"You've lost your damn mind, Josiah," Layla deadpanned.
I groaned in annoyance, pinching the bridge of my nose as I tried to maintain my patience. It was Monday afternoon and Layla and I were seated at a table together in the school library studying for the science portion of the ACT (which was less than a week away). I had approached Layla about something she had brought up awhile ago when I first mentioned getting stronger: underground ability matches. Underground ability matches were illegal fights in which you'd be pitted against someone in one on one fight but you had no knowledge of their ability or how strong they were. It was the perfect spot for to gain real time experience fighting against other ability users except Layla didn't seem to think so.
"Why not, Stink?" I asked, using the personal nickname that I had given her.
Layla glared at me. "Don't try to butter me up using my nickname, Josiah. The answer is no."
I gritted my teeth. Layla was a stubborn girl and wasn't the type to back down either but I needed her help with this. She was the only person who had information on the location of ability matches in our city. I reached across the table and grabbed her hand, looking at her with imploring eyes.
"Please, Lay," I said quietly. "It's important."
Layla sighed, her expression a mix of exasperation and resignation. She pulled out her phone and began typing out something before proceeding to send it. A few seconds later my phone dinged with a message notification from Layla. I opened the message and saw that she had sent me a list of addresses where possible matches could be, with one being a location that I was familiar with.
"You have to promise me that you'll be careful," Layla pleaded. "The people in those matches won't hesitate to kill you if they get the chance to, Jo."
I'd heard stories of how gruesome these matches could get. Plenty of people had died in underground fights but that's a risk I was willing to take. I had been keeping Layla up to date on the development of my powers and she kept track of it in all in a special notebook for me so that I could mark my progress as I got stronger. According to the authorities, everyone's powers had a peak that would come at a certain age. A peak was just a technical way of saying when our powers would reach their strongest level and stay that way for the rest of our lives but some people's powers peaked later than others did. Layla's powers peaked during our sophomore year but I had yet to reach my peak so she was helping keep track of my powers until I reached my peak.
"You've been spending quite a bit of time with my captain," Layla remarked, glancing at me sideways. "Something going on between you two?"
Feeling my face heat up, I directed my attention to one of my worksheets to avoid looking Layla in the eyes. Layla cleared her throat expectantly, causing me to groan quietly in embarrassment.
"We're exclusive so we're only seeing each other," I responded. "We're just letting things flow."
"You guys are cute together," Layla said offhandedly. "In a typical high school romance way."
I chuckled. Yasmine and I did have a typical high school romance now that I thought about it. She was the popular pretty girl of the school who every guy wanted a chance with but she had fallen for me, the outsider of the school who kept to himself and had a secret only a few knew of. But there were sides of ourselves that we only ever showed each other. Outside of school, Yasmine was goofy and bubbly. She enjoyed anime, loved J-Pop music and could put away more food than a food eating contest participant. She was also kind and loving when it came to her siblings.
"Does she know?" Layla asked in a low voice, breaking my reverie.
I sighed. "No. No, she doesn't know but her mom does."
Layla frowned. "How-?"
"Her ability lets her know another person's power by touching them and making eye contact," I said dismissively.
Layla rolled her eyes. "Out of all the abilities to have."
"Tell me about it," I grumbled. "She also made me promise to protect Yasmine but I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to be protecting her from."
Layla frowned at my statement and seemed to be carefully choosing what to say to me. She glanced around to make sure that no one could hear us then leaned forward conspiratorially. When she spoke, her tone was low but I was still able to hear what she was saying.
"Yasmine told you that her dad works for the military right?"
I nodded, not quite sure what she was hinting at but intrigued nonetheless.
"That's the cover story she gives people so that they don't pry into her life. Her dad actually works for the authorities. He's part of the Sentinels," Layla said, locking eyes with me.
I felt a shiver go down my spine. The Sentinels were the elite enforcers of the authorities, meant to take on rampaging omegas who used their powers for the wrong reasons. Little was actually known about the group except that they always succeeded in their tasks and they operated with full freedom from the authorities to get the job done. The group was supposedly made up of some powerful alphas and were led by an omega. To hear that Yasmine's dad was part of the Sentinels was disturbing to say the least but it also made me realize something.
