The Flight of the Blue Beetle 24
The night had been long. Between the four of them they had taken turns to look after the city as the Titans held their first unofficial party. It all had come from receiving the green light from the mayor of San Francisco. They were officially accepted to work in the city and build their base on the shores. Most had already gone home either alone or with Bart's help if they lived in other countries. He had waited until no one was around to talk to Red Robin about a topic he had been trying to evade for a while. He had thought it would be easy to talk to his friends about it, but after explaining it to Red Robin, he was having second thoughts. He didn't want to be the guy that got lucky just because an alien parasite attached to him.
"And you signed the papers," it was not a question. Red Robin could probably recite word for word what he had just told him.
"Was it a mistake?" he asked as his friend ate.
"Show me your copy of the contract and we will see," Red Robin said before taking another bite.
"You do get this was a decision I had to do on my own, right?" thought he didn't look upset or even shocked which was worrying him.
"I do," his friend said calmly.
"But…" he added.
"There are not buts. It was a personal matter," Red Robin said before taking his plate to the sink and then washing it. It was hard to believe the apartment had been a mess a few hours ago.
"I don't want Kord's money for myself. I want to use it for the Titans," he said fast and breathless. There were also his hidden bases and all the equipment they could make use of, but he had to go over the flash drive Booster Gold had given him what seemed to be so long ago. He had yet to find the courage to see it.
"You could move to a better apartment, not work and concentrate on school and the Titans," Red Robin said pointing the most logical course of action.
"That's the thing about turning eighteen; I don't want to be dependent on others," he had already talked to his parents about this. They had already saved for his college education, but that was the last they would do for him. It was the time they concentrated on Milagro alone, and with her emerging powers it was more than necessary.
"You don't usually show it, but you got a big ego, don't you?" his friend said leaning on the kitchen island.
He opened his mouth to deny it, but couldn't find the words. He was right. He was prideful of coming from a family with two working parents. Since he was a child, he dreamed of growing up to work, not to do some career which he thought was cool, but to earn his own keep and belong to the adult world. Really, how many kids wanted to be dentists when they grew up if not for the cash? Well, maybe there were but he wasn't one of them.
"You know the moment you slip you are going to have to leave one," school, work, or the Titans. He knew he could never leave the Titans, which left his career or pride.
"I can handle it," he said wishing he sounded surer.
"You could have waited for the internship until you came back in the summer," but he just had to chew more than what he could handle, of course. It wouldn't be the first time.
"How do they do it?" he ran a hand down his face to muffle a groan of exasperation. "The League, you know?" it seemed they could do anything they wanted.
"They give up on some things, they just don't say it or let it get them down," Red Robin said after a moment. "We can't have everything."
"Don't I know," he said thinking of the night before.
"Is this about Tracy 13?" his friend asked with an askew smile.
"Her, and the little demons we took down," he still had no idea what they would do if it happened again. He knew he couldn't ask her just to come whenever those things appeared again.
"I know I said no more additions, but we need someone with knowledge of magic and Traci seems like a good choice," he started to open his mouth, but Red Robin beat him to it. "No, I am not doing this for you. She is the daughter of Meihui Lan, who was one of the most powerful sorceress of Asia and her father Dr. Thirteen is an excellent investigator. Tracy seems to have taken lessons from both making her an excellent choice."
"She doesn't seem to think that highly of her skills," he said remembering she said she still had a lot to learn.
"You don't want me to ask her?" Red Robin asked giving him a curious look.
"No, I do, but not right now. I would like to find a common ground with her and stop the games," he thought of all her little tricks and questions. He had to admit it; it felt nice being chased for once.
"When they stop being fun?" Red Robin asked before laughing which he couldn't help to share.
"She is going to hate me when she finds out," he said running a hand down his face again.
"You better go home, you look exhausted," Red Robin said to him not offering any word of comfort.
