Mutant Academy (The Fundamental Society Book 1)

by Yumoyori Wilson

  “We are so happy to find you guys!” Megan proclaimed and threw her hands into the air as they jogged up to meet us.

  “Where were you?” Tara asked.

  Megan looked sheepish and wrung her hands together nervously. “I’m the one who tripped over the wire that the scientists use as a capturing tactic.”

  “Was it far from here?” I asked, hoping that she would say yes.

  “A few hundred yards, yes,” Jude confirmed.

  “Thank goodness you all were able to get out of there,” Tara said, relief in her voice.

  “I know.” Megan looked distraught. She poked out her bottom lip as if she was only a few seconds away from a meltdown. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Tara immediately enveloped Megan in a consoling hug.

  Tara was such a pure heart, but at the same time, she was tough and resilient. She knew how to switch from one to the other. She was incredible, and I admired her even more.

  Megan wiped the wetness from her eyes and gave me and Jude an apologetic look. “They’ll be searching for us.”

  “We have to find the others,” Tara said.

  “Let’s keep going,” I said and looked at Jude, who nodded.

  “We need to head back to the beach.”

  “But Maddie!” Megan’s voice was desperate.

  “We might have to find another time to search for her,” I said. “Especially if those guards catch up with us.”

  Megan hung her shoulders in defeat but otherwise didn’t protest. It wasn’t going to work out tonight.

  “Unless…” Tara’s features brightened. “The alarms scare her out of hiding and we happen to bump into her.”

  “That would be a miracle,” I admitted, but seriously doubted that would happen. “Come on. Let’s pick up the pace. We don’t have much time.”

  I glanced over my shoulder. The white, swirling beams of searchlights made it seem as if there were spotlights planted all over the forest. Shadows crept and crawled through the trees, creating the illusion of figures stalking us.

  A shiver went up and down my spine. “We have to get out of here,” I said to Jude.

  “Agreed. And fast.”

  We swiftly took off jogging again. The lights continued to flash through the trees, an ominous threat. I felt violated and exposed.

  Another set of footsteps came up behind us. Whoever was there was chasing us, and they were determined to snatch us up. It wasn’t the rest of the group. They would have called out to us by now.

  Panic flooded me. My throat felt tight and swollen. I looked at Tara. Her face was ashen.

  “We’re going to be okay,” I assured her, even though I didn’t believe the words myself. I hoped I sounded convincing enough for her.

  Tara didn’t look at me. She kept her eyes straight ahead as if she was hoping to disappear into another dimension. If only that were a real possibility.

  “I’ve got eyes on them!” a male voice with a strange accent called out behind us.

  I was too afraid to look over my shoulder. There wasn’t time to get distracted. We had to press forward.

  “Keep a hold on Megan,” I shouted to Jude beside me.

  He nodded and extended his arm to take Megan. I continued to grasp Tara’s hand. It was clammy in my palm.

  We were scrambling when I suddenly I tripped and went sprawling. I yelled in pain and prayed I hadn’t twisted my ankle, but there was a blinding, stabbing pain pulsing through my foot.

  The strobes of light had stopped beaming and no longer panned across the area. It was eerily quiet.

  I stood up and tried to keep going, though I couldn’t see anything. It was darker now than it had been before. Where had the moon gone? Was it playing hide and seek above the canopy?

  “Tara?” I called out. My voice echoed through the darkness. “Jude?”

  When I tripped, I must have become separated from them. I no longer heard footsteps thundering close by, but the hairs on the back of my neck tingled. Something was happening. I just couldn’t hear it yet.

  I was alone, hunting in the dark as I ping-ponged among the trees, using the trunks as a guide to skirt me forward. I didn’t even know if I was heading in the direction of the beach anymore. I had completely lost all sense of my bearings and my internal navigation system was skewed.

  “Gabriel?” Tara’s panic-stricken voice crushed my soul.

  A huge beam of light nearly blinded me. I blinked and groaned. It was excruciatingly harsh and white.

