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Summary: After a small breakdown, Warlock and Nicholas try to keep their minds off of the situation.
Date: October 4, 2012
Log Title: Broken but not Beaten
Rating: R
Small Church - Holding Cell
Dim lights hang from the high ceiling giving just enough light to see decently, not that there is much to see in the concrete room. The tall ceiling goes up at least twenty feet and the blinking red lights of cameras in each corner are visible, there is no privacy here. There are no windows and the only door into room seems to be a solid sheet of steel from this side. The sent of stale, musty air, hangs about the room. Bolted against two of the walls, at a height of two feet, are steel benches, which seem to double as the only thing to sleep on as well. A steel toilet, with a sink on the top, is situated in the corner for those who need it.
Nicholas has been out of it since he was brought in yesterday and has spent the last day in a sort of daze. He hasn't moved from his spot on the floor, half curled up and his leg and arm is at an odd angle. He's finally starting to come to with a groan as he rolls over so he's lying flat on his back. "Thirsty." He moans as he pushes himself so he's leaning on his one good elbow. He looks over at the sink and then at the ground, it feels like it's quite far away.
The door opens and Lock is thrown into the room after his most resent stint spent in the dark room, pushing himself onto his knees with his good arm when the door closes he curse as once again he's reopened the cut on his lip, the other injuries he can try (and often fail) to ignore the taste of his own blood? not so much. Hearing Nick he looks around and takes in the other boy's condition, "Fuck, Nick what did they do to you?", struggling to his feet he walks over to try and help.
"The Handler, the same guy who got Quenton. If you haven't seen him yet….he's awful." Nicholas says as he tries to push himself over to learn on Warlock a bit. "He broke my arm and leg, said it was from Connor trying to teach us self defense. Don't listen to his lies." He looks down on the blood dried bandage on his chest. "And I thought that was bad, my leg and arm just seem useless."
Warlock shakes his head, "I've not had the pleasure as of yet, just been dealing with some Purifier thats decided I'm his new torture buddy". Lock tries to help Nick sit up staring at the bandages on the boy's chest, "What the hell did they do there?", deciding to try and do something about Nick's arm Lock awkwardly tries to get his shirt off with one arm, "I'm gonna try and make you a sling ok?"
"Good thing you still have your shirt." Nicholas says with smile before wincing. "What about your arm?" He feels bad if Warlock takes care of his needs before his own. "I ran into the Purifier that lead the attack on my parents, I'm permanently marked as a Mutant. I guess I got him in trouble by not dying the first time." He says with another attempt at a smile. "I tore up my pants so that I could cover some of Quenton's injuries, just I don't know how much it helps."
Warlock chuckles, "Guess the Purifiers here don't think I look as good with my shirt off", he shrugs with his good arm, "I've got two working legs and I don't know what's up with my arm, yours is definatly broken, can you use your good arm to hold this part in place?". If Nick does he'll form the knot round where Nick is holding it, "Ok, now pull then we can slip your arm inside, not perfect but it should help". "Permently marked?", he frowns finally noting that Nick isn't just missing his shirt, "Stop making bandages man, you're gonna end up naked before long. What they do to Quenton?"
Nicholas helps Warlock as much as he can so he can tie off the sling. "Thanks." He glances away for a bit, trying to figure out how to answer. "Quenton got burned and cut up pretty bad. I don't know how much worse after yesterday, he was just thrown back in and unconscious when the Handler came and got me. "As for permanently marked, he carved the word mutant in my chest. This all….I'm really scared Warlock, I can't walk right now…what if….just…." His voice starts to trail off as it seems like he's starting to lose it a bit. "I know I said I could cry but…." He's trying to fight it.
Even with everything thats happened Lock's eyes widen in shock when Nick tells him what 'permently marked' means but that look of shock if very quickly replaced by a frown, "Hey!, you've made it this far you can keep going, I can still get about so I'll help you and Quenton and try and keep Connor grounded but for me to be able to do that I need you to keep it together ok?". He sighs, "I very nearly gave up the other day, they're using the fact that I still have a family to lose very much against me. But now looking at how week I was and willing to give up, I'm mad. That's what I'm going to focus on, I'm pissed off right now and when we all get out we're going to give them a good reason to be afraid".
