And for the first time in a week.. They got out of the school premises using a secret hideout Miss Wade showed them. On their way out; Neil saw a grin on Sandy's face that wasn't just a normal at all... He has something else in mind, hope he won't get them into trouble.
The tunnel kept going on... And on... And on. Till only God knows where but the only thing on Neil's mind is that they would leave this tunnel and see the ray of light again.. He discovered he had missed the ray of lights, now that's weird for him because he has always been a fan of the dark... But after that brief moment in that dark dimension and those chaotic noise he heard, it seemed it was the reason for his likeness for light.
"Do you guys know how long it will take for us to get there." Sandy asked
"According to my map.. It's going to be 4hours tops." Ned said
"Even with the use of transport?" Sandy gagged.
"It was the transport I calculated." Ned turned towards Sandy. "If we are on foot... It would be 12hours."
"That is like the whole day." Sandy yelled " I don't have that time"
"Keep your voice down." Clint whispered "Do you want us to get caught?"
"Sorry." Sandy spoke calmly.
"But what do we do?" Neil asked
"I don't know if this is correct but there seemed to be a shortcut." Ned spoke.. Sandy cheered. "Although I don't know if it would work out."
Sandy groaned.
"I think we are getting close." Clint whispered again.
Indded, they are getting close to the end of the tunnel.. A little ray of light was seen at the end of the journey, actually the end of the first one.
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"You summoned me ma'am." Delia spoke in her whispering voice.
"Yes I did." Miss Wade spoke.
She had been standing close to a window looking at Rory as he is been checked on by the experts in the academy... Delia observed some trace of worry on her face, like a mother's worry over her child who is undergoing treatment.
"I summoned you here to ask for a favor Delia." She finally spoke after few minutes of silence. "Are you up for it?"
Delia nodded
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"Seriously this is so not easy... How would you call this shortcut eh?." Sandy lamented.
"You wanted one you know." Clint said. "So quit whining."
"Why won't I cry??" Sandy yelled
"Dude he said whine not cry." Ned adjusted his glass
"Who cares?" Sandy yelled
Indeed this was a hard cut not shortcut, because the place was filled with rocks and hills which made it look impossible for them. Neil could feel sweat trickling down his shirt, each time he stared at their destination; it felt like his head is about to pull off his body. It would be better to look down and move on, and Sandy's unceasing yapping made it a bit difficult for him to concentrate on his journey.
The swamp around made it also difficult, the place was like an amazon.. Fogs everywhere and making it hard for one to see past 10 feet. The musky water seemed to contain a thousand creatures, but it remained still and the only sound heard were their own feet falling.
Clint most of time would jerk each time a snake was seen... Hilarious.
Finally they arrived close to their destination but the only thing holding them back was a hill... Again. Neil looked at his companions and grinned.
"Why are you grinning like that?" Sandy gagged. "Neilllllllllllll."
Before he could realize what has happened, there was a sudden zap and he was at the top of the mountain. Staring at the city road, all the cars that passed by and the citizens passing by too. Soon the other joined them but they all looked like they are about to throw up.
"It's disgusting right?" Sandy spoke through breath.
"Yeah it is." Clint gasped
"It's a phenomenon transportation that has to do with...." Ned spoke
"Nerd....." Sandy yelled
"Not now mate." Clint concluded.
Neil suddenly appeared before them, he was panting real hard like he was being warned out of energy. The other stared at him with concern on their faces for they knew he was already reaching his limits. Neil smiled trying to comfort them that he was okay and they have nothing to be scared about.
Although he is beginning to feel it, pain at the back of his neck was getting intense but he has to put himself together because he felt his job isn't done yet.
"Are you ok?" Ned asked.
"Am perfectly okay." Neil lied
"But am seeing the opposite." Ned said. "It seems you have ran out of energy."
"Like I said.." Neil spoke unconvincing. "I am fine."
"You look worse..." Sandy looked at him with a suspicious eyes.
It was about to lead into an argument amongst Neil and Sandy as they bombarded each other loudly with opinions on Neil's health. Ned, on the other hand had been using his powers to search the environment, calculating every possible thing he could see and measuring the heights of every suspicious thing around the vicinity of Tao Sang restaurant. He finally spotted Kai, that is if his memory serves him correctly.
"Found him." Ned spoke catching their attention. "If my memory serves me right.. I think that's him over there. Close to the window."
They looks towards Ned's description and saw a kid with short brown hair sat close to the window staring at his food. He looked really sad or maybe worried. Sandy brought out a photo from his pocket and passed it to Ned, the photo has Kai's face on it... Ned glanced at the photo and at the boy for the last time and then nodded.
"That's definitely him... That's Kai Kang." Ned gave the photo back to Sandy. "How did you get that photo?"
