The next day dawned with a small offering of comfort: bread with jam. "Hmm, this is so good," Ian mused, the sweetness a pleasant surprise. Kaida, less taken by the sugary spread, shared, "I guess so, but I'm not one for sweet stuff, you know."
Ian's curiosity piqued, "Then what do you prefer on your bread?" Kaida's mind wandered to her farm days, "Well, growing up on the farm, I had bread with cheese and a glass of milk. It was so creamy."
"That sounds good," Ian acknowledged, then ventured further, "What's your favorite food in general?" "Meat," Kaida stated simply. "Meat?" Ian echoed. "Yup, any meat. Chicken, beef, pork, lamb..." she listed.
"Lamb? How can you eat such an innocent animal?" Ian couldn't hide his surprise. Kaida's response was matter-of-fact, "Meat is meat, buddy. Now tell me about you, what's your favorite food?" Ian's love for food was vast, "I can't decide. I just love food so much."
Kaida nodded, "Nothing is more important than food." Ian, struck with an idea, suggested, "Hey, I was thinking. How about we make another request to get a ball?" Kaida had to remind him, "First of all, you only get to make one request a month..."
"Damn," Ian muttered. "Secondly, you won't get the same rewards as last time," Kaida added. Ian's frustration was evident, "This place is worse than hell." Kaida agreed, "Yeah, we're going to have to wait until next month to request another thing."
Ian refused to be disheartened, "Tch, we're not going to stay in here for a month. My mom is busy searching for me and will find us and rescue us." Kaida's thoughts were less hopeful, a sentiment Ian picked up on using his telepathy, "I wish I could say the same."
---
The masked man's entrance was swift, his hands firm as he grabbed both Kaida and Ian, their hearts sinking in unison. "This is bad," Ian whispered, the weight of their predicament settling in.
They were ushered into a lab, seated, cuffed, and blindfolded. The scientists' voices were muffled, but the mention of the Master's presence sent a ripple of unease through the room. Enthrallix, draped in red and masked, commanded an air of authority that demanded respect from all present.
"What do you have for me, Dr. Matthew?" Enthrallix's voice was deep, resonant.
"A new subject, a psychic," Dr. Matthew responded, his tone clinical.
"Interesting," Enthrallix mused, his interest piqued.
"Master, it seems like transferring the whole power from their brains and bodies at once, and permanently, isn't going to work," Dr. Matthew explained, his words careful.
"What do you mean by that?" Enthrallix's patience was thinning.
"What I'm trying to say is... The powers are a part of them, and cannot be entirely transferred to you," Dr. Matthew admitted, bracing for the reaction.
"I don't want to hear that. Find a solution," Enthrallix demanded, his voice brooking no argument.
"I do have a solution," Dr. Matthew offered, hopeful.
"I'm listening," Enthrallix said, a note of curiosity in his voice.
"You keep these kids for 10 years as your power sources," Dr. Matthew suggested, his proposal hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
"That's your solution?" Enthrallix's skepticism was evident.
"Yes, according to my research and experiments. Taking power from them once will cause the power to last temporarily in your body. And that's not what we want, do we?" Dr. Matthew reasoned, his logic clear.
"Absolutely not," Enthrallix agreed, his resolve firm.
"So, my hypothesis is that the human brain is going to be more active until teenage years. And they're still children, which means you'll be using them as your power sources for the next 10 years, and then after that, we release them," Dr. Matthew explained, laying out his plan.
"My power sources, huh? So after 10 years, we would've drained all the power out of them?" Enthrallix considered the idea.
"Not really, it's just that they'll be too weak that the power won't be active anymore, so they'll be useless. But the power will be more active on you, even after releasing them," Dr. Matthew clarified.
"We'll not release them," Enthrallix decided, his voice cold.
"What do you mean?" Dr. Matthew asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"We'll kill them," Enthrallix stated, his decision final.
"Oh, I see," Dr. Matthew responded, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Now, create a super strength antidote and, yeah, a psychic antidote," Enthrallix commanded before leaving.
Dr. Matthew turned to Ian, attaching wires to his head. The process began, and Ian's screams filled the room, a sound that ignited Kaida's fury. With her super strength, she shattered the cuffs, her actions catching everyone off guard. In a swift motion, she hurled a chair at Dr. Matthew.
"Someone hold her. You're going to pay for that, you little..." Dr. Matthew's threat was cut short as they electrocuted Kaida, restraining her once more.
After completing the procedure on Ian, they moved on to Kaida, covering her body with wires. The button was pressed, and her screams joined Ian's in a chorus of pain. Ian's tears were silent, his thoughts a desperate plea, "Mom, please come hurry and help."
