Time skipped.
Right now, our protagonists were escorting their way out of China by using chinook.
"......"
Everyone was sitting silent toward each other within the uncomfortable atmosphere around.
Especially, the extremely tense atmosphere between Jody and Syd.
Although there was Seraphina involved too, hers seem little compared to Jody.
The boy knew he had a lot of explanation he needed to make.
And there're no excuses.
" here."
Mickey lent Sera a towel, she received and used it to cover up her messy wet hair.
The German boy then sat down next to her.
" You have any hairdryer?"
Sera always be cautious about every word she said towards Mickey. This dude can literally pick any words from her and use them to roast her back.
However, this time was not the case.
"... Let see..."
Sera was surprised, This time Mickey was completely different than he used to.
He was still in serious mode, or even more serious than he should.
(.......)
Sera said nothing. Because she knew this was involved with the tense atmosphere between the agents and two of them, Sera and Jody.
" Guess what..."
Said Mickey.
Out of nowhere, there's actually a hairdryer up here.
Mickey then gave it to her.
" But where's the electric-"
Sera looked for the power outlet, but she realized as Mickey pointed to himself.
"... Oh ...okay..."
She said.
He grabbed at the end of the plug tightly before used his ability to move the electric charges to make the hairdryer work.
"......."
Sera did not ask why that time Syd pour a gallon of water on her...not now.
Because she could feel it, Indeed, everybody even the pilots could feel that the tensest atmosphere came from Jody the most.
She already saw Sera being completely soaked, same as Daisy.
So what's gonna happen from here.
It's up to Jody now.
Right now Sera just need a little rest before hearing their explanation of what in the hell just happened back there.
* Sera drying her hair in the background*
Jody was sitting on the opposite side of Syd, or in another word, face to face.
Sera already connected her bones back again.
Next to her was Roxxy Barrett, she constantly released the cold vapor to Jody.
" Is it better now? "
She asked.
Jody nodded before Syd handed her cold drinking water.
"....."
Jody gazed at that before receiving it.
"...."
" Drink it slowly. You almost died from the pincer heatstroke."
Said Syd.
" Thanks." Jody replied, " Especially the inversion flame. Otherwise, I'll be dead as you said."
"...."
The tension gets even tenser as Jody mentioned it.
"....."
"....."
"...."
"....."
"........"
"I'm not mad, Syd. Just 'Disappoint'."
Said Jody.
" I'm not going to say anything and I don't have anything to say in what just happened. Thinking from your perspective, you should have some acceptable reasons why you keep it from me and Sera."
"...."
" But you knew from the beginning... Do you? You keep asking my sister about it ...when you're behind me..."
Said the boy.
" But when I ask you, you lied."
"......"
"....."
" To be honest..."
Jody paused, She sighs... Before continued,
" I feel like I'm the only one thinking that we can trust each other well. Turns out, you didn't trust me as much as I trust you at all. It may not seem like a big deal for you...but..."
Jody stared into his eyes.
"I'm heavily disappointed in you, Syd. Instead of trying to explain...you lie to me. What are you afraid of? Am I such an entreat in your eyes that you chose to lie instead of explaining?"
"....."
" Don't you ever question yourself that you're a little bit underestimating my maturity?"
"......"
Sigh.
Jody put down a water bottle.
"... I've changed my perspective on you, Syd."
"......."
"........"
Syd went completely silent after Jody finished speaking. He didn't come up with any argument.
That irritates Jody. However, as she kept staring at him. His body language was telling her that he had something he wanted to say, but he couldn't.
"......"
"...you have anything to say to me? "
She asked.
"......"
"......."
" You don't understand."
He said.
That cliche sentence triggers Jody. She instinctively pulled up his collar with sudden anger... She hated it. She hated it when someone treated her like she knew absolutely nothing about the situation.
however, she quickly released it and wiped his collar for him as she realized she let her old habit took over herself.
" Sorry....for that childish act..."
Jody tapped on his shoulder.
"..."
She then turned back and laid down to the seat, she needs a rest...maybe just a sleep.
.
.
.
.
"......."
An unknown time has passed, Seraphina Gilmour opened her eyes after a long nap.
She found that there's a blanket covering her, as she looked around, everyone was resting.
Mickey was napping, same as Jody and Syd Barrett.
The only people who're still awake were Roxxy and Toshi at the corner, watching over Daisy and Pete.
"...."
Sera got up from the seat before slowly approached them.
".... You sure they're not gonna wake up?"
Sera asked.
Roxxy shook her head.
" We've ejected an intense amount of neothyl in them."
