Puppet Under Strings (unOrdinary)

Episode 7

Narrator's POV

Seraphina and Arlo are playing games on their phones in Arlo's room while Remi, Blyke, and Isen are looking at the computer.

"Ah, there she is!" Remi shouted.

Seraphina turned to look. "What? Let me see!"

"Here." Remi pointed. "This woman is named Vanessa Fotia, formerly Vanessa Doe. But look at her features. Same face and same colored black outfits. She also works as a high ranking person in the authorities. Coincidence? I think not!"

"Doe. That's John's last name!" Seraphina said.

"Holy shit! No wonder she was so close to him! That's John's MOM! WTF." Isen screeched.

"She did say she was a 9.6. Damn, a family full of monsters..." Blyke whispered.

"Remember, Blyke. John wasn't always strong. He started off as a cripple with no ability. Seraphina told us this after the Joker fiasco. So I went viciously searching for Ember incidents in the past and look what I found." Remi was typing furiously.

She pulled up a page full of information about Ember incidents.

"Holy-! How did you get this information?" Blyke and Isen were shocked.

"I have my ways." Remi said. "Anyway, there was one incident that really stood out from the rest. The things they did in Ember's headquarters. Here it is."

Remi pulled up a second picture. It was John.

"That's John!" Isen stood up.

"He looks like he's in a lot of pain." Seraphina squinted her eyes.

"I looked up on that, Seraphina. Apparently, Ember had an incident where they kidnapped little people they could test on for their ability amplifiers. If the child couldn't handle the pressure of taking in a huge amount of energy, they'd discard them. John was one of them because his mom worked for Ember. Thankfully, he was able to take it. But since he was also a cripple with no ability, Ember didn't feel sorry about testing on him over and over again." Remi explained. "Look at those injection wounds. They're everywhere!"

"That's low. Even for Ember." Blyke tsked.

"You know that nothing low for Ember, Blyke. They're just that cruel." Arlo added.

Remi sighed. 

"It says he's tried to escape before, but before that, he passed out and was dragged back to be tested on again. It lasted for another two years. Later though, this incident was found out by someone and promptly called the police. It was over. The remaining kids were let go and sent to therapy centers. But John wasn't. His mother didn't allow him to go. In the end, his dad divorced his mother and he's been living with him which later led to his Wellston application."

Seraphina clenched her fists. "And now, she's got him back."

Silence filled the room.

"Isen, Blyke." Arlo broke the silence.

"Got it!" Isen gave him a thumbs up. He then grabbed Blyke's arm and forcefully made him stand up from the couch. "C'mon, boi, let's go!"

"Wait! Where are you going?" Remi asked.

"To save him, duh! What kind of maniac does that to their own son? Manipulating and that shit!" Isen replied. "He's gone wacko a few times, but he needs us! C'mon!"

"You're right! Let's get going, Seraphina!" Remi put out a hand to Seraphina.