He agreed and started towards the door but not without glancing at the living room. Celine and Leonid crashed in the living room. He guessed they still didn't feel safe without their company. Garth was also there, since Red Robin had yet to set his living arrangements. He stopped at the door with his hand on the handle. He had already told Red Robin of the Kord Enterprises, what was one more secret to give away?
"I met Tracy in my dream," he said leaning his forehead on the door. He took a deep breath and then said, "I didn't know who she was, but I just knew she was the one."
"Those dreams," Red Robin started warily, "they were not all accurate."
"I know, but I think I would have fallen for her even if I hadn't known," he said with a nervous smile, "I know is crazy. I just had to get it out."
"I see," but he could hear the caginess in Red Robin's voice. He didn't know what his friend dreamt, but he could only guess it was not something he wanted to happen.
"See you later," he said lastly before leaving, almost bumping into Nightwing on the hall, "you said first thing in the morning." Damian had taken over Red Robin's bed again.
"Long night," Nightwing said with a shameless smile which made him want to punch him, but he was too tired and doubted Nightwing was that out of it to let it happen.
When he got home, he found Kyle Rayner sleeping on their couch and could hear Paco snoring from his bedroom. There were a few cans of beer on the floor, not too many to worry him, but he knew it was something he had to talk to his friend about. He was as quiet as possible going to his bedroom and locked the door before shutting the curtains leaving his room in the semi-darkness. He turned on his computer. He wouldn't be able to get sleep until he saw what Ted Kord had to say to him from the grave. A shiver ran up his spine at the thought.
Instead of going to the recordings he went to the plans of the many hideouts Ted Kord had through the world and the country. He copied the necessary files and sent them to Red Robin with their standard encryptions. When he could no longer go around the 'Introduction', he started it again.
The camera was shaky as he remembered before Ted Kord started his introduction. "There we go. Hello, there Jaime Reyes, or should I say Blue Beetle? Sorry, if this got to you a bit late. For what Booster was able to tell me a few years will pass before you get to see this. But you know or will know soon enough time traveling is a complication in the life of anyone who gets involved with it. As I am not able to present myself to you properly when you became the Blue Beetle, I decided to do the next best thing."
He paused the video in the same place he did before. The same feeling of uneasiness invaded him. Ted knew he was going to die, but still faced things with an optimistic smile. Knowing he couldn't stall anymore, he continued the video.
"I know this does not make up for being a real mentor and I apologize for not being there while the other little brats were hanging out with theirs. Though, I trust Batman to teach you a thing or two, Superman; not so sure. Booster; definitely no especially when it comes to women or finances. Anyways, you might have already received a visit from Matthew McKay; he is a business lawyer who I trust entirely. He is actually an old college friend of mine and only seeks the best for Kord Industries. You can trust him to give you good advice. Another person you can trust is Angela Revere, she is the C.E.O. She has worked with me for as long as I can remember. She knows my secret identity and don't doubt she has already realized yours, but she won't say a word. I recommend you to let her run the company as she sees fit unless you want to get more involved."
He remembered Mr. McKay kept the rest of the shareholders from rushing him or from asking him too many questions even though he seemed apprehensive of him at first because of his age. Then, there was the silent Angela Revere, who studied him through tainted pink glasses. If she hadn't been sitting at the head of the table, he would have thought her an assistant. He wondered if she would indeed not say a word about his real connection to Ted.
"Then there is Melody Case. She is still probably the head scientist in the company. She means well, believe me, but she can be a bit too bossy. If you need help figuring something out, she is the one to ask. Though, she will probably try to get you to approve funding for some project. Let Angela handle those 'treaties'. I don't want you getting caught off guard so I will tell you now that she is an old flame of mine. It didn't work out when she got a higher position in the company. She doesn't know of my other identity, so not a word to her."
He made Khaji Da take note and search for the names mentioned by Ted. He found soon Angela had been Ted's assistant for a good number of years and had probably learned all she knew from him because she had no college titles about finances but had increased the company's productivity by fifteen percent in a few years.. As for Melody, she was one driven woman, with multiple titles in mechanics and other scientific fields. He didn't doubt she would be able to help him.