" Neothyl? That chemical thing they used to make people sleep?"
Asked Sera.
" Deep sleep would be more precise."
Toshi added.
"....."
Sera sat next to both of them.
" Aren't you tired? Or you couldn't sleep?"
Toshi asked her.
" I'd better ask you two."
She replied.
" There should be someone to watch over these two." Roxxy said, " Just in case."
"..."
"......."
"........"
" Hey...."
" Yeah?"
" About what just happened... You guys knew it from the beginning...right? The fact that your brother is also the ability user?"
"...."
Roxxy and Toshi both were uncomfortable to talk about this, however, Roxxy was the one who came up with a reply.
"... *sighs*... Well... It's not like I've never warned him or anything... But he already chose. Even it wasn't sound so convincing to say he's not the ability user while his sister is the one... I already told him he couldn't hide it from bright heads like you both..."
Roxxy held her head with hand.
Toshi over there rubbed her back.
" What exactly was that ability?"
Sera asked.
"... It's complicated."
Toshi replied, glaring his eyes to Syd.
" I think it'd be explained soon. Because we're not turning back to England after all."
Sera twisted her eyebrows.
" Wait... We're not returning back home?"
Roxxy shook her head.
" We're going straight to the headquarters. We're bringing both of you to THRAK along with these couples, the order has been sent along with the mission. but we didn't tell you."
!!!!!!!!!!?????
Sera was completely shocked.
" Wait-wait--- WHAT???.. Hol-hold- HOLD ON. Why don't you guys tell us first?! "
" Because I know you'd be like this."
Roxxy said,
" So that you'll focus on the mission."
Toshi added.
"....."
Her mouth opened, so as her eyes.
" Isn't this too soon or...? I mean... It's so sudden..."
Sera looked around the aircraft, soon, she realized that all the windows has been covered up. And they were separated from the pilots.
Now this explains her. Since she and Jody had stepped inside the Chinook, they're already cover up all views outside so that both of them won't know where the "Secret base" is.
Her heart pounds heavily, Sera started to panic.
" So...what they'll do to me?"
Asked Sera.
"...."
Both Toshi and Roxxy looked at each other in the eyes.
" They'll just put you on a little test. You know, If you were just an average person found on the street, you wouldn't have come here. Yes? Be proud of yourself a little! You and Jody are like... On top of the pyramid...you know what I said?"
"......"
" What happened to the so-self confident Seraphina Gilmour?"
Suddenly, another person who sounded like he just woke up spoke from her behind.
"..."
Sera's mood ruined at instant, she heavily sighs.
Yes.
The only person who always comes up with sarcasm.
Nobody but Mickey Mannix.
Respectable to anybody, except her.
"..... Guys, why yall gathering there?"
He yawns.
Sera sighs even heavier.
" What's wrong with you? Do you have some tonsil problems? Is your nose alright?"
💢💢💢💢
" Fucking annoying."
Sera said, but loud enough that it slipped into his ears.
" huh, what's that? What's going on? I just woke up."
Said Mickey.
" We just told her that we're taking both of them to THRAK."
Toshi informed him.
" Oh... Ok... Now I understand why our little princess is panicking."
Sera turned to him with coldly stared.
" Excuse me?"
" What?"
" What did you just call me?"
"..."
" Little princess?"
" Who do you think you're talking to? "
" uh... Little princess?"
"...."
" What's wrong with that? Back in school, you used to act like one, didn't you?"
Sera changed from staring at him coldly into disgusted.
She realized there's no point to argue with this man.
So she decided to turn back to Roxxy and Toshi.
" See? How can this guy be the nicest guy on your list? Look at him. Look at what he said to me."
" Spitting facts?"
Mickey asked.
With frustration, Sera turned back and pointed up a middle finger to him.
"heh."
Mickey smirked.
That irritated her even more, however...
"....."
Roxxy picked a phone, she read a new message on it before declared to everyone around there.
" We're arriving at the base. Go wake 'em up."
" Wait...so I'm going to see them...with this terrible look? Hell NO!"
" Who said you'll go in this outfit?"
Mickey tossed a hard plastic bag to her, Sera received it with visible confusion before she found out that inside it was her...
" My casual dress?! "
" Yeah. It's yours. I took it from your closet while you aren't aware. I already thought that this would happen...although...not as terrible as this."
" WHAT-?! EW!!! you intruded my room AGAIN?? DIDN'T I SAY YOU'RE NOT ALLOW TO COME IN?! "
Sera started bawling.
" Just shut up and change the clothes as soon as we land. You're bawling like an old fella."