Nicholas just looks at Warlock and grips him in a one armed hugged, he just needs to feel something even if it's a closeness of friendship. "I'm sorry Warlock, you have to believe their okay." He says breaking the hug. "We found out Shane's okay so hopefully they're okay too. They already took everything away from me so it's not like I have anyone for them to threaten me with just….just you guys." He wipes at his eyes, the tears that refuse to be fought back. "So, does pathetic Nick get on your nerves as much as angry Nick does?"
Warlock hugs Nick back with his good arm, "They are ok because the time I've been left in the dark room has given me a lot of time to think. My dad has had his powers for eighteen years, that's longer than we've been alive. My dad can be a bit of a clown but he hasn't been a mutant that long without working out how to protect himself and my mom and brother", he clenches his fists as he remembers his session with the Purifier, "Xavier would've told them we're missing, so they've been warned". Lock smiles, "You've got good reason for what you're going though but yeah I like the open Nick more than the angry one, but you might wanna try channeling him if you need a reason to keep fighting".
"I didn't know your Dad was a mutant too." Nicholas says as he tries to adjust himself into a somewhat comfortable position. "I'm the first mutant in my family, that anyone knows about. Not like my parents cared or anything that I was, they liked the convenience of me using my powers with stuff like putting up the Christmas tree." He says with a sad look to his eyes. "It's hard Warlock, think about how they got to you with just treating to do something to your family, think about how you felt then imagine if they were gone for real. It's hard not to get angry sometimes."
"Nick I don't think I can ever really imagine what it's like to actually lose your family, even with these fuckers threatening them. But I believe the best thing you can do for them is to keep going, you're litterally a part of both of them, keep going, tell you kids about what their grandparents were like, if you stay strong and keep fighting, they are too", Lock sighs, "That's just how I'd see it anyway. But like I said, I can't say I know what you're going though".
"I just get angry cause I feel so…lost ya know?" Nicholas doesn't actually expect him to know but he just lets out a sigh. "I should drop it, it's not worth thinking like this. If we get out of here, I'm going to try to figure out how to handle my anger issues. So, what's it like, having a rock star for a Dad? Is it cool or is he like really strict or something?"
"When we get back you just gotta focus on finding yourself again, rebuild the missing pieces left behind", Lock shrugs, "He's a great dad, like I said we're a lot alike except I don't have his confidence but he was away on tour a lot and I used to miss him so much when I was little. The real downside to having a famous dad is that you never really make any friends, people hang out with you for reasons connected to who your dad is".
"Eh, knowing who your Dad is doesn't change who you are to me." Nicholas says. "Yeah, I might get a bit jerky around Mason and a part of it is because he's famous, but it's because he -acts- famous and like he's crap doesn't stink." He leans back down so he's lying on the ground, the cool cement almost refreshing. "Actually it seems to be most the kids at Xavier's, not many friends until they got there."
"I think my brother has met Mason before, when he making connections in the business, pretty sure he didn't like him either", Lock hmms, "Maybe it's got something to do with the whole mutant thing, like how wolves and dogs can hang out but don't form pacts, maybe it's the same with mutants and humans".
"I don't know, I mean I didn't have trouble back home. I had several friends, but when the Purifiers came, just it turned things crazy." Nicholas says shifting to relieve some pressure on one of his wounds on his back. "So, what's the first thing you want to do when you get out of here, is there anyone you want to see especially?"
Warlock shrugs, "I've not really spoken to the few friends I had back home before I came here and I don't really have any friends at Xaviers, I had one I really liked but they're not around anymore", he runs a hand though his hair, "You're one of the few friends I've got".
"Who was that, that's not around anymore." Nicholas asks wincing a bit as he shifts a bit. "I don't really have a lot of friends at Xavier's either, mostly it's my fault with my charming temper." He chuckles slightly. "Maybe if you were more…I don't know, open and not such a wallflower at school, people would get to know you better than that quiet kid with googles and jedi boots."
"Jill, she was the first person to really make me feel welcome when I came to Xaviers and didn't seem to mind that I was a total dork", Lock grins, "Remember we figured that out, to get friends just be kidnapped and repeatedly beaten, worked for us". He sighs, "Really? Wallflower?"
"Yeah, same thing with me and Jill but I, well, last I saw her she was my girlfriend and then she disappeared and…probably will never see her again." Nicholas says getting quiet for a bit before shaking his head to snap himself out of it. "You are a bit of a Wallflower, it's not a bad thing you're just quiet sometimes and not as….abrasive as some of us."
