Flawed

Chapter 4

"So what does our looks have to do with anything?" Connor asked, trying not to gape at the four.  

"You're a BWF." Remy responded bluntly. "Beautiful With Flaws." 

Connor was bemused. "You're not making sense." 

"Bit slow, isn't he?" Felix said, tucking her hair back into her cap. "A handful of kids, born in 2007-2008 are insanely attractive, along with extremely dangerous flaws. We work for an organization called 07, who are working to help kids like us. Make sense now?" Felix's eyes flashed with annoyance. 

Connor half nodded. "And I'm a BWF?" 

"You got it!" Remy said with a small clap of their hands. 

"Now it's only a matter of figuring out your Flaw." Darci said, looking lost in thought.  

"What's your guys Flaws?" Connor asked. He had so many questions, he didn't know where to start.  

Zane lifted the wrist part of his glove to check his watch. "Not now. We gotta get back to the Kem- headquarters. I mean, headquarters." 

Remy held out a hand to help Connor up. As soon as he was on his feet, they let go quickly. "Ow! OWW! God, Potato, it's like your hands are on fire!" 

"I love the new rookie nickname-" Felix started. 

BOOM 

The smell of gasoline filled the air as fire ridden trees fell to the ground, surrounding them. Zane let out a string of curses as Darci groaned, "Ugh, not the FBI again!" 

Connor was confused. He could see the fire, but the heat didn't seem to be affecting him.  

"Darci, get the potato out of here. Remy, you follow them and attack anyone who attempts to chase them. Zane and I will be right behind you." Felix ordered, pulling the gloves off her hands. 

Everyone did the same, except Zane, who watched their surroundings for possible threats. Connor saw how he played with the strap on his glove, looking like he desperately wanted to take it off, but knew he shouldn't. 

Darci grabbed Connors wrist, her hands now bare. "Remy was right, you're burning up. Nevermind, get on my back." 

"What?" Connor was a few inches taller than the girl, and knew he weighed more. "I'll crush you." 

Out of the corner of his eye, Remy faded away, becoming invisible. 

"Now!" Darci commanded.  

Connor quit arguing and reluctantly hopped onto her back. To his surprise, she held him easily, and began to run. It was the same, seemingly impossible speed Connor had felt while he was being kidnapped.  

Like a kangaroo, Darci sprung over the flaming trunk of a tree and kept running, the fire burning greatly behind them.  

"We can't just leave them!" Connor yelled to Darci. 

Darci kept running. "Zane and Felix can take care of themselves. Remy is right behind us." 

As if on cue, Remy faded into existence again, jumping on top of an FBI operative and beating his face with the bottom of their hand. Connor gulped and reminded himself not to mess with any of the BWF's. 

There was a large crashing sound behind them and Connor glanced back to see a tree trunk flying in the opposite direction. Two small dots ran from the smoke. Felix and Zane. 

In seconds, Darci and Connor arrived in town. Darci was starting to slow, her energy dying out. Cheetah speed was no easy feat.  

Darci ran through alleyways downtown, avoiding being seen. Her breath was becoming ragged now. Her face was beet red.  

Finally, she collapsed outside a milk factory, the Kemps one to be exact, dropping Connor. She lay on her hand and knees, just focusing on breathing.  

To Connor's dismay, a camera outside the factory focused on them. A voice came from it. "Darci! I'll be right there!" 

Not even a minute later, a girl about his age burst out the fire exit door and ran to them. Her curly light brown hair bounced, dark blue eyes filled to the brim with concern. "Darci, give me one second." 

The girl looked at Connor. "Oh perfect, another BWF." 

The girl dropped to her knees. "Give me your hand." 

Connor did so, confused. The girl slipped off her gloves, and pressed her fingers into his palm. As soon as she touched him, Connor felt he was going to collapse next to Darci. He could feel his energy draining, as if it were a tangible thing. The girl had her eyes closed, her other hand on Darci's back. 

Ten seconds later, the girl released them both. Darci stood, brushing herself off. "Thanks Marin." 

Connor stumbled around, struggling to stay on his feet. "What was that?" 

He didn't get an answer. Remy arrived, Zane and Felix right behind him.  

"We got to get inside now." Zane said. "Also, Felix tried to set herself on fire." 

"Did not." Felix argued as Marin ushered them through the fire exit door. "I simply moved the flaming tree trunk. I should have just kicked it at you, Mr. Useless." 

"It's not my fault that Mom literally forbade me from taking the gloves off. 

Wanna trade places, because I'll gladly punt the Poo Tree next time." 

"Um," Connor raised a hand, still exhausted. "What are the gloves for exactly?" 

"They help cover our Flaws." Remy said cheerfully, like they hadn't just ran away from the FBI who were likely trying to kill them.  

Connor stared at them in confusion. "Are they magic...or...?" 

Marin plopped down in a chair. "It's the pressure. We're not sure how it affects the mercury in our bodies, but the pressure of the gloves on our hands makes the Flaw disappear, or at least reduced greatly." 

"Take Felix for an example." Zane said. "Her strength is unmatchable, but with the gloves on, her strength is equivalent to a full grown man."

"Or me." Darci said. "Without the gloves on, I can call upon the attributes of almost any animal. But when the pressure is applied, I can only do small things, like hawks vision or something like that." 

They went around, giving Connor a small bit of intel about their Flaw and what it was like when the glove pressure was applied. When Zane didn't share, Connor asked. "Zane, what's your Flaw?" 

Zane was taken aback. "I-um- kinda-" 

To Zanes relief and Connors disappointment, Felix threw a burnt shoe across the room. "Enough questions, Potato. Let's get you the right size of gloves and see if we can-" 

"Found them!" Remy jumped up from behind a desk, likely finishing from searching through a drawer. She held up a pair of gloves. "These should be perfect." 

Handing them Connor, he slipped them on. A comfortable pressure settled across his palm and wrist. Another question appeared in his head. "Why do you guys call them Flaws? Your powers seem pretty cool." 

A cold shudder passed through all of them. 

"You see," Zane said. "Being a BWF isn't exactly something to be proud of. Sure, you're physically irresistible, but when you think about it, our Flaws could send the world into chaos." 

"Which is likely why the FBI is after us." Marin continued, pushing Felix's burnt shoe off her desk with a pencil. "With my gloves off, I can take people's energy without even touching them. I could kill them and they wouldn't even know I was there." 

"Or me." Another girl said, entering. Her brown hair was chin length, and her analyzing gaze, high cheekbones, and full, pursed lips gave her a look of intelligence. "If I had the motive, I could make someone jump off a cliff. And sometimes, it's so tempting." 

"Been there." Felix said, propping a laptop on her knees. "'Oh, nice to meet you,- oops I just crushed your finger bones." 

"On that happy note," Zane said. "Connor, let's go to the FTR."