hassle.”

Chris glanced at Zane, a guilty expression in his eyes that Bailey understood. Chris probably wished for more time, for a way to prevent Zane’s attack. Bailey did too.

“I wish I could have done something,” he admitted. He felt weak, useless, always in the way. He couldn’t get away from Leona and couldn’t escape Antoine. Zane nearly died, could die because of Bailey’s weakness, and he hated himself for that.

“Bailey, you did a lot,” Chris argued. “You put up one hell of a fight against Leona. You survived their torture. You never gave up or stopped believing that we’d come for you.

Hell, you hit Antoine with a rock to protect Zane, even when you knew Antoine could kill you.

You’re incredibly brave and that counts as something, don’t ever think otherwise. ”

Bailey didn’t know what to say. He twisted the blankets around his fingers. Chris made it sound so grand while he felt like trouble, more than usual. He couldn’t see what about him was going to do them any good.

“But if I had a mutation, if I could have done something…”

“Boy.” Bailey’s lips slapped shut the moment Chris spoke.

He stared at the narrowed gaze Chris gave, then laughed when he said, “I will not hesitate to ground your ass if you utter another word. I don’t care if I’m not actually your father.

One day, I’ll be your father-in-law, so I have the right to ground you. ”

Bailey choked on his own saliva, proceeding to laugh controllably.

Chris joined in. Their laughter gave him a sense of normalcy, one he desperately needed.

The tension in the room dissipated, allowing a weight to be lifted from his chest. He wished he could remain in a good mood, but he still had questions that needed answers.

“And what about Antoine?” he asked. The moment Antoine’s name was brought up Chris tensed. “His mutation. He can steal someone’s powers, right?”

“Right.” Chris leaned back in his chair.

“We have no idea the extent of his abilities. While I was undercover, I saw him steal countless mutations and use them as his own. Each time, it seemed he used them better than their original owners. I never saw him without a mutation either, meaning he kept this up for hours. He trained to where he could withstand Zane’s mutation.

The man isn’t scared to push himself over his limit.

None of us know the best way to handle him. ”