Collateral

Chapter Six

The discomfiture in the air was palpable as Reyna and Arsen drove in silence. 

"I was thinking that you could stay at my place tonight," Reyna said finally. "Since, you know, your father." 

"I don't think he'll approve," Arsen said, "but that sounds good." 

"He never approves of anything."

Reyna's mother was something of a workaholic and was always traveling. Her father died of lung cancer. They found friendship in each other, especially since Arsen had only had one close friend other than Reyna. Arsen didn't want to think about him, though. 

It was worse for Reyna. She knew her father, watched him slowly deteriorate, turning into a skeleton that could barely breathe without the help of machines, until, when she was fourteen, he died.

Her father never smoked. It was genetic, ran in the family. And Arsen knew it was what Reyna was scared of: dying like her father.

Reyna's place was much bigger than Arsen's. It had personality, too. A rip in the couch from Reyna's 'teething stage' and an oil burn on the kitchen counter from the time she tried to fry chicken.

Not that Arsen's home didn't have memories, but it was never a constant. There was new furniture, even the much-stained carpeting had been removed for a wooden floor.

"Hello, fishies," Reyna cooed, sprinkling some colorful flakes into the fish tank where three goldfish swam around. Arsen watched in amusement, smiling.

"They're still around?" 

"Goldie IV died last week," Reyna said with a slight frown. "But other than that, yes. But now, to the important thing: your powers aren't developing. That's a problem. Or at least, they don't seem to be. So we'll have to find out.

"Is this going to hurt?" Arsen asked. Reyna kept a straight face. 

"It might. First things first, are you smarter? That one has already been solved. No." 

"Ouch." 

"Okay, next. Are you stronger?" Reyna located a table and gestured at Arsen. "Come on. Arm wrestle." 

"Is there another way to do this?" Arsen complained. 

"No. Come on." 

Reluctantly, Arsen placed his elbow on the table. they were about to arm wrestle apparently, bar-style. Reyna smirked and Arsen knew instantly he was about to lose. 

He was correct. It hadn't even lasted five seconds, by his calculations. And his face was burning red. 

"Good news," Reyna said, "you're stronger than most people. This may mean one of three things: a) it's working, just slower than usual, b) it's not working, you're just on steroids, or c) I'm just not trying." 

"I say the first option," Arsen decided. "Because I'm not on steroids and it felt like you were trying pretty hard." 

"I say the third one," Reyna replied. "But it's time for the third test; this one may hurt a little." She stood up and pulled a kitchen knife from a block of wood. He flinched away. 

"Hey, hey, no need to go down that road here. My body is fine without bleeding holes in it." 

Reyna rolled her eyes, "Don't worry. I'm not killing you. Not intentionally, anyway. Well, unless you make me angry." 

"That reassures me a lot." 

"Shut up. Give me your hand." 

Hesitantly, Arsen extended his arm towards her. She made a small incision on his palm, like a paper cut, and held his hand there with a grip made of iron. Nothing happened. Reyna continued to stare at his hand expectantly for another five minutes before she finally gave up.

"It's not working."

"What's supposed to happen?" Arsen asked. Reyna turned the knife on herself and made a small cut on her hand. Her skin started to stitch itself together almost instantly. There was no sign of any previous wound. 

"That," Reyna said. He glanced at his hand to confirm nothing of the sort had happened and turned back to her.

"Should I say something about it to the others?" 

"No!" She snapped. "If it doesn't work, then you can't work with us. And we can't risk you spilling our secrets to the press or even just one person. So we'd have to get rid of that risk." 

"I'll be killed," Arsen realized. 

"It'll kick in soon," she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. "But until then, we'll just have to pretend. And try not to bleed. Or get into any arm wrestles."

"Will do," Arsen replied.

"Now that's cleared up," Reyna said, "you want something to eat?" She flung open the door to the refrigerator.

"God, no," laughed he. "You're a horrible cook!" 

