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. There’s a storm coming, so it’s good that he’s the one bringing Kevin home tonight. A little thunder and lightning won’t 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. Kevin’s late again, which would be more annoying if Timo didn’t find Kevin’s earnest hard work admirable. He likes to finish work both correctly and precisely, even if it means he needs to stay a little late. It’s been better lately, better since they’ve gotten all tangled in each other’s lives. Timo won’t 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.
Erik’s been on Timo recently about practicing, so Timo decides that’s as good a way as any to pass the time. He’s 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 someone’s exact brainwaves, but that’s a bit of a reach.
He hasn’t told Kevin about that particular goal because he thinks it sounds deranged, but Kevin’s been very supportive of Timo practicing. Timo assumes that’s because he enjoys Timo’s growing control; it’s made rolling around in bed a good deal less hazardous for all of Kevin’s sensitive bits.
Timo frowns and texts Kevin again. There’s no answer. He texts the group chat, asking if anyone else has heard from Kevin.
His earbud crackles to life. Erik’s voice comes softly through as he directs, “Wait for Antti and Tomas. They’re 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.”
“Okay,” Timo acknowledges, hitting dial on his phone. It rings, but to no avail. The voicemail sound beeps in his ear and he falters. “Hey, babe, where are you? I’ve been waiting for you for about fifteen minutes. You’re worrying Tomas. It’s fine if you have to work late, just call me back and let me know.”
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. “Erik?”
Erik’s voice comes through his ear bud. “I switched your comm off while you were on the phone. Tomas and Antti are in the building, going up to Kevin’s floor. Simmer’s nearby somewhere. They were all grabbing dinner together before I called them in.”
“Tomas is with Kevin’s coworkers,” Antti says suddenly. “I’m on my way to the security office to see if there’s anything They might have seen.”
“Be careful,” Timo and Erik say together. Antti doesn’t audibly scoff, but Timo still winces. He hates when they treat him like he needs protection. He’s competent, Timo knows, but he was also their team rookie long before any of them had powers. It makes some things more complicated.
“They thought he went home,” Tomas says slowly, quietly. “His bag was still at his desk. I saw it.”
“Okay,” Erik says calmly, like Timo’s heart isn’t in his throat. “Sweep the bathrooms and then—“
“We have a problem,” Antti interrupts frantically. “I’ve got three security guards in the hall who are knocked out. One of them is bleeding from the back of his head.”
“Get out,” Erik says, voice hard. “Both of you out now.”
“Wait,” Antti says, “I’m already here. The office door is open.”
The rain is coming down harder now, dripping down the back of Timo’s 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.
“There’s a lot of screens,” Antti says slowly. “I don’t 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 wouldn’t see him going in or anything probably?”
“Here,” Tomas’ voice breaks through. “Give me one minute.”
“I’m not giving you any fucking time,” Erik repeats. “Get out.”
There’s silence and then quiet cursing through the comms. “It’s the Super from before,” Antti says. “We’re leaving, Erik, but the hallway to the security office had cameras and the Super hit the guards and didn’t even bother to hide any evidence. He just wanted them silent while he did whatever he was going to do.”
“He was in the elevator,” Tomas says. “Going down. Then they both disappear from the video.”
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. There’s 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.
There’s a ripple in the darkness below and Erik’s voice rings in his ear sharply. “Timo, get down here.”
Timo lands, too hard, sees the concrete give way slightly under his feet. “What?”
“The others are on their way, but we’re getting started now. We have to search from the last known location and we have to be careful. We don’t want to spook whoever has him.”
Erik waits until Timo stops bouncing on his toes. “Tap into their electrical supply. See if you can find any areas that don’t seem to fit, maybe drawing too much power or too little.”
Timo looks around for a conductor and sees the utility box on the street. It’s as good a place as any to really dive into the city’s grid.
It’s not hard to reach into the city’s pulse, tracing the wiring outward strand by strand. It’s slow work, requiring focus. He’s not really seeing anything, not nearby at least.
“Anything?” Erik’s hand on his shoulder startles him. When he looks around, Antti and Tomas are outside, standing behind Erik.
“No, nothing.”
“Okay. Antti, was there anything on the external security cameras?”
“No, no, like I said, they went in the elevator and went down and then never came out. At least not somewhere with cameras.”
“Okay, so probably underground storage or parking or something. Simmer and I will check it out.”
“I’m coming with you,” Timo blurts out, gripping Erik’s arm too tight. Erik stares at him, too long, and then sweeps him into the shadows.
The dizzying feeling never gets better, but Timo’s 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. There’s no one around, but they’re still trying to be quiet. Simmer slowly comes into view, just behind Erik’s shoulder.
“Well,” Erik says very tightly, “not much guesswork here.”
Timo follows his pointing finger to see the three muddy footprints leading to a slight fold in the concrete wall. “Shit.”
“I’ll go,” Simmer says abruptly. “I’ll see where they went.”
“What?” Erik and Timo speak as one.
“I can go through the wall. Not like that Super obviously, but I can feel my way through.” He places his hand on the wall and sinks it in. “I can tell where it’s been disturbed.”
“No,” Erik says, hand wrapping around Simmer’s free wrist swiftly. “It’s too dangerous. You won’t be able to breathe.” And Timo’s heart stops because that means Kevin wouldn’t be able to breathe either.
“Most walls are a foot. I can find the way. We just need a direction and then we can go.”
“Please,” Timo begs, voice hitched with unshed tears. He doesn’t know which one he’s begging.
“Take Timo back. Meet me on the other side of the wall.”
Erik closes his eyes for a moment, squeezing Simmer’s wrist. “Okay.” He shakes his head. “But one wall at a time and you back out if you can’t feel the other side.”
“Go,” 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 he’s 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.
