9
Stellan's pov
Three hours later when I walked into the apartment I own in the center of the city I was not surprised to find Megan, Margot and Will already there. Considering the circumstances they seemed relatively calm, scattered around the living aria all of them holding a mugs, which by the smell held coffee.
Megan was the first to react, her eyes going over me in a familiar gesture, looking for cracks in my composer. If there was anyone in this room who could tell how close I was to losing control over my emotions, it was her.
"Has Hiroshi been on the roof the entire time?" I asked before anyone could inquire about my wellbeing. Megan could tell just by looking at me that I'm not my usual self, so she wouldn't pull up the topic of feelings but Will and Margot are caring people and will only make the situation more difficult with their irrelevant questions about feelings.
"Yes, I dropped him off here before going to get Margot from the manor. I also let the staff know that we are taking first degree security measures" Meg said always efficient.
"Good, that should keep the other band members safe, even though I don't think they had anything to worry about in the first place. Seeing as this was almost certainly and act against savants or me personally" I said walking to the kitchen.
"How'd you figure that out?" Will was behind me obviously worried, it's good that he doesn't just accept facts given to him. I noticed that he inhaled about half a millimeter more deeply than he normally does, from my previous observations. Nervous and worried but doing the best he can at staying calm - I concluded.
"There were no signs that would indicate a fight. There are only two ways for that to happen, they were eider taken completely by surprise or they were completely overpowered. Doesn't matter which scenario we go with, if someone were to pull that off they had to have been a savant." Before Will could protest I went on "this theory is also supported by the fact that Raven used her powers in front of them"
"You just said that they had no way of fighting back, so how did she use her gift?" the middle Benedict's voice was slightly confused but mostly curious. He was proving to be a good distraction from the panic I couldn't let take control over me.
"I never said they didn't fight back, I simply implied that they were overpowered while doing so" I took a sip from the iced coffee before continuing taking note that Margot and Megan were listening in too "as I told you before, my gift gives me heightened senses, as well as the ability to notice details and if I concentrate on one particular sense I can increase its capability even higher. I went back to the alley and concentrated on my sense of smell, and as it turned out there was someone else's blood spilled there tonight. But seeing as there was no trace of blood anywhere and the fact that the sent had almost faded it had to have been a very superficial wound that was not inflicted with a weapon, meaning whoever it was, was cocky enough to lay a finger on my sister and in response she erased a few layers of their skin"
"And you're rolling the serial killer out because they weren't killed on the spot but abducted?" Hiroshi asked walking into the room wearing a coat on his shoulders. By the look he gave Meg I'd say she's the one who put it there. They may argue like cats and dogs but in the end they still take into account the others wellbeing.
"Serial killer" Margot raised a hand to her mouth eyes wide, indicating shock.
"Yes, there is one lose here in Kyoto though we were only able to name them a 'serial killer' this afternoon. Seeing as before that the police had no idea how to link the murders that have been going on for the last month" I explained.
"And even though they had no way of knowing that it was the same person the police still labeled the killings as serial. The incompetence" Hiroshi added smiling as he took up a steaming mug as well.
"Actually we still don't know if it's the doing of one person or a group. I need the autopsy reports to determine that" I corrected him.
"And I told you that I'm working on it" he turned to me and it was evident that he was tired but I didn't have time for that he wasn't the only one exhausted.
"Do you know how hard it is to get out top secret data from those lab rats?" he asked placing the mug back on the island that separated the two rooms.
"I know you have done it before and those were higher security documents" I took a step towards my partner.
"Yes, but then I didn't have to deal with annoyed boyfriends and jealous co-workers plus the girl I got most of the information from was moved to a different department" Hiroshi stepped forward too.
"That is exactly why I told you not to rely so much on one source and not to have one night stands with our information sources." I raised two fingers to my brow "I don't care how you get the information, Pumba knows I use worse methods to access what I need but getting people emotionally involved never leads to anything. Especially women with over average intelligence. To think that it would be clear to you by now, seeing how many times I have had to get you out of those kinds of situations." I could feel my anger and frustration taking over and pushing back the logic and rationality but had no chance to retake my control because Hiroshi started talking.
"Then why don't you get the autopsy reports yourself, it's not like you haven't hacked into the governments data passes before." he took another step closer.
"That was before I set up my code." I growled as I heard a distinct sound that would make my ears bleed if he keeps this up for more than five minutes.
"Then use your charm, see how easy it is to get lab nerds to talk about stuff that would get them fired. But I'm sure you would have no trouble with that seeing how much experience you have with manipulating people into doing what you want. All those deals with the underworld were bound to chats up to you sooner or later. But did you listen to me? No, because why would you, after all I'm no genius just another one of your tools" he spat and I could see colors I knew were not supposed to be there.