"I think she'll come back, I think that she left for a good reason and she'll come back while she can", Lock hopes so anyway, "So I should try being more confrontational so I get noticed more?"
"Not Confrontational just more…yourself." Nicholas tries to say. "There's nothing wrong with who you are you just need to break out of that shell. It's like your timid or shy. It's more I'm trying to say once people get to know you, you'll probably have more friends. You're a good guy Warlock."
Warlock nods, "I'll work on that", he remembers something Nick said a few minutes ago, "My goggles… they better be around here somewhere, I want those back", he rubs his head suddenly feeling very odd without them, "You know, I'm so used to them being there I've only just realised they're not".
"Why do you wear them all the time?" Nicholas asks curiously, closing his eyes for a few seconds as he does his best to get comfortable but keeps failing. "I don't think it's possible to get comfortable in this hell pit, even if I didn't have all these injuries. My whole body hurts." He groans. "Anyway I was just wondering, is there a story that goes along with them?"
Warlock shrugs, "I'm not sure, I've had them for years, just loosening the strap as I got older. I think my mom mentioned that I got them off my dad at some point when I was little and I haven't really ever been that far apart from them. So no story I guess, more like a security blanket". He smiles, "The offical story which is what I told Jill is that if I need to be serious I can take them off my head onto my eyes and do my serious face and people will be like 'wow, things just got serious'. If all else fails go for the nerd excuse", he frowns as Nick talks about his injuries, "Is the sling helping at all?"
"Then that's the story behind them, there's one. It's something that reminds you of your Dad." Nicholas thinks it's a good enough story. "I guess if I could have one thing still, it'd be something of one of my parents, but I got nothing. Just a couple of pictures I saved off of my Facebook before deleting it." He rubs his arm and looks down at it. "I guess, I'm not moving it around so it's preventing me from hurting it. It's getting up to go to the bathroom that I'm worried about, the last thing I need is someone to help me pee, it's bad enough I have to do it in front of you guys." He mutters.
"Just be glad you've still got one good arm, so you don't need anyones help with aiming", Lock is once again covering the awkward or upsetting with humor, "Sorry, I know it's not a joke". He frowns, "Nick, they've only taken four of us, you ever wonder why?"
Nicholas uses his good arm to give Warlock another hug. "Lock, don't ever be sorry about trying to break the tension with humour, it helps. Just like how I'm trying to ask you questions about your family and stuff, just talk about anything else. It helps a lot." He then lets out a sigh and nods. "Constantly. It's something to do with why the came after me in North Dakota, I mean the guy who lead the attack is here and I think was taking it out on me that I lived. I wish I knew more Warlock. Maybe they'll slip up and say something."
Warlock helps his injured friend into the hug, "They might have already, when we were taken they left Sophie, Miss V and Nigel. And they left Shane when they took Quenton. I think us for were taken for a specific reason other than finding stuff out…", he frowns as he tries to remember, "One of the Purifiers said something about how this isn't about kidnapping mutants, then said 'you four…' before he caught himself, I don't know what he was going to say but I think me, you, Quenton and Connor are here for a reason but I can't think what connects us".
Nicholas shakes his head. "I can't figure it out either Warlock. I don't know, I really don't know. I don't even have any ideas of what we have in common. I'm really lost on that. I'd say it's our powers but we're both telekinetics, Quenton's mister superman and Connor can teleport and is just badass, but that's no more dangerous than Ms. Hilde, Nigel, Sophie or Shane. I wish I had a guess Warlock but I don't."
Warlock shrugs, "We'll leave that to be figured out when everyone rescues us, which could be any minute now", such a poor attempt at optimism, "Think we could get some more clothes, you're pretty much almost naked, might be embarassing when the rescue party shows".
"I could be naked and I don't think I could be embarrassed if the rescue came. I'd just be so happy that I -was- rescued I wouldn't care what I looked like." Nicholas says before yawning. "If we get back to school…we'll still be friends. I think I'm going to try to get some sleep Lock, I just feel so tired and sleeping will help me forget about how much everything hurts right now."
Warlock chuckles "Was kidding man, but honestly wouldn't wanna be caught nude infront of Frost, she's kinda intimidating enough as it is", he nods as Nick yawns, "Yeah friends sounds good. I'm gonna stay up and wait for the rescue team, maybe tidy the place up, not good for recieving visitors".
