Chapter One Hundred and Fifty Five
...
Author's note: thanks to everyone for your patience and kind words, I really appreciate it!
...
Freya was exactly two minutes older than Gala and three minutes older than Hagen. As the oldest of her clutch, Freya had a responsibility to look after them, especially when they were younger. Even now as practically adults, she found herself still looking out for Gal and Hage. No matter where they were, she ensured that her brother and sister were safe and calm, though the latter was harder for Hage sometimes. He wasn't great in crowds, or with people, especially with citizens who stared at all of them with their bright hair and mottled skin. He wore shirts buttoned right up to his Adam's apple and gloves, as they all did to help hide the mottled colouring, but Hage was taller and brighter than most of their siblings and therefore garnered more attention, nearly always unwanted.
So now, naturally, in a crowd with people and citizens staring, Freya found herself looking around for Gala and Hagen almost immediately. Where Gal could redirect others' attention, she could escape with Hage and - Freya paused and frowned, realising that the crowd of people weren't looking at her or her siblings. Hage was in the corner without a single head turned towards him, and for once, her family weren't the oddities that stood out. Standing on her tiptoes to look over shoulders, Freya wondered if she was being just as rude as citizens who stared at her family by looking at whatever was drawing the attention of the crowd now.
Ugh, she was just as bad as the rest of them, Freya thought with an internal wince, settling back on her feet. Or at least, that's what she'd tried to do. She wasn't the only curious person, after all, and others had made their way over, one person standing far too close behind her. Freya's heels lowered directly onto their toes and unbalanced her. She felt her ankle twist beneath her and then she was falling to the ground, her everything unbalanced and she couldn't shift, not in front of all of these strangers. She hit the ground even as people turned, some attempting to reach out to grab her, but far too late.
"Ow, fuck," Freya hissed, clutching her ankle before she realised that the crowd's attention had now gathered on her rather than the earlier spectacle.
"I'm so sorry, dear. Are you all right? Here, let me get you some ice. I'll be right back!"
She didn't even register that the person had left, feeling instead the gazes of what could have been hundreds of people on her. Logically, she knew there were twenty people, maybe thirty, but in that moment, Freya was far beyond logic. She suddenly knew exactly how Hagen felt when people stared at him.
Noise behind her didn't break the spell of terror that was held over Freya, but then she felt two familiar arms wrap around her torso, a scent hitting her that she remembered all too well. Goosebumps raised on her arms, the hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she felt her blood run cold, her bones stuck and unable to move.
This wasn't real. She'd finally lost it and was hallucinating. Could smells even be hallucinated?!
"Frey? I'm here."
The voice in her ear and warm breath against her skin managed to unstick her bones, and she raised a trembling hand to grip at the arms around her.
He was real. He was alive.
"Mig?" she breathed, clutching his arm.
Miguel felt skinnier than she remembered, but it was his arm, his hand, his scent, him.
"I've got your ice, I'm so sorry. Oh," the person stopped, eyes widening in fear when Freya and Miguel both looked up, Miguel's eyes flashing and a snarl starting to rumble in his chest.
"There you two are. Miguel, help Freya up. I'll take that ice, thank you," Honey said, taking the dampening ice pack from the person and shooing them away, stepping forward as though the crowd weren't still standing there and staring at them. She smiled at Freya and Miguel, who was carrying Freya in his arms as carefully as possible. "Come along. I've got your apartment all ready for you."
Freya barely registered her words, staring at Miguel incredulously and trying to tell herself that this was real. He was alive. Over his shoulder, she could see what the crowd had been looking at earlier: a group of bald children, all wearing white. Just like Miguel was. She was tempted to run her hand over his bald head, tempted to tease him just like she had that time he'd got bubblegum stuck in his hair and needed to cut it away, but she couldn't bring herself to form the words past the lump in her throat. She buried her head against his shoulder and breathed in his scent deeply. Fuck, she'd missed him so much.
"Dess, dearest? Is that Miguel?" Barney asked, seeing him carrying Freya to the door.
"Dear, he's dead... oh. That is him!" Dess gasped, covering her mouth and hurrying to meet them at the door. "Miguel? Is that really you? Freya, are you all right?" she asked abruptly, seeing the ice pack in her hands.
Miguel snarled, holding Freya closer as Dess reached out towards them.
"Mami, I'm fine. Please, just... give us some time, please?" Freya asked, clinging to Miguel tighter.
