It takes a while, but eventually Jack is calm enough to stand and have some semblance of a normal day. Mark is there when his thoughts become too much and he dances on the brink of a meltdown, which helps his overall sanity significantly. Even the night goes fairly smoothly, with only one incident involving Jack and a nightmare about the boss, Anti, and Dan.
The morning brings with it an unexpected and unwelcome surprise. Jack sits at the table, sipping on a mug of coffee when Matthias strolls in, trailed by four rebels. The villain watches them a moment longer before sprinting to his and Mark's room, his heart starting to pound in his ears.
"Mark, there's a bunch of rebels out there and I'm pretty sure they saw me and that they hate me—" Jack rambles the moment he shuts the door behind him. His sudden entrance makes the hero jump and drop the shirt he was about to put on.
"Jack, I'm gonna need to start using my powers on you if you keep doing things like that," Mark says, laughing breathlessly as he bends to pick his shirt up. "You're too speedy!"
"Mark, there are rebels out there. Rebels," Jack squeaks, his hands fidgeting at his sides. "You know, the people whose goal in life is to kill me."
The hero's face falls as realization floods his eyes. "Jack, I was going to tell you but I completely forgot. I'm so sorry..."
Jack watches him, his heart thudding faster and faster in his chest. "Mark, Mark, they can't... they hate..."
"Breathe, remember to breathe." The hero steps toward him and Jack's eyes are immediately drawn to the bullet scar on his stomach. Mark notices his gaze and tilts the villain's chin up so he's forced to look at his eyes. "Look at my eyes, Jack. Not the scars."
The Irishman locks eyes with the hero, regaining the ability to breathe right the moment he loses himself in those brown eyes. Mark trails his fingers down Jack's jaw, his thumbs ghosting over his ears.
"Should I go back to the NAI if there are rebels here?" Jack asks, unable to hide the tremble in his voice.
"No. Jack, you're our ally. You deserve to be there," Mark replies. "You can stay behind me if you're scared, okay? But you should be present."
Jack nods and reaches up, covering Mark's hands with his own. He turns his head a little in order to press a kiss to the hero's palm, his eyes fluttering shut. "I love you."
"I love you too," Mark murmurs, touching his forehead to Jack's. "Let's go out there, okay? I'll be beside you the whole time."
The Irishman nods and pecks his lips before allowing Mark to lead him from their room. Jack's hand remains firmly clutched in his as they walk to the dining room, the villain sticking close behind Mark. Phil and Felix already stand there, eyeing the rebels warily.
"Ah, good of you two to join us," Matthias says with a prideful grin. He gestures to the four people behind him, pointing to each one as he says their names. "I would like you all to meet Lili, Gunner, Hudson, and Red, a local rebel group. I figured that teaming up with them would help us in the long run, so I want you to make them feel welcome. Besides, the testosterone levels in here are ridiculous, so some girls might balance it out a bit."
Lili giggles and covers her mouth while Red maintains a straight face, her eyes flickering from hero to hero without acknowledging the villain among them. Jack presses himself against Mark's back, peeking out over his shoulder and trying desperately to avoid her penetrating gaze.
"Nice to meet you," Mark greets, shaking their hands one by one.
"I'm Gunner," a tall, burly man with dark skin says. "I'll hopefully be helping Matthias out."
A substantial dose of anxiety floods Jack as he observes he newcomers. They don't know who he is. Or maybe they do, and they just haven't acknowledged him yet. What if he did something to one of them without realizing it? What if they've dedicated their entire lives to disposing of him? Jack's mind spews out every bad possibility, which doesn't help his shaking. At least Mark is there, and when he notices Jack trembling he gives him a reassuring smile and gently squeezes his hand.
Gunner's eyes land on Jack, and after a moment he reaches his hand out with a grin. Jack eyes it for a second before shaking it, hoping the rebel doesn't see how badly his hand is trembling.
"I'm Jack," the Irishman says, his voice slightly softer than usual. "Nice to meet you."
"Irish?" Gunner asks.
"I was brought here when I was ten."
Although the rebel raises his eyebrows, he doesn't press him too much. Instead, he smiles again. "Well, good to meet you too, Jack."
He moves away to greet the other heroes and Jack nearly crumbles. He presses himself against Mark's back again, exhaling a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
"You're doing really well," the hero whispers, unable to hide his smile.
"Thanks," Jack replies.
As soon as their little meet-and-greet is over, they settle at the table and Matthias starts the meeting. Mark never leaves the villain's side, and Jack is nothing but grateful. Lili's gaze wanders over to him more than once, an excited glimmer in her blue eyes that makes him more anxious. What does she know? Jack stares down at the table, picking at the wood grain with one hand and squeezing Mark's fingers in the other.
"You've all seen the broadcast, but I'll remind everyone anyway. The boss of the NAI passed away and has been replaced by Cry. Originally, our plans consisted of disposing of a man who was already weak, but it appears we need to make some minor adjustments. Hudson, you're a scout, so you'll be locating pro-NAI groups, police squadron placements, and anything else that will be helpful in getting us into the NAI building with no conflict. Mark and Felix will be working with you."
Hudson glances over at the two heroes, a wide smile on his freckled face. Mark flashes him a thumbs up with his free hand and Felix nods. Jack freezes. Disposing of the boss? Minor adjustments? What are they planning on doing?!
"Lili, you're the team medic, so you'll be working with Phil. Gunner, you're working with me. Red, because you're the team leader—"
"But not the rationale," Gunner mutters, a teasing grin on his face that earns him a punch from the girl.
Matthias glances at him for a moment before looking back to Red. "—You can chose where you want to go. I suggest accompanying Hudson, Mark, and Felix, but if you have other pressing matters you can tend to those."
Jack clenches his jaw. He's tired of not knowing. He's tired of being left out and freaking out whenever something happens. He takes a deep breath and gathers the courage to speak. "What happens to the villains in the end? What do you plan to do with them when your mission is complete?"
Matthias watches him for entirely too long. Gunner, Red, and Hudson look at him as though they're trying to piece a puzzle together while Lili maintains that glimmer in her eyes. Despite his urge to shrink away, he stays put. He will not succumb to his anxiety.
"The decision will be given to the people, but most likely they'll be arrested," Matthias says. His expression tells all. He knows why Jack is asking.
"People will most likely advocate for jail time or testing. They are freaks of nature, after all," Red adds. "Monsters."
Lili turns to her, her eyebrows furrowed. "They were never given a choice, though. Just because they aren't born with powers like heroes are doesn't mean they're automatically freaks. I'm sure they're not bad people at all." Her eyes flick to Jack for a moment before turning back to Red. "Much less monsters."
"I agree with Lili," Phil says, breaking his own prolonged silence. His blue eyes flash with pain for a moment. "Not all of them are bad. They never had a choice."
"Like I said, the citizens will decide. Let's move along," Matthias interjects.
He diverts the attention to maps and Jack slumps back in his chair, his breathing shallow and quiet. Mark glances at him, rubbing circles into the back of his hand with his thumb reassuringly. He looks back at him for a second before his eyes meet Phil's, and he makes a mental note to talk to him at some point. He sighs heavily, wanting to rest his head on Mark's shoulder but resisting.
The fewer of these meetings he has to attend, the better.