Chapter Eight: Getting Closer
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"I've got nothing; this girl is a real mystery." Richie sighed as he sat down by Virgil.
"Why can't you wait until she comes back out?" Lux asked, looking up from the book she was reading.
"She could be a potential threat, who knows what she could be doing right now." Virgil frowned.
She could be sitting right in front of you, Lux mused. It was Day Three of the Who is Night Shade investigation. It was beginning to grate on the girls' nerves. Of course, it bothered Lux more than it did Morgan.
"You two should really give it a rest, please?" Morgan asked, looking pointedly at Richie.
"Yea V, I think we should stop investigating for today." The genius said, smiling at the blonde girl.
Virgil wanted to say something, he really did but a icy glance from Lux told him to not pursue the topic.
"We'll talk about it some more later then, right now I'm hungry. Hey Lux, come with me on a food run." He said, hoping Lux knew what he was implying.
"Alright then," Lux smirked.
Morgan waved goodbye as the two left, leaving her and Richie alone. An awkward silence ensued as the two looked at each other, Morgan smiling and Richie blushing.
"So…why are you guys so determined to find out who this Night Shade person is?" Morgan asked to end the silence.
"I personally think that V's attracted to her but he insists it's because she's a dangerous threat." Richie joked, feeling at ease with the mentalist.
"She sounds a lot like Lux; they seem to have a lot in common." Morgan mused, knowing that her words would take immediate suspicion off her sister.
"They do, but according to Virgil, Lux is a kitten compared to Night Shade." Richie laughed.
"Is that so?" Morgan giggled.
The room became silent again, but this time it was a comfortable silence. Richie studied Morgan as she picked up the book Lux reading.
"You knew didn't you?" Richie asked.
"Hmm?" Morgan looked at him.
"You knew that…all this…it would happen. That Virgil and I would meet you guys and I'd become Gear and everything." Richie clarified.
"If you're insinuating that I know who Night Shade is, I don't." Her voice was unintentionally cold, surprising Richie.
"I didn't mean it like that, it's just, it must be cool to be psychic." He lamented and Morgan immediately regretted accusing him.
"I used to think it was…" Morgan sighed.
"What do you mean?" Richie asked.
"When I first acquired the ability to read minds, I loved it. It didn't matter who the person was, I wanted to know what they were thinking. I found out some pretty damn fascinating things. I read my father's mind and saw my mother, I read my father's boss's mind and found out he was having an affair with his secretary. I read my tutor's mind and found out she didn't finish college. I felt like the ultimate secret-keeper." Morgan explained.
"What happened? The novelty wore off?" Richie asked.
"I began to read the minds of the other experiments there, since now you know that Lux and I weren't the only ones. The things they thought about, it was pretty traumatizing. I even went as far to read Lux's mind…" She trailed off as she remembered the screams that always echoed in Lux's head.
"It was that bad?" Richie asked.
"I was so surprised that she had controlled herself so well, the night Shanice's parents called her a monster." Morgan sniffed.
"Your sister may be many things but she's not a monster Morgan, we all know that." Richie consoled her.
"You didn't see what I saw…I'm so protective of her. But I know she doesn't need me, I hear it in her thoughts every time she looks at me." Morgan smiled sadly.
"Why do you protect her then? You put that weight on your shoulders, knowing it's hurting you." He built enough nerve to get up and approach her.
He stopped short when he felt power protruding from her, an invisible force field.
"She killed 34 people Richie, 34 people, and she was only eight years old." Morgan whispered.
"And you?" He asked, knowing he should not have.
"I can't stand killing bugs, let alone a person. I feel so inadequate compared to her." Morgan sighed.
"You know what I think? I think you're just as good as Lux. Sure she may be badass and what not but you have something she doesn't have." He felt her shield drop and he put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"What's that?" Morgan asked.
"Humanity, it's what sets you two apart. You feel when she doesn't and that, in itself, is an admirable quality." Richie grinned.
Morgan looked up at him, a light blush gracing her facial features as she beamed at him.
"Thanks Richie, that means a lot."
That night Morgan sat on the roof of the house watching the sky. Lux was gone again and for the first time in years, she wasn't worried. Richie had helped her realize that Lux wasn't her responsibility and the pyro was certainly capable of taking care of herself.
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"Lux is gone again? I wonder where she goes." Richie said as Morgan picked out something to wear to school the next day.
"I really don't know either, she's learn to block me from entering her thoughts." Morgan frowned.
It was true, unless Lux wanted her in, Morgan was shut out. It made Morgan wonder what her sister had to hide.
"Maybe she's secretly meeting Hotstreak, like in Romeo in Juliet." Richie laughed.
Morgan readjusted the phone on her shoulder as she laughed with him. She hoped her sister was meeting up with the convict, Morgan really didn't like him.
"I hope not, my dad would blow a gasket. He doesn't want us dating until we're both 16." Morgan told Richie.
"Both of you? What's the age difference?" Richie asked.
"Uh…three months I believe. But yea, until Lux turns 16 I'm out of luck." Morgan grinned.
"Well that just kills my chances." Richie teased.
"Aw, you were going to ask me out? How sweet." Morgan laughed.
A knock on the door turned her attention away from Richie for a few moments. Opening it she came face to face with Dr. Crane.
"Hey Rich, I have to go. I'll talk to you later." She said before hanging up on the genius.
"Good evening Morgan, you have a boyfriend already? That's nice." Dr. Crane remarked.
"What do you want?" Morgan spat.
"Well since your recent failure, I've made it my job to come and check up on you girls, to make sure you're not losing your edge." Dr. Crane declared.
"Our failure? We did not fail, Lux apprehended the girl. It was your agents who failed to keep her in their custody." Morgan smirked.
Dr. Crane adjusted her glasses as she stared down the metahuman girl but Morgan was not wavering. Much to Crane's dismay, Morgan had had a point. Lux had caught Shanice and delivered her to Crane's supposed team of specialists. The fugitive had escaped mere hours later.
"Where is your sister anyway?" Changing the topic seemed to be the best idea to Crane at the moment.
"I don't know, she leaves when the sun goes down and returns when it comes up. She doesn't tell me anything." Morgan's voice was steely.
Crane nodded, "So her insomnia hasn't gone away? It's been seven years; you'd think she'd forget about it by now." Morgan resisted the urge to choke the woman.
"Go away Dr. Crane, and it'd be in your best interest to never come back." The venom in her voice surprised both her and Dr. Crane. For a few moments she actually sounded like Lux.
"I will take my leave, but you are still bound by contract Willows, you still have duties and you will adhere to them. Have a nice night."
Morgan watched as Crane descended the stairs before she closed her door. Walking over to the window she looked out, willing herself her mind to reach out and find Lux. She felt sick and it could only mean one thing. The future was beginning to look grim, for the both of them.
She hoped she could change it in time.
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A bit of a filler chapter, focusing on Morgan. I really like her character, probably more than I like Lux's. What do you think? Review and tell me.
Later!