Chapter Four: The Lair
Stephen collapsed when he landed. The floor was dirty, and linoleum, instead of the clean concrete he was aiming. He groaned in pain, and drug his forehead harder in the floor. Stephen turned his head a little, just to look to see if his mother and brother made it in one piece.
Luca was thrown on the empty bench of the moving subway, while his mother was on her feet, which he was glad she didn't land that hard. Luca moan then turned his head to look around.
"Okay," Luca breathed, "One; how in hell did you do that?" He cried, "And why are we here?" His eyebrows drew together in confusion.
Stephen ignored him, and again pressed his face into the gross floor of the subway. It's coldness was soothing to him. "John!" He mustered the strength somehow, and screamed into the floor. "John! Cara!" He knew his mom and Luca were both probably giving him weird looks. "I can't teleport any further! Help us!"
Suddenly feet appeared in front of him, dark jeans that the ends were tucked in black combat boots. "Stephen!" John cried and was next to his side helping him up with a arm around his waist in seconds. "What happened? What'd you do?"
"Ugh," Stephen groaned as John helped him up on his feet with a hand around his waist, and his own arm holded in place around John's shoulders. "You know, I've been asked that question a lot lately." Stephen looked to see Cara helping his brother up and rubbing his mother's shoulder.
"What is this place?" Stephen was still using John as a support as the five of them appeared in the empty subway station. Luca stepped forward in front of them in shock, and stared back at the groups of what look like a hundred others in front of them.
"It's home." John smiled and stepped forward with Stephen still in tow. "Well, I guess it's your home too from now."
"What?" Luca gasped and whipped around to face them, "What do mean? We aren't ever going home?" The upset look on Luca's face didn't help with Stephen's guilt, and again reminded him of a little kid again.
"Um," Stephen awkwardly looked to the side, thinking for a second about what to say. "For right now. I'm really sorry Luca, but this is where we need to live for a while." He felt a sense of deja vu come over him as he saw Ashrid in front on the green couch.
"How long is 'a while'?" Ashrid turned her head in abolishment, with a blank look on her face as she watched them. "Like... years?"
"As long as it takes."
"As long as what takes, the people that shot at you? What's going on Stephen?" Luca crossed his arms over his chest, and narrowed his eyes. "Because you seem to be really good on giving us some kind of story."
"Listen, Luca." Stephen shook his arm out of John's grasp and stepped closer to his brother. "You are what Ultra called a Tomorrow People. Just like the rest of us." Luca turned slightly and glanced over his shoulder.
"What are Tomorrow People? The lady talked about it too." Luca's arms gripped his forearms, and turned his head back.
"We're a new kind of species." John answered stepping next to Stephen again, "Ultra came up with the name, just so you know." Stephen turned and gave him an annoyed glare.
"Dad was one." Stephen sighed. "And so are you."