Without A Trace (Open Novella Contest) [Completed]

Chapter 5: Arthur and Mordred

I was getting restless. I didn't know if they were going to let me stay. I didn't expect them to have a problem with it. They liked keeping me locked up. I didn't see why it would be any different now. They didn't know my Super identity. They didn't know anything substantial about my powers. It would only make sense that they would want to observe me longer.

"Dave. I know you're listening to me. You're always listening. I want to go back to my room now."

I didn't know if he was still interested in listening to me. I wasn't a mystery waiting to be solved anymore. I had given up my biggest advantage. He didn't even look at me the same way anymore. He knew I was a real person. A normal kind of person.

I wasn't a threat.

My fingers gently flipped through one of the unread newspapers. I was curious to see what Damien had been up to. Irrespective of the fact that he had stolen my suit, I was happy for the guy. Jealous but happy. He was finally becoming the person I always wanted to be.

Some part of me felt like it deserved credit for turning Damien evil. Without me he would've achieved mediocrity. But spending enough time with me, he had managed to make a name for himself.

Ugly Yellow Suit Guy.

I felt like my child had just graduated. My, incapable, underdeveloped, impulsive child. The pride would fade eventually, I presumed, once it fully dawned on me that without me there to guide him, he would be nothing more than a bad week for a city that has seen worse. But that didn't make it any less impressive that he managed to develop himself into more than just a sidekick. Even if it lasted only a week.

His powers had evolved. But greatness didn't come from just power. No, more often than not, it worked the other way around.

When you saw the way time moved, it actually put a lot things into perspective. It put the concept of power into perspective.

Damien was powerful, but he couldn't achieve greatness without me.

In the Non-Super world, things were different--

"You're free to leave." Dave entered the room and shattered my bubble.

"I thought you said you'd keep me here another day?"

"Well, I felt bad for you. Everyone deserves freedom." He smirked. He knew how much I hated the fact that I wasn't in control. I didn't want him to feel bad for me. Pity was a shallow emotion. 

He came up to me and undid my handcuffs.

"I'm sorry." I heard him whisper softly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I whispered back as I took my recently free hand and slammed his head into the table in front of me.

"Fuck." I heard him mutter.

"Your head was so squishy Dave. I couldn't help myself."

"I think you broke my nose." He groaned.

"I told you, I have severe anger issues."

"I have a family."

"Dude, shut up, I'm not going to kill you." Yet.

"Then do you mind letting go of my head?"

I let go. He was shaking under my touch. It was enough for me.

"Ow."

"So this is it?" I asked. "I'm free? Not that any of us are ever really free--" I asked.

"Yes. You're free." He wiped the blood from his nose, nonchalantly.

"So I'll never see you again?" I asked, with a frown.