by C. C. Lynch
I searched around the room for any sign of Aiden. I hadn’t seen his shadow or even a sign he was around, but I knew he wasn’t far. I did not want to leave without him, but we needed to start warning the students before Jeremiah got his hands on any of them. “Do you think you could teleport us to each academy so I have a location in mind when we start our grand journey?”
After a moment of internal deliberation he gave a nod. My father crossed his arms and stepped in front of Vlaine. “You watch out for her Mister Josnic. And you,” he turned to me, “get out of there if you sense anything wrong anywhere you are. It’s not worth taking any unnecessary risks.”
I nodded and put my hand on his arm. Just as I did Aiden popped into the room and looped his arm in mine. Vlaine hesitantly put his hand on Curtis’s arm and a moment later we were in the middle of a painted dessert staring at a large stucco building. There was a group of students in a gazebo near the school that appeared to be in the middle of some sort of meditation.
“Lanshaw,” my father whispered just before we were transported to the familiar snow mound of Alaska. “Ernvlik,” he whispered once more.
Ernvlik Academy looked like an illusion at the angle we were at. The building seemed to blend in with the snow and grey sky. Just as I began to wonder if the building was fake, I could see students enter a room through one of the windows. I tried peering in but just as I was able to focus on a face we were teleported once again.
Stone benches lined a large area of grass. A grey walkway cut through the middle of the lawn towards a large brick academy. White accents on the school made the place look inviting and prestigious. On either side of the main building were two similar, though smaller, buildings far enough from the central one to warrant lampposts along the walkways.
As I processed the scenery my father whispered, “Intervael.” As soon as he finished the word we were in a room lined with text books, papers, and folders. The smell of pine and citrus filled the air, though it was not overwhelming.
“This is my office at Aldershaw Academy.” My father walked to his desk clock and straightened it. “Unless Ivan comes back here, it should be secure.”
“Comes back?” A moment after I asked my question we were back at the safe house. “I feel like there’s a bit more for me to learn about Ivan.”
Curtis walked over to a cabinet and took out plastic container of food. I thought for sure he was going to ignore my statement until he looked to Vlaine then back down to his food. “Ivan was the one who figured out you were my daughter.” With a despondent shrug he added, “I didn’t really have much of a choice after that.”
I had no idea what to say to that. We stood in an uncomfortable silence until Aiden finally cut the tension. “We really should get going. I doubt the psychos are going to wait around.”
I nodded and grabbed both Vlaine and Aiden’s hands. “Thanks again,” I said to Curtis before teleporting back to Ernvlik Academy.
16
Being the electric genius that Frankie was, he was hard at work setting up precautions for the “revered” level. He was truly in his element, happy to assemble gadgets that I could not even begin to understand. When I told him how impressive his electrical skills were he smiled and replied, “It’s only science.”
The entire floor was ours to do with it whatever we wished. The majority of it was old classrooms. Carpets still lined the rooms and dry erase boards hung up at the front. The rooms were of excess and had been used as storage ever since. Aiden, Frankie, and Ovolina did not mind as they had their own living quarters, workshop, and sitting room.
Ovolina busied herself with digging through the storage to find beds and other dormitory furniture hidden in the mess of items. Her telekinesis was put to use as she got rooms prepared for a possible influx of gifted students in our new sanctum. I wondered if part of the clean-up was high hopes that the Shane character would be joining us. Either way, it was nice to see her appearing to be excited about getting the other people out of harm’s way.
Aiden, Vlaine, and Draxe left to get food for the group while I tried to help Ovolina set up the rooms. Once she was satisfied with everything we went back to the sitting area and waited for the men to return. Ovolina would occasionally move the couch I was sitting on acting as if she was trying to get the Feng Shui just right, but I was pretty sure she was doing it just to be obnoxious. Seeing the guys walk off the elevator sent a wave of relief through me. I was sure that another push of the couch would send me over the edge.