  Then I saw Tara. She was standing in front of me, full of terror.

  There was a guard behind her. His arms were snaked around her waist to prevent her from squirming away. He had a vicious snarl on his lips and his eyes were beady and as black as coal.

  My mouth dropped in shock as my eyes trailed to his hands. He was holding a gleaming knife, gripping it threateningly by the brown handle.

  I took a cautious step forward. The guard moved in response. He pressed the knife up to Tara’s neck. She shrieked and gave me a desperate glance.

  “Don’t come any closer.” This guard spoke with an odd accent. He had beefy fingers and a red, burly neck.

  “Don’t hurt her.” I raised my hands up by my sides. “Just leave her alone.”

  The guard shifted his weight and kept the sharpened knife blade against Tara’s neck. I noticed a single tear drop down her chin, but she didn’t cry. She was the bravest Mutant I had ever met. She didn’t break my gaze, but I saw the horror glistening in her eyes.

  “If you take another step, I’ll kill her,” the guard growled. He bared his teeth and snarled as if he was an animal.

  “Take it easy,” I said. I took one subtle step closer, but it wasn’t enough to be noticeable.

  I had an advantage over the guard, even if he didn’t know it yet. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I tried to center my thoughts on him. I pictured his fat neck, his beady little eyes, and his hungry and dazed expression.

  I opened my eyes and locked gazes with him. The first thing that happened with mind control victims was the loss of arm function. I concentrated on taking him out. He was a substantially stocky guy, and it might take a few moments to really wrap the hypnosis around him.

  You’re almost there.

  You’ve got him.

  The guard’s arms slackened around Tara. He loosened up and dropped the knife with a thud. Tara screamed and jumped out of the way. The guard’s knees buckled. He wobbled a little, teetering like a cap that was losing centrifugal force.

  His jaw went slack and his lifeless eyes became even more blank. With a final lurch, he fell face-first onto the damp earth with a thunderous crash.

  “Oh my god, is he dead?” Tara asked.

  Did it matter? “No.” I shook my head. “I only used mind control on him.”

  “Way to save the day,” Jude said as he and Megan raced up to us, puffing hard.

  I glanced ahead and nudged toward the beach. We were closer than I had realized. “I think the others are already there.”

  Megan and Tara looked at each other in a crestfallen way.

  “It’s going to be fine,” I said and swooped in beside them. “Don’t worry. We’ll come back and look for Maddie another time.”

  “What if it’s too late by then?” Megan appeared distraught as she blinked and stared at me, as if waiting for something good to come of this current disaster.

  I swallowed hard and shifted my weight. “We can’t think the worst. Defeat is like a poison for the soul.”

  Megan and Tara appeared to ponder my words and then nodded.

  “It’s not safe here anymore,” Tara said.

  I glanced over my shoulder at the guard. He was lying in a crumpled heap on the ground. His chest rose and fell in rhythmic motions and he began to snore.

  “Let’s get out of here before his associates find us. They can’t be far behind.”

  We would have to find Maddie another way, another time. As I exchanged a look w
ith Tara, I could tell that she was upset but resigned to the fact that we weren’t going to find Maddie tonight.

  “Don’t worry.” I attempted to soothe her by rubbing her back. She peered up at me with a wilted gaze, almost like a puppy that just gotten scolded. She nodded but didn’t say anything.

  I took her hand and led her away from the woods and back to the beach. Our quest would have to wait. One thing I knew for certain. We would have to be better prepared before we tried again.

  24

  Tara

  We rushed back to the beach, plowing through the thick underbrush. I still had the same ominous, eerie feeling that left my gut unsettled. We had done this before, not long ago, this same chase. I was tired of running away from the Fundamental Society and their devious guards. There had to be another solution, another way to find Maddie.

  We had to be smart about this. We had to plan, to be prepared. I was torn between the desire to find Maddie as quickly as possible and the will to live. We had been careless, sloppy when it came to this trip. We had to aim to do better next time. Conflict ping-ponged back and forth in my mind and made my stomach queasy.