"That's why her mom asked me to protect her," I murmured. "Her dad probably has a ton of enemies from his work as a Sentinel who might see Yasmine as a potential target."
Layla nodded. "A lot of people have the misconception that the Sentinels simply apprehend rowdy omegas and keep the lower levels in line but that's not true. The Sentinels exist to ensure that the authorities are never usurped."
"Usurped?" I asked. "By who?"
"Omegas," Layla stated, glancing around. "Each of you is like a one man army. You yourself could probably go toe to toe with a Sentinel even at just eight percent of your full power."
"That's a big assumption to make," I chuckled nervously. "At eight percent, I can keep up with people like Kato and Braxton in a fight but it requires an immense amount of energy control and mental focus."
Layla waved her hand dismissively. "Josiah, I'm telling you. The Sentinels were formed to primarily combat rampaging Omegas. They have a one hundred percent success rate but there was one incident that has marred their record that most people don't know about."
"And just what're you two murmuring about?" a suspicious voice inquired.
Layla and I jumped and looked up into the face of none other than Yasmine who had her eyes narrowed at Layla.
"I was telling your boyfriend about underground ability matches so that he could gain more experience fighting against other people," Layla said with a smile.
That was the half truth but Yasmine seemed to buy it because she sat down next to me, planting a kiss on my cheek.
"Public displays of affection?" I asked, a joking tone to my voice. "I'm shocked."
Yasmine rolled her eyes and smacked my arm playfully. "Why would you wanna participate in underground fights when you can just use the resources you have?"
I raised my eyebrow curiously. "What resources?"
"Me and your friends," Yasmine said. "We can be your training partners to help you better learn how to defend yourself."
"Would that be okay?" I asked. "I mean I've been training my body to be able to fight against beta and alpha levels but still."
Yasmine squeezed my arm. "I did notice that you've gotten bigger and your muscles are getting my defined. Your biceps are even starting to fill out your shirt sleeves."
"We'll be fine," Layla chimed in. "I can heal anyone who gets too badly injured. We can start today after school."
"In the meantime, though," Yasmine said. "Let's review some of these chemistry equations because we all know you're terrible at them."
...
After I left the library, I had a free period so I had a whole hour and a half to myself do whatever I pleased. I decided to roam the fourth floor of my school which was mainly full of empty classrooms since the seniors weren't at school today. My footsteps echoed softly as I walked slowly through the hall, my mind full of thoughts about everything that was happening to me currently. I was getting a better handle on my powers. Fifteen percent didn't strain me as much and the five minute time limit had now become fifteen minutes. Whenever I powered down, my body didn't feel as tired or heavy as it normally would after using fifteen percent. My fighting skills were also getting better since I had resumed my training with my dad.
I'm definitely getting stronger but is it enough? I thought.
I still wasn't fully able to use my energy blasts with much accuracy but I had discovered several other facets of my powers: I could propel objects off the ground using my tactile telekinesis but it required an immense amount of concentration that left me sweaty and shaking. I could also disassemble objects by touching them but that one seemed to work when it felt like it so I didn't feel the need to try and master it. The one that intrigued me the most, though, was that my five senses were now enhanced beyond normal, particularly my hearing. The other day I had been cleaning up my room when I was able to hear a conversation outside. The only thing was that no one had been outside my window. The conversation was actually several blocks away from where my house was and it kinda made me feel as if I was eavesdropping or spying but that particular facet of my abilities I at least had conscious control over. Though it took an immense amount of effort, I was able to turn my senses down slightly. I was so deep in thought about my powers that I hadn't noticed that I wasn't alone on the upper floor. There was an Indian girl who was standing at the other end of the hall watching me. She stood about above average height with dark brown skin, caramel colored eyes and dark hair that stopped at her shoulders. She was dressed in a navy blue T-shirt and olive green high waisted jeans with black slip on shoes. She had several bracelets adorning each wrist and a singular hoop earring in her right ear. She was striking and her expression showed mild interest in who I was.
