Los Feliz, California
1:49 A.M
"So you guys are like superheroes? Like the Avengers?" The boy asked nervously as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Yep." Lucy perked.
"No." Talkback denied.
"Sort of." Alex finalized.
"Well, if we don't get out of here fast, we're going to be super-incarcerated." Sister Grimm stated.
"Right," Alex agreed. "Let's get some grub and scramble." He turned to the boy. "You're welcome to come with us…uh…"
"Oh, Topher. My name is Topher." He answered.
Miracle's face paled even more. "What? No!"
"Miracle!" Alex snapped. "You don't have the right to say whether he can or can't come with us."
"No, I'm with Trinket on this one." Talkback agreed. "Who said this punk could come back to my hideout."
"It's not your hideout, it's our base." Alex declared. "Besides, Chase, if we turn our backs on this kid, how are WE better than our-."
"Whoa! Don't use our real names around this kid!" Talkback spat.
"For real! We don't know who the hell he is!" Miracle added.
"Talkback, Miracle, be nice!" Lucy In The Sky berated.
"Why should we?" Miracle asked.
"Yeah, the freak and his two goons just tried to jack a Circle A! And gunpoint! We should just leave him for the pigs!" Talkback added.
"No! Please!" Topher begged. "I told you! My parents made me come with them! They're…they're evil!"
Miracle's head pounded in her skull. The lies he was telling where literally hurting her. But when she tried to use her telekinesis powers to read his mind (This was the first time) she couldn't read it. It was like there was nothing to read. She blinked. What the Hell?
"Sound familiar?" Lucy cocked a brow.
"That's his story? Why should we believe him?" Talkback grunted.
"Look into his eyes. Obviously, he's been through the same stuff we have." Sister Grimm pressed.
Oh, Nico. Miracle shook her head. Here you are, acting like you know what you're talking about. But Miracle knew better. She saw into his eyes and only saw rage and evil. He wasn't human and she could tell. But she didn't want to break it to them. Another fight might break out. And with the sirens coming towards them (which were just arriving), they didn't have time for another fight.
"Five-O!" Alex exclaimed. "Everybody, West Wing!"
"West Wing?" Topher asked as Sister Grimm grabbed his hand and led him out.
"Walk fast, talk fast." She informed. "You're gonna need to learn how to speak Alex if you're going to be running with the Children of The Damned."
"Wait, you're parents are evil, too?" Topher inquired.
"Lucy In the Sky, give him the cliff notes." Alex ordered as they made their way outside to the van.
Lucy explained the situation as they got in the car. Alex, Lucy, and Sister Grimm got in the back with Topher, while Miracle and Talkback sat in the front.
"Wow," Topher said after Lucy explained everything. "You guys are like a junior version of the A Team!"
"Who's the A-Team?" Talkback asked as he cocked a brow.
"Fail." Miracle shook her head. "I pity you, fool."
"Sorry, I guess my interests are a little more…retro than yours. How old are you guys anyway?" Topher blinked.
"Well, Bruiser's the youngest, being eleven. She's with Arsenic back at the base, who's fifteen." Lucy informed. "Sister Grimm, Alex, Miracle, and I are all sixteen."
"Oh, same here." Topher nodded.
Another lie…Miracle gripped her seat. Talkback noticed. "Hey, Trinket, you okay?"
Miracle looked up at him and sighed. Mind if we talk like this?
He blinked and looked at her. Are you suing Telekinesis or some shit?
Miracle nodded.
"Believe it or not, Talkback is actually in the elder statesman of our group." Sister Grimm informed.
"Yeah, I remember sixteen." Talkback nodded. "When times were simple."
Miracle looked in the rearview mirror, noticing the cops that were hot on their trail. "Un, Sista, we've got about two big ol' blues hot on our trail. Could you, I don't know, take them out?"
"I'll give it a shot." Sister Grimm stated. "Or I'll get shot." She pushed the back doors open and pushed her Staff out of the doors. "Smoke." A black cloud of smoke rushed out of her Staff and into the streets; causing the cars to collide.
Miracle didn't bother listening to the rest. She knew it was pretty stupid. So she turned to Talkback.
He's evil. She said simply.
Talkback narrowed his eyes; focusing on the road. Really? I hadn't noticed.
I'm serious, Chase. Miracle hadn't used his name in a while. There's something extremely off about him. He's not human.
Now Talkback seemed intrigued. Not human, you say?
He doesn't have a heartbeat.
Talkback pulled his eyes from the road and stared at her.
Don't say anything. Miracle put her finger to her plump lips. I don't want to freak anyone out.
What! How can you say that! We have a fucking monster on our team now! He gripped the steering wheel.
