Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Well she stopped screaming about an hour ago and her heart rate has returned to normal, she hasn't moved at all though and I have no idea when she will wake up,"

"What happened?"

"Honestly Thalia, she said she needed to lay down and then collapsed to her knees before collapsing into my arms out cold. I'm not sure what happened,"

"She's had nightmares in her sleep before and screamed out while unconscious, but she's never passed out like that as far as I know,"

"As much as I hate to say it, I wish Greyson was here, I'm not a doctor,"

"Please wake up Zana, please," a voice pleads.

"She's going to be okay Thalia, she just needs time," the one voice continues, and I hear a long sigh.

"I can't lose her Cathleen, she's the only thing that matters anymore. I can't sleep over this situation."

"I know Thalia, but she's strong... the way she fights and carries herself reminds me a lot of..."

An echo of a woman's voice in my head slowly becomes louder until it hurts. Zaneliah! Zaneliah! I can hear and I see her face, it looks so much like my own it startles me. Someone punches her in the face to silence her and when she glances back at me, there are sparse crystals and her nose is bleeding violently. The desperation in her eyes scares me, but I am stuck in a dream until it slowly starts to fade away.

Rolling over in bed, I try to get comfortable in the bed and something rolls me back over. Trying to roll onto my stomach instead, something flips me back onto my back. Growling out loud I pry my tired eyes open and see T sitting in a chair next to me. Squinting from the bright light, I realize we are not in our apartment.

"Zana?"

"Zaneliah?" T asks and that confuses me. Why did she call me that?

"Eh?" I ask trying to get my bearings.

"Who am I?"

"Is this some kind of joke, T?" I ask confused, my throat hurts.

"No, Aviva there you are, she's awake!" T says excited and someone forces me into a sitting position.

Squinting still, a light is shined in my eyes and I look away annoyed. My head is moved back into position and I open my eyes and follow the light. Opening my mouth to say something, I start choking. Sucking down the water that is handed to me, the cool water feels nice on my overly warm insides. I realize that Dr. Hayes is the one looking me over and I try not to be difficult.

"Zana?" Aviva asks and I look up at her still half asleep.

"What happened?" Aviva asks me worried.

"I don't know..." I say thinking back to the pain I felt, and I cringe.

"Did you pass out?" Aviva asks me and I try to piece together what happened.

"I think so," I say, and T grabs my hand and I blink confused. Fragments come back to me and I remember the room, my heart jumps and a squeeze on my hand snaps me out of it.

"Zana, what happened back at the facility?" Aviva asks me worried and I try to put it into words, but I can't nothing exists in my head as a coherent and complete thought.

"I've been there before," I say, and she purses her lips.

"I deduced that much," she says, and I can tell her mind is running a million miles a minute.

"I can't put it into words, I don't have enough answers," I say seriously before pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on it. I spent so much of my time ignoring my abilities and my past, I don't know how to deal with the reality that it's all exploding in my face.

"Well just let me know what we all can do to help. We want to support you through this and give you access to whatever you need," Aviva says genuinely and I am startled by the look in her eyes, it's so compassionate and honest, it reminds me of what I see when T interacts with the people in the shelter.

"I want a meeting with the blonde man from when they cornered me at the library," I say seriously, and Aviva bites her lip.

"Let me see what I can do," she says before ducking out of the room. Thalia helps me out of bed, and I take a quick shower before going and raiding the kitchen for food. The tower feels empty, but I know people are here buzzing around trying to get work done. I think someone mentioned Dr. Hayes left after making sure I was okay.

Staring out the large windows I can see some of the lights from the city. Thinking about the millions of people the five of us try to oversee I feel small amongst the crowd. How did I ever save anyone when I can barely think straight anymore? All of the memories that are images around, are they memories or dreams? What else could they possibly be? But why can't I remember all of them? The pain of knowing people believe in me and yet I can't even figure out fact from fiction in my mind is terrifying.

"I haven't seen someone look that torn up since shortly after Aviva lost her dad," Cathleen's soft voice says. I can see her reflection in the glass.

