The Free City

Chapter Eleven : Capture the Flag

We kept our voices down as we trekked through the woods after Hannah. We were all going at a good clip. But if I was going to make plans, I needed to ask Sam something.

"What's Mr. Sato's power?" I whispered to him.

He glanced at the adults ahead of us to make sure they weren't listening. "He can meditate and send out spirit leeches. You can't see or hear them, but if they get on you, your power won't work anymore."

Oh shit.

"Like you can't use it properly or you can't use it at all?"

"At all," Sam said. "If he sends a spirit after us and we get within his range, it isn't really possible to avoid them. There isn't a way to fight them. He's used them for all kinds of things, though. They can find anyone as long as they're close enough. I think like a couple miles?"

Double shit.

"But his body is vulnerable during the attacks," Sam continued. "He'll choose a teammate as his guard and meditate. He won't be able to do anything while he's using his power. If we get leeches on us, we just have to find him and remove his flag, then he will be out of the game."

I had a feeling that was easier said than done. Especially if he chose his guard well. But if the adult Supers weren't doing any of the heavy lifting for us, it would probably be a student.

If my power is gone, but they are still able to use theirs, which students would I be unable to beat?

Kole, for sure. Probably Jana if she managed to get a lot of forest animals on her side. Damien would be in the same boat as Anthony power-wise, without any way to use it out in the wilderness. Hank and Emily could go either way, if Emily found enough dead things.

I pictured Jana bringing Emily an animal to kill so she could use it and shuddered. Luckily Jana didn't like doing that, or those two would be much more powerful together.

After about seven minutes we made it to a clearing. Hannah turned around to face us and we all spread out.

"Take the next two minutes to strategize," Hannah said. "This step is as important as the actual battles can be, but don't rely too heavily on plans. Plans change. There are Supers out there with powers you don't know about, so keep that in mind."

Sam, Anthony, Paula, Zuri and I huddled together. Jason, Lilian, and George came close, but they seemed to be waiting for our decisions and orders. Hannah presided over it all with that same 'I know more than you' attitude.

So annoying.

"What's the plan?" Zuri asked. "Should we stay together? Split up?"

"George is already with Paula," I thought out loud. "Lilian would also be good in their group. An invisible partner and someone who can slow things down would work well with a precog who knows what is coming next."

Lilian nodded gracefully and moved to stand by George.

"Jason should go with Anthony," I decided. "And Hannah with Zuri. I'll go with Sam."

"You want to be without adult supervision?" Hannah asked. "I don't think that's wise."

Jason coked his head in confusion and gave his superior a funny look.

He must not recognize my tattoos.

"Sam and I have abilities that work well together here," I insisted. "I can clear a path for him to touch an opponent better than anyone else."

Mr. Sari's command not to use my power on a classmate came back to me and I almost winced. Fine, I'll use it on the adult Supers.

"But I'm not really supposed to do all the work," Jason said. Anthony looked at the ground and I scowled.