Mark, still shaken, had recounted the events as best he could. But his description of Aiden's otherworldly display was met with skepticism. He found himself interrogated.
"Look, kid," The officer said said, leaning back in his chair
"I appreciate you cooperating, but this whole story sounds like you were high on something stronger than usual."
"But it's true!" Mark insisted
"He, he shot lightning out of his hands. And his eyes… they glowed"
"Maybe you were a little shaken up after the beating."
Max gritted his teeth "It wasn't a beating. It was real for heaven's sake"
Another officer sighed, his gaze landing on a file folder on his desk.
"We did some digging. Turns out, he's not exactly a typical college boy. History of drug use, petty theft… kid's got a screw loose."
"So you're telling us a glowing-eyed monster attacked you and your friends at the warehouse?"
Mark slammed his fist on the table, "What evidence do you want?" veins pulsing in his neck.
"The warehouse is trashed, my guys are all unconscious, and I'm here with a cracked skull."
"And plus you think I'd willingly get messed up in that abandoned warehouse just for a cheap high? I wouldn't have dragged those guys there if I knew what was waiting"
"Look," he growled, leaning forward across the table
"I may not be a saint, but I'm not a liar. You want the truth? Here it is. There was someone strange in that warehouse. Something none of us understood."
"Giant glowing eyes, bolts of lightning… sounds like a wild night, wouldn't you say?"
"Even if your story is true, Mark," The officer added
"that doesn't mean there wasn't foul play involved. You and your little crew are known for causing trouble. Maybe this monster of yours was someone you crossed, someone seeking payback."
Mark felt a vein throb in his temple. He knew they wouldn't believe him. No one ever did. He was a delinquent, a troublemaker. His word was worthless against the fantastical tale he'd spun.
"That glowing-eyed freak… it caught a bullet. Right between its fingers. Didn't even flinch, I saw what I saw. He's not normal, and you need to take this seriously."
Mark lunged "The damn warehouse, that freak even summoned lightning."
The officers however, remained unconvinced. "Lightning strikes happen, Mark. Doesn't mean some kid with glowing eyes summoned it."
Officer Lewis cut him off with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, the glowing-eyed kid. We've got a whole folder of stories like yours down at the station. Aliens stealing cows, leprechauns hiding pot stash, a giant rabbit and a singing unicorn. Seems like whatever you were on, these guys got a hold of it too."
"Anyways, you're under arrest for causing disturbance, multiple petty thefts, and possession charges"
The sudden movement startled Mark back into his chair. He glared at the officers, a caged animal trapped in a metal cage.
Officer Lewis opened a file, "In addition to the charges mentioned earlier, we'll be running a routine drug test based on your past record. If anything turns up, you'll be facing additional charges."
As the handcuffs clicked shut around his wrists, Mark met Lewis' gaze, a promise burning in his eyes. "You'll see," he snarled
"You'll all see what Aiden – that little freak Aiden – is capable of. And when it happens, don't come crying to me"
Mark was dragged out of the interrogation room, his anger burning white-hot. They wouldn't listen. No one believed him.
But he knew the truth. And he knew that he wouldn't let Aiden get away with it. He'd expose him, one way or another.
Meanwhile, the two friends finally arrive at Elmwood College
"Finally," Max sighed
As they hoisted their bags onto their shoulders, a familiar voice cut through.
"Max!"
Aiden turned to see Sarah, her blonde hair catching the sunlight in a golden halo
A jolt of surprise, a spark of something else Max couldn't quite define, shot through him. He'd barely exchanged a few words with Sarah back in middle school.
"Hey" Max greeted, his voice slightly higher-pitched than usual.
"Didn't expect to see you here."
"Surprise!" Sarah beamed. "Turns out they had a spot open up in my dorm building. Crazy coincidence, right?"
Sarah's eyes darted towards Max's wounds
"Wait, what happened to you?"
Max winced, the memory of the warehouse sending a shiver down his spine.
"Oh, these? Just a little…. Nothing serious." He instinctively reached up to brush his fingers across a fading bruise on his cheek, hoping it wasn't too noticeable.
Aiden, observing the exchange "Yeah, just a clumsy move. Max here can trip over his own shadow sometimes."