  My shins ached and my lungs burned as I pushed myself forward, running as fast as I could. I was disappointed in myself. I felt like every minute that ticked by that we didn’t find Maddie, I was failing her.

  The sand was soggy beneath my boots, making a slapping sound with each pounding step I took.

  “Keep moving,” Jude panted behind me. “We are almost to the boat.”

  I didn’t look behind me. The air was humid and thick, making my hair stick to the back of my neck.

  As soon as the boat came into view, I picked up my pace even more. My lungs heaved. I was sweating profusely, drenched to my core. My shirt stuck to my back as if it was now a part of my skin.

  I jumped into the boat. Megan was right behind me, breathing hard. Her hair was askew, her clothes were in disarray, and there were leaves in her hair from ducking under low-lying branches.

  “We made it,” I said and patted her knee.

  “Without Maddie.” Megan’s eyes were bloodshot. Her chin trembled.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I reassured her. “We will find her.”

  “They’ve taken her back.” Megan’s eyes were defiant. She no longer looked like she was getting ready to burst into tears.

  “Let’s move,” Pete said as he cranked the engine of the boat and dialed up the throttle. “Is everyone here?”

  “Yes,” Gabriel called out. “All accounted for.”

  I didn’t dare look behind me until we were a couple of miles out from the beach. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stomach seeing any more of those thick-necked guards with their balled fists and seething grimaces.

  I glanced at Megan. Her chin was tucked into her chest and her silver hair hung limply over her face, shielding her expression.

  I pushed her hair off her cheek. “Hey,” I whispered.

  Megan blinked but didn’t look up.

  “I know that it must be devastating to you to be so close to your twin sister and not be able to bring her home with you.”

  Megan gave me a doubtful look.

  “I lost my family too,” I reminded her. “I still have hope that my own brother might be out there somewhere in the world. At least you know that Maddie was alive the last time I saw her.”

  Megan sniffled. “I guess you’re right.”

  “Don’t give up hope,” I said gently.

  Megan managed to crack a sliver of a smile. “I’ll feel better once we are out of this ocean.”

  “Me too.” I sighed and shifted my weight, glancing into the gloomy sea.

  Almost as if reflecting the dismal mood on the boat, the atmosphere began to show its own emotion. The clouds released a cold drizzle that hit my skin like freezing fuzz.

  My hair began to collect little beads of the rain, making it feel heavy and matted to my head. I didn’t care. I didn’t mind the temporary discomfort, because in the end, I was still a free Mutant.

  I had escaped the Fundamental Society guards by the skin of my teeth. Again. I couldn’t believe I had come through it unscathed. I had much to be thankful for and I felt like I needed to properly thank the guys for their role in my safety.

  But the other half of my heart and soul was in pain, struggling with the void Maddie’s absence caused.

  As if reflecting my private thoughts, Megan took a deep breath and glanced up at the moonless sky.

  “We failed her.”

  “We tried,” I said. “And we will try again.”

  Megan gave me a sardonic look. “Not hard enough.”

  “We had to run,” I said. “If we hadn’t, we would all be on our way to a Home Base camp right now.”

  Megan let out a breath. She crossed her legs and rested her chin in her hands. She looked like a wilted flower. I wished there was something I could do to make her feel better.

  The boat was coasting along now. I prayed that we wouldn’t encounter any more of the sea snakes. They were monstrous and fierce, making me afraid of the sea. I knew they were necessary for the protection of the school, but when we took the risk of leaving the campus, all bets were off.

  “When we get back to the school, we need to try and get some rest before morning classes,” I said.

  Megan scoffed. “I don’t even know if I want to go to classes anymore.”

  I placed my hand on her shoulder. “Don’t talk like that. We both just got to the academy. It was a miracle in my opinion, and we got in. We can’t waste the opportunity to start our lives over.”

  “What about Maddie?” Megan winced in internal pain. Her soul looked damaged through the window of her eyes.

