Chapter 19: A Quick Ride (End of Inchoate)
It was around midnight when the pair headed off to their rooms.
Que snuck up to her old bedroom and gathered all her supplies in her backpack. She was glad it was so late. She'd hate to run into the Professor at this point because her intentions would be written all over her face.
When she crept downstairs into her and Storm's shared room, Storm was still awake.
"Hey Que, where have you been?" she asked while brushing through her hair.
"I was upstairs in the library catching up with Aasir," she replied as casually as she could.
At this, Storm turned to face Que. She had heard the tightness in her voice.
Que had to think fast. What was the most girly distracting think she could think of? Thankfully what came out of her mouth next wasn't a lie or just random gibberish at all.
"Hey Storm, you don't think… I mean... Do you think Aasir likes me?
Umm… I mean like, like likes me," she trailed off and felt extremely embarrassed that such a childish and trivial thought had even crossed her mind. She had a murderous dark entity after her after all. Either way, she was curious to what Storm would have to say about it all.
Storm's look of concern quickly grew into a giddy smile.
"Oh Que, you can be a tad blind sometimes. Of course he likes you. Actually, I think he is head over heels for you," she said beaming.
Que was genuinely surprised by her answer. "Really?" she asked.
"Yes," Storm said matter factly.
This threw Que off for a brief moment. "Oh… well. Thanks. Good night Storm," Que said awkwardly and Storm didn't push her for anymore information.
" Goodnight Que, I'll see you in the morning," Aasir said as they parted ways.
"Goodnight Aasir. Thank you for tonight," she replied "You're a pretty amazing friend, and my best friend. You know that right?"
Aasir smiled at her. "Yeah we make a pretty good team right?"
She gave him a half smile, but didn't quite meet his gaze before leaving.
After Aasir left the library, he headed upstairs to the boys hall. He couldn't get over he and Que's evening. Just thinking about it made him feel like he would burst with elation, yet he also felt a deep sadness. So much had happened in just the little time he had been away, and she was scared, which scared him even more. Que was brave, loyal, smart, stubborn, strong, and reckless, and she never showed her fear. Never. He felt honored and concerned all at the same time that Que had shown him such vulnerability.
Aasir paused at the top of the steps.
'Professor?' he thought, though he was sure his teacher would have to be asleep by now, but he had to try and talk to someone, and the Professor truly was like another parent to him.
Aasir? Yes, is everything alright? Come in. Aasir heard back, surprised.
As Aasir walked in, he realized he had never been inside the Professor's room before. It was terribly cliche. Four poster bed, dark booklined walls, a sitting area and fireplace.
'Very neo gothic or old english. Such a stereotypical Prof,' he thought to himself smiling. The Professor was sitting on a red sofa in pale blue pajamas and a housecoat by a barely burning fire.
"I hope I didn't wake or bother you Professor," Aasir said slightly embarrassed. He hadn't seen the Professor in his pajamas much either.
"No, of course not Aasir. I was just up doing a bit of light reading. Shakespeare actually," the Professor grinned. "What brings you here so late?"
"I was hanging out with Que this evening, and you were right. She isn't okay," Aasir explained, concern etched across his young face.
"What happened Aasir?" the Professor asked, slight anxiety tinted his voice.
Que set her plan in motion around 2 o'clock the next morning. Storm was fast asleep, so she planted a holographic device on her bed, grabbed her bag, and headed out. If Storm woke, all she'd see would be Que under the covers.
Que crept down the halls and toward the elevators. She had thought about going through the vents or the aircraft bay doors, but she decided that the simplest course of action would probably be best. She could make up an excuse for being upstairs if she were caught, but the other places it was very unlikely she'd get away with checking the filters. She'd even set a program that would wipe her from the mansion surveillance cameras just in case someone happened to be watching.
The house was dark and silent as she had expected, and she got through the front doors without a hitch. It was almost too easy she thought. Once she was in the cover of trees and shadows, she put on a device she hadn't used in over four years.
They were black, metal bands that clasp tightly to her wrists. On contact, the symbols around the bands glowed a pale white. Then a black scaled mesh spread quick up from the devices and across Que's skin. Her body was engulfed by the suite.
