Variant (on pause)

Chapter 13(Ava)

Mr. Joshua lead me to a chair that overlooked a glass screen of some sort and sat in the identical chair next to me. Using the screen as a tablet, he opened a file named Test Results #92. I couldn't comprehend what exactly he was showing me, but from the file name it had to be results of something.
   
"Ava, do you have any idea what your looking at?" I shook my head no.
   
"These are your results from The Testing." He saw my face scrunched up trying to understand. Let me start from the beginning."
   
Looking at me, Mr. Joshua ran his hand over his bald head.  “Not so long ago, after the rebuilding finished from The End, The Government started The Protection which was said to protect its citizens. This program regrew plants of different species, found DNA of animals and recreated them, and perfected the idea of climate control, but that’s not all they did.

“During this time, people that were considered different started popping up all around the world. Inside, The Government's program, there was a top secret branch that only a few people knew about. It was called the Deadly Weapons or DW for short. The DW branch was focused on hunting down the people, these people who were different from the rest of society. Of course, The Government found their differences appealing so they exploited them.

“The Government saw the people as human military machines; the people could crush all enemies that sought to destroy The Government’s hold on world. They thought that using these people would help keep The End from happening again. Citizens started calling these people Variants which became popular. DW soon started to capture the Variants, but in some cases if the Variant was thought to be too reckless or too defiant they made their death look like an accident.

“Like any corrupt Government, an uprising occurred, which was the start of the group called The Revolution. This group did not agree with The Government’s Protection, so they soon attacked the program not knowing about the DW branch. During the battle, the Variants had escaped from the DW after The Revolution bombed a part of the main program. Some went into hiding while others changed their appearance to live normal lives as different people.

"The Revolution had seen these Variants in action which sparked an idea. A woman who was a millionaire founded something called The Testing. The Testing is a terrible simulation that was made in case if any Variants were found. It was to measure and see what gene was manipulated by putting the subjects in high stress situations.
   
"As for me, I made a modified version of The Testing. It also measures the amount and the specific gene that was manipulated, but without the use of horrible simulation.

"Anyway, Xander sort of got caught up in The Revolution group, but five years ago when he was thirteen, he joined a group where Variants can live in peace. This is it, and sadly I was there about six years ago, when this place burned down. Because Xander took charge on the rebuilding, he was put as the leader along with his older friend named Mac. Now, there is no leader, we all lead together.”   
   
My mind formed a question. “So, what are the goals for the groups?”

“Well, Ava, as you know our group is just for living in peace, but we did have to add a training section for any future attacks. The DW’s focus is still the same, to use the Variants as military machines. As for The Revolution, well that’s a little harder. No one really knows because no one has ever infiltrated them and came out alive.”

I looked at him, my nod full of understanding, but only one more inquiry came to mind. "Where do I come into play?"
   
He avoided my question and went straight to the results. Pointing at something on the far left of the glass tablet, he looked astonished. "Wow! Ava, you have a very unique gene. This is something my colleague and I have never seen before, and in such a large quantity. You have Chronokinesis, the ability to control time."
   
My jaw dropped and I heard it hit the floor. "What the f***? Are you insane? Me? You're talking about me? The clumsy girl who never does anything right?"
   
He nodded and I got up. Running my hands through my long hair was the only way to calm myself down. Feelings coursed through my veins, until a thought hit me. This had to be a joke. The whole thing was a joke about me, and Mr. Joshua was just tickling my funny bone. Pacing back and forth, I looked at the scientist with a smile cracking on my face.

"Oh, I get it. You're playing a prank on me. You're pranking the new girl, thanks guys I feel the love." I made sure that with the last sentence, I looked up at the camera above, so Xander and whoever else was on the other side could see.
   
Mr. Joshua sighed, putting his head in his hands. "I knew we shouldn't have told her. Thanks a lot, Xander." He stood up and reassured me. "Ava, sweetheart, this is no joke, it's true."

At this point I knew it was true, but I didn't want my life to change.
   
Taking a shaky breath, acknowledging that I was a freak, I decided to make the best of it. "How can I use it?" I pointed to my open palm.
   
Laughing at my lack of scientific understanding, Mr. Joshua answered. "First off, I have to explain the basics of it. Then, well, we have to train you."
   
The biggest smile was plastered on my face and I felt the most confident with my question than I have in years. "When do we start?"
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Mr. Joshua assured me out a while ago. He said it was so I could get some rest, but I was thinking that it was so he could learn about my ability, and give the info to the teachers at the Absolute Academy.
   
Laying in my white bed, I couldn't wait to meet the head principle of the Academy tomorrow. The Absolute Academy was a part of this place. Xander and probably others wanted to help the students understand and use their abilities to their potential. They wanted to let the students know their limits, so the school was created.
   
Mr. Joshua told me before I left, that the school was not just a training ground, it was also an actual school where learning was involved. Thoughts bounced around in my head like a pinball machine. What abilities do other people have? How many people with a similar ability to mine? What if I am the only one? What if I am all alone?

I looked at myself in the mirror attached to the door. Something on the white jacket caught my eye. A small symbol was sewn in upper right hand corner of the jacket. Never seeing anything like it before, I had no idea what it was. It looked like a fancy E mirrored on both sides of the number eight.
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My head smacked the door, and I jerked awake. Blinking, my sleep covered eyes had a disorienting effect. Blobs of all different colors surrounded me, I couldn't see a thing until a loud screech of tires on a wet road knocked it off. Ignoring the water streaks on the window, I saw we were on a large bridge, and a small compact car beeped it's high pitch horn at a swerving van. The van veered away, starting to skid towards us, dangerously close to the passenger side of the car in no time at all.
   
"Car too close!" I shrieked, trembling in fear as the metal side door grazed my side of the car..
   
Vi's mother saw the car and jerked the steering wheel left to switch to the last lane closest to the cars moving opposite to us, but the tires glided over the road and on the water creating a hydroplaning effect. We were heading straight into the other side of the road. Vi and I held hands squeezing my eyes shut. Suddenly, we stopped.

“Oh my God!”

Forcing my eyes open, we were at the edge of the other side of the highway thankfully missing all of the cars, but the rear of our car was jutting into the fast lane. My mom’s head was turned to her window, eyes wide open in fear, not having enough time to get us out of the way.

A red sports car was speeding towards her side of the car. Violet was paralyzed in the headlights, the back of her head a shadow. The yellow light flooded the car as if we were on stage: My mom and Violet the stars while I was in the background.  
   
I didn’t hear the crash, my senses numbed by the horror surrounding me. Glass, twinkled in the metallic air, raining down on me. The left side of the car was completely caved in, Violet and mom completely gone from my view. The car lurched off to the side slightly pitching forward, but enough. It was enough force to push our mangled car off the edge and to the water below.