Westbrook Academy for Metahumans: Forums

((Collaboration with Milo. Thanks, Jello! This all takes place the afternoon of Sunday, September 11, 2011.))

Patrolling was always an experience for Mia. Equal parts fear, concentration and fun. While it was always good practice for her and her magic, she never forgot that they were facing people out to hurt them. But on a good day, in a good group, the rush of adrenaline, conversation, and knowledge that she was doing a good thing would bring a smile to her face.

Today was not one of those days. Today, the fear was taking up more than it’s fair share.

When Helen had told her she was out on patrol with some people, Mia had gladly put on her costume, grabbed her sketchbook and run out the door to join them. Only once she got to the warehouse district did she realize that he was in the group. Milo. Mia tried her best to just smile at the others and stay out of Milo’s way, but it wasn’t lost on her that she was the only mage in the group.

It had started out simple enough. Milo would listen to the police radio and explain what was going on and where they were going in as few words as possible. Trevor and Michael would laugh and follow him, Helen and Mia following suit. Mia made an effort to only use her magic on Trevor, Michael and Helen, making doubly sure to keep an eye on Milo when she did.

Then Trevor had football practice to go to. And Michael had homework. No problem. Mia had come to help Helen and she was still here. The girl laughed and grabbed Mia’s hand as Milo took of into another warehouse, dragging her along with a grin.

It looked like every other warehouse they had been in that night. Abandoned crates lined the walls. Scaffolding creaked as the building settled. Some gang had moved in and were using it as a new hideout. Between Milo’s strength, Helen’s fire and Mia’s constructs, the thugs couldn’t hold their own.

The small group was about to round a corner deep in the warehouse when Helen’s comm crackled to life. “Helen? You there?”

Mia recognized it as Julie, Helen’s roommate. Helen just smiled and quietly responded. “Yeah, Julie. What’s up?”

“Your mom just called. You better call her back. Like right now. She sounded pretty upset. I think she knows you skipped Algebra all week.”

Helen’s eye went wide as she cursed under her breath. “I’m sorry, guys. I’ve got to take care of that. You two will be okay?”

Without looking back from his uninterrupted trek forward Milo flatly said, “Bye, Helen.”

Mia opened her mouth to say something, but before she could Helen had run down the hall in a flash. Mia turned and watched Milo continue deeper into the warehouse and bit her lip. Her mind raced, thinking over her options as she followed him.

I could find an excuse to leave, homework, calling my own family. But that would leave Milo here alone. If he got hurt, what would people think? Mia tossed another drawing on the floor as they descended on a group of thugs. She watched as it morphed and twisted into a tall, hulking humanoid figure and grabbed the crowbar out of a bandannaed criminal’s hands.

They’d think I was a bitch, that’s what. Or at least that I abandoned him on purpose. It would be my fault he got hurt! Helen knows I was the last one left with him. Already the group was contained and Milo was moving on to the next one. Mia hurried after him, scribbling on her paper with the charcoal.

People would think I wanted him to get hurt. And I don’t. Really. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. But I have to find something... Maybe excuse myself as soon as we’re out of here. That’s it. Then if he decides to keep going, it’s not my fault.

Mia saw Milo reel and stumble back from a fist across the jaw. His lip was already bloody as he righted himself and began to swing at his assailant. He didn't seem to notice as a second criminal joined the attack, drawing a knife and slicing it across his upper arm. Instinctively, Mia quietly chanted her incantation and swung her arms in a wide arc towards him, letting the spell form and shimmer around him, healing the cuts and bruises he’d received.

And she stopped, arms still outstretched towards him. Her mouth hung open as she watched him stop mid-swing and turn towards her, his eyes locking with hers.

Oh, God...

Milo stared at Mia for a long moment, heedless of the crack of the bat one of the thugs smashed across his back. For that moment, there were only two people in the warehouse. The knife-wielder swung again, but Milo caught his arm, lifted him by it, and threw him into the wall, all without breaking his gaze with Mia.

"You cast magic on me."

Mia started to stammer an apology, frightened tears already threatening to fall from her eyes. She tried to explain, but her mouth refused to form the words. All she saw were his unfeeling eyes as he took one then another step toward her.

A few of the gang members took the opportunity to run, some toward the exit, some deeper into the warehouse. Others looked on, bewildered. The man with the bat struck Milo again in the small of his back. Milo stumbled slightly, but his face registered no pain. The blow to Milo's head earned him a small trail of blood trickling down from Milo's hairline, but did nothing to distract the boy from the wide-eyed girl only a couple yards away now.

The man ran toward Mia and Milo stopped, still staring. She didn't see the man until he already had the splintered bat raised over his head. The magic flew from her mind as he brought it down full force. Her arms lifted over her head, a pittance of a shield. The bat and her arm both shattered on impact.

Mia screamed.

The thug raised his broken weapon again, but the wet thud of Milo's fist connecting with his gut put him out of the fight.

Milo looked down at Mia briefly as she wailed, feebly scrambling away from him, bent arm cradled to her stomach. She was quickly slipping into shock. He turned and resumed his forward progress into the warehouse. Mia slipped out of consciousness alone.

"Milo, I need you to answer truthfully."

Milo had followed the escort to the office. The meeting was planned the night before when Mia got hurt. He would have to go back to the room after the meeting. Mom and Dad and Mr. Herrera were there. They didn't think about being afraid of him. The escort did. The escort thought about stopping him, but only if he tried to attack or go away. He promised not to leave when he went to the room last night. He didn't lie. He didn't have to answer Dad yet. It wasn't a question. And he didn't lie.

"Did you hurt Mia last night?"

"No."

Mom thought about being relieved and whether he had eaten and whether it was her fault and how mad she was. Dad thought about how relieved he was and how bad it was going to be before it was over. Mr. Herrera thought about what Milo was thinking last night. Milo thought about them coming through the large windows because they were thin. Milo thought about breaking the windows. They would try to stop them. He could stop them first.

"Did you let Mia be hurt?"

"Yeah."

Mr. Herrera knew the answer. Milo told him before. Dad knew the answer. He guessed. Mom knew the answer. She worried.

"Before the man with the bat hurt her, did you plan to hurt Mia?"

"Yeah."

They knew the answer. Dad asked questions. They knew the answers.

"Why?"

"She cast magic on me with her hands. I had to stop her hands."

_________________________________________________________________


Louis Herrera schooled his thoughts while he waited for the door to close behind Milo. The Blacks were doing their best to keep their minds clear while their son could hear them, but the anxiety and disappointment bled through. What has he done? What can we do? What did we do?

"I still believe we can help your son," he began when the litany of Milo's thoughts had faded. "But I cannot endanger my other students."

"Of course." Margaret spoke for the both of them while Howard's thoughts stayed with his son. She smiled her thanks slightly at the edges of her mouth when she heard Louis' sympathies.

"We have the facilities to house him safely. He'll be in isolation, but our psychologist, Margaret Wilson, will meet with him every day in addition to his teachers. And he will be allowed visitors, of course."

"Of course." She was rather plainly at a loss, angry without an outlet. "Whatever you think is best."

Howard stood once they were agreed, thoughts still tangled around his son. "I'm going to go explain it to him. The new rules."

Louis called downstairs to have Mrs. Weatherbee send an aide to show Mr. Black where his son was being kept.