Chapa POV:
I just walked away from ShadowWoman's cell, the unsettling encounter lingering in my mind. As I made my way down the long hallway towards the first security gate, which would eventually lead to the exit, I counted the security gatesâtwelve in totalâbefore finally entering the lobby. It was very late, and the lobby was almost empty.
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice talking with the receptionist, saying she needed to visit someone named Kristen Michaels. The voice was too familiar to ignore. I turned around, my eyes widening in shock. What was Elena doing here?
I couldn't approach her as Volt, nor could I risk revealing my presence to more people. Quietly, I walked away, my mind racing with confusion and concern. Why was Elena here? What business did she have in a place like this?
I finally made it home, my thoughts still spinning. I detransformed using the other gumballs Miles had given me, the familiarity of the process providing some small comfort. I couldn't stop thinking about Elena and her unexpected presence at the asylum.
As I lay in bed, my phone buzzed with a new message. It was from Elena. She apologized, admitting she had overreacted and asked if we could meet at a café tomorrow. I replied, saying I could only meet up after 6 PM since I would be visiting Sage and my parents earlier in the day.
With that, I put my phone down, trying to quiet my racing thoughts. Eventually, sleep claimed me, though my dreams were haunted by the events of the day and the unresolved questions about Elena's visit to the asylum.
Bose POV:
I was still at the Man's Nest with Mika, waiting anxiously for Miles to hopefully return with Chapa. Mika was working diligently on a medicine that might help with my injuries and pain from yesterday's battle. I wasn't fully recovered, and with the next fight looming, this would speed up my recovery.
"Here," Mika said, handing me a vial of the medicine. "This should help with the pain and get you back on your feet faster."
I nodded, grateful for her help. "Thanks, Mika. I really appreciate this."
She smiled. "No problem, Bose. You might want to consider sleeping here tonight if it gets too late. Driving back to Rivalton might not be the best idea in your condition."
I accepted her offer without hesitation. "That sounds like a good idea." Some of the bedrooms here are really nice. "Does Miles still live here?"
"Yeah he does, he has enough money to buy a house though he likes it here and can save up a lot of money. Also if anything happens, like an emergency, he's here." Mika answered.
After taking the medicine, I started feeling a bit better. I then turned to Mika. "By the way, is it alright if I take a shower? I really need to clean up and destress."
Mika pointed down the hall. "Yeah sure, you can use the shower in Ray's old luxury bathroom. I'll show you."
I followed her, grateful that it wasn't far. The memories of Ray and our old adventures here came flooding back as we walked. When we reached the door, Mika opened it for me.
"Here you go," she said. "Take your time."
"Thanks, Mika," I replied, stepping into the bathroom.
The room was just as I remembered itâover the top but comfortable, with all the essentials. I turned on the shower, letting the water heat up. The steam began to fill the room, and I finally allowed myself to relax a bit. I undressed and stepped under the hot water, feeling the tension start to melt away.
Mika POV:
Bose was in the shower, and I was still working on our plan, hoping that Miles could convince Chapa to fight with us. However, I didn't have much hope. Suddenly, an annoying noise interrupted my work and thoughts. I saw Bose's phone lying on the couch in the Man's Nest. It was a call from someone named Andrew.
I went to the bathroom door and loudly told Bose, "Hey, some guy named Andrew is calling you."
Bose's voice echoed from behind the door. "Can you pick it up for me and tell him he has to take over for the upcoming days?"
I walked back and picked up his phone. "Hello Bose. Why weren't you here today? I already took over, but you didn't let us know anything," Andrew said, sounding frustrated.
"Uh, hi," I replied. "I'm not Bose, I'm a friend of his."
Andrew sounded confused. "Who are you?"
"My name is Mika," I said. "Bose asked me to tell you he's very sick and you need to take over for the next four days."
Andrew didn't seem to believe me. "Can Bose tell me himself?"
"He's in the shower right now, so he can't," I explained.
Andrew's voice grew angrier. "I've never heard of a Mika who's his friend."
My temper started to rise too. "Well, I probably know him better than you do."
He decided to make it a contest, which wasn't smart because I always win. "What's his favorite color?" he challenged.
"Blue," I replied.
"What's his favorite animal?" he asked.
"A goat," I answered.
He continued to quiz me on things about Bose, and I knew all the answers: his stepsister's name, his shoe size (I knew that from redesigning our suits after Schwoz and Ray left). I asked him things back, and he knew them too.
Then I finally asked, "Who was Bose's first love interest back in high school?"
Andrew hesitated. "Bose doesn't talk about his love interests."