Ted went on to explain the names of friends and allies he could rely on. Among them were some heroes he had heard about but were not usually in the limelight. He knew the reputation of some as being good and others okay. Ted kept reminding him not to rely too much on Booster.
"He is a great friend, believe me. But, he is too attached to his own self-interest and keeping history in line. Sometimes, he acts like an idiot, but don't let the act trick you. He is just playing his 'role'."
The sun was starting to set by the time he got half through the videos. There were so many names, so many locations, and so many villains that would probably try to come after him because he now carried the mantle of the Blue Beetle. Not that he thought many of them a real threat like the Mad Men, but still it was good to know.
He started getting ready to sleep when his cellphone rang. He answered carefully for he didn't know the number calling him.
"Ehm, hi. Is this the guy that helped me the other night?" he recognized the woman's voice they had saved from the attack of the little demons.
"Yes, is everything okay?" he asked as the armor formed around his body.
"I am fine, but I got a call from a friend who said they saw Owen near the club he used to play at. I thought you guys might want to know," she said a little nervous.
"Thank you, we will look into it right away," he told her and after getting the address from her, he hung up. So much for getting a good rest. He drove to the place. It was a small club, but still they wouldn't let him in without an ID showing he was twenty-one or older. He should have brought Paco or Kyle with him. He snuck through the back of the club and the kitchen and then into the central area. There was a metal band playing so loudly he could barely listen to himself think. He searched in the crowd for the man the woman had showed them before from a pic in her cell. He found no trace of the guy after an hour of searching and asking. Deciding to give it a rest, he started towards the back exit when he heard a crash. He suited up as he began to listen to the screams before spotting two devils like monsters much bigger than the little ones they had spotted before.
People started getting away as fast as they could as the beasts tried to pick people up. The moment they got one he blasted them until they released them. They roared at him and struggled to catch him. He heard Khaji Da warn him again and again of the non-rational energy and how it was repelling his blast causing little to no damage to the creatures. By then most of the people were gone and he could bring out bigger guns. He had knocked one on their back and out of the establishment before he made the other follow him out. He was sure there was another little ritual which kept them summoned, and he had to find it to get rid of them. He had Khaji Da scan for a strong source of magic. It took him but a minute to discover it the parking lot of a nearby building.
He started flying towards it as fast as he could before someone hit him on the back and sent him crashing to the asphalt. One of the demons picked him up by his leg and lifted him until they were face to face.
"You shouldn't have done that," he said pointing his canon at the creatures face before blasting at its eyes. It roared in fury before slamming him like a rag doll onto the ground. At least, it released him and he flew up to blast at both of them with so much force he started to catch the scent of burning flesh.
"You will never beat them like that!" he heard a familiar voice shout. He caught sight of Tracy trying to get close, but the thick lines of people kept her back.
"Tell me something I don't know!" he shouted at her as he kept blasting the creatures, trying to find his chance to find the ritual. "It's in that building! Go while I keep them here!" he shouted pointing at the building Khaji Da claimed to carry the source of the non-rational energy.
Tracy looked shocked for a moment, but the next she nodded and rushed towards the building. He could feel his energy depleting, and knew he wouldn't be able to hold them back for long. He paused more between shots until he saw the beasts' skin start to heal. They laughed cruelly as they began to stand and advance towards him. He should have asked one of his friends to help him, he thought as he evaded the swapping hand of one of the demons which then hit a water hydrant. A geyser erupted in the street thankfully pushing those watching farther back.
"RAAA!" the demon screeched before pulling back too.
It couldn't really be that easy, he thought before remembering the night before there had been a light drizzle.