Dess looked between them and nodded, tears in her eyes. Barney, however, couldn't seem to help himself and stepped forward to try to help his daughter.
Honey moved between them quickly and held her hands up in a gesture of peace. "You, too, Barney. They'll be fine."
"Yes, I see that," Dess said with a snort beside him, wiping her tears away quickly.
Barney looked over to see his daughter making out with Miguel, almost desperately clinging to him even as he continued to hold her up.
Well. That explained a few things, really.
"You look after each other, understand me? I'll check up on you later, and bring new ice packs. You need to take care of your ankle, hija," Barney called after them as Miguel started to walk out with Freya.
"I have to show them to the right apartment. I'll be back later," Honey promised over her shoulder, almost running out after Miguel before he went the wrong way and disturbed Connor and Victor.
...
Lottie looked from Killer to Champ, grinning as they waited for another instruction from her.
Like Alice, she had been caged with two good looking men as her security detail. Unlike Alice, Lottie hadn't denied herself when Killer had made his attraction known, nor when Champ had made soft noises of want as he stared at them making out five minutes later. Lottie had always found sex to be fantastic at relieving stress and she was stressed from dawn 'til dawn these days.
If she wasn't worrying about Lupo, her son, then she was mentally planning ways on dismembering the people who had taken the light of her life away from her. She was going to start at the hands and work her way in very fucking slowly.
"Lottie, please," Champ groaned, stepping forward barely a centimetre.
"Champ, fuck," Killer hissed at him, though he looked just as strained as Champ.
They had to stay a full metre away from Lottie, who was naked and wet and had told them to stay still until she said otherwise. The first one to move would be the last to orgasm, and Lottie had made it very clear over the last two months that her first three orgasms didn't count.
"Killer, you get to give me my first four orgasms. Champ, you get to stand there and watch."
Super Jesus fucking Christ, Champ was going to be killed by a cute and voluptuous blonde and a serious case of blue balls. Fuck, he loved her already. Both he and Killer had already admitted it to her, not wanting their lovely Lottie to think this was just sex for them. Though, the sex was fucking fantastic, too.
Lottie had accepted their words of love as easily as she'd accepted their words of praise and worship, though she hadn't returned them as of yet. They knew that Lottie couldn't even think of the future beyond finding Lupo right now. He was her first priority and Lottie loved her son more than she loved herself some days. She needed to find him and maybe then, Champ and Killer would be lucky enough to be loved by her, too.
Killer's undercut was getting longer, and the long mop of hair on top of his head needed a trim, Champ mused, trying desperately to keep his thoughts focused on something other than Lottie being eaten out by Killer. The noises they were making only added to the heat pooling in his stomach and spreading across his body. He was going to cum untouched; he hadn't done that since... well, last week, honestly. Lottie had a way of making him weak with nothing but a look, and seeing her in the throes of passion was enough to destroy him and whatever resolve the Special Forces had given him.
The tablet in the kitchen made an urgent series of noises, even Killer stopping his task at the sound. Champ threw a shirt on, closing the door for them, and hurrying to the kitchen in the next moment. Unlocking the screen, Champ's eyes widened when he saw the email he and Killer had received. Opening the attachment with a shaking hand, Champ almost fell over as he read the first sentence, and immediately ran back to the room.
"Lottie. It's Lupo. They've rescued him and he's okay."
Lottie sat up like a shot, her legs trembling for several reasons as she tried to stand. Killer stood and lifted her in his arms like a groom carrying a bride (and that was one thought he'd have to tell them later), crossing the distance between the bed and the door. Champ offered the tablet to her, biting his lip in anticipation (and partly because Killer's mouth and chin was wet and he was going to kiss him as soon as Lottie confirmed it was her son).
"Holy fuck. It's him. Oh, he's alive and okay," Lottie said, her voice trembling as she covered her mouth with her hand. It felt like three months' worth of tension were building up in her eyes and she started bawling a moment later.
Killer and Champ both stared for a moment, at a loss and alarmed on seeing her tears.
"Lottie? Love, don't cry. Champ, get tissues or something," Killer hissed, holding Lottie close and making soft crooning noises. "It's all right, Lottie, he's alive and safe."
Lottie breathed a shuddering breath and struggled in his arms, Killer setting her down on her feet. Lottie's resolve had strengthened her orgasm-weak knees, and she stalked over to her suitcase, pulling clothes out and starting to get dressed.
