Once I’m in my suit and in the clear, I fly to the address Alex had sent me. This was one of my first leads on who Cyclone could be. 

I’m still a little confused as to why Alex would tell his therapist who I am, though. He knows why my identity has to be a secret.

But no matter, what’s done is done. I just hope if this is the guy that I can stop him in time.

I arrive at the office and walk through the doors, the receptionist looking bored in her expression as she sees me. I walk up to her and greet her with a nod. 

“Can I help you?” 

“I’m looking for a therapist named Doctor Kinloch?” I ask, glancing around the room. 

She raises an eyebrow at me. “Do you have an appointment?” She asks back. 

“I- what? No, I don’t have an appointment, but I need to talk to him.” I say. 

“Sorry, sir. If you don’t have an appointment I can’t let you back there.” She says. “Have a nice day, though.” She then goes back to typing on her computer and I scoff slightly. 

“Okay, I don’t wanna pull this card, but you do know who I am, right?” 

She looks me up and down and then rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I know who you are.” 

“And you aren’t at all worried that what I am asking for could be for the greater good? Aren’t you aware I could be trying to save lives here?” 

She scoffs. “Right, okay. You haven’t saved anyone yet. You’re just a poser in a costume.” 

I’m trying my best not to get frustrated here, I really am. But this girl is definitely getting on my nerves. I take a deep breath and read the name tag on the desk.

“Look, Ms. Maria. It’s clear you’re not a big fan of me. But I really need to talk to this guy. Could you point me to his office?” 

She groans gently. “He’s not even here. Will you quit bothering me and let me get back to my work?” 

“He’s not here? Where is he?” I ask. I couldn’t let him get away without at least questioning him. 

“I don’t know, his last appointment was like an hour ago. Now, shoo. Fly away or something.” Maria says, once again returning to her computer screen. 

“Thanks for nothing.” I mumble as I walk away, leaving the building. So much for that route. I thought for sure I’d be able to find him through there.

Just as I’m planning out my next move, I hear a door slam shut. I peak around the corner and see one of the therapists exiting through the back door. He looks around him, seeming like he didn’t want to be seen. I quickly fly up to the roof, watching him from above as he scrambled into his car, quickly pulling out of the parking lot. 

I decide to follow him while staying out of sight. He seemed pretty suspicious to me, and it could be just the guy I was looking for. I follow him all the way to an old supermarket that looked almost abandoned.  

He enters the store and I follow in after him. When he dips into one of the aisles, I casually stroll behind him. “Excuse me, do you know where I could find the box section?” I ask. “Particularly a music box?” 

He turns around and looks at me. Upon first glance, I can see he shares some traits with Cyclone. About the same height, similar dark hair. Of course I haven’t had time to study his appearance fully, but I wouldn’t rule this guy out just yet. 

The man in front of me adjusts his glasses, laughing nervously. 

“Hy-Hyperion! Wow, what an honor it is to uh- well, what are you.. What are you doing in this store?” He stutters. 

“Oh, like I said, looking for an old music box. Has these seven pretty crystals that come with it. I don’t suppose you know what I’m talking about, do you?” 

“Look, I know why you’re here. But I can assure you, I am not the guy you’re looking for.” He says, holding his hands up by his chest in defense. 

“So, you’re not Doctor Francis Kinloch?” I ask, tilting my head at him. 

“Okay, well, yes, that is me.” He nods. “But I’m not Cyclone. And I’m not going to tell anyone about who you are. I mean, I don’t even really know you, anyway.” 

“You know, I don’t really believe you. Why else would you run from the office? To here, of all places?” I cross my arms. 

“Because he was doing as he was told.” A voice from behind me declares. 

I frown and turn around, seeing the one and only Cyclone standing at the edge of the aisle. I glare at him and he smirks back, before looking past me at the cowering man behind me. 

“You, get out of here. Barricade the door and then leave. You played your part well.” 

The man then runs past us, bolting for the exit. I hear the door shut and then Cyclone looks back to me. 

“Now you’re dragging innocent people into this? Making them your pawns?” I ask. “How did you get him to help you?”

“Oh, the same way all ‘villains,’ as you like to call me, get people to do things.” He chuckles gently as he takes a few steps closer. “I must say, it’s almost enjoyable being feared.” 

“I don’t fear you.” I tell him. 

He sighs softly. “No, no you don’t fear me. But you do fear what I’m capable of. What I can do when I get the last crystal.” He starts to walk through the aisle, running his hand along the mostly empty shelves as he nears me. 

“Why did you bring me here? Why drag me all the way out here to gloat?” 

“Oh, my dear Hyperion, I’m not gloating.” He stops in front of me and smiles. “I’m giving you the chance to stop me.” 

He then waves his arm and sends me flying backwards into the shelves. “That is, if you can.” 

He laughs and runs out of the aisle, turning left. I quickly get back on my feet and fly above the aisles, looking for where he went. I see him in an aisle a few rows over and fly towards him, aiming for impact. 

“Why would you want me to stop you?” I ask as I try to fly into him. He dives out of the way, causing me to be unsuccessful and punch the ground instead. As I recover from the crash landing, I see him walking backwards out of the aisle. 