---
In the quiet aftermath, Ian found himself stirring in the quarantine room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. There, he saw Kaida, still in the throes of sleep in her adjacent bed. Concern laced his voice as he checked on her, "Hey, Kaida. Are you alright?"
Thirst was Kaida's only response, a simple request for water that Ian was quick to fulfill. He returned with a glass, along with the pain medication left by the scientists, and gently helped her drink.
"Thanks," she murmured, a whisper of gratitude in the sterile room.
Ian's guilt surfaced as he reflected on the events that led them here, "So this is what you were talking about, huh?"
"Yeah," Kaida confirmed, her voice tinged with weariness.
"This is my fault. You broke those cuffs because you couldn't stand my screams," Ian admitted, the weight of his words heavy between them.
Kaida's resolve was as strong as her super strength, "I just hate seeing innocent people get hurt. I feel like I have to protect them. Because I'm so strong. Especially my... f-friends."
Ian recognized the heroism in her actions, "Yes, that's what heroes do."
Kaida, facing her new reality, said, "I guess. Look now, you're going to have to play alone since I'm paralyzed."
But Ian's loyalty was unwavering, "Play? No way. I'll take care of you. You'll be back on your feet until mom and the cops get here."
Gratitude filled Kaida's voice, "Thanks."
Ian took on the role of caretaker with a natural ease, feeding her, helping her drink water, carrying her to the bathroom, and ensuring she was warm with his blankets.
"Thanks a lot, Ian. What would I do without you?" Kaida's voice held a mix of appreciation and vulnerability.
Ian's reply was simple and sincere, "That's what friends are for." As night enveloped the room, he offered a distraction, "Since it's nighttime, would you like to hear a story?"
Kaida welcomed the idea, "It's been a while, so yeah."
Ian smiled, ready to share a piece of comfort from his own past, "Oh, I've got a story my mom used to tell me. It's about sheep." And with that, Ian began to weave the tale for Kaida, a story from simpler times.
---
A week had passed, and Kaida's wounds had healed. She and Ian were in the midst of a playful game of red light, green light when their world was suddenly interrupted. A new boy, his body shaking and drenched in sweat, was unceremoniously thrown into their room, accompanied by the thud of a new bed being set down.
The boy's terror was palpable, and Ian, with a wave of his hand, greeted him warmly, "Hi, what's your name?" But the boy remained silent, trapped in his own fears. Kaida, observing the boy's distress, suggested, "I guess we should call him 06 since he's unable to talk. Maybe he talks a foreign language."
Ian attempted to bridge the communication gap with hand gestures and exaggerated enunciation, "Helloooo, how do you doooo? My naaaame is I-a-n, this is K-a-i-da. Whaaaat abouuuut youuuuu?" Kaida couldn't help but comment, "You suck at this."
Ian defended his efforts, "Hey, I'm trying. Or what if he's just too scared to talk right now?" Kaida considered this, "Perhaps we should give him some space?"
Suddenly, Ian had an idea, "Water!" Confused, Kaida echoed, "Water?" Ian fetched water for the boy, offering it as a gesture of comfort, "Here you go. Drink up, it'll calm your nerves and heart."
The boy adjusted his glasses and corrected him, "Water doesn't lower the heartbeat; rather, breathing in and out can control the rate of the heartbeat, because air..."
Kaida interjected, "So you can talk." Ian was relieved, "Our language." Kaida teased, "More like a nerd language."
Ian encouraged the boy, "So can you tell us your name?" The boy stuttered, "M-my name is Alvis... Alvis Sapienti." Kaida was puzzled, "Alvis is your first and middle name?" Alvis clarified, "N-no, that's not what I meant. I just said my first name first, then completed it afterwards."
Kaida joked, "You could've just said Alvis Serpent." But Alvis corrected her, "It's Sapienti." Ian introduced them, "Don't mind her, Alvis. I'm Ian, and she's Kaida."
Alvis managed a nervous greeting, "N-nice to meet you two," as they shook hands. Ian noticed, "Your hand... it's trembling." Alvis confessed, "I... I'm just so s-scared."
Ian reassured him, "I understand, but no need to be scared, my mom is on her way to rescue us." Alvis's eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope, "Really?" Ian affirmed, "Of course."
---
A few moments later, Ian found himself in the quarantine room, the sterile environment unchanged. Kaida lay sleeping in her bed, her recovery evident. Ian's curiosity got the better of him, "So you say your special powers are super intelligence?"
Alvis, still adjusting to their new reality, affirmed, "Of course. And you're a psychic, and she's a super bruiser girl?" Ian nodded, "Yes."
Alvis's analytical mind kicked in, "So are you reading our minds right now?" Ian explained, "I've learned to control my telepathy, so no. I can only read your minds willingly."
