Chapter 67: Anti-Esper Terrorist

--Charles Dalton--

There is something amiss here. 

            For the principal to call out not just the teachers and researcher but all other employees were told to gather as well. Because of the urgency in his voice and the sudden announcement, no one had time to question what's on the principal's mind. What could possibly happen to make all of us gather? It's not like the principal for him to make a sudden gathering in such a short moment notice.

            While my mind was preoccupied with my own worries, I kept on walking toward the main hall where the employees were to gather for briefing among their own or with all faculty. It was located in the Praetorian Dome or the Soldier's Dome, a fitting name for school with the name Praetor. You could find the dome at the back of the school, next to the public sport arena. It's also use for every new school year where every students would gather together for the opening ceremony. 

            Once we get to the dome, another odd thing was that the front doors were open wide and the lights were all on, as if expecting the wave of people. We began to walk in line, pushing toward inside. Inside the dome, we arrived at the Main Hall as the principal wants, but then we saw the doors leading to the auditorium were left open as well. The a blue seats arched around the hall that covered most of the area, similar to a stadium only on a smaller scale. The dome didn’t have much space left from the chairs. Surrounding the hundreds of chairs was a platform, a podium at the edge of it, and a giant screen at the back, large enough for every corner in this room to see.

           

            "Charles!"

            

            A woman patted my back and at my side was my college. Her brunette hair tied in a bun, revealing her pearls earrings, her glasses hanging around her neck, up close you'd notice her thick make-up, hiding the slightest wrinkles under her chocolate eyes, "Ms. Fley, is there something wrong?"

            "Isn't that my line? Do you have anything to do with this gathering, why hasn't anyone heard of it?"

            "I don't know myself, Ms. Fley, but we might get some answer if we wait for him here."

            "Again with the 'Ms. Fley' didn't I tell you before that you should call me Cat like the others?"

            "You're like a mentor to me Ms. Fley, it would be inappropriate if I call your name so familiarly."

             She rolled her eyes away, tired perhaps of the same answer I always gave her. It's true that I think of her as my mentor. 3 years ago, straight out of college, she was the one who taught me everything I needed to know when working in this school. That's why I couldn't treat her any other way than a respected mentor.

"Another reason why you're still a bachelor, Charles, I'm not even that old yet you talk to me like I'm 10 years older than you"

            "It's a particular trait I'm fond of, mind you" I sat at the closest seat I spotted and Ms. Fley naturally slid into the seat next to me. I looked around and barely half the seats had been occupied.

             "Leaving that aside, if not even you're not aware of this, do you think something happen?"

             "I don't know" I gave her a short answer, but like she said, I wonder if something did happen? Principal Peter is an old friend of my father and I've known him for a long time. After enduring through a hard past, I was sure that my life was over until he poured his time into helping me get back up and offer me a job as a teacher. Soon after that, I naturally applied here for the job Teaching in this school really helped me open up a path in my life. It may be me being conceited but the Principal would always entrust me to solve problems within the school. Well, there has been a few hardships as a teacher, there are cases in school we couldn't openly tell the public details, including that incident I got involved concerning those three. Another reason why if it's an emergency he would at least talk to me first, it's not like him to make a decision like gathering everyone and leaving the children on their own.

             Wait, not like him...

             A sick churning hit my stomach at the worst possible situation. I felt my facial expression changed into one of dread with my eyes squinting and my eyebrows knit together. I turned to Ms Fey and my concerned expression passed onto her. "Ms. Fley, I think we should go to the principal office just in case"

             "Eh, shouldn't we wait? The principal should be here any moment don't you think?"

             "In any case, I have a bad feeling so can you please accompany me?"

            Ms. Fley was hesitant. Eventually she nodded and stood up. In that moment, a sudden burst of people flowing into the hall. I couldn't quite catch the number but there should at least be 20 people, all armed with assault rifles. Panic started to sweep the hall and people were ready to run for the door when the sounds of bullets rang out. The sounds echoed throughout the dome and a man roared, followed by a row of bullets as a form of warning shots. "IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE STAY ON YOUR SEAT!"

