Disclaimer: I do not own Sky High.
"Nothing?" Layla rubbed the back of her neck nervously as everyone shifted their weight and looked back and forth at each other.
Ivy shook her head. Warren stood on the other side of the group, listening intently, pokerface on. Will, Taylor, Speed and Dara to Ivy's right, Layla, Trent, Lash, Magenta and Zach to her left.
"Logan and Rogue went back to the mansion to regroup and talk to the professor, Gambit is seeing what he can dig up downtown. We got to the warehouse the professor directed us to and there was nothing there. It was covered in dust and cobwebs. We thought maybe it was underground, but it was just sewers." Ivy ran a slender hand through her white hair, shoulders hunching in defeat. "I just don't know what to do."
Everyone sat silently for a few moments before Dara spoke. "Well, I'll see if I can pry anything out of Dylan. He's been really secretive and shifty lately, maybe I can play the dumb little sister card?"
Taylor tensed and looked at the freshman. "I don't like that. There's got to be something else."
Will shook his head. "We're starting to run out of time. Look at Magenta." His voice grew wild and anxious, while everyone watched him in shock. William Stronghold had never been one to yell. "I'm not going to sit on my ass waiting for the next one of us to get attacked."
Lash cringed and clenched his fist, trying to take deep breaths. "I agree with Taylor. There's no need to put Dara in that kind of situation if it's not necessary."
"He's going to get his. The faster the better. I want her to try." Zach was cold. He had been since Blake attacked Magenta two nights before. He hadn't smiled, hadn't cracked a joke. He was present physically, but emotionally he was no longer the same joker the group knew.
Layla watched everyone spew their opinions while Dara stood and waited patiently for the verdict. It was her life and her brother, but it was their war now. "I don't think it could hurt. Dara's strong, she can take care of herself."
"Dylan's stronger. We all know it, she shouldn't be sent in alone to deal with him." Trent raised his voice, his face growing red and furious.
Speed and Warren looked at each other, silently knowing they had the same feelings. "We vote no. She shouldn't have to do it alone." Warren nodded, agreeing with Speed's every word.
Ivy looked around, noticing everyone's eyes had fallen on her. She knew that no matter what the tally was of Yes and No's, her decision would be final. She looked at each one of her friends, taking their faces in hoping she would never forget the way they all laughed and smiled. She finally looked at Dara. Dara stood stone still, her black hair and green eyes mirroring Dylan's completely. She was short and petite, and Ivy knew that if Dylan wanted, he could snap her in half.
"Do it. But please, Dara." Ivy took a few steps towards her, and wrapped the girl in her arms. "Please be careful."
Dara nodded her compliance. "I promise. I'll be in touch."
Dara returned home that evening, intent on finding out as much as she could about her brother and the Clan's plans. She sat in her room for hours, homework laid out, pretending to study so as not to be suspicious when he made his nightly visit to her room to say goodnight.
Trent and Layla had made plans to meet at her house after he had grabbed some extra changes of clothes, and explained to his parents about the huge "end of the year project" that he and Layla had been assigned to. He grabbed a bag and shoved socks, boxers, an extra pair of pants, t-shirts, a toothbrush and anything he could think of to take over to Layla's.
Dylan knocked at Dara's door softly, almost gently. He opened it to see his little sister reading her Hero's History textbook. She looked up and gave him that smile that told him her could do no wrong as her brother.
Trent only lived a few blocks from Layla, but during these unsure, scared times it was enough for even a powerful electro super such as himself to hurry up and walk faster. He turned a few corners, knowing the safety of Layla's house was only two more short blocks. He took a deep breath of the chilly air.
"Where have you been, Dylan? What's going on? I need to know." Dara pleaded her older brother as he took a seat on her bed.
"Are you sure? Once I tell you, there's no going back." Dylan was a monster, Dara knew it. But the sincerity and love for his sister in his voice was unmistakable. He was trying to protect her.
A crow's talon swiped at Trent's chest, beak digging into his shoulder. His hands started crackling, blue electricity circling around them. The crow lifted its over-sized head into the light where Trent could see it's hollow black eyes mock laughing at him. Trent sent a surge towards the bird, which cackled at him and tore through his other arm.
"Gambit needs to go." Ivy looked up at her doorway to see a disheveled, angry Warren staring back at her.
