verso // control threequel

mess.

March 25th 1998

10:53 am

     Teresa was gone that morning. She was nowhere to be found. Thomas knew exactly where she was though, she went back to WICKED. How? He had no idea, but he was pretty convinced that he was right on this one.

     Thomas' hands were sweating as they stood in the courtyard of the mansion. He worse a thick hoodie and heavy jeans to hopefully hide the fact that his veins were running black under the fabric.

     He said a heartfilled goodbye to Newt that morning. The blonde boy clutched to him so tightly he probably had marks on his skin. Newt hadn't cried but Thomas noticed he was wearing one of the shirts he gave him. He kissed him before he left, he kissed him a few times, maybe a hundred times, mumbling I love you despite Newt's protests. Thomas made him promise to stay in the room. There was no way in hell Thomas was letting him get hurt. Not this time.

     Thomas squinted, putting his hand up to block the sun. He could hear a loud rushing sound, it was definitely wind of some sort.

     "They're here," X said carefully. He had his wheelchair parked on one of the winding concrete paths that lead up to the mansion. Thomas insisted on going alone out of fear that someone else would get hurt but arguing with X was like arguing with a brick wall, so he was there.

     When Thomas' eyes adjusted to the sun he could in fact see the helicopter in the sky. His heart rate picked up again. Something about seeing them, besides the fact that they wanted him dead, made him anxious. He really wanted to hold Newt's hand. Newt always made him feel calmer but Newt wasn't there, Newt was in their room. Newt was safe. That thought alone calmed him down a bit.

     Xavier nodded at him. "I'll be with you the whole time."

     Thomas swallowed hard as the helicopter landed, his hair was blowing like crazy from the gusts from the propellers. He tried to keep his arm up to block the majority of it but he still felt like he was in the middle of a tornado.

     The giant blades slowly came to a halt. Almost as soon as they stopped the door swung open. Thomas felt like he was going to throw up.

     His mom stepped out first, her hair was shorter than it was last time he saw her. It was still tied up and she had on a horrible blue shirt with the letters W I C K E D printed across the front. Thomas could still picture her wiping El's memories with that horrible machine, the lost expression she had on her face. Thomas felt his face heat up, yeah he hated her.

     His dad stepped out next. He was hand in hand with Lisa. Thomas held back his every instinct to let everything go. Just the plain sight of then made him beyond angry.

     Calm. A voice sounded in his head. Calm down Thomas.

     Thomas glanced at X who was paying him no attention. It was definitely him, he remembered it from when they picked him up the first night, when X helped him into the cab. It was almost creepy how he could get into his head like that but at this moment he was thankful for it, he needed it.

     I'm sorry Thomas tried to say back in his head as he watched his parents step into the open courtyard. They didn't look scared which unsettled Thomas, they were on his turf shouldn't they be at least a little nervous?

     No. X was back in his mind. Just don't lose your head.

     That's the plan, Thomas scoffed to himself.

     "Thomas," his mother suddenly said. Thomas felt his blood run cold. She looked like an average small woman, but Thomas knew. Thomas knew what both of them could do. His nerves were on high alert, he fucking knew. They weren't going to fool him this time.