The Enhanceless and the Phantom

Chapter 36

Brielle felt the weight of every second that passed. Every breath she took in hiding, she wasted another for preparing for the race. A part of her almost heard Emrin encouraging her to resurface and warm up alone, but her body did not stir. The swinging of the bathroom door awakened her adrenalin. She gripped her fists and pulled the vambrace in front of her face, preparing to defend herself if needed, but she was unsure if she had the strength. All her muscles felt drained and unable to support her bones. She listened to the off-beat footsteps approach the stall. At the soft knock ofthe door, she leaned down to see baggy pants and a medical boot staring back ather.

"Duncan?" she breathed and lunged to unlock the door.

"Of all the places to hide, why'd you pick one that smells?" His dark red hair and pale face comforted her. Brielle jumped into him and enwrapped her arms around his neck. He stumbled as he tried to brace himself against her momentum. She pressed her face into his neck as his thin frame somehow did not topple over. He placed his hand around her back and held her there. Her shoulders eventually relaxed, and she pulled away from him with an inquisitive look.

"Why are you in the lady's room? How'd you even get passed all the security checkpoints?" She questioned as he smirked.

"You'd be surprised how far a sob story, and this boot can get you in life. If I'd known, I would have done this years ago." He gestured to his encased ankle. "I also may have said I had a last-minute delivery for you, which is partly true." He grinned like they were alone in Offensive Training class again.

"You got something for me?" She was trying to be coy but was genuinely shocked he even came to her here.

"Partly. My gift was distracting that mob by pretending to be an uncover reporter. They kept talking and I pretended to take notes and promised they would see it in the news soon. It will be hilarious!" His eyes sparkled while she digested his words.

"That, um, was really, needed, thank you." Shyness gripped her vocal cords.

"I just wanted to say good luck before you raced, but now I'm glad I got to be your hero for a change." Brielle smiled as the memory of his face sliding down hers in the burning building resurfaced. She did not understand why that feeling came to mind.

"Dawn says good luck too," he whispered. Brielle's mind had wandered somewhere else and wasn't sure how to get back. "What is it?" he narrowed his eyes.

"I can't even face them in the warm-up. Imagine what will happen in an arena." She spiraled while holding the vambraces against her stomach.

"What? You'll be fine. They'll always underestimate you, and that's how you'll win." He gripped her arms as he lowered his face to her level. She held his optimistic eyes with her hazel ones. Blood raced into her cheeks as the moment lingered longer than she thought possible. She stilled and refused to move away from him. He coughed before pulling away.

"And if you think you can back out after taking my place, you got another thing coming." He pointed at her chest. She let out a laugh and glanced at his protective boot. Her shoulders relaxed again as she let go of her torso. She peered up at her friend's eyes which seemed to ask what she was thinking, but the door squeaked open.

Brielle pulled away from his vicinity as an OuterCity girl moved between them to the bathroom stall. Duncan scratched the back of his head and chuckled. Brielle punched him in the shoulder and motioned towards the door. They emerged into the fight together.

Thousands of screams, cheers, and chants resounded off the concrete walls of the tunnel entrance. She had never been on the side of the Dome; and soon, these noises would soon be directed at her. She rubbed the vambrace as another contestant entered the arena. She placed her earpieces back in.

"Why is Xavier always last?" She murmured to herself. A robotic voice greeted her anxiety.

"Xavier, please enter the arena." Brielle wished that the voice was ARCHER's. She remembered Duncan's hands on her arms, his eye sparkling with confidence in her. She smiled as the roaring escalated. Her feet carefully trod upon the sacred floor as she crossed into the lights of the arena. She squinted as the sunlight from the open ceiling glared down upon her. The blurred colors of the crowd seemed so removed from her, yet their screaming invaded her ears. Boos, taunts, slurs, cheers, gasps, insults, and hundreds of unreadable sounds bombarded her. She took her place at the end of the starting line.

"Emrin!" She yelled.

"I am at your service, Brielle."

"Turn on noise canceling!" She ordered.

Instantly, everything felt like a gentle whisper. She closed her eyes and smiled. Turning to her left, she gazed at the twenty-five Enhanced individuals all sharing the same dream, their place on the Council, or the wealth and fame that went along with that. A man with a stingray-like shell flapped his arms, a lava-haired woman in yoga pants stretched along the line, and Bear yawned silently next to her twitching brother. She shook out her arms and watched the holographic map shine in the shadow of the arena. She would need to run out of the Dome, maintain a good pace till Chang Towers, circle through the Forgotten Park, and finish the loop back here. Only half of the contestants move on.

Zen's calming face and rose into the hologram. Her lips moved, but no noise followed.

"Emrin, turn off noise canceling." No sound followed. She yanked both earpieces and still nothing. She angrily leaned over the start line and mercilessly stared at Senseless. He returned her menacing eyes with the wink of his red ones.

I'm going to kill him.

Suddenly, Zen fluttered her hands and released her pink vapors. Everyone else sprinted off the line. She scurried to catch up.

She tried to advance to the front of the pack, but the Enhancements exploded all across the arena. An OuterCity girl's lower body morphed into a foxlike legs and tail as she swiped the electric girl in front of her. Brielle easily bounded over her fumbling body and continued towards the exit. An older woman, surround herself with star-shaped spheres that shattered into the Iron Legs' man. He stumbled and nearly crushed Brielle's had she not slowed down. About a dozen others begin to take flight via transforming, teleporting, or one who inflated his turtle-like shell and simply floated above the crowd. Brielle could barely take everything in while keeping herself safe. She ducked as a bolt of electricity contacted the ground just ahead of her. Screaming out,  someone pushed her headfirst into the fake turf. The jarring noises of the crowds gradually returned. She hoped those cheers were not because she'd fallen. She only allowed herself half a second on the floor before continuing her pace. Between huffs, she scanned her opponents for Senseless, who was currently riding on his sister's shoulders, and slowly became more and more out of reach.

She quickened her stride as she exited the blaring arena into the white, empty streets of Elementa Capital.