And hopefully, the rest of the Glass Research Company, too.Alan believed that Morin wasn’t involved with what was happening right now, but maybe saving his company wasn’t a good idea.Maybe it was time to put it to rest.It wouldn’t be Alan’s decision.As long as Morin stopped whoever was involved and ensured they couldn’t hurt more people, Alan would be satisfied.
“So, now you know my little secret,” Matthew said.
Alan snorted.“I really don’t think that being able to shoot electricity from your fingertips is alittlesecret.”
Matthew grinned.When he was like this, he looked younger and at peace.Alan was stunned to realize that he was the one doing that, but he liked it.He wanted to make Matthew smile, especially after what he’d learned about Matthew’s past.He had no idea how Matthew had grown up, if he had a loving family, or if he’d been on his own for a while, but what had happened in the labs was enough.
“Maybe not little,” Matthew agreed.“But you know my one secret.Anyway, I don’t know about you, but talking about these things makes me hungry.We should grab a bite to eat.”
Alan was all over that.“On one condition.”
“Only one?”
“For now.We can grab something to eat, but we won’t talk about the Glass Research Company or anything that has to do with them.I don’t want us to bury our heads in the sand, but I want to spend a nice afternoon with you.I want to get to know you.”
“That’s good because I want to get to know you, too.And I agree.No more talking about work.”
To Alan, it didn’t feel like just work, but he nodded anyway.For the rest of the afternoon, he could focus on Matthew and what their future might look like.Their problems would still be here tomorrow, unfortunately.
Matthew guided Alan toward the diner.It was small but looked clean, and Alan’s stomach was already grumbling as they reached the door.Before Matthew could open it, though, raised voices caused both of them to turn.Alan saw the change in Matthew immediately.His body tensed, and he moved in front of Alan as if to defend him.It was as hot as it was concerning because Alan didn’t want Matthew to need to defend him from anything.
Victor couldn’t have found him, right?There was no way for him to even know about the village’s existence.It was well hidden.Alan hadn’t known it was there, but he was glad it was because it meant he’d survived.He wouldn’t have if Matthew and his friend hadn’t found him when they had.
But it wasn’t Victor.A small group of people stood at the edge of the forest.They were all wearing uniforms and looking around warily as if they expected the people in the village not to want them there.From the way everyone stopped and stared, Alan suspected they weren’t wrong.
“Who are they?”he asked, leaning closer to Matthew.
Matthew sighed.“Between the labs and the hunters, we need help.Moore had to call in the council.”
Alan turned back toward the group.Clearly, the council had agreed to help.
* * * *
MATTHEW AND THE OTHERShad known that a team of enforcers was coming, but he hadn’t expected them to make such an entrance.Moore was going to be pissed, but then, that had more to do with the fact that he didn’t want enforcers here at all.
Matthew couldn’t say he blamed him.The council had never been there for any of them.Most of them had been rescued by other mutants or had rescued themselves.The council had never seemed to really care about the people in the labs.If they did, the labs would be a thing of the past already.Instead, people like Matthew, Moore, and the other mutants had to take care of this themselves.
But as little as Matthew liked the council, he had nothing against their enforcers.He didn’t know them.He could also admit that he and the mutants needed help.They’d been trying to deal with both the labs and the hunters on their own, but it wasn’t working.There were too many labs and hunters and not enough mutants.If they truly wanted to make a difference, they needed to accept help.
And it looked like that help had just arrived.
Matthew hesitated.He wanted to meet these people.If he was going to work with them, he needed to know them.At the same time, he was on what might be considered a date with Alan.He didn’t want to dump his mate here and go make friends.
“What now?”Alan said as he stared at the enforcers.
“I imagine they’ll go to Rikar’s house.They’ll want to talk to him and Moore.”
“What about the other mutants?”
“Well, we’ll all eventually work together, so they’ll probably want to meet us, too.”
“And me.”
Matthew’s stomach dropped.Yes, they’d want to meet Alan, too.Matthew didn’t know if they were aware of what had happened to Alan a few days ago, but they’d need to be informed.Once they were, they’d want to know more about Victor and what he’d been up to.
“I guess we might as well go back,” Alan said.
“It can wait.We can have something to eat and only then return.”
