Burn- A Gone Series Fanfiction

Chapter Nine

CAINE, DIANA, AND A VERY APPREHENSIVE Andy headed into the forest behind the school. Caine had insisted this little 'trial of power' took place as far from civilisation as possible. As such, his words hadn't left Andy with much reassurance as to how this was going to go down.

"The field would be better," Diana offered, partway into their trek.

Caine considered this for a moment. Watching Caine think always had Andy feeling nervous, like she was never quite sure as to what he would say or how he would deliver it. Caine wasn't exactly the most predictable of people.

"You're right," he finally said. "We don't know the range or extent of her power." He stepped over a fallen tree before adding: '"besides, I think mine's getting stronger."

This was news to Diana, who shot him a sideways glance, choosing not to reply. According to the two of them, Diana was the only other person Caine had demonstrated his power to.

Diana, and now Andy.

And, by the look on Diana's face when Caine had said that his power was getting stronger, he could do a whole lot more than knock some books and tip a desk over.

That thought lingered in Andy's mind. Caine, according to Diana's reading system, was a four-bar. If he felt himself getting stronger, was his power level increasing, or was he simply heading towards his full potential? Was he reaching that four-bar status?

To be perfectly honest, Andy didn't want to find out. As much of a moron as Caine could be, he was incredibly smart. Caine Soren was one of the most deceiving and manipulative people she'd ever met, and the idea of adding fuel to the fire by giving him some insane superpower just seemed like a disaster waiting to happen.

"This way."

Andy had been wandering without paying too much attention as to where she was heading. Caine and Diana had begun to follow another track, veering off the main path to the bonfire. They waited for her now as she caught up.

Andy wasn't so fond of being in the woods. Every sight, every smell, every crunch of the leaves and twigs beneath her feet only served to remind her of that day. The smell of smoke diffused from memory through to reality and she had to shake her head, clearing it, reminding herself that it wasn't real-- not now, at least.

It's only a memory.

"You okay?" Diana asked her. Caine turned to gauge the response.

"Of course I'm okay," Andy huffed. "I'm a superhero. What more could I possibly want in life?"

Diana rolled her eyes.

"Don't get too cocky, three-bar Theo," Caine warned her. "You're about to go head-to-head with me."

Andy's heart skipped a beat. "What?" she asked, her voice barely managing not to crack.

Caine smirked at her. "That's right. How else are you going to live up to your full potential? Something's got to drive you, and what better motivation than a rock flying at your head?"

"A rock?"

"Caine..." Diana warned.

Caine slowed his pace a little. "Fine," he huffed. "No rocks, but I'm not making this easy for you, either."

Somehow, Andy didn't feel any less panicked about what was to come.

She wasn't sure what Caine expected from her. All she'd managed to do was give someone an ice burn. Surely that wasn't going to be useful against someone with telekinesis. She wouldn't be able to get close enough to do any damage if she tried.