for the ask game - POV, please, thank you!
I know this has taken forever, but behold! Alternate POV for Kevin getting kidnapped.
Timo waits on the roof, feeling the cold wind blowing. Thereâs a storm coming, so itâs good that heâs the one bringing Kevin home tonight. A little thunder and lightning wonât bother him and they can always dry off if they get caught in the rain.
The roof is dark, but his own ambient glow keeps things from looking too grim. Kevinâs late again, which would be more annoying if Timo didnât find Kevinâs earnest hard work admirable. He likes to finish work both correctly and precisely, even if it means he needs to stay a little late. Itâs been better lately, better since theyâve gotten all tangled in each otherâs lives. Timo wonât apologize for being smug about Kevin choosing him over work.
Still, the roof tops are fairly boring at this time of day, before the real weird Supers come out and long after any civilians are working up high.
Erikâs been on Timo recently about practicing, so Timo decides thatâs as good a way as any to pass the time. Heâs gotten better for sure, good enough to feel the conductive channels through the thick concrete, electrical wires and metal pipes. Erik claims that he wants Timo to be good enough to feel someoneâs exact brainwaves, but thatâs a bit of a reach.
He hasnât told Kevin about that particular goal because he thinks it sounds deranged, but Kevinâs been very supportive of Timo practicing. Timo assumes thatâs because he enjoys Timoâs growing control; itâs made rolling around in bed a good deal less hazardous for all of Kevinâs sensitive bits.
Timo frowns and texts Kevin again. Thereâs no answer. He texts the group chat, asking if anyone else has heard from Kevin.
His earbud crackles to life. Erikâs voice comes softly through as he directs, âWait for Antti and Tomas. Theyâre in the area. Let them go in dressed normally and ask the front desk. Call Kevin and see if he answers. He probably just got caught up in work again.â
âOkay,â Timo acknowledges, hitting dial on his phone. It rings, but to no avail. The voicemail sound beeps in his ear and he falters. âHey, babe, where are you? Iâve been waiting for you for about fifteen minutes. Youâre worrying Tomas. Itâs fine if you have to work late, just call me back and let me know.â
He hangs up and stares at the screen for a moment, watching minuscule rain drops fall on the glass. He calls again and gets sent to voicemail again.
He turns to his team. âErik?â
Erikâs voice comes through his ear bud. âI switched your comm off while you were on the phone. Tomas and Antti are in the building, going up to Kevinâs floor. Simmerâs nearby somewhere. They were all grabbing dinner together before I called them in.â
âTomas is with Kevinâs coworkers,â Antti says suddenly. âIâm on my way to the security office to see if thereâs anything They might have seen.â
âBe careful,â Timo and Erik say together. Antti doesnât audibly scoff, but Timo still winces. He hates when they treat him like he needs protection. Heâs competent, Timo knows, but he was also their team rookie long before any of them had powers. It makes some things more complicated.
âThey thought he went home,â Tomas says slowly, quietly. âHis bag was still at his desk. I saw it.â
âOkay,â Erik says calmly, like Timoâs heart isnât in his throat. âSweep the bathrooms and thenââ
âWe have a problem,â Antti interrupts frantically. âIâve got three security guards in the hall who are knocked out. One of them is bleeding from the back of his head.â
âGet out,â Erik says, voice hard. âBoth of you out now.â
âWait,â Antti says, âIâm already here. The office door is open.â
The rain is coming down harder now, dripping down the back of Timoâs uniform and chilling him as he crouches there on the roof. The uniform is waterproof, but his hands and head are exposed and getting increasingly cold. He feels cold inside too, fear stealing his breath away.
âThereâs a lot of screens,â Antti says slowly. âI donât know see how to rewind it, but there are a decent number of cameras spread throughout the building. A lot of them are in common areas, so if Kevin was in a bathroom we wouldnât see him going in or anything probably?â
âHere,â Tomasâ voice breaks through. âGive me one minute.â
âIâm not giving you any fucking time,â Erik repeats. âGet out.â
Thereâs silence and then quiet cursing through the comms. âItâs the Super from before,â Antti says. âWeâre leaving, Erik, but the hallway to the security office had cameras and the Super hit the guards and didnât even bother to hide any evidence. He just wanted them silent while he did whatever he was going to do.â
âHe was in the elevator,â Tomas says. âGoing down. Then they both disappear from the video.â
Timo hears Antti arguing with Tomas distantly, something about the guards and medical help.
Timo leaps off the roof, pushing up to get a better view. He waits to see if Tomas and Antti make it out, hovers there impatiently. Thereâs too much noise in the city to hear any individual, even with enhanced senses. He taps his fingers together to feel the electric sparks, over and over and over.
Thereâs a ripple in the darkness below and Erikâs voice rings in his ear sharply. âTimo, get down here.â
Timo lands, too hard, sees the concrete give way slightly under his feet. âWhat?â
âThe others are on their way, but weâre getting started now. We have to search from the last known location and we have to be careful. We donât want to spook whoever has him.â
Erik waits until Timo stops bouncing on his toes. âTap into their electrical supply. See if you can find any areas that donât seem to fit, maybe drawing too much power or too little.â
Timo looks around for a conductor and sees the utility box on the street. Itâs as good a place as any to really dive into the cityâs grid.
Itâs not hard to reach into the cityâs pulse, tracing the wiring outward strand by strand. Itâs slow work, requiring focus. Heâs not really seeing anything, not nearby at least.
âAnything?â Erikâs hand on his shoulder startles him. When he looks around, Antti and Tomas are outside, standing behind Erik.
âNo, nothing.â
âOkay. Antti, was there anything on the external security cameras?â
âNo, no, like I said, they went in the elevator and went down and then never came out. At least not somewhere with cameras.â
âOkay, so probably underground storage or parking or something. Simmer and I will check it out.â
âIâm coming with you,â Timo blurts out, gripping Erikâs arm too tight. Erik stares at him, too long, and then sweeps him into the shadows.
The dizzying feeling never gets better, but Timoâs used to it. He knows to breathe slowly when they walk out the other side, steps echoing on some basement area paved with stark concrete. Thereâs no one around, but theyâre still trying to be quiet. Simmer slowly comes into view, just behind Erikâs shoulder.
âWell,â Erik says very tightly, ânot much guesswork here.â
Timo follows his pointing finger to see the three muddy footprints leading to a slight fold in the concrete wall. âShit.â
âIâll go,â Simmer says abruptly. âIâll see where they went.â
âWhat?â Erik and Timo speak as one.
âI can go through the wall. Not like that Super obviously, but I can feel my way through.â He places his hand on the wall and sinks it in. âI can tell where itâs been disturbed.â
âNo,â Erik says, hand wrapping around Simmerâs free wrist swiftly. âItâs too dangerous. You wonât be able to breathe.â And Timoâs heart stops because that means Kevin wouldnât be able to breathe either.
âMost walls are a foot. I can find the way. We just need a direction and then we can go.â
âPlease,â Timo begs, voice hitched with unshed tears. He doesnât know which one heâs begging.
âTake Timo back. Meet me on the other side of the wall.â
Erik closes his eyes for a moment, squeezing Simmerâs wrist. âOkay.â He shakes his head. âBut one wall at a time and you back out if you canât feel the other side.â
âGo,â Simmer says, twisting his wrist free, eyes focused on the wall in front of him. Timo can see him squaring his shoulders and he knows what this is costing Simmer, understands the risks heâs taking.
Erik pulls the darkness over Timo again, and all Timo can think is Please. Please let me find him. Please let him forgive me for not protecting him.