"Um, hi," I broached nervously, feeling a sense of unease wash over me.
Something about this girl was setting my nerves on edge and for some reason, I felt as if she was up to something. She took a slight step forward and I involuntarily stepped back, silently cursing myself for doing so. My senses were on alert and it was taking all my concentration to keep my powers under control.
"Josiah Smith?" The girl asked, polite curiosity in her tone.
"Who's asking?" I responded, a slight edge to my voice.
The girl raised her hands placatingly and offered me a kind smile.
"I'm not a threat, I just would like to talk to you," she said.
I eased up some. "Me? Talk to me about what exactly?"
"I know your secret," she said flatly. "My name's Priya Varadkar and I'm an omega level, just like you. I've been watching you for quite awhile."
"You're one of the seniors who's an omega level," I said, piecing everything together. "You, me and another senior are the only three omega students within the student body."
Priya nodded. "You've done quite well at keeping your level a secret from the entire school, save for a few people. We've actually met before but I doubt you remember that."
I frowned, searching my memory for Priya or any interaction we might've had. A hazy recollection formed of a girl helping me pick up my books after they had been knocked from my hand while offering me a kind smile. The girl had had a braid going down her back.
"I vaguely remember," I said slowly. "But why're you approaching me now?"
Priya sat down in the middle of the hallway and patted the spot in front of her, beckoning me to sit down too. I hesitated for a minute but relented and sat across from her, making sure to put some space between us just in case I needed to make a quick getaway and defend myself. Up close, Priya was pretty. Her face was angular with high cheekbones and the shape of her eyes was attractive.
"It's rather impolite to stare at a woman," Priya teased, chuckling slightly.
I averted my eyes and tried not to blush. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Your friend Braxton," Priya said. "I've been keeping an eye on him ever since you two had your little sparring match on the school roof."
"I haven't spoken to him since that day," I responded. "He's been avoiding me and I haven't felt the need to reach out."
Priya pursed her lips. "He's been brutalizing the other students. He goes around challenging other alpha level students and then completely destroys them. I assumed you knew about this but since you two haven't spoken then it's safe to assume you had no idea."
I was stunned. I knew Braxton was a battle junky but this seemed like it was something beyond that. Braxton bruised but he never outright tried to brutalize his opponents and now he was leaving students critically injured. Just how far had my best friend fallen?
"I'm assuming you want me to intervene," I stated quietly.
Priya nodded. "As his best friend, you've got a better chance of getting through to him than I do. Talk to him. If things get out of hand, I'll back you up with my powers."
I frowned curiously. "Speaking of powers, what is your ability?"
"My ability is known as dynamokinesis. I can manipulate the four fundamental forces: Strong Force, Weak Force, Electromagnetism and Gravity. Each fundamental force grants me a variety of powers depending on which one I decide to use," Priya said, a smirk playing on her lips.
"You've got me beat then," I said dryly.
Priya shook her head. "Not necessarily. Both of our abilities are extremely versatile. I have you beat when it comes to experience but you're more creative than me with your powers."
Creative, huh? I suppose she was right about that. I was always thinking of different ways to use my powers whether it be in a practical manner or against an opponent and I had come up with several different and unconventional ways to use certain facets of my powers. But in terms of sheer power, I'd have a hard time fighting someone like Priya who would be practically untouchable depending on what fundamental force she chose to use.
"Why can't you or the student council intervene?" I asked. "Isn't that the whole reason the student council was formed? To protect the students."
Priya let out a heavy sigh. "The student council is currently dealing with other issues within the student body and if I were to directly intervene against Braxton it would most certainly end with us fighting."
"So what do you want me to do?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Based on his pattern, I've managed to figure out Braxton's next target. A boy in your grade named Jordan Granville whose an alpha with the ability to generate and manipulate ice. I you want to head to the turf field after school and stop Braxton," Priya responded. "If you end up having to fight him, just try to hold him off until I get there with the student council."