"What are you doing, Lottie?" Killer asked, even as Champ ran back into the room holding a fistful of toilet paper.
"We don't have tissues. What's going on?" Champ asked, looking between Killer and Lottie in confusion.
"My son's alive and safe. We're going to see him. Right now."
"Uh... we have to wait, Lottie. Three days, taking time zones into account," Champ said, flicking the picture off the screen so Killer could read the accompanying email.
"What did you say?"
Her icy tone had both of them frozen to the spot. They'd heard various emotions from Lottie over the last three months together, everything from frustrated and pissed off to laughing and orgasmic to distraught and distressed, but not once had they heard Lottie sound so cold. Her tone spoke of danger and promised pain; was it weird that they were both even more attracted to her now than ever?
"We are going to get my son this instant."
"We can't leave, Lottie. We have strict instructions to - " Killer said, looking up from reading the email.
"Finish that sentence and I'll give you a strict instruction involving you fucking yourself with a blunt instrument," Lottie snarled.
"Super Jesus, you're sure you're not the wolf, Lottie?" Champ asked, then held up his hands in a gesture of peace when her glare turned on him. "Not the time, sorry, love."
"Give me one good reason why I can't go to see my son right now?"
"Hourglass."
Lottie made a sound of inarticulate rage and ushered both men out of the room, slamming the door on them.
"Ah, fuck. Lottie, open the door, love," Champ said in his most winsome and charming tone.
They both heard the distinct sound of the door locking.
Killer glared at Champ and went to have a cold shower. Champ sighed and went to set up the spare bedroom.
...
Victor kissed Connor gently, his lips curving into a smile as they pulled away.
"You keep doing that and we'll debase this room for a third time, darling."
"The last time wasn't my fault."
"You say that, but I know you're lying," Connor murmured, hooking his thumbs through the belt loops on Victor's trousers and tugging him close again.
Victor's response was lost against Connor's mouth, though neither were in a hurry to stop or continue their conversation.
"We can leave right now; no one will even notice that we're gone," Victor murmured, hands splayed across the small of Connor's back.
"Lie."
The quiet voice at the doorway surprised both men, Victor letting go of Connor abruptly and almost falling over with his orgasm-weak legs, Connor's hold on his hips tightening.
Connor tried to control his heartbeat and calm his breathing - he'd been so distracted by Victor that he hadn't even heard the door open - and looked over to the young child at the door. "You're the truth detector, aren't you?"
She nodded in response, looking shy. "I didn't mean to distract you, it just happens sometimes. I can't control it."
"It's all right. Two mini heart attacks are the least of our worries today," Connor said, helping Victor sit down on the chair. "Can we help you with something? Are you all right?"
"Yes and no."
"Yes, we can help; no, you're not all right?" he clarified, receiving a nod in return.
"What's wrong?" Victor asked, ignoring his own embarrassment and shock, and focusing on the young child.
"We had a nightmare."
"We?" Connor queried, glancing to the hallway behind the child.
"The others are looking after 379. I said I'd find someone to help," 205 replied, looking determined and brave and terrified all at once.
"All right, I'll see what I can do."
"What we can do," Victor corrected, standing and taking hold of his cane. "If you don't mind an injured man slowing you down, that is?"
205 shook her head quickly, waiting patiently for the two men to lead them to the white room where the others were waiting.
379 was sitting up, his white shirt and pants soaked through with sweat and urine, his whole body shaking with small tremors every so often. The other children looked from 379 to the two men, trying to determine if they should be afraid or not.
"All right. First thing I think you need is a hug, what do you think?" Connor asked, kneeling in front of 379 and smiling gently.
379 practically collapsed against Connor's chest, shaking and sobbing. Victor wasn't entirely sure what to do. He'd had his share of nightmares, especially recently, and figured being clean would help 379 feel better. Remembering the tub of water in the meeting room, Victor looked down the hallway and tried not to sigh at the thought of walking that far and back again, especially while trying to carry a heavy tub full of water.
"Do you need help, Mister?" one child asked.
"Yes. There's a tub of water in the meeting room. It needs to be refilled so... 379? Great, so 379 can get cleaned up. I'm not sure where to find spare clothes, but I know who I can ask," Victor said.
Honey waited until the child had come into room 638 with the tub before leaving to go to the white room where Victor was waiting and Connor was now comforting several children. "I'll show them to their apartments; they've all got clothes there."
