After the fallout of the First War, Resistance Leader Dante Amar led powered individuals in the effort to rebuild. As powers spread, society remained unified behind his leadership. Now, unemployment rates are nearing zero and homelessness has been eliminated. As this society learns to work together under the Council, it is correcting mistakes of its fathers. Now, humanity is able to boast a unity and solidarity unimaginable by previous generations. – Ben Galvan,480 Anno Imperi Ortu

I lean against the wall, tapping my pen on the floor as I continue to try to tell my story. The Council is corrupt – I can see that clearly from my experiences. I don’t know why I’m having so much difficulty expressing that.

Taking a bite of my sandwich, I allow myself a brief respite. If for no other reason, I’m grateful for Michael because he brings food. Free of the burden of being a fugitive, Michael is able to obtain basic necessities, such as food and blankets, with ease. Slowly, he’s been helping me transform my hideout into something almost livable.

While we haven’t been able to procure a mattress, I do have sheets to place on the floor which weren’t stolen from a garbage can. I have a stockpile of reasonably fresh bread and produce – though meat is still difficult to come by. We managed to retrieve a working lamp from a dumpster and clean it up, as well as a nice desk. Now, I have more than a flickering light by which to write, and a better surface to use than my legs.

Beyond that, Michael has done wonders for my moral. He’s proven to me that I’m not the only one who sees the problems in our system. However, I am fully aware that if we want to make any type of change, we will have to find more like-minded people. His technical expertise can only get us so far, especially when there are so many around who outclass him. My power alone can’t carry our cause.

Despite my best efforts, and the fact that I have all day trapped in one room to write, I can’t seem to find the words. I have never considered myself much of an inspirational speaker, and I can’t find any way to convince the brainwashed masses to see things my way. I don’t know what words would convince anyone to question their undying loyalty to their leaders.

“How’s the writing coming?” Michael asks, climbing down the stairway. I start, but I’m able to readjust myself and settle quickly. Living constantly on-edge has trained me to respond harshly to any intruder, but Michael has been around enough to ease that tension slightly. Unfortunately, I’m concerned I’ll overcompensate and end up becoming complacent and relaxed.

“Not great,” I admit, pointing to the notebook on the floor as I take another bite.

“You know, I was thinking about this. Maybe you don’t start with some elaborate document. We don’t know who would read it anyway, right? Revolution is grassroots, Carson.”

“I’ve told you, this is not a revolution. I don’t want anyone to get hurt here. I just want reform.”

“Right, of course. So which protest are they likely to hear? One from a disgruntled fugitive or from one hundred outraged citizens?”

“Where am I going to find one outraged citizen?” I scoff. No one in the world outside of this basement seems to have issues with the Council. Everyone seems to have a delusional belief that their leaders are perfect engrained into their psyche.

“Start with people we know,” he suggests. “People like us?”

“I don’t think there are many people like us,” I groan.

“Don’t be so defeatist. You’re a natural leader. People will follow you. Let me handle the recruitment strategy and show everyone the error in their ways. You teach, and you help us reach your goals. It’ll be slow, but we have to take this one step at a time.”

“Okay,” I sigh, searching my mind for potential recruits. People I know. Suddenly, the answer seems obvious. Rhett. Rhett has been ridiculed as a Class V for his entire life. I can’t imagine he’s satisfied with a system which marginalizes him. A smile spreads across my face and I can’t contain my joy. I appreciate Michael’s company, but I’m excited to finally have a chance to be with my best friend again.

This is also the first time I’ve truly had hope that my cause may grow. Beaming, I stand to my feet and begin digging through my pile of clothes to find a hoodie which hasn’t been compromised. Of course, people are bound to be suspicious of my attire nonetheless, but it is better than walking around with nothing covering my head in broad daylight.

“What is it?” Michael asks. Glancing toward him, I see him narrowing his eyes and cocking his head. Somehow, in my excitement, his presence had slipped my mind.

“You’re a genius, Michael.”

“That’s my power,” he shrugs nonchalantly. “What did I say, though?”

“I know our first recruit!”

“Should I talk to him?” He offered.

“No, it’s okay, I can handle this one.”

“Alright that’s definitely in direct opposition to my advice, but you’re the boss.”

“Don’t worry, I know this person well. It’ll be better if I talk to him, but I’ll take a back seat in the near future.”

“Okay, but Carson, please be careful. Keep in mind exposing your operation to the wrong person could lead to detection. We aren’t ready for that.”

“The Council is already looking for me,” I shrug.

