Arch Frenemies

Part 36: French Class

Hearing a click, he turned around to see his host pulling a cooler and two lawn chairs out of a secret compartment hidden behind the opposite wall, he silently watched as the oddest Villain he had ever met set the chairs up just a few feet away from the hole in the wall.

"Have a seat and tell me your troubles." Invited Informal, sitting down and setting down the small silver cooler beside himself.
"Why do you think I have 'troubles'?" Toxic asked suspiciously, crossing his lanky arms. This only made the other man laugh mockingly, as if that was a stupid, obvious question.

"Oh Mon ami..." He shook his head. "I need not be a level 5 to see something is clearly bothering you."
He chuckled, reaching into the cooler. "Heineken?"
He held out a green bottle and gestured for Toxic to sit down. Cautiously, he lowered himself into the little fold out chair.
"What do you mean?"
His question was met with a fiendish grin that could match his own. Popping the cap off the Dutch beer, he passed it and Toxic took a swig.

"Come on, publicly you are missing in action. You've missed meetings at the Syndicate, and not even your papa knows where you are. The world thinks your hero is dead, when mysteriously, she is not dead, but here in France, alive- and with you. Then, I find you, Toxic, the terror of America. Famous for his control of emotions, aimlessly roaming the streets of Paris and pointlessly shooting apart the abandoned buildings of my city. As I just said, it doesn't take a scientifique to figure it out. Something troubles you."

"Had a rough day." Toxic shrugged, telling an unbelievable lie as he chugged down the alcohol in a long swig. Already the bottle was half empty.
"La foutaise!"
Bullshit! He cursed in French.
"I saw the intensity of the look on your face as you opened fire on those innocent buildings. I too have worn this look." He propped his elbow onto the plastic armrest. "It's a woman isn't it?" He asked through another mischievous grin.

Toxic stared at the funny little French man, amazed by his empathy and ability to read people. This was in spite of the fact that of the both of them, Toxic was the supposed empath. He looked down at the bottle in his gloved hands, he could feel its coldness even through the sturdy fabric.
Depending on the alcohol type, his body's radiation almost always canceled the effect out, but sometimes, with certain chemicals, his radiation would increase the effect. Toxic had never had this particular green bottled beer before, and he could feel the alcohol actually working in his system. His body was beginning to relax and his guard beginning to lower.

Informal took that silence as a yes.
"So it is a woman!" He grinned triumphantly, slapping the back of his guest's chair.
"Who is she? Is it that that little redheaded villainess with the pyrokenisis? Ember, isn't it?"
Toxic simply shook his head, about to try and dissuade him; when Informal started mumbling again.

"Don't tell me it's Replikate.''
He guessed again, obviously having way too much fun with this. She and her brother are too close. Though I could see how the self-cloning could be a bit of fun." He wiggled his eyebrows perversely.

"No, it's not that, it's not!" The so-called super genius lied badly, unable to control.
Informal gasped in sudden realization. A wicked grin crept its way to his face.
"It's her, isn't it?" He didn't need to say her name. They both knew whom he was referring to.
Informal seemed to wish Toxic would refute him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" The accused defended in offense, about to stand up and leave, but his balance didn't quite seem to get on board.

"It is her!" Informal's bright emerald green eyes widened in a sort of amused irony.
"Le Galaxy Girl!"

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A/N:
Upload number 2 for the day guys.
Hope you enjoyed. it. :)
Informal is simply the best and I loved writing him so much.
Can you guys do me a solid after you vote on this chapter, could you please add it to your public library so that others can see it?
I'm trying to build momentum on this book and that would help me loads!
Thank you all so much.
Till tomorrow,

-QueenOfGeeks