"You can't be that pathetic," he said landing by the broken hydrant before pulling the source pipe out and pointing it at the demons. The moment he did they shrank into the ground. At first it was just their fear, but then he noticed they bodies start to sizzle and shrink. Then, in one breath they disappeared into a cloud of smoke. He heard the people cheer for him, but he knew it wasn't his doing. Tracy had probably located where the ritual was and taken care of it. He pushed down the water main and using the little energy he had left welded it off. Flash after flash from people's phones surrounded him, almost blinding him. Now he understood why Superboy preferred to be known as the phone killer. The moment he was done he flew out of their sights, only to remove his armor off and go back to the scene where the authorities were finally showing up.
He spotted Tracy in the crowd asking questions and showing the picture of the man they believed was the one responsible. It couldn't be a mere coincidence that the man used to be work in that club.
"You missed it big time," she told him as they pulled back from the crowd, "the Beetle guy was here."
"But I thought he was an alien," actually, a lot of people thought he was a soldier left behind by the Reach either because he rebelled or to spy on them.
"He is… I think. But he held back those things until I stopped the ritual. I missed the guy just moments before, so I guess we have to expect another attack," she said before showing him a picture of the ritual she destroyed. There was a dead animal he didn't try to recognize in the middle of all.
"At least it doesn't look like anyone got hurt," he said but didn't mean it. He felt sorry for whatever creature that had been. Maybe a stray cat or dog; hell, not even a rat deserved to die like that. He covered his mouth for appearances. It should disgust him more, but it didn't. He had seen his fair share of bloodbaths and slaughters.
"But you can bet a bunch of them will be going to church tomorrow," she laughed darkly looking at the picture with tired eyes. He guessed she had seen things like this quite a few times. "Anyways, I found that the guy was here but left a little before the attack started. It seems he tried to talk to the owner to let him play here again but got turned down. This guy just doesn't know how to accept a no."
"So what now?" he asked her. He didn't think this Owen would try to hurt the woman again, so they had to think of his next move.
"Well, it seems he is on the road of vengeance. Let's talk to the woman. She might be able to tell us who might be his next target," Tracy said following the same trail of thought.
"Sounds like a plan," he said as they got away from the crowd.
"And you are fine coming along?" she asked him authentically surprised.
"You don't want me to?" he asked her stopping, she stopped too before looking embarrassed.
"It's not that, it's just that since… well, you are new to all of this and…" and he didn't have magic like his sister or grandmother so he might be a nuisance.
"One of those things scratched my car," he said as they started walking again, this time towards his car, "I am on my own road to vengeance."
"And here I thought you wanted to impress me," she said with a playful smile.
"Did it?" he asked her.
"A little, maybe if you tell me your secret," Tracy said as her smile grew.
"Nice try," he laughed before he got driving.
Catherine, Owen's ex-girlfriend was waiting for them when they arrived at the place where she was staying. Her friend was more than happy to let them in after they learned that there was another attack which they helped stop.
"That jackass, I thought he was a bunch of hot air, but I guess he did know some magic," as it turned out, he was wrong to think the friend Catherine was staying was not a woman. Alex was a tomboyish young woman who didn't waste a moment to put Owen down. It seemed she had been the reason Catherine had found the strength to kick him out.
"Not a very good one; he chose the scariest one without bothering to learn anything about them. Really, their weakness is water and not even holy water at that," Tracy said trying to not roll her eyes. They figured out why she had never seen those demons before. All good magic users thought them as useless right way. One rainy afternoon, and they were done for.
"We are so buying some water guns tomorrow," Alex said with a smirk that was almost infectious.
"I don't think he is coming after you anymore," Tracy told Catherine. "There are some spells that can't be used to target the same people twice," the moment she said it Catherine seemed to relax.
"We think he might target someone else, so we wanted to ask you if you had any idea who it might be," he said hoping Owen had shared enough with Catherine to know.
"Pfff, that's easy," Alex said to their relief.
"His dad; he is a big shot doctor and wanted Owen to go to med school. After Owen had started playing his father cut him off," Catherine explained.
"That's when he landed in your place," Tracy said connecting the dots.
