Prodigal Son

chapter 18

Agent Fowler poured himself a mug of coffee, breathing in the aroma.
"I got in contact with my boys. Officially got the search called off, everyone knows your boy is back home."
Charlie nodded, grabbing another mug.
The hospital cafeteria was mostly deserted, except for them.
"Thank you. I... I can't properly express my gratitude for everything you've done, this last week. I know we've really only interacted professionally, over the years, but... thank you, bill. Thank you."
Agent Fowler clapped him on the back, downing a swig of coffee.
"Hey. I've done my time for uncle Sam, and I've become a master at doing things professionally. I walk into Sector E, everybody snaps to attention. But, in my long career, you learn to act from the heart, not just the brain. Officially, the boys up top have this incident filed away as "Protecting Assets". But..."
Agent Fowler trailed off.
Charlie watched as he set his mug down, and slowly extended his left hand.
Fowler smiled softly, eyeing the wedding ring nestled on his finger.
"... I've learned a thing or two about Families, Charlie."
Chief hadn't noticed the ring before. He took a sip from his mug, chuckling.
"So, you and June finally tied the knot, huh?"
"Yup. Jack was my best man. I heard Miko throws one hell of a bachelorette party."
"Heh... How about that... Congratulations."
Fowler sipped his coffee, thinking on it.
"You wouldn't expect to learn about family, dealing with extraterrestrials for the last couple decades. But really, what's the difference, in the end?"
"What do you mean?"
Fowler gestured out, towards the hall.
"Life is short, Charlie. For them, for us, for everyone. We're lucky if we make it 80 years, they go for millions. But sometimes, it just ain't enough. You never know where you'll learn what's truly important, Charlie. You'll never know where, you never know what'll happen."
He gazed gently, looking Charlie in the eyes.
"I wasn't about to let you loose your son, Charlie. You're right. We've really only interacted professionally. But... Sometimes life just isn't professional. And if that means fighting some wacked out tin can to help a rescue team save their youngest member, then so be it."
Charlie was at a loss for words.
"... Thank you, Bill."
"Any time, Charlie. Anytime."
Charlie stared down into his mug.
Time for second chances.
-
Cody took a deep breath.
He felt his legs trembling, weak from days of inactivity.
Still, he braced himself, and slowly lowered his legs over the side of the bed.
He winced as he bare feet touched the cold floor, but kept going.
He almost buckled from the sudden pressure, his muscles shocked to suddenly be in use again.
His head felt light, his hand had a vice grip on the bed's railing. He nearly buckled to the ground, but steeled himself.
"C'mon ... C'mon... It's just .. walking..."
He hated feeling so fragile.
His whole life, he'd tried to prove he was useful, that he was more than he seemed.
He'd tried so hard, to prove he belonged to be there.
But now it was all gone.
He'd been in a coma for three days, and now, he was struggling just to stand up.
He sighed, his head bowing as he slumped his weight against the bed.
His legs hurt. He was tired.
His breath shuddered, as he just tried to keep himself from falling to the floor.
"... Totally useless, Cody. Totally useless..."
But it wasn't like that was a new feeling.
"Cody, what are you doing?"
Frankie entered the room, imedianty latching onto Cody.
"You know you need to be resting!"
"I... I just..."
He sighed, and Frankie hurried over, slinging an arm under his shoulder.
".... I miss being normal, Frankie."
She pulled his full body weight into her own, her teeth gritting as she struggled to hold him up.
"I just... I'm so... Fragile. I hate it. I hate everybody tiptoing around me."
Frankie winced.
.... Oops....
She thought back to that morning.
She thought about how she filled Cody in on Heatwave's condition, while the adults idled in the hall and whispered among themselves with Doctor McSwain, occasionally giving a concerned look into the room.
Both of them had pretended not to notice.
Both of them pretended not to hear the snatches of words, whispers of "brain damage", "nerve damage", "sensory issues", and more.
Cody leaned his head against Frankie's shoulder, the bags under his eyes greatly in view as he wheezed for breath.
".... Why can't you all just tell me I'm broken?"
"Cody, you're not-"
"No. Please, not you too. Not... You... Too... Please..."
She was taken aback by how pleading his voice was.
"... What?"
She helped him back, and he sat down on the edge of the bed, his legs still dangling over the side.
He looked down, his hands grasping the sheets.
"... Everybody keeps smiling to my face. They keep acting like everything is going to be okay, but... It's not.... Things will NEVER be like they used to be. They... They can't... They could never... I... I could never...."
Frankie was quiet for a moment, then slowly sat down beside him, grasping his hand.
His skin was dry, coarse. His hands felt almost calloused.
