Core: The First Step

Chapter 5: We Jumped Of A Train To Escape From Jetpack Army ( Tia, Stella )

( Tia )

" So, your mother is a Level 3 retired scientist who adopted you from the lab since you're 6 years old. Then, she trained you to become a fighter. You took the test early and train your abilities. You purposely attend to the academy to find any Level 4s and 5s in there," Stella repeated my story. I nodded. We all sat next to each other in this big, empty train. The scenery blurred beyond the windows. Ethan drank a certain amount of water from the plastic bottle. Stella stared at me with her violet eyes. " I have kinda tell you everything about me already," I admitted. Sam laid back to his seat. " Well, hope you don't mind asking you this, but did your parents...you know...," he faltered, afraid to continue the words. I was quiet for a moment. Not because of grieve, though.

" Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to my parents. All I know is that my step mother pick me up from a lab and raised me. I don't remember what my parents work as or how they even look like. It's weird why they never call me or even search for me. Maybe they abandoned me or they're pretty much dead. Call me cold, but what kind of parents leave their daughter alone in a lab and never made an effort to look for me? At least my step mother acts like an actual mother," I told them.

" Huh, and when did you get the information about the governments being evil?" Ethan raised his eyebrows. I sighed, " My mother and I made a lot of research about them. Their activities, their schedule, their targets, everything. My mother knows a few people that provides such info. They also help scouting for Level 4s and 5s."

" And now, you, I mean, we have a Level 5 with us and you're a Level 4," Stella interjected. " I'm a Level 3 and Sam's a Level 1. No offence," she went on. " None taken. But now that I think about it, how many Level 4s and 5s did we manage to save? And how many Level 4s and 5s are there in the governments? If they have more Level 4s and 5s compare to our side, we're basically fighting a dragon with a toothpick," Sam fretted.

" But, we have Ethan with us, and he's a Dragon user, right?" Stella insisted. Ethan sighed in exasperation as he laid his back to his seat. " Well, sorry to disappoint you, Stella. I have absolutely no idea how to use my abilities efficiently, yet," Ethan admitted. " And that's why we have to go to my house. My mother will help us from there. She'll even send us to some...secret base at another country," I mentioned. Instantly, Ethan jumped. " W-Wait! Another country? But that means leaving my siblings alone! I can't do that!" Ethan cried. He looked at me with disbelief. " You didn't say anything about leaving Kriton," he gulped. " Wait, where is it in the first place?" Sam halted me. Stella shivered, " We're going to...another country? Is it that serious?"

" Guys, I can't tell you where it is until we made it to my house. And yes, we're going to another country far away from Kriton. Even though the governments are evil, they can't risk showing their intentions to the public. Meaning, they wouldn't hunt for us from another place if they want to avoid suspicion from other administration," I lectured. Ethan clenched his fist. He looked confused, worried and angry at the same time. " But that means abandoning my siblings. They're expecting me to come home. They're all I have left of my family," he gritted his teeth. He glared at me as he groaned, " Do you expect me to go to another place without my siblings?"

I quickly explained, " Ethan, it's important that you have to go to the secret base. You're our best shot to bringing the enemy down. You know that you're a Level 5 and a Dragon Core user, so we need to-"

" CAN YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THAT STUPID REMARK ABOUT ME?!?"

His roar terrified us. None of us dared to speak back. " Look, I had no idea how I become a Level 5 or a Dragon Core user as a matter of fact. But I'm not going to let anyone separated my siblings away from me," he retorted. He turned to face me with murderous looks in his eyes. My spine shivered and my arms felt cold. " And I am absolutely tired hearing about me being a dragon and whatnot," he growled at me.