SUPERNOVA ⎯ ❪ MARVEL ❫

chapter two ⎯ so suspicious

[ LIA ]

When Lia first realized she was awake, everything was too bright. At first, she thought that she was dreaming - she was back home, safe in bed, after all. But the light wouldn't stop searing her corneas. The white, blinding light. Lia lifted her arms to rub her aching eyes. Or well, she tried to. But her hands wouldn't move. She tried again, feeling cold metal press against her wrist.

Panic closed off her throat and her eyes ripped open. Lia sat up - at least she was able to do that much.

The room was sparse. Stark white walls with metal floors and fluorescent lights. Her reflection staring back at her from one of the walls. Lia quickly averted her eyes, not wanting to see the dark shadows and pain that she knew would haunt her face. Probably a one-way mirror, Lia thought as she looked down.

She was sitting on a metal table, her wrists locked onto it with cuffs. She shivered. It was cold in here. Probably as a precaution against her... heat-inducing abilities.

Lia took a shaky breath, closing her eyes and crossing her legs under herself. She was going to stay calm. Whoever was watching wasn't getting anything from her.

And someone was definitely watching.

There was no room for fear or panic. She'd always know this would happen someday. They couldn't stay under the radar forever. Someday they'd be caught and charged for the crimes they'd inherited. The least she could do was make it as difficult as possible for whoever had imprisoned her.

What happened? she asked herself, trying to ignore the pulsing that had suddenly started in her head. All she could remember was heat. And voices. Too many voices. It had overwhelmed her. Lia gritted her teeth as flames licked her shoulders. Appearing out of thin air as usual. The warmth wasn't as comforting as one would expect, even in the cool air. She had no idea where they came from, or why. Or how to control them.

Her eyes flickered from the walls - which gave her zero clues on where she was - to the mirror. She looked away again, but after a second, gritted her teeth and turned back. She'd have to look eventually.

Across from her sat a girl, pale and looking as if death itself had tried to meet with her. Her clothes here ripped - and even fried in some places. Her hair stuck up everywhere. Lia tried to run a hand through it, biting her lip as cool metal bit into her skin. Dark circles, almost like bruises, hung under this girl's eyes. Her haunted eyes. She wasn't sure if the girl looked defiant or terrified. Maybe a little bit of both. But exhausted. She looked so, so exhausted.

Lia looked away, her gaze returning to the cuffs that chained her to this insufferable piece of metal. They were simple, bands of steel or aluminum or something of that sort.

With a resigned sigh, Lia called fire to her hands, watching as the flames danced and swayed like dancers. At least she had that level of control. She could summon her power as she wished, but she could never put it back. She could start the burning but never stop it.