When Zane saw Bailey clenching said hands into fists, he forced himself to grumble out.“Going as a Mutant Studies major, learning about heroes because you can’t become one yourself.”
That was a direct blow to more than Bailey’s stomach.It was to his heart that quivered in place.It didn’t take anymore than a second for Bailey to come up with a response.
“Oh, fuck off, Zane!”
And Bailey stormed out of the hospital room before he could even try uttering another word.
CHAPTER 20
Zanesataloneinhis hospital room, mind reeling in the now silent space.He went from berating himself for being an ass to screaming about the whole situation in general.It meant that he was paying no mind to who returned to the room.Sadly, it wasn’t Bailey, not that Zane would have known what to say to the boy if he had.Sorry?Because that felt like it wasn’t enough.
“Natalia is taking Bailey to the training facility,” Chris spoke softly before taking a seat at Zane’s bedside.He wore a frown, though he didn’t ask Zane what happened.“She’ll return once she’s dropped him off.”
Zane hummed.
“You know, pushing him away isn’t going to help.”
Zane chose not to respond to that, mostly because he agreed, but also because he didn’t know what to say.Each day grew more tiring than the last.Oh, how he wished to return to his mediocre days.Living a normal life comprised the simple things.It seemed that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, and that pissed Zane off more than he imagined it could.He had grown so accustomed to the last couple years of his life that he was slowly forgetting what it was like before them.He hated remembering.
“When you leave, I suggest you apologize to Bailey.I doubt you will enjoy yourself at all if you don’t.”Chris gave Zane a soft smile that wasn’t returned to him.Yet again, Zane hummed and the two fell into uncomfortable silence.
There was much to be said in all honesty, but Chris gave Zane his space.A lot was happening all at once, and it was taking its toll.Chris could tell simply by looking at Zane, seeing his blue eyes staring at the TV but not taking in a single word.Bags formed under his eyes, while his naturally pale skin only seemed to grow paler.So the two sat, which eventually became three later that evening, after Natalia returned.She informed them both that Bailey was safe at the facility but mentioned nothing of Bailey’s silence during the entire ride.She could tell by Zane’s expression that he wanted to ask about Bailey, but wasn’t shocked to find that he didn’t say a word.
“I’m sure Bailey will enjoy himself while he’s there,” Chris spoke up in hopes to start a conversation.Zane wouldn’t join, but it was better to break the tension.
Was it working?Not at all.
“Nate said he’d show him around, introduce him to everyone, so I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Natalia said.
Zane gripped the sheets into a ball.His jaw moved from side to side, grinding teeth.He couldn’t help but feel more annoyed with himself.Deep, deep down, he wanted to go around the facility with Bailey.It wasn’t all that important.He kept telling himself that yet it irked him, irked him even more for realizing that it was his fault, it wasn’t happening.Stupid, he was stupid, and he felt awful about feeling awful, then awful for making Bailey feel awful.It was a circle that seemed to never end.
He wondered if he could get out of this rut.Everything felt so messed up, and his life was crumbling into pieces once again.He had worked so hard to get where he was, to sleep every night without worry, yet all that work had caught fire and turned to ash before his very eyes.
Life felt like it was backtracking, and it made Zane so frustrated that he lashed out.He knew that, but just because you knew something didn’t mean it helped the situation any better, sometimes it felt like it made it worse.
Zane sighed and shut his eyes.That felt heavier every moment.It didn’t matter how exhausted he was or how much he tried to sleep, his dreams never came and maybe that was a good thing.
The next three days at the hospital passed by.Zane healed up enough to leave.Chris and Natalia stayed the whole time, and they took Zane to this Secret Training Facility.
It sure as hell was secret, since they took a perfectly normal route into the city.Sure, Zane hadn’t been around that side of Ringgold often, but when they pulled into a parking garage, he felt it was a typical garage.Things changed though when they got into the elevator, and Natalia pulled out a strange key from her pocket.She pressed a few numbers in the elevator, which opened a secret hatch that she inserted the key in.The lights in the elevator shifted to a soft blue.The elevator descended, although they were already supposedly on the ground floor.
Zane grimaced.“What kind of spy bullshit is this?”
“We’re not going to have a training facility in the middle of the city for everyone to see and any villain to attack,” Natalia spat.
“So, you have it underneath a parking garage?”
“No, we have an entrance underneath the parking garage just like there are many more all around the city.”Natalia gave Zane a glare like she challenged him to back talk to her again.
“Ok kids, calm down.No battling in a small enclosed space because I don’t feel like falling to my death today.”Chris pat them on their shoulders, earning himself a glare from both.It didn’t phase him and moments later, the doors opened to reveal a lighted tunnel with a dozen vehicles waiting for them.
“Are the cars going to magically turn into aircraft?”Zane asked, earning himself a swift punch to the gut from Natalia.He grunted, then frowned when he realized that, no, the cars didn’t turn into aircraft.“Well, this is disappointing.”
Natalia blasted the radio for the short five-minute drive to the large cement doors that blocked their path.Some armed guards were at the gates.They inspected the vehicle, nodding a the ID’s Natalia and Chris revealed.The doors opened to reveal the underground facility that had far more people than Zane had hoped and they hadn’t even got out of the car yet.
Zane’s new home for the time being felt more like an army base.Armored vehicles littered the room.Large iron doors shielded them from whatever was behind them.They could see a dozen rooms from where Zane now stood.He noted the military personnel within, as well as the weapon vaults.It was no surprise to see any of it, considering that it was a training facility and likely much more than that.It felt like they had been picked up and slammed into an action movie.Zane hated it.
Most heroes couldn’t live alongside everyone else.Even Natalia and Nate, who wore masks, and had yet to have their identities revealed, lived undercover, away from the world.One day, their identities would leak.When that day came, neither of them wanted to say goodbye to the life they knew, so they chose to never have one.Zane rolled his eyes at the thought.
