He took a quick look through the slightly open door and made sure that the people outside were busy with their own business. Isaac hurried over to one of the beds and opened the pillowcase, which he quickly folded. Isaac slipped through the door and ran quickly to the back of the house, hiding his body in the shadows of the dark walls.
Throughout the day, Isaac wandered around the Twin Falls fort, looking as if security was tight, but it wasn't. There were many gaps where someone could easily get in or slip out. One of them was at the north end of Twin Falls, where there were tall trees that backed up to the fort's fence.
Isaac ran silently through the garden and reached the north end of the fence. He circled the tree and stuffed some of the apples he had been hiding there since the previous afternoon into his pillowcase.
He quickly climbed up the tree without difficulty, then clambered up the branches. The distance to the ground was about 14 to 15 meters from the top of the branch, jumping would have hurt his leg. Climbing down the fence was impossible. He thought for a while, wondering if he had made the right decision to leave Twin Falls.
One of Isaac's palms opened and flames appeared. The young man took a deep breath and exhaled quickly, then jumped over the fort fence as far as he could. Isaac threw several fireballs at the ground. The explosion of fire made his body bounce and then land in a heap.
"Urgh," Isaac groaned softly.
He grabbed the fruit-filled pillowcase and stood up. He looked back at Twin Falls.
"Sorry, Elijah."
Isaac ran, not looking back. As his steps cut through the dark forest, Isaac's mind went back to a moment ago. When he had spoken to Elijah.
"You still want to stay here, Eli?" Isaac asked.
"I just want to be sure that they're really bad or not."
"You don't need certainty for that. Evil is evil, good is good."
"The world isn't just black and white, Isaac."
Isaac licked his dry bottom lip. "I'm leaving here anyway."
"Don't look for trouble."
"If they are good, why are they keeping us here?"
"Isaac, please think clearly."
"Any kindness will not make us prisoners, Eli."
"How do you know we are prisoners?"
"Then how do you know they don't think that?"
*
Elijah was still rooted to the spot and confused. Should he find Isaac on his own or tell Wyeth right away? Of the two options, neither felt right. If he went and followed Isaac, how could he leave Map. But telling the rebels about Isaac's departure would make Elijah feel like a traitor to the Academy.
Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened and Jacob's figure appeared.
"Hey, Carol told me Isaac hasn't had dinner yet," the man said.
Elijah gasped in surprise and looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Then where is he?"
"I think he's in the bathroom."
Elijah hurried out, avoiding Jacob, but Carol's older brother grabbed Elijah's arm.
"Where is he?" Jacob asked, his voice threatening.
Elijah pushed Jacob's hand away. "I don't know!"
"You planned this? Confirming our location and reporting to Army and Deformity?"
"What?"
Jacob immediately dragged Elijah's body out of the cabin, where Elijah rebelled. They got into an argument that drew the attention of the people right to them.
"Isaac is missing! He ran away!" Jacob shouted angrily.
All who heard were shocked. The superpowered people immediately stood up and prepared to leave like an army.
"They're in it together!" Jacob accused.
Jacob pushed Isaac's body into the middle of the crowd. Elijah turned, stood up straight, and glared at Carol's brother.
"We are not!!!" Elijah retorted angrily.
"Academy lackeys!" Jacob's eyes narrowed in anger.
Memories of his friends and masters at the Academy flashed through Elijah's mind. Although he had difficult days because of Isaac, Elijah was always safe there. The children were treated well by the masters.
"Take back what you said!" Elijah hissed.
"You deliberately sacrificed yourself because you're just a normal outcast kid at the academy?" Jacob snorted. "That's your form of devotion to the people who use you?"
At least the Army and Deformity were brave people, willing to die to save people. They had been on the front lines for years in anticipation of the Orb. Elijah remembered Seth's team and the rest of the Deformity troops who had chosen to sacrifice themselves.
How could these people be used by the government? While the rebels only hid and looted the remains of the humans who had sacrificed themselves?
Jacob's words inflamed Elijah's anger.
"You know nothing!"
Elijah's shout was so loud that it made Jacob even more furious. Jacob's palms were open and his eyes glared at Elijah. Jacob was on the verge of attacking Elijah.
[Warning]
The sound rang in Elijah's ears as he felt the intense pressure holding his arms and legs together. Jacob had begun his attack. Elijah's body floated where everyone was calling for Jacob to stop what he was doing.
"Jacob! Stop it!" Hannah's scream rang through the crowd.
"Jacob!" Wyeth also shouted.
The 25-year-old man turned his head, distracted. He unleashed his telekinetic attack on Elijah, but Elijah was still hovering, moving even higher.
"What on earth..." Jacob muttered in disbelief.
Elijah stared coldly at Jacob and the others. Maybe it was true what Isaac had said, that they couldn't be with the rebels. These people still held grudges and hatred, even though the world was threatened.
Without saying much more, Elijah darted out of the Twin Falls Fort to find out where Isaac was. Leaving those watching to wonder what had happened.
"He has telekinetic powers?" Hannah looked shocked.
She rushed over to Gwyneth and pulled her arm roughly. She almost fell over. Gwyneth looked panicked, and her face looked even paler.
"You're telling me the child has no powers! Why are you lying?" Hannah shouted angrily.
"I didn't lie! Why would I do that?"
"He can fly! Didn't you see it? Are you going to keep arguing?"
"You saw it yourself from the data results, how could I manipulate it!" Gwyneth said in a horrified voice.
"Damn it!" Hannah cursed.
"Calm down," Wyeth said as he approached the two women.
"No, Dad! These two kids can go to the Army or to Deformity. They can attack Twin Falls later," Hannah retorted. She pointed to the gate. "Find them! Find Elijah and Isaac!" she ordered.