I ran again. If they didn't need me alive, I would've already been dead. After I started running, I suddenly remembered I had locked every entrance into the kitchen and thus, every exit. My only exit was the door Spanish and Great Kali had had blown up—and yep, they made sure I couldn't get anywhere near it. I had a plan.
Great Kali ran after me. Although I was fast I was very sure he would catch up. He had really long legs. I jumped over a slab and got to the utensils counter—my big plan.
Now you may be thinking "Gee Dylan, you're about to be kidnapped by psychos and you're thinking about knives and forks?"
Well yeah, they actually proved to be nice long range weapons.
I threw everything I could get my hands on, at Great Kali, except the knives—although I was tempted.
Spanish guy had silently walked to my side of the slab, while Great Kali kept edging closer on the other side. They were closing in on me, but in a bid to do that, they had forgotten to guard my only exit. I kept throwing bowls, cups, plates, trying to slow them down.
Then I heard a noise from the living room. It sounded like breaking china. Turned out Great Kali and Spanish guy weren't expecting company, because they turned instantly to the direction of the noise.
This was my chance. I threw my mum's favorite tea cup at Great Kali's head knocking him out, then I leapt over the slab and raced to the door trying not to think how long I'd be grounded for the teacup.
I was about to jump over the rubble of wood and marble when I was held by a muscular hand from behind. It was Spanish guy, how had he gotten here so fast?
"Move another muscle, and I'll knock you out."
There was a loud thump and then a louder thud as Spanish guy collapsed to the floor. Huh?
Then about a foot from him, the air shimmered and my math teacher, Miss Susan materialized out of thin air, holding a club. She was flanked by two guys in red suits.
"Dylan are you okay?" Miss Susan rushed towards me searching for scratches and bruises.
"I'm fine." I said, hoping she wouldn't spot the cut a few centimeters up my elbow.
"I got your call Dylan and I came as fast as I could. You have to see the council." She said finally letting go of me.
"Whoa. Hold on. I'm grateful for this..." I gestured at Spanish guy who was sprawled on the floor. "But I didn't ask to be taken to any council. My mum would be home soon..."
"And that's exactly why we should leave now. I know you have a lot of questions." She glanced at Spanish Guy. "I promise we'll be able to give you answers. The council might even tell you who your parents are."
My brain exploded. It took me some time to understand the gravity of what she had said
How did she know about my parents? I didn't want to go, but she had me hooked (stupid curiosity). I might be able to know who my parents were.
My mind suddenly drifted to my vacation in the woods. I had promised my mum I would find my real parents, no matter what it took and my mind hadn't changed. I couldn't help but feel nostalgic for parents I had never known.
I really wanted to follow Miss Susan. She seemed to have real answers. Besides, I wasn't very keen on facing my mum either.
How would I explain that two psycho twin mums tried to kidnap me, but then, they were stopped by my math teacher who materialized out of thin air?
I sighed. "Okay, but I'd have to leave my mum a note telling her I'm okay."
"That's okay. But you can't mention where we're going."
That should have made me suspicious, but she added
"You'll understand soon."
I walked off trying to remember where I had dropped my bag during the hassle. I found it at the foot of the staircase beside the banister.
I took out a pen and a note and began writing. From the side of my eyes, I could see Miss Susan talking into an intercom hung on her ear. She was whispering and I couldn't hear her clearly but then considering the distance between us I realized I shouldn't have been able to hear her at all.
The only complete sentence I heard was. "Return to the Academy."
It didn't make any sense but I decided to focus on the letter.
"Take your time Dylan." Miss Susan said five minutes later and I didn't want to believe that was sarcasm in her voice.
A few more minutes passed then I concluded the note with an I love you mum
The letter felt heavy in my shaking hands. I didn't say much but I hoped it would be enough to make mum not too worried. If everything worked out fine I was only going to be gone a few hours.
Once I'm done with the council stuff, I would head straight back home. I dropped the letter on the first step of the staircase where mum could see it and then I said to Miss Susan.
"So how do we get to this council?"
*****
Mckayla Munroe,
In her supposed home, few minutes ago.
~I wonder how long I'm going to be in this world.~
I thought being in this world was going to be boring but the more I stayed the more I realized it was very different from Asth. The government, the people even the buildings.
But the major difference was the schooling system. I would have enjoyed that day's classes if I wasn't too busy tailing that Dylan guy.
I hadn't expected him to ask me out to prom. I mean it was obvious he didn't feel that way for me. So why had he asked me? I had spent the last few minutes thinking about it, but I had to admit, he was a very complicated person.
My intercom suddenly beeped
"Mckayla come in." said a feminine voice.