Though still hesitant, I nodded in understanding. Part of me was hoping that I wouldn't have to fight Braxton but the other part of me knew that deep down, I'd have to take Braxton head on to keep him from further harming the student body. I glanced up at Priya who was studying me closely trying to read my face expression. She reached out and placed her hand on top of mine in a comforting manner and offered me the same kind smile she had given me the day we interacted.
"It's tough," She said softly. "But it's necessary. If this continues, someone could end up hospitalized or worse."
Taking a deep breath, I stood up and steeled my gaze as I looked at Priya.
"I know," I said, my voice sounding deeper and calm. "If push comes to shove.....I won't hesitate to take physical action."
•••
After my conversation with Priya, I headed to my next class. Priya had given me her number so that she could contact me if there were any changes to the plan for stopping Braxton. I kept repeating the conversation in my head, though, trying to keep my mind from imagining the scenario. If I did end up having to go head to head with my best friend, the resulting fight would leave a lasting impact on our already estranged friendship. Braxton wasn't the type to go down without a fight and I wasn't the type to turn a blind eye to someone's misdeeds.
All I have to do is hold him off until Priya arrives, I reminded myself. No biggie.
"You looked stressed," a melodic voice said next to me.
I glanced to my right and saw that Ashley had fallen into step beside me and was looking at me with concern in her eyes. I averted my gaze, hoping that she wouldn't try and read my mind to figure out what was wrong (she had a habit of doing that if I didn't open up to her) and instead held her hand.
"You haven't done this in awhile," Ashley remarked with a smile. "Everything okay?"
I sighed. "Just tired and thinking about finals."
I winced internally. That was a blatant lie but Ash seemed to buy it and squeezed my hand reassuringly.
"You'll be okay. You always find a way to come out on top so don't stress yourself out too much."
Her words calmed down my stress a bit. Ashley always had a way of knowing exactly what to say to make me feel better and it was one of the reasons I treasured our friendship. We were each other's rock whenever there was a crisis. She kept me grounded and I kept her smiling, such was the nature of our relationship since we had first met. Letting out a sigh of relief, I pulled my best friend into a tight hug, feeling her bury her face into my chest and rub my back in slow comforting circles. After about a few seconds, I pulled back and continued walking to class. When I got halfway and was about to open the door, my phone rang and I pulled it out my pocket to see who it is.
Oh no, I thought.
Answering the phone, I was greeted by Priya's calm yet urgent voice.
"Get to the turf field. Now!" She ordered.
Gritting my teeth, I hung up and rushed down the hall to the first floor, skipping steps as I ran to the back of the school where the sounds of a fight could be heard the closer I got to the field. Pushing past the small group of gathered students, I dashed onto the field where I was greeted by the sight of Braxton standing a few feet away from another student who had frost coming off his body.
"That's Jordan," a voice said next to me.
I turned my head to side to see Priya standing next to me slightly out of breath. Glancing back to the turf field, I watched as Braxton stalked towards Jordan, electricity sparking off his hands. He looked...different. He had bulked up slightly and his face expression looked wicked and sadistic.
"C'mon, Jordan," Braxton challenged, sounding almost bored. "If I beat you then I'll be one step closer to my goal."
"Back off, Braxton," Jordan responded, his tone as icy as the frost coming off his body.
Smirking cruelly, Braxton raised his hand and fired off a blast of black lightning at Jordan. Jordan shifted his foot slightly and a block of ice formed, blocking Braxton's attack completely. From the dust of the shattered ice, Jordan threw a blade of ice aimed directly at Braxton's face. Braxton casually moved his head to the side, the blade of ice sailing past harmlessly. He cracked his neck and pretended to yawn like he was bored.
"You're not taking me seriously," he challenged, a dark tone lacing his words.
I stepped forward, ready to intervene, but Priya grabbed my arm to hold me back. I looked at her incredulously and she shook her head slightly, a message in her eyes.
Not yet.
Gritting my teeth, I stayed put and watched as Braxton and Jordan engaged in a pitched fight with Braxton constantly on the offensive, battering Jordan with powerful blasts of lightning that shattered his walls of ice. Something was bothering me though.
