The rest of the summer ran uneventfully. The group gave up on trying to find Marianne. She remained a mystery to them. Instead, they focused on key figures of the Institute and took turns following them around.
They started with the head of it, Madeleine Clark. She had a busy schedule. Several meetings throughout the day, interviews, dinner parties, some nights spent in luxurious hotels. Nothing unusual, and one week was long enough for them to decide she wasn't worth their effort.
On the aftermath of yet another failure, Rachel tried her best to keep the team motivated.
Abigail Parker was the next target. Once again, nothing. They followed her to her family's charity event.
Using Diego's power, he, Ánh, and Rachel infiltrated as waiters. To Rachel's surprise, Rebecca Lewis and Mark Parker were extremely polite to them, unlike most of the guests that treated them as if they weren't even there. Abigail took a drink from Ánh 's tray and smiled. Despite her disguise, Ánh avoided any eye contact, pretended not to speak English and left.
Next, they focused on Emily Roberts when she came back from Africa. She spent her summer doing videos and taking photos for social media everywhere she went. She accepted deviants from abroad in an exchange program and volunteered with NGOs.
They realized after two days that there was no difference between what she showed online and what she did in real life. Keeping tabs on her socials would be enough. No one wanted to, and Ánh accepted the boring task.
Their impatience grew, and they lost hope that they'd find this secret organization. Three key figures were a dead end. Rachel kept motivating them. They had a purpose and no matter how long it took; they'd prevail... eventually. That was her motto, but when no one was watching, she let out her stress, frustration, and anger on the fighting robot.
On one evening, Ánh asks everyone to meet her. She shows them the latest interview with the president of the Institute.
"Miss Clark, the Institute reopens tomorrow and with an innovation! The deviants there will all use the bracelet."
"Exactly, Martha! We are pleased to announce that we have concluded the final tests. The bracelet is safe, and our students and employees will use it. Honestly, I wish I was a deviant, so I'd wear it myself!" Madeleine laughs. "We are confident that this pilot project will show that humans and deviants can live happily together."
"And how are the deviants taking it in?"
"They love the idea. Our deviants, unlike others, want to create a society in which their abilities aren't feared and are happy to be free from the burden of their side effects. This is something that isn't openly discussed enough, but there is so much pain associated with the ability. The bracelet will ensure none of it anymore."
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"What about the shocks? We all saw Emily Roberts in pain on the Day of Peace!"
"Martha, that was our primary concern: deviants' suffering. The Day of Peace was three months ago, the incredible team of the Institute worked non-stop to make it possible. No more pain!"
"Wow, an historic day not only for the United States of America, but for the world. The Institute has improved their bracelet and starting tomorrow, for the new school year, a pilot project will take place. Every deviant there will have a bracelet that prevents them from using their abilities. We will interview Emily Roberts on an exclusive after a quick break."
Several ads appear on social media right after Madeleine's interview, showing children happy with their new jewelry and how pretty it was. Available in different colors. They are perfectly fine with trading their gene for a shiny, new object.
Rachel's eyes turn blank.
How can anyone accept so willingly to wear this? She holds her posture in front of the others, but inside, her thoughts race, her heart beats too fast and her chest hurts.
"Are you okay, Rachel?" Ánh asks her.
"Yes, yes, I'm going to the gym," she leaves.
***
A few days later, Emily and Jade are on the marketing floor practicing for an interview, Aminu and Padma are on the lab, Abigail has a class in a few minutes, when the elevators stop working, the electricity goes off, and five armed people, three men and two women, open the door on the floor of the classes and shoot while declaring everyone to be a traitor to their own kind.
They film the children running, the bodies lying on the floor bleeding. The instructors run and hide the children in any safer space, while trying to call the security corps, but both the internet and the mobile service aren't available.
They are on their own.
***
Across town, the group is on the operations room discussing their next move.
"Weird," Ánh says while staring at her computer.
"What's up?" Diego asks.
She sees that the network of the Institute is down. She accesses the surveillance cameras and sees the children running and hears the assassins shouting. After a few minutes, the cameras stop recording, and there is no power. Their backup generator failed.
"What's going on?" Rachel asks.
Alex and Rachel move closer to Ánh. Diego looks up to the screen and Megan continues drawing on her tablet.
"They are shooting deviants at the Institute," Diego says, and goes back to his social media duty.
"Who's they?" Rachel asks.
"I don't know, but on the audio, they claimed to be deviants and treating them as traitors," Ánh explains. Her foot taps.
"We'll be blamed for this too."
"They are... shooting down innocent people. Rachel..." Ánh's eyes fill with water.
"Innocent people die all the time. For me, this is justice." Diego avoids looking at her.
"With the bracelets, they are sitting ducks. That's not justice," Alex intervenes.
"It's not our problem, Alex!"
"They are deviants! It is our problem too. I'm heading there. Alex, please take me!" Ánh stands up.
"No, you won't!" Diego shouts.
"Yes, I will. Rachel, please."
"It'll be dangerous. We have no idea how many are armed there, or if the deviants from the Institute won't try to kill us too. Also, maybe someone is wounded there already. Megan-" Rachel looks at her.
Megan nods.
"Alex, let's head into an open area; it will be easier not to be trapped there. Ánh, show us where."
They grab some black hoodies and cover their heads with it, Alex gets nearer Ánh and teleports them. Rachel teleports herself and Megan. They choose the wide area of the classes floor, where students spend their time between classes.
There were trees, benches and a variety of boards and vending machines.
When they get there, children, teenagers and adults bleed out on the floor. Two of the armed people are there and open fire in their direction.