  “She is out there somewhere,” I said in a reassuring tone. I knew that it was something that Megan needed to hear in that moment.

  Megan exhaled slowly and leaned back on the cushions of the boat. “I might try to get some rest now.”

  “That’s a good idea.” I nodded and patted her back. I stood up and glanced over my shoulder.

  “I’m going to go give Pete some company for a little while.” He was staring straight ahead with a melancholy expression on his face. A cloak of darkness hung over the boat like the low-lying, late night clouds.

  “That’s fine.” Megan managed to muster up a delicate smile.

  I walked away hesitantly. Megan needed me, but we all needed each other, really. We would be able to pave the path together, all while building each other up.

  “Hi,” I said and smiled at Pete. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

  He glanced up at me with a relieved smile, his features immediately brightening. Up until my approach, he had been absentmindedly steering the boat.

  “Absolutely.” He patted the empty seat next to him.

  I sat down with a sigh. “I thought you might want some company.”

  Pete chuckled. “Your intuition was right on the mark.”

  It was tough to be strong for everyone, but I was managing, even if it was partially an act. I couldn’t crack, not now, not ever. I had to be an advocate for those Mutants still lost and in captivity. I knew that it was my destiny, I just didn’t know how to begin. One thing was certain, I needed Mutant Academy as much as it needed me.

  Pete and I sat next to each other in an intimate silence for a few minutes. After a while, he glanced over at me.

  “I’m sorry about your friend.”

  “Megan?” I pointed to her. She had her eyes closed and was still leaning her back against the cushions.

  “Well, her and your lost friend,” Pete clarified.

  I nodded. “Me too. But it can’t be helped until we figure out a more resolute and fail-safe plan.”

  “Perhaps we should enlist Headmaster Atticus?” Pete suggested. “Or at least obtain his opinion on how we should go about it the next time?”

  I nodded. “That could work.”

  The light misty rain had picked up to a consistent drizzle.
My clothes were soaked now, and a chill rippled through my bones. I tensed my muscles and felt the ache deep inside. There would be no relief until we were safely back within the warm walls of our dorm rooms.

  I continued to visibly shiver. Pete took his eyes off the water and gave me a concerned glance. He stood up and removed his jacket, draping it across my back and rubbing my arms with his hands.

  I peered up at him with an outpouring of gratitude. “Thank you.”

  “You looked freezing,” he said.

  “I was.”

  “You can just think of that…” Pete trailed off and cleared his throat, glancing over his shoulder before turning back around to give me a mischievous smile. “Think of that thing I did to you in the library.”

  A fireball of desire slammed into my belly and erupted. My cheeks burned and I glanced away from Pete. A sensual swell of passion began to throb between my legs, and I felt a wetness begin to dampen in my panties.

  “Yes…”

  “You enjoyed it, right?” Pete leaned in close to whisper in my ear.

  “Very much.” I nodded but was still too shy to meet his gaze.

  I felt like it was a private moment between us, but we were on a boat full of people. I didn’t want the others to notice our closeness.

  Needless to say, I was incredibly touched that Pete had given me his jacket and sacrificed his own warmth just for my own wellbeing. That was how I knew that I was in the right place, both mentally and physically. Pete and the other guys had hearts of pure gold. I just needed to convince Megan that among us, we had the resources, strength, and determination to get Maddie back.

  Pete wrapped his arm around me and steered with one hand until we saw the magnificence of the school in the distance. It looked so stately and noble, proudly sitting atop the small island and surrounded by rocks and spraying sea foam.

  Pete removed his arm from around my waist. “Sorry,” he said. “I have to navigate this boat onto a tiny wedge of surface area.”

  I smiled. “I understand.”

  He pondered as if a sudden idea had come to him. “If you want, I can walk you back to your dorm room and stay with you until you fall asleep.”

  I glanced at Megan, who was stirring now, looking bewildered and groggy-eyed. I didn’t know how she could have fallen asleep under the pattering of rain, but she’d managed somehow.