Heroes Not Wanted

Chapter 13: Feigning Indifference

By the time Hal and Diana got back to the School, it seemed that all of Haven knew about Art's arrest. People crowded around them as Storm pulled them back inside the building, trying to demand why in the world a well-known super like Art would attack their benefactor. Even though Hal had no intention of telling them anything—granted, he didn't actually know anything himself—Storm still refused to let them even stop. It just made him look really ridiculous.

Diana was silent. It was as if the reason for her moodiness at breakfast had somehow been a precursor to what they were going through now. She didn't even send a telepathic message to him. Any time he tried to reach out to her, it was like he hit a brick wall. Her meaning was clear: Leave me alone.

So Hal walked in silence. Storm's nails were digging into his arms, and he felt rather like a naughty puppy being pulled along by the scruff of his neck. Once they got to the entrance of the girls' dorms in the School, the crowd was forced to disperse. Storm gave Diana a little shove. "Don't do anything stupid," she warned the younger girl.

A momentary expression of rebellion crossed Diana's face, swiftly doused by the glare Storm gave her. The two stood there for several seconds, and Hal assumed they were having a private telepathic conversation. He felt really left out, especially since Diana had shut him out of her mind not five seconds ago. He just stood there incredibly awkwardly, wishing Brick would show up so he could have an excuse to get the heck out of there.

Finally, without another word—though she looked really annoyed—Diana flounced off. Hal gave a little sigh as Storm grabbed his arm again and dragged him off in the opposite direction. He really wished she would just let him walk on his own.

After what felt like forever, they finally stopped at the entrance to the boys' dormitory. Before Storm could just shove him aside and walk away, Hal stopped her. "Storm, I just want to know what's going on," he said with a hint of pleading in his voice.

She glared at him for several seconds before her face relaxed a fraction. "I'm sorry, Hal. I don't want to leave you outside the loop, but it's safer for you now. If you get involved ... I don't want that to happen. You need to learn to control your powers."

"That doesn't mean anything to me if the people who helped me are getting thrown in prison for no reason," Hal protested.

Storm reached out and gently brushed his hair off his forehead. The gesture was so unexpected and unlike her that all he could do was stare. "Hal, I'm sorry. But this goes beyond us saving you. We've only known you for a little more than a day. I can't ask you to risk everything for us."

"But—"

"There's no 'but's about it, Hal," Storm told him. "This is between me and Art, and Guardian. I don't want either you or Diana dragged into this. If he thinks you're against him, he'll act against you as he's done with Art. Take my advice and sit this one out, Hal. It's not your fight."

Before Hal could think of any sort of a response to that, Storm turned on her heel and walked away. He kept staring after her for several moments, trying to curb his rebellious side while still thinking that she was dead wrong.

His train of thought was derailed when someone tapped on his shoulder. Jumping a mile into the air, Hal swung around and saw Brick standing there. "Holy cow, Brick!" he complained, breathless. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry, bro," Brick said. "But you were standing there for like ten minutes. You good?"

Hal hesitated, then nodded. If Storm didn't want Hal butting in, she definitely wouldn't want Brick to mess things up. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "Just a slight problem."