[Note: Alya Volkov= Zain Volkov's older sister and combat teacher at AGI. This chapter is what happened before Alya decided to become a teacher. Here, she's only 18 y/o.]
(Alya Volkov pov.)
[9 years ago:]
The first thought that strikes me is:
Am I dead? Well, the pain is still there.
Of course you're not dead, stupid.
The second thought being:
Where the hell am I?
Slowly I open my eyes and realize that I lie on a mattress. The ceiling is made out of old mossy wood.
Honestly, where am I? Is this some kind of hut?
I turn my head and see a half open door, someone is sitting beside me on the wooden floor.
"Wade?" My voice sounds hoarse.
He turns around, surprised.
Both of us are partly bruised and scratched after the fight, especially his hair is a mess.
Though I'm just so glad he's alright.
"How do you feel?"
"Like someone stabbed my leg."
Unfortunately, I'm not using a metaphor right now, that's actually what happened.
Then again, Wade took care of her.
Quite brutal, but fast. TOL agents are the worst.
He sighs with relief and I look around, the hut is empty except for us two.
"Where... where is your father? Is he going to meet us at the checkpoint?"
Only now do I realize how tired and blank his expression looks.
"He... I..."
No.
It can't be.
Wade rubs his eyes with his sleeve and turns away:
"He didn't... make it."
Wade's father taught me so much.
He was the one to tell me that having an ability doesn't define you as a person, that it didn't define what you can do.
I once told him what a great teacher he was. He said he doubted it, but was sure that I could become one one day.
How? Why did it happen?
If I hadn't listened to him like I usually do, would it change something?
I want to ask so, so many questions.
Instead I sit up, not minding the pain that shoots through my left leg, and turn his face towards me, saying the most useless thing:
"I'm... so sorry."
He hugs me, and I remain quiet, trying my best to keep the tears away.
What am I supposed to say?
I wish I would be better at comforting him, I hate to see him this way.
[1/2 hours later:]
No one has said anything, we both just sit on the mattress, leaning on each other, trying to stay awake. We need to wait for the main group to arrive, also, we have to be on lookout should any other TOL agents decide to show up.
We opened the door to get some air in, it started pouring shortly afterwards, the rain is the only thing making any sound.
I'm worried about Wade. I've never seen him so emotionless before.
Out of nowhere he stands up and slowly walks towards the door.
"Where are you going?" I ask him, trying to get a look at his face, but he has his back to me.
"The main group will take care of you, so you don't have to worry."
"It's not me I'm worried about. Wade, what are you doing?"
Sighing, he turns to me.
"I am quitting the academy."
"What?"
Suddenly I'm wide awake.
"It- doesn't feel right to me anymore. We can't trust them."
Has he lost his senses? After all this we both might have, but still.
"Wade, this is not the time to make such decisions. You are too..."
"No. This is my decision. I know that the academy is doing us wrong. Maybe even more than we thought."
"What are you saying? Do you even hear yourself right now? The academy wouldn't-"
"My dad died because of them!"
This time I'm staying quiet.
In turn, his voice grows louder, desperate:
"Dad said I should call for backup. I did.
And you know what they said?!
They had other agents- too valuable too risk, so we had to get out on our own!
If they care about us SO MUCH, then why didn't they help?
They could've send someone! Anyone!
Now he's gone... because of them.
But... you... you could come with me, we'd leave the academy together-."
"Oh, so making me choose now? How can you not see what is going on here?!"
"I'm going, with or without you! For the first time, I see the academy for what it really is- and it makes sense.
Why can't you agree with me on this, just this once?" His expression becomes more pleading at this.
"Maybe because I actually know what I want." I snap at him, but then realize what I just said when seeing his expression falter.
"Wade..."
I want to stand up, go up to him and hit him, hug him.
Though my injury doesn't let me. It makes me groan with pain and I slump back on the mattress.
"Damn it-!"
"Please Alya, don't." He remains silent for a moment "I should've joined the TOL-Organisation when my mother offered me the job."
Now I really don't know what to say.
So his mother, a TOL agent, actually did manage to get some kind of contact with him. Maybe I didn't want to know then, so I hadn't asked about her.
Now?
Now it's clear he had this idea planted in his head for some time.
"Either way, I am going to keep you save." He continues "It's the least I can do."
Without thinking I immediately suggest:
"You could stay."
That's when he looks me straight in the eyes.
"Stay. For me- Please."
Now I'm the one pleading- surely I wouldn't have done it with anyone else.
Wade is an exception.
As furious as I am with him, I truly want him to stay.
He takes a last glance at me before he turns away and tells me:
"I wasn't meant to be here. You know that too well. I guess- you deserve someone better."
In the next moment, Wade walks out of the hut, leaving me behind.
The rain embraces him as he steps onto the wet ground, his footsteps starting to fade away, just like my faith in him.
I want to shout his name.
Make him reconsider.
Change his mind.
Yet somewhere, deep, deep down, I know: Something is wrong with AGI.
That's exactly why I must stay.
After half an hour, some agents from the main group arrive. They help me up with my leg and soon we sit in a jeep, driving on the path next to the field.
The abandoned town can be seen through the back window where I'm sitting.
I've asked the agents to get Wade's father's body. He deserves to get a funeral, and so much more. But there's not much one can do for the dead. Then I realize something.
None of his family will be there to mourn him.
I don't talk.
I don't want to.
Two of the people I've known for years are gone.
Mr. Dalton will never teach me anything valuable anymore.
And I'll never be able to see Wade again.
Or at least that's what I thought.
YOU ARE READING
Problems of the Gifted
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