Arlington (Book One)

Chapter Eighteen

"What is M4 going to do about this?" Benjamin asks.

"G and Metallica are going through battle strategies as we speak, but for right now she hasn't resurfaced which means we don't know where she is," Alexander says quietly.

Spacing out from their conversation, I think of the voice whispering to me in my sleep. A sense of urgency consumes me as I remember what she did to my dad's apartment with the flick of her wrist. I need to stop this; I need to stop her. She can and will hurt a lot of people if she runs around freely. The powers she gave to me are insanely destructive if left in the wrong hands. I need to join M4 so that I can have the resources to stop her.

"Aviva?" Two voices ask me, and my head whips up.

"Where is G?" I ask

"He doesn't have any surgeries today, so probably at the tower," Alexander says.

"Let him know that I am taking him up on his invitation," I say standing up. Alexander gives me a confused look.

"Thank you so much, Benjamin, I will forever be grateful for your time," I say shaking his hand. He gives me the same perplexed look his son has.

"I'll see you soon Xander," I say before dissolving into particles.

Once back home I take my glasses off and leave them on my dresser. I change my clothes and head to the gym. I needed to work out. I need to become stronger. I spend hours in the gym. I practice until my knees are physically shaking and I can't hold myself up anymore. The sweat pours down my body as I suck in ragged breaths. My muscles protest with each step and I take that as my cue to stop. I flop down onto the floor and attempt to stretch. Everything is tight and I regret not warming up better. I need an ice bath, but I don't have the strength to even get up.

"So, this is where you always disappear too," a familiar voice calls out from the doorway.

"How did you find me, Lena?" I ask confused. I had turned my phone off.

"I followed my instincts," she says, and she moves closer. She probably tracked me some other way.

"You're shaking," she says flatly.

"I've been working out for the last four hours," I say as she pulls me to my feet.

"That explains the smell," she says.

"Thanks," I say sarcastically.

We walk outside, and I duck into the small, empty alley. She wraps an arm around my waist, and we are swallowed by shadows. I feel as if I am floating until my feet smash into the floor. Lena holds me up as I regain my footing. I walk into my room and strip off my soaked tank top.

"Av-" she cuts off as my hands are on my bra clasp.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

"S-sorry," she stutters out before going back into the living room.

I take a freezing cold shower before turning the water to scalding. My stomach growling at me is the only thing that gets me to leave the bathroom. Throwing on an oversized t-shirt and some shorts I walk back into the living room and see Cathleen passed out on my couch.

I grab some snacks from the kitchen and put them in my room. I slip off her shoes and put the blanket on the back of the couch over her. She immediately curls up under it and I can't help but smile some. She can be really cute when she isn't being a persistent pain in my ass.

Waking up the next morning every muscle in my body aches. Forcing myself out of bed I take pain medicine and find Lena still asleep on my couch. I start making breakfast and I hear some movement from the living room. I feel Lena walk up beside me still wrapped in the blanket.