Government officials and medical personnel scurry for the assembly hall, allowing Maya and I to walk the halls without any further outbursts. We’re both scanning the hallways for any sign of where they have taken Joshua.
Maya stops and I stop with her. I’m tired, more so than I would like to admit, and stopping feels nice.
“I’m so stupid,” she announces, smacking her forehead with her left palm.
I frown and look at her. “What?”
She puts her hand back down to her side and tells me, “I remember Dad saying they’d be taking all arrested Users to the back office.” I look at her and smile.
“Well let’s get going,” I tell her.
We take off running down a right hallway, which is empty of people.
“I’m glad you remembered now,” I huff. “We’re really close.” Sure enough, as we bolt around a corner, we’re greeted by six armed soldiers. Maya and I slow to a walk as we approach them. I could see into the office thanks to the glass window usually used by the receptionist to watch the students for any foolery.
Joshua is slumped in a metal chair, his head almost touching his chest. His green eyes were closed yet I could see the movement of his chest with each breath he took and exhaled. There were bruises forming over his face and exposed arms. I could feel the heat forming in my chest again.
I brought my attention to the soldiers in front of me as they each brought their guns to point at my chest.
“I’d appreciate it if you made this easy,” I announced with a laugh as Maya and I stopped a few feet from them.
“We have orders to detain the two of you,” one of the men announced, stepping towards up.
I let out another laugh. “And I have no intentions of being detained. I’m just here for a friend. After I have him, we’ll be leaving.” The heat snapped once again and the soldiers went flying down the hallway, their weapons ripped from their hands.
Maya ran to the door and shoved it open as I took a gasping breath. This magic business was very tiring. When I joined Maya in the office, she was on her knees in front of Joshua, a hand on his cheek.
“Wake up please,” she pleaded, looking up at his bruised face. I walked to the back of the chair and pointed at the handcuffs that restrained him. I wasn’t sure if it would work but I was rewarded as the cuffs blew apart, leaving Joshua’s exposed and bloody wrists.
Joshua groaned and leaned into Maya’s hand. His eyes slowly opened and Maya smiled.
“Let’s go,” I commanded, taking a place next to Joshua. “Can you stand Joshua?”
He stared into Maya’s eyes for a few seconds and then raised his head to look at me, letting Maya’s hand fall. “H-how did you know where I was,” he croaked.
Maya stood and offered Joshua a hand. “My dad made a comment last night. Good thing I remembered it!”
Joshua pulled his hand from behind his back and groaned. “I feel like I am ninety years old,” he commented, taking Maya’s offered hand. I grinned at my black haired friend as he rose to his feet.
“So Maya,” I began. “Do you know where your dad parked this morning?”
Maya, who had slung one of Joshua’s arms over her shoulders smiled back at me. “Of course.”
I felt a headache brewing in my mind and ignored it, walking out the office door. The soldiers, who were pinned to the floor about thirty feet from us began to yell.
“Get the Magician!” they were shouting. “Get back here!”
I laughed at them, I couldn’t help it. They looked so angry for a change. Angry and helpless.
Shouting forced me to turn towards the back entrance of the hallway. A figure walked through the doors after several soldiers, who were posted on their knees, their guns pointed at us. That figure, was it really… President Alexandria Lukus stood at the end of the hallway, a smile on her bright red lips. Sunglasses shaded her pale blue eyes and her long blonde hair was pinned into a professional looking bun. Her black suit only made her features stand out more.
“My, what have we here?” she called out to us. “Two Users and an accomplice trying to flee from the protection of the government?”
I can’t help but shout, “Protection? Does it look like he was protected?” I scream, pointing at the six foot six inch tall Joshua who is slumped against the five foot even daughter of the president’s right hand man.
“Children, I can’t expect you to understand-” begins the woman who is in the way of our escape. I can feel the burning sensation that I’ve come to know has my magic filling my chest again.
“No madam President, I don’t expect you to understand. We’re walking out of here, whether you like it or not.”
I could hear Alexandria sigh, even from this distance. I begin walking towards her and all weapons automatically follow my movement. The burning in my chest is almost unbearable.
“We’re leaving now,” I inform her as Maya and Joshua follow me. The burning sensation reaches its peak and then releases, flinging everyone away from me. Like before, all weapons are ripped from the hands of those who hold them.
“Put me down!” screams the president. She’s flailing like a madman against the wall, her sunglasses missing their lenses. I snicker and walk passed her and her soldiers, finally out of this school.
Maya takes the lead, passing Joshua off to me as she begins to walk towards the parking lot. There are only four cars, owned only by government officials, and several busses for the soldier lackeys.
Luck would have it as there were no soldiers in the parking lot. I don’t know if I could do the flinging trick again anyway. I was exhausted and there was a raging headache pounding through my head. Joshua limps with me to the black car that Maya is standing outside of. She opens the back door and I get Joshua close enough to climb in the back seat.
“You drive,” I whimper as Joshua closes the door. “I feel like I’m going to be sick.” Maya nods and walks to the other side as I open the passenger door. Of course it would be unlocked with the keys in the ignition. No one would dare touch a government vehicle let alone know how to drive one.
Maya cranks the keys forward and the car quietly rumbles to life. I snap the safety belt across my chest and lean the seat as far back as it will recline. To the left of my head, Joshua rests his elbows on his knees and puts his head in his hands.
I croak out his name. “Joshua.”
He looks at me, his green eyes brimming with tears. “Yeah?”
“What type of User did they say you were?” I question as the car lurches forward. Maya flies out of the parking lot of the school.
“A fire type,” Joshua smiles. “I don’t even know how to use my powers in the first place.”
“Oh,” I whisper. The headache is causing my vision to blur and my stomach to feel sick. All of a sudden, there is a popping in my ears and my vision goes black.
