Things You Can't Outlive Part 2

Two Months after the Particle Accelerator Exploded

Ethan

Unsurprisingly Ethan did not know how to rob a bank. Now, if you asked him how to stop a bleed in the stomach, restart a heart, or pump fluid out of the lungs, that he knew how to do. But this? He didn't fight crime. He didn't rob banks.

Unsurprisingly Jasper did know how to rob a bank. Because of course he did! He just looked the part; long brown hair untamed and wild under his beanie, his glittering blue eyes so sharp and clever… they just screamed trouble.

Ethan knew a lot about trouble too. Trouble was handsome and argumentative and broke all the rules. Trouble was Jasper Cowell.

Katara had taken charge. She and Jasper were standing in front of the room like teachers facing their students. Nestles between the counters the rest of their crew were listening with abrupt attention. Like this was actually a thing. Like they were actually going to play heroes or something…

"Mary Silverstone. Calls herself Sonic. Apparently she's tied somehow to our 'mysterious benefactor.' The details are sketchy but from what I could figure out she ran away from her home about a year ago and has been keeping to the streets. When she was caught in the thing like we were she developed some sort of kinetic absorption powers that creates instability between the particles-"

"She explodes things," Jasper interrupted her, grinning. "Like boom." His hands "exploded" in front of his face as if to further explain his point.

"Yes. Thank you, Jasper," Katara drawled managing to sound both emotionless and sarcastic at the same time. "Anyway. Since then she's been putting her abilities to good use. Our benefactor wants nothing more than Sonic off the streets. She's just a kid on the wrong path."

"Why?" Rose called from the back and Ethan just thanked god that at least someone was questioning this.

"The files said she's adopted," Jasper offered, "Maybe he's blood related to her? Felt bad about not being able to be there?"

"And if not?"

"Then what's the harm?" Katara cut in.

"Alright, listen, here's the plan." Jasper sounded excited about this, smiling so wide his face looked cracked in two. "We'll go over there and do a little reconnaissance, some undercover work. Then we find her, talk to her, and that's it."

"You're kidding, right?" Ethan had to say something, he had to speak up! This was ridiculous. "We're not… superheroes or something. We're sick. We should be in hospitals not fighting crime. Some guy called us and said here's some money go fight this stranger. And now we're doing it? Because you looked some stuff up on the web? Thought it sounded fun? You're kidding!"

Everyone was frozen. Ethan was almost snarling, eyes bleeding red. This was a stupid idea. What'd they need the money for anyway? Was this ever about anything more than figuring out Sam's stupid vision? He didn't think so, but the rest sure did. What did they except? Huge groups of their kind? Like some kind of… He didn't know… clan? This wasn't a book! The only reason he hadn't forced each and every one of them into hospitals was because he knew for a fact that the doctors would have no idea what to do. And that was scary. That terrified him. Because never had he ever not had an answer. This wasn't fun… He couldn't touch people for fucks sake! He'd woken up that morning unable to touch anyone and that'd been normal for them. That'd been just an interesting development in their day. Why didn't any of them see that this was wrong?

"Rose," he continued, "You're a cop. Do you honestly think this is the best way to go?"

"I-," she started, almost whispering as she slipped into the middle of the room like a water droplet traveling silently down a window. "Alright. You have a point. It's a big decision and we don't really know what's going to happen. But… this is a million dollars."

"To spend on our organization," Robin muttered quietly. The rest nodded uneasily but Rose shook her head.

"There's seven of us. If we divide it equally… that-"

"A little more than 142,000 each," Ethan offered because if they were actually going to pull out a calculator for that he was going to leave.

"Imagine what we could all do with money like that," she continued, "Look, like Ethan said, I'm a cop and usually I'd say we'd report it and then move on… but think about it. Can cops… deal with stuff like this? If someone like me decided to… I don't know… kill someone by drowning them… Where's the evidence? How're they going to arrest me to begin with?"

"I get what you're saying. But I don't like this," Sam whispered, hands fiddling with her washed out blonde hair, "I can't see it unless we decide to do it but if we decide to do it then it'll be too late to change whatever I see… I knew what'd happen when we all met… but I don't know about her. Anything could happen..."

Ethan

Central City Bank was nothing special, but it pretended to be. It wore gold and glamour like an actor would a mask. The tiles were a dried yellow and the chandeliers cracked plastic. Workers, though dressed prim and proper, were slumped against their chairs, eyes blank, enthusiasm faded, their faces clearly spelling out one unanimous thought between them all: I'm not getting paid enough for this.

