the bad news
Icicle Jr. sat down across from me. His icy blue eyes had a distant look, like he was lost in thought, but his jaw was clenched tight, like he was trying to keep something in. We hadn't talked much since we got here, which was fine by me. I had my own problems to deal with, and the less I had to interact with the actual criminals, the better.
But today was different. He wasn't his usual cocky self.
"Can't mess this up," he muttered under his breath, almost like he didn't realize he was talking out loud. He glanced up at me, his face hardening. "I can't fail him again."
"Who? Yo' pa?" I asked, playing along as Tommy. Icicle Jr. had been dropping hints about his father since we arrived, but now it sounded like the pressure was getting to him.
"Yeah," he said, leaning back against the cold stone wall. "He's got this whole plan. And if I screw this up…" He trailed off, his hand balling into a fist. "I don't know what he'll do."
I stayed quiet, letting him talk. Icicle Sr. was dangerous, but I could see the weight this was putting on his son. The guy was trying to live up to a standard he'd never be able to meet. It reminded me of… well, Superman. The way I felt like I could never live up to who he was, no matter how hard I tried. I pushed the thought aside. I couldn't think about that now.
"I heard something weird, though," Icicle Jr. said, his voice dropping lower as if he was about to share some deep secret. "You hear about that guy? Wade?"
I stiffened but didn't let it show. Wade? What was he getting at?
Icicle Jr. leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice even more. "Yeah, dude was found dead. In the prison. Head gone." He gave a little laugh, but it didn't reach his eyes. "They didn't find a tool or a weapon or anything. Just his body... headless."
"Wade Wilson?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "He was... part of their team ,right?" I had to remind myself that Wade was a friend—a part of our team, someone who'd fought alongside us before he got let down by the very people he trusted. Hearing that he was found dead, especially in such a gruesome way, was a cruel twist.
Icicle Jr. nodded, his face shadowed by the dim light. "Yeah, they found him like that. No head, just lying there. Waller's going insane tryin' to figure out what happened. And the weird part? They didn't find a culprit. Not in the Cameras or a witness...only father can pull something that big"
I tried to process this, my thoughts racing. Wade's death was more than just a random bit of information—it was a stark reminder of the dangers we faced. The thought of him being killed and left like that, without any clues, meant that we were dealing with something far bigger and more dangerous than I had anticipated.
"Yeah," I said quietly, my mind already storming. "That's rough. But we've got our own mess to handle right now.".....i neaded him to focus and trust me more
Icicle Jr. looked at me, his eyes betraying a flicker of relief at having someone to talk to. "Yeah. I guess we do. Just... don't mess up, okay? For my sake, and for... well, for everyone's sake."
I nodded. "Got it."
Miss Martian: Superboy? Something feels off. Your emotions are all over the place. What's wrong?
I could feel her concern piercing through the mental link, and I let out a heavy sigh, struggling to keep my thoughts clear.
Superboy: It's Wade. I just found out he's dead. They found him without a head. I—
I hesitated, the grief and anger mixing together in a painful storm. He was a friend. A part of the team. And now he's gone, just like that. It's... it's hitting hard. I didn't expect it to feel this way.
There was a brief pause, and then Miss Martian's presence softened, filled with shared sorrow.
Miss Martian: I'm so sorry, Superboy. I didn't know...
I could sense her empathy, and it helped to ease some of the turmoil inside me.
Superboy: We failed him, didn't we? We let him down, and now he's gone in the worst possible way. I should've...
Miss Martian: We all did what we could. Sometimes... sometimes things are beyond our control. We'll grieve, and we'll honor his memory. But right now, we need to focus on our mission. For Wade. For everyone.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. Yeah. You're right. For Wade. For everyone. I just... needed to talk. Thanks, Miss Martian...
Miss Martian: Anytime. We're in this together.
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i think i have about 7 chapters ahead now ~
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