The Logical Exception

{ Chapter 8 - Two Captured Pawns }

Logan awoke two minutes before his alarm. Every time he was able to wake before his alarm, it filled him with a sense of pride. Routine was an important ingredient to any habit, and Logan's habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, despite what might be going on in his life, left him with the early morning hours all to himself. Even on days, he had class, he would have time for his morning routine.

Stretching, he turned his neck from side to side, trying to shake the sleep out of his body before standing and walking to his wardrobe. As always he put on a black polo and pulled out one of his many ties. Looking professional put him in a professional mindset. It would help him finish the rest of his final projects, and if his parents had a long day, he might be able to work on Project Creativity. As he adjusted his tie, his bedroom door slammed open. That was a break in his routine. It flustered Logan a bit as no one had broken his routine in many years.

"You sneaky conniving piece of shit." His father burst through the door and Logan immediately knew that his routine was shot. It didn't matter. All that mattered was survival. Don't admit to anything. Force them to bring up evidence.

"I don't know what you mean Zero Sum." His father stalked closer to him and Logan could feel his powers drain out of him, like a jug of water with a hole in the bottom he was left empty. He had to plan ahead. What was the likely outcome of this situation? There was no avoiding this part, the beating would come, but what about after?

"You sure as hell know exactly what I mean." His father's hand wrapped around his neck and Logan was lifted off of his feet. Logan was lythe and thin, like his mother, but his father was built like a beast. He had the broad shoulders of a man of power and the hand strength that could crush a walnut. That hand was currently being used to crush his windpipe.

Logan was tossed into the wall like a ragdoll, his already bruised back connecting first as Logan bowed his head. A concussion would do him no good, but then again, neither did the pain that shot through his lungs and up his spine. "You have been siphoning money from our family accounts. And I could live with that, but giving it to the heroes. What kind of bleeding heart sissy did I raise?"

Logan fought the urge to remind his father that he hadn't been involved in raising Logan since he was 10, but that would not make the situation better. "What gave you the idea that I have been using my money on heroes." He didn't deny any of it, he wasn't a good liar, but he wanted to know how his father had found out.

"We put cameras on your suit, you didn't think your mother or I trusted you, did you?" He was walking closer to Logan again, a menacing growl on his lips. "We should have gotten rid of you 17 years ago."

No, that didn't make sense. Logan was very careful about his suit, checking it as he put it on, never letting anyone touch it for fear they might tamper with some of the construction and weave of the material. No, there had to be a different explanation. As the first kick landed on Logan's chest and he heard a slight crack, a theory came to mind. He could hide from the pain if he just hid inside his head. Facts and theories were his happy place.

There was a theory he had been playing with for six weeks. That made more sense than the camera idea. He should have known the twins leaving was part of something bigger.

"Now, you are going to tell me everything you know about those heroes, and I might tell your mother that I have already dealt with you." He grabbed Logan by the hair, it was just barely long enough to be held onto, and pulled him up, looking Logan in the eyes. Those black eyes reminded Logan of a demon from a kids' movie.

"I don't know what you mean." He wasn't coughing up blood, at least there was no internal bleeding that he knew of. "I have already given you all the information I know on the heroes." A lie. Logan had no intention of giving away their secrets, those secrets were for his use only.