"Yeah," Catherine said regretfully. She had done what a decent person would have done. He wished to tell her that it wasn't her fault Owen had turned to be a spoiled asshole. However, the way Alex placed her hand on Catherine's shoulder made him believe she would receive all the comfort she would need from the other woman.
"Do you know where his old man lives?" he asked after meeting Alex's eyes briefly which answered his unspoken question.
"No, but I know in which hospital he practices," Catherine said placing her hand over Alex's drawing comfort from it.
"Let's hope he is in today," or maybe not, he thought wondering if they would face something bigger next time.
By the time they got to the hospital, one of the best in the state, it was getting very late. He thought about Red Robin's word about giving something up. That would have to be the internship for now because he didn't think he could pull it off tomorrow. Khaji Da and he had time to recharge, but they weren't back a hundred percent back yet. When they asked around for Dr. Charles Nelson, they found he was in the cafeteria with his son. They entered to presence what could only be described as a family reconciliation. Dr. Nelson was embracing his son with a broad smile.
"I am so glad to hear this Owen. I knew you would do the right thing?" Dr. Nelson said looking at his son as if he was a newborn.
"Yeah," Owen said not full heartedly.
"It wasn't him," Tracy said after a moment.
"What?" he asked her.
"There is no trace of magic on him. After a ritual, there is always a residue," she said as she studied Owen further. Then, the building shook and they all turned to look at the window to see bright yellow eyes glaring at Owen, who froze where he was. A giant red hand broke through the window and wall and reached for Owen effectively taking hold of him and starting pulling him out.
"Owen!" Dr. Nelson shouted as he tried to keep him from chasing after his son.
"We have to find the ritual," Tracy yelled as her hand started to glow before she shot a bolt of energy at the demon's hand which released Owen. She helped him scramble away, creating a barrier between them as they did so.
"First, let's not get toasted," he said when the Demon's face returned to the now broken window. Its mouth was shining with unholy light, and he knew what it was coming. Everyone but they were only remaining in the cafeteria, they started to run towards the exit and made it in time before a blaze of fire engulfed the room. "I hate upgrades."
"What is that thing!" Owen shouted as they hid around the corner of the room.
"We thought you might know. It went after your ex-girlfriend, and then to the club where you got turned down tonight," Tracy said in one breath.
"It just wasn't so big or breathed fire," he added.
"God, this can't be happening," Owen held his head trying to make sense of things.
"We don't have time to waste. That thing could start tearing the hospital if we don't stop it soon," he told Owen, which seemed to snap him out of it. He looked up. He was still afraid, but he knew something had to be done.
"It was this chick, a groupie, no, she is more like a stalker. She said she knew real magic, but I didn't believe her," he told them.
"So, we are looking for a woman," Tracy said with a frown, "that only narrows it down by fifty percent."
"She dresses like an 80s goth, you can't miss her," Owen told them, "I also saw her tonight by the club. She begged me not to quit playing."
"That's much better. I will keep that thing back, you look for the ritual," Tracy said to him as she started to leave.
"I am not letting you-" he took hold of her hand.
"Dude, not the time. I can handle this, believe me!" she said freeing her hand with a shock of magic and then running off.
Khaji Da, scan for the ritual and make it fast.
"You have to get out of the hospital," he told Owen, "we can't let anyone get hurt." He tossed him his car keys, "It's a blue Camaro; please, don't scratch her."
"If this wasn't a life or die situation, this would be so cool," Owen said as he ran towards the parking lot.
"Dr. Nelson, you need to tell the staff to get people away from this side of the building," he said the still shocked doctor.
"Who are you people?" Dr. Nelson asked with a frown.
"We are the good guys," he said before he got the location of the ritual and started running.
As he moved, his phone rang. It was about time the rest noticed.
"I need some backup," he said at once.
"You think?" Red Robin snapped at him.
"I know I messed up, and should have called, but we don't have time to talk about that. Tracy is fighting that thing on her own," he said as he reached the nearest set of stairs and started running down. He didn't want to risk the chance of getting stuck in the elevator.
