Chapter five
Cole sat down on the couch and he groaned. No sleep and feeling like everyone depended on you made you feel like shit, that was for sure. Especially because it was true, the humans, too ignorant to see, were slowly dying out. Even if the poor souls didn't want to face the cold, hard truth, the fact remained true and the only hope to keep mother earth populated was for Cole to save those who he could. He couldn't change, didn't want to change, the fact that the only living beings that he could save were conduits.

It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault. It was because of the plague, that was the real cause of all the terror and sadness, he hadn't made the plague or set it free, it just came and destroyed. But it didn't matter how many times he repeated it in his head, there was a voice in his head, in his mind, that recounted the events that he could've handled better, but didn't.

The same voice taunted him about the deaths of friends and family, his significant other and best friend, who felt like a brother to him. The same voice, whose it was he didn't know, smote him about how he failed his destiny. How his goal was unreachable and he was childish to believe he could reach it, because, or so told the voice him, it was impossible and if someone, anyone, could do it, it wasn't Cole MacGrath. Not Cole MacGrath, the dropout, ex-delivery boy with the weak gift, he owned. Not Cole MacGrath, who had chosen to let his girlfriend die, murdered his best friend, read: brother, in cold blood without mercy. Not Cole MacGrath, who let memories haunt him till this day and pounders over the past, which cannot be undone. Not Cole MacGrath.

Never Cole MacGrath.

It made him sad, but he shouldn't be sad, he should be happy. He'd received the power to save the last in the world, he was god and that voice shouldn't put him off his mission, his life goal, his destiny. And yet… this happiness felt more like sorrow.

Delsin looked up, like every sane person would do if their goddamn door got smashed open with such a force that a vase fell to the ground, to burst in ten thousand little pieces. His eyes left the patch of carpet, he was focused on and without the furious glare on it to keep it in control, the small flame slowly spread. The boy didn't notice and just glared at the intruder, who stood in the frame of the door.

And even though something inside his chest loosened up, when he saw it was indeed his older sibling, that was outlined in the door, he didn't show it. The muscles in his face were still locked, eyes remained narrowed and his lips stayed turned down in a frown. No happy, half smile appeared or a twinkle in his eyes, not even a relieved breath passed his lips. Nothing, but eyes, that had seen too much, in a blank face, no emotion displayed whatsoever. Just a young man with eyes, too old for his age and a face rid of all emotions. It was somewhat scary.

Reggie gave his brother a one over and nodded to him, before stepping inside. His eyes removed themselves from Delsin's face and rested on the broken pieces on glass that laid all over the floor. Reggie groaned, much like a certain conduit earlier and grumbled a bit under his breath.

Delsin, on the other hand, didn't stop watching the other. His eyes still glued to Reggie's form, that slowly made his way to the kitchen. When the door was slammed behind the older man's figure, just then he turned his head away.

He wanted to scream and curse, lose his temper, because Reggie did actually scare him, but that wasn't in character for the conduit, so he locked his mouth and settled his attention back on the carpet.

The carpet, the fucking carpet that was on fire. With a flick of his wrist a beam of smoke left Delsin's palm and covered the flame. Like a bubble almost, the fire raised and tried to escape the clutches of the smoke bubble, but failed and the lack of oxygen was its downfall. Slowly, but surely the fire reduced to a small flame, before disappearing all together. The only prove that it ever had been there, was the burnt spot of carpet underneath and the smoke still lingering in the air.

Reggie shouldn't noticed it, it was just another stain on an already ruined carpet, because it wasn't the first time Delsin fucked up. Not by far, but Reggie did notice.

The older Rowe sat down, something soggy on his plate and a drink clasped in his hand. His face was turned to the ground and slowly with a snail-like pace he lifted his head up again and then maybe even slower looked to the side.

''Delsin?'' His voice was tight and calm. The conduit didn't look away from the television screen, where several guns were fired after each other. He had suggested they watched a movie, he had recorded and hesitantly the older man had agreed, although the friendliness was nothing like the Delsin he knew and had raised.

''What is that on the carpet?'' He bowed down, dropping his spoon. Ashes rested on the patch, he inspected. And guess who could sprout fire spontaneously from his hands. Yeah, good guess.

''Which one?'' The fake innocence couldn't be missed in his tone. ''This one?'' He pointed a finger to a brown spot to the left, a remainder that Reggie should never ever drink. Especially not tonic. Said man shook his head and glared at the floor.

''That one?'' Delsin moved his hand to the right, designating a faint smear, it was barely noticeable, but both brothers knew how it came there, like it happened yesterday. It was a day they both rather forgot, but watching your little brother panic and cry, because how the hell did that glass just explode? They didn't really talk about that stain or the memories it held. Just cleaned it out the best they could and that was that.

''No.'' Reggie snapped, mentioning at the spot before him. A dark incinerated smudge, still smelling and it felt fresh. Delsin shrugged and turned his attention back to the TV, an commercial for shampoo was on and even though he was annoyed by the high pitched voice over, he acted like it was oh so interesting. Delsin Rowe was the first person to ever find an commercial interesting. Ever.

''Do you even wash your hair?'' A simple question, delivered with a snarky tone and if he wasn't Delsin's brother, God knows what had happened. But he was his sibling, so all Delsin did was hum and watch the lady wash her hair. How would Reggie's hair look aflame? Oh dreams, sweet, sweet dreams.

For the record, he washed his hair daily.

They didn't came around to talking about where Reggie was the other day, till the next night. The older Rowe was surrounded by stacks of paperwork, that were due soon and the younger Rowe sat in a chair, watching him, while eating some chips.