             Crap, this is even worst that what I imagined. I gulped involuntarily and dazedly remained standing until Ms. Fley pulled me down to my seat. One of the armed men walked towards the podium while the others spread out to take watch over the people in this dome. The man on the podium tapped onto the microphone. The sound of microphone should have been normal but it jolted some of us in such tense atmosphere. The man who seemed to lead this group cleared his throat and began to speak in a civil tone.

            "Good afternoon everyone, I'll make this short and simple for all of you to understand, we are part of the Anti-Esper faction here to remind the world what a wretched human being you people along with the government for the continuous nurture of biological weapons you all called espers. It is our duty to remind the people that we..."

             They started preaching about their will and purpose, sending a message to us like they had to the public in the past. They were long and boring but it took away our notice with his heavy voice and the large gun on his hand. If it weren't some useless words about justifying their own action I might actually try listening to them. A man who sat four seats away diagonally from me, stood up and with a daring tone of voice he lashed on the terrorist.

            "DO YOU THINK YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH THIS? THE AUTHORITY WILL STOP AT NOTHING ARRESTING ALL OF YOU INTO CUSTODY AND YOU BETTER PREPARE FOR IT!"

             The hall gone cold and silent hearing his bold words, He might have thought his actions were brave, but instead made me desperately praying inside that things wouldn't get any worse, but it did.

              He cleared his throat once more and continued with a calm look on his face, ignoring the abrupt interruption from our side. "Continuing what I say, right now we are in a mission to carry out our message of the truth that the espers are nothing but a blasphemy, which is why..." he flicked his finger as a cue, and a few of the gunmen began to shoot a few people. I felt myself being pushed aside and jerked sideways, I turned to find Ms. Fley dropping to the floor with a hole on her chest. The hall became mass chaotic once more but as if ignoring the scene, he continued his speech. "We want you to cooperate."

            "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

            I caught her in my arms before she could have hit the carpet floor.I took off my lab coat and pressed strongly onto her chest, but it wouldn’t stop. Blood continued to pour and escape her body. I couldn't care less that my white coat was already dyed in red and instead held on to her wound before she loss any more blood.

            "Oy you, get on your seat, now!" I heard someone calling out, I wonder if it was me. I didn't know, my ears gone deaf to my surroundings and kept on praying inside she would make it.

"Didn't you hear me, I said get on your seat!" something cold and hard pressed against my temple, but even so, I didn't move the slightest. I might have been shot by now if someone hadn't pulled my away by the shoulder. I gave him an irritated look and was on the verge of punching him for pulling me away.

            "Get it together Dalton! She's dead...Catherine Fley is dead so stop trying...there's nothing you can do for her."

            Those words somehow woke me up. I look once more at her rag body on the carpet and at my own soak lab coat over her. I stare at her blankly before my hand reach out toward hers. I pushed away her steel bracelet and felt her hand. It was beginning to feel cold and there was no longer any pulse. Just as he said...there's nothing I could do for her now. In a daze, I sat on my seat and my attention was turned toward the terrorist once more.

#

--Claudia Oriente--

Okay, so here's how it goes.

            7 armed gunmen suddenly came out of the elevators.

            20 or so espers huddled together on the ground.

            1 Witch getting caught up in all this.

            Again I asked myself why my life could never seem to be normal. I face the floor just as the gunmen had ordered us to and sensed the children were quivering in fear, some tried to hold back their tears only to cry more. Kids aren't as good at holding back as adult are anyway. 

              I'm just as flustered as them right now. As seeing my friends being held hostage and having guns pointed at you, I'm supposed to be the eldest (mentally) but I can't even get my mind straight and just repeats over and over ‘what should I do?'

              First, after taking control of my nervousness and breath calmly, I tried to inspect the situation once again. One person guarding the elevator, four people surrounding us, and the other two people missing I suspect are surveying the two rooms for other people or maybe they could be searching something here.