"Do we have to wear white again?" one child asked, her outfit still covered in a faint pink colour, albeit in patches.
"Not unless you want to, 503," Honey said with a broad smile. "Now, Curt will be pleased to replace the carpet tiles, so I'll let him know on our way past. Connor, can you carry 379, please? The rest of you can walk or use your anti-grav discs, just be careful not to remove your IV drip. Ida would be upset with me," she added.
205 returned with the tub of warm water, setting it down near Connor and 379. Honey led the others out of the white room while Victor and Connor helped 379 clean up.
Connor lifted 379 to carry him out, far too easy despite the fact he was one of the older children, and Victor doubted it was only due to Connor's strength that made it so easy. Victor leaned on his walking stick as he walked out of the room behind them. On the way in, Curtis almost barrelled into Victor, a box in his hands.
"Sorry, Victor. Can one of you tell Paddy the carpet tiles were a good idea? He won't believe me," Curtis said, looking almost gleeful as he went into the white room to replace the carpet.
Victor looked at Connor and shook his head. "I'm not doing that on my own; those two get competitive."
Connor snorted a soft noise of amusement. "I'm sure Curt will tell Paddy whether we do or not. Now, 379, what do you say we go get you some new clothes?" he asked gently.
379 nodded, even as Connor continued to carry him to the elevator where Honey and the others were waiting. "Thank you."
"Any time."
...
Nina didn't know how she stayed standing when she finally saw what had happened to her baby boy. Warren was bruised practically from head to toe, the hair on her arms stood upright as she reached out to touch him and reassure herself that Warren was still alive. A broken sound came from her throat that Nina didn't recognise. Even when Barron had been dragged away, or when his trial had declared him guilty and he'd been taken away in power repressing cuffs, she hadn't felt this kind of desolation.
"Nina? Oh, shit. Just... give me a minute, I'm almost done with Layla," Ida said, closing the curtains with a snap, blood prints staining the fabric.
Nina's legs finally gave up and she sank to the ground, her body trembling. She had better control of her emotions than this, surely? She'd trained at Sky High and then the University of Maxville, just like every hero or villain worth their power. Nina thought she'd mentally prepared for when Warren went out to be a hero - or villain - and had prepared her mind for the bruises, broken bones, potential mishaps and other mistakes. But this? This was so far beyond her own imaginings - even as a once active super who had seen more action thanks to Baron Battle and his nefarious plans - and she couldn't process it. Warren was alive, he would survive, and that's what she had to focus on. She could control emotions and therefore she could conceivably control her own. It was just a shock to see this, and she had to get past it.
"Nina? Nina, look at me. That's it, good. Here, let's get you off the cold tiles. Where did the seat... Ah, thank you, 081," Ida said gratefully as the young seer appeared in the doorway, pushing a chair on anti-grav discs.
Nina felt herself lowering, the chair swaying for a moment before the discs were turned off. The chair, thankfully, stood on the ground firmer than she could at that moment. Somehow, despite being on the floor, she hadn't once looked away from her son.
"Ida. He's all right, isn't he? He's alive and he'll live?"
"He's stubborn; I'm sure he'll live and have something to say about it, too," Ida said, squeezing her hand gently.
Nina couldn't stop the harsh laugh that escaped her. Stubbornness was a family trait from both sides of the family, clearly. She couldn't articulate the feeling of wretched hopefulness in her chest, the hope that he'd survive, the hope that he'd live, the hope that he'd be whole and well again. He would do all of that, of course, just as he had done before.
"I thought you were going to stay upstairs with the others?" Ida asked 081 when she saw that Nina was unlikely to respond to nor appreciate her prodding right then.
081 nodded. "I am. Honey's showing the others their apartments, but I wanted to check and make sure you'd be okay."
"Me?" Ida asked in surprise.
He nodded again, glancing over to Nina. "She was going to be very, very upset. The chair and stability helped."
Ida frowned, looking between the young seer and Nina. "Upset in what... No, I don't want to know. I'll be all right now. Thank you for checking, sweetheart."
081 smiled brightly, then moved around Ida to grab onto Nina's hand. "He's alive, he'll survive, and he'll heal. It isn't your fault, it isn't his fault, it's the organisation's fault. And the Wardens, but they're dead now. He kept us safe."
Ida frowned again at his words. They provided some insight, but not enough, and she really had to get the whole story from Honey or the kids or even Connor sooner rather than later. Speaking of, she had two patients she needed to finish helping, and Ida wasn't entirely certain if Warren's body was going to have the same response as Layla. If he had the same, ahem, condition then she would need fire-proof gloves and she doubted there were medical gloves of that caliber.
