The Matters of Power

Chapter 47- With Friends Like Them

May. The month of test cramming, school graduation, and the beginning of the summer craving that any high school kid will start to develop. Except in my case, I also have to worry about defeating this 'Crimson Group' by the end of this month or else I won't ever get answers I so desperately need from Mr. Corvanez. The first few periods feel like they take forever on the account that my teachers only review subjects that we had learned through the school year, and I nearly fell asleep in one of my classes even with other people's thoughts invading my mind. At lunchtime though, the atmosphere at my lunch table is tense, and see Payton thinking furiously about something. "(Payton) I'll get him. He'll know what's up, and then he'll see how much he broke my heart by breaking our promise." I don't know what's going on between her and Carl, but I try to ease things up. "Hey, Payton, you don't look so good. What's on your mind?" She looks at me with a calm face, but her eyes tell a different story. "Huh? Oh, nothing much, Marcus. All this class reviewing has me thinking a lot. Don't worry, it's NOTHING to worry about." Her response sends a shiver down my spine, but she can't fool me, not like Fernando or Carl. I drop the subject and try to enjoy my lunch until the bell rings, but the thought of what Payton said still hangs on the back of my mind all the way until the final bell rings and school is over. As I head to my locker and store some of the heavier textbooks and journals, I sense the same tension nearby, and use my abilities to find Payton and Carl hiding near one of the hangouts spots most students use. I immediately forget about my initial task and start to head towards them, where I see Payton dangle a photo at Carl's face, and I immediately hide out of sight. I immediately observe the picture and see that it was taken at the Guerra Family's original hideout, with Carl being the main subject of the photo. "This! This is what I mean!"

She shoves it as his chest. "Why? Why of all times would you go start a fight with other people, and in the middle of the night? What about our promise, did that mean nothing to you?" "I- I mean-" "Mean what?" She proceeds to leans on him and he grabs hold of her as tears start to appear. "Is there something to why you would keep yourself away from me all this time? No, you have a reason, isn't there?" With a sigh, Carl starts to spill about what he has done ever since he kept his involvement in fights from her after the Fall Festival. Surprisingly, he never tries to deflect the blame on me or Swift Cross, but his words hang heavy the more he starts to explain. When he finishes, they say nothing, their minds too scrambled for me to read. I expected Payton to outright reject his explanation, but to my surprise she wipes her eyes and hugs him. "Fine. I get it. To think that you might've fought for something other your own ego. But..." she lets go and rips the photo she had in half. "I don't want you to be like them. Even though you rescued me all those months ago, you of all people should know that there are more dangerous people than just petty high school delinquents. Please, just... no more fighting, it's not good for you to do this." He does nothing but nod extensively, clearly shook from this relationship incident. "Alright. I hear you. I'll stay away from hanging out with them for the time being, and I promise you that I won't fight unless it's for self-defense as a last resort. You have my word." Dang, that means I can't count on Carl to join the call to destroy the last gang at this point. I want to try to approach them and console them in any way I can, but I hear someone immediately to my side and see Zeke of all people there. "Oh no..." He tries to make a run for it in the other direction, but I easily catch up to him and stop him in his tracks, grabbing hold of his shirt collar. "What did you do, Zeke?" "Nothing, man!" "Liar!" I feel anger rise inside me as he obviously lies through his teeth. "You took that picture, didn't you?! After all this time, I thought we had an understanding that we leave each other alone! Are you really that petty that you're willing to ruin a relationship instead of manning up and confronting him one-on-one?" "No, it ain't like that!" I let him talk to see what excuse he makes up. "I found some binder inside my backpack that wasn't mine, and all it had was that photo and a letter that told me to give to Payton without explanation. Honestly, I didn't even know he was fighting those kinds of people and now I'm even afraid to approach you. I'm telling the truth!"

I'm reluctant to even accept that idea that someone outside would want to do something so brazen. I try to get more information out of Zeke, but to my surprise I see Quarter walking towards us. "Marcus." He gestures me to follow him. "Leave him. We need to talk on more pressing matters." I want to argue against him, but I decide at the last minute to agree and let go of Zeke, leaving him where I left him to nearly soil his pants and following Quarter to the same gym training room that Swift Cross uses as a hangout spot. He grabs a chair and I do so as well, staring at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time. Finally, he speaks up. "That crystal. It's not a birthmark, is it?" I was not expecting that out of the blue. "What? You can see it?" "You mean no one else was able to see it on your arm? Tell me then, did Mr. Corvanez also give you it?" This is starting to feel like an interrogation. "...Yes. I assume you have the crystal that gives you supernatural powers somewhere on your body." He doesn't reply, but instead pulls up his shirt for me to see his crystal directly in the center of his chest, with a bunch of scars and spots of ink all across his torso. I'm in disbelief of what I'm seeing. "...What happened to you?" "Too much. It's how I was even approached by that man to begin with. You have different powers than I do. What's yours?" "Psychic." "Mine's a sort of Iron Will. I know that Oscar has some sort of Physical powers, but I know there is one more person that has powers like us that I haven't been able to find out." Does he mean about Julieta, or Guadaro? "Why do you even want to talk about this now? Has this been always on your mind?" "Yes, and..." he shifts in his chair a bit, "this last group, they aren't your typical gang, not even like the Guerra Family. This might be a fight where we might die if we lose, and I need to be sure what strengths we have to face them."

There's still something that bothering me, "Ever since you knew, why have you always tried to cooperate with me?"

"Because you are my friend, Marcus. We need friends now more than ever to finish this game we were given to finish, one way or another."