“Oh, I don’t want you to stop me. I want you to know why I’m doing this.” He says before disappearing again. 

I look around me and fly up again, landing on top of the aisle shelves. I watch as Cyclone dips into another aisle and shake my head, leaping from one aisle to the next. 

“Why are you doing this? Putting innocent people in harm’s way to make a wish?”

I land in the aisle he’s in and he looks up at me. 

“I’m doing this to bring back someone very important. You’d be surprised at what that could mean for you. You do realize I could bring someone back for you, too.” He takes a step back, revealing what I can only assume to be the final gem below his feet. “All you have to do is let me walk away with this.. Silly rock.” 

I stop for a moment. What did he mean he could bring someone back for me, too? “Aren’t there limits to this sorta thing? One wish for one sacrifice or something?” 

“That’s the great thing about this box. I only need to sacrifice one thing for whatever I want. Wishing back a couple people? Well, I can turn that into one wish.”

“And who are you sacrificing for this wish? I thought that was supposed to be me.” I ask, taking a step closer to the gem. I had to figure out a way to get it away from him. 

“Well, maybe I’ve had a change of heart. We could be on the same team, you and I. There’s no way you can stop me now, anyway.” He claims. 

I stand there a moment, acting like I was debating it. I look down at the gem, then back up at Cyclone, shaking my head slightly. “No, I could never join someone who wants to do such an evil thing.” I say before running for the gem. 

When I get close, though, he holds his hand out, grabbing my arm and sending electric shocks through my body. I instantly fall to the ground by his feet, unable to move for a moment. He crouches down and grabs the crystal. He looks at me, seeming disappointed. 

“So you chose your fight, then. Good luck stopping me now.” He says before standing up and walking away. 

I slowly sit up, grunting slightly as I do. “This is what makes you a villain, by the way. You don’t have to do this.” 

He stops, staying facing away from me. “But you see, I don’t believe that I’m a villain. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘Whatever is done for love occurs beyond good and evil?’” 

I don’t say anything back. My mom used to say that to me. But she would not have meant it in this context. He doesn’t get to use that in this context. 

Suddenly I feel an anger I didn’t know I had rise in me, and I couldn’t even feel the pain from the electrocution anymore. Next thing I know I was hurling towards Cyclone, quickly pinning him to the ground, sending the crystal flying across the floor. 

“There is nothing you could love that is worth all this devastation.” I say. 

He uses his wind trick to push me off of him, but I quickly recover and keep coming at him. “I would do anything in the name of love. As long as it keeps the people closest to me from being hurt, I would do whatever it takes.” 

I continue hurling attacks at him, to which he continues to dodge. “And when does this madness stop? When do you decide you’ve finally had enough? When the whole world is in ashes and you have everything you want?” 

“If that’s what it takes.” He says in a tone he hadn’t been talking in before. It was a bit threatening, but it also was filled with a touch of desperation. 

I look at the gem on the floor, now near us, and quickly run to it, picking it up. He starts to come towards me, but I hold out my hand.

“Not one more step, or I destroy this, and ruin your chances at using the box.” I say, starting to squeeze my hand around it. 

He holds his hands up, a sign of surrender. “Wait, wait, please don’t. Don’t destroy that.” 

I shake my head gently. “This ends now, Cyclone.” I declare. 

He looks at the gem in my hand and then back at me. “You know, I almost find it comical that you think that gem is my weakness.” He starts. I raise an eyebrow in confusion. 

“Weaknesses are a funny thing. Most people only think of physical things, like electricity for you.” He takes a step closer to me, and I tighten my grip around the gem, ready to crush it at any given moment. He stops. “But me? I like to get more personal.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Siblings.. Loved ones.. Boyfriends.” He states. “That Alexander seems like a nice guy.”

I feel my heart skip a beat in my chest. Everything seems to stop right then and there. “Don’t you dare lay a finger on him-”

“Nothing will happen to him. Not as long as you give me that gem.” He assures me. 

I hold my stance for a moment, not wanting to give in so easily. But what choice did I have? I couldn’t let him hurt Alex. How did he even know about Alex in the first place?

“How do I know I can trust you?” I ask. 

“You don’t.” He says. “But you know you can trust that you won’t see him again if you don’t give me that gem.” 

I start to lower my arm down, looking at the crystal. I had no choice. Alex came first. I’d figure out how to stop Cyclone as soon as I can assure he’s alright. 

I hold it out for him and he grabs it from me. 

“See? That wasn’t so hard.” He smiles gently. “You’ll get him back after my work is done. I would suggest staying out of my way.” 

And with that, he blows the doors open with his hands and runs out, disappearing into the night. 

My breathing gets heavier as I process the loss I just experienced. With no control of myself, I turn around and punch one of the shelves behind me. I stumble backwards as the new hole causes it to collapse to the ground, unable to contain my tears. 

From this point forward, Alex was my number one priority. Nothing else mattered except for getting Alex back. 

2241 Words

AHHHH. Writing this chapter hurt more because I actually got to play with the fact that Alex knew who he was talking to ahah