I'm waiting for him to slip up! I know for a fact that Nico's too stupid to believe me since she believes he's a good person, Karolina was vouching for him the whole time, and Alex practically invited him to be with us! If I say this now, they'll all give me shit about how he's a lot boy or how he's one of us. And Frankly, I don't want to hear it. But if he does anything to our friends-
We fucking end him.
"The Hostel"
Bronson Canyon, California
2:24 A.M.
"Home again, Home again." Lucy smiled as she floated up into the air in the Hostel.
"WHOA!" Topher gawked. "This place is-." But before he could finish a flash of dark brown and blue passed by them; Topher disappearing. When the group turned around, Topher was under Old Lace. She began to sniff and him with a growl. Old Lace could sense it, too. She didn't trust him not one bit. Topher was screaming and covering his face.
"AH! GET IT OFF OF ME! GET IT OFF!" He screamed. Talkback and Miracle rolled their eyes; seeing through the whole act.
"Oh my god!" Lucy cried.
"Where's Arsenic!" Sister Grimm called.
"I'm here! I'm here!" Arsenic called as she raced to the stairway.
"Call your raptor off, Gert!" Alex ordered.
"I'm trying!" Arsenic cried. "But Old Lace isn't listening to my thoughts!"
Talkback groaned and jogged over trying to push the raptor off. She didn't budge. "Ugh! Well think harder, Arse! She's, Uhh, too heavy to budge!"
"Says you, Whimpster." Bruiser said as she entered the room. She waved her hand and smirked; her eyes glowing bright pink once more. "Scooch." She then grabbed Old Lace and lifted her off Topher with ease; holding her above her head. "Old Lace, play nice." She giggled.
"W-Whoa." Topher whispered.
"See?" Bruiser smiled. "She was just playing around. She wasn't trying to hurt anybody. Ain't that right, you big silly head?" She placed Old Lace down and turned around. "So, did anyone bring back Burritos?"
"Here," Miracle tossed a burrito Bruiser's way. She ripped it open and looked at Topher.
"You have a dinosaur?"
"And you have an earring in her eyebrow. Are you in a band?"
Topher scratched the back of his head. "W-what are you?"
"A mutant, obviously." Miracle stated coldly as she began to eat a bag of chips. She's been hungrier as well. And eating this was like finally having the energy she's lost.
Lucy elbowed her. "Miracle, you need to be nice."
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes.
"That's right!" Bruiser nodded. "I am a mutant! But not a bad one like Magneto! But a good one like Doop or X-statix! And when I grow up, I'm gonna join the X-Men and marry Wolverine! So you better not be prejudice! 'Kay?"
Miracle couldn't help but giggle.
"Of course not," Topher leaned down. "Some of my best friends are mutants."
Miracle snorted.
"For serious?" Bruiser's eyes glinted with glee.
"Oh, brother." Arsenic crossed her arms.
"You're telling me." Miracle agreed.
"Topher, this is Gert, but she prefers Arsenic. And the little one is Molly, otherwise known as Bruiser." Alex introduced.
"Ah," Topher nodded. "So, tell me, Arsenic. Does that thing always attack guests?"
Arsenic narrowed her eyes at the word thing. "Don't know. You're our first."
"He's one of us, Arsenic." Lucy said with a smile. "His parents are eeeeevil."
Miracle looked at Talkback and cocked a brow. Told you.
He smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets. That you did.
"If that's our only criteria for admission, this cave is gonna fill up fast." Arsenic said as she leaned her elbow on Old Lace.
Sister Grimm grabbed Topher's hand. "Come on, Topher, I'll give you the grand tour."
"I think I'll come with you." Alex took a step forward.
"No, that's okay, Alex." Sister Grimm assured as she led him to the hallway.
Miracle and Talkback turned to Alex and said in unison.
"Told you this was a bad Idea."
"Hey, guys, can you do me a favor?" Lucy In The Sky asked as she clicked her bracelet back on, shutting her powers off. "If Topher asks about my powers…or whatever could you not tell him I'm an-."
"Alien?" Alex blurted out.
"SHH!" Lucy placed her finger to her lips. "I don't want him anymore freaked than he already is! Topher doesn't need to know I'm not from this planet. Just tell him I'm…a Mutant!"
"Karolina," It was the first time Miracle said her real name within the four days. "Why would you want that? We accept you for who you are."
"Yeah, we'd accept you even if you were from France. You shouldn't be-."
"GOD! All I'm asking you to do is one simple thing, Chase! You don't have to be such a-." She stopped herself. "Forget it. It's late. I'm going to bed." She walked off.
"That was like…the Real World…Only…real." Bruiser stated.
Miracle but her lip. "Yeah, way too real."