Running On Caffeine Not Adrenaline

Chapter 11

TW: Panic attack, minor blood

Target is one of the more disappointing jobs, but it pays well. Management isn't utter shit and most of the employees don't complain. The ones who do complain are let off early on, even if they were good workers. I got lucky, with all the complaining I did, I still became a manager. It's ironic.

I clock in and go straight to my office. I get my walkie situated and wait for night shift to switch with the morning shift. I place Nova on the cot I have in a blocked off area of my office, cover him with a blanket, and stay quiet until something happens.

"Tommy, a Hero is asking for you?" I groan. I open the coms on the walkie, "Bring them to my office." I knew this would happen. Of course, Spitfire is just that type of person. Yet legally they can't search my home or my place of work without a warrant. I hear a knock on the door, and I glance up. Through the fogged glass I can make out the colour green. My stomach drops. Only three Heroes wore green, Dream, Bomber, and Foolish. None I want to visit me AT WORK. "Come in." He- no. They come in. It's Dream and Bomber. "Hey, how can I help you?" I put on a customer service smile. They shut the door. "We're here due to intel that you're harboring a Villain." I raise my brow. "No? Is this a joke...? Uhm? Did Jared ask y'all here? I get I fired him, but he shouldn't be such an asshole..." They look at each other than me. "No, in fact it was another Hero." I internally curse at myself. "Oh? I haven't seen any Heroes recently- except Ichor! But that was yesterday and before that I hadn't seen many of you guys. Maybe their mistaking me?" Bomber's huff causes me to be tense. It's that huff of anger, I hate that I can recognize that sound.

I clasp my hands tight together. "We have a feeling you're lying." I glare at them. "With one witness? How wonderful..." I roll my eyes and lean back in my chair. "Your tense. Why?" Their stances are screaming hostile. "Wouldn't you like to fucking know you nosy bitches." I take a deep breath. "We would. Considering the Hero who told us about you says that you're harboring a big time Villain, Nova. We know you have him." He taps his fingers against the desk. Then that damn huff, I hate it. My leg bounces. I'm not scared or anxious, I'm fucking pissed. "Well, you can tell Sapnap to stick a foot up his ass for this bullshit he's making up." Dream slams his hands on the desk. My whole body jolts.

I miss the lavender scent in the room. It smells of iron, and they're screaming at me. I didn't mean to break the vase. I was just admiring the flowers. I don't understand why they hate me. I don't get why I must be stuck alone in this awful room. I just want air; I want my mom or dad to come back for me. I don't want to be alive anymore. I just want happiness. I won't ever escape this place; I'll be here forever. I'll never age, they will keep me here until I decide to end it and even if I wanted to, they would manage to keep me. My soul will be sacrificed to that forsaken place. I hate it here; I want a home. I want my fucking freedom. But I feel useless.

I want Sam- I gasp, the lavender scent enters my nose. I make out Drista's face. I can't help but hug her tightly. "Please don't let them take me. I can't go back- I can't." I sob. I cannot go back to that place. "I won't Tommy. I won't let them take you. They can't. Your free." Relief runs through my veins. I feel her head turn. "You two need to leave. I don't care what you need to talk to him about." I look up at her stern words. I see those two heroes, Bomber, Dream. "Their fine Dris...I didn't know I'd react like that. I'm fine." I pull away and wipe my tears. "No! You aren't fine. And if you think I'm leaving you alone with those two, you have another thing coming." Her scolding words were strange. She acted like a big sister despite being a few months younger than me. I sigh. "This talk can only continue if Drista can be here. If not, then you'll have to leave." I stand up. She is doing the same. "I don't see a problem with that. She'll just find out you're harboring a Villain." Dream's voice is irritating. "With what proof?" She pushes for the answer. "A witness from another Hero." "Spitfire." "Fucking knew it! He is that type of person, you owe me fifteen bucks Toms." I roll my eyes. "Just be sure to get your ten from Ran." She nods all too excitedly. I look back at the Heroes. "Do continue. Don't mind us." They repeated the same shit from earlier. "-we have a warrant to search your residence." I slowly nod. "Okay. Go ahead. Why are you here? Go search my apartment." They pause. "We did. We found these clothes. It has Nova's DNA." I raise my brow. "Oh? I mean I let a kid into my apartment because his car broke down, he was soaked so I let him borrow my clothes. His phone was dead, so I let him charge it. Looked nothing like the Villain and honestly, I couldn't recall what he looked like." They seemed surprised that I just said that. "Oh." Bomber and Dream look at each other. "Yeah." "We're so sorry. We were not aware the public didn't know what Villain Nova looked like as a civilian. We'll be sure to tell that to the other Heroes. We will- uh send an apology gift. Again sorry- Dream lets fucking go I need to kick Spitfire's ass." We watched the two leave.

I look to Drista. "Mind manning the floor for a couple hours? I need to just, breathe for an hour or two." She nods. Her hugs are filled with love and warmth, and she departs shortly after. "Walkie me if you need me." She nods and closes the door. I headed to the back room of the office, and I forgot about Nova, in alien form, right there. He's wide awake. I entered the room and shut the door. "Why didn't you give me away?" His voice is so soft. "Even as a Villain, you still have morals. You don't kill for fun and your empathetic when you hurt somebody." I shove my face into a pillow. The room acts like a sensory room. "I tried to kill that girl." I sigh. "No. It would be a warning shot. It wasn't a killing blow." He was aiming for her shoulder.

....

I'm stable enough, and I leave the room. "Stay here, I don't need someone seeing you and kidnapping you." I don't let him answer. I leave my office and scan the floor. I open coms on my walkie. "Are we all good here?" I get good responses. Drista is a good emergency floor manager. I walk around the target with a small smile. I head to Ran's section to get a quick check up. He is a new employee after all.

...To Be Continued