The mood seemed rather somber. That’s the only way Chase could describe it.

He had ended up driving X’s jeep, if only because Alex didn’t seem up to it and X had some ‘unfinished business’ to take care of. Whatever that meant. Chase wasn’t entirely sure he would find out later if at all, but he really didn’t care all too much to know. What X did was her thing, like how what Rob did was his thing. Such was the privilege of being the mentor. Secrets and whatnot. Then again, all of them had their secrets. It was evident that Alex had briefly considered talking about what had happened when Chase helped him up, but then decided against it. Maybe the privilege of the mentor was just the privacy to do what they want when they wanted without explanation? Sounded right.

Not to Chase’s surprise, the entire car ride back to the ranch was silent. Alex, Chase was sure, was thinking about whatever it was that had upset him so badly. And Jack, though not the chatty-kathy type, probably picked up on Alex’s vibe too. Chase was definitely not going to be the one to break the quiet with awkward small talk. Instead he thought about X’s departing words. [i]’be prepared to leave, too.’[/i] Leave? Like, the ranch? The young mutant wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Though he really hadn’t spent a significant amount of his life there, it had become a safe place for him where he didn’t have to be afraid of when his abilities would kick in and who was around to see it.

He was, in a sense, [i]free[/i] at the ranch. 

Pursing his lips, Chase decided that he didn’t like the idea, but if X said it might be necessary, then she was probably right. No doubt, if there were any others associated with the people who attacked them, the ranch would soon be found. The whole ordeal hadn’t been that far away from their home. Even as Chase thought this, he pulled into X’s usual parking space. Before he could put the jeep into park, Alex bolted out of the seat, most likely heading to wherever Will, Hel, and Annelise were. His earlier words echoed in Chase’s mind, [i]’They looked… worse for wear’[/i].

A slight shiver ran down his spine, and the adapting mutant quickly put the jeep in park, locking up once everyone was out and then heading in the direction that Alex had gone. He hadn’t heard Alex yell out where he was going, so it took him a bit to find everyone. Eventually he arrived on scene at the pool area, just catching the end of Alex’s statement. Of course, the weather manipulator was already there, as well as the three girls in question. They actually did seem rather ‘worse for wear’, soaked from what Chase assumed was a crash landing in the pool. Thankfully, though, it was clear they would all make it. Taking note of the fact that Annelise was clinging to a horizontal Helena, Chase opted to let them have their moment and instead went to sit by Will on the side of the pool. He didn’t say anything, though, figuring there wasn’t really anything he could say right now that wouldn’t upset or offend the girl.

So he looked up at Alex and waited for the others to respond before asking, “Where would we go?”