"I just have a lot on my mind," I reply trying to hide how broken I feel. I have so many pieces but no real answers and it's destroying me inside. I just want to know; I feel almost desperate to put the pieces together now.

"I know Avi likes to physically work out her problems, but I prefer to talk mine out, if you want to talk, we can. I also don't blame you if you want to walk out of this tower and never speak to any of us ever again, but please also know that I care, Aviva cares, Alexander, Macie, and especially Thalia all care about you. I even think Faith has a soft spot for you and she's not very good at making friends," Cathleen says.

"I don't want to leave," I say softly. I don't want to; I quite like Aviva and Cathleen. Something about them makes me feel comfortable, I can be honest with them. They don't treat me like a child, yet they understand that in many ways I still need time to decide things.

"You don't?" Cathleen asks, surprise coloring her tone.

"No, I just want to understand everything," I say seriously. Turning away from the window, I slide down the glass. Watching as Cathleen kicks off her heels and drops her jacket onto the couch, she takes a seat next to me. I feel small next to her long legs and elegant frame. She sits right next to me and I can feel her empathy from here. She understands my pain of not knowing, of wanting to understand, but I can't help but wonder what such a powerful woman doesn't know.

"What pieces are you missing?" I ask her and she understands what I'm asking.

"There was a powerful woman in my life once, she left for good reason... I often just wonder where she ended up," Cathleen says solemnly, and I nod in understanding.

"I want to understand where I came from; I want to know who the man I have memories of, is. I want to know if I came from that Metac camp. I have so many questions Cathleen and so suddenly I feel like everything is detonating around me and I can't think straight," I say trying so hard to articulate what I am thinking, Thalia, has been helping me with that.

"Start with the thing bothering you the most," Cathleen says, and I sigh.

"Why would T do all those things? I really thought she loved me and cared for my wellbeing... but now the one person I have been leaning on seems so grey," I say staring down at my knees.

"Thalia does care Zana; she cares more than I think you even realize. This team, this family, everything tends to be a little bit complicated sometimes. I can't tell you why she did the things she did, I wasn't a part of her life for a long time. But I can say with the utmost confidence she loves you, Zana," Cathleen says, and I sigh and rest my head on the cool glass.

"She's given me a new life, I wouldn't have anything without her and I'm so grateful," I say sincerely.

"What else is bothering you?" Cathleen asks.

"The blonde man from the library isn't Soren, so, where is he? Who is the other man? Why did Soren leave me for dead?" I question endlessly and Cathleen listens.

"We believe it's his brother, but as for everything else, well we are just going to have to figure it out together," Cathleen says smoothly.

"Everything feels like I'm looking through a fog, I can't get a bearing on what's going on in my head," I say honestly. Everything feels wrong and out of place, I just want things to line up.

"I understand that all too well," Cathleen says and that makes me turn my head.

"How so?"

"Faith once wiped my memories before we were close, she did it on instinct and I've never held it against her. But it messed with my head for weeks, I've never felt more disoriented," she admits and it's oddly comforting knowing that one of the most powerful women in this country understands my feelings. But there is something else in her eyes that tells me maybe there are other reasons why she felt that way.

"Thank you, Cathleen, I needed to just say all that," I admit, and Cathleen smiles.

"Of course, Zana, but you can call me Lena," she says, and I realize that everyone seems to have a nickname.

"Avi and Lena?" I ask.

"Yes, it's even inscribed in our wedding rings," Lena says happily.

Sliding the big diamond off of her hand, she hands it to me, and I carefully examine it. Looking at the curvature of the band I see a heart and the two names. I smile at the ring and how much Aviva and Lena love each other. Handing her back the ring she slides it back on her finger and looks at it for a moment.

"Have you ever dated anyone?" Cathleen asks me curiously.

"No, I hated everyone at my high school," I say with a laugh.

"College will be different," Cathleen says and I just snort.

"I doubt I'll find anyone there either, I've never really had people pay attention to me like that," I say honestly.

"What about Mason?" Cathleen asks.

