Betrayal Is My End

Chapter 6

Tsu

Jason followed me in stunned silence back to the meeting room, the day was dragging on now and I felt my irritation boiling. Calm down, my inner voice had taken on a calming sense and reminded me an awful lot of Doris as of late. It's not Davi's fault, he was just trying to protect you, I bit my lip hoping to quiet them but it didn't really work. You owe him an apology.
I sighed, ok fine I'll apologize to him later- if we have time I'll make his favorite dinner. Now, can we focus? I paused and waited for my internal voice to agree to this arrangement before turning to Jason. He was watching me apprehensively, as though he were wondering what I was doing, I sighed, "sorry, just thinking. The voices in my head had a lot to say apparently," I shrugged and he raised a brow in question but didn't push it.
That was a good thing about our group, we were all a bit messed up so we all understood when to ask and when not to. We never pushed unless it was absolutely necessary. The room was full this time, Lauren stood next to Ash, it was the closest I'd seen her willingly stand next to a person without looking uncomfortable. They were speaking quietly, Julia sat beside Brandon who was talking animatedly about something. Julia herself looked almost frightened but had a smile plastered on her face, Bri sat on the floor complaining about the food.
Lauren's head snapped at that, she glared at Bri who looked down embarrassed that she'd been heard. I just rolled my eyes and went to the table with Jason trailing behind me.
As we sat, two more walked into the room. I kicked my feet up like Davi did and saw him smirk as he noticed. Kai rolled his eyes and as he walked by, knocked them down so they made a definitive thump on the floor.
I scoffed but didn't put them back, Brandon and Bri looked shocked at my actions. "Alright, assholes," Davi said with an annoyed sigh, "it's been brought to my attention that Jason has a new Power. Good for him." His gaze cut to Jason and his tone became heavy with sarcasm and I sighed loudly, signaling for him to continue.
Jason sighed in annoyance and seemed to puff up to defend himself and I squeezed his leg as hard as I could to shut up him. He grimaced in pain but didn't speak and I let go. Kai pursed his lips and Davi raised a brow but continued as if we hadn't interrupted. "It's also been brought to me that you two," he says spearing Brandon and Bri with a glare, "are on loan to us."
The two newbies both looked absolutely terrified, like deers caught in headlights. I scoffed and felt Kai smack my hip gently. Davi was at the head of the table where Jerome always stood and Kai decided to take his seat beside me.
Brandon looked pale and Bri seemed to practically shake with fear. These two were going to be eaten alive if they didn't sharpen up. "What's your skills?" Davi asked Brandon before turning to Bri. "Any combat training?" His whole demeanor had changed, no longer was he tired and worn looking, instead he stood tall and looked like a war general. I looked at him, studying him. I felt as my interest was piqued as I studied him. I wasn't bored anymore, that's for sure.
Davi was exceptionally handsome, dark hair, pale skin, beautiful eyes. I haven't felt much of anything since the operation with Davi and Doris. Though my memories had come back, my emotions hadn't. I felt detached all the time, and cold. Like I had to fake my emotions and match those around me. I don't think I've slipped up around anyone, though I think Jerome has seen it.
I felt the voices in my mind start to act up but I shook my head and focused on Davi, and what he looked like. He was still exhausted but he'd put up a no nonsense front to intimidate the newcomers. I nodded softly, when I felt it necessary, and looked back to the two new kids and saw the fear visibly written in their eyes.
Bri was the one to speak, "well-" she said haltingly- "I can talk to animals and Brandon can transform into animals, so when he's one I can still communicate." Davi didn't say anything, just raised a brow. It was clear he was unamused and about to give them the biggest verbal lashing of a life time when Kai cleared his throat, deciding it was time to save them. "Alright, good. Now that we know that, moving forward. Jerome gave us some folders he'd worked together about the Butcher and how he works. Lucky for us, we've got one of his safe houses under watch thanks to Tsu and Jerome."
He says with a nod to me and I don't acknowledge it. How could I? I didn't do much of anything except get beat as usual. Clearly unaware of my inner turmoil, Kai continued, "Jake goes there when he feels threatened, the owner is someone related to him but we don't have much on him yet."
The last bit was muttered and he sighed clearly annoyed before shuffling the papers. "Moving on, we think that the house Jake uses isn't his only safe house. He is a butcher after all, we're looking into it now." I find myself nodding along as they slowly brief us on each aspect of this.
It was amazing how quickly these two could flip, one second they're dorky, lovable, weirdos. The next they're full blown mafia lords about to lead us into battle.
"We're going to split up," Davi had taken over again. I looked to him eagerly as he looked around the room. "Me, Kai, and Tsu are going to go head on face off with Jake. Jason-" he said skewering the younger with his glare, "you and Julia are going to be the full blown rescue. Seeing as he was lost on your watch, I figured you'd want to save him." He eyed Jason up and down, I expected the younger boy to lash out but, surprisingly, he just nodded solemnly. "Good, Ash, I think I'm gonna have you on the rescue side as well, since you're fast."
Ash nodded and turned to Lauren who'd remained as she was, she hadn't moved this whole time. Just watched, when she was in a room I found myself drawn to her. She was an interesting person, she'd study a room or give it one glance.
