Fugitives《Book 3》

Talk Tough

"Hurry guys! It's on!" Droid shouted. He sat on the edge of the meeting table watching the flat-screen TV. It was playing a newscast. Everyone who wasn't in the room rushed in and watched the screen intently.

"Can you believe that people can be like Superman?" Asked a female newscaster.

The second caster laughed, "What? This isn't a comic book universe."

"It's true. People with magical powers exist. They are called abilitors. No one knows how or why they have these powers called abilities but there is a certain group who use their abilities to prevent human trafficking for people with abilities. They call themselves The Thirteen and they've freed more than a hundred captive abilitors across North America." She said.

"It was more a name just given to us." Blarg commented. Grizzy hushed him which earned him a playful glare.

"They work for the national government called the Abilitor Protection Services. The A.P.S. was formed after The Summit noticed numerous people going missing worldwide. The Thirteen were even victims of these human trafficking facilities with abilitor collectors." The second said.

"It's hard to believe that there are some people who are collecting these people like car collectors and fight them like dogs." She responded.

"We head over to Macey who is with Monique Jacen and her son, Taylor Jacen who were rescued by The Thirteen." He said and then the screen changed to a woman outside with a microphone.

"That's right Eric. Monique and Taylor here were captives to a facility up north and were rescued by The Thirteen. Monique? Can you tell me about them?" The reporter asked and pointed the microphone at a woman with a boy at her side. Smii7y remembered when they broke her and her son out at night in the snowy forest. It involved a giant fire cyclone from Flom and Anthony.

"They were wonderful. They had plans for their plans and were very well organized. I'm proud to call them my heroes. Abilitors around the world need help getting out of those awful facilities and battle pits. It's hopeful to have them out there, helping abilitors." Monique said with a smile.

The TV suddenly turned off and Sparrow stood at the foot of the table with the remote in hand and a murderous glare. "Aww come on! They were praising us!" Droid groaned.

"Don't let this distract you. We still have several missions ahead. Neo, Shade, and Nycta are still missing and who knows what they are up to." She snapped.

"We won't. It's just nice to get noticed like this. We do a lot for abilitors and their families." Nogla responded.

"That's not why we are doing this. Not for fame or to "get noticed"." Sparrow said using air quotes, "We do this because it's right. You all know what it's like being stuck in those facilities." They went silent. "Stay focused so we can stay successful." She set down the remote and left the meeting room.

"Look out. Fun police." Eli grumbled.

"She's right though. We are doing this because it's right. Not for fame." Byze said.

"I think we should at least acknowledge that we are being noticed. This gives us the motivation to keep going." Kryoz added.

Droid dove for the remote and switched the TV back on. "Coming up..." the news anchor said.

"Aww man. I missed it." Droid groaned and clicked the off button again. Smii7y smiled and rolled his eyes. To him, everyone was just making this a big deal. Fame or no fame, he was still busting out abilitors no matter what.

"We should discuss the Neo and Shade thing. We haven't heard anything from them in over a year." Puffer pointed out.

Everyone glanced at Smii7y. "What? I haven't heard anything either. It's finally been quiet in my head for a while now. Kinda nice, not going to lie." Smii7y said as he leaned on the wall of the room. He was being truthful too. The only thing talking in his head now was his conscience which was starting to drive him mad. He was trying to keep the constant flashbacks and haunting memories under wraps, but sometimes, they were unbearable.

"That doesn't mean much so we still should be cautious. No bodies have been discovered." Nogla responded.

"The sea claims thousands of lives every year. They are probably gone." Tucker replied.

"Our mission is to free abilitors. Not hunt down abilitor criminals." Byze said. A few people glanced at Smii7y again. He wanted to get off this topic.

"What?" He asked.

"Have you had any visions or something? A weirdo whispering in your ear or something?" Blarg asked. Smii7y saw Nogla watching him carefully. His amber eyes were like laser beams.

"No. I think they're dead. If Neo was still alive, I'd probably already be under control." Smii7y answered. He winced at his own words. The thought of Neo controlling him randomly terrified him. If Neo was alive, he could be Neo's slave at any time.

Nogla closed his eyes and nodded, "Smii7y would know better than any of us. We should focus on what we set out to do."

Smii7y was looking very intently at a spot on the floor while he thought. When he broke his trance, he looked up to see Kryoz studying him. Kryoz's blue eyes were always so calculating since there was so much more going on than he let people see. Kryoz glanced at the door before looking at Smii7y again.

Kryoz walked to the door but then glanced at Smii7y before leaving the room. Smii7y sighed and pushed himself off the wall to follow. Sometimes, it annoyed him that his friend knew him so well. Even when something was off. Kryoz had always been an expert at reading Smii7y like a book.

Kryoz was leaning on the wall of the plane while looking out of one of the windows. Blue sky flew by with a sea of clouds thousands of feet below. "They are bothering you again." Kryoz said while still looking out the window.

Smii7y sighed. It felt like they had this conversation every day. Kryoz knew of his struggles with the past. "It's just because the topic was brought up." Smii7y replied.

Kryoz looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "This is a daily occurrence, Smii7y."

Smii7y looked away while he thought of a response. "He may not be in here but he is. The damage is done and he can control me at any point without touching me." Smii7y grit his teeth. Kryoz watched him carefully. "I know he's probably dead, but if he's not, I'm a danger to everyone here." Smii7y sighed.

"Umbra Island haunts us all. You especially but, that's why we are in this together, right? To help cover the other's ass. Can I trust you to do that or should I ask Blarg too?" Kryoz said light-heartedly.

Smii7y smiled slightly and rolled his eyes, "Yeah."

Kryoz giggled, "Good." He wrapped Smii7y in a hug.

Smi7y looked at Kryoz's arm where Smii7y had given him a scar when he was under Neo's control. Over a year ago, Smii7y had hurt Kryoz when Kryoz had saved him. Sure it was an accident, but that didn't make Smii7y feel any better. Smii7y was brought away from his thoughts, "We'll work on it together, bud. As fucking cheesy as it sounds." Kryoz smirked.

Smii7y rolled his eyes with a smile, "As cringy as it sounds."

"If Neo is still alive, I get to shock the fuck out of him again." Kryoz grinned. Smii7y giggled a bit.