30. Tangled

Note: Hearing "Architect" from Livingston, got me addicted- on repeat again

Jack said meekly "I'm sorry" after being scolded by the old man.

"Me too. I'm not leaving you guys. I'm still only twenty two." Martha tried o liven up the atmosphere, but suddenly had to laugh at herself.

Emily suddenly exclaimed, "Jack you are so cool, let's date!" She had stars in her eyes. Apparently she hadn't been scared of him, just being starstruck.

Everyone's head turned to her. Lenny stood up again to fight the man taking away his sister, while Hunter's hand holding Jack's neck tightened.

Jack smiled warrily. "No...." in his mind he kept up with 'Go away...leave me alone...' Emily pouted sweetly, and Amanda rolled her eyes internally at her stupidity.

Casper laughed out loud at Jack's desperation. "Guys, isn't it just fricking superpowers? What haven't we been together through before? I want to be able to fly."

"Right, right, I want to heal people!" Lilly said.

"Being superfast like the Flash." Dale said while yawning, tired from the excitement. Everyone chuckled at that.

"Then I will be taking 'Wolverines' powers." Nick said, "Have you seen the movie? It was the best."

"Yes I saw it, 'Metallo' it is for me." Loki laughed.

Taylor calmed down seeing the atmosphere had recovered and reappeared. Everyone turned to him. Lilly smiled "Welcome back."

"What is going on?"

"We now know why your where safe, you go invisible when in stress." Lenny had stood behind Emily again, still wary of Jack.

"No, really...?" Taylor looked at them disbelievingly.

"Taylor, let's talk. The rest go to sleep. We can't leave anyway at night so we talk tomorrow again about what we are going to do or where to go." Loki wanted to end the meeting on a good note before the atmosphere shifted again. "Think about your decision." He reminded them.

Hunter stood up and pulled Jack into his room. He pushed him against the closed door in the darkness. "What was that? Ha?"

"You saw it was becoming strange..I just wanted to live up the atmosphere..."

"By biting off your finger? Right, that was hilarious." His voice grew louder.

"I'm sorry, something just snapped.... how the situation was getting..." Jack wanted to belong here and survive together. He didn't like how their eyes on Taylor changed.

"They weren't even going to lynch him or anyone, what's with that over the top reaction?"

"I don't know...Maybe I'm a really extreme person?" Jack asked blankly.

Hunter knew he couldn't talk with him, but as a close friend he had to lecture him. And at this moment he felt unbelievingly violent inside. He just wanted.... 'to be coaxed.' He sighed and rested his head on Jack's shoulder in the dark. Jack patted his head, then combed his hair with his fingers. "Sorry...."

"I wanna sleep here." Hunter demanded quietly, but it sounded more like a question.

"Ok. Make yourself at home." Jack said, he was still combing him. "Your hair is all tangled up."

"Mhmm." Hunter didn't want to move away from the soothing touch so he just stayed still breathing in Jack's scent mixed with the wet wipes and dry shampoo. He somehow thought that this is what the apocalypse should smell like. It was kind of liberating.

It had seemed that everything ended on a good note. But everyone needed to cope with these changes, so not everyone slept soundly.

Amanda had told them about the missing boys as a prevention-strategy. If they were missing, then suddenly coming back, talking about her to the others it wouldn't look good. Now there was an invisible enemy that killed away two of them. She was surprised, but that was it. What was really surprising is that there are superpowers. When she worked in the institution she saw test subjects becoming ability holders, but nothing of that sort, nothing like invisibility or instant self healing. That just shouldn't be possible. They had people with higher IQ, a better memory, someone could spin a folded paper placed on a needle with his thoughts. Everyone then celebrated already because they broke through the impossible. What could stimulate the brain waves like they did, substitute the essential growth hormone needed to not become brain dead, and all that in such a short time?