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He wraps a gloved hand around his throat, gentle except for the thumb pressed into his pulse, pounding in an off rhythm beat of his heart, a barely discernible difference that Connor was all too aware of. Romeo leaned in and studied Connor like he always did, mismatched eyes dragging over the hero's face. It felt similar to the autopsy Luna had mentioned in her biology class, peeling him back layer by layer, analyzing the function of every organ and miscellaneous gore, simply pursuing violent knowledge because one could.
If that didn't describe Romeo to a T.
“Exquisite as always, Kitkat.” His voice has deepened with time, but no amount of time could cover up the nasal haughtiness that rang so clear from his vocal cords. “But why are you here?” Romeo doesn’t move his hand, just stands straight as a rod with his left hand resting on his cane.
Connor takes the chance and grips Romeo's elbow, pushing the hand away from his neck. Romeo lets it happen, stepping away, finally. Connor breathes deeply for the first time in weeks.
“GUNN captured everybody. Everyone with Chest Implants.” Connor doesn’t need to explain why he's in Romeo's dingy warehouse. Romeo knows why.
“And I was your last resort?” Romeo drawls.
“My only hope.” Connor dares to be honest. “Everyone is under their thumb. Greg, Amaya, Starr, Nori, Luna, everyone. They've made new mutants now.”
“The one's on the news?” The scientist quirks an eyebrow. He doesn't seem to be affected by the truth Connor bared. The bastard simply blinks.
Connor nods.
“Let me analyze your plate.” Romeo walks deeper into his warehouse, into a makeshift room built by privacy curtains. Sleek technology hung on the walls, the only sign of use was the faint smudges of fingerprints on the touch screens. “Perhaps I can copy whatever programming you have. Make a virus.”
“My programming?” Connor alarms. “But, isn't that dangerous? I mean, you know my malfunction is…” He trails off. Romeo looks at the hero, the artificial light casting his face in severe shadows, highlighting the scar that cuts through his cloudy eye.
“It's either that or GUNN gets to keep your friends like they're show ponies and police juggernauts.” Romeo's voice was as flat and blunt as always, but it was the very fact he was willing to get close that made Connor trust him.
“Okay.”