" I KNOW. DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! MANNIX! "
💢💢💢🤬🤬🤬
Now, these 2 are standing, facing each other.
" Sera, please. At least for the sake of England. We don't need to fight over each other all the time. Aren't you getting bored with this?"
Said Mickey.
" You always start it first. Now you're being ironic."
Replied Sera.
" Nah. My words are nothing to you unless you get offended because you admitted that those are true.Lmao."
" AHHHH! YOU BASTARD!"
Sera pulled his outer suit over.
Mickey could see the veins on her neck.
Seeing his stupid face smirking at Sera, she wanted to punch that face so badly.
Roxxy softly tapped on Sera's shoulder before she's getting even louder.
She shook her head, telling Sera that it's no use to argue with this Jewish boy.
" Don't take him seriously. You know, the more you get mad, the happier he becomes. You know, If you keep staring at his face like that you may fall for him."
!?!?!?!?
Sera turns back,
" What're you talking about? Fall for him? *laughs* this thing? This degenerate? I didn't expect you to say that."
" Anything you say--"
Mickey whispered,
Without prepared, when she turned back to Mickey, his face was only just 2 joints of the finger close to her face.
Sera startled, Mickey pulled his face away.
Hard to admit, but her heart just dropped down to the floor.
" If Roxxy is right, then you'll end up keep crawling to me. And I'm telling you. I'm gonna decline."
"..."
Sera chuckled before replied back with an evil look on the face.
" Do you think that fantasy relationships actually exist? Heh, don't make me laugh. Many men in my life with that overconfident ends up losing faces countlessly."
" Not this man."
he said.
" Yeah. So confident at everything but too pussy for a scary game."
She smiled with that epic come back of hers.
This time it hit the spot.
Sera noticed that Mickey had a change in his emotion.
He's triggered but tried to press down.
She smirks even more.
She's glad that her money didn't go waste that time when she used it to buy this information from Toshi.
Mickey sighs.
" I'm sure that even I am really scared of ghosts and shit, but yours are even worst. You didn't even figure about this yourself, did you? You made a deal with that dumb ass nigga."
Mickey pointed to Toshi, a guy who sold his secret.
" What? Are you crying, Now? Huh?"
" I'm not crying... Not like you."
" What you mean?"
"Remember that Gecko?"
That does make Sera's face turned red out of embarrassment.
He's saying a forbidden thing she didn't want to think about it.
The lowest point in her entire life.
" What?.... A Gecko?"
Roxxy twisted her eyebrows.
" Yeah. You wanna hear it? It happened long ago, but believe it or not. Sera actually---"
No words coming out of Sera, Instead, She grabbed his entire face to shut his mouth up.
"....."
" You.said.it. I dare you."
Sera whispered to his ears, low voice, but full of feelings.
"........"
Maybe because Mickey was already satisfied with today's result of 'getting under Sera's nerve'. He then nods down and stays in silence. Her eyes were about to pop out now.
" Guys..."
Toshi stepped in between both of them.
"We've arrived."
Turning over, Jody and Syd already woke. But most importantly, they heard the sound of something mechanically robotic outside the aircraft.
" What's that sound? "
Asked Sera.
" It was the lift. We're being transported to the underground garage. You guys aren't allowed to see what's on the outside."
Roxxy answered.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The door opened, on the outside was a very wide underground garage.
Jody and Sera were astonished by this secret base they didn't even know where it was located.
In fact, they didn't even know what country they're in right now.
There're many aircrafts parking, people running here and there.
They all busy.
"....."
Sera gulped.
She felt uncomfortable.
Because as they stepped out the aircraft, there's already a group of armed people waiting for them.
Their uniforms are black, and they all wore a mask, a gas mask. Just by looking, they give out a lot of Swat operator vibes.
They are lead by the lady in a suit.
She stepped out, the other hand was holding an electric device.
" Welcome to the world's backstage. We're waiting for you. Jody Johanson, Seraphina Gilmour."
She then sent out a hand signal to her team.
The operators then began to walk past them into the aircraft. they were escorting Pete Wetton and Daisy Raine to the other place.
Jody gazed at them took the couples away. Before turned back to her.
" We have a team to take care of them. Right now, please come with me."
She then started to lead Jody and Sera the way.
Sera turned back to the agents, everyone is coming with them except Roxxy and Syd.
Guess he needs a space between him and Jody for now.
They allowed Mickey and Toshi to came with them, because it'll make the girls feel less threatening.
" I'm Jade. You'll probably see my uniform, I don't run around the enemy's field like these monkeys."