"Fine," she said, taking out a carton of milk. "You down for some cereal?"

Arsen couldn't sleep. There was Magnus. Despite Reyna's reassurances, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was right. He didn't know how to prove it, but he was. He knew it in his gut that there was something off. 

And Magnus was the captain, in a place of power. He couldn't just accuse the captain when he hadn't been here for even a week. But... a plan started to slowly form in his head. Surely there had to be a good half of the team, or at least a quarter, that disliked Magnus. If Arsen could get them on his side...

He was feeling more and more restless until he finally got up and headed down the stairs, trying not to wake a softly snoring Reyna. 

He couldn't exactly go anywhere, he was the worst driver ever. And he was pretty sure Reyna wouldn't appreciate him taking her car out and crashing it.

Eventually, Arsen decided to just sit on the couch and listen to the news anchors talk about the assassination and all, covering the panic and protests across the states.

"Arsen?" Reyna's tired voice asked. She poked her head over the banister to look at him.

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted. She made her way over to the couch like a drunk rhinoceros and flopped down heavily. 

"Are the fish still alive?" She mumbled. Arsen threw a quick glance at the fish tank. 

"It appears so." 

"Then I'm sleeping again." She sprawled out on the couch, her head on his lap. "And also, stop watching the news. Ever heard of yellow journalism?" She blindly grabbed for the remote and changed the channel to a cartoon. "G'night." 

Arsen leaned his head back and tried to sleep once again, knowing it wouldn't work. 

After about an hour had passed and he was sure that Reyna was fast asleep, he gently exchanged his legs for a pillow and tried to step as slowly and silently as possible.

There were still taxis driving around and Arsen flagged one down. NYC, the city that never sleeps. 

Arsen paid the driver when he arrived at the building, HQ of Team Three. 

Inside, Daren, Rylan, Calix, and Damon were talking in hushed voices. Daren looked upwards and met Arsen's eyes. 

"Arsen," he said in a low voice. 

"We all think you're right," Rylan said. "Magnus is the assassin." 

It's a trap, was the first thing that ran through his mind. "Even Daren?" He asked hesitantly. 

"I know Magnus the best," Daren said. "He's been acting off. He refuses to tell me why. And then you accused him--bold move, by the way." 

"I can read people," Rylan offered. "And I agree. He's definitely guilty of something."

Calix just nodded slightly. Damon pounded his fists. 

"I'll kill him. I've been wanting to for a long time, just couldn't find the reason." 

"But we can't," Arsen said. "We have no proof." Damon shrugged. 

"Find proof after he's dead." 

"And what if we find out it wasn't him after all?" Daren countered. 

"He's had it coming," Damon replied, although Arsen could tell the idea bothered him. What if they killed an innocent man?

There needed to be more proof. And Arsen thought he'd need to look for help, but they walked right into his hands. Even Daren. He found himself wishing that Reyna would just trust him. 

"Maybe Reyna's in on it," Calix said suddenly. He looked at Arsen. "I'm sorry. I know you two are close." Arsen just shook his head. It was the most he'd ever heard Calix say, and judging from the looks on the other's faces, it was the most they'd ever heard him say as well.

"I'm not going to rule out anything," Arsen sighed. "But I need evidence before I believe it. And, Calix, don't apologize for what you're thinking." Calix nodded, silent once again.

"Refrain from telling Magnus about this," Daren said. "Despite the fact that he may be our assassin, I still value our friendship. Such bonds are not easily broken for me."

"Agreed," Arsen said. 

"I suppose you're the boss now," Rylan said. Arsen considered this. 

"You're right. I am. And," he checked the time, "Reyna will be waking up soon."

"You spent the night with Reyna?" Damon sounded surprised. Arsen turned bright red. 

"It was purely platonic," he insisted, although he couldn't deny that the idea... no. They were just friends. "But can we agree on sharing any new information here every week today at midnight?"

They all nodded. 

"Good."