              I'm not too knowledgeable about this school, but I doubt about the latter since there's barely anything valuable in here and I wouldn't store anything precious here either if I was part of the school board. Normally with less people on guard I would have on the spot and attack them single handedly, (oh dear, I really am becoming a muscle brain) but I can't do anything that might harm the kids.

            "Uhm, excuse me."

            A guy from the middle school branch slowly lifted himself with his hands on the air, everyone's eye started focusing on him. What on earth is he thinking?! I was nervous what could a kid barely in his teen would possibly say in this situation, Dale might have been thinking the same thing as I heard him murmured "Shit" beside me.

             "My...my name is Ca...Ca...Carl Valera, son of Valera Cooperation’s CEO. I...I don't know what why you're here but if it's money you want, my pa...my parents could provide that. Moreover, even though we're kids, we still have about 20 espers to fight back with normal people like you. Not to mention the fact that you're causing a disturbance would alert the police immediately. So... can we settle this peacefully?"

              Another gunshot was heard giving most of us a heart attack, I unintentionally close my eyes and slightly peek at the kid. Thank goodness he was still standing, but when I thought about the bullet, I noticed the hole on the ground next to him. 

             "Get your ass on the ground and don't make me repeat myself."

             Carl, did as he told and went back crouching with a pale look on his face. Did he really believe it would work out that easily? 

              Worried about my friends, I started to look around. They all had the same look on their face, scared, helpless, and vulnerable. Three people had strangely calm faces though, Dale, Foax, and a guy from Dale's class. "Psst, Dale, you're from the Special Class right? Don't you have people in class they could help turn this situation around?"

            "There are three problems in your suggestion. One, it's much more dangerous trying to fight without being aware of each other ability, possibly creating more trouble instead. Two, it's difficult to focus our ability while being emotional. Third, they're likely have a kind of ESP interference tool or they wouldn't even dare attacking a school for esper."

            Well, if you put it that way, you make me sound like an idiot. 
            As two of his comrades were done surveying the floor, one of them seemed to have a call from his receiver. He whispered them to the others and they seem to nod in understanding. 

            I have a strong bad feeling about it, but I can't make a move without knowing the big picture. Who are they? why are they here? how are the teachers and how will the authorities move in to help? Those main questions weren’t even answer yet. I'm in a bind of choosing to abandon my hidden identity and just knock them out on the spot while their guard is loosen or wait and see first.

             "All right everyone, I want you stand up and make a line now!" 

             The kids looked at each other confused, they slowly began to stand up and made a line. "Didn’t you hear me? I said NOW!" The loud heavy voice that echoed to boot was enough to maybe make us leak ourselves; we began to move into a line desperately. The man with the loud voice took out a device from his pocket. It was the size of a small tablet but has a handle on it. Slowly he walked to every one of us with it on hand. I could come up a hundred theories of what it is but I rather think of getting out of here, maybe at least take one down with me. 

            This is why I reluctantly call out Escape Plan #12.

             When the man started walking toward me, I began to put my knee together and put my hands over my bladder. I began to shiver and when that man began to question my behavior, I look at him with teary eyes and begging look. "I need to pee"

            Escape Plan #12, the Potty Plan. 

            I know it's ridiculous, but desperate times called for desperate measures, which apparently almost all my plan was in fact, desperate measures. 

            "Deal with it!" he said coldly. 

            "I have, but I'm already on my limit, please you have to help me", I cringed inside, this is the biggest embarrassing moment I have in this life. Let no one know my face after this ends. The man kept ignoring me but when he saw the leaking drops of water under me, he finally gave in. 

             "Someone, get this girl a room!"

              One of the terrorist escorted me to the restroom, he guided me toward the operating room and swiftly pointed to the toiletry. Even though the hallways were like a maze he was able to find it fairly quickly, he must have good memories or he had been here before. Not that it matters now.

            "Don't take too long." he growled.

