Endgame (Book 3)

Chapter 36

Zero looked about the same as I had left him before he had split. Though, I didn't like his grin; it was in full view, and my own expression didn't reflect his.

As his head popped over the edge of the hole, I wondered if a power in my arsenal didn't require energy to use. I cycled through them mentally in my mind, and only one drew up a question.

Zero began to laugh even more hysterically at my predicament, and if the situation wasn't so dire, I probably would have, too. After all this, I had been thwarted by a hole in the ground.

Who left these things out here, anyway?

"Good job. You've managed to trap yourself." Zero wiped a tear from his eye. "Hold on, I'll get you out."

He jumped in after me, grabbed me by the neck of my shirt, and leaped out again like it was nothing, tossing me to the ground after he landed.

"Always having to save your sorry ass," he said with a sigh.

"Not that I remember," I said, recovering my pride and standing up to meet him.

"Not just me. Your family, your friends, your girlfriend," he listed on his fingers.

"Shut up," I said. "I don't even know what you're talking about."

I made a wild, half-hearted swing for his face and he moved his head to the side, easily causing me to miss.

"Everyone you know has been picking up after you your whole life, cleaning up your messes," he continued. He sounded angry. "Look at your sister over there." He threw his hand out to Sage, who was still unconscious. "She risked her life trying to save you."

"From you," I pointed out.

"You're missing the point." His voice elevated just a bit. "You've been babied for the majority of your life because of me. It's time for you to grow up. Fix your own problems."

"No; I think you're blaming me for yours," I said, my eyes widening. Suddenly, I realized why Zero hated me so much.

He took a breath in shock. Then, he composed himself.

"They'll never respect you if they have to take care of you all the time. Hell, Cassie doesn't even love you." He grinned devilishly.

"Don't say that!"I snapped. My fingers clenched and unclenched nervously. "She loves me just as much as I love her."

"That may be the problem," he said with a slight tilt of his head. "Do you want proof?" he asked me.

"Absolutely," I said. If I trusted my girlfriend as much as I should, I wouldn't have a problem seeing anything wrong with anything Zero had to show me.

With no warning, he yanked on my arm.

Pop!

I stumbled to the grass, trying not to hurl. The ground was spinning in circles under me as I tried to regain my balance.

That was completely different from superspeed. God, that was awful.

When I was done, I looked up.

And then I realized where I was.

My legs shook as I took an unsteady step up. Zero was looking through the glass of one of the windows as I approached him.

"Why are we at Cassie's house?" Dread was building in the pit of my stomach, and I forced it down with a hard swallow.

Zero wasn't smiling anymore. He was looking through the glass, his hands clenched into fists.