Kaida chimed in, "That's incredible." Ian continued, "When you walked in here..." Kaida corrected him, "He didn't walk in; he was thrown in."
Ian acknowledged, "Yeah, that. I could sense a strong emotion of fear from you." Alvis admitted, "I was very scared, but now I'm better."
The three kids formed an unlikely bond, playing together, sharing meals, and getting to know each other. As time passed, their confinement weighed on them. Ian wondered aloud, "How long have we been in here now?" Kaida replied, "Three months for me, and one month for you two."
Ian's exhaustion was palpable, "I'm tired. Is Mom going to find us?" Kaida's doubt crept in, "What if she's not even looking, Ian?" But he remained steadfast, "No, that's impossible. I know she's looking; she just can't stay and do nothing while I'm kidnapped."
Alvis, ever the thinker, suggested, "Maybe it's not impossible." The person watching them from the CCTV overheard their conversation and debated separating them. Scientist 2 dismissed the idea, confident in their inescapable security.
Meanwhile, Kaida cautioned, "Hey, don't talk about escaping; they can see and hear us." Alvis leaned in, whispering, "In order for them not to figure out our plan, we should come up with a way to communicate?" Ian pondered, "Another language?" Kaida suggested more whispering, but Alvis had a different idea: "No, a way they can never figure out we're even talking about a certain topic."
Ian was intrigued, "Hmm." Alvis explained, "It's called code language." Kaida was still lost, but Ian recalled something, "I think I saw this on the spy cartoon. They talk about something different, while they truly understand what the other is actually saying." Alvis confirmed, "Exactly!"
Kaida finally grasped the concept, "I think I understand now. But how are we going to practice?" Alvis suggested, "Paper and pens." Ian agreed, "Yes, we should request stationary." Kaida approved, "Sounds good."
Ian spoke into the tiny microphone on the wall, "Uhm, we'd like to have stationary in here, please." The voice responded, "Okay. But you know the drill." Ian assured them, "We're ready for anything you can throw at us."
The voice proposed a challenge: fasting for 24 hours straight. Alvis's shock was evident, "24 hours?!" But they accepted the terms. As they sat, feeling hungry, Kaida couldn't believe it, "I can't believe we're going to have to wait for 24 hours until our next meal." Ian remained optimistic, "It's all worth it."
Alvis, ever practical, suggested ways to cope, "I'm thinking more of reading a book than eating right now." Ian missed entertainment, "I also miss watching TV and playing video games." Kaida was focused on food, "So I'm the only one who wants food?"
Alvis corrected her, "Not really." He explained, "In order to not feel so hungry, we gotta sleep and drink water. By sleeping, we can pass more hours, and by drinking water, we can fill our stomachs." They followed his advice, and 24 hours later, they were truly hungry.
Kaida couldn't take it anymore, "I'm so hungry." Ian agreed, "Me too." Alvis reassured them, "Guys, be patient, only 1 minute left." Kaida was surprised, "Wait, really?" Alvis confirmed, "Yes."
The masked man walked in, carrying four boxes. Kaida exclaimed, "Finally."
---
The masked man's arrival was a spectacle of curiosity as he unveiled the contents of four mysterious boxes. The first was a treasure trove of candies and chocolates, a sweet feast for the eyes. The second held the key to a secret world, with blank books and pens waiting to be filled with clandestine codes. The third offered a variety of clothes, and the last, an assortment of toys to distract from their grim reality.
Ian made his choice clear, "We'll take the books and pens." With their new tools in hand, along with a much-needed lunch, they devoured their meal with a voracity born of hunger. Kaida couldn't help but exclaim, "I almost died of hunger."
Once their appetites were sated, they turned their attention to the blank pages before them. Alvis rallied the group, "Okay, guys, we're going to invent letters. Any shape that you can imagine, just tell me, and I'll write it here, and you guys too." Ian's mind buzzed with possibilities, "Oh, I have an idea."
Together, they crafted a unique alphabet, a silent rebellion etched in ink. Two weeks of whispered conspiracies and furtive glances followed as they tested their knowledge of this new language. Alvis posed a challenge, "Okay, guys. What do I mean by... 'Oh, this bread is so delicious. I wonder who baked it?'" Ian pondered, translating the code, "Uhm, you mean like... 'We're learning perfectly, do you think they noticed?'"
Alvis nodded, pleased, "That's right." He then turned to Kaida, "So Kaida, what's this code letter?" Kaida hesitated, "Uhmm... S?" Alvis sighed, a gentle correction in his voice, "No, it's Z." Kaida acknowledged her mistake, "Right."
Alvis encouraged them, "We're getting there." Ian couldn't help but marvel at their undertaking, "This is really a job... of spies."