By Sama Khwaja
‘Stop it, River! I can get about myself just fine!’
River gently parted from her and gave her a concerned look.
‘You dare treat me like a weakling again I swear you won’t live for your next mission!’ Destiny grumbled.
He didn’t smile but simply cocked his head to one side as if scrutinizing her. After all, she had been confined to the ICU for the last three days because she had gone into a coma since the lab incident. And even though River had insisted she skip out on this meeting, she had stubbornly refused to listen. She had to attend. Rhett was coming and she had to know his verdict on this entire mess. Even if she’d want to kill him for it. Well, at
least she’d have an alibi now.
‘You know no matter how hard I try,’ River said quietly and gazed at the floor, ‘I can never get that image of your lifeless body out of my head.’
‘River, I’m not dead. Look,’ she sighed and tapped his chest with her finger so he looked at her. She forced a smile. ‘I’m alive and here.’
‘Yes, but for how long? You’ve changed. You’re the not the same anymore. And I keep thinking that one day…you’ll disappear without a trace.’
Destiny didn’t answer this time. What could she say? That River knew her too well for his own good?
‘We better go in,’ she managed to utter. As soon as Zeta’s doors slid open, Destiny was ambushed by an enthusiastic Chi.
‘DEE!’ she squealed as she choked Destiny with her hug. ‘We missed you! I thought you were dead! You looked like a zombie at the ward! I-!’
‘Oi! Chi! You’re really gonna kill her with yer hug if ya don’t leggo!’ Gear drawled from his corner.
‘Good to see you, Little Dipper!’ Tito boomed as he clapped her on the back, almost sending her tumbling to the ground.
‘Nice seeing you too, Tito!’ Destiny winced as she straightened out. ‘Where’re Rhett and Keido?’
‘Did someone miss me too much?’ Keido teased as he strolled in with Rhett.
‘You wish.’
‘Awww, that hurt, Dee!’
‘Good.’
He rolled his eyes at her. She smirked. It felt good to be back. Rhett cleared his throat.
‘Considering the event conducted by our own special squad,’ he started austerely, eying Destiny, ‘without
even informing us, certain rules need to be established to prevent any further damage. Keido?’
‘’Kay, rule no. 1, you guys,’ Keido began and stuck out his index finger, ‘silent as the grave about this. If word gets out, we might lose our allies. No. 2, about the October files; get ready with your marshmallows
‘cause we’re having a bonfire tonight! No. 3-!’
‘Whoa, wait!’ Destiny interrupted and glared at Rhett. ‘What, we’re going to pretend that this never happened?’
‘You should be the last person to complain, Destiny,’ Rhett answered coolly. ‘I’m just making sure history doesn’t repeat itself. If our enemies realize that there is another way to manipulate Hova’s powers then Healex is doomed. My job is to cripple them. So please refrain from telling me how to carry out my duty when you clearly don’t know how to do yours.’ He nodded at Keido. ‘Continue.’
Destiny slipped out silently, fuming. She wasn’t going to stick around to hear the rest of that nonsense.
‘It’s my duty! I know how to do it so well!’ Destiny said mockingly in a high-pitched voice as she hotwired a sleek blue Aprilia motorcycle. ‘Who does he think he is? I can fry him alive if I wanted to!’
‘Well, I hope that’s just a wish and not a promise, Destiny.’
She almost knocked the motorcycle over in surprise.
‘Jeez, Will! Can you be a little less sneaky!?’ she snapped and returned to fiddling with the wires.
‘Can you really control those powers?’ he asked quietly as he glided closer.
The bike purred to life. She clambered on before looking at William and raised a clenched fist. It suddenly burst into white flames that licked her skin but didn’t burn her.
‘It’s scary,’ she admitted as she admired the flames, ‘to have such power. I thought I’d have more problems because it had been dormant for so long. But I can control it a little. Though with Rhett’s attitude, I won’t be able to master it as long as I’m here.’
The flames winked out of existence as she settled her hands on the handlebars.
‘Is that why you’re leaving?’
‘I’m a danger here, Will. You heard Rhett. If our enemies find out about me, they’ll destroy Vice. It’s best if I just disappear.’ She lowered her head. ‘You were there when…when Keido told me what else were in the October files, right?’
‘Once Mage settles in a body there is no way of extracting him. Any method will lead to death for the receiver,’ William recited. Destiny’s hands tightened on the handles.
‘If they find out how close I am to all of you, they’ll use you to get to me.’ She whirred up the engine. ‘This is for the best, Will.’
‘I just wish…I could have been a better brother to you,’ he said quietly and almost, morosely. ‘If I hadn’t been so focused on protecting you from the truth maybe we could have avoided all of this. I had put so many lives at risk because of this secret. I just-!’
‘God, Will, no need to get so dramatic!’ She grinned broadly at him. ‘You did the best you could. It’s how you click. You keep thinking but never doing. I keep doing and never thinking. So even if you had told me the truth, we couldn’t avoid the inevitable. I’d still be getting on a bike and busting out of here.’
He finally managed a small smile and crossed his arms.
‘Where are you planning to go?’ he asked.
‘North. I dunno. I’m thinking of finding a quiet place to stay incognito.’
‘Do you want me to tell River anything?’
‘No more lies. Just tell him the truth. And if he wants to find me he’s more than welcome.’
‘And…me?’
‘You don’t need an invitation, Will. We’re blood.’
He shook his head at her as she turned the bike towards the exit. Then he frowned.
‘Isn’t that Rhett’s?’ he queried and raised an eyebrow at the bike.
‘Why, so it is! Fancy my luck, huh?’
‘Take care, Destiny,’ he chuckled.
‘You too, Will. And you haven’t put our lives at risk. You’ve made them worth the risk.’
With a final nod and a flourish of his cape, William began to walk away from her. She gazed at his back for a minute before revving the bike and, lurching the bike on its front wheel, sped out of the garage.
Time for this caged bird to finally spread her wings out and fly.
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