"He's just a friend," I say but my tone isn't as convincing as I hoped for.

"Are you a lesbian?" Cathleen asks bluntly and I laugh. I know she's just being nosy, it's not like she would care either way what my preferences are.

"I'm bisexual," I say.

"Good to know," Cathleen says nodding her head.

"Are both you and Aviva only into women?" I ask her curiously.

"Yes," she says with a smile and as if hearing her name, Aviva walks in the room.

"I got you that meeting," she says happily, and she plops down on the floor in front of us. It dawns on me for a moment that I am sitting on the floor with two of the superhero's I have idolized for years and I am awestruck for a moment.

"It's time for me to get some answers," I say, and I feel a comforting hand on my own and one on my ankle. Both of the women near me smile reassuringly and I am thankful for their presence.

I nap most of the afternoon, still tired from yesterday's ordeal. Thalia checks in on me a few times to make sure I am calm and not screaming in distress. I continuously reassure her that I am fine before dozing back off again. When evening finally rolls around, I pull on another version of my Aegis outfit. Pondering at how many trials it took before they made mine, I find a drawer with three more of my suits, plus a few others.

Standing in the kitchen, I raid the cabinets and start cooking dinner for everyone. The feeling of the chef's knife in my hand is calming and familiar. I focus on getting all of the spices just right and slowly the whole tower starts to smell like dinner. People start drifting in curiously and stay once they realize where the smell is coming from.

We eat dinner in content silence, everyone clears their plates and Aviva and Cathleen take over doing the dishes. Watching T out of the corner of my eye, I can tell she is doing the same to me. Watching the sun finally set, I check my watch and see that it is almost time for my meeting. Pulling my mask on, the pressure is soothing in away.

"We'll be back after this meeting," I say to T directly and I see her eyebrows jump in surprise. Walking over I hug her; she stiffens before hugging me back.

"I'll make sure she stays in one piece," Cathleen jokes as I walk over to her. Giving her my arm, she pulls her mask on and the shadows around us jump to life as the sun finishes setting. We are shrouded in a wave of darkness and I feel weightless for a few moments before we land, and my feet hit the ground.

"Invi, Aegis," a police officer says, and I recognize the uniform and the man in front of me.

"Well if it isn't my favorite officer," I say, and he sticks a hand out to shake.

"My name is Michael," he says smiling and I grin under my mask. His badge only has his last name on it.

"Can I see him now?" I ask and he nods, and Cathleen and I follow him through the maze of a precinct until we reach an interrogation room. Rubbing my sweaty palms on my pants, I try to figure out what I am going to do.

"Here you go," Officer Michael says, and he swipes his ID on the door and the lock turns green. Slowly opening the door, I walk inside the small room with no windows and sit down across from the handcuffed man.

"Well if it isn't Aegis the great," he draws out bitterly, and I try to relax into the seat. He can't hurt me here.

"Yes, it's me, your favorite person," I say, and he rolls his eyes.

"What do you want?" He asks flatly.

"Answers," I say bluntly.

"You are asking the wrong person," he snips.

"I beg to differ, I am asking exactly the right person," I say.

"I wasn't on the team of scientists that worked with you and your mother. I was the leader of the tactical team, so as I said, you are asking the wrong person," he says, and I swallow.

"So, the woman in my memories is my mother," I say, and this surprises him.

"Damn he really wiped your memories, didn't he?" He asks leaning forward and I grit my teeth.

"Some things are foggy," I say trying to pretend I am bored.

"I owe you nothing, this conversation is over," he spits, and I roll my eyes.

"I have all day, all night even to sit here and wait. You are going to tell me what I want," I say confidently, and I can feel Cathleen on the other side of the door. She wants to help, but I need to do this for myself.

"Then it's going to be a long night," he says, and I shake my head.

"Then I hope you aren't thirsty; I hope you don't need to the bathroom either. Are you cuffs tight enough? Because you aren't going back to your cell until I get what I want," I say boldly, a fire burning in me. This man is not going to stand in my way.

"I am perfectly fine," he sneers.

