Crossing Dimensions: Remedy (Part 1)

CHAPTER 5: Center of the City

With Tracy's help, Edwin was up on his feet. The two walked towards the entrance of the lab.

"Jeez, buddy, thought you were dead for a second," exclaimed Tracy, "are you allergic to your ability or something?"

"I haven't used it this much in over a year...until I met you," replied Edwin, accusingly.

"Welp, my bad. A bit more practice and you'll last longer than this...how long was it before you passed out? A minute?"

Back at the opening beside the abandoned rails, they walked through the hall way, then stopped in front of the metal door that led to the lab. Replacing the claustrophobic hall was a giant, spherical room. A suspended metal bridge connects the entrance to a pillar at the center of the spherical cavity, which was roughly twenty meters wide. Tracy took out her flashlight and shined it at the walls, which was plated with steel.

"What are they up to..."

Supported by the guide rails, Edwin headed towards the center pillar. There were darkened screens and tables inscribed in the concrete platform in the center.

"By the way, just where are we right now?" asked Tracy, striding around with one hand in her pocket.

Edwin sighed, then took out his phone and tapped on the map.

Around the blue circle indicating their location was rings and rings of paths. Like the cross-section of an onion, layers of roads surrounded where they were.

"Weird. This lab is right below the center of the city."

"Huh?"

"You heard me." Edwin frowned. "What are they trying to do?"

"Maybe we should look around their toys," Tracy suggested.

They made their way down via a metal staircase. Edwin stumbled on every step.

"Is your leg okay?"

"Just a scratch." Edwin didn't even look up.

"Well, well, quit talking big...I've seen too many espers acting tough." Tracy walked over to him.

"Too many?"

"Oh, haven't I told you about where I came from? Ah...sorry."

"You know how feared us espers are...and kids are no exceptions. I only know one place that accepts us – the place I grew up in; the place I learned all of...this." A flower of ice petals bloomed in her hand, casting spots of reflections on the black floor.

"How can such a place exist, when the whole world hates us?"

"I knew you'd ask that!" Tracy smiled proudly. "On the surface, our school of esperes is just another orphanage-slash-school. Thanks to the hard work of the Acting Dean, nobody noticed – not even the government agencies."

Edwin's eyes were fixed on the ice flower in Tracy's hand, which shattered into fragments when Tracy closed her hands. The existence of such a place sounded too good to be real.

"I know, you might not believe me, but I got no reasons to lie." She patted Edwin on the back. "We know about you...one can't hide forever, there are always traces."

"Is this an invitation?" asked Edwin.

"Depends on you." Tracy patted him on the back. "The kids could always use a reliable senior."

"..."

Instinct told Edwin to not continue the conversation. Who knows if it was just another lie? Life has taught him to trust only in himself: the years spent wondering around foreign streets, unleashing violence for survival...the past he tried burying taught him the danger of trusting people other than himself.