"... It's scary. You're right. I promise, I'll be honest with you. And... Yeah. This is... Bad. But I promise you. I have your back, C.B. And I mean it, this time. I'm not letting anything happen to you again."
He rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand.
"... Aren't you mad? Don't you hate me? I... I tried to kill you..."
"Hey. I almost blew you up! By that logic, shouldn't you be mad at me?"
"... "
Cody didn't seem to know how to respond to that.
His hand went to his forehead, trailing the bandages there, before drifting down to his neck.
".... I can only remember... Fragments. It's more... Feelings, than anything. Some things are fuzzy, some I just know I'll never be able to forget."
He leaned back, his back flopping down on the bed, while his legs still damaged over the sides.
"... I did a lot of bad things, Frankie. But... One thing scares me more than anything."
She leaned back as well, mirroring his pose.
"What?"
His hand drifted forward, just grazing hers.
"... I think I liked it."
-
Several days prior:
Cody kept his head down as he slunk back to the awaiting car, the pockets of his hoodie bulging.
"Ah, dear boy, how was it?"
Cody grinned, jumping back In.
"Easy, just like you said. Ripped off the codes in the bathroom, nobody bats an eye at the kid."
The bot chuckled, then paused, as Cody rooted through the supply bags.
"You know, dear boy, I have been monitoring your vitals."
Cody shrugged, continuing to look through the supplies.
"So?"
"Just now, as you were gathering supplies, you had an elevated heart rate, adrenaline, Endorphins. Tell me, how does it feel, stealing?"
Cody paused, then smirked.
"... Weird. I know it's a bad thing, my dad's a police chief. But... If it's so bad..."
"Then why do you enjoy the rush?'
Cody nodded, and the bot chuckled again.
"It's intoxicating, is it not? You've spent your life confined to one side. But tell me, Cody Burns. Have you not been curious about the other side?"
Cody hesitated, but slowly nodded.
"... Yeah. Yeah! I've just... Wanted to know. And... And..."
From the console screen, the bot smiled intently.
"And how do you feel?"
"... Good. Really good."
"Do not worry, my dear partner. After all, we'll likely need more supplies. You'll keep stealing. And you'll keep feeling that rush."
-
Now:
Cody stared upwards, the florescent hospital lights hurting his eyes.
"... I liked it. I just... Know that was real. And... I'm scared. It felt good, Frankie. It felt good. And... And..."
"... You're afraid that means you're a bad person, aren't you?"
Frankie grabbed his hand, sitting up as she adjusted her position.
"Hey, listen to me. At some point, we all do things we know are wrong, but feel good."
"But not like this!! Frankie, this isn't something small, this... I was a freaking Supervillain!!! I'm as bad as Morocco!! I tried to kill my family!! I tried to kill you!! I... Almost killed Heatwave... And... I just remember that rush. That thrill."
Frankie pulled him close, his head slumping over her shoulder.
The thick bandages wrapped around his neck scratched against her face, and wrapped her arms around him tight.
"... I'm a monster, Frankie..."
She rubbed his back, the hospital gown making an odd "swish" noise as she did.
"Cody.... It's over now... It's over..."
"... Frankie.... That's... That's not it..."
"... What do you mean?"
Cody heaved a wet breath, his body seeming even frailer in Frankie's embrace.
"... Not all of it... But... Those things I said..."
He suddenly pulled away, pure shame filling his eyes as he looked into Frankie's.
"... I meant it. I really meant some of those horrible things I said..."
Frankie felt her heart shatter.
Cody looked deeply ashamed at what he'd admitted. His lip quivered, his eyes fluttered closed as he tried blinking back tears.
"... I meant it... I meant it... Everybody keeps telling me, it wasn't my fault, it was messing with my brain, it was controlling me, I'd never do it normally, BUT THE GUILT IS KILLING ME! IT WAS!!! IT WAS MY FAULT, BECAUSE DEEP DOWN, SOME PART OF ME WANTED IT!! AND THAT SCARES ME!!"
Frankie went silent.
Cody gasped for breath, exhausted from his meltdown.
".... I'm scared. I'm scared."
He'd burned through his strength now.
He started falling forward, but Frankie caught him, laying him back.
She laid his head back on the pillow, squeezing his hand tight.
"... I'm sorry.. I... Don't know what to say..."
Frankie stumbled over her words.
And she was so focused on Cody, that neither noticed.
Kade lingered just outside the doorframe, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.
He backed away, sweat beading down his forehead, before slowly breaking Into a run.
He needed out of here.
He never should've come.
He didn't belong here.
But most of all, he knew.
He'd hurt his brother.
And he could never take it back.