Marvels: Olivia and River

5. Fruitloops and Vitamin Water

Olivia's POV*

It was the smell of coffee that woke me up. Jason had often called me a coffee fiend and it was something I'd had to drop when our money supply started dwindling.

I had yet to open my eyes, content to lie in bed a little longer. My mind was kind of fuzzy like how it got after drinking the drowsy kind of cough syrup and I struggled to remember the past few days.

I cracked an eye open and saw that the room I was in was not the tiny bedroom in my and Jamie's apartment.

The one we were kicked out of.

I remembered and suddenly it all came rushing back. I sat bolt upright in the bed and was horrified to see i was wearing different clothes. Someone dressed me while I was unconscious. I shivered involuntarily. After getting over the thought of some random pervert dressing me I immediately scanned the room for any signs of Jason. There wasn't  any. The room was spotless and the furniture was plain and seemed to be bolted to the floor. At least I knew this wasn't a nightmare. My subconscious could conjure  up something much more creative than what looked like an IKEA showroom.

I spotted the door to my right and I practically jumped out of bed to see if it was unlocked. I crossed my fingers and prayed to whatever gods might've been listening as I slowly pushed down the door handle and pulled it towards me.

I was actually shocked when it opened. Yeah it meant I didn't have to go all Kung fu panda on its ass but it also meant one of two things. Either my "kidnappers" were even more stupid than I thought or they weren't afraid of me finding a way out. Cocky or what? I tried to tell myself that they'd just underestimated me but my growing panic threatened to suffocate my resolve. I pulled myself together and when the dust settled in my mind only one thought remained. Find Jason.

I crept down the corridor and cringed as my bare feet touched the cold floor. They could dress me but they couldn't give me socks? I guess it made my steps quieter but I couldn't get out of here with bare feet. I turned left down a random corridor and could hear voices coming from further down. I moved towards the noise being as quiet as I could and stopped about a metre away, struggling to hear what they were saying.

Rivers POV*

"How long will her majesty and the kid be staying with us?" I asked Bill, hoping I didn't sound as uneasy as I felt.

"The foreseeable future." He replied curtly before taking another huge bite of his sandwich and going back to his paper.

Everyone was currently sitting in the kitchen either having lunch or just wanting to be social. I wasn't really in the mood for social.

"Seriously dude who rammed a stick up your ass?!" Sierra said, not even bothering to look up from her nails that she was painting a heinous pink colour. "You've been even more impossible than usual since the girl and the kid got here."

"Can we not keep calling them 'the girl' and 'the kid'?" This came from Reggie. He was a decent guy but didn't stay at HQ. Said he liked his privacy which I used to view  as lack of commitment to the cause but after being walked in on in the middle of getting dressed for the hundredth time I understood.

"What do you suggest? Storm and professor X?" Jackson said with a mouth full of fruit loops. I shook my head and asked myself for the millionth time why I hung around with these people.

"You do know that cereal isn't actually an all day thing?" Sierra said and I zoned out as her and Jackson went back and forth for a bit. They were both obviously into each other but maybe between them they had enough brain cells to realise what a shit show that would be as nothing had happened between them yet.

I was day dreaming about nothing important when I was jolted out of  my subconscious by a certain brunette entering the kitchen, striding up to the fridge like she was meant to be there and all I could do was sit stunned as she withdrew a vitamin water from its contents.

"It's all so healthy," she said , wrinkling her nose and casual as a cat on a Sunday she plopped herself down on a chair, directly opposite me.

Olivia's POV*

Why did I think this was a good idea!? Oh I know why, because I am literally the stupidest person alive! I guess it's too late to back out now my conscience offered up helpfully. I was looking through the fridge for something edible and was annoyed by how healthy it all was. I could practically feel all of their eyes burning a hole into my back and it made me want to hide under the table. Be strong for Jason. I thought it over and over again like a mantra. I settled on some vitamin water and turned around ,trying to seem casual as I made a bee line for the nearest possible seat.

I probably should've chosen more carefully as I realised I ended up opposite River, who was evidently not my biggest fan. Since I had the rooms' attention I decided to make the most of it while I had the upper hand. I doubted it would last long.

"Do any of you actually know how to speak or do you always sit around gaping like goldfish?"

I asked casually, unscrewing the lid from the vitamin water and taking a sip. Ugh! Who would actually pay for this? What I wouldn't give for something sugary right now.

"You're awake." Said the older guy who'd  tried to take Jason away from me. I tried desperately not to glare at him. I needed him right now.

"Obviously." I said hoping to sound bored but my voice had a slight tremor. "My brother would be where exactly?" I asked, hoping no one noticed my wobble. Weakness was not something I could afford right now.

"So he is your brother then?," River said from opposite me and I didn't even bother to try and stop the glare that appeared on my features.

"Yes he's my brother, now where is he?" I snapped. I tried to calm myself down as I could do without these people thinking I was loose cannon and do something stupid like shoot me.

"He's in solitary. For his protection and the protection of everybody else here." Bill said in a monotone voice and it took everything in me not to lash out at him.

"An 11 year old boy. I see how that may be frightening to a group of criminals." I replied sarcastically.

"Criminals?" Questioned a girl sitting at the opposite side of the room. She sounded almost hurt at the suggestion

"Oh I'm sorry! Is kidnapping no longer a crime? I must've been here longer than I'd realised for such big news to pass by without my knowledge." Now that I'd started it I couldn't seem to turn off the sarcasm and I was over doing it a bit.

"Might want to ease up on the attitude missy. I'm the only one who knows where your brother is right now." Bill looked  at me like you would look at a child who was throwing a tantrum for no reason.

"That a threat?" I asked cooly , my fear almost paralysing me.

"Just the truth" the old bastard replied.

Rivers POV*

She stood up abruptly and made her way towards the door she had entered through, leaving her bottle of vitamin water on the table. She turned to Bill before she left, her face devoid of emotion.

"I could make a tornado sweep this place away with a single thought. Lucky for you I value my life too much. I want to see Jason." She demanded and I could see Bill visibly stiffen at the reminder of her ability.

"Oh and some goddamn socks. I have rights you know." She turned and was almost out the door when Jackson yelled

"Wait! What can we call you?" What the hell was this idiot doing?

"Call me whatever you like. Can't guarantee I'll answer though." Were her parting words and then she disappeared round the corner  leaving us all paralysed.

She was certainly something else.

"I think I'm in love" I heard Jackson say and then a sound of pain as he was hit by Sierra.