''So,'' Bolt as ever, Delsin finally decided he wanted to know what he was missing out on. ''Where were you?'' At first he was ignored, but the whining, if you asked Delsin he would tell you it was manly demanding and not whining, got to the older man and eventually he snapped.

He slammed his hands on the table and sent Delsin a look. When he finally spoke, his voice was laced with irritation.

''What do you want, Delsin?'' The last word was spit out and venom stuck to his voice. If Reggie wasn't on his last pen, he would have thrown that fucker across the room to his whining, little brother, but he was, so no throwing things in his rage for him today.

''You didn't came home, so where were you?'' Delsin's tone wasn't all that friendly either. Of course Reggie knew what he was talking about it, he saw it in how his brother tensed up and his eyes filled with distress. His face just screamed: I don't want to talk about it. Yet if Delsin had a say in the matter, they were going to talk about the matter at hand.

''I was just out.'' The words were shaky and obvious lies, so obvious even Reggie himself could hear it.

''Cut the crap, Reggie.'' His voice was sharp and hard, he wasn't in for games tonight. The opposite shot him a look, clearing his throat and at last looked him in the eye. When their eyes met, the tension seemed to manifold.

''Don't talk to me like that.'' Delsin rolled his eyes. Not going to bite this time, Reg. Although there was enough to argue about in family matters and Delsin liked to prove his points, read: loved, he wasn't going to take the bait this time.

''Whatever, just tell me where you were, then we're done.'' It wasn't a question any longer, it was a demand. A harsh demand and if the tone that went with it was anything to go off on. It was also a threat.

''I just ran into some trouble.'' The reply was mumbled and if Delsin hadn't got the gen he wouldn't have heard it at all. He raised a brow. Reggie and trouble? Those words never shared the same sentence, he was the trouble kid of the family, the black sheep, Reggie was the golden child, the better son. And it didn't matter how much it bothered him, it was the truth and he didn't bother to change his bad reputation. Why would he, like his family, those who were still alive, would give a fuck about him? A good son or not.

''Right… Wanna specific what kind of trouble?'' Just trouble wasn't much to work with and no, that didn't mean he wanted to go seek out the guys that gave Reggie a black eye, not at all. Said man snorted and shook his head.

''Not really.''

''Well, you gotta.'' Delsin shuffled his chair a little bit closer to the kitchen table and thus so Reggie.

''Why doesn't that surprise me?'' Reggie's voice was dry and his eyes were cast down. It wasn't really a story he liked to share, not even with the other Rowe. He rather forgot about his encounter with that man, no, conduit, that monster. Yet, the conduit pressed on and encouraged his brother to speak.

''Haven't you watched the news, Delsin?'' And if that was a crack in his voice, neither addressed it. Instead of answering, Delsin just shook his head, no. The human mirrored the move and let his hand rest on his temple. A sigh escaped his lips and the wrinkles on his forehead were suddenly all that more noticeable.

Something was bothering, bothering him bad.

So being the loving brother that he was, sometimes, he popped out the movie disk and switched on the local news channel. It was chaos, that was the first thing he noticed. Chaos all over the place. The newsreader was shaky, pulling her hands through her hair desperately, while trying to read the stories for her audience. Pictures flashed across the screen, one topic highlighted as the most important one.

Dangerous conduits in Seattle.

He read on the TV, the lady slowly telling about how, what and when. She told it with no details, just the base lines. She wasn't allowed to tell the full story and god, he doubted she even knew the full story. Reggie, however, could write a full out novel about it.

An army of dangerous conduits, seemly out of control, invaded Seattle two days ago, to kill half of the DUP located at the west of Seattle, to after that leave abruptly. To regroup or so they thought.

That was everything she had to say and with a: 'Thank you for watching, this was Aliza Stevens, from channel eight.' The screen went black, no other channels on anymore, not after three. After three you only got the news at six and after that the signal was just nothing, just blackness.

''You happen to know more about this, Reggie?'' He tossed the remote to said man, who cursed when it hit him straight in the chest. He scrabbled something down with his pencil and even when it didn't make any sense (butter, ice, oil), it provided a chance of avoiding the question asked.

''You do, don't you?'' His voice was tight and the room faintly began to smell like smoke. Just a little, but noticeable and that was all it took for Reggie to look up. Delsin almost sweated smoke, but still he was also known to set fire to all his lovely furniture. After all he didn't want his home burned down by his upset little brother, not if he could help it. Which was probably useless, but he needed to at least try.

''It was just a brief encounter with them,'' He mumbled, chair creaking and peeping when he stood. ''Nothing to worry about, really, I think I just hit my head to hard and blacked out for the night.'' He said casually, trying to get around Delsin. Said sibling wasn't having any of it and swiftly blocked the other's way. While Reggie was older, Delsin was taller.

''Nothing to worry about,'' He mocked, sarcasm thick and clear. He put his hands up, shrugging.
''Sure, sure, let's just ignore the fact that you didn't came home that night. Sure.'' Reggie sighed again, he did that a lot when around Delsin.

''Don't make a huge deal about this,'' The conduit looked like he wanted to make a snippy remark and thus so interrupt him, but he held up his hand.
''Why do you care anyway?'' And Reggie shouldn't be allowed to ask that. He shouldn't be allowed. Delsin locked up, slinked away, muscles tight and mouth forming a frown.

''You know what?'' The hurt wasn't noticeable, but that didn't took away the fact that it still hurt him. Inside he was a raging storm, screaming and crying, but on the outside, he was a stoic, blank faced man, a boy really, with a calm and collected plan, when he clearly hadn't got one.

''Fuck you, Reggie, fuck you.'' The faint smell of smoke followed him out, when he went. Their encounters ended too often in fights, but Reggie couldn't get himself to change it.