Pitbabe S2, Chapter 26 pg 6

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 26 pg 6

   “Don’t talk so much if you’re just gonna choose the same thing in the end,” Babe muttered, almost to himself, but I knew those words were meant for me. They hit me directly.

   “I just don’t want you to think I could ever feel the same way about someone else as I do about you.”

   “Why does that even matter?”

   “Babe…”

   “The point is, Tony’s still alive,” Babe cut in, abruptly changing the subject. He seemed done listening to how I felt, which, to be fair, made sense. But the undeniable truth is I could talk about my feelings for him forever, even if he was sick of hearing it. “Ken said he’s up to something. Didn’t give details, but said it’s big. And what you’re doing right now is getting right in his way.”

   “I can kinda guess…”

   “No, Charlie,” Babe said, his face deadly serious. He looked like he was about to reveal something terrifying, his whispered voice trembling. “Tony knows killing you is hard, and even threatening to kill you doesn’t scare you.”

   Babe took a deep breath, his demeanor making me feel uneasy too.

   “So he sent Ken to tell me that if I can’t stop you, he’ll take out the entire X team… every single one of them.”

   My heart sank to the floor, especially when I thought back on everything that had happened. The more I realized how foolish I’d been, the more I felt I didn’t deserve forgiveness. Why did I think Babe was trying to sabotage me out of spite or a need to win? Why did I have such shallow thoughts?

   “Everyone’s just ordinary, Charlie—our team, including me. What do we have to fight against that Tony? It’s not just his money and connections; he’s got a whole crew with senses. We don’t even know what they’re capable of, but trust me, it’s more than we can imagine. Otherwise, that old bastard would’ve been done for ages ago.”

   My mind was like a canvas scribbled with chaotic black lines, tangled and overlapping, messy and chilling. But I knew I had to erase it and rewrite it.

   “Team X is the only family I have, Charlie…”

   “I know,” I said, pulling Babe into a hug without needing him to explain further. I knew exactly how he felt, and that X-Hunter wasn’t just a racing team or a car to him—not even close. “I know.”

   “I can’t let them hurt my family.”

   If that old dog hadn’t threatened to hold X-Hunter hostage, Babe wouldn’t be in this mess. His weakness was too obvious. He had only a few things he cherished, and they were so easy to guess that they became targets for enemies to exploit. They knew threatening Babe directly would never work—he didn’t care about that—so there was no chance he’d cooperate, and I wouldn’t even have heard about it. But because the target was his family, and Babe had assessed that it was beyond his ability to handle alone, he had no choice but to play their game.

   All this time, Babe had been obstructing me because of those bastards’ threats.

   “I get that you can’t turn back now, but is there any other way…?”

   “Did they do anything to you, Babe?”

   I knew Babe was saying something, but I couldn’t hold back that question. As I held him, my mind raced with the worst possibilities, threats that might be worse than what he’d told me.

   “No,” Babe shook his head. “Not yet.”

   “Not yet?”

   “I’m not you.”

   

   CHARLIE:

   He meant it was about the future, things that hadn’t happened yet. In our world, there’s probably only one person who could glimpse the time that hasn’t come.

   Me.

   It used to be Jeff, but now I’m the vessel for that ability. What’s interesting is that I only just realized now that I haven’t felt that sense’s energy at all since stepping foot here. I’ve touched Babe countless times—lightly, firmly, outside and under clothes—but not a single touch has let me see his future.

   If I had to guess, it’s probably because it’s still new. My body hasn’t fully adjusted to this new sense. I’ve tested it a bit before and found that I can indeed see the future, but mostly short-term glimpses of minor events. Jeff said it might take time for the sense to grow stronger and become more “refined.” I can’t quite explain what “refined” means in this context, but I instantly understood what he was trying to convey.

   “I don’t see anything,” I answer honestly. “But if it’s threatening to take out the whole team, once you can’t give it what he wants, he’d have no reason to spare you.”

   “Of course, I’d be useless to them by then,” Babe pulls out of the embrace. The look in his eyes now is like he’s pleading with every ounce of his being for my mercy. “They don’t want a direct fight because they know you won’t give in easily. Even if they tried, the cost might outweigh the gain. That’s why they’re using me—they believe I’m the only one you’ll listen to.”

   Tony and his crew aren’t wrong to think that. The voice that reaches my ears the fastest is Babe’s. The words I listen to most intently, the frequency that resonates with my heart, the most soothing tone—all come from one person. It’s been that way since the day we met.

   He’s the only one in the world who doesn’t need to bargain with me. I’m the one who’s always had to bargain. Every night, I pray to God, asking that all the blessings meant for me be given to him instead.

   That’s the only blessing I beg for.

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