"You need to focus Jaime, don't let this happen again," Red Robin said coldly.
"Understood," he said through clenched teeth before hanging up.
He knew he had brought this on himself, all of it. It wasn't just the fact he had again tried to handle more than he could, but also thinking he would be okay with someone younger than him calling the shots. He had been the first one to say Red Robin should lead them instead of the more experienced Superboy.
The Superboy has knowledge and experience, but not a strategist as Red Robin. Also, he has admitted to not have the qualities of a leader.
I know, but it is just irritating.
Do you wish to lead the Titans, Jaime Reyes?
No! God no!
The responsibility would not let him sleep at night. He leaped steps trying to go as fast as possible. The roars of the demon made the walls and his bones resonate. Every floor he could hear the hospital staff moving the patients to safer locations. Soon, he was joined on the emergency stairs by others who could walk. Thankfully, none of them followed or questioned him as he kept going into the basement of the building where the hospital's laundry room was located. He tried to push the double metal door open but found someone had placed a pipe to block the entrance. So, the woman had finally learned to protect her hideout. Too bad she didn't know who she was really messing with.
He blasted the pipe away before kicking the door. He heard a girlish scream which told him which way to go.
Jaime Reyes, why are you not-
I have to be the one to stop her, not the Blue Beetle.
Irrelevant, Jaime Reyes is the Blue Beetle.
Tracy has to believe it was me, or she will figure out my identity.
Find a reliable weapon.
He kicked a pipe off its hinges and started running. The sooner he got the ritual stopped, the sooner all the madness ended, at least for the time being. He heard high heeled boots snapping against the ground as she started to run.
Source of Non-Rational energy located ahead.
And he spotted her in the next turn. She was a tall, slim bodied young woman with puffed up short black hair with red stripes, a black and red corset followed by a long black skirt and painfully looking tall boots.
"Stop!" he shouted running faster before watching her slip. He had caught her before her head hit the edge of one of the folding tables. Next thing he knew, he got his face filled with pepper spray.
"Let me go you bastard!" she shouted still struggling in his arms before stomping on his foot with her pointed heeled boot. He, of course, couldn't hold her anymore. He watched her run for a few seconds as he checked how damaged his foot was while his eyes watered like crazy. It wasn't a direct shot, but it still hurt.
No major artery were damaged, continue the persecution.
Did you just tell me to suck it up? Forget it, let's just find the damn ritual and I will search for her later.
Negative, the suspect is the source of the Non-Rational energy. There are no other sources of Non-Rational energy.
"Dammit!" he said before he started running again cursing with every step. He saw her reach the end of the laundry room before pushing open the emergency doors. Alarms started blaring just before he too pushed the doors open and barely ducked down when he saw the barrel of the revolver pointed at him. He had heard before he felt the bullet break through the flesh of his arm when it bounced off the metal door behind him.
This method of persecution is ineffective Jaime Reyes. Starting armor override.
Dammit! At least wait until she is no longer in sight!
He said lying on the stairs and he listened to the woman run. When she was far enough, he formed the armor, which also started working on his injury. It started by numbing it for which he was thankful. He flew when he reached the top of the stairs and started looking for her.
Up in the sky, he saw that the Demon was now on the highway and it seemed to be chasing Owen in his car. The guy was making his car go as fast as it could barely able to evade the blasts from the Demon. Tracy was behind them on a motorcycle and blasting at the Demon. Still, the creature was faster and Tracy was being left behind and out of range. Just when he thought Owen would become another corpse in the morgue, the creature was stopped by a giant man like creature made of green light.
"Okay, that was fast," said with an easier breath.
The Demon was stopped as it fought the construct while being blasted by Tracy, and Thorax. He was surprised to see Paco but more worried about the bystanders in the same road and proximity.
Jaime, is that you? Do you see this thing! Paco asked they their scarabs opened a communications channel.
