DEVIATE X / / AN UNORDINARY FANFICTION

XLIII.

"You're saying Irel isn't safe...?"

Dane's usual soft, yet strong bass slightly raised into a dubious pitch as he crossed his arms. I impatiently scratched a loose thread on the couch as I crossed my legs, a subtle annoyance growing within me at his skepticism.

"Yes." I said firmly.

"Del, look, we got a quarter of the bodyguards from the house covering the whole ICU. They're—"

"That woman is someone who works with EMBER. If I'm capable of of taking out nearly half of the whole staff, that woman can wipe out that whole floor easy." I replied sharply.

I flinched at the rude, arrogant plangency of my voice. My impatience became more evident, unraveling beneath my usual calm and collected persona. Deep down, I knew it was just my panic and desperation to try and mend issues that were only worsening at the moment.

"....Sorry," I added quickly my eyes meeting his unfazed expression. I knew out of all people, Dane didn't deserve my sass. If anything, he was usually the one who never hesitated to help me.

Dane remained passive and lifted his hand from his crossed stature, gesturing me to continue.

I took a shaky breath, closing my eyes momentarily before regaining my composure again.

"I was doing some research yesterday, and each dead victim that was mentioned in an EMBER article matched that woman's M.O. Third degree burns. Slash and burn marks antemortem."

We looked over the scattered articles splayed all over the coffee table.

".....The injuries that Irel sustained," Dane confirmed. "How do you know it's EMBER?"

I settled onto the floor and jabbed my finger at a highlighted text on one of the articles as he kneeled down to examine it.

"In each of the articles, each victim was branded with some kind of fire symbol," I said. "The media's been implying that the symbol is their brand."

"But Irel doesn't have one," Dane said as his curious, crimson eyes met mine.

"Right, so that means the symbol was branded onto each of the victims postmortem. I think the symbols are a way to confirm a kill," I speculated darkly.

"EMBER only targets Superheros. Are you saying that....."

A flicker of vehement astonishment crossed his face before his expression hardened into denial.

"There's no way that Irel could've been a Superhero," he said before letting the article slip through his fingers.

"I thought the same thing, but I've read over every recent attack. They've only been targeting 'Superheros' with high ability levels."

"Irel was the Ace and Salutatorian of one of the most prestigious schools in the area. He comes from a well respected, high class family that has a good reputation," he said, gesturing animatedly, "how can you believe that your brother would find the need to seek out absurd justice through unlawful action?"

I snapped my fingers before pointing at him.

"That's it." I said.

"What are you talking about?"

"The piece I've been missing!" I stood abruptly and ran my hands through my hair. "Everything you said were things I couldn't wrap my head around. You're right: someone of his class wouldn't waste time running around breaking the law. But the justice part—"

I began pacing back and forth, my neatly filed thoughts becoming strewn about.

"His long absences—coupled with his grief with Rei and persistent research on the criminal justice system—I mean I completely get it, he's studying to be a forensic scientist but—"