The guard looked at him, "I'm going to help your brothers, you should sit down." Nathaniel nodded, walking one of the couches lining the middle of the mall. He sat, cradling his head in his hands as he stabilized his breathing. He wouldn't be able to stay here for long.
The guard ran towards the shop, blue swirls emerging below his short sleeves. Nathaniel let out a breath, he had been a fey security officer after all. Breathing became easier as the weight on Nathaniel lessened, he stood up. Time to get back.
He walked through the mall, searching for anyone following him. People moved around him, rushing from shop to shop. He didn't notice any recurring characters yet. That was a good thing, but he didn't really believe his luck would hold. He kept walking, his attention in his peripherals. A man a few paces behind him stopped, typing on his phone. Then a new man passed him, sharing a knowing look. Nathaniel looked ahead, his pulse speeding up.
Nathaniel sped up, the store was just around this last corner, he was almost there. Security guards were moving in and out of the store, a crowd was gathering around them, curious to what they were doing. The blindfolded girl sat against the store wall, the guard with blue swirls on his arms sitting next to her. The Thanal lay in her lap, its eyes closed. Nathaniel strained, but couldn't see Connor or Gene. He walked faster, concerned.
As he passed by the closed store in front of Marcela's a hand shot out, grabbing him by the arm. Nathaniel opened his mouth to yell, but a hand covered it, pulling him into the dark store.
Nathaniel struggled, biting the hand covering his mouth. He tasted blood enter his mouth before the hand was yanked off his face. It was too dark to see the man in front of him, there looked like there was another standing next to him. Nathaniel's mind flashed to the two men passing each other.
Nathaniel's assailant clicked his tongue, "Nate, it's me." The assailant began shaking his hand, head moving to check the mall outside. No one had noticed them yet.
Nathaniel relaxed, "Connor?" He squinted, trying to adjust to the darkness around him.
"Yeah," Connor hissed, cradling his hand, "Nice bite, oh cuss that hurts."
Nathaniel's eyes widened, he had just bitten Connor, "Oh Connor, I'm so sorry. I thought, thought you were Wasp or someone like that. I'm so sorry." He watched as Connor shook his hand, it was his right, on his left he still wore his brass knuckles.
Connor shook his head, "It was a good move, don't apologize for self defense. That was my bad." He looked at Gene, "The officers will be here for a while. We should camp out here. Do you have any bandages?" Nathaniel wiped his mouth on his hand, hoping the wetness he felt wasn't Connor's blood.
Gene nodded, digging into his sweatshirt pocket, he looked at Connor "Let's move lower in, I'll need some light." Connor nodded, walking further into the abandoned shop. Nathaniel followed, giving Connor room, he didn't want Connor to get mad at him. It wasn't everyday when someone you barely knew bit you.
The three arrived at the back of the store, Nathaniel looked back, but couldn't see the front of the store. Gene explored the walls, flipping on a switch. Nathaniel squinted in the light. Connor was standing ahead of him. Nathaniel looked at Connor's hands. Both were covered in blood. His knuckles were bloody and bruised, his brass knuckles covered in red and green blood.
Nathaniel looked at Gene, he was unharmed except for a long red mark circling his neck. "What happened?" Nathaniel asked, disbelief and concern filling his voice. He had only been gone for about 5 minutes, but these two had been to war from the looks of it.
Connor moved to Gene, washing the blood off his right hand. Nathaniel winced at the sight of his teeth marks. Gene unwinded the bandage, wrapping it around Connor's hand.
Connor shrugged, "With the smoke it got kinda blurry." He watched as Gene continued his wrapping, his movements natural. He must've done this many times before. Nathniel shoved his hands in his pockets, wishing they wouldn't shake so often, he didn't like how it felt, like he was out of control and making things worse for himself and others. Gene finished, securing the bandage.
Connor bumped Gene's shoulder, "I owe you." He turned on the sink, washing his brass knuckles and sticking them back in his pocket. He rinsed his left hand, green and red mixing as they disappeared down the drain. Nathaniel stretched, feeling his adrenaline disappear, leaving only a weariness. He was done shopping for the day, the sooner they got out of here, the better.
Connor rubbed his temples, his eyes closed, "I'm going to take a quick nap, just until the security's gone." He laid on the ground, his hands resting on his stomach as he closed his eyes.
Gene stepped over him, standing by Nathaniel, Nathaniel looked at him, "Do you know what happened in there?" He didn't want to pry, whatever had happened had taken a toll on Connor, but he wanted to know. He was part of this too.
Gene shook his head, "I only remember you guys leaving, then Connor pulling me in here." He fingered the red on his neck, his face blank, his thoughts somewhere far away. Nathaniel nodded, picturing the green smoke that had filled the store. He hadn't seen anything like it. It looked like it might have some mental capabilities, if the twins were telling the truth.
Nathaniel turned around, "I'm going to keep watch, maybe I'll see something important."
Gene nodded, sitting on the ground, "Don't let anyone see you." Nathaniel smiled before moving into the dark part of the store again. He walked until he could see light coming from the rest of the mall. He stopped near the door, far enough to see outside, but not to be hit by the light. People wouldn't see him unless they were staring right at him.
Outside, things were dying down. Security guards had taped off the store, customers were no longer lining it. Instead they walked around, glancing at the store as they did. Security officers were going in and out of the store. Most looked human, Nathaniel hadn't expected to see many fey, fey had less children than humans did. For every 40 humans there was a fey. It looked like the only fey security guard was the swirled one that Nathaniel had run into. He was now standing right outside the store, holding some green smoke in a blue sphere.
Nathaniel looked at the remaining crowd, there were just three boys, two with dark hair, the third a blond. The store clerk from earlier walked to them, giving them a small wave. The blond boy stepped forward, giving the store girl a hug. Nathaniel smiled, starting to look away. He froze when he saw the oldest boy look at him, narrowing his eyes slightly. Nathaniel stumbled backwards, the darkness should hide him. Why could that boy still see him?