Those Darn Dogooders

13

Jinx

Stay calm, Jinx…just got to stay calm…don't take the inhibitor off…you'd blow up the entire airport if you did…breathe in, breathe out..

I'm glued to my chair. My eyes are shut tightly; maybe I'm just imagining this? Yeah, yeah, that's all…he just called me "Jinx" by accident, because we were talking about bad luck, joking about it…it was a mistake…Wally isn't Kid Flash…

"Jinx, please listen to me," Wally pleads with me silently as I clench my fists around the ends of the armrest. So it wasn't a mistake. Breathe in…

"How did you find me?" I ask, still afraid to open my eyes. If I see him again...it'll all be real…it'll make sense…

"I followed you," he whispers into my ear, his voice sounding panicky. "But it's not for why you think. I would never hurt you. Please, just listen to me!" And he reaches out his hand and lightly touches my arm. A shiver runs through my body and my eyes pop open. His hands are warm but I jerk my arm away from underneath him and fall back into the armrest of my chair, trying to get as far as possible away from him so that I can take my bag and leave.

Breathe out…

I have to make something up, fast. I'm not Jinx! No, that's stupid. I already blew it. He knows, and I know.

"Sorry, Wally, I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, forcing myself to stare at the Arrivals/Departures board right behind Kid Flash's left ear. My eyes search around desperately for some place to escape to. I can't go to L.A., but maybe if I get away long enough, I can grab another flight? New York was the default plan. Maybe even Miami. Same as L.A., just more bottle blondes.

"I, uh, need to go to the bathroom!" I say, happily spotting the sign gesturing towards the ladies room a little down the hall.

Kid Flash looks at me, his eyes pleading, probably plotting some way to quietly slip on some handcuffs. "Jinx, no more running away," he says as he grabs my arm firmly and yanks down. I crumple back into my seat, defeated. I should have expected this. But what can I do? If I take off this power inhibitor, I put every person in this airport at potential risk. But if I leave it on, let him take me in…it'll cost my freedom…

He doesn't let go, even when my butt is firmly on the plastic. My backpack is over my left shoulder, the strap sliding down my arm and finally touching his hand where Kid Flash is holding a death grip on my wrist. For a split second, he lets go, but in a motion that's far too fast to see he pulls the strap all the way off and sets the backpack on the floor, and then grabs my arm again.

"Jinx…please, we need to to listen to me."

I close my eyes again. How could he! How did he find me? I thought my plan was foolproof!

…Stay calm, Jinx. Breathe in, breathe out.

"Let go of me, Kid Flash," I manage to hiss, my teeth clenched and my eyes beginning to glow. I can still look intimidating, even with this power inhibitor. It only prevents anything from actually happening.

"Not until you listen to me," Kid Flash says, taking my chin in his hand and making me face him. I open my eyes only to see his crystal clear baby blues staring straight back at me. I let out an involuntary shudder. Just…wait…

At that moment, my courage kicks in, although it's very half-hearted, if not nearly non-existent. I need to fight back. I did it before, I can do it again. So I stare back at him, narrowing my eyes and using my free hand to slap his away from my face. He looks at me sadly for a moment but I just glare back, and then he lets go of me all together.