She talked to them so friendly like she knew them for a while.
That helps lower the pressure.
" Then it'd be a handsome monkey, I guess."
Toshi said.
Jade shook her head.
(.... Seems like they're knowing each other well... )
Jody thought.
" We've been keeping eyes on two of you for a while. And now, the higher ups had decided to call you two here. Especially you, Jody Johanson."
" Me?"
" Yes. It seems like we have lots of things to talk about."
"...."
The automatic door opened, showing a picture of a white tube way with high-tech looking… just like many secret bases in movies.
" I feel like I was walking in a StarWars spaceship or something..."
Sera spoke her opinion.
" We have better than that."
.
.
.
.
Jody and Sera were taken to the place where looks like a fusion of a Lab&conference room.
They were sitting on a luxurious office chair, facing the big widescreen.
Before that, there's a team of a medic who came to collect their blood samples. So there're white bandages covering their upper arms.
Jody didn't know why, but she's not like she's in a position that can refuse after all.
Toshi and Mickey were standing over the exit.
Jade proceeded to sit down on their opposite side before she put down the iPad on the table, suddenly, there's a light glowing under the device before the entire table appeared the information which made them realized that this entire table was a giant monitor screen.
" So...he said he would teach you the swapping technique if you help him in his mission. Is that correct?"
Needless to say who she mentioned to.
" Yes."
Jody replied before continued.
" Did we know too much about your existence?"
" It's already more than just 'too much' now."
When Jade said that, Sera started to feel the ache in her stomach.
She has a bad feeling about this.
" You both acknowledge our existence. You knew what tasks we do. You witnessed our agent's acts. And you expected that you'd be walking out like nothing happens?"
"...."
" No."
Replied Jody.
"... There's no turning back." Sera said, " So what now?"
" Me and Sera, we both have involved with something we shouldn't know. So... What are you going to do to us after the mission ends? Kill us?"
It was a conversation between Jody and Jade, but the person who's panting the most turns out to be Sera.
" If it is me, then it'd be easy because I'm no one. But Sera... What're you going to do to her? Set up an accident?"
" No. We're not." Jade said, " You both are more than that. On the other hand, It'd be very foolish for us to kill both of you. That'll be the last thing we'd do."
"...."
" Are we so that precious for you?"
Asked Sera.
Jade nods down without hesitation.
" Don't think that Syd randomly just picked you up. It seems like you aren't aware of yourselves, Seraphina Gilmour? Aren't both of you aware at all? No agents would pick a random civilian just because they need help and told you about the secret about our organization unless they know they've found a gem worth of committing such an act."
"........"
".... What do you mean? So we're going to work for Thrak for the rest of our lives?"
Jade shook her head.
" We don't do that. We don't do something like those governments' secret services."
She continued,
" If you're not joining, You're just going to be another of our's network. Especially you, Seraphina Gilmour. Your family has lots of influence in England, am I correct?"
"........"
Sera didn't reply.
" I'll tell you why both of you are very important. And we'll be glad if you're going to work for us in the future. Especially you, Jody Johanson. "
She touched down on the table, it then showed her the information and lots of pictures.
They stared and tried to analyze what the data is telling them.
" Have they ever mentioned about something call the 'Elementalist' to you?"
"...."
That tape got reminded in Jody's head.
Syd Barrett had already told her this.
" Yes...." Jody said, " He said that I may be one of the 'Elementalists'."
" What is that? What are you talking about? "
Asked Sera.
Mickey then stepped from behind and whispered it to her ears.
" Elementalist is something they named up to call the only 4 people on earth who obtained the abilities that are the root of everything. Wind, Fire, earth, and water. That only 4 people will be considered to be the most powerful and dangerous. Even these guys are afraid to deal with."
He said.
" Wait... Why are you say something that'll discredit your organization?"
" Mine? No. I don't care about them. As long as they paid me, I continue working."
Mickey answered before stepping out.
".... Yes. You're right. Except for the part where he said 'Maybe'."
" What do you mean?"
Jody questioned that.
" Because...."
Suddenly, a picture of Jody's blood test result appeared on the middle of the table.
" You're officially confirmed to be 'THE WIND', Jody Johanson."
!!!!!!!?????!!!!!??
That surprised all the guests, even Mickey and Toshi.
" Your blood test...revealed the evidence that proved you are one of the Elementalist."
" Which is?"
Jade zoomed in the picture of the document.
" Your red blood cell. They contain special substances we called the 'gargantuan' cell, take a closer look."
She then sent those slides from her side to Jody.