She set her backpack on the ground a foot away from her, and accessed a data panel on her arm. A lens at the back of the bag glowed and then shown. A black Kawasaki-esk motorcycle materialized in from of her. She set her backpack inside the bike, and charged it up herself. She tapped a button at her collar bone, and out from the neck came a helmet that covered her head and face. It somewhat resembled a sleeker version of a racing helmet. She couldn't believe the suite still fit, but she shouldn't have been surprised. She was sure there were limits, but it was designed to engulf its owner regardless of shape.
As much as she hated the memories tied to all of these things, she couldn't help admire the fancy gear and ride at the same time. She hopped on the bike and turned on her visor. She didn't need lights at the moment. Her visor in her helmet would suffice in getting her going. It was like having a mini computer in front of her face, analyzing everything around her.
She set her coordinates for west and headed out the gate, toward the road. Her bike quietly picked up speed as she sped down the curvy road. The sleek vehicle effortlessly hugged the curves as the night rushed past Que in a blurr.
As she rounded the next bend, the road opened into a small straight away, and there she saw a large dark animal standing in the middle of road! She blew her horn at the animal, but it didn't budge. She slammed her brakes and skidded to a stop not 5 feet from the beast. It was an extra large stag,and it was staring directly at her. What was odd though was Que could have sworn it looked angry. Was that even possible?
The realization dawned on her a touch to late. The stag quickly morphed into an even angrier looking Aasir.
Aasir glared at her. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles were white.
"What the hell are you doing?" Aasir shouted at her. Oh he was pissed, and Que couldn't think of any time she'd seen him like this, not ever. Dumbfounded, Que retracted her helmet feeling the cold breeze and night air.
"I should be asking you that question. How are you here?" Que responded in a more irritated tone than she meant to.
"I tracked you! After a lunatic tries to kill you, your first instinct is to run away in the dark, alone?" he continued to shout.
"He is just going to come looking for me no matter where I am at. I have to run. Alone! I can't put anyone else in the mansion at danger!" she retorted.
"You could have at least told me! I know you are terrified, but this isn't the right answer. We all said we'd stand by you, and you just run off? We can take care of ourselves Que. You have to trust them. Trust me! What do you not understand about that?" Aasir said more exasperated than angry now.
"Get out of my way Aasir," Que said in a low, more dangerous tone. She'd fight her way past him if it meant keeping him and their friends safe.
She sent off a warning spark near his feet.
Aasir didn't bat an eye, and before she could react, a silver backed gorilla was upon her, hoisting her onto itself. Que thrashed about in the gorilla's vice like grip, but she couldn't get free. Every move she made just made Aasir squeeze tighter.
She was yelling somewhat incoherently at him, threatening to shock him, beat the living daylights out of him, complaining about her bike. Truth be told she didn't trust herself to shock him at such close range though.
They continued like this for several more yards until finally he stopped and set her down. His hands still on her arms, he changed back into himself. She glared at him.
"You can fight me all the way home while I drag you, or we can walk back together," he said finally.
"Aasir, if you don't leave me alone I am going to shock you into oblivion," she hissed.
"No you won't. I know you. That's not your style, and I also think deep down you don't really want to leave. Otherwise, I feel like if you were desperate enough, you would have already taken me out," he replied coolly.
Que said nothing. She knew he was right, and she was selfish down to her core. The truth was, she was only able to put her flight into action when no one was around and the moment Aasir confronted her in road, her resolve had all but fallen to pieces.
"Look, I know it is not going to be easy, but we have a better chance fighting whoever he is together," Aasir said.
"I'll walk," she conceded. "Can we go get my bike?"
"Of course we are getting it. I didn't mean we would literally walk back if you chose that. We are like six miles from home. We are totally riding back," he replied, his stern expression cracking into a grin.
As they collected the bike, Que got out a spare helmet and instructed Aasir on how to ride with her. He got on the back, holding on the Que tight. He thought the gender rolls here were a little off but who was he to stereotype.
On their way back, the frigid wind whipped around them, and Aasir couldn't help but comment. "This is awesome!" He said. He had never ridden a motorcycle before, and they were going fast!
When they approached the mansion, all was quiet and dark as they had left it.
"Hey, can we just not tell anyone about this?" she asked as she digitized her bike.
"Umm… about that. Prof definitely already knows and was on stand by if I couldn't convince you to come back myself," he said slightly embarrassed.
"Uh! Of course he does, and I suppose everyone else will now too. Do you realize the kind of lecture you just earned me?" she said as she frustratedly shoved open the front door.
Naturally, a dim glow could be seeing spilling out into the hall from the sitting room adjacent to the entryway, and there the Professor was waiting for them.