“You know what we need,” I declared between bites of my meal, “is another person with teleportation.” Liz gave a disapproving look before I continued. “Or a way for me to just touch,” I poked Vlaine’s shoulder lightly, “someone and give them a gift.” I met the blank hungry stares of the other’s who were devouring their food. “My father could project a genetic condition onto me, so if I were able to do that to someone else then we would be golden.”
Vlaine shook his head. “I’ve never really heard of anything like that happening before.” With a shrug, he put his sandwich back to his mouth. “But I guess it could be possible.”
“So, I have to ask.” I looked over to Aiden. “Why do you have your very own floor and how did you know you could trust the headmaster here?”
Aiden nodded his head and laughed. “I grew up in the most boring county of Texas to a mom that had a green thumb, a super green thumb if you know what I mean. My dad was convinced she was an angel and when I stopped time, for the first time, when I was five he figured I was the opposite.” He winked at Liz quickly, to which she responded with a deadpan glare. “I was bored of that place and I wanted to see the ocean. I hopped a plane when I was twelve and made my way to Los Angeles and lived off the wealth of others. By fifteen I had made my way to Hawaii thinking that I could live on the beach forever. There was a timeshare that I used for my house and it happened to belong to the headmaster of all people. Our paths weaved and when he caught me sleeping there he left a note and some food in the fridge.”
“A note?” I asked. “Was he afraid to scare you or something?”
“He sees different outcomes. It’s his gift. I would have just stopped time and ran if I was awake. The only way he could get my trust was with the note. He gave me food because he felt bad that I was a homeless kid.”
“So,” I shrugged, “you got a note and trusted the guy?”
“Ha!” Aiden’s perfectly white teeth seemed to sparkle even though he was in the middle of his meal. “It took two years for me to trust him. He told me about the academies and I went and raised hell at each of them until I could get a feel for the places. He kept my identity a secret and offered me a place here and full use of his rental in Hawaii.”
“He sounds like a generous man.”
“A little too generous.” Aiden looked towards Ovolina for a few seconds. “And that’s why we have a woman’s locker room down here.”
“Oh shut it Aiden,” Ovolina snapped. “He put both a men’s and women’s lavatory down here. You should be thankful. What if you talked some manipulator into getting you a girlfriend?”
“Don’t listen to her, Abrielle. I happen to be very charming.” He gave a devilish smirk to Ovolina.
Not giving much concern to what Ovolina would think if I was on Aiden’s side, I agreed with him. “I have no doubt that you can be charming.”
“Or just turn back time until you find out what works with someone that might actually catch your eye.” Liz smiled to herself.
I secretly agreed with Liz.
“This is why I shouldn’t need a girl’s bathroom down here. Two out of three girls are catty and the third always has a boyfriend.” Aiden winked at me and nudged Vlaine with his shoulder.
“Well all three happen to need our own restroom and we’re all appreciative.” I looked to Liz then Ovolina. Both seemed unappreciative that I had finished the conversation.
I wiped my hands of any excess crumbs and stood up to browse the work that Ovolin
a and I had done with the new rooms. They were so massive that even with two beds and desks in there to split it in half, it felt a bit overwhelming. The signs on Frankie’s room declaring his ownership of the space kept me from wanting to snoop; especially after I had witnessed him rig the elevator just an hour prior.
One of the rooms was cozy and the carpet seemed to be pristine. I mentally laid claim to it and moved the two beds around a little until I felt satisfied. Before returning to the others I wrote my name on the whiteboard with a small heart near it.
In the sitting area Liz was curled into the corner of the sofa with a book practically touching her nose, Draxe was tossing a ball up into the air and catching it, Aiden was carving a small block of wood, and Vlaine was watching me intently, his eyes smiling.
I sat next to Vlaine and put my head on his shoulder. He pulled me into him and I basked in the comfort he provided.