"Excuse me?" She furrowed her brows, her temper rising.
"Something is coming, Little Sister. The Clan. Our Clan. We're taking back the world, one super at a time. We're going to kill them all. All the supers, all the mutants, all the humans. Until there's just us. No one can stop up. No prophesized kitty-cat's. No telepaths, no men in capes, and no tree-huggers. No one." Dara felt a shadow encase her heart as it sank at her brothers words.
Ivy stared at her boyfriend. "Gambit has every right to be here."
Warren stared back, knowing he couldn't back down. Knowing this was one fight he could not give her the satisfaction of winning. "I don't want him here. He's too close to you, spending too much time with you. I'm unhappy about it, and I'm pretty sure Rogue would be too if she knew it was just the two of you." Warren crossed his arms and stood taller. "He needs to go, Ivy. He needs to go now." He turned his back and shut her bedroom door.
Trent limped the last two blocks to Layla's. Not bothering to wait for someone to answer the doorbell he pushed the door open, realizing midway it was unlocked. Layla stood right inside the door, nervously pacing back and forth until her eyes landed on Trent who collapsed as soon as he passed the door frame. Layla screamed and ran to his side, keeping him from hitting his head on the cold marble floor.
Dylan watched his sisters horrified expression as she listened to him speak. He wished more than ever he hadn't told her. There was nothing he could do now, and he knew it, but he wished with all his might that she would be safe from whatever was to come. "You don't need to join the cause, Little Sister. As long as you're here when we win. As long as you're there with me at the end for them and the beginning for us." He kissed her forehead and left the room.
Layla cared for Trent's bruises and gashes, growing all the herbs she needed to help him recover faster. Tears burned her eyes as he began to cough blood. He reached into his mouth and pulled a loose molar, letting it fall onto the blood-stained rags beneath them before he lost consciousness.
Gambit folded his spare clothes, neatly packing them into the one bag he had brought with him. He stopped for a moment and turned the Queen of Hearts over in his fingers.
"You're leaving?" Ivy stood silently behind him, watching him. He never turned to face her.
"He does not want Gambit here." Gambit folded the blankets he had used and left them on the coffee table. He picked up his bag and went for the door.
"Remy-" Ivy started, and the door shut.
Speed and Taylor left the Korean Barbecue takeout restaurant around the corner from his apartment. The walked quickly and quietly, trying not to draw any unnecessary attention to themselves. Speed took out his key to unlock the black iron gate and whipped around at the sound of Taylors scream. A burly man held her by the throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. Speed dropped the bags of food and ran behind the man, kicking him in the shins. Taylor fell to the ground, gasping for air, still clawing her her throat. The man was up in an instant and picked Speed up carelessly, throwing him against the black gate.
Dara darted off her bed, grabbing her packed bag under her bed, tip-toeing to her bedroom door. She opened it a crack to peer down the hallway at Dylan's room one last time.
"Listen to the big clock, Tick tock, tick tock, Look at its hands move, Round and round, Listen to its bell chime, Ding dong, ding dong." She heard him whispering the old children's rhyme to himself, and she shut the door silently. Tip-toeing back across the room she opened the window, bag strapped to her back.
Taylor shot spikes of ice at the burly man who came running at her as if nothing could stop him. He pounded his fist into her face, and she stumbled back. Regaining as much balance as she could, she landed a roundhouse kick to his stomach, as Speed ran at him full speed, practically sweeping the man off his feet. Speed ran the man as far away as he could before dropping him to the ground and running back to find Taylor bruised and swollen, leaning against the black iron gate.
Ivy stood alone in her apartment, lonely and afraid for her friends.
Dara climbed down her window, and walked down the empty, dark street, not once glancing back towards home.
Layla shuddered and cried, knees tucked into her chest in a corner of her living room as Trent lay sleeping on her couch.
Speed and Taylor held each other in Speeds dark bedroom, ice packs covering their bodies.
Warren lay silently on his bed, staring up at his ceiling, gruffly rolling over to face the wall.
Gambit flipped the Queen of Hearts over in his fingers. A blonde waitress sat a beer down on the table in front of him. He looked up at her seductive smile. He nodded his head in the direction of the door, and she followed him out, dropping her apron on the floor.
6 chapters left! Probably be finished in a couple weeks. Hang onto your hats, folks!