"I used a copy technique to make one." Sandy smiled with the airs of a hero. "Since we were going on the mission, I knew we needed identification.. So I copied it."
"That was genius of you mate." They clapped.
"It's a good thing he used his head this time." Clint whispered
"Say what.." Sandy yelled.
"That aside guys.. How do we counter this?" Neil asked. "Ned..."
"On it." Ned answered.
Ned took a glance at the restaurant and began his calculations by looking from the parking lot to the side pass, his vision of calculation was like a golden line moving in scalar form while giving the exact distance between two objects at the cafe. He looked through the glass to get the clear vision of Kai's location and calculated the distance between them, with his high sensitive eyes looked through and saw three swag-like rouges sitting few distance from Kai. Guess those are the rouges who kidnapped Kai....
"And they seemed to be high-leveled gifted." Ned spoke loudly
Silence
"Huh." Everyone looked at Ned.
"Oh.... I meant the people inside." Ned stammered. "The kidnappers."
"Oh.. I see." Sandy spoke
"What's the plan genius?" Clint asked.
"Hmmmmm.. Give me time." Ned rubbed his jaws.
This was an uneasy task and it seemed to be weighing Ned down, his brain seemed to be in motion trying to figure out what to do next.. Then he looked at the rose in Clint's fingers, wait he still had it with him all through this time... Guess this guy likes rose a lot... Suddenly it hit him when he looked over to see Neil at the far end.
"Looks like that rose will come in handy." Ned thought and smirked. "But the question is if Neil is up for it.. Seeing him right now signify that he is getting to his limits."
He looked at Neil and saw tiredness written on his eyes.
"He has been using his powers for too long now... Who know what will happen if he gets to his limits?." Ned thought. "Guess we have to try."
"Guys..." They turned towards Ned. "I have a plan now." Ned adjusted his specks again.
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Reece sat down on the grass looking at the boys who were playing football on the pitch, it seemed to remind him of his childhood. Then he was a very good footballer and no one then was a match for him, guess those are gone now because he could no longer play for some reasons... First no one in class D plays football and second.... No one mingles with a student from class D, all this seem to be too much for him and he really did miss playing.
"What are you thinking about now mate?." Someone spoke behind him, he turned to see Jayden lying on the grass and close to him. Seems he had forgotten he came with company.
"It's nothing." He sighed
Silence
"You worried about them?" Jayden asked
"Yeah..". He hadn't really give it a thought on how they are doing now on the mission. "I hope they are okay."
"Yeah.. Me too." Jayden closed his eyes.
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"Wait what." Clint yelled
"It's the only thing we got." Ned spoke
"Am not giving up my rose." Clint yelled again.
"Keep your voice down." Sandy yelled
"And now you are the one yelling." Ned spoke
"Who cares?" Sandy spoke.
"Well...." Ned adjust his specks.
"Don't even think about it." Sandy pointed to Ned's face.
Ned was about to let some words out of his mouth but Sandy's index fingers and cautioning face made it impossible. Guess he had to remain quiet after all, what will a lecture do for a knucklehead like Sandy? Absolutely and remarkably nothing.
"So Clint." Sandy turned towards Clint. "What do you say?"
"Nooooo." Tears trickle down Clint's cheek. "Not my rose."
"It's just a rose.." Sandy thought lifting his left eyelids.
"This beautiful.. Green bodied... Red petals.." Clint admired his rose. "And you want me to give it up like that?"
"Guess you have to.. for the plans to work." Ned spoke. "And besides we don't have much time anymore.. We will be late for the next section of class and that will get us into trouble."
"Eh.." Clint gasped. "What do you mean?"
"We have been timed by Miss Wade and we have to get back fast before it's late." Ned adjust his specks
Clint looked at Sandy who seemed to be surprised too.. He turned to meet the surprised face of Clint.
"Don't look at me." Sandy spoke lifting his hands as innocence of the whole issue.
"How much time do we have?" Clint asked looking at Ned.
"We have 30 minutes left." Ned spoke. "And if we don't do it now.. Those guys will leave soon and we would go back to face the wrath of two people."
"Excuse me... Who and who." Sandy asked with his hand up as if to answer a question in class.
"Prof. Hiro... And Miss Wade." Ned spoke devishly
Silence
"Clint can I tell you something." Sandy went white with fear.
"Sure.. What is it?" Clint bent over towards Sandy.
"Give me that rose..." Sandy pounced on Clint as they struggle for the rose both minding not to ruin the rose.
As the struggle continued, Ned went towards Neil who has been silent the whole time and observing the environment. Seems he had been in deep thought if he should do it or not.. For he could feel the burning tingle on his neck and if he had to use his powers... It would be this once.
"Are you up for it.?" Ned asked
Neil turned and nodded.