"You don't seem to have a nice relationship with Charlie, am I right?" Pete asked after Charlie closed the door of the room. Way didn't really want to respond, but after a while he thought that answering Pete's questions was the least he could do to thank him for risking so much to rescue him. He nodded a little, then he thought about a few words he could add to make it less serious, but Pete immediately posed another question.
"Is it just because you like Babe?" the sadness in Pete's eyes as he asked that was evident, however Way wasn't really able to link the symptom to the source of his sadness. Way nodded again.
"I see, to be honest I thought you also feared that Charlie could tell Babe that you have collaborated with Tony for a long time, but apparently I was mistaken"
"H... how..."
"Kenta. Kenta told me a lot of things about Tony and his business, and he also explained in great details how Tony's plan included you not just as a victim, but as an active figure that for some reason decided to betray him recently" Pete responded rapidly.
"That's a lie!"
"There is no reason to shout, Way, your secret is safe with me, I would do nothing that could hurt you, and I'm ready to do whatever you ask me to do just to demonstrate that my intentions are genuine. I must warn you though, you better tell Babe the truth as soon as possible"
"No, I won't... why should Babe trust Charlie after all? He loves him for sure, but I was the one getting kidnapped while everyone knows that Charlie worked for Tony. We've been friends for so long too..." Way replied resolutely.
"Are you trying to convince me... or yourself? I'll go downstairs for a moment to see if they have already destroyed my beautiful kitchen. I hope you will meditate on our conversation" Pete said and left the room. Way waited for him to close the door and then he closed his eyes. Soon after that, he heard the sound of the door opening again.
"Before you ask me, I haven't changed my mind yet... wait, why are you here?" Way said the first sentence while his eyes were still closed, but then as he opened them he didn't see Pete, but Charlie. Charlie locked the door behind him and sat close to Way. Way moved to stay as far as possible from him.
"You're such a manipulator, Way, but I guess you should be more careful when you reveal your secrets, someone may overhear you" Charlie said.
"You... you heard..."
"Yes, but I admit that I already knew everything, so I didn't really get much by hearing Pete trying to help you redeem yourself" Charlie continued.
"Why didn't you run to tell Babe then, if you already know it all?" Way asked.
"Because I want to help you, just like Pete does. Actually, I want to offer you something that could be even more efficient. I can absorb other people's power, you just need to let me touch you, then Tony will have no reason to keep looking for you" Charlie said and place his hand on the bed, waiting for Way to decide.
"You're asking me to... give up on my ability?"
"I'm not asking you to do it, I'm giving you a choice" Charlie added with a tone that now sounded much more worried than arrogant.