The Neogene Project

Chapter 19 - Photogenic

Chapter 19 - Photogenic

 

“So?” Rowen asked as he and Jade stepped into his car. “What else did he say besides the fact that he’s a psycho who’s trying to recruit you for the skeleton war?”

“It’s not the skeleton war, Rowen,” Jade replied. “And he’s not a psycho. He just underestimated us. Specifically, me.”

“Fine,” Rowen grumbled. “Whatever you say.”

Jade had just spent her lunch period with Adam, a guy that she found to be less than inviting but it was a date she could not avoid. He wanted to know all of the information she possessed, and she wasn’t about to keep it from him, partly for his intimidating vibe, and partly because he knew a lot of stuff she wanted to know as well. Their lunch meetup had answered a lot of her questions, and had given her more knowledge of the Powers Project than she would have ever thought she could know.

Rowen started his car engine. The two were on their way to Rowen’s house to do a little studying for a math test they both had. They were not, however, expecting what had ensued that day to happen, and that was all Jade could really think about.

"There was something else though," Jade said as the car drove out of the parking lot. "Harvey becomes a completely different person around him. It's interesting."

"Something we could use against him?" Rowen asked.

"Well, that's not the first thing I thought of," Jade replied. "Although you could be right."

"Elaborate," Rowen commanded.

"It's hard to explain, but he becomes almost timid whenever Adam speaks. And he gives Adam his undivided attention. It's weird."

"Why do you think that is?"

"I honestly don't know. But it is kind of unnerving. It's like he's two different people. Does Adam even know how obnoxious Harvey really is?"

Rowen was silent. "Maybe...Maybe he has a special relationship with him. Maybe they have some backstory."

Jade nodded. "Maybe," she replied. She couldn't really understand what it was about Adam that made Harvey act so strangely. Adam and Harvey were so similar, it didn't make sense for one of them to be intimidated by the other.

"But enough about that," Rowen said. "What else did he tell you?"

"Well, his 'skeleton war' project is actually called The Powers Projects of America. It's a project that he came up with two years ago, and the goal is to defeat the Nitsu Project advocates.”

“I know,” Rowen replied, sounding annoyed. “But what is Harvey’s relationship with Adam? Why do they both have to be here?”

“Because Harvey is like Adam’s second in command. Adam did not want to reveal himself to us right away so he sent Harvey instead to feel us out. Besides, he needed someone young enough to enroll in high school without it seeming suspicious.”

“Why him?” Rowen asked.

“I don’t know,” Jade answered. “I didn’t ask.”

“Fair enough,” Rowen replied. “Anything else he told you?”

“Not really. He gave me a little background on his Powers Project. He lives in Geneva.”

“Isn’t that in Switzerland?” Rowen interjected.

“Well, yes, but apparently there is also a Geneva in New York. Anyways, there are six of them in all, three girls and three guys. He didn’t tell me what their powers were, but he did say that they have had them for a while, and that they were also on board with his whole... Powers Project of America idea.”