Absorption Distortion

Chapter 15

Back to 30 years ago.

Alex sat outside for the first time in a week, with a book in his bandaged hand. He hadn't really been able to move too far or venture outside, especially with the sun emitting any kind of heat would inflame Alex's exposed sunburn. But today, he enjoyed the white cloud cover over the sun and sat in the shade in the late afternoon breeze. He kept a safe distance from Warren for a week. "Lay low, keep apart. Regroup once I'm healed," were Alex's exact words to Warren. He didn't want to arouse suspicion since getting the black key, so much so he didn't want to touch it under the Mattress until he was ready, afraid Elder Ben might bump him and see the memory of him holding the key. He was paranoid, convinced Drake was keeping an eye on him as he always happened to step into the room Alex was in with anyone else, besides his quarters. It was the only actual time he could speak freely, and only to Akiko who was still just as slightly less distant to him now then she was before. She was frustrated they weren't moving sooner, but she appreciated the fact Alex had to heal. And with her unbreakable honor, she respected his wish to not do anything too sudden. She certainly wasn't one to argue with a superior, not the Elders and not Alex at this stage. In her eyes, he created that house, that world. She didn't know what that house was or where it was, but she saw it as a way out and opened up her legion to Alex so she could get out.

As Alex sat on a plastic chair under the shade of the tree, his glasses caught a glisten in the distance and could see a car, the exact same as the one he was brought to in Fernbrooke in driving up to the front entrance. He was able to see clearly from his angle where the car had parked. Drake and Stevens jumped out of the car, he scoffed seeing them looking dominate and commanding as they moved around the car. The back of the doors open and Alex doesn't take his eyes off them. "Let go of me asshole," he hears a man shout out, a bit of twang in his accent. Alex drops his book slightly, intrigued as he sees Drake struggle to hold onto a tall African man, known in present day as Bolt. He is handcuffed behind his back but shoots his electricity to break the cuffs, it snaps off his wrists and Stevens reaches for Bolt. But being so slim, he is able to move out of his grasp. Bolt runs across the premise, moving closer to the fence where the outside courtyard that Alex preoccupies is. He is able to run to the fence and peers in, seeing Alex staring back just as Drake catches up to him, tackling him to the ground. Stevens runs up behind him, every step met with a thud of the ground that catches beneath him. Bolt struggles but Drake successfully places him in a sleep hold and Bolt passes out. Stevens puts on the handcuffs again and picks Bolt up as Drake jumps to his feet. Moving lightly as he does so, despite his bulk size. Alex sees Bolt who is passed out dragged by Stevens into the building and smiles. "Fast..." Alex begins to mumble, "Powerful.." his smile turns into a grin and he snaps out of it as he senses a presence walking up to him.

Alex drops his smile and looks up, Sarah stands in front of him, "Alex.." she greets. He pushes his glasses up and begins to move to face her, she puts out her hands, "No, stop, I'll move," she said tenderly, not wanting him to have to move after the injuries he sustained. She hadn't seen him since he ran into her and Payton in the hall. It was a distance Alex wanted but deemed it necessary to keep up the facade. He wasn't sure if she would know he was in Distortion and didn't want to push it in the days she returned so he deemed he would resume as normal when he was back to normal. She moved in front of him and sat down on the grass. He looked down at her and smiled, it had only been a week since he seen her but he didn't realise how much he missed her smile. He had used the past 7 days to be by himself as he healed. "How are you going Alex? Are you healing okay?" She questioned, he nodded, trying to hold back the many questions he had about Distortion. "How was your trip?" he asked gingerly, not wanting to arouse any awkward tension between them. She smiled up at him and looked up at the sky, letting her hair fall over her shoulders, "It was amazing. I made it into a city," she exclaimed, still elated by seeing Distortion growing over the week. "There were houses and buildings and a beautiful beach," Alex couldn't help but let a chuckle as she said beach, he looked down at this arms that were nearly healed. He recalled the intensity of the sun beaming down upon him, but still that didn't deter him from wanting to go back. He wanted to be there with Sarah, "I would love to see it sometime," she leaned forward, putting her arms over her knees child like and smiled, "I hope everyone will," she replied under her breath, but loud enough for Alex to hear. "What do you mean?" She looked up at him and shook her head, "Oh, well, I've only just made a few buildings and gained control of the heat of the sun.. But seeing as I've been working on it all week," he realized that's why he hadn't had seen her. "And the Elders allow you to use your powers? I thought that was forbidden here," she smiled back at him, "Alex, as an Elder of Fernbrooke," he cut her off, "But you've only just gained control, why can't I use my abilities?" he questioned frustrated. She snapped back, "Because you can't control your emotions Alex," he sat back in his chair, he didn't like seeing Sarah furrow her eyebrows out of frustation towards him. Even with the irritation on her face, he still found her to be alluring, "Sarah, I think I'm in love..." before he could finish, he hadn't noticed Payton coming up beside him. He was so fixated on Sarah's emerald green eyes. "Sarah," Payton called out. She turned to him and stood up, she looked back at Alex as Payton stood in front of her, he looked at him too waiting for him to finish his sentenece, "Oh," he said, not realizing at first that is what she was doing. He looked down at his book, and lifted it, "Oh, I'm in love with this book," she nodded as the corners of her lips smiled, she waved to him as she walked away with Payton. He placed the book on his lap, looking at Sarah as she was leaving and caught Payton turning around, giving him a wicked smile and putting his arm around Sarah's waist as they walked. Alex gritted his teeth in anger, scrunched his fist up that held onto the book. As they walked inside, he threw the book across the courtyard and huffed like a toddler not getting his toy. He sat outside for a little while longer, and waited for the sun to set just before 6pm.