Sarah chuckled, the tension easing. "Are you sure? Well, be careful next time then. Don't want you scaring off any potential freshmen here."
Sarah added
"Let me help you guys with those bags, we have chemistry class together, you know."
"We probably shouldn't dawdle too long. Professor Henderson can be a bit…particular about punctuality."
Max and Aiden exchanged surprised glances before shrugging and falling into step beside her. As they walked, Sarah chatted casually, pointing out landmarks and regaling them with stories about their favorite professors.
"There's the library," she said, gesturing towards a grand, gothic building.
"supposedly haunted by the ghost of a disgruntled librarian. Don't worry, he only steals overdue books, not freshmen."
Sarah had a way of making even the most mundane details sound interesting.
"And that building over there," she continued, pointing to a modern glass structure
"is the science building. They have this crazy lab where they're doing research on, like, artificial intelligence and stuff."
As they approached a large lecture hall, Sarah stopped.
"Alright, this is it,"
Just a few moments ago, Sarah helped them, a confident smile on her face as she disappeared into the classroom.
Turns out, all three of them had ended up in the same class, a coincidence that both surprised and intrigued Max.
Professor Henderson cleared her throat.
The classroom fell silent.
"Alright, class," she began
"before we delve in, I have a rather… unexpected announcement."
A ripple of nervous laughter ran through the room. A few students, cheeks flushed red, exchanged sheepish glances.
Sarah, a few desks ahead of Max, swiveled in her chair, her gaze momentarily meeting his before flitting back to the professor
Aiden, however, felt a cold dread pool in his stomach
"Our very own Mark Evans," Professor Henderson continued,
"seems to have found himself in quite a predicament with the law."
A collective gasp erupted from the class, quickly morphing into a wave of surprised chatter.
Max's eyes widened comically
Aiden's mind raced. He stole a glance at Max.
A buzz of agreement rippled through the classroom. "Finally!" someone shouted from the back. Heads turned in agreement, a wave of murmured confirmations washing over the room.
A chorus of muttered "yeahs" and satisfied nods followed.
Sarah, however, remained silent, her expression a mask of shock and confusion.
"Now, I'm not one to speculate," Professor Henderson added,
"but let's just say, karma can catch up to you rather quickly, especially when you make a habit of bullying innocent bystanders, wouldn't you agree?"
Max pumped his fist in the air.
"That moron won't be terrorizing anyone for a while, that's for sure."
"And looks like someone won't be bothering us anymore," Max nudged Aiden
"Yeah," Aiden mumbled, "I guess not."
With that cryptic statement, Professor Henderson launched into her lecture.
Officer Lewis tossed Mark into the holding cell with a none-too-gentle shove. The cell door slamming shut echoed through the sterile hallway. Mark slumped against the cold concrete wall
"Enjoy your stay, kid," Lewis said, turning to leave.
Lewis turned to his partner, Rodriguez, still fresh out of the academy and eager to prove himself.
"There you have it. Another night of wasted taxpayer dollars dealing with these delusional delinquents."
Rodriguez tapped his chin thoughtfully. "He said the guy caught it with his fingers. No flinching."
Lewis snorted. "Adrenaline's a hell of a drug. Makes you do crazy things. Plus, these kids were high as kites to begin with. Who knows what they were seeing."
Rodriguez raised an eyebrow. "You ever consider the possibility he wasn't lying?"
Lewis scoffed again. "Aliens and glowing eyes? Come on. Besides, the kid they're accusing him of attacking, Aiden… clean record, good student. No history of violence."
"This is a case of a troubled kid spinning a story to avoid getting in trouble. We clean up the mess, slap some charges on Mark and his crew, and move on. Simple."
Rodriguez fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice.
"Just a thought, Lewis. We both saw the state of the warehouse. It looked like a bomb went off in there, not a fistfight between a bunch of teenagers."
Lewis sighed. He couldn't deny the destruction in the warehouse was unusual. But the idea of a glowing-eyed kid with superpowers? It was just too out there.
"Look," he said finally, "let's just get these charges processed and move on. There's nothing here but a bunch of messed-up kids and their wild imaginations. We deal with this kind of thing all the time."
He tapped Rodriguez on the shoulder. "Look, let's just get this paperwork done and head home. There's a decent burger joint down the street, my treat."