Sweet Lord... these exams are more intense than I thought they would be...

Managed to squeeze out a chapter today but no too sure on the quality. I've also sorted out the formatting issues on the previous chapter and done a quick proofread on it.

So anyway, enjoy.

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Cocking my head to the side, I look at the girl I’ve propped up against wall as I squat down next to her. She looks young, no more than fourteen years old, dressed up warmly to ward off the winter chill with a scarf wrapped around her neck and a winter parka. She has dark brown hair, almost black in a ponytail and a face many people would consider cute.

I have no clue why anyone would think that she could do anything to me. I mean look at her, she’s what? Barely a teenager, barely capable of even staying conscious when I look at her spark. Fucking disgraceful to be honest, but what does that say about me? I mean, sending her after me of all people, whoever’s in charge must either think highly of her, or very fucking badly of me.

Though I suppose they may not know anything about me. If whoever sent her, and those others I saw, followed ‘legal procedures’ and used approved sources of information, I doubt they would find anything on me. At least, nothing useful.

Rubbing my forehead, I grimace. Why? Why couldn’t they just leave me alone? It’s not like I’m hurting anyone, at least not too many people here. Just for once I’d like to meet someone in a position of power that isn’t at least a minor control freak. I mean, is it really necessary to need to place tabs on every single Unlocked in the world? Can’t I at least live in peace for once?

What to do now? Obviously I can’t stay here with the girl. It’s too exposed to the general public and if someone were to see a grubby homeless person standing over an unconscious girl, guess who gets the shit? Glancing around to check my bearings I realise I’m fairly close to the park. Literally just around the corner, which is perfect. Quiet, isolated and with enough room to move if shit happens.

Deciding that this is the best course of action, I bend down and haul the girl over my shoulder with a grunt. Sometimes I really wish I had super strength or something. It’s just so useful in these scenarios. And it also looks cool as fuck when you start throwing cars at people and the like.

I take a quick glance behind me to make sure nobody’s looking or calling the police before setting off to the park at a run, the limp body across my shoulder flopping around with every step.

Fortunately for me, it’s only about two hundred metres to the park and even more so; there are no random people standing around to watch me do so. Strange really, it’s only just been rush hour and though it does get dark earlier, what with it being winter and all, the streets are not normally this empty.

Whatever, not like it matters I guess. Beggars can’t be choosers, and I’m certainly qualified for the position of beggar.

Walking through the main gate, I head to the centre of the park along the narrow pathways through the overgrown (and rather dead looking) plants. Emerging from the thicket I look out onto the centre area of the park. It’s sort of an oval shaped basin, about three hundred metres across, with a pond at one end and the rest of it looking like a lawn outside someone’s house with designated paths running across it, though nobody really minds if you cut across the grass.

Perfect place for a fight if you don’t want anyone to see. At least, now it is because no one comes here this time of year.

Spying a bench at about the middle of the field I walk over quickly, completely ignoring the paths and getting my feet drenched in the process by the dew. Seriously though, I know this place. If everything does go pear-shaped I want at least some chance of getting out without a fight against other Unlocked. These kind of thing tend to attract very unwanted attention.

When I reach the bench, I roll the girl off my shoulder and onto it. She seems alright, if you ignore the lovely bruise she’s developing on her temple where I hit her. She’s breathing at least, so everything’s fine. It’s always good to have a hostage to ensure at least some civility.

And now, I wait. The ball is in their court. If they come after me, or the girl, so be it and we can get this sorted. If they don’t, well I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

Plopping myself down next to the girl I reach into my pocket and pull out a packet of cigarettes. Quite a good find actually, half full and just lying on top of a bin. I mean, it’s good for me because hygiene doesn’t really mean anything when I have yet to be killed by any form of infection or disease. Though I could get lucky now and miraculously become ill from the cigarettes and die. I could always get cancer. Though I doubt that that would kill me either.

Fishing out a cheap plastic lighter that I nicked from a corner shop I quickly light up a cigarette, the soft glow illuminating my face as I take a long drag. Tastes like shit to be honest, but the calming effect of the nicotine does feel nice.

I wait and I wait as the pile of ash next to me grows larger and the sky becomes fully night. Is it possible that the girl would be left behind? I doubt it, but you never know.

