The Ghost

Number Ten

I looked around, only seeing skyscrapers. The light coming from the sun beamed into my eyes, making it difficult to adjust. "Where are we?" I asked.

Delta was panting aggressively, "We're in... um... New York," He said, "845... miles from... Quebec."

Overdrive was leaning over the roof of the building, throwing up. There was an uneasy feeling in my stomach, but not enough to make me vomit. My eyes began to adjust to the sun. I took a closer look at the skyscrapers, in the distance, I could see the Empire State Building.

"We were in Quebec?" I asked. Delta nodded. He was lying on the floor, arms out, still panting for air.

"Jesus Christ." I muttered.

It took a while before Delta and Overdrive were rested and relaxed.

"Alright Delta let's go." Said Overdrive. Delta slowly stood up, but I remembered what the doctor said back in the hallway. He called him, 'Daniel'.

"Daniel," I said. Delta looked at me. Overdrive was looking at me. Now I felt like I was going to die. It was quiet for a couple seconds. I didn't know what to say.

"Yes? My name is Daniel, it's really not that big of a deal." He said angrily.

"I'm sorry," I said confused. "I'll call you Delta." He didn't respond.

"Our base of operations is here in New York," Said Overdrive. "Once we get you there, we can run tests on you to see if you're healthy, and then get you ready."

"Ready, w-wait ready for what?" I asked.

"For what awaits you." She said. She put her hands on Delta's shoulders and he immediately sped in front of me. I slowly put my hands on his shoulders and I instantly ended up on a field. I didn't see anything.

"Where is the uh, the base of operations?" I asked. Delta tapped my shoulder, I turned around to see what seemed to be the ruins of a mansion. It was covered in moss, and there were bricks all over the floor as if a battle had taken place here many years ago. All the glass on the windows were completely gone, there weren't even any small shards.

"This is the base of operations? It looks old, don't you think" I said.

"The base is actually underground. This.... is the Smallpox Hospital here in Roosevelt Island," Said Overdrive as we all walked closer to the building. "It was opened in 1856 to help treat smallpox. But nearly 100 years later, it was left and abandoned by the city. At least... that's what they tell you."

The entrance to the building was locked by a gate, but Delta grabbed us and vibrated us through the molecules of the gate. "The hospital was actually abandoned in the year 1932 when the first human unlocked their ability," Overdrive continued, "It was kept secret, to prevent an outrage. And now, almost another 100 years later, we have built a sanctuary. Where people like us can be safe."

The inside of the building was... interesting. There were plants covering the entire interior. There were pieces of the building lying all over the floor. I couldn't even tell where the rooms used to be, all the walls had crumbled. There were small rays of light shining through the holes in the walls. There were chairs all over the place, some were broken, but most of them looked like they were still fine.

"This is where you hide?" I asked.

"This is just the Facility here in New York. We have more bases fixed in other parts of the world." Said Overdrive.

"How many more of us are there?" I asked.

"There are thousands," Said Overdrive. "The world only knows about one." She continued as she looked at me."

I walked around the hospital even more, wondering what happened.

"What happens when you can't fit enough people here anymore?" I asked.

"We have another facility," Said Overdrive. "It's bigger than any of the smaller ones combined. Small ones like these are only meant to house people for a short amount of time, and not even a lot of people. A much bigger facility was built many years ago, mainly focused on the young side."

"What do you call it?" I asked, kicking around a broken chair.

"It was given the name 'Secret Hero Academy," said Overdrive. "We're teaching them to grow strong and defend themselves."

"You're building an army of super-powered people?" I asked, shocked.

"No, we aren't. Once they've mastered how to control their powers under even the most severe situations, they're free to go." She said.

"Is the Secret Hero Academy the only Academy in the world?" I asked. Overdrive started walking towards me.

"Yeah, there are a few, but the Secret Hero Academy is the biggest one." She said. She now stood right next to me, along with Delta.

"There's no way that there hasn't at least been one person that's used their powers to do something bad," I said. "At least one."

"We actually had one very recently. Goes by the name Overshadow," Said Overdrive.

"Did you guys stop him?" I asked.

Overdrive shook her head, "That was someone else." Overdrive lifted her arm up and snapped four times, with a one-second pause in between. Suddenly, the floor opened up, and we all fell in.