The slides showed a picture of Jody's red blood cell that has several points that were cyan.
" What is that color? What did you do?"
" We've dropped a small detector on it. The gargantuan cell only exists in the host who is Elementalist. Like you."
" How can you detect it? I've been in the hospital... They never report any of this."
" Because they don't know how to find it. The Gargantuan cell is a lot smaller than the cell's body. To compare with, if the Red blood cell has a size of a regular car, the gargantuan is just a ping pong ball. We can detect it. By a drop of a special substance. It will shine bright in cyan as soon as they come to interact with the gargantuan cell."
".... So...what's that special substance you said?"
Asked Jody.
"......."
" I can't tell you that. That wasn't the part of the information I could tell you. But just know that we know it."
Short, but understandable.
".... I start to see the pattern...so Thrak was collecting all the Elementalist huh?"
" Precisely, yes."
Jade sent them another wave of slides, this time's a lot.
Showing the images of many ancient places such as Rome, Egypt, Italy or even in the very ancient time... since human was still just a caveman.
The girls continuously looked at them.
Every picture of the numerous ancient places showed them that there're many forms of the records of the Elementalists, such as the statue in Rome, the wall paint in Eygpt, the very old cave painting which was telling a story about the people with the water ability that was saluted by the cavemen.
The strange thing about this was the fact that... All these pictures were in a completely different period of time, but they all had similar content related to each other.
" Elementalists were only to be born just 1 generation in each century."
"......"
" So... You're telling me... That the past 100 years ago... 200 years ago... Or more than that... There are people who had the same ability as me back then?"
" Yes."
Jade continues,
" Or you can consider them as the past owners. Though they are all dead now...from the historical record, it revealed that each user had their own unique ways of using this Wind ability. You, Jody, you are 'the wind' of the 21st century. you know you can do more than just shooting those bullets."
"The Gargantuan cell only exists in those 4 people on earth. So.. Where's the rest?"
" We still haven't found them yet. Finding those special people among the other 7.8 billion is not an easy task."
" Then you should have double his (Syd) Â salary. He's the one who found me. I see why Thrak desires to take control of these 4 people... so that you can control the balance of the world huh."
" Yeah... Jody's right. All credits should have gone to him, I guess. So what are you going to do? Get him promoted?"
Asked Sera.
" He'll get more than that."
Sera, Jody showed their suspicion through facial expression.
" What do you mean? "
" The microscope that can see through things smaller than red blood cells was just invented a hundred years ago. Haven't you guessed by now why we have the information about the gargantuan cell?"
As she asked them that, they realized.
The only way they can know about the gargantuan cell is the fact that they must have the study sample.
"....wait... Don't tell me that..."
Both of their eyes widened.
Jade nods.
" That is what I mean, Jody Johanson. You are NOT the first member of the Elementalist we had found."
" But you just told me you haven't found them yet?!"
" Yes. But I didn't tell you the number, did I? We only have the other 2 left to go."
!!!!!!!!????
The tense in the room rises.
" So... Who is the first member?"
"......"
Jade breathes in, she stares at both of them.
" We labeled him as 'Red'...Known as 'THE FIRE' "
" Red? Who? "
" You still haven't guessed it yet?"
Asked Jade.
"......."
Jody's eyes widely opened in shock.
"........"
".........."
"...... No... that... You are saying that..."
" It is... Syd?"
!!!!!!?????!?!?!?!??
Sera was completely shocked when Jody said that. She turned back to Mickey and Toshi over the door.
They avoid looking at her.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????
"... So... What happened back there... It was his ability... That is 'The Fire' "
"... Yes."
"......."
Suddenly, all of them felt a sudden deadly aura that came from Jody Johanson.
It shook their spines, they felt a sudden rising anger which leaked out from this girl even she didn't say a word, even she tried REAL hard to press it down...but they felt it.
"......"
" Jody?"
Sera asked in worried.
" Not only he covered the truth that he has an ability... But ..."
Jody forms up a fist.
She's completely felt like she's a fool.
There're so many questions in her head.
And most of them started with 'Why'.
Why did he do this?
Why did he lie? What will he gain from doing that?Â
Is she not worthy at all?
Is he not see her as an ally at all?
Jody felt like she's been betrayed.
She trusted in him and never sold him to the enemy though she's been offered a chance to switch the side twice.
"........"
Jody was completely in silence.
" I know you guys have a lot of questions... Please follow me. Because all of you NEED to know about this."
" Where're you taking us to?"
Asked Sera.
" The place that will show you how Syd's ability works."
She replied.
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