Just as I finish lighting my twelfth fag, the girl next to me stirs and groans as she feebly stretches out her neck. I watch her out of the corner of my eye, but make no other movement, rather watching the tree line for her friends.

As she slowly sits up she looks around blearily and rubs her head with a groan, I can’t help but wonder why she is here. She just looks so unprepared for anything. When she finally sees me exhaling a plume of smoke into the cold air she freezes and slowly edges away. Probably trying to gain some distance before running.

“Don’t even bother,” is all I say, still not turning to look at her. “I’d rather not kill you.”

At the sound of my voice she visibly flinches but at least she stops moving. She looks fucking terrified, shaking with fear and casting glances at me when she thinks I’m not looking. I swear she nearly bricked it when I raised my hand for another drag. Kind of funny really.

I’ve always found that to be the best way of intimidating someone. Leave it unspecified as to what exactly it is that you are going to do. It’s all about the nature of fear: your imagination. That’s all fear is if you think about it, it is your mind attempting to imagine what is going to happen and then preparing your body to react. If someone points a gun at you, you’re not afraid that he is pointing it at you, you are afraid that he is going to shoot you. In the same way, if you just generally threaten someone but don’t say what you are going to do, they tend to fuel their own fear without you having to do anything.

“Where are your friends?”

Again she jumps at the sound of my voice, but doesn’t say anything, only looking down at her feet and refusing to look up. I turn my head for the first time and drill my gaze into her. I know I have a scary glare and I intend to make full use of it.

She flinches at my movement, but refuses to meet my gaze. I maintain the pressure for a few more seconds before she decides to speak.

“They should be here soon,” She breaks off and looks up into the woods as her voice holds the faint traces of hope, “In fact, they’re here.”

I merely grunt and go back to my cigarette as I watch the shadowy figures emerge from the trees and start crossing the grass. I just hope they’ll be willing to take the girl and go. Though I get the feeling that things won’t work out that way.

As the group gets closer their features become more distinct. That tall guy is leading the way. The one who looks like he lives in the gym and man he looks pissed. Like, someone just set fire to my house and has now taken a shit in my hair pissed.

Just behind him comes a short girl flanked by two twins and some fat, greasy, bowling ball looking nerd. Still behind them comes another guy, taller with glasses, who looks very worried as he constantly fidgets.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

The group walks up and stops about ten metres from my bench. Aren’t they going to saying something? That’s how this shit normally works right? Heh, I can wait for them.

After about thirty seconds the beefcake takes a step forward, towards the girl but the girl calls him back.

“Dave!”

With a conflicted look the boy retreats a step and resolves to try and kill me with a stare. Not impressed, not that it matters. I’m more interested in the other girl. The one who seems to be in charge as I study her appearance. She’s kind of short with curly hair and a bag. I don’t like bags. You can have anything in there, like literally anything: a gun, a body. Pretty much anything

Another thirty seconds pass in silence before the girl sighs and steps forward.

“Look, we know that you’re Unlocked. Please let us help you.” She hesitates and her eyes flicker to my eyepatch, “I don’t know what you can do, but please, come with us and we can help you deal with whatever’s wrong. We’ve been sent by the Academy for Advancement of the Supernatural. We specialise in helping those with powers.”

I say nothing, just narrow my eye at her as I flick my fag end to the side and continue my scrutiny. After a pause, she opens her mouth to carry on but I speak first, “How’s this instead? I give you back the girl,” I jerk my head to indicate the girl sitting next to me, “and you guys fuck right off and leave me in peace.”

The tall guy, his face twisting in anger steps forward as well as he adjusts the gloves he is wearing, “She’s not yours to give.”

I merely sneer at him before turning back to the ‘boss’ as she continues talking. “Look. We cannot leave here without you and we have been authorised to use force to bring you in. So please don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. We might not know your power but we will fight you, and if we die, more powerful people will be sent.”

I merely stare at her before shaking my head slowly. “Nope. Not happening girlie.” Now what? I am genuinely curious as to what they are going to do next. I’m not afraid. At least not for myself.

She mentions for the tall guy, I guess his name is Dave, who quickly rushes forward across the gap. At his sudden movement everyone but me starts moving, the girl sitting next to me dives away and gets some distance, the two twins move back to the tall glasses guy and Mr Bowling Ball steps forward in front of the girl in charge.

