Chapter 18: Chapter 18

"You guys are late!. Where were you both all day?" Lola sported a quizzical face to Collins and Michael who sauntered into the house. Looking tattered and their faces overgrown with stress.

"Stop acting like our mother." Collins retorted in a weakly voice while they wobbled to their bedroom.

"You guys don't look good, what happened?" She queried again but none of them bothered to answer.

"Leave them." Theodore voiced beside her. "They were probably up to no good and it backfired on them."

She heaved a sigh before turning in Ariel's direction. Who busied herself watching The Big Bang theory. Then she joined Theodore at the dining.

"Thank you for the food, Lola." He solemnly uttered while she lazily played with her Yam porridge.

"You're welcome." She answered with a tiny smile gleaming on her face. "So how did your day go?" She asked, hoping he would be kind enough to indulge her in a conversation.

"Same old routine." The blonde answered in a not so intrigued tone. "Playing Chess with Ariel." He added before taking another bite.

"Ariel plays Chess?" She asked with her surprise evident. He hummed as he nodded.

"And I've never won." He remarked.

Her eyebrows arched upwards for a brief moment.

"Wow! Is she that good?"

A tint smile appeared on his face but didn't last the next second.

"She plays exceptionally well."  She took a brief glimpse at the little girl before returning to her food. There were lots of mysteries and interesting facts about her yet Doctor Roberts still clung unto his phrase. 'With time.'

"How about you?" Theodore's voice tousled her thoughts. "How was your date with The Trainer?" His gaze were solely based on hers making it impossible for her to waver.

"It wasn't a date!" She briskly affirmed whilst battling the adrenaline of excitement coursing through her veins. "We just went to the Park to hangout, that's all." She nervously chattered but his countenance told the truth. He wasn't buying it.

"You don't need to redefine the obvious." He said in a voice that sounded so endearing for the first time. "Only a fool wouldn't notice the chemistry between you both."

Lola gulped down her saliva. Her anxieties were further increasing by every second and it unnerved her. So rather than become the main topic she opted for a change of course.

"How is Marcus?" She asked and his face dampened instantly. The little smile that once bloomed now resorted to an accustomed smug face.

"Still in his room."

Her face dampened too and her appetite for dinner faded alongside. It troubled her Marcus still basked in his pain about his ordeal.

"Don't you think Doctor Roberts could have been a little bit endearing?" She proposed while he sighed.

"Endearing or not, Doctor Roberts is right. If Marcus had risked using his powers for Mr. Williams, he would have been deported to Area X mutant prison by now." Theodore ascertained. "Become a trendy news and before you know it, we are all in Area X."

She sighed.

"I'm worried about him." She muttered in oblivion.

"We all are." Theodore answered even when she hadn't expected. "Everybody has their endurance for pain but I'm sure he'll get over it in a few days."

She let silence linger amidst them for minutes before grabbing Marcus's meal to his room. She knocked softly on his door but didn't answer. Hence, she clicked the door open only to be welcomed by darkness and eery silence. In the largeness of his room, he was seated upright by the edge of his bed. Obviously loathing himself.

"Hey." She said softly as she trailed to his bed, dropping his plate by the other side.

"Hey." He mused. She inched closer, wondering how to alleviate his pain. Minutes of silence dwelled amongst them before her soft voice protruded the chill air.

"When I first joined St. Mary," she started with a sad smile while she stared to the grounds. "There was this little girl who had a terminal illness due to the explosion. Her name was Mia." She paused again, reveling in the sweet memories she had shared with the seven year old. "We bonded like sisters and I kept on assuring her everything would be fine. Until the day came, a slow death." She whispered whilst his gaze was on her.

"I was broken for days. Cursing the world for the injustice given to an innocent soul like her. I felt like I failed, that perhaps I could have done something to save or even elongate her life." She paused yet again. "But nothing." She added as her eyes bonded with his.

"I know my story is totally unrelated to yours but everyone of us here have gone through one helplessness or the other." She affirmed softly. "We can mourn, cry for our mistakes but that doesn't warrant allowing our guilt to burden or retard us. Cause the truth is, what is meant to be will be and just because you failed to save a life today doesn't mean you can't save millions tomorrow."

She shot him a tiny smile while he nodded slowly.

"Please eat." She mumbled before opting to exit. But he held her back with his words.

"Lola!" He pitched. "Thank you." He solemnly avowed. Although the darkness made it impossible to read his expression, she was certain there was a smile. And on that note she exited.