"He seems more powerful than when him and I sparred, like his power's increased," I remarked in a low voice, glancing questioningly at Priya.
She nodded in agreement. "What the apprehension test doesn't tell us, is that our powers can get stronger the more we use them. With Braxton having fought several powerful students, it's safe to say that his powers have gotten stronger. You'll need to be on your toes once you start fighting him."
"I can't use my powers and risk exposing myself to the entire student body," I said in frustration.
"You won't have to," Priya reassured. "I'll back you up, just keep him focused on you. Jump in now."
Gritting my teeth, I ran onto the turf field, making my way straight to Braxton just as he let off a blast of electricity directly aimed at Jordan's chest. I reared my fist back and slammed it into Braxton's jaw, knocking him to the ground and sending him skidding a few feet away. I stood protectively in front of Jordan who was on the ground unconscious but breathing. Braxton stood up and directed an agitated gaze in my direction that sent a slight shiver up my spine. Something was off. I didn't know what it was but there was a wicked light in Braxton's eyes that looked murderous.
"Are you interfering, Josiah?" Braxton asked, his tone menacing.
I swallowed nervously. "You need to stop hurting the students and get a grip, Braxton. You're on a power trip."
Braxton scoffed. "Power trip? I'm only pushing myself and my powers to the limit. Unlike you."
Uh oh, I thought. Not here.
Braxton stood up to his full height and began walking towards me slowly. Electricity sparked all over his body as he proceeded to power up. I put up my fighting stance and braced myself. I had known Braxton for thirteen years and knew his fighting style like the back of my hand. True to his nature, Braxton dashed forward and swung his fist at my face. Exhaling, I grabbed his fist and forearm and reversed him, slamming him into the concrete. Braxton managed to flip his body and land on his feet, sliding back slightly. He charged me again, swinging his right fist directly at my jaw. I caught his fist, pulled my arm back and slammed my fist into his jaw, letting a bit of my power seep into the punch. Braxton went skidding across the ground and lay there not moving. I had only put around five percent of my power into the punch so he shouldn't have been knocked out, just stunned.
Stay down, I pleaded mentally. I don't wanna keep doing this.
But he got up and he looked pissed. I readied myself as Braxton charged forward and swung his hand at me in a palm strike that caught me in the chest and electrocuted me, sending me flying across the turn field, landing on my back with a thud. It felt like I had been hit by a taser. My head was buzzing and I was struggling to sit up. Braxton stood a few feet away from me, laughing.
"I've learned a few new tricks that I've been specifically saving for you in case we ever fought again. Your hand to hand skills are definitely formidable but you overthink your moves and it causes you to hesitate," He gloated.
I staggered to my feet, glaring daggers at him as he charged up again. I needed to end this fight and fast before I got seriously injured. A slight movement in my peripheral caught my attention and I turned my head slightly to see Priya standing out to the side. She nodded at me almost imperceptibly and I understood what she meant.
Keep him distracted, her expression said. I'll back you up.
Charging forward, I activated five percent of my power and slammed a roundhouse kick directly into Braxton's side, eliciting a grunt of discomfort from him as he flew down the field and landed in a heap. Braxton got up, anger clear in his eyes, but before he could move he was forced to the ground by an unseen force. I glanced behind me to see that Priya had her hand outstretched, her eyes glowing as she used her power over gravity to force Braxton into submission.
"By order of the student council, I demand that you surrender and depower yourself immediately," she commanded, her voice powerful and authoritative.
Braxton glared daggers at her but abided by her command and powered down. Priya turned to me and nodded her head, a thank you in her glowing eyes as her and several other members of the student council pulled Braxton to his feet while also tending to an unconscious Jordan. I stood there for watching, my body slightly in pain from taking that direct hit from Braxton a few moments ago but my mind was reeling. My best friend was spiraling out on a power trip and it was becoming clear that he was willing to resort to hurt others in order to gain strength. Staggering off the field, I made my way to the infirmary but I could feel my body shutting down. My injuries finally getting the best of me, I collapsed in the hallway and just before unconsciousness took over me, I heard a faint voice calling my name.