The Boy Who Could Shape The Air

-=Chapter Two- More Fricking Robots and Three Shady People=-

Haley was the first one to react.

A powerful gust of air slowed the blade. Turned it aside. It was no longer a killer- but it was plenty enough to break ribs, and it would leave Jenna vulnerable.

Haley continued to hold out her arm, face contorted in a mask of determination. Power. Anger? White energy flowed from her fingers, coalescing into a pale cloud. Ready to be unleashed.

A furious wind flew from her hand, ferocious in its intensity. It went on and on. Blasting into the face of the construct, driving its sword back, driving it back. Sending a howling wind that pierced my ears through the clearing. With a final push, the construct skidded backward several feet. Its sword flicked upward involuntarily. Its hands broke in a shower of stone.

The sword, rotating at great speed, flicked backwards and split the construct in two with a raking, clawing sound that sent an involuntary shudder through me.

The wind stopped. The world seemed quiet. Leaves fluttered down around me. Jenna climbed back to her feet.

Holy... Ethan spoke in our mindlink. What the- what was that?

Haley just stood there, eyes fixed straight ahead. She didn't respond.

Haley? I think that was Jenna.

I took a more direct, less magic-y approach. "Haley?"

Her whole body stiffened, then fell limp to the ground.

"Whoa!" Ethan rushed toward her, crouched down...

Her eyes flickered open. "G-huh? What happened?" She glanced all around the clearing, and her eyes widened when she saw the construct. "What- did I do that?" She grunted, sat up, and heaved herself to her feet. "I- I don't remember..."

"What you mean? You seemed like you did it on purpose. You seemed really... angry..."

Too late, Mark realized his mistake. He held both palms out. "No! Not like, like..."

"NO!" Haley shouted. She seemed really insistent for someone who had just fallen unconscious. "I can't lose control! I can't! I won't- It won't be like-"

A vein twitched in Ethan's neck, and his eyes closed momentarily.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," soothed Jenna, giving Haley's shoulder a comforting pat. "You'll be fine."

Haley's eyes brightened a bit. Jenna always had a way of calming everyone down.

"Okay," said Ethan, clapping his hands together, "who votes that we should get the frick out of here before anything else tries to mess up our day?"

We all raised our hands. "I sent Jess off that way, with Aaron," I said, pointing off to the north side of the clearing. "We should meet back up with her, then find Lisa. Mark, can you sense her mind?"

He shook his head. "Not even a flicker. If we get closer to town, or to the school, it might be different."

We all set off, striding through the woods, in the direction I indicated. After not many steps, we found Jess and the wounded Aaron, sheltering behind a thicket of bushes. Jess started when she heard us, then turned and gasped in relief.

"You're all okay?"

I nodded, then gestured toward Aaron. "How about him?"

"He- well, he's the same. His healing factor isn't taking effect yet."

"Well, come on. We have to get out of here. Lisa can fix him," I said with more confidence than I felt.

Hope flickered to life in her eyes. "Do you..." She sniffed, rubbed her face with her sleeve. "You think?"