Not for long.He didn’t have a lot.He couldn’t afford to since he was on the run.It didn’t take him long to pack everything up and put it in his car.He was renting by the month, so he wouldn’t be losing a lot of money.He wouldn’t be losing a lot of anything, but he still paused before leaving the place for the last time and looked around.
Everything around him was generic.There were no signs of him left, and the apartment looked like Reed had never been there, as if he possibly never existed.It was sad, but what could Reed do about it?He was still on the run, even though he didn’t know if the company was looking for him.He was definitely in hiding since he was spying on them.Maybe one day, he’d have a real apartment or a house, where he could spread his wings and allow his personality to come out.Maybe then, he’d have art on the walls and pictures of the people he loved.
But not today.Today, he was leaving a place that had never truly been his, and he didn’t feel any sadness.No, what he felt was fear because he didn’t know what was going to happen to him.He didn’t know what the mutants would do to him.He was a mutant, too, and just like them, he hadn’t become one because he’d wanted to be.As soon as the company had realized what was going on after the accident, they’d taken advantage of it.They had until he’d managed to escape, but it had been his own fault.He deserved everything they’d done to him.
He was sure the mutants would think the same way.
After looking around one last time, he stepped into the hallway and closed the door.He sucked in a breath, then another.The hallway was empty and smelled faintly of cabbage.It made him wonder when the last time he’d eaten a real meal was.He couldn’t remember.
It didn’t matter.
As he walked down the hallway, he realized that he didn’t know what he was walking toward.He might find help at this meeting, but he might also find pain, or maybe even death.He wasn’t sure he was ready for that, but he didn’t think he’d have a choice.He’d made his decision a while ago, and there was no going back.
Chapter Two
Franklin wanted togo to that meeting, and while Moore and Rikar had agreed he should be there, he knew that one wrong move would be enough to change their minds.He couldn’t deal with that.He had to be there, and he had to find out if this Garrett that Reed was talking about was his brother.
But he had to be careful.One wrong move or word, and hewouldget kicked out.He wouldn’t get his answers if that happened, and that wasn’t something he could deal with.
At least he had a few answers now.He had no idea who Moore and Rikar knew, but they’d found out that this Reed guy was probably on their side.That didn’t mean that Franklin wasn’t wary of him.He’d be wary of anyone involved with the Glass Research Company, which was ironic considering he had been himself.He understood better why people kept their distance from him now.He’d always known they didn’t like him because he’d worked for the labs, but this hit particularly close.
But his having worked for the company was one of the reasons he would give Reed the benefit of the doubt.He knew what it was like to be forced to do something you didn’t want to do for important reasons.He knew what it was like to choose between helping people who needed him and keeping his mouth shut because if he didn’t, he’d lose any chance he had at finding his siblings.He didn’t know what Reed’s story was, but he was helping them, and as far as Franklin was concerned, that was all that mattered.
“Can you stop bouncing your knee?”Moore asked politely.
Franklin instantly froze.He stared at Moore with wide eyes, hoping he wasn’t about to get kicked out of the small diner where they were meeting Reed.For some reason, Moore seemed amused.He rolled his eyes and shook his head, then gently tapped Franklin’s forearm.
“You can breathe.Hell, you can even move.The knee bouncing is just a bit annoying.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be.I understand why you’re nervous, and I would be, too, in your place.I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
“I suspect youcan.”
Moore shrugged one shoulder.“In a way, I can, but I was the person in the lab.I never had to worry about something happening to the people I love.”
