22 April 2012
Of their own volition, Quinn's own wings retracted from her spine, moving easily through the specially-manufactured clothing the whitecoats had so thoughtfully provided her with.
Quinn and Drake faced each other for a long moment, each set of eyes roaming the other's set of wings. Grey and brown.
It was Quinn who broke the quiet, saying in a soft, strangled voice, 'is Cole...?'
'Like us?' Drake smiled faintly. 'Yes. But that's it. Just him, you and me.' Quinn watched as Drake's wings shifted unconsciously behind his back, his secondary feathers ruffling slightly. Drake noticed her line of gaze.
'I suppose you've never seen another pair of wings. Mine are the largest. Then Cole's and then yours. Probably because you're female.' Drake shrugged with nonchalance. He then turned suddenly, sending a slight breeze Quinn's way as his wings faced her head.
'Cole!' Drake yelled, strolling towards the door through which Quinn had entered. The muscled man, who has posed as Drake previously, followed like a shadow. 'Cole! Get in here!'
Quinn watched the tall boy walk away from her. She watched his wings, slightly dazed, watched the way they swayed slightly as he strode towards the door. Watched the way the muscles in his arms swelled as he made fists of his hands. Quinn shuddered. Drake seemed the more angry, emotive, dominant... Dangerous brother. Cole, on the other hand, Cole was quieter, not shy, but quiet. He had an inner stillness to him, one that made him seem older than his years. Quinn chuckled to herself as she thought this - she'd known the boys less than two hours, yet was already passing judgements.
Drake returned, Cole at his side, quietly watching Quinn. There was no judgement in his dark eyes, none of the humorous facade his brother put on, either. Just a watchfulness.
'Quinn. We three are the most powerful of all the people gathered here. Not only were Cole and I the sort of... Co-founders of this mission, but our attributes - our wings - are the most advanced of anybody here. This gives us advantages.' Drake spoke confidently, with such gusto that Quinn couldn't help admiring. Cole seemed to know where her thoughts were, and smiled faintly. A blush crept across Quinn's cheekbones, and she dipped her chin to the floor, feeling embarrassed - as was often, she was coming to expect, with her new companions, she didn't quite know the reason for her embarrassment.
Drake seemed to be waiting for Quinn to respond to his speech. Feeling her flush recede slightly, Quinn rise her face to meet the brothers' eyes. 'Thank you. Thank you for rescuing me. I don't know how much longer I would have lasted in that place, and I don't want to think about it. I'm indebted to you - both of you. If there is any way I can repay you, name it. It sounds corny, but it's true. The things those whitecoats did to me...' Quinn shivered and blinked back the years misting up her vision. 'They are monsters. If anyone is less human, it's them. Not me.'
Drake and Cole seemed to share a glance. Quinn watched quietly, regaining her composure.
'We do have something we would ask of you, actually, Quinn.' Cole spoke up, immediately attaining Quinn's undivided attention. 'We want your help. We want... To take down the whitecoats.'
The Winged Girl VII • Opuss № I