Page 16 of Day

Chapter Eight

Leon

I’d been in this apartment for a week, doing nothing but watching TV and eating food from the restaurant below. I was bored, and feeling the need to get out. After making sure my keycard was in my pocket, I left for the elevator. For a few seconds I just stood there, looking at the buttons:B2,B1,P,AG1, AG2, and T. Phillip had explained what they meant, and before I could stop myself, I hit the button B2.

Curiosity had won me over for now, but I was still dead-set on not joining their club. As soon as this month of hiding was over, I was going to take Lily Blue out and not come back for a few weeks. Maybe I’ll convince Charles to come with me. He liked being out on the water, but lately he’d been throwing himself into work. Rebuilding gadgets and shit for people. He could do it from a boat, in my opinion.

The doors opened up to reveal the large training room I was told about.

“It’s been a week; we need him now more than ever.” Rose was sparring with the immortal man, Draco.

“Patience,” he told her as he tried to grip his arms around her body, but she got out of it and moved to kick his legs out from under him. She wasn’t strong enough to truly move him like that, but it was a nice effort.

“We don’t have a lot of time, Draco. Emanuel could come at us again at any time.” She growled in frustration. I’m not sure if it was from her failed attempts to bring him down, or the fact that I hadn’t joined their club yet.

I stepped into the room, and both sets of eyes turned to me.

“Sup.” It was all I could manage to say.

Both of them stopped their training, and Rose looked embarrassed to have been caught talking about me.

“Cool place.” They had all sorts of gym equipment, weapons that I’d only seen in movies, and a large sparring area.

“Phillip designed it all. He did a good job,” Rose commented and walked over to where a towel and bottled water sat waiting for her.

I nodded and walked around, feeling awkward in their silence.

“Hope the apartments have been okay for you. Draco’s been staying in them too until we get his cabin rebuilt. I like them.” She was rambling, and it was sort of amusing.

Draco shook his head, seeing the same humor in her behavior as I did.

“It’s nice.”

“Great.” She smiled and looked at Draco expectantly. He returned her stare, and there was nothing on his side. Completely unreadable.

“Swell.” She set her stuff down and walked over to me in a very take-charge way.

“I know you don’t wanna join us, but really, I don’t think you see how important this all is—what we are trying to do here. And I’ve got a month to convince you that we are exactly what you need.” She stopped about two feet away from me. Slowly Draco walked over to stand behind her, protection should she need it. I wasn’t angry or feeling anything right now, so there wasn’t any need for that.

“Superheroes, right?” I would let her try to recruit me; at least it would give me some entertainment for the time.

“Right. Well, heroes. If you’ll let us. We can sit down with you and talk it all out in detail. Starting with where our powers came from, and why we were chosen.” She looked at me with a sad smile.

Her words struck something inside me. They might have answers to the question I’d been asking myself for so many years: Why me?

“You know why I have these powers?” I stepped closer to her in eagerness. Draco wrapped a hand around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

She rolled her eyes at his hold and shrugged out of it.

“Yes. Please just sit with us, and we can explain everything,” she pleaded and I nodded for her to get started.

“Great. Draco will tell you the origins up in the chill room while I shower, then I’ll join in after I’m clean.” She smiled, and then walked off, I’m assuming toward the locker rooms.

“She’s very animated. Right to the point, though.” I watched her as she opened the door to the room, and then my eyes landed on her boyfriend’s.

“That she is.” He was watching me, trying to figure me out. I was a pretty easy one to crack.