The Underbelly (First Draft)

Calm Before The Storm

Jeffery's furiously trembling fingers were still pointing accusingly at me and more and more eyes began to harden as the accusations began to sink in and Henry's high voice racked up the tension, "is this true?" I shook my head resolutely but Felecia snorted derisively, "of course she is going to play innocent! This is the perfect ploy, gain access to the leaders of the Underbelly and assassinate us so that we cannot direct our troops. Guards, take her!"

My father stood up with a roar and any guards that were about to follow Felecia's orders hesitated, my father looked at Felecia with wrathful eyes, "you will not issue any orders here Felecia while being a guest here. I have known that this was going to happen for a while now." This was greeted with further uproar but the calm commanding voice of the elder man sliced through the cacophony of voices, "if you've known this for a while Alistair, why have you not told us before this? Do you not trust us?" Even without my gifts I could hear the implied threat.

My father spread his hands in a placating gesture, "I do not think that anyone here would willingly help the enemy Simon but you must remember that the enemy does have spies down here and despite my and my children's best efforts, some have eluded us and some of those spies may be mind readers and so I had to make sure that any sensitive data was protected."

The aggressive atmosphere of the room was slowly receding as the men and the women of the Underbelly grumbled their understanding. But a small plump ginger woman suddenly exclaimed, "what do you mean that the enemy might have mind readers?! I thought the whole basis of us following you and your children was that you would give us the edge with your gifts."

She had a point.

My father looked momentarily stumped but I stepped in before his lapse became apparent, "simple, there are more of us and many of us have been born with the gifts we have. Our gifts are organic to us, even now I have surpassed my father in regards of the strength of my gifts and he was among the strongest of his programme, when all this started. They might have spliced soldiers but we live and breathe our gifts, we'd destroy them in one on one combat."

The ginger woman nodded once, seemingly reassured. But looking at the others, it was clear that there was still some major convincing to do, but this was not the time. We have a siege to break.

I looked at my father and he nodded, guessing which way my thoughts have headed, "go get the rest of your siblings, they will be needed to level the playing field. I will make sure that the rest of the army is ready and in position." I nodded and left him to deal with the politics of the Underbelly.

I stepped back outside and breathed in the relatively fresh air, with the tint of strawberries emanating in the air. The streets were much busier now, people were thronging but there was no outright panic, these were a warrior people indeed. Even the children were calm and composed.

I began to flit between the gaps in the crowds towards the academy, back towards my family. Pretty soon however, the crowds were milling tighter together than the great sardine schools that sustain the Pacific ecosystems.

I had no time for this, I bunched my legs and sprang up onto the roof of one of the roofs. I landed on the shale tiled roofs with a sure thud. I then began to sprint in earnest for the academy. I'll be damned if my family is harmed.

I arrived at the grand stone steps that led up to the great doors of the academy, I was even panting a little, although I think it was more from my sense of urgency. I hoped it was, otherwise Chaz was going to make me run until I bled.

I pushed the great steel doors aside with little difficulty. Inside I could see one of the younger guys lounging on the comfortable couches with a book up to his nose, Owen was his name. My orders came barking out of me, "we've got an emergency, get everyone and bring them back here. Wait for me."

He looked shaken but nodded. Just then a klaxon alarm began to blare and it really stabbed at both my and Owen's eardrums and we both winced. We both raced for the lift and began our descent.

As soon as we reached the bottom we both split up and began banging on doors, and would luck have it, it was Zack's room that I knocked on first. His face was hostile once he registered that it was me. His arm was still in a sling and I could still smell his blood. The slashes from the lions from his illusion still haven't clotted over.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was passive aggressive and normally I wouldn't blame him but this is no time to play nice, "we need to go, in case you haven't noticed there's an invasion happening and we're needed." His eyes sharpened and the alarm suddenly registered, "oh."

It was all that he said but he nodded determinedly and strode back into his room and in less than ten seconds he was ready and standing fully dressed. His free hand was on his hip, "well let's go then!" I grinned, nothing like a war to make petty enemies put aside differences.

By the time that I had gotten through to Zack, Owen had roused most of the others, or the screaming thrilling of the alarm got them up and out. Either way I quickly rounded them up in the centre of the athletic field, "ok are we all here?" A quick headcount confirmed this, then Chaz stepped out from the crowd and his fellow trainers in red followed suit.

He looked at me for a moment before looking at the rest of the group, "those of you that are under eighteen follow Anita and she will take you to safety. The rest of you follow me and you all have permission to use each and every of your gifts to kill these Surface bastards." His short speech was greeted with enthusiastic cheers as the group split and the younger kids were herded by Anita to the safe house.

A small figure pulled away from the group and threw herself at me, I knelt down to stroke Yelena's light brown hair. I could feel her sobbing against my chest so I hugged her tightly, "Yelena, what is it?" Yelena's voice came out hitched and broken, "I don't want you...hic... to go! I don't want...hic... you to die!"

I could hardly tell her that these were thoughts that were plaguing my own mind. I placed a warm small on my face to calm her, "don't worry Yelena, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to help dad put these unwelcome guests out of our city, that's all ok? I'll be back before you know it." I hugged her one last time before Anita called Yelena and she reluctantly let go and re-joined the others.

I stood up and Chaz approached me, "so what do you think is the best course of action right now?" I looked at him and grinned, "we give them hell." Chaz grinned in response, " I couldn't have put it better myself."

Time to go save my dad's sorry ass.

*******************************************************************************

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this part! I really do appreciate it! I would be forever grateful if you would vote on this and if you liked it enough even add it to your reading list, it would mean the world to me!

Also feel free to give any and all feedback so long as it is constructive. I don't mind negative feedback so long as it is constructive.