Rune]
I was at my limit... I did at most sleep 3 hours before the alarm went of at 6 in the morning and I was forced to leave. Seriously, whose idea was it to go so early in the morning?
After getting ready I put on my shoes and pulled my suit case out to the hallway where Vince, Jane and also Raven were already waiting for me with their own cases.
"Good morning, man... you sure you are awake?" Jane patted my back slightly and smiled before taking my suit case in her hand and pulling it instead.
"I can do that on my own." I reached after her but she had already taken the lead with total motivation.
"Come on, let's go." Raven grinned with the same enthusiasm and started pushing me after Jane. How were both of them so energized early in the morning? Raven did not sleep more than I did.
"You don't coincidently want to carry me again, do you?" I stumbled from one side to the other. Right now I was so tired that I didn't care what I said before Raven lifted me onto of his suitcase and pulled it behind him with me sitting on top and leaning onto him.
He did not even comment what he did but simply kept going after Jane who eyed us suspiciously.
"Raveeeen, what a gentleman you've become." She laughed hysterically and winked at him.
I grinned a little at that comment but kept my eyes closed and held onto Ravens arm. Who cared at the moment?
"He'll only hold us back." Raven tried defending himself but Jane didn't even pay attention to him.
Soon we closed up to Kate, then Ed and Vince and when we were finally down in the entrance hall I had to force myself to stand up again and great Neil and his two companions.
One of them was a guy, probably japanese with tightly brushed back hair and fierce eyes. He was pretty but intimidating. Next to him was a girl, almost as tall as Neil with light blond hair and ice blue eyes.
From what I learned I guessed that she was part of the Hiver family that could cool down their body temperature so low that people around them could get ice burns.
I didn't want to get involved with these people for sure.
When our group closed up to them I seemed to recieve more judging stares than everyone else. I tried ignoring it for now but it got on my nerve.
The leader was also present next to them and greeted us kindly before wishing everyone luck for the mission.
"I trust on your success for this investigation. The man from Falcon must have planned his reveal so be prepared for a trap as well as other families searching for him. The knowledge about project "Healer" has highest priority because we cannot let the Falcon family create it at all costs.
Raven, please listen to your brother who will lead this mission. I expect excellent team work." She gave her younger nephew a small glance before proceeding to talk to Neil in private.
I could literally feel Raven tensing next to me and the others didn't seem any happier about this.
I made eye contact with Vince for a second when he moved his lips to form the words "be careful"
They were right... Neil and his friends could not be taken lightly.
[Raven]
After leaving the Inoue company building we were brought to our private plane that was already standing ready to take off.
I thought at least on the way there Neil would ignore us but I constantly felt his eyes on me whenever I was in range. He must still be suspicious of Rune and me so he was extra cautious. I wouldn't disappoint him in the mission, I simply couldn't.
"You okay there?" Vince wondered when we were already in the plane, him sitting across of me. I hadn't realized that my thoughts had drifted of and shook my head for a second.
"Yeah, why would I be bothered? I'm just a little tired." I exclaimed with a calm voice to not wake up Rune who was deep asleep on the seat next to mine.
There were always 4 seats around a small table and while the three of us were sitting here, Jane and Kate were chatting about London sightseeing on the other side, with Ed just sitting next to them and listening.
Neil and his friends were sitting further away at the other end of the seating area so I could not make out what they were talking about nor see them. Shouldn't I also be let in in their strategies if they already discussed that? I was second in command on this mission after all.
"I'm just saying... I'm not oblivious, you know. You want to prove yourself in front of your brother... but at the same time we have to hide Rune from him. I hope you are aware where your priorities have to be..." he hinted something that I didn't like and for a faint moment I glared at him. But Vince was only saying the truth. We were obligated to follow every order that Neil gave but somehow it felt like betraying him. What would we do if we found the Falcon man? Rune would never let us hurt him... and what if Rune just went with him in the end and turned his back on us?
I could not even say if that was realistic.
"We have to go with the flow for now... our goal is to investigate whether the man knows about project healer and with Rune on our side he will be more likely to tell us." I said trying to concentrate.
"But Neil won't hesitate to torture or even kill that guy if we face problems there... and if I'm correct then there is a lot more that Rune wants from him. Aren't you curious about how the masacre really went down? Why it happened in the first place? You know just as well as me that the higher ups are not telling the whole truth." A strange glow emitted form his eyes making me perk up.
