Under the Iron Fist

Chapter 14: The Missing Friend

The classroom buzzed with excitement as the children talked about their lives in Sanctuary. Milo floated a few inches off the ground, his nerves making it hard to control his ability. Zoe's fingers sparkled with tiny lights, while Ethan's shimmering force field flickered in and out of existence around him.

When it was Milo's turn, he took a deep breath and began to tell the story of how he met Elina. His friends listened in awe as he described her bravery in standing up to Gorgon.

"And then," Milo said, his eyes shining, "I followed her home without her knowing. I used my floating ability to make sure my steps were silent!"

As the school day ended, Zoe bounced up to Milo and Ethan. "Hey, why don't we go see where you used to live?"

Ethan frowned. "I don't know, Zoe. It might be dangerous."

Lily, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up. "I... I'd like to see it too," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Milo hesitated, but the excitement in his friends' eyes won him over. "Okay, but we have to be careful."

The four children snuck out of the facility, with Milo leading the way. As they ventured into the less affluent areas of the Sanctuary, Lily grew increasingly nervous, fading in and out of visibility.

"It's okay, Lily," Ethan reassured her, creating a small force field around the group. "We'll protect you."

Finally, they reached Elina's old room. Milo's heart ached with nostalgia as he showed his friends around the tiny space.

"It's so small," Zoe marveled, her light illuminating the dark corners.

As they explored the empty room, Ethan suddenly noticed something. "Hey, where's Lily?"

The other children looked around, realizing their shy friend was nowhere to be seen.

"Lily?" Milo called out, panic rising in his voice. "Lily, where are you?"

They searched the apartment and the surrounding area, but there was no sign of Lily. As the shadows lengthened, they realized they had to go back.

"What if she's hurt?" Zoe asked, tears in her eyes.

"Or lost?" Ethan added, his usual confidence shaken.

Milo's mind raced. They needed help, but who? Suddenly, he knew.

"I know who can help us," Milo said firmly. "Jax."

Back at the facility, Milo led his friends to the gym where he had met Jax. His heart leaped when he saw the muscular man lifting weights.

"Jax!" Milo called out, his feet barely touching the ground in his haste. "We need your help!"

Jax turned, surprise and concern etching his features as he took in the distressed children.

"What's wrong, Milo?" he asked, kneeling down to their level.

As Milo explained about their adventure and Lily's disappearance, Jax's expression grew serious.

"You shouldn't have left the facility," he said sternly, but his voice softened at the sight of their worried faces. "But don't worry. We'll find your friend. Tell me everything you remember about where you last saw her."

As the children began to recount their journey, Jax listened intently, his mind already formulating a plan to find the missing child and keep these brave, foolish kids out of trouble.

*****

Jax knew he needed to involve Elina. This would be the first time they spoke directly, and while he was eager for the chance to talk to her, he wished it was under better circumstances. After ensuring the other children were safely back in their quarters, Jax made his way to Elina's clinic.

Elina was just finishing up with a patient when Jax arrived. She looked up, surprise flickering across her face as she recognized him.

"Jax," she said, her voice cautious but not unfriendly. "What brings you here?"

Jax took a deep breath. "It's about Milo and his friends. There's been an incident."

Elina's eyes widened with concern. "What happened? Is Milo alright?"

As Jax explained the situation, Elina's expression grew increasingly worried. When he finished, she nodded decisively.

"We need to find Lily," she said. "And quickly. The lower sectors can be dangerous, especially for a child alone."

Together, Elina, Milo, and Jax set out into the dimly lit corridors of Sanctuary's poorer districts. Milo led the way, retracing the steps of their earlier adventure.

As they searched, Elina's distress grew. "Something's not right," she murmured to Jax. "It's too quiet. Where are all the children?"

Jax nodded, having noticed the same thing. The usual sounds of playing children, even at this hour, were conspicuously absent.

They questioned the few adults they encountered, but no one had seen Lily or any other children recently. As they delved deeper into the slums, Elina's worry turned to alarm.

"Jax," she said, her voice tight with concern, "it's not just Lily. All of the children who lived in these areas seem to have vanished."

Jax's mind raced, considering the implications. "Could they have been relocated? Or..." he hesitated, not wanting to voice darker possibilities in front of Milo.

Elina shook her head. "Without anyone knowing? It doesn't make sense."

As they turned down another desolate alley, Milo suddenly gasped. "Look!" he cried, pointing to a small charm bracelet laying on the crumbled path. "That's Lily's! Her sister gave it to her before she came here. She wouldn't have dropped it!"

Elina and Jax exchanged looks of worry. "Let's keep looking Milo." Elina hoped Milo didn't notice the slight quiver in her voice.

"Lily?" Milo called out softly. "It's us. You can come out now." But Lily didn't come. They searched for hours Elina never letting go of Milo's hand. Finally they forced to give up and go back.

"I-I'm sorry," Elina whispered. "We will keep looking Milo but for now we need to go back."

As they made their way back to the main part of the Sanctuary, the weight of their unsuccessful search hung heavy in the air. Milo clutched Lily's charm bracelet tightly, his young face etched with worry and confusion.

"I don't understand," Milo said, his voice small and trembling. "Where could she have gone? And why are all the other children missing too?"

Elina squeezed his hand reassuringly, though her own heart was heavy with concern. "I don't know, Milo. But we won't give up. We'll find Lily and the others."

Jax walked slightly ahead of them, his mind racing. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just a coincidence. The systematic disappearance of children from the lower sectors pointed to something organized, something potentially sanctioned.