            He waited at the door and I entered, well isn't he a gentleman. However, not long after I enter, I made a terrified scream that alerted him. The restroom only had four stalls, he walked toward it, not knowing I was just behind the door he opened. I floated quickly over him and touch both side of his head, I flowed out my mana with one order in mind. 

            [Sleep]

            He fell to the floor in that instant. It's the first time I used a spell directly like that. Well, specifically it was more of mana manipulation rather than spell itself. A good example of mana manipulation is enforcing my child's body with the strength of adult so calling it a spell is only half correct. Moreover, usually the best way to make one sleep is using an enchanted music tool, but ever since I thought of enhancing part of the brain that suggested sleep, making things easier. I thank you biology for giving me this spell. 

            I pulled him to one of the stallsand made sure its lock too. The spell should last for hours and it’s almost impossible to break so I could forget him for now, but on the off chance he woke up somehow, flushing his clothes and leaving him half naked should make it hard for him to move around I suppose. 

            If you ask if I find my actions funny, then my answer is yes... I do. One of them should at least face humiliation of forcing me pretending to leak, it was only creating small drops of water to look like I was leaking but I won't be satisfied if one of you doesn't feel my wrath. 

             I ran back to the VR Room and was cautious not to be seen, but my worries was for naught since everyone was gone. I rushed to the elevator with the resolve to save my friends and to see this through. 

#

--Dale Fillion--

 I wonder what Claudia is up to. I have a hunch that she was planning on something, but it looks like I can't help her any other way. After the man mysteriously went over each of us with that strange device in hand, he called out about six of us forward including me. I glanced at the five of them, pulling out information I knew about them. 

             Dean Moose, a third grader in Class S. Held the ability to communicate with computers. 

              Felix Avelore, a sixth grader from Class 3. His ability is mediocre but he is one of the rare type to have 3 kind of abilities which is Photographic Memory, Visualization, and Calculus Mind. Looking at one ability, it sounds average but together, it's like having a computer as your brain.

               Allyston Drew, a second year in middle school and in the same class as me. Her ability is Amplification, amplifying any kind of output whether it's from devices or esper themselves. 

             Morra Havi, a third year student with Dysarthria, a disorder that cause her having a hard time of speaking. She has the ability to manipulate plants. 

             Finally, there's Jessica Foax. Apparently his parents had longed for a daughter judging by his name. As an old friend of Rick, we were acquaintances, we have a mutual feeling of not being fond with each other. A brat that knows nothing and deem Rick as a traitor, but I can't really insult him as I was partially in fault of that incident. 

            Gah, since when do I get so sentimental? Stay objective Dale, this is your strong point, you need to figure things out to keep the student safe. Though since I doubt the teachers, including Prof. Dalton, could help if are having a tough time, I suppose we are on our own. 

            That kind of mindset only lasted for a minute. The man with the device tuck it away and started fiddling with his ring. I figured he had pushed a button and it turned green as a response. He spread his hand on us but I feel nothing, maybe a little bit sleepy and my mind felt it was push back, but I could tell I'm wide awake. 

            "On your knee" he said to the ring. On cue to his words, each of us fell down to the ground with one knee with not slightest hesitation, including me. A part of mind was yelling What the F****, but another didn't question much and felt the urge of going to sleep.

            "Huh, this feel better than I thought" the man muttered. He turned and arched his head sideways, signalling them to do the job. Six of his comrades went up to six of the kids in front and press their ring which then glowed a hue blue color. They then touched the children's head as if they were patting them

            Something was happening, I didn't know what yet, but I'm was sure they aren't doing anything we might like. The man that took on the role leader of this small group, headed towards the elevator and demanded both men and children to follow. He looked at the small size of the elevator and regretted that idea considering the size of the elevator and ordered them directly after then, to follow up after the first batch. 

            So much putting up a cool character, I thought deeply.  

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PRAY FOR JAKARTA

On 14th January, a suicide bomber and shooting with the media claim to be the work of ISIS.

Three people died, many were injured.

They police has disabled 4 people to be as the perpetrator but who knows how many member have snuggled unnoticed in Indonesia. I hope I'm just over thinking.