#########

"While we await Doctor Roberts arrival why don't we do some little warm ups?" The Trainer muttered while they stood idly amidst the training grounds. Surrounded by small logs of wood. But all Lola could comprehend as she eyed him was how handsome he had looked yesterday.

Collins scoffed. "I'll rather teleport to a Spa."

"At least that'll keep us company." Theodore remarked and The Trainer flashed a grin.

"I have a better idea guys!" Michael suddenly chirped. Lola frowned immediately as well as the others.

"Your ideas are always stupid, Mike." Theodore avowed.

"At least give him the chance to talk, cat boy." Collins toned sarcastically.

"Call me Cat boy again and I promise you'll lose your tongue." Theodore growled as he took a fierce stance towards Collins.

"Alright boys!, Before you both curse this beautiful morning let's hear him out." She quickly intervened. Theodore sunk into his smug look back while Collins smirked.

Michael then cleared his throat. Grinning excitedly.

"Why don't we all go to McCormick candy shop!"

"You see what I said!" Theodore remarked while the others stared dumbfounded.

"Candy shop?" Marcus toned disappointedly. "The earlier this guy stops giving ideas, the better."

"Well, why don't you give yours?" Michael retorted.

"Your ideas are highly appreciated but this is working hours, so no time for Candy." The Trainer stated in an overly authoritative tone. "Now back to our warmups, assume I am the enemy and Doctor Roberts asked you guys to bring me down." He mentioned as he glanced across their faces. "I want you all to use your powers against me without holding back."

She frowned.

"You'll just die like fowl!" Collins laughed hysterically.

"If we go all out on you, you could be seriously hurt." She added, dearly hoping her concern would weaken his resolve.

"Trust me, I'll be fine." A tiny smile spread on The Trainer's lips.

"No you won't!" Theodore growled. "You might be able to handle one of us at a time but not together. You're not Superman."

Lola nodded in agreement but The Trainer wriggled his head.

"Let me be blunt, none of you here can make me break a sweat."  He grinned mischievously.

"Oh yeah!" Michael blared distastefully.

"Since you're so confident of yourself then we accept your challenge."

Lola glared icily at him but he shrugged her off.

"Consider me out!" Marcus declared. "My superpowers tears my clothes and I ain't ready to change em." He explained before strolling away from them. "I'll simply watch."

"Just remember if you die, it was your own doing." Collins remarked. Lola heaved a sigh before joining the others in taking a fierce stance against The Trainer. She found his stance too open and he could easily be attacked. On the other hand, she couldn't go all out on her crush. She dearly wished the others thought in her direction too. For the sake of his handsomeness.

"We need a plan first." She whispered but Collins didn't pay listening ears. His eyes were overly threatening as if he and The Trainer were mortal enemies.

"Yeah, we can't trust his defenseless posture so well." Theodore answered as he inched closer.

"Collins and Michael, your powers are a perfect definition of stealth. Ariel, Theodore and I, our powers play on the offensive." Lola explained while Collins frowned. "This is the plan, Theodore, Ariel and I will create the distraction while-"

"Hold your horses lady!" Collins suddenly chirped. "Why should you be telling us what to do?"

"Yeah!" Michael joined. "As far as I'm concerned, this plan of yours is absurd."

She rewarded both men with an icy glare instantly.

"You have a better one?" She retorted.

"I say we all attack individually!" Collins declared but before they could react, The Trainer's voice cut them loose.

"Attack!" The Trainer ferociously declared and immediately Collins teleported. Michael turned invisible, Theodore trotted towards The Trainer with superspeed. Everything happened in a brisk moment that it left her clueless.

The next moment started with Theodore crashing to the ground from the powerful blow he received from The Trainer. He flung a tiny black object that glued to Michael who had now deactivated his invisibility.

She exhaled in disbelief as Michael danced recklessly to the ground from electrocution. Ariel on the other hand had now lifted the logs of wood midair so it surrounded The Trainer. And before it dropped on him, he had thrown the same object to the logs in a swift moment. The logs exploded, tossing both of them to the ground except The Trainer.

She coughed from the smoke intertwined with dust that encompassed them. As she staggered to her stance alongside Ariel, Collins appeared metres away at The Trainer's back with a bazooka.

"Adios Amigo!" He growled sinisterly.

"Collins No!" She screeched but by then, Collins had already launched the missile.

An explosion, sand storm and pain was all Lola's brain recorded before she thudded to the ground. Lifeless.