"Are you distrusting the sincerity of the leader?" I felt a little offended there.
"No, I just don't think that a mass murder can be justified so easily... the leader was 15 years old when it happened so I don't think she has any fault to begin with." Vince concluded and kept his voice especially quiet before glancing over in Neil's direction to check if they were still in secret.
"I agree that murder might not be the best way to fight people that planned to destroy and overthrow the whole gifted society but remember that they killed the leaders of at least 10 powerful groups back then first..." I argumented against him. The Falcon group had provoked it and they had also refused to cooperate so they lost in the following fight... it had been cruel but inevitable.
"Hm, I guess you got a point there..." Vince admitted but I knew him well enough to say that he wasn't satisfied yet. What was bothering him so much about all this. It was Runes concern, not his, right?
In that moment the said boy's head fell to the side so he leaned on my shoulder. Out of instinct I wanted to flinch away but something held me back. Instead I simply observed his closed eyes under a few strands of hair that were blown away every time he breathed out.
He looked so peaceful and cute like this...
I quickly averted my eyes when I realized my heart beating louder but unfortunately they met with Vince's again.
"Stay still for a sec." He whispered and pulled out his phone to take a picture.
"Vince, no!" I whisper yelled causing Jane and the two others to turn their head toward the scene next to them.
"Can't you smile a little more? You're destroying the vibe." Vince sighed and I noticed Kate and Ed trying to hold their laughter while Jane smirked in satisfaction.
"It's gonna take us at least 3 hours from here. Don't you dare pushing him off." She threatened earning an agreeing nod from Vince. These traitors of friends!
"Shut up." I scoffed and turned my head away from them so soon everyone minded their own business again.
Vince decided to take a nap himself and soon the plane got awfully quiet and I realized that I felt quiet exhausted myself.
Again I looked at Rune's head still resting on my shoulder. His rosy lips were slightly parted when he slowly breathed in and out.
I still remembered how it felt kissing those lips and how Rune had pecked my cheek... they were just as soft as they seemed when looking at them and they had tasted sweet like candy. I had never met a man as beautiful as him.
Suddenly I realized my own thoughts and felt awfully embarrassed so I quickly turned my head away.
"Fuck..." I whispered more to myself and closed my eyes for a second.
"Hmm is everything alright?" I felt Rune getting up from my shoulder with half opened eyes before yawning. For a moment I just stared at him.
"Yeah yeah, just go back to sleep." I insisted resulting in his head falling on my shoulder once again. At the same time he wrapped his arms around my arm and held onto it closely. Was he even awake? He had never done something so intimate before... and yet I didn't want him to let go.
[Rune]
I woke up when hearing the pilot informing us about the upcoming arrival in about five minutes.
But when I wanted to lift my head I realized that Raven was leaning onto it and I held onto his arm.
"Finally awake, love birds?" Vince chuckled at us from his seat so Raven himself woke up in an instant and we awkwardly shifted away from each other.
"I- I'm sorry I didn't mean to lean on you." I silently apologized suddenly feeling really embarrassed.
"It's... fine." Opppsite of all my expectations Raven just went with it and didn't bother much. So he didn't mind?
That thought filled me with happiness a little before the moment was already over and we proceeded to land surrounded by thic fog and grey clouds on the airport near London.
It had been ages since I went there but the weather was still the same. I actually prefered it like this.
"Follow me outside to the two vans over there. They're gonna get us to where we're gonna stay." Neil commanded and took the lead together with his comrades.
Obediently, everyone followed while two flight attendents were taking care of the luggage.
A wave of wind hit me and I started freezing a little when seeing my breath form small clouds in the air.
"Something feels wrong..." Vince randomly stated suddenly being extremely cautios. When I wanted to ask what he meant, he had already stopped me and Raven from walking, causing Jane and the two others to halt too.
"Vince... don't tell me-" Raven's eyes narrowed when he eyed his friend suspiciously but he was soon interrupted.
"GET AWAY FROM THE VANS!" He yelled but Neil and his friends had reacted too late when in the next second both vans exploded with an earraping sound.
I reacted faster than the shock wave could reach us and sprinted forward to the 3 closest to the explosion.
Shattered pieces from the cars were flying at them in a dangerous velocity.
In the blink of an eye I dodged all the pieces that were about to hit vital areas on Neil's or his friend's bodies. Had it been just a little later, they'd have suffered serious injuries or even death...