Nina's phone started ringing, the phone forgotten in her lap. Even though Mrs. Woo had promised to keep the phone call going for as long as possible, Nina's phone could still receive new calls, they were just more easily rejected since she was "busy" on another call. Seeing the Mayor's name on her phone, Nina blinked owlishly, trying to remember why it was important to answer when her son was more bruise than body.
Why hadn't she gone with them? She could have done... something. She could have stopped everyone from fighting, she could have had them all lying down on the floor and immobile in an instant. It was her signature move as Peacekeeper, but it had worked well then, and would have worked now, too. She could have gone with them and this whole thing could have been avoided. Warren wouldn't have been hurt, Layla wouldn't be lying on an operating table next to him looking as pale as the moon, and they all would have been safe.
081's eyebrows furrowed when he realised what was happening and Nina was blaming herself, resulting in likely hundreds of arguments stemming from her own guilt and fears, Warren's misunderstanding and inherent fear that she was comparing him to his father, and Layla's resentment at Nina's supposed doubt over their power and ability. He licked his chapped lips, reached out to place his hands on either side of Nina's temples, and closed his eyes.
Honey made it to the doorway a second later, her chest heaving and shoes in her hands. "I... I had to jump down that hole in the foyer. Just... give... oh, shit... " she wheezed, fanning herself. "Just give me a sec."
Ida didn't know what was happening or who to be more concerned about in that moment. Honey's face was red like she'd run downstairs instead of taking an elevator, 081's whole body was shaking, and Nina's eyes were rolling back in her head.
"Shit." Ida decided that the latter was the most urgent and stepped forward to separate 081 and Nina.
Honey grabbed her shoulder before she could take more than a step. "Not yet. They're okay. Nina needs to see."
"See what?" Ida asked incredulously, every fibre of her being hating that she was standing still when someone was hurting right there in front of her.
"What could have been. The experiments on 081 not only let him see the future like I do, but he can share that future and alternative ones with others. If it's recent enough, and only up to a certain point, that is. Okay, separate them now. The thread's fading and he hasn't learnt how to let go yet. Quick," Honey said, letting go of Ida's shoulder.
Ida moved forward to gently pry the seer and empath apart, using a light to check their pupils before anything else. Their eyes were bloodshot, but Ida determined that they would be all right after a night's rest.
"Super Jesus, Ida! At least let me blink before shining that light in my eyes," Nina groaned, turning away when she'd moved to inspect 081, and pressing the heels of her palms to her closed eyelids.
"That's Doctor Spattle to you, and I'll do what I need to do if it means ensuring you're safe, alive, and moderately healthy."
Nina didn't respond and Ida glanced over to ensure she was all right. Her body was trembling, and Ida wondered if she could convince Nina to lie down on one of the beds down here. She didn't know if it would be better or worse to keep Nina in the same room while she tried to work on healing Warren. 081 blinked as she put the small torch away, then grabbed Ida's hand and shook his head. She didn't know what to say or do, and it wasn't a feeling she enjoyed.
"Thank you, 081," Nina said after a long moment of silence.
"I know. Would you like to see my new apartment? I'd like to be tucked in, if you wouldn't mind?"
Ida raised an eyebrow at him, but 081 just grinned and winked. Realising that it was his way of getting Nina out of the room - and hopefully to sleep herself - Ida just nodded.
Nina looked over to Warren and sighed. "I know you're trying to distract me, and it would work on any other day, but not today."
"Fine, then I'll have to kidnap you," 081 said in a firm voice.
In the next five seconds, four things happened in quick succession: Honey pressed the remote button to turn the chair's anti-grav discs on; 081 pushed Nina, chair and all, out of the hospital room as fast as his legs could carry him, which was surprisingly fast considering how thin he was; Nina cursed and tried to get off the moving chair unsuccessfully; and Honey ran to open the elevator doors before she could achieve that goal. They were all in the elevator in a matter of seconds, the doors closing even as Nina started swearing heatedly at the two seers.
Ida was left stunned in the room behind them, then shook her head, and turned back to deal with her patients. As she turned, she saw a new pair of silvery gloves sitting on the table next to the anti-grav remote. Touching the metallic gloves, Ida wondered if that whole thing had just been a ruse to leave the gloves behind without Nina seeing. Either way, she was grateful for the extra protection, and headed over to Layla and Warren to finish her job.