"I'm here."
"I'm sorry but the mission is already complete. Return to the academy. Call Romelus to allow you teleport directly."
I expected her to say more but nothing more came. I sighed. I didn't expect I'd miss earth this much, but it was time to go back. I tapped my intercom.
"Hello Romelus. I'm on earth on a special mission. Code Alpha."
I hung up the call without waiting for a reply. It was Annex policy. All I had to do was wait five minutes and then I mentally pictured where I needed to be. Barely a second later, I was just outside Malzar grounds in Asth.
*****
Dylan Danvers,
His home,
Earth.
"So how do we get to this council?"
"We teleport."
Miss Susan said it like I should already know that.
"Ok so how do we do this." I asked sarcastically. "Do we scrunch our face till we look like Japanese fools."
"No you just hold my hand. I'll do the rest."
She looked serious but I had realized long ago that looks were deceptive. The only reason I might have believed her was I still couldn't explain how she had materialized out of thin air.
"Hello." Miss Susan said into her intercom. "Code Alpha."
Five minutes later, she ordered me to hold her hand, while she ordered the guys in red suits to hold her shoulder. I noticed that they had tied up Great Kali and Spanish guy like prisoners.
The moment the red suits touched Miss Susan's shoulder we were sucked into blackness. Or it could have been a washing machine I don't know.
My stomach churned and my eyes popped. I felt like I was suffocating but as soon as everything started, it ended. It felt exactly how I pictured death to feel like.
The last thing I wanted to do was open my eyes. I feared that if I did, I would see two ghosts floating towards me saying...
"Hey son, glad you could make it. We've waited forever for you. Today's our death anniversary and we were on our way to see a movie. Wanna join us?"
...or whatever parent ghosts would say to their son. Naturally, my curiosity took the better of me and I opened my eyes.
I looked at Miss Susan and she didn't look like she had experienced what I just did. I thought it was all some prank until I noticed I was no longer in my house.
I was in front of some building that was made of gold. Was it just me or did the building look just like the Empire State Building? The only difference was the roof.
The roof had some sort of design. It was a letter Z, with a lightning bolt down the centre that rotated in every direction
"Don't worry Dylan. I promised you'll get answers to your questions here and I meant it." Miss Susan said. "But first we have to see the council. I called an important meeting on our way here—don't look so surprised Dylan, we Zarden have our ways of communication."
There was that word again—Zarden
She was right though. I had a lot of questions. Really important ones like; when was I going to wake up from this crazy dream?
I looked around and noticed that every building and parking lot or street here existed in the actual New York only finer and in like reverse position. It seemed like what you would see if looking at New York through a mirror that made things appear golden.
There were things here and there. Art and technology that shouldn't exist outside our imaginations. I was tempted to ask Miss Susan if we had time traveled?...
"We're here" Miss Susan announced. "The Citadel."
Then I noticed she was referring to the Golden Empire State Building.
"The Citadel?"
"Yes Dylan the Citadel. Imagine it like the White House of your world."
"My world?"
Miss Susan sighed. "Let's go. Keep your questions for the Elders."
Elders. It was another foreign word that I wanted to understand but Miss Susan had made it very clear she didn't want to give me answers.
Miss Susan led the way into the building.
Inside the building there was more gold and silver along very narrow corridors. Everyone here seemed to be wearing suits, of; red, green blue, grey or white, and holding files or briefcases. They all seemed busy like this was their workplace or something. No one spoke for
about ten minutes, and then Miss Susan whispered to me:
"Don't worry Dylan they‖re just nervous. This hasn't happened before...at least not in fifty years."
I wanted to ask what exactly hadn't happened, but I never got the chance. At the end of a corridor stood a twin door that had the same Z and lightning bolt etched on it. When we were a step away, the doors swung open right on cue and we walked into a vast room.
"Here we are." Miss Susan said. "Welcome to the Annex."
Annex I thought. What a cool name for such... for this. The room was built in so much precious and rare metals that it should be illegal, but it seemed like it was built with no design. Or, maybe this was the design, trying to make each part of the room represent an era.
I saw a part of the room which should represent the current 21st century but a dull 16-19 was emblazoned on the wall a few meters from the ceiling. In the centre of the room, there was an oval-shaped silver table and eight matching leader-clad silver chairs.
Sitting in four of those chairs were three men and a woman of different ages. The oldest guy seemed about 65; the youngest 25.
"Welcome. Dylan Danvers...to the Annex." Said a man sitting in the middle chair, to my right hand side of the table. "My name is John Munroe, and these are Elijah Wilbur, Catherine Grace and The Eldest. We are the council?"