"What are we doing," Ethan muttered, mainly to himself. He and Jasper had taken their places by the door. He was doing a fine job if he said so himself. His eyes shifted through the window and to his watch periodically, making it clear he was waiting for someone, that he had a purpose for being here.

Jasper however seemed to be content to lounge against the wall, clicking his tongue and yawning. It was a miracle he hadn't been kicked out yet.

Rose had quickly taken control of the situation before they'd arrived. She'd used her "cop powers" as put so nicely by the idiot with the beanie (Jasper), and all it'd taken was a flash of her badge to get her entrance. She was being shown around the place for a "routine inspection".

"If my boss hears about this I'm screwed" she'd been hissing at them last he'd seen her. But she was good at her job. It wasn't her he was worried about.

Both Sam and Katara had come in separately, one after the other to open accounts. It'd been easy enough and both had dragged their feet for more than an hour. But there was only so long they could stay.

That left Robin and Kitty placed outside, chatting animatedly and looking innocent. This is our first line of defense… a socially awkward teen and stuttering bioengineer…

"Oh my god what are we doing?" he muttered to himself again, head in hands.

"What?" Jasper whispered back, examining his nails as if that was going to make him look any less suspicious. "I wish we had coms like in Mission Impossible." Almost immediately he started humming it under his breath, just enough for Ethan to hear.

"It'd be the fourth one right? I didn't really like the third one."

"Of course," he agreed, "But I heard the new one is pretty good. You see it yet?"

"Nah, didn't get a chance."

"I think I'd be a great Ethan," Jasper continued, grinning cheekily. "You can be my lovely lady friend."

"No way, I get to be Ethan. We have the same name! You can be Ben- look."

They were both staring at Robin through the window. He was frozen in spot, almost hunching over. Kitty was beside him in an instant with her hand wavering on his back. Her eyes met Ethan's.

"Jasper."

"Yeah. You go. I'll keep watch."

He didn't need much more than that. Stepping out, he was at Robin's side with three steps.

"What's happening?"

"Not me. Sam. She had a vision. I saw it. Ethan, it's bad, we have to get out of here. She-"

That's when the bank exploded.

The boom was deafening; a rumble that he felt straight through his chest. It left his head ringing and his eyes felt lost rolling around his skull. Then a rush of heat as if straight from hell. It rolled through the air and hit him head on. Burning, blistering, dry heat.

Jasper.

The bank looked stable, the walls scorched but unmoving. Smoke trailed out like mist, hanging in the air so thick his throat burned. But that was good. It was a fire. The building would be fine, Jasper could still be fine.

"Ethan… your skin…"

He couldn't feel the fire anymore. The heat had dissolved and at first he hadn't thought much about it but now…

His skin wasn't clear and white anymore but had grown a thick, dull gray coat.

Without another thought he rushed inside, Robin and Kitty calling after him.

Jasper

One moment there was nothing.

Then a sharp movement. One of the woman in line was shoving her way towards the counter. More of a kid really. She was strikingly tall, towering over the other patrons as they glared angrily at her. From his place at the door Jasper could only see a mop of dark blond hair and a wicked sheen to her bronze skin.

Rose had disappeared to the back. He had no idea where she was. Sam and Katara were down the road… His eyes flickered to Ethan but he was still outside, talking to a shaky Robin. Although when was that guy not shaking really…

Aright then… It looked like it was up to him.

The woman was at the counter, hand slamming down, demanding attention. She whipped out a gun. Pointed.

Crap! She's got powers, why's she got a gun for? They hadn't planned for this!

"Listen up and no one gets hurt," she screamed in a shaky voice. "Everyone on the ground." Without waiting for anyone to obey she turned to the employee- a man barely tall enough to see over the counter- and snarled, "I want anything valuable. Now. Or I shoot-"

She trailed off. The gun in her hand was twitching. It clicked and shuddered. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped it tighter, trying to hold on to it. Then it went flying straight into Jasper's palm.

He'd shed his jacket, the scarf and gloves were on the floor. The entire building seemed to shake around him and he had to take quite a few calming breaths to focus on the gun. He wanted the gun. Only the gun. He's practiced this… it had yet to work properly.

But he had it. The weapon was in his hand and the woman looked furious. He didn't even notice as a nail struck his cheek and one of the curtain frames clattered to the floor and slid over to his foot.

Just focus on the gun. Focus on the woman.