That hurt, so I concentrated on each and every hair on his body and using telekinesis I pulled all of them in different directions, not enough for them to leave his body but just so that it would stretch out his skin making his face grimaces in pain.
"As I have told you on countless occasions, what I do in order to secure my power and immunity is my business and mine alone. Also you were the one who said that you can take care of the communicating with people part of our agency. Don't blame me for your short comings and obviously I have experience with making people see my side of things, I had to learn how to do so when I took over as the head of a worldwide company at the age of 18. I adapt to change and learn from previous mistakes and I don't complain about things that could have been avoided."
"Immunity and power my ass" he snorted, pointing a finger to my face "where is that power now, when your sister needs it" I could feel my eyes widen as I broke all three bones in Hiroshi's right pointer finger that he was still pointing at me. That didn't stop him though.
"Where is that so called power when Raven is unconscious and in danger and out of your reach?" he asked ready to hit me with the same hand that had been pointing at me a second ago but I broke the other 16 bones in he's hand. My telekinesis has always been strong and it's made easier because I can locate the most fragile parts of the bones and know exactly how much pressure I have to inflict on them in order to break them. I can do it even in my current emotionally overloaded state.
Instead of hitting me he clutched the hand to his sheets and the noise disappeared from my ears, indicating that my partner had lost concentration because of pain.
I stood my ground because I knew that the amount of control I currently held over my power was not enough to ensure the safety of the people in the room.
I opened my mouth to answer the question but my mind started calming without my consent. It was almost like a planked was being place on my thoughts and emotions lulling them into a sleep like state. My pulse slowed, reason and logic taking back their place in the front of my mind.
"Stellan Astery" Megan said her voice soft yet stern "put the tableware down and stop pulling Hiroshi's hair this instant"
I raised my eyes to meet her only to realize I had been hyper-concentrating on Hiroshi and in order to compensate for my lack of observation on my surroundings I had lifted every piece of silverware in the room to form circles around the seven kill points of the other people near my personal space, effectively nailing them to the places they had been standing in when the argument started.
There was sweat running down Megan's brow, indicating her concentration on keeping mine and Hiroshi's emotions in check. Remembering her childhood habit and how her relapsing into it would not help our situation at all, I took a deep breath locking up the emotions she had blanketed and returned the cutlery to their respective places. After that I let Hiroshi's hair go. Kneeling down in front of him I took the inured hand from his cheats and used my telekinesis to lock all the fractures in place.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have lost it like that" I said bowing by head "I just feel completely helpless again" there was a hand on my head, ruffling my hair.
"Its fine man" Hiroshi said as I raised my eyes to meet his "after all the feeling is mutual, Ravens like a sister to me too"
"And in your defense" he said as we rouse from the floor "I hit you under the belt, hard." He chuckled "I should be clad you have so much self-control, any other man would have gone for the ribs or the pelvis"
"If I had wanted to kill you I snapping your neck would have been the easiest actually" I corrected him smiling a little.
"You call that self-control?" Margot asked "I saw his finger's break" she said pointing in Hiroshi's direction, there was an undercurrent of hysteria in her voice. I must have scared her. Ups.
"I actually broke the metacarpal bones too" I supplied, turning to her.
Her breath hitched, and Megan gave me a look, that said she was not amused.
Hiroshi nodded "kept the joints intact though" he said looking over the affected hand.
"Why are you smiling, he just broke your hand?" Margot wasn't quite ready to let it go yet.
"Yes, he did" Hiroshi started and Margot wanted to interrupt but Will stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"But, I stomped all over Stellan's pride, hit some very sensitive nerves and kicked him when he was down. Considering the amount of power he has and the extent of my insult I'd say I'm extremely luck to only have a broken hand to show for it." He explained voice clear but understanding.
William nodded subconsciously, most probably remembering the lost-self-control I showed at the end of our city tour twelve years ago.
"Megan could I have the car key's please" I turned to may head of staff, knowing that she has a habit of leaving the key's tangling from her bracelet.
She unfastened them and tossed them over. Still a little out of it.
Hiroshi started walking towards the door as I turned to face Megan fully.
"I apologize for losing control and forcing you to use your power" I bowed my head knowing how much she hate's controlling people with her gift. Little pushes in certain directions and reading the mood around her, she doesn't mind but entirely suppressing emotions is something she resorts to only when there is no other solution. She told us once that it felt too much like taking away peoples free will.
Megan only nods her face showing how tired she is as well.
"Get some sleep. We will get Hiroshi a cast and then we'll go over the patrol. There isn't anything for you to do until we get a lead" turning to leave already thinking of an excuse to give the nurse on duty as to why all the bones of Hiroshi's hand are broken cleanly in half.