The Messiah [1]

23: Jax

"My hand hurts." Jax muttered into Athena's ear, expecting sympathy.

Instead he got a swift elbow to the ribs, as she whirled on him, her green eyes bright. Her dark complexion glowed in the light from the overhead lamps, giving her a radiance that she'd lacked outside. The recent demonstration with magic had also left its mark on her - bringing a bounce to her step, and an air of caution to the others in the group, as if she could spring any moment. But Jax wasn't worried. If Athena had wanted to hurt him that badly, she would have done it already.

"I did not ask you to hit him." She snarled, her eyes bright with suppressed emotion.

Jax could sense the emotional hurricane rolling inside of her. That display of magic was surprising, especially considering she hadn't been able to move anything larger than a couple rocks last time they trained. Jax reached out, awkwardly patting her back in a show of comfort. This new friendship was weird at best. He watched as she rolled her eyes and pushed away his hand. They quickly fell back in step with the group again.

"I know you didn't ask." He whispered, feeling the need to defend his actions. "He just looked like a jackass - and you know it's hard for me to control myself around jackasses."

Athena snorted, looking over her shoulder as she said, "How do you handle being around yourself all the time, then?"

"Ouch." Jax responded, one hand moving to cover his heart.

A cough drew his attention back to the group that was now gathered around a large door. Grayson stood in front, obviously waiting for everyone's attention so he could dramatically swing it open. Everyone seemed willing to humor the overzealous leader, because they all gathered around him expectantly. Jax shifted closer to Athena, still unsure of their complete safety.

"Welcome back to the movement, Athena." Grayson said, his voice pitched deeper for a dramatic effect, as he shoved the heavy metal door inward.

The grating sound of metal being dragged against concrete filled the air, making Jax and everyone else flinch.

Irritated murmurs followed Grayson into the large chamber. Jax's being the loudest of the grumbles - which earned him another elbow from Athena.

"Talk about a depressing room..." Athena said, gesturing around them.

Jax had to agree. Four stone walls connected to make a simple, box-like room. The only thing in it happened to be a large table, adorned with nothing but paperwork and the chairs around it. No other furnishing, no pictures, no anything. It was a sad, empty room for sad, empty kids.

He watched as they all shuffled into chairs, falling into a familiar pattern that left both Athena and Jax standing on the outside, their expressions blank.

Jax felt the stirrings of fear flutter in his stomach as he experienced what it was like to be an outsider for the first time in his life. This is what it was going to be like now that he was a nobody - all thanks to the choices he'd made.

A foreign pressure on his arm had Jax looking down into a pair of sympathetic green eyes - eyes that he had begun to think of as belonging to a friend. He nodded, trying to convey that he'd be okay - it was just an uncharacteristic bout of anxiety. Athena seemed to understand him, because she walked away to grab some of the spare chairs against one of the walls. Jax watched as she dragged them over, wondering why she didn't just use her magic.

When it became obvious she was just going to continue to drag them at a snail's pace, he walked over and took the chairs from her arms. He took three large steps and set them down with a loud thump, ignoring Athena's annoyed huffing.