Smacking my hand on the table, it crystalizes over and I pick them off. The skin underneath is raw, aiming slightly I flick the shards into his lap. Repeating the process over and over again, a small pile starts to grow and so does his irritation.

"Will you knock that off?!" He snaps at me after about twenty minutes of that.

"No," I say, and I flick another one, he tries to block it but his cuffs are hooked to the bar on the table.

"Remember the explosion my watch caused?" I ask him casually and he glowers at me.

"Of course I do, my eyebrow is only half grown back," he snaps. His hair is so blonde I barely noticed.

"The shards in your lap can make equally as big of an explosion," I say casually as I flick another one into his lap. He looks panicked for a moment before collecting himself.

"You are lying, you would never blow someone up in a precinct," he snaps, and I laugh.

"Do you really want to find out what I am capable of?" I ask him, my voice seems uneven and dark. Not backing down from his gaze he sits back with a sigh.

"No," he says angrily.

"How did Paradigm come in contact with my mother?" I ask him and he grits his teeth and I flick another shard. I switch hands due to how raw the skin is.

"She came to us after her ability suddenly disappeared," he says.

"Why did it disappear?" I question as I continue to flick shards.

"How would I know? I told you that wasn't my team!"

"No, but it was your brothers, and I have no doubt in my mind that he talked to you about it," I say in a bored tone and he grits his teeth.

"They weren't sure at first, they didn't even realize she was pregnant until three months into the experimentation," he says and my blood chills.

"Elaborate," I demand, and he glares at me.

"I told you I don't know the details," he snaps. Standing up I slam my both hands down on the metal table, the whole table shakes and groans as massive indents are left on the surface.

"Then tell me what you do know," I growl out and he looks shocked.

"Her abilities were transferred to you upon conception. They were able to partially bring them back after she had given birth. She wanted to leave but they would only let her leave on one condition," he says seriously, and I swallow.

"That being?" I ask.

"She had to leave without you," he says, and I display nothing even as my heart races a million miles a minute. Staring down at the man before me, he knows I am shocked, he can sense my panic.

"Did she?" I ask him seriously. I have no recollection of what happened to her.

"No, she stayed for another few years," he says, and something changes in his posture. Looking away from me, his jaw clenches.

"What happened to her?" I ask quietly.

"She was killed in the uprising," he says, and I freeze.

"Uprising?" I ask, my voice giving away the pain I am feeling.

"I don't want to talk about that, it was a bloody day. But before you ask, that was the day my brother took you from Paradigm. I don't know why he did it, or what happened after that. I don't even know if he's alive," he says seriously and my stomach sinks. The pain in his eyes reminds me that he's human, that this man is just another cog in the metahuman development wheel.

"I have one final question unless there is anything else you want to say," I say, and he just looks towards the corner of the room.

"No, what is it?"

"Where did you get the stone to track me?" I ask and I pull the small chain from under my suit. His eyes clue on it and he gives me a dark look.

"It was mailed to Paradigm a few weeks ago, it took us forever to figure out how to use it. But we tracked and identified the organic chemical structure and managed to track you somehow," he says.

"Were you trying to track me or your brother?" I ask him seriously and he doesn't answer. Tucking the stone back under my suit, it's almost comforting to know that they couldn't use it the way I can.

"Are we done here?" He asks me and I sigh. He gave me some pieces but even more questions. Shifting in my seat, I finally stand.

"Those shards won't explode," I say, and I yank the door open to see the officer and Cathleen on the other side of the hall.

"I'm done," I say knowing she won't speak.

"If you need anything else please let me know," Michael says, and we shake hands before Invi, and I go back to the Mavericks tower. When we arrive back, I see it is after eleven o'clock. I sat in that room for over an hour.

"You should rest Zana, it's been a long day," she says as her shadows dissipate.

"Thank you," I say, and she squeezes my shoulder before disappearing to find Aviva.

Zana is really being put through the ringer right now 😭 anyone else want to give her a hug? Lol

Don't forget to like and comment please and thank you!! ❤️

XX Cc