Problems of the Gifted

This is it

(*Note: TW-violence*)

(Aiden Mason pov.)

Running through the side streets, we try our best to remain unseen.
Dhalia was convinced that Creed will be located inside the tallest buildings somewhere.
I don't know why she thinks that, but she knows about more about how TOL operates than I do.
Stopping in an alley, we peek around the corner, surveying the surroundings of some skyscrapers.
Then I figure this must be it since a bunch of drones is swirling around them.

I look at Dhalia standing next to me and she shakes her head:
"I have to get closer, the building is still outside my range."

That's the problem, we can't.
In order to get inside, the machines cannot notice that we're here.
Ms. Volkov made it clear and I'm starting to get why.

Still, we're running out of time.
Come on, what do you do best?

I nod to Dhalia:
"Then we need a distraction.
You go on. I'll lead them away."

She clearly does not like this idea:
"But what if you get caught?"

"The drones have an advantage, but I'm pretty sure they're not fire resistant."

Dhalia hesitates, but then agrees:
"Fine. Just... be safe."

She slightly squeezes my hand.

"You know that's something I can never promise."

She rolls her eyes with a smile.
Stepping out of our hiding, I head starlight for the drones.

This is definitely a good idea.

In an instant, the drones turn my way, red eyes blazing.

Or maybe not.

(Dhalia Dever pov.)

Barely 3 seconds later, Aiden runs down the street, screaming as the drones chase after him.

He IS good at distracting.

This gives me a chance to get closer to the building.
I quickly approach it and look up where the skyscraper meets the blue ceiling.

It's time to finish this.

So I teleport to one of its rooms.
Looks like it's newly built.
The interior doesn't offer much to look at- partly unpacked cardboard boxes and tables.
Apparently they planned to make this building an office of some kind.
I try not to let any details escape my eyes, making sure to not miss anything while running through the rooms and hallways.

Where is he? Lurking somewhere?
Does he know we are here?
Does he know I'm here?

At last, I arrive in another corridor on one of the top floors.
Everything is dark except for the light coming out of an open room ahead.
I sneak up to the room and find what the target when I stand in the doorway.
There he is, standing without a worry in the world as he looks out of the big windows that use up the space of the whole wall, his back to me.
A table is standing next to Creed, just like the ones I've seen on the other floors, but in comparison to the other rooms, this one is actually large.
Seeing him standing there, I command my feet to move forward. Despite what I can remember from the last time I saw him.
My palms start sweating, erupting an anxious feeling inside of me.
I try to shake it off.

Whatever you do, do not let him scare you. That's what he always relies on.
Don't give him that satisfaction.

Even when I step inside, my footsteps echoing slightly, he doesn't turn around.
Creed only remarks:

"So, our troublemaker has arrived after all."

(Jian Chen pov.)

I help people to get to safety, guiding them off of the damaged road as drones whiz overhead.
While I keep watching out for potential threats, I imagine what will happen if we don't end this in time.

The agents of TOL and AGI will be fighting each other.
How long will it take? Would it be a war stretching on for years? How many people would die?
Who would win?
Doesn't matter, focus on what you have to do right now.
That reminds me about the drones- shouldn't I have been updated by now?

So I call Amaya through the ear pod:
"Amaya, is everything in place? Amaya? Are you there?"

After waiting for some time, I start feeling uneasy.

She would call back immediately unless...
Unless something happened.
Now, calm down.
Panicking has never helped before.
I won't be as fast to reach Amaya, I need to send someone else and catch up then.

Following, I contact Aiden, but the line is full of fighting noise until I manage to get through:
"Aiden, do you hear me?"

"Eh- yeah. What's up?"

"Something is wrong. Amaya isn't responding. You need to go to her, I'll catch up as soon as I can."

"... Already on it."

That's when I take notice of a drone speeding towards a group of citizens trying to run away.

How many more are there?

In the last second, I manage to shield the people from danger by jumping from a car and destroying a drone with a powerful kick.

Huh- those lessons really paid off.

One of them, a man in his forties behind me exclaims:
"Woo, that was some fancy karate!"

I raise my eyebrow and reply with a sigh:
"It's actually kung fu, but thanks."

This block seems to be clear, so I break in for a run.
As I try to navigate through the city, urgency spreads inside of me.

I need to find Aiden and Amaya.
If something happened to her... no.
If someone has done something to her, I will not be holding back.