Afterschoolers: Destiny

Chapter 13: Behind the Masks

Summer raced up the stairs to her room, leaving her friends at the front door. Mary and the others entered with heavy hearts, unsure of what to feel or say to each other. Ed stayed at the doorway, looking at so many faces full of dismay.

"I can't believe him!" Cyclone shouted. "After all we did!"

"He just cast us aside! Like we were nothing," Samantha said.

"Hey... Listen, I know what he did was a bit rough, but he's just doing it to keep you guys safe," said Ed. "Right now, maybe we should focus on how we're gonna come back from all this."

"Why do you care?" Mary asked. "Once we find a way to get you back, you'll just do it to us all over again." Having enough of the conversation, she retreated to her room.

"You were wrong about us," said Samantha. "We're not heroes."

"Yeah. You guys are." Everyone picked up their heads and turned. Ed jumped in surprise to find Jack standing behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Cyclone stepped up, his fists clenched and eyes locked on the sudden guest.

"I've come to help," said Jack. "You guys were right. Zander needs to be stopped."

"Well you've come at a bad time," said Mary. "We lost all of our powers."

"What?! How?!"

"We don't know for sure. We were fighting Zander and it just happened." Cyclone explained. "You wouldn't happen to have any spare Aura Crystals on you, would you?"

"No... If you guys have no powers, how are you guys gonna save your friend?"

"Mr. Cord is gonna do it himself," said Mary.

"But that's what Zander wants!" Jack shared. "Cord's walking into a trap!"

The students looked to each other for a sign on how to respond. Each of them had stern looks with little concern.

"I'll ask Summer what she thinks," Samantha said. Stepping up the stairs, she approached her friend's room and knocked on the door. "Hey, we've got some news. Looks like Mr. Cord is in danger. Just thought we should let you know."

Just before Samantha could step away from the door, it swung open. Summer stood on the other side in a fresh change of clothes and her light brown hair put up in a ponytail.

"I'm going after him." Summer marched down the stairs, prompting Samantha to follow.

"Where are you going?" Mary asked.

"I'm going to help our mentor."

"Summer, no. Not after all he's done," Cyclone protested.

"What he's done is try to keep us safe. For so long he's taught us to use our powers and has been looking out for us. Powers or not, we owe it to him to do the same. Who's with me?"

"That is not a good reason," Mary responded. "What do you plan to do?"

"I'll improvise, just as he does."

"Maybe... You won't have to." Everyone turned to Ed, curious as to what scheme he was cooking up.

"What are you suggesting?" Cyclone asked.

"Think about it, what is the one thing Zander hates the most?"

"Mr. Cord," Jack answered. "He's obsessed with destroying him."

"Right. So why don't we give him something that'll really put him off the edge? Where does older me keep his gear?"

Mr. Cord was perched along the edge of a rooftop. With the binoculars he had, he looked out at a run down building next to an empty street. Behind a broken window was Zander, tinkering away at an unknown device.