Clear the civilians from the area Paco. They are too close. He would have to stop the search for the woman otherwise.
You got it compadre. True to his word, his friend started making the bystanders pull back and helping anyone who couldn't. Now, he could get back to work.
He spotted her running towards the parking lot and started after her. He was slightly surprised by the distance she was able to cover in those deadly shoes. He caught her by the arms and brought her high into the air so that she could see the mayhem she started.
"Stop this now," he didn't know much of magic so he couldn't risk knocking her out.
"Please! I don't want to die! Oh God!" she shouted the higher they went.
"Then stop!" he said unable to hold the anger out of his voice.
"I can't! I can't!" the young woman trembled terrified.
"Why not?" he said trying to sound calmer; it wouldn't do if she fainted.
"I… I offered my own life! It stops when I die!" she said through trembling crimson red lips.
"What?" he asked dumbfounded.
"He wasn't going to be my god anymore, I didn't think-" she started blabbering.
"You gave up your life for one man and risked the lives of others!?" he shouted at her bringing her doll painted face close to his.
"I- I wasn't trying to-" she wasn't scared of falling anymore, she was scared of him.
"But you did! Now you have to face the consequences!" she sneered at her as he held her with one hand and raised the other turning his fingers into long pointed needles.
"No please," she said looking them in horror.
"This is going to hurt, I am sorry," he told her before bringing them down in one swift movement, pierced the flesh and any barrier until reaching her heart as painlessly as possible.
"Noo!" she screamed more in fear than pain before he sent a powerful electric shock to her heart which quickly spread to the rest of her body which immediately stopped everything, efficiently bring to a standstill her life.
He heard the beast scream in anger as it tried to go back to the hospital to its master. In a few seconds, the creature had faded into smoke and was no more. The moment he was sure it was over he sent another shock through her body to restart it. Her breath came back in a fit of lungs and tears. As he descended with the crying woman, he wished he could have thought of a better way. She was pounding on his chest calling him terrible names. Her meticulous applied make turned into a soggy smeared mask made him realized she was probably younger than he had thought. She was around fifteen or sixteen.
"It's over and you are not dead," he told the girl as they finally touched the ground. He took the gun she had used before to shoot him from her and had her sit on a bench until the rest came back. She continued to sob into her long dark skirt and as the minutes passed he wished more and more to leave. He couldn't stand to see anyone cry. He never understood why but if it was a baby, a child or anyone it always made him feel uncomfortable. "Sometimes," he said before the girl looked at him confused, "sometimes we make mistakes when we fall for someone, be it from one time meetings or from years of friendship. But, that doesn't mean that it all ends with them."
"But it hurts so much," she said clenching her fist against her chest with a tortured expression. He knew what she was feeling all too well.
"And it is going to continue to hurt for a while longer but the pain is going to start to fade until it turns into a memory and then you will be able to remember the good times with a smile," he told her with a gentle smile.
"You…" she looked up at him.
"Yeah," he laughed a little nervous.
"Blue!" he turned around to see his Thorax and the Lantern return first. The girl tensed at once but he placed a hand on her shoulder and she relaxed.
"Wait, is that her?" Kyle asked looking at her, "she is a child."
Thorax looked at girl first surprised and worried. He knew his friend was no fan of juvenile facilities. They knew those places sometimes did more wrong than good to kids.
They heard a motorcycle and the familiar engine of his car before Tracy and Owen were back.
"Where is Jaime?" it was the first thing Tracy asked.
"He is inside; someone is tending to his wounds," he said trying to think of a way to sneak back inside.
"Is he-" it was the first time he had actually seen her scared.
"He will be okay. Before you go to him, I require some of your help. For what I understand you have a greater knowledge of magic than the three of us put together Ms. Thirteen," he said hoping he was right.
"How do you know my name?" she asked him with narrowed eyes.