I don’t move.

Dave, seeing the huge opening ploughs straight into me with his shoulder, snapping the bench in half and flattening me completely before bending down and picking me up by the lapel of my coat. Holding me a good few inches above the ground he beings to slug me across the face with his gloved hands before hurling me though the air towards the fat guy.

I hit the ground hard but slowly get to my feet and wipe some blood off my face. Dave rushes me again and swings a wide haymaker. How dumb does he think I am? I merely step back and let the first whistle by my face. Ah, so that’s why the punches hurt so much, the gloves have hardened knuckles. Probably saved his life in all honesty.

I instantly counter and punch him across the face to be met with a cracking sound. His face doesn’t move and his next punch lifts me off my feet. What is this guy made of? It felt like punching concrete. As I sail through the air a second time I muse to myself that he could be a transfigurator. Maybe turning his body to some kind of dense metal?

I pick myself up again and inspect my wrist. Definitely broken, the hand is flopping around like a limp dick and I can hear the bones crunching together. With my other hand I straighten the joint with a loud snap as the bones begin to knit back together.

Looking up I see Dave running at me again. Fucking persistent I’ll give him that but this is going nowhere. He keeps beating me down but I’ll always get back up and I can’t hurt him without using my power. I glance at fatso, but he hasn’t moved and I’m assuming the others are not suited for combat. Probably psychics.

I don’t know. Is it worth the risk of using my ability here? I doubt I could outrun Dave, so if I don’t I will never get away. But the collateral... Urgh. I don-

My thoughts are interrupted by a heavy impact to my chest which sends me flying again. Seriously mate, fuck off while I’m thinking of the pros and cons of killing you! Though I guess that decides it then…

Righting myself in the air, I dig my feet into the ground and skid back a few feet as I feel for it. The power within me. I enter a trance like state, almost meditation as I feel a familiar feeling of hate and despair well up as I tap into the power. Not my emotion though. It belongs to them. Shadows flicker across my vision and I hear a snippets of voices screaming around me.

Kill… Kill them all.

Kill them like you killed us!

Kill them…

Rip them to pieces!

I can feel them overwhelming me, the darkness almost completely obscuring my vision, I can feel myself losing reason in the dark. My mind becoming a frail bastion in a sea of madness and rage.

No! I look down and see a dark mist oozing from my skin, the grass around me shrivelling and dying as it touches the mist. Dave by now has backed off, but I don’t care. I desperately claw for control as I try to drive the madness away. Finally, it abates and gives in, yielding to my will. I am not done yet.

Looking up again from my hands I see Dave has backed off completely and the fat guy has stepped forward, low blue glow surrounding his hands. I sneer again, I seem to be doing that a lot these days, as I use the mist to form a pure black sword.  

As a step forward to swing the sword the nerd I see a flash of blue to my left and a dull pain rips through me. I turn and see my arm fall to the group with a thump as blood spurts from my stump. Really man? We’re gonna do this shit now?

With a growl I let the sword dissipate and I reach down to pick up my arm before holding it to my stump and allowing it to reattach after a few seconds, though the nerves will take longer to fix.

I see the boss girl step forward and speak, “Please, you can’t win here. Just come quietly.”

Like fucking hell I will. “Hah,” I growl, “We will kill every last one of you!” Reaching further, I draw on more power, but the madness rises with it, threatening to sweep me away. I begin expelling more and more mist, which slowly swirls forward, leaving a swath of death in its wake as it reaches for the girl of its own accord. I can barely see through the darkness anymore, nor hear anything as the screams are too loud as they begin to take control.

I see another flash of light before my body topples forward and hits the dry, lifeless ground. I try to get to my feet but I don’t move: the bastard cut me in half. Like that’s going to stop me though. I look back to try to send a spike of mist at the girl, but instead see her levelling some kind of gun at me.

See? You can hide anything in a bag.

I see her squeeze the trigger and a dart flies out to hit me in the shoulder. This is followed by two more and I can already feel them take effect as my vision darkens even further. As I slip out of consciousness, I see her lower the gun and talk to someone on my left before I lose all sight and the screaming reaches a mighty crescendo before blissful silence.