Though I had wanted my father and Luther to be part of this, I was glad that everything panned out as it had. No one would have been comfortable with Luther, and I did not particularly feel comfortable having judging eyes upon me all day. Not that my father would have judged me, but it would have felt like it whenever Vlaine and I would be in a close proximity of one another. Vlaine and my relationship was so new that the stress of trying to save the world from Replyx was enough to put enough of a damper on things, without having a parent around to add some awkwardness.
“I’m going to Valdor Academy in a few minutes.” My words were hushed so that no one could object. “There’s only one student there on the list and I have been there before. I’m just going to go in invisible, find the girl, plead my case, and bring her back here.”
His fingers twirled a lock of hair as his arm squeezed me protectively. “I don’t like the idea of you going alone.”
I knew that Vlaine wouldn’t be happy with me going anywhere alone. Also, he would happily torture anyone that was any sort of danger to me. I chose my words carefully, trying not to make the trip more of a hassle than it needed to be. “If I go alone it is more inconspicuous. I’ll be invisible so even if anyone hears my thoughts, they won’t know where they are coming from.”
His arm moved to the back of the couch and he tapped the leather covered wood while he thought. “Be back within an hour, or I’m going to have to call bleach head and get him to go get you.”
Chuckling, I tilted my head. “Do you think it’s bleach that gives him that metallic look, or is he just a strange human being? He could be an alien!”
“Abbs,” he smiled but his voice stern in that scary Vlaine manner, “just get back to me safely.”
“I will.” I nodded before pulling away from him.
His handsome features caused my chest to tingle, putting a ridiculous and goofy smile on my face just before I teleported to Valdor.
The sound of blood rushing to my ears came just before ones of the waves licking the shore. I shook off the bizarre occurrence and inhaled the ocean serenity so that I could replicate Liz’s gift. Once I was certain the invisibility was working I found an entrance into the Valdor dormitory hall. Students were bustling about, and none seemed to even feel my presence.
I listened for any thoughts that may have to do with the girl we were looking for, Lena. According to Luther, she had some sort of ability that allowed her to influence animals. I had no idea what he meant, but I hoped it was in a benign sense.
Most of the students were playing games and having fun. The sun was setting, but the socialites were unaffected. It really was far more laid back than Glaston Academy. Had Erik not completely ruined the image of Valdor Academy, I would have loved to transfer there.
Just as I was getting lost in the thoughts of the Glaston Academy sister schools, a laugh sounded in my mind. It was Lena’s. There was no reason I should have been able to hear it so distinctly, but I knew exactly where she was.
Silent footsteps took me to a small kitchen in the building. A girl with long, black, straight hair was standing in front of a small microwave speaking to another girl that reminded me of Steph. The girl with black hair turned around, allowing me to see her face for a brief moment. Overgrown bangs practically dipped into her brown eyes. She was tall and slender, her face was long, but not unattractively so. In fact, everything about her seemed pleasant.
The girl with Steph-like qualities nodded to the other and said, “Be right back, Lena.”
The moment the other girl was out of sight I allowed myself to appear. Lena looked at me, unsurprised, and offered a polite smile. “Would you like some soup?”
My mouth dropped open. “How did…”
“Oh,” she giggled and pointed towards a window, “the animals knew you were here.”
“So, you talk to animals?” The disbelief on my face must have been extremely insulting, but she paid no mind.
“Not really, I can just understand them.” She pulled her cup of steaming soup from the microwave. “They understand me too. It’s sort of like watching a foreign film without subtitles. You can’t decipher exactly what is being said, but it’s pretty easy to see what’s going on.”
I tossed my hands in the air. “I’m not sure how I’m surprised by anything anymore.”
Lena let out a light chuckle that seemed to dance in the air. “What is it you’re here for?” She hopped onto the counter behind her while giving me her full attention, to which I explained everything I could with as much haste as possible.
She clapped her hands together. “It sounds like an adventure!”
That was easy, I thought to myself as I put my hand out to touch hers. A moment later we were in one of the abandoned classrooms on the revered level of Ernvlik. All signs of fainting found me once again for a brief moment as they had when I teleported to Valdor Academy. The fear welling in my gut was quickly extinguished by Lena’s invigorating presence.
