Untouchable (ON HOLD)

Untouchable Ch.14

Alex and Angie sat in awkward silence on Liam's aged, striped loveseat. Liam rushed in from the kitchen behind the living room holding cups, saucers and hot water. He laid them down on a mahogany coffee table in front of the loveseat.

"Can't be guests in the home of an Englishman without being offered tea." He winked as he poured out hot water from a porcelain black kettle and put teabags into three cups. Liam took his cup and sat into a black armchair beside the loveseat and faced them.

"Sugar and cream are there if you like. Me personally, I don't take milk or sugar. It dilutes the taste." He glanced at Angie and Alex and groaned. "Come on, I'm trying to be a good host and have a lovely chat over some tea." He continued to stare eagerly at them until they finally picked up the cups.

After a few moments with no sound other than the occasional gulp, Alex piped up.

"Um. So first of all who are you, and how did you know about us again?"

Liam gave them a sly smile. "I'm Liam Whitecastle, I told you, didn't I?" He must have seen the annoyance on their faces and shook his head, continuing to smile. "Alright, then, story time. Alright. So, I grew up in England. Once, when I was about nine I fell ill. Very ill. Your friend Dr. C-good old Dr. C-treated me. And like the good doctor he was, he ran certain tests on me without telling me or my parents. It turned out I carried a special gene, and the Doctor wanted to take me back to America with him. He promised room, board and schooling for me and my parents said yes. I went with him and we stayed at Zander's facility. They found out that the gene I carried gave me super powers! I was so excited, I was in America, living with rich people who could take care of me, forever if they wanted." Liam's expression became grave.

"Didn't you stay with Dr. Carlson? Isn't he the good guy? Why were he and Zander working together?" Angie rapidly fired at Liam.

Liam held up a hand to silence her and smiled briefly. "Getting there, love. So I stayed in contact with my parents and everything, but they had other children to take care of, and jobs; they knew I was safe. I felt happy at Zander's. I felt safe. However, the day I turned 14, they put me in a room with a strange man. They told me he was lying about something and it was imperative they get him to tell them the truth. It was my job to "convince" him." Liam spat the word "convince" out and gritted his teeth. "I used my abilities for hours on the man in that room. Eventually, I got the truth out of him. But how I got it was the most painful thing. I tortured that man, I hurt that man. Badly. That man laid crying and bleeding on the ground and I was congratulated. For a job well done. That's what I had to do. For years, I did everything they told me to, hurt, injured, destroyed people's lives. But using my abilities like that had made me feel special; like I could do anything. But of course that wasn't true."

"Dr. Carlson would have never let that happen." Alex whispered fiercely.

Liam stood up furiously, knocking over his tea, and pointing a finger at Alex. "He would, and he did. There are no good or bad people when it comes to these abilities. They are all the same! The want to exploit you, use you, take away everything that you love..." Liam gestured towards Angie. He sighed and began to speak more calmly. "Ok, yes, I will be teaching you how to fight. I will teach you how to properly use your abilities. But most of all, I will teach you not to let these people take control of you or your abilities. I escaped from all of that and have been fine all this time. I borrowed Dr. Carlson's files on you and your other friend. I know who you are I know what you can do. I've been through this before myself and I am your best hope right now. I just need you to trust me. Please." Liam extended a hand to Alex. Alex looked to Angie who, with dried tears in her eyes, nodded. Alex shook with Liam and after, Angie did too.

"Thank you." Liam said. He looked down at the mess that was now his carpet. "Aww, dammit! My tea. You lot go on ahead into the room downstairs. It's the door on the right side of the hall. Yes, the one with the light on. I'll clean this mess up."

Alex took Angie's hand-he hoped she was ok with that-and lead her to the door. He turned back towards Liam as something occurred to him. "Hey, Liam?"

Liam grunted as he shuffled though the cupboard under his kitchen sink. "What?" He called from the adjacent kitchen.

"What exactly is your ability?"

Liam froze and slowly got up from off his knees in front of the cupboard. "You know what?" He said turning to face the two. "I think," He said quietly, "I'm out of Bounty Rolls."