Arrogance: Volume One of Ebb & Flow

Chapter 14 - Inklings of a Plan

I walk over to Aubrey and check her pulse. It's steady, but she is out cold. Her abdomen is burned pretty badly, and she has the same lines on her skin as Froggy. Lee Daeshim didn't use his full power on her. If he had, she probably would have had a hole in her. As is, she has horrific scarring she'll live with for the rest of her life. There's no Liquid Lazarus to save her. You will have a long road to recovery. I hoist her onto my back and begin the long walk back. Her weight on top of my own only makes my body hurt even more than it does. Should I just leave her? No, there's a chance she survives this, and then I have made an enemy.

I keep checking behind, but Lavagirl lets me walk away without interference or further discussion. Getting back to my truck while carrying Aubrey isn't an easy time. I have to repeatedly readjust my hold so she doesn't fall off of me. Once we're back, I gently put her in the passenger seat, buckle her in, and remove her helmet. Thankfully, hers isn't too difficult to take off, and I free her head with minimum effort. She's breathing normally, so she's just unconscious, not something worse. I need to bring her to a hospital and somehow discreetly leave her there. She'll have to forgive me after getting me involved in this awful night. But where to drop her off? Should I leave her at St. Augustine or here in Crimton? It's got to be St. Augustine; she'll be safer in New Farford with her mom.

Before leaving, I want to steal some of the cash and drugs. Aubrey's secure and resting, so she won't mind waiting. My turtleneck looks worse for wear, so I switch it with the blue hoodie I keep in my truck. It's dirty and beat up; I have it for messy days. I put my thumbs through the holes in the sleeves and remove my helmet, hiding it underneath my shirt. Now, no one should associate me with the masked man from earlier. Hunch my back to appear shorter and keep one arm tucked in the other. Feign a limp and make slight sudden movements every so often. I want to appear suspicious, so I seem less suspicious. It's better if they think I'm a junkie looking to pick up. Body language is one of the subconscious things we notice about other people. By masking my own, I can become a completely different person.

I limp across the street and back to the scene of the fight. Everything is exactly as I left it. The fires are mostly snuffed out, and the scent of burnt plastic, blood, and gasoline fills my nose. The helmet protected me from the smell. Lee Daeshim's lifeless body is stuck in the cooled tar like a monument to the massacre. I step carefully around the few remaining fires and blackened body parts. I don't have a backpack, so I can only take what I can fit in my pockets. There's still a ton of drugs and cash everywhere. The bricks are probably my best bet. I grab ten bricks and put them into my shirt before tucking my shirt into my pants. That should hopefully prevent any of them from falling out as I move on to the cash. Hundreds are waiting to be taken, and I don't bother counting them as I stuff my pockets full of crumbled bills. I make sure only to grab the crisp, clean ones. I guess it's true that the cops don't involve themselves with the docks. Well, it makes all of this that much easier. I'm covered in contraband when I get back to my truck.

Aubrey looks about the same, and I grab my wallet and keys from their hiding place. I need to drop her off before I do anything. I arrived at the docks with nothing but Aubrey and her lack of a plan. And I am leaving with three new powers, three new personality pieces, ten kilos of cocaine, and several thousand dollars. The ride back to New Farford is silent and peaceful. The cool summer air feels nice and helps me ignore the scent of the docks that cover both of us. The thirty minutes go by quickly, and I'm almost at St. Augustine. I place her helmet back on her; the laws require hospital staff to respect a Cape's anonymity. I assume they'll call the BNA, and then maybe Aubrey can use this as a springboard for her to join the Heroes' Union. They must have trial periods for younger, hopeful Neuvohumans who aren't ready to be full-fledged Capes. This is the best I can do for her without exposing myself to danger. If she tells anyone about me, I will have to get rid of her.