She couldn't be older than seventeen! Her face looked even younger than he'd thought. It was a child's face, chubby and smooth with a tiny baby nose and small green blue eyes. They were angry eyes.

This was bad.

The entire building seemed to be shimmering around him, the metal beams arching for him. Metal was flying. Something sharp bit into his shoulder.

"You think I need that?" the stranger called to him. Despite her words she seemed almost fearful of him. A handful of coins whizzed past her head and smacked him full force in the chest.

Then the room exploded.

Ethan

Ethan's heart almost stopped when he made his way into the building. It looked like a bomb had gone off! The entire inside of the bank had been obliterated. Flames were licking at the walls and smoke was heavy in his chest. Thanks to his new skin he couldn't feel the heat (Which was extremely weird but he was deciding not to dwell on that…) but the whole place was shimmering with the hot air and ash. Nearer the back the entire ceiling had collapsed.

In the middle of it all was Jasper laying prone on the floor. Ethan collapsed next to him.

"Jasper? You alright?" he coughed, throat burning. His mind quickly slipped into 'doctor mode'. He felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one going strong. Respiration was as good as to be expected too. It seemed they'd gotten lucky. His only injury was a shallow cut around his forehead and a bump on the back of his head.

Suddenly there came a groan.

"Ah, dude, what happened?" Jasper moaned, clutching his head. He looked somewhat ruggedly handsome, his bright eyes hazy against the cloud of ash staining his face. Ethan had to chuckle.

"You tell me. I leave you for five seconds. Honestly."

"Well I can't function without my guardian angel," he answered, winking, and honestly Ethan could wasn't sure what he couldn't believe more, that Jasper was flirting with him now or that he was blushing. Either way he cleared his burning throat and heaved his friend to his feet.

"You alright?"

"Yeah. Dude, that girl is crazy! All I did was take her gun. It isn't even a nice one. It- hold on… where'd she go?"

He began tugging his coat and gloves back on. His scarf he ripped in half and tied around his face.

"No idea. I just need to get these people out, alright?" Ethan coughed back, accepting the other half of the scarf.

"What? What about me!"

"Do you have burn proof skin?"

"… You are taking this Ethan and Benji thing way too literal. I am not sitting outside doing nothing! I- crap…" Jasper stopped suddenly. He was staring just behind Ethan's shoulder.

"What?" As soon as he turned around he really wished he hadn't.

Sonic was standing before them in the flesh. She looked worse for wear, her clothing torn, face ash stained. A nasty grin was forming on her mouth and her eyes looked crazed, leaping from one boy to the other. Her shoulders were shaking and at first he thought she was crying, but no… she was laughing at them, a quiet demented laugh that made Ethan shiver.

"She's… younger than I thought…" he whispered.

"I know right!" Jasper coughed. He'd taken a step back and was trying to pull Ethan to him as if that might appease this crazed fire witch.

"You!" Sonic gasped, closing the gap between them in two long strides. She didn't seem to notice her flaming hair or burn clothes. Her focus was entirely on them. "You can't beat me!" As the screeched something behind them exploded. "I can do whatever I want! I'm taking that money!" This time the explosion was closer and Ethan couldn't help but wonder if his new skin (gosh he really hoped it was temporary) would withstand combustion. "I'm killing you. And then I'm leaving. You can't stop me."

Her hand was raised, palm towards them. Suddenly he felt hot. Really hot. His insides were warming… he felt them burning. It was so painful! It was like his guts were going to explode. He was getting hotter and hotter and then-

Kitty was suddenly in front of them, hands raised. They were inside a bubble! He could feel walls around him like glass…

"Hey kid," Jasper laughed beside him. At some point he'd fallen to his knees and was only now beginning to stand up again. "What took you so long?"

Kitty shrugged but she was smiling sheepishly at them. Sonic on the other hand looked outraged.

"I don't mean to be a kill joy," said Ethan, "but what're we planning on doing about her?"

"Don't worry," Kitty whispered, "We have a plan."

Hey guys. So I had no idea how long this chapter would take me to write! This is only half of it and it was supposed to be one of the smaller ones too. So instead of updating every Tuesday it looks like I'm going to be updating either every other Tuesday or every third Tuesday. I just have so much going on (college, a blogging position, and a job hunt) I won't be able to update too often. That being said I'll try my hardest. There's no way I'm leaving this story.

As always if you find anything wrong with the chapter let me know. I hope you are all enjoying reading this story. The next one will be better hopefully.

And if you have any ideas let me know.