Chapter 24- Rachel
"Dare," I try to redirect. Gar is blushing and looks unhappy, I would have accused him of planning this, but he's no more pleased with the outcome than I am.
"No take backs."
"I am not doing this one. I hardly know Gar, I don't even know what I want to feel much less what I actually do." I stand up, grab my bag, and take a very long shower away from Victor and his dumb truth or dare. It had been fun for a little while, but I wasn't about to be anyone's romantic storyline. Once I can thoroughly wash away the embarrassment I turn off the water, dry off and get dressed. I don't look at Victor when I come back out. Gar is ignoring him as well. He stands, paces, and apologizes.
"I'm sorry, both of you. I was wrong. I shouldn't have asked about something that is solely you guys' business. I'll butt out from now on."
"It's okay, Robot." Gar says, seemingly taking it with stride. Maybe he's over what I'm not over. I compose myself in silence and then force myself to meet his eyes.
"I can't not forgive you." I finally mutter, and he smiles, going off to the bathroom to clean up. It's just Gar and I, and so I force myself to concentrate on what I'm doing. Which is reading my mother's journal. I want to know as much as possible about my powers… As much as possible about her. Eventually, without meaning to, I fall asleep on my bed with the book.
When I wake up there is a blanket over me. I don't know who did it, Gar or Cyborg. I don't need to know. Victor is up and dressed when I get up. He looks sad.
"We need to leave you here for awhile. Robin and Star are back in the states but they're kind of far away. Gar and I will rendezvous with them, but you need to see if you can get in to talk with my dad and find out about the machine."
"Alright." Being alone doesn't faze me. I wasn't really getting used to the group dynamic anyway. Gar looks sad too. I guess he does like me. I still don't know what to feel about this.
"You have your phone right?" Cyborg asks, clearly nervous to leave me. I give him a look.
"I'll be fine, Victor. I'll call you as soon as I'm done getting answers and we'll meet back up." I know what he's thinking, not by any powers, just by knowing him. He's thinking, what if I stay? But that's not an option for me. I can't fight my demons alone. One day I'll come back and give my father what he deserves. Today is not that day. I am… I'm just scared to face him alone. I wouldn't mind having a dinosaur and mechanical assassin on my side when he finally gets what's coming to him.
My only task for the day is to go to the prison and talk to Mr. Stone. I waste no time on tearful goodbyes. I will see all of them again. They leave quickly. There's something they aren't telling me about Robin and Star, maybe one of them is hurt. I walk for a while, reaching town and still walking, just because I don't feel pressured. I don't carry the same need as the others, to get things fast and hide away. Because my whole life has been in hiding I can now come and go as I please openly. No one is looking for Rachel Roth, and certainly no one is looking for Raven. Almost no one.
I set foot in the prison and request a visit with Silas Stone. I've never called him by his first name. He was Mr. Stone, Victor's dad. He had always been nice to me. Had I known he was in cohorts with a cultist, I wouldn't have been nice back. I give my real name because I have nothing to hide, and my visit is granted. I'd only ever read about the through the glass on the telephone set up, and seen it on tv. Now, I've experienced it. I didn't expect it to feel sinister, he'd always been a nice man to me. But now he seemed dangerous, unhinged. He grinned at me.
"Where is my son?" He demanded. How could a grin feel menacing?
"I was hoping you would know. I care about Victor, too. I saw what you let my dad do to him. Why would you let your son get hurt?" He lets out a long sigh.
"I love my family Rachel, adore them. Imagine how I felt when my wife died-"
"I don't need to imagine." I interrupted, sounding cold, but knowing a similar pain.
"Trigon had answers, Trigon had a solution." He refers to my father. Trigon. The name tastes bitter in my mouth.
"I still don't understand," I say, playing ignorant.
"I was going to bring my wife back from the dead. My son would have his mother again, but I knew he may not understand. Might think it morbid or otherwise terrible. So I had Trigon on hand to convince him of the cause."
"My father is bad with words." I say sarcastically. He nods.
"It was a mistake, but it is my burden to bear. If I just knew where he was... My son may be dangerous, there is quite a lot of experimental weaponry built into him. I would be careful, Rachel. I would be afraid." I stood and turned to go, afraid as he had told me to be. Afraid of the man behind the glass, afraid of my father, afraid of what I knew now. I walked out of the prison, feeling like I needed to watch my back. I wasn't afraid of Cyborg like Silas Stone had suggested, but I didn't want to tell him about his dad trying to bring his mom back to life. Neither of us liked to play the dead mom card, and he might react… Dangerously.
I don't know where I'm going, and I'm not keen on calling Cyborg just yet, so I just walk the edge of the city in silence. A few minutes pass, and I realize I'm not alone. First, I startle, but I recognize my stalker from a description. Gar described the pickpocket well yesterday.
"Terra?" I guessed. She nodded, seemingly fine with just walking in silence. Usually, I'm that way, but I have to interject.
"You owe my friend 20 bucks."