She looked around in wonder and made her way through the room and towards the sitting area as if she knew the place well. Lena pushed the door open and hopped into the room where everyone aside from Frankie was sitting. “Hi there,” she beamed with an effervescent charm. “I’m Lena, and I communicate with animals. So, who is everyone?”
Liz subconsciously leaned away from the exuberant being that had just filled the space with her positive presence. Lena was certainly a breath of fresh air and I hoped she would be a decent morale booster as well.
Unsatisfied by the lack of response in the room, a light finger pointed to each person. “You warble like a telepath, you like a skin-mimic, you’re a jumper, invisible, object-tosser, and a replicator.” Her hand had moved to Draxe, Vlaine, Aiden, Liz, Ovolina, and finally to me.
Frankie emerged from his laboratory at that moment, his eyes met Lena’s. “Another object-tosser, I suppose.” Her voice was delightfully playful.
“My name is Frankie,” he walked through the room quickly. His voice was screechy like a pubescent boy.
Luna’s eyebrows rose as she awaited any response from the silent and seemingly hostile room, but her smile remained.
I stepped forward, unable to stand the tension any longer. “This is Ovolina, Liz, Draxe, Vlaine, and Aiden.” I pointed my hand towards each person as I introduced her to them. “Don’t be offended,” I added, “they’re always this pleasant.” I winked at Ovolina, knowing that her eyes would be sending dagger attacks my way for that sarcastic comment.
“This is going to be a pleasant stay.” Any trace of sarcasm was well hidden as she spoke and found a seat on the couch simultaneously.
The stress of not knowing why I had those strange symptoms earlier was causing my nerves to go into frenzy. I excused myself and found the room I had claimed earlier and curled up onto the bed with my knees to my chest. My fingers were drawn towards the wall, a soothing habit I had picked up while detained at Replyx. The air shifted in the room, a familiar memory played in my head, but the presence was different and comforting.
I could smell Vlaine’s aroma and hear his precise footsteps b
efore he placed a gentle hand on my hair, smoothing it back soothingly. “What are you drawing there?” He nodded his head towards my hand that stopped mid-sketch.
“It’s a comfort thing,” I shrugged. “I started doing it at the tree house when I felt lost.”
“I could get you a paper and some charcoal.” Vlaine took my hand in his and rubbed his thumb on the back of it.
“It’s just scribbles. Abstract curves and lines and what not.” I shrugged and leaned into him. “I’m nervous about getting the other students. Lena was so easy to talk to, but I’m pretty sure we won’t have that luxury with everyone else.”
He rested his chin on my head and asked what else was bothering me. “Something weird happened when I teleported today. It felt like I was going to faint. Do you have any idea what is wrong with me?”
“No,” he shrugged, “it must have been a fluke. Maybe you’re overtired.”
My heart dropped as my empathic side felt the deception of a lie emanating from my roguishly handsome boyfriend. “I can feel that you’re lying.” I took deep breaths, stood up, and began pacing. “You know something,” I pointed at his chest. “What is it? Is it because I haven’t touched the person with the gift in a while? Am I going to lose my ability to replicate it? Am I going to get lost in, like, a void of space while I’m teleporting?”
“Calm down, Abbs,” he smirked, “you’re not going to get lost in a void of space.” Vlaine leaned forward and looked up around the room that was acting as our dormitory for the moment. “It’s probably because you’re mentally exhausted.”
“You’re still lying,” I growled and grabbed his arm to try to read him.
“Okay, okay.” He pushed my hand from his arm. “You must have felt Aiden using his gift. You should have known I wasn’t going to let you go alone.”
I exhaled a breath. “At least my teleportation isn’t failing.” Suddenly I realized why Vlaine had tapped his fingers so deliberately on the couch when I told him I was going to Valdor Academy. “You and Aiden have a little code going on?”