Douglas' P.O.V.
"Argh..." I wake with a start. My head aches so badly. Every inch of my body hurts. I squint my eyes open but I cannot see clearly. Something's blocking my sight. The blurring sensation just doesn't go away. I close my eyes and try to take in deep breath. Then the effect comes. I cough violently and tears come out from my eyes.
The room is on fire.
The thick smoke shrouding the room is choking me hard. My heart is pounding out of my chest. I struggle to get up but trip over Donald's body. "Donald. DONALD!" I yell and shake his body. I am out of track of the war ever since my son stroke me from my back. All I know is that everything else is burning. I need to get out of here.
I push Donald's body with all my remaining strength and roll him over. I stay down to the ground with my left hand pressing on the floor. I rummage through his clothes and find the geo-leaper in his back pocket.
Perhaps if I leave now, I can still make it out alive.
I hesitate at my thought and examine the instrument. I look up at the room. It is the barrels standing by the side of the room catching fire. I can somehow make out Adam's motionless silhouette, leaning on a wall beside Skye. Leo's left leg has been crushed by one of those barrels - he is gonna lose that sound one too. Over the far corner of the room, Chase is lying on his back over Bree's limp body.
The exits have been blocked. I can't wake them up. I can't save them. I would be wasting their last hope if I try to stay and help them out. That's it, I need to get out now. I reach out my left hand to press the white button on Donald's geoleaper.
"Douglas!"
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Time Skip
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Chase's P.O.V.
"Ow shoot!" I have banged my head on something hard and cold, causing my brain to come fully awake. I rub my temple and open my eyes.
I am inside my own capsule.
What? Why am I back? I stretch my arms and they ache. My body is wrapped with bandages. My ribs hurt. The temporary blank of memory startles me. The two capsules beside mine are both empty. My heartbeat starts racing again. "Bree? Adam?!" I rush out of my capsule abruptly. There is no response.
"Leo! Mr Davenport!" I shout as I dart through the empty hallway and enter the training area.
"Bam! Take four more cards! I'm so gonna win this," Leo slams a UNO card on a table and lets out a triumph laugh. "Awh man, that's fourteen rounds in a roll!" Adam puts down his cards and leans back on his pillow.
Something's different.
There are a few students chatting in the area. But I can see it has been transformed. White curtains are placed between some adjustable beds in the room. Adam is lying on one of them, with a thick bandage covering his right cheek. Beside the table on the left hand side of Adam's bed, Leo is sitting on a wheelchair. His right trouser leg is empty.
"Chase!" Adam yells as he catches the glimpse of me. Leo turns his head and a wide smile is hanging on his face. Both of them are unable to move towards me.
"Adam, Leo!" I force a smile as I run and tackle both of them in my arms. "Woah settle down little bro," Adam teases as I hug them. I let go and take a closer look at them. There are traces of bruise and wound on their faces and arms. I scan them silently. The deeper damage is inside. They are in so much more pain than me.
"Adam, your face..." "I know," Adam says, looking up at me. "A permanent mark. You know I've always wanted a scar somewhere. Make me a more manly man." He laughs as he pulls up the bed cover. I can't relax. I look down at Leo's leg. He stops me before I open my mouth to speak.
"Look, there must be a lot of questions in your mind now. We are gonna tell you everything," Leo says as he pulls over a chair and motions me to sit.
Here's what happened in that war: Mr Davenport and Douglas were attacked when Bree was being controlled. The trio and Marcus were healed again and were about to interrupt my overriding process. It was Adam and Leo who stepped in front and defended us. But they were losing. The trio and Marcus had not been weakened by the previous fights at all. It was some kind of bionic healing app that Skye gave them. But it was also this app that made the trio glitch. Their nerve systems were under so much pressure that they decided to flee. They geoleaped and quit the war. The android Marcus couldn't feel the pain and he was left alone. Adam and Leo's fire ball hit him and he caught fire. He melted down, dead.
"His second time," I put my face in my hands. "Being left to die."
Adam bites his lips and nods. "We thought it was over then. We passed out. And the barrels in the room, flammable they said, caught fire too."
"Then the room was on fire," I speak, remembering the faint smell of smoke when I blacked out. Leo nods and continues. "Douglas was the first to wake," "So he got us out?"
"No, Bree did that." "Bree?" I frown as I cross my arms. "Douglas wanted to escape after he had found out it was impossible for him to carry all of us, especially me. My left leg was crushed by one of the flammable barrels." Leo says slowly, collecting the UNO cards on the table. "Then Bree woke up in time to stop him. She super sped and gathered us together. That's when my leg, you know, broke."
"Well, she had to pull you out to prevent you from getting scorched," Adam looks up at Leo, noticing his tone with slight hatred. Leo sighs and shrugs. "Douglas' gonna install me a new leg this afternoon anyway. I guess my legs will at least be balanced now."