Immediately, I went back when all the others that had been pushed back from the shockwave were almost on the floor. Pretending like I had been affected too, I let my self fall down and stopped using my super speed.
Dust and ashes were raining from the sky and in front of the burning cars I saw the blond haired girl rolling on her back and coughing heavily. Neil and the other guy were both groaning in pain when soon everyone came running at them.
"Neil, some people knew of our arrival. Vince sensed at least 15 comming right at us." Raven reported to his struggling brother and put an arm under his shoulder to help him up. Surprisingly, Neil let himself be helped which was something I thought would be different...
"Celeste needs medical assistance immediately!" Jane shouted out when holding the blond haired girls head on her lap. Celeste... so that was her name.
Again I turned around to see Ed and Kate helping the third guy up, he was the least hurt out of all of them but yet he was obviously in pain.
"Shit" I could literally hear from his way of speaking that he stood with his back to a wall.
Of course he did... it was 9 against 15 and three of us were injured. Additionally, we did not have weapons in reachable distance and me and Ed had huge disadvantages in combat.
Groups of people came running at us from three sides on this wide airport area so everyone moved closer to surround the injured ones.
"We'll distract them and you run." Neil demanded all of a sudden while at the same time pushing his brother away.
"Neil, this is stu-" he wanted to object but Raven was given no opportunity.
"You swore to follow every order so don't be a disappointment now!" Neil said back with no room for argument.
At the same time, Celeste and the other guy got into fighting position despite probably suffering unbearable pain.
These people were indeed far advanced and professional... but they could never win 3 against 15.
"Neil, Yuto..." Celeste's voice was neither trembling nor did I see fear in her eyes. Actually, this was the first time I ever heard her speak. Her voice was deeper than average but clear as a crystal. Her comment made both guys perk up and immediately they went to her sides and suddenly threw her high up in the air, aiming right for one of the groups.
I sharply inhaled air when looked after her with wide eyes.
They just threw her... even Raven made big eyes when seeing that.
But she gracefully landed in front of those five people and spread her arms. Suddenly three of them went down as their skin took a pale blueish color and at the same time the other two were moving forward being able to fight against the freezing cold emitting from Celeste.
"Did she just freeze them to death?!" Jane shrieked and it soon dawned on me too.
Gun shots were heard and they barely missed Celeste when the guy called Yuto already went to support her.
These people were experts at their game so even against armed people they stood their defense and soon made 2 more enemies go down.
Observing more closely, I came to the conclusion that our attackers were neither experienced in fighting or shooting nor did they follow any strategy.
Someone probably send them here thinking they'd outnumber us no matter their skill level...
"It has to be Mellontikos..." Kate breathed shaking with fear when the two other groups closed up and also started shooting.
All of us split apart in a matter of seconds and in the corner of my eye I spotted Vince throwing a small gun to Ed who caught it easily. Did he have it all this time? Of course... Vince had probably already expected this.
There was no time for me to observe others much when soon a man came at me with a base ball bat.
I slid to the side to dodge and placed a clean punsh on his side but the wanted effect did never occur and next thing I knew the guy started laughing.
"My skin is as impenetrable as a diamond, brat. Come here and die!" He laughed hysterically and continued aiming at me without any plan.
What an idiot... I smirked when tripping the guy over my leg.
"Rule 1 of close combat with gifted ones. Avoid revealing your gifted power if possible." I lectured him intoxicated by the adrenalin of the fight.
The diamond like skin of the Ivanov family had a few weak spots that I had learned about when studying in the library.
Again I kicked his back hardly and held him the ground before ramming his own base ball bat into his eyes.
This part of the body, as well as teeth and hair were not enhanced by the gifted ability and therefore an easy target.
The man howled in pain and rolled to his side as his whole body started shaking. From underneath his hands that covered the injury, blood was seen dripping down his face.
With a last kick to his back I grinned at him and breathed out... but his painful whimpering didn't stop.
The smile faded from my face in a matter of seconds.
Had I just laughed at a person that I hurt...?! What if he was blind now? How could I ever think of enjoying this?!
With sudden realization I stepped back from the struggling man and scanned the area around me.
People were falling, guns were firing and screams were heard.
Three more people came running at me when at the same time, Jane suddenly appeared to shield me.
"Rune, you need to leave as soon as possible. We can't risk you using your speed." She demanded and without thinking I did what I was told to and ran the other way in normal speed.
But who could've known that all three enemies simply ran a curve around Jane and kept pursuing me as their target.
No way... they were targeting me?