"He does with me," I said confidently. I recalled when Bose had come to me a few weeks after Ray retired, asking what a girl likes to receive as gifts. I first asked him who he had a crush one, because it depends on the person. It took him a moment to tell me but eventually trusted me and admitted he liked Chapa. I had helped him for a while, but when we found out she was still seeing Scar, Bose was really sad. I comforted him then. Poor Bosey, I thought. He deserved the world and was so upset.
Andrew's voice came back, defensive. "Is it you, his love interest?"
I immediately said, "No, no. Absolutely not. He's like a little kid I should protect. Well, not anymore, but he trusts me a lot."
I then told Andrew, "I won. You lose. Do you believe me now?"
"Not entirely," he muttered.
Just then, Bose walked into the room, freshly showered. "Why are you still on the phone with Andrew?" he asked.
Andrew's tone instantly changed to one of respect. "Oh, hey Bose. How's it going?"
Bose laughed a bit. "I need you to take over for the next four days, Andrew."
Andrew, sounding sheepish, replied, "Oh."
I couldn't resist shouting, "I told you!"
Bose laughed again and then hung up the phone. He looked at me, shaking his head with amusement.
"Why were you still on the phone with him?"
I shrugged. "He didn't believe me when I said he had to cover for you the next few days."
Bose rolled his eyes. "Typical Andrew. What did he say next?"
"He said he never heard of me before and then started a contest on who knows you better," I explained.
Bose grinned. "And who won?"
"Me, of course."
Bose chuckled. "Of course you did. What did you ask him that he didn't know?"
"I asked him about your first love interest back in high school," I replied.
Bose's expression turned serious for a moment. "You're the only one who knows about that."
"Exactly," I said. "That's why I asked him. Don't worry, I didn't tell him it was Chapa. He even thought it was me."
Bose laughed, clearly amused. "Thanks for keeping it a secret from Andrew. I don't like talking about my love interests because it always turns into drama."
"Yeah, I know," I said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You know, I can tell you still have feelings for Chapa."
Bose's expression turned serious. "No, I don't. Why do you think you can tell that?"
I smirked. "I can tell everything."
Bose frowned, trying to hide his discomfort. "It's not like that, Mika."
I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it? I've seen the way you look when she's a part of our conversations, or how you defend her. It's obvious to anyone paying attention."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Even if there were feelings, it doesn't matter right now. We have bigger things to focus on."
I nodded, my tone softening. "I get it. But sometimes, admitting how you feel can help, you know?"
Bose shook his head. "Not this time, Mika. We need to stay focused. We can't afford any distractions."
"You sound just like me," I said, letting the subject drop for now.
Bose smiled. "Let's just hope Miles and Chapa get back soon. We've got work to do."
"Agreed," I replied, turning back to my workstation. "Let's get everything ready. We need to be prepared for whatever comes next."
Just then, Miles teleported back into the Man's Nest, looking a bit frazzled. "Hi. Chapa refused to fight," he said, exasperated. "She already visited ShadowWoman right after the battle and she said she still had a daughter who'd happily help her mother, then I asked her if she could maybe visit her again to get some answers."
Bose's eyes widened. "So now she's at the asylum alone?"
Miles nodded. "Yes."
Bose's voice rose, more aggressive this time. "And you let her go alone? Why didn't you go with her?"
"Calm down," Miles said, trying to soothe Bose's anger. "She wanted to go alone. Besides, she's safe there. ShadowWoman can't hurt her."
"She can emotionally," Bose countered, his voice still tense.
"Let it go, Bose," Miles insisted. "Chapa will be fine. You know her."
As I listened to their arguing discussion, I finally stepped in between them. "Guys, stop!" I said, mostly looking at Bose. "She'll be fine. Let's leave her for now and come by tomorrow to see if she got any news."
Bose realized he wasn't himself and apologized to Miles. "Sorry, man. I didn't mean to snap."
Miles immediately accepted it. "No worries. I get it."
Then Miles noticed Bose's attire and asked with a chuckle, "Are you sleeping here? Those sweatpants and Spongebob t-shirt look like your pajamas."
Bose smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, Mika offered, and I figured I might as well stay. It's late, and I'm not in the mood to drive back to Rivalton. And if you teleport me back my car would still be here, besides sleeping here is not bad."
I nodded in agreement. "It's the best choice. We've got everything you need here. I might stay as well, we can have a sleepover, just like the old days, only without Chapa."
"Fun! We can watch Genuine Moments together." Miles said excitement.
Bose and I both agreed and as the tension in the room eased, we prepared for the night. We were all hoping that Chapa would return with the answers we desperately needed.