...
Craig decided that sleeping was one of Zach's best ideas in the world, ever, and was soon sprawled out on the fluffy carpet of the white room with a yellow undertone, snoring loudly. Adam rolled his eyes at his best friend's obviously fake and over-the-top snores, but Beau and Jewel curled up with him a moment later, and Craig's snores eventually tapered off to sleep-laden breaths instead. Grant came into the room after a few moments, a plate of party food in his hands and his face recently cleaned and damp with water. He set the food on one of the tables for Craig to eat later and joined his boyfriends and girlfriend on the floor.
Zach and Ethan - completely ignoring Ethan's schedule, even the one designed for these sorts of days with parties and get-togethers - curled up together in the seat that was built into the wall, Zach curled up against Ethan's chest and his long legs splayed down the rest of the seat.
Justina grabbed a pillow and set it down on the floor neat Zach and Ethan. Terrence soon joined her, clutching a pillow to his chest as he tried not to burst into tears. Adam was just glad he wasn't covered in blood anymore and he'd found a change of clothes somewhere. He vaguely wondered where Robin was and whether they'd finished helping his mother yet. Sending a text to let Robin know where they'd all holed up, he set his phone aside and watched over his friends.
A few minutes after sending his text, Donny and Wendy walked into the room. Donny was wearing the thickest power-repressing cuff Adam had ever seen before and still looked pale as though it wasn't enough. He ignored Adam's curious look for the moment, heading over to the wall beside Zach and Ethan's seat. Donny pressed on a section of the wall, a door opening and revealing cupboards full of pillows and blankets and something that could have been a beanbag. Hoping that Craig would never find that - the mess would be instant and forever - Adam accepted one of the blankets with a nod of thanks.
Ry came into the room soon after, immediately grabbing a pillow and settling into a chair next to Adam. Not wanting to disturb the silence around them, Adam signed his words.
'You okay?'
Ry went to nod, then immediately shook his head. 'I almost lost my Papa.'
Adam didn't know what had happened in that blood-soaked basement before he'd arrived, but the gauze patch his mother had put over a stitch in Ry's eyebrow was a stark white and slowly staining red, and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to know. 'Hug?'
'Thank you.'
Moving their chairs side by side, Adam wrapped his arm around Ry's shoulders as his friend sobbed quietly into the pillow. Ry looked exhausted by the time he'd finished crying, sniffling softly into his sleeve. He left to find tissues and returned soon enough with what had to be one of the super boxes of tissues from Costco. Adam was positive he'd seen laptops smaller than that box. Surprisingly, it was Donny who offered Ry comfort next, but Ry didn't hesitate. He slid down to the floor with Donny and Wendy, letting both cuddle him, continuing to cry until he was too exhausted to continue, and fell asleep between them with a light snore.
Donny pressed the panel of the wall he was lying against, a rubbish bin silently sliding out. Using a clean tissue, he cleaned up the ones he could reach, Wendy using a small flurry to send the rest into the bin. Despite the cool breeze, Ry didn't even stir. Satisfied they weren't going to be surrounded by used tissues, Donny and Wendy settled down on either side of Ry, a blanket over the three of them as they went to sleep, too.
Pat and the frogs were next, smelling slightly of disinfectant and antibacterial acid after cleaning Nigel themselves. Maleah looked wired, as though she needed to do something else or she'd fall apart, but her sister and brothers obviously recognised the signs and pulled her down into a pile of pillows and blankets close to Craig, Grant, Jewel, and Beau. Her fingers tapped a rhythm on her leg, as though even the pile wasn't enough to settle her, but slowly, eventually, even Maleah fell asleep.
Like Maleah had been, Adam was wired up from everything that had happened that morning and the amount of sugar he'd eaten at the party since then. He would probably crash later when the adrenaline and sugar left his system, but for now, he was content to just watch over his friends and make sure they were all right.
A flash of movement caught his attention and Adam looked over to the doorway in time to see Nina being pushed past the door by Honey and the young seer kid. He seriously didn't want to know what was going on there. Shaking his head, he got up to close the door, then returned to his chair and settled in, a pillow clutched to his chest and a blanket over his lap.
Even as he wondered if he should send a text to see how his mother was doing with Layla and Warren, Adam fell asleep.
...
End of the hundred and fifty-fifth chapter.