Gigaheroes

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five: Daniel Peterson

I awoke in the back of a moving truck. I was in a bed with an IV strapped to my arm. The whole placed looked like the back of an ambulance but bigger. It was all white and plastic. Overhead, an annoying light shone down, preventing me from drifting back off to sleep. 

It took me a few minutes to test my arms and legs. No dice. I glanced over, and I saw Jayne sitting in a chair next to me. He looked just as haggard as when I met him before, but he smiled as soon as he saw I was awake. 

“How…?” I tried working my very dry mouth. 

He reached over and held a glass of water to my lips. I drank thirstily, but it hurt to drink. 

“You’ve been out for the better part of two days. You have some bad wounds on your chest and face—don’t worry. We have people to fix that. There won’t be any scars.”

That wasn’t what I was worried about. I saw him working with Vance. And what was all this? Was I in ASA custody? Did Jayne betray me to save his own skin? I clenched my fists as I tried to teleport out of the bed, but I was just too disoriented. It was difficult to keep my vision from swimming. 

Jayne knew the questions I was thinking. “No, the ASA didn’t get you. This is my own operation.”

Operation? Jayne was a chaperone. He didn’t have an “operation”. At least, not that I knew of. 

A guilty look crossed his face. “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but there were just too many risks, and the leadership above me prohibited it. This had to be done very quietly and completely off ASA’s radar. If any trace of it was linked back to us…” 

Leadership? What? I shook my head, not understanding anything he was saying. 

“I… work for the Index,” Jayne explained. 

“You’re a… terrorist?” I furrowed my brow, confused. 

“Heh, it seems everyone’s a terrorist in the Democratic Union.” Jayne took off his fedora and held it to his chest. “No, the Index are brokers. We connect the powerful with the people who can do things they can’t be caught doing, people with powers like yourself.”

“But… Vance…”

“Seattle Vance was working with another individual. I happened to hire him out to get you out of there.”

I panted heavily in anger. “He… nearly killed me.”

“Yes, he did.” Jayne replied. “I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. He was acting on his own. Had it been done my way—”

“What about Mason!?” I tried to sit up, but I still didn’t have the strength. 

Another guilty look crossed Jayne’s face. “They found Adam Mason dead. I’m sorry about that, but he never did have much time left.”

I was downright furious. I should’ve been there. I thought we were going to go out together, but I should’ve at least been there when he died. Except Jayne had snatched me away at the last second. And Jayne wasn’t even Jayne anymore. He was some super secret power broker. I had known him for years, and only now I was finding this out!? 

Jayne saw my anger, and he did genuinely look saddened by it. “This was the only way to save you, son. Hate me for that if you want. I don’t have any regrets about what I did, besides you getting hurt, that is.”

“Why didn’t you tell me… before?” I asked, still seething. It wasn’t that I was really mad at him. I could never be mad at him. But I could still be pissed off generally. 

“I also play the part of a mole. I work within the ASA to identify people for the Index. And as for why I didn’t tell you before all this even happened, we can get to that later. The important thing right now is that, as far as the Registry and City 57 are concerned, you died during the attack on the regional headquarters. The heat is off you. Walter has rescinded Spec Ops. And before you ask about The Urban Defenders, yes, they think you are dead too.”

Fuck that. I had to go tell Sarah—

Jayne interrupted my thoughts. He knew me and my potential objections too well. “The Urban Defenders made a comeback, by the way. They became the city’s heroes when they disobeyed orders and began rescue efforts. The team has been saved. Sarah is safe.”

He leaned in, and I saw nothing but sincerity and concern on his face. “You got lucky—real lucky. This was the best possible outcome for everyone. Streamed footage from bystanders wasn’t good enough to identify you as the teleporter working with Mason. As far as the world cares, The Urban Defenders have a clean record, and they’re willing to keep it that way. However, if the ASA or the greater public ever discovers that you’re alive and well…” He let that threat hang in the air for a moment. 

I knew what he was putting down. It wasn’t just me who would suffer the consequences of my choices. If I dragged The Urban Defenders’ name back down into the mud, they too would pay the price for it. 

“So what am I supposed to do?” I gritted my teeth. 

“Get better. Rest up and think on things. You now have a lotta time, kid. Don’t waste it. And when you’re ready to make your choice, I’ll be waiting.”

“What choice?” I asked, shaking my head. I was barely keeping up with bombshell after bombshell. What else was there to say? 

“The way I see it, you have two options. You can choose the quiet and easy life. You can go to Panama and keep your head down for the rest of your days. Meet another girl, set down roots, the good life. And I would very much like to see you live that life. It’s a lot better than what men like me get to live.”

“And what’s door number two?” I asked. 

Jayne looked hesitant to say it. And I got the feeling this wasn’t the option he wanted me to choose. “Door number two is that you join the Index. You’re a powerful asset, and you won’t be overlooked. I tell you this because you ought to know the Index isn’t just a brokering organization. There are people who want to reform this country, fight the good fight.”

“And what’s so bad about that?” I tried to understand why he was so hesitant. 

“Because people in our business don’t live very long. And of those who do, we don’t get happy endings. I don’t want you to end up as someone like me. But you ought to know because you deserve to make that choice.”

“I-I,” I stuttered for words. “I… can’t…” 

Jayne put his hand on mine. “You don’t have to worry about it now. Rest up. Think on things. This truck is currently headed south to City 13. From there, we’ll set you up in a safehouse until you can make a decision. After that, it’ll be all up to you.”

I was tired. I was so very tired. I looked up at the swaying lights overhead. I didn’t want to make any hard choices right now. I just wanted to sleep. And I so desperately wished I could’ve said goodbye to Adam one last time. 

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