"Your reputation among those of the magic community, some of which we have ties to, follows you. We require your help to know what needs to be done. As you probably know the girl can't be given any charges for magic usage," and from what happened back in El Paso, he no longer trusted those facilities. They usually kept their eyes and ears open for anyone rumored with special abilities.
"What about trying to kill me!" Owen shouted from behind the rest. The girl immediately looked even more crestfallen.
"Remain silent," he told Owen severely before he snapped his mouth shut.
"She can come with me if she wants to," Tracy said studying the girl with her special sight.
"Where?" he asked her.
"A place for people like us where she can learn how to use her gifts properly," Tracy said studying his reaction.
"Wait, you want to make her more powerful?!" Thorax asked wide eyed.
"It's not about the power you stupid capes," Tracy snapped at Thorax. "She needs someone to teach her the rights and wrongs of her abilities, but no one can be forced into it. Those who have been forced more often than not turn to the dark arts."
"And what if she says no," he asked as calmly as possible.
"Her powers get sealed. You probably know them Blue Beetle. They were the same who sealed La Dama, and family to the guy who was with me," Tracy said as she kept studying him.
"I see," he said before turning to the girl, "it's up to you."
The girl looked surprised at him, opened her mouth to say something but then she closed it again.
"Why are you even given her a choice?! She tried to kill me!" Owen shouted at them.
"She is a kid with a gift she doesn't know how to use," the Lantern said, never looking away from the girl.
"Yeah, give her a break," Thorax said crossing his arms and glaring at Owen.
"I can't believe this," Owen said looking exasperated at all of them.
"Yeah, we couldn't believe someone as nice as Catherine would date a dick like you either," Tracy said giving Owen a disgusted look.
"You-" Owen sneered at Tracy.
"Shut up! All of you shut up and let me think!" the girl shouted glaring at all of them.
"We don't have all night," Tracy told her sternly.
"I just don't know," the girl covered her face with her hands.
"Why don't you show her the place you are talking about, if things don't work out take her to the old lady to seal her magic?" he told Tracy.
"I guess," Tracy said looking towards the hospital worried.
"We will make sure your friend makes it back home in one piece, which reminds me, he asked for his keys," he said the last to Owen who then threw the keys at him intending to hit him in the face but he caught them in the air with ease.
Tracy said as she offered a hand to the girl and said, "one stupid move and I will make you wish you had never been born." The girl did give her the hand, but her glare told her she didn't like being told what to do. She watched them walk away before she threw one last glance at them. "See you later capes," she said before whispering some words and a portal of light appeared in front of them. The moment she was gone he heard sneakers from his friends.
"Capes, I hate it when they call us that. None of us wears capes," Kyle said before one appeared behind him, "shit, she was right." They couldn't help laughing for a few moments before they noticed Owen looking at them as if they had lost their minds.
"At least it's not sidekicks," Thorax said as they started to take off, but not him.
"Amen to that," Kyle said.
"I will catch you guys later, I have to get this to Reyes," he told them showing them the keys to his car.
"Whatever you say Blue," Thorax said with a short laugh before he and Kyle started flying away.
He started towards the back of the building, checking that he wasn't being followed before entering the back of the building and down the stairs to the laundry room. Here, spotted where his blood had spilled before washing it off with a nearby hose and making sure no trace of his DNA was left. When done, he removed his armor before he ripped a piece of cloth and wrapping it around the wound on his arm. The armor had cauterized the worst of it. It would leave an ugly scar, but it was better than trying to explain to a doctor what happened. He would be able to look after it on his own from that point.
When he got back to the upper levels of the hospital as Jaime Reyes, he listened to people trying to make sense of what they saw and heard. He knew he would have to find a back road to drive away from the scene. He was just too tired to stand through the police's interrogation. He found the back road of the hospital thankfully empty as everyone was still scared thinking the creature would come back.
As he drove, he realized he was going to have to give something up. He stepped on the accelerator and shouted into the wind. It wasn't fair that he had to give something up. Then again, he shouldn't be surprised. It wouldn't be the first time.