28. Recollecting

"We went looking for Emily's medication. There we met someone. No, sorry..." He took a deep breath and started anew. "When we went looking at the place where we had found her the first time, we heard something, heavy steps but that person was alone. We...I don't know.... we had a bad feeling so Chuck climbed up and Adrian too.... Ah no... sorry." he cleared his throat and tried to remember. "We hid in a building and the other guy suddenly came our way and we didn't know what was going on. Then...then he strangled Chuck and Adrian tried to help him, but he was so strong. And bigger than a normal human." A few sucked in a sharp breath, but nobody interrupted. 

"He said something.. he was in an metal amor, we didn't see what he looked like, but his strength... and height.... it didn't seem human, more like some alien. And the amor, it looked like from an action movie." Taylor looked up with tears in his eyes, wanting to make sure that someone believed him. He met a few skeptical and a few terrorized eyes. He found solace in Jack and Hunter who looked as if thinking, not a bit disbelieving. Taylor settled on the two of them while speaking further, looking to only them instead of the floor.

"He said something like 'Are you some of us?'

then there was 'If you can't even take this then apparently not.' Then he split Chuck's head and Adrian tried to run. And then....then he caught Adrian and rammed his finger in his eye and then...."

Lilly tried to calm him, saying "Everything is okay, you are safe now." 

Loki had his fingers intercrossed, as if praying. Asking a bit impatient: "Did he say something else?"

"I...I don't know...I.... it was so fast and..." 

Loki sighed heavily, and as if Taylor was terrified he would jump up and hit him, he cowered. 

Lenny suddenly asked "Why didn't he do something to you?"

Taylor looked up in absolut horror. 

"Yes...yes....why?" He started shaking, looking close to a panic attack. 

He cowered further and his body flinched, and then while everyone was looking. He disappeared. There where he was sitting, was nothing. Lilly stood up, looking around in horror.

It was as if a glitch happened right before their eyes. Lenny went before Emely, ready to fight. Nick and Loki stood up before taking a step back. 

Before someone could scream Jack bounced from his seat and exclaimed: "Fuck I knew it! Yeah! I'm not the only one with an ability! Haha" He laughed happily, bringing everyone out of trance.

Hunter put his hand over his eyes, sighing heavily. 'Where to begin. First Jack told everyone that there are abilities- yes as they could see that was obvious, so that was okay. Next, he told them that he had an ability too. That alone was dangerous. And then again, he revealed that he knew about his ability while not telling anyone about it.'

Emily looked frozen. She had forgotten about Jack since the first meeting, seemingly having been told off by Lenny, and this time she looked at Jack unblinkingly, before turning back to the empty spot Taylor had been.

Martha wetted her dry lips before stuttering, "You, you can do that too?" She tried to smile but it was uglier than the frozen faces of the others.

A very subtle change was in the air. Hunter looked up again, understood and chuckled mockingly. This wasn't what Jack felt, it wasn't an excited 'Yaiy, we have powers.' He knew it isn't so simple for humans normally. The atmosphere was by no means aggressive, more defensive, but seeing something with your own eyes, going this far beyond what you know, what you learned, what you have internalized. Your first reaction is not amazement. Hunter thought it would be wariness.

"Why...why? Taylor, still not appearing, asked from this spot on the couch. This time Martha, and the old man both jumped off their seats. Amanda screamed and backed against the wall nearest to her. Sean screamed and took his stool to have a weapon ready.

Dale was sitting straighter than ever before, while Casper observed the situation in caution.