I grin as I hear Leo's usual self-mocking tone again. "She used Big D's geoleaper to send all of us back. Then Mr Davenport and Douglas gave us all medical treatment here."
"But I was just up there in the capsule." I frown. "Well you were here with us few days ago."
"Few days?" My eyes go wide. "How long have I been-"
"Five days." It was Douglas' voice. "We put you up there because we had some tests to do with you." I stand up and turn, facing him directly. I am quite furious with his attempt to flee back then. But I guess this isn't the time to let my anger out yet. "What test?"
Douglas motions me aside and I walk away from Adam and Leo. "We were curious," he crosses his arms. "Of your override app." I stay quiet. "How did you bring her back?"
"I was lucky," I speak slowly as I look up at Douglas. "You would have to find a link to her chip that hasn't been manipulated. I know what you did with the chips," the corner of his mouth curves up. "Nice job, I literally spent five years being unable to crack telepathy up." He pauses as I heave a sigh of relief.
"I upgraded a bit of it for you though. Reading other's thought is creepy, you know." Douglas raises a knowing eyebrow at me. "She wasn't that satisfied with your original design." I laugh awkwardly as he continues. "It's kind of like a mental conversation now. A private chat room for you two, at anytime, anywhere."
"Thanks," I nod, suddenly remember something. "But what about Mr Davenport? He won't allow it."
"I told him you upgraded your override app secretly therefore you could take over her chip easily."
"He believed you?" I frown.
"He didn't!" Douglas laughs and pats me on the shoulder. "But he had to. You did it anyway. It's a little secret among you, me and Bree now."
"Okay. Where's Bree? I haven't seen her since." "Oh she's in the chamber down in the hallway with Skye. Forgot to tell you, Bree had taken her too. She is like Krane's soldiers. It is the unpleasant past that made her turn evil. So we wiped her memory. She's all good now. Although her age is like, um, five now."
"Then I think I'd better see Bree now," I say as I back away towards the hallway, a bit too warily. "I miss her."
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Bree's P.O.V.
"Then here we go, Do Re Mi Fa So." I smile as Skye taps on the piano. I am so glad I saved her that day. Perhaps, she could have a new life after all."
Bree.
"Chase!" I turn around as I receive the mental voice of Chase, seeing him standing beside the door. I run towards him and hugs him tightly. He wraps his arms around my waist gently, careful not to hurt my wounds.
I miss you.
"Well I miss your voice more," I tease as I let go of him. He laughs and speaks. "Alright then."
I smile as he suddenly looks down at my right arm. "Your hand..." "I'm getting a new one soon anyway. You know I really hate my old hand with so many wrinkles," I force a laugh, sounding casual in every way I can. He sighs and rub my arm slightly. "I am so, so sorry."
I open my mouth to say something. But then I notice the sadness in his eyes. And I decide I better stay quiet. It's something that cannot be changed.
He looks back up at the chamber. "Skye?" "Yeah," I smile, seeing Skye playing the piano and singing the notes I just taught her to herself. "Isn't she adorable?"
"Bree, look." Chase catches my left arm and pulls me aside. "You should not get too close with her." "Why?" My smile faded. We should talk somewhere. He glance at Skye as he says mentally. "Why," I repeat and shake off his hands. "We don't need to go anywhere."
"Look, trust me, it's not safe here. We should go," Chase urges as he pulls my arms again. I get crossed and shoves off his hands. "I don't see any problem with her. Okay if you have bias against her, it's none of my business. I still get to choose who I want to befriend, don't I?"
"You don't get it. Something's not right with her," Chase's voice is cold and alert. He pushes me to the door and tries to lead me away. But I am as still as stone.
"What is wrong with her? Her memory is wiped. Let down your stupid guard, Mr. fun-killer. She's not one of those inferior creatures in your eyes." I protested as I cross my arms. It is not the first time for him. He never learn to build up his trust.
Chase's facial expression hardens and he speaks darkly. "I don't want to argue. I don't care has her memory been wiped or not. She made you lose your hand, caused Leo to lose his leg, left a permanent scar on Adam's face. She tortured my family. And she did it on her own will. Not even have to be sorry, that I know, is not fair to us."
"Okay." I back away. "Then maybe I'd never be on the same page with you." I turn and leave the chamber.
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Chase's P.O.V.
I tighten my fist as Bree slams the door.
"La la Do Re Mi-" Skye's singing voice stops as I grasp her neck with molecular kinesis at a distance. She drop her hands from the piano and falls on the floor, letting her innocent eyes fall on mine as she tries to get oxygen back in her lungs.
I roll my eyes as I advance.
"Quit acting."
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Author's note:
Woah a rather sudden cliffhanger. Would Chase kill her? Is this simply a revenge?
I am really sorry for not updating on time:( life has been crazily stressful these days. There is one more chapter left and then there'll be the epilogue:)
Until next time:)