Damsel[ed]: No Rescue Required

Chapter 28: Snapped

Angelos

Galaxy and Heaven are the same person. As much as I don't want to believe it, I know it's true. I think of all those conversations she carried on with me as 'Galaxy,' how she pretended not to know me, how she said she'd protect me. Those times I fell into her arms...

This is weird. And my head hurts.

"Angel, I'm sorry," she says, crossing to my side. Gats stuffs his hands in his pockets, staring at me with wide eyes that remind me of an owl's.

I sit up. My body hurts. Everywhere. And I'm starved.

"No, no. It's fine." I shrug, decidedly not looking her in the eye. I try not to think about the superhero thing. "Now either of you have a plan on getting out of here?"

Heaven runs a hand over her face, dragging her fingers down her skin."I'm open for ideas."

"Well, don't look at me," I say, "Gats?"

He tenses, backing away from me. I know cats are weird like that, but...

Is he scared of me? Does he expect me to hit him because he kissed Hev? I mean, yeah, it hurt a little watching them suck face at the foot of the bed, but she isn't my girlfriend. And besides, I wouldn't hurt him.

"Uh, no," he says, raking his fingers through his fluffy mane.

"I guess we need to wait." Heaven stoops to the carpet, collecting her helmet and jaw guard. My chest pounds. How could she pretend? There were so many moments when she could've told me who she was, instead of adopting another persona.

I think back to when she offered to 'isolate' me. She didn't fear for her own safety, but rather, Gatsby's.

"Look, Fibbs, you're visibly distressed, panicky, and unpredictable. I wouldn't be surprised if you snapped and killed someone."

The way my friends look at me...they're...

They think I'm a monster. I choke. I scare them.

And just when this day couldn't get any worse, I hear it. "Lucifer!" Cat snorts from outside the door. Her footsteps seem to shake the floor. "How ironic!"

I stiffen, about to throw up from the mention of the name. Keys jangle and Hev creeps to my side. Gats does too, still watching me with the same spooked expression.

"Project Lucifer," Poison says, "on the file and everything."

The door creaks open, and the three of us stand there, statue stiff. 

Poison and Cat saunter into the room. I glare, flipping off the both of them. Cat laughs, giving her sword an acknowledging wave. Heaven slips her fingers over her visor, a hand on her hips. 

Gats pads to the super, purring so angrily it's almost a growl. "What do you want?"

Cat loops her lasso and the cord snags around Gats' neck like a noose. He jerks his head, and I tense. She'll break his neck!

"You!" Gats brings his hands to his throat, spitting curses. I gnaw on a strand of hair, watching with shaking fists. "You b—"

 Cat yanks the rope and he goes silent. Heaven stomps forward, chest heaving. "What do you want?"

"Look, sweetheart," Poison says with a toss of his mane. Just looking at the guy makes me want to pummel him. "You fond of Cat-guy?"

She bristles. Heat builds in my chest. They won't kill him, not when I can do something about it.

"Are you threatening him, moron?" Galaxy, ergh, Heaven growls.

Cat pulls Gats against her, snatching his elbow. My friend scrambles against his captor, but she shoves her sword against his neck. He blows strands of hair out of his eyes, the white fluff sticking up at odd angles.