Infinite: Power

Chapter Twenty For... give?

Stawen watched how the doctor attended Felix's burnings in silence. He sat on a chair next to the bed where his friend lay, inside an exclusive emergency room. It was pretty standard, all in all, but one could choose not to have unrequired company. Luckily his fortune allowed him to pay for such privileges. Felix was conscious but in a state of shock and under anesthesia. His arm and one side of his face were covered in bandages. He got burnt.

"You say a lightning bolt..."

"It happens, you know. In the field. He was holding a metallic bracelet and waving it around. Now it's pulverized and he's lucky to be alive. Don't ask or I won't pay."

"Where... are... we..." Felix tried to speak. He was obviously regaining the ability to reason, and he'd probably notice they in not in the Orphetical hospital, but a real hospital in Los Angeles.

"Try not to speak, Mr. Burke. You just survived a terrible accident. We'll have you here until the bruises on your skin heal as much as they can. Try to stay quiet. Call the nurse if you need anything. Luckily, you're in no grave danger."

"You can leave now, Gilbert." Stawen commanded. The doctor nodded with respect and left.

Stawen looked down, waiting for Felix to recover his memory and disappointment. It didn't take long. The white haired young man, probably in pain, now held tears in his eyes while lying down.

"I bet this is the worst hangover you've ever had."

"Francis..." Felix said with a sigh. "That spiritual... thing... was it him?"

Stawen shut his eyes tightly. Contain yourself.

"Yes."

Few things made Stawen feel remorse. To break Felix's heart was one of them. He took a deep breath.

"Sorry?" Felix closed his eyes with disbelief. In all those years, Stawen had only seen him cry once. This was the second. "You're... sorry? You lied to me. You, of all people. My best fucking friend."

"Hang on. I'm sorry you had to find it out this way. But I'm not sorry for lying. I did what I had to do. I kept him away from you, so you couldn't hurt him."

Felix opened his eyes as much as he could. Several tears fell down his cheek.

"Hurt him?"

"You don't fool anyone, Felix." Stawen lost his patience. "You would have delivered him to the Orphets just like last time! Try denying that! You would have just served him into their table for them to devoure!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT!"

"No, my friend. YOU lost your right when you handed him over and betrayed all of us! So yes, I hid him from you, I don't give a fuck about what you say or do! I will keep him away until you become trustworthy again!"

"You know I wouldn't hurt him. That time I didn't know..."

"Do you think you're the only one who sees things, Felix? Don't forget I know how the story goes. Don't you forget that. You would have condemned that boy, once again, and you would have lost him. I'm just protecting his life. And Wincatt? I already talked to her and, even when she's hurt and almost kills me, she agrees with everything I've done."

"Stawen." Felix was beginning to recover his strength. He sat down and stared at his arm, all covered in bandages from the hand to the shoulder. "Listen to me. If you have any respect for our friendship—"

"I do." Stawen said, looking down. "And everything I've done is for the sake of our friendship. If you can't trust me and if you can't forgive me, then I can live with that. But I will not tell you anything about that boy until you come to your senses. Say that Orphets are actually cruel and dangerous, and that they were to blame for the loss of Francis in the first place. Then, I might tell you where he is."