If she glanced, it meant the room was simple enough to read. If she studied, well that meant the room was hard to read- which was odd for us. As though she sensed me watching, her gaze flicked to me. I dropped mine quickly and turned back to Kai and Davi.
"Brandon and Bri, you two are expendable- sorry to say but you are- so you two, frontlines." The two new kids paled more so than before, and I couldn't help the smirk that was on my lips. I quickly covered it with my hand faking a yawn before clearing my emotions from my face, he's just being honest. He's not gonna sugar coat it. These brats need to learn how out of their league they are. Out of all of us, these two are expendable.
Kai was watching me from the corner of his eye and I couldn't help but blow him a kiss. He rolled his eyes and focused on Davi but didn't hesitate to squeeze my hand under the table. I looked across and saw the kids' faces slowly accept this truth as he was saying it.
Davi smirked and opened his mouth to speak but Kai stood from his place to stand beside Davi. He reached out and put his hand on his shoulder stopping him. Davi turned slowly in question and Kai smiled softly, there was a moment of silence as the two stared at each other coming to a consensus mentally. The silence carried on for a moment longer before Davi ducked and gave Kai the room.
"I want to do everything in our power to save Timothy." His tone was calm, halting almost. I bit my lip and twiddled my fingers, I knew where Kai was going and I knew Jason wasn't going to like it. Kai walked around as he spoke until he was beside Jason, I felt the boy tense and mentally pleaded with any god that Kai wouldn't say what I knew he was going to.
It didn't work.
He put his hands on Jason's shoulders and I felt the calmness he was slowly feeding into the boy. It washed down Kai's body and flowed directly into Jason. I felt like I could practically see his power flowing into the boy, it was strange but I couldn't look away. I watched as Jason's look of stress and anger turned to one of peace and calm.
I closed my eyes and sighed quietly, "we need to look at all possibilities, it's been a month." Kai spoke quietly, when I opened my eyes, I saw Jason tensed slightly.
I felt Kai up the calming juice and I scooted over from them. Kai shot me a glare from the side and I shot it back, there was no need for this. He was going overboard, "Timothy may not be the kid we knew. It's possible he may be working-" he didn't get to finish.
Jason shot up faster than I thought possible and swung at Kai. I sucked in my breath and saw the shock on Kai's face before the fist connected. Jason got in two hits before Kai launched him back towards the table, he fell into the chair which rolled away and slid to me.
He coughed and spit blood and as he went to lunge again I'd seen enough. I threw a bolt of lightning from my hand between them and knocked them both back, there was a crack of thunder that rocked the room. Kai clapped his hands over his ears and Jason groaned.
I grimaced slightly but stood between them, "enough!" Brandon and Bri sat straight as a board their eyes wide, Ash and Lauren leaned against the wall watching it all unfold. They both looked amused by our antics, like they were watching a particularly funny show. Davi sighed, "damn it Kai- there's only so many times I can fix this pretty face."
Julia snickered and I felt the fear and shock in the room slowly dissipate. I frowned and stepped back while Davi leaned forward over Kai fixing him.
I heard the crunch of him resetting Kai's nose and squirmed slightly. There was a thud as the door opened and when I turned I saw "Mikey." His eyes flicked up to mine and he smiled softly, his smile disappeared as he turned and looked around the room, though.
He sighed, "what happened?" I threw my hands up in exasperation just as Davi whipped around. He walked up to Mikey and looked him up and down.
Mikey raised a brow and looked at me in confusion, I shook my head as if to say I-don't-know.
I heard Jerome's words in my mind as I looked at Mikey do you trust him? How well do you know him?
I chewed on my lower lip as I looked to Mikey. I'd know if he was lying- right?
Lauren looked to me in confusion and I growled lowly in my throat, shit I need to reign my thoughts in. She's going to just focus on me and read me like a damn book. Davi smiled now, "good- I forgot about you. Mikey, you've got training now, right? You've been working cleanup for a month now, you can handle death?" His tone was sweet and I saw Mikey watching Davi with a look of distrust. He nodded but didn't speak and Davi turned to Kai who shrugged.
He clapped Mikey on the shoulder, "welcome to the big leagues. We're leaving in five, Jason get him a suit." He stepped back and looked at the room, "everyone take five minutes to do what you need to and we'll be leaving. Keep in mind, what Kai said is true."
Jason glared and Davi stared him down, "whether you want to hear it or not, it's true. Timothy has been gone a month. It is possible he's turned on us and this could all be an elaborate trap to get us all murdered. He has nothing left here. He thinks you died, or are you forgetting he saw your cold, dead, lifeless body lying on the ground with your throat slit?"
Jason pursed his lips, glaring at Davi now and Davi didn't budge. He tilted his head to the side before continuing. "Or," he said looking at each of us in turn.
His eyes were filled with sadness, "he could be a scared kid waiting for us to save him. I'm not-" he paused, "I already lost him once, I'm not losing him again. Understood?" Everyone nodded and he smiled, "good. Tsu, I need you- five minutes." With that he turned and walked back out the door. I turned to look at Kai who shrugged wiping his face, and grimacing. I pursed my lips, but I stood and looked to Jason.
He nodded for me to go after Davi, and after a moment I did. Lord please let this be pleasant. I felt all the eyes in the room on me, I held my head high and walked slowly, pointedly, out of the room.