Butterflies Volume II

Chapter 13

They fled to Moscow, the easiest place to catch a plane out of there. Violet and M.M. sat together watching one of the tapes they nabbed from the lab; a jumble of Russian and TV static. Although Violet couldn't understand Russian, she could see what tests they were running because they were like hers, just a lot more violent. Doctors held Soldier Boy's mouth open as another unloaded bullets to the back of his throat, M.M. skipping ahead to them taking a blowtorch to his neck. The display of violence reminded Violet of her own torment in the lab, and she was grateful she was unconscious for most of it. Though grateful probably wasn't the word she should use.

Kimiko lied in the next room, Frenchie not leaving her side since they got there. They had given her everything she needed for the time being, but none of them were doctors, there were only so many supplies Violet could bring into existence. She had suggested making them a portal to get home quicker, but bursting into a hospital through purple glitter would certainly raise some alarms. Violet wanted to be by her side, though she hated that she couldn't do anything. Her healing didn't stretch for others, and it barely stretched to herself. With all that she could possess she never seemed to be able to do the things she wanted the most.

It left her staring at Soldier Boy through the screen of the tiny box TV, trying not to let his unconscious body remind her of her own. It was familiar, strange that they had something in common, when he'd done what he did to Kimiko. Maybe be couldn't control it, maybe he just wanted to escape. She didn't care. She knew his past.

"How the fuck's that cunt still breathing?" Butcher wondered from behind them.

"The same way I'm still breathing," Violet told him.

M.M. ignored Billy as he described what they could see in front of them, he'd ignored him their whole journey there. She couldn't blame him, she could barely stand the sight of him, but she told herself it wasn't long until they got back to New York and she could disappear again. She expected no apology as he hardly knew the word.

"I'll wager that's how he got them nasty powers," Butcher continued, unsettled by their avoidance.

Violet cringed as Soldier Boy fought his way out of the torture. There was shouting and clattering of equipment, like her dreams at the lab. Dreams that were really projections of what she went through, and if she had her file close by she'd check to see how badly they treated her again. Butcher moved to stand in their eyeline.

"Listen mate, we can't hang about here looking for him, right?" He tried M.M. first, "he's Ivan's problem now. We got to get Kimiko home to a proper doctor."

"You don't give a shit about Kimiko. Or anyone else."

He did. Underneath it all Violet was sure he did, or he wouldn't be trying so hard. There were too many times Violet fought to not only be the only Supe he'd let live, and peering up into his eyes she knew that still stands. And as for everyone else, she knew that not to be true. There was too much guilt floating around for that to be true. And even if she wanted to be far away from him, she still wanted to understand.

"Oh come off it mate," he defended, "look, I took a fucking sick drug. But in case you forgot, I just saved your life."

M.M. stood up, tilting his head, "you killed Gunpowder didn't you?"

"What?" Violet interrupted.

"Did you use your little laser eyes?"

"You too fucking right I did," Butcher said, "and it felt good in the moment. For once, I leveled the fucking playing field."

"Butcher," M.M. shook his head and stood back, "the whole point of what we do, the whole goddamn point, is that no one should have that kind of power-"

"-well ain't that just fucking fairies and dancing dildos eh? I happen to live right down here, mate, on planet earth."