Mind Over Mask

22. Arya

I watched Angie and Talon as they sat silently in the corner, holding onto each other's hands. The occasional grimace marred Angie's face while Talon looked like he was in perpetual pain.

"What happened to him?" I asked Kyle, attempting to mask the horror in my voice.

"He doesn't like to talk about it," Kyle said. "But it must've been bad. He's one of the strongest people I know."

I sat in silence, remembering our conversation from earlier. Whatever happened to him will probably happen to me.

"Sometimes I hear him crying," Kyle said softly. "I've never seen him like this. He was always the one to look after me... I just wish I could help."

"You are helping," I said with a soft smile, placing my hand on his. And I meant it, although he wasn't helping to subdue my fears.

His hand tightened into a fist and he looked up into my eyes. "Thanks."

"...for everything," he added, a smile forming on his face. It wasn't his usual grin, though — it seemed kinder. I tilted my head to the side, not quite sure what he meant.

"You've been a friend to me," he said. "And so much more. You trusted me even when she didn't," he said, glaring at Angie.

"No..." I said, removing my hand from his but maintaining his gaze. "She always trusted you. I didn't want to go to the hospital with you — I was scared."

"But she told me that you would look after me," I said. "She seemed surer than ever."

"Huh," Kyle said, looking back at Angie with a softened expression. I wonder what he's thinking.

A few minutes later, Angie and Talon joined us on the couch. Angie wrung her hands, lost in thought, and the Talon's face was beginning to regain its color.

"I saw him — the Mastermind," Angie said hurriedly. "He didn't wear a mask... I wonder why?"

"The guy's a total recluse," Kyle said. "We tried searching for him. He probably doesn't have an identity worth protecting."

Sounds like someone from Elaria.

"What does he look like?" I asked. "Could he be from my village?"

"Possibly," Kyle said. "I'll draw you a picture."

"No...." Angie said, shaking her head. She bit the edge of her thumbnail, as if she was unraveling a decadeslong mystery.

I looked over to Kyle who was still drawing me a picture of the man. I peered over his shoulder to see what was essentially a glorified stick figure. How does he find a way to make light of everything? Regardless, it brought a smile to my face.

It was then that I realized we had a literal army of ghosts at our disposal, who could observe anything and everything unnoticed. I wondered if the idea had popped into Angie's head yet, and whether or not it would be rude to suggest using them. They were her friends, after all, and I had only just met them.

"I know him!" Angie sputtered out of nowhere, her face lighting up with recognition. "I've seen him — at the hospital."

"What?" Talon said, his eyes growing wide. "Which hospital? Where, when?"

Kyle gave him a concerned look, as if to say "Easy there, buddy."

"Almost 20 years ago," Angie said grimly. "After my accident."

"He was watching me when I woke up."

A/N: theories? Who is the Mastermind?