Project Frostbite

Chapter 2

Beep...Beep...Beep...Beep

I groaned, my head pounding with an impending headache. Something soft cushioned my aching head, and paper thin sheets covered my body. Squeezing my eyes a few times, I blinked them open to be blinded by a white light. It was everywhere.

Where am I? I wondered as I sat up. My first thought was to get out of bed, but when I went to move my left arm to pull the covers off me, something rattled. Looking down, I saw my wrist was handcuffed to the bedrail. An IV line ran from my wrist to a drip beside the bed. Even though I knew it was useless, I tugged on the handcuff, trying to get it off.

"Mr. Waters?" I gave a shout and jumped when a feminine voice interrupted me. Looking up, I saw a blonde woman sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. A camera was slung around her neck and she held a pen and notepad in hand.

How the hell did a news reporter get in here?

"Mr. Waters, I am Wendy Groves, reporter for the CNN network." The woman introduced herself, and flipped to a new page on her notepad. "Can you tell me what you were thinking when you created the wall of fire outside Hal's Diner on Bogardus Place, Manhattan New York?" I stared at her dumbfounded as she continued on, scribbling furiously even though I had said nothing. "Did you know you harbored this unusual power? Would you be willing to submit yourself to science experiments to find out what exactly enables you to use this exact element?"

Searching for some way to get her out, I saw a red button near the heart monitor, and quickly pressed it multiple times in an effort to get Wendy out. As the door opened, Wendy Groves put away her notepad and pen and stood as a nurse entered.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but no one is permitted in here without authorization." The older woman said, her voice well-rehearsed in the order.

"I'm awfully sorry -" Wendy took a look at the nurse's name badge. "- Mary, but I am simply a concerned Aunt for my poor Tryston. I'll see myself out." With that the reporter disappeared in a flourish of blonde hair. The nurse - Mary - shut the door behind her and walked over to where I sat, taking a clipboard from the end of my bed and walking over to the heart monitor.

"Excuse me?" I asked, trying my best to be polite. Mary ignored me as she took notes. "Is this really necessary?" I held up my chained wrist.

"I am not meant to talk to you, sir." She said, and replaced the clipboard, before exiting the room as well. I fell back into the bed, staring at the ceiling. What had I done? How long had I been in here for? Wendy said something about a wall of fire... I sat up, my eyes widening in horror.

I remembered everything. I'd been so mad after Antonio fired me, and then that car - I totaled the car. Did I kill the driver? The heart monitor sped up rapidly in time with my quickening heart, and I tried to calm down. How the hell did I do that? Did Kris and Jaymee know where I was?

My question was answered when the window slid open and someone slipped inside. He closed the window behind him and took the bag off his back. Kris straightened up and walked over to me, taking the IV line from my arm and pulling a hairpin from his pocket.

"What's going on?" I asked as he worked at the handcuff.

"I'm busting you out. No son of mine is going to wait here like a sitting duck for the feds to come and take you away for experiments. Jaymee's waiting in a car out the back." The handcuff unlocked and I jumped off the bed. Kris returned to the bag and pulled out clothes for me. I caught a pair of boxers, baggy track-pants, and a shirt. A black jacket landed on my head. "Get changed." Kris ordered. I quickly dressed and pulled the hoodie over my head, taking the pair of sunglasses that he offered.