“I’m sure it can get much worse,” he cuts me off. Reeling back my excitement, I rationalize his viewpoint. I slide the hoodie over my head and nod. I know I can trust Rhett, but Michael is right. I have to be careful. I can’t get too excited to start bringing people in. This has to start small.

“I’ll be careful,” I promise. He nods and I pull the hood over my head. I know exactly where to find Rhett, I’ll just have to be stealthy. I’ll approach him when he’s alone in Mechanic school. There are bound to be plenty of opportunities, and I’ve learned to be patient. If I have to, I’ll wait until he walks home.

Gliding up the stairs, I carefully monitor my pace to avoid acting over-eager. I have to stay calm. I can’t allow myself to make a mistake. I have to avoid the cameras and make sure the Peacekeepers don’t spot me.

I can’t use my echo-location anymore. Michael, a Class V Intellect, used it to track me. I have no question a higher class would be even more capable. Therefore, I have to resort to traditional methods of stealth. I duck into an alley, sticking to the wall and carefully watching for cameras.

At the end of the alley, I peek my head around the corner, scanning for any movement. I don’t see anything immediately, but I try to carefully listen for footsteps. Finally satisfied, I turn onto the main road and keep my head down, minimizing visibility until I’m able to slip into another dark alley.

The only problem I can see with my plan is that Rhett’s school is near the middle of town. The closer I get to the center, the more likely I will be to encounter a Peacekeeper patrol. Normally, Peacekeepers aren’t on high-alert due to the low crime rate. However, with my face plastered on every television set in the city, I assume they’ll be far more attentive to their duties.

Navigating through an intricate web of back alleys, I weave my way toward the Mechanic School. Crossing from the Residential to the Business district, I can practically feel the change in atmosphere. Buildings are taller and more sprawling and I can hear movement around every corner. While there are plenty of crowds to conceal me, most of the individuals here know their groups well. Even if I keep my head down, I’ll stick out.

Just before I turn out of an alleyway, I hear footsteps around the corner. Retreating, I press myself against the wall and hold my breath. Two Peacekeepers pass me, looking at one another and laughing about something I hadn’t heard.

When they’re out of earshot – at least I hope they are – I exhale as quietly as possibly. I struggle to catch my breath without heaving and making too much noise. I never know who around me could have enhanced hearing.

More footsteps shake the ground before I have a chance to make my escape. This time, there are far more than two. Peacekeeper patrols aren’t often this large, so I’m convinced it’s a groups of students on their lunch break. I don’t think I can make it through another five blocks of this to the Mechanic School.

Searching around me, I desperately try to find a different approach. I could retreat and try to reach Rhett later. However, since most Trade School students live in dormitories, I’d have to make my way back here regardless. I can’t wait until night because I don’t know which room is his. If I want to find him, I’ll have to find a way to overcome this obstacle of activity – not avoid it. I glance down, finding a manhole a few feet from me. I wonder if I could traverse through the sewers. There would probably be far fewer cameras. I have no idea how to navigate through them, though, and I’m bound to get lost.

Suddenly, I recognize my only true option. Up. There aren’t many cameras on rooftops. Ashley has told me one too many stories of her friends using rooftops to avoid prying eyes. I could do the same, and no one would bother looking up. I’ll still have to be careful, but this will let me maneuver through the city in broad daylight without attracting too much attention. Backing away from the wall, I look up at it. I would have to be at least a Class III Brawn just to jump this high. My plan is beginning to seem less feasible by the second.

No, I have to stay out of my head. I know I can do this. Squatting down, I face my palms toward the ground. As I jump, I push a blast of energy straight downward, propelling myself into the sky. Focusing on pushing the air beneath me, I am able to keep myself climbing. I start to inch toward the building and I don’t know how to stop myself. Instinctively, I thrust one arm forward to stop my impact. A piece of cement breaks off the wall with the sudden impact, and I am sent flying in the opposite direction. Colliding hard with the building on the other side of the alley, I lose my focus and begin plummeting toward the ground. The drop is over one hundred feet, I’ll easily lose my life if I can’t catch myself.

Panicking, I try to fire various blasts of energy without destroying anything. I can’t draw attention to myself, but I’m not sure how else I can survive. I hope none of the passerbys look into the alley and see an overconfident fool falling to his death.

Finally, I’m able to blast from the ground, pushing myself back up. I am launched back toward the building, but this time I turn my hand, pressing downward and away from that one and launching myself higher again. Repeating this process, I’m finally able to safely land atop one of the buildings. Catching my breath, I fall on my back and stare into the sky.

In the Business District, people are far less likely to use their powers for travel. There aren’t as many landing areas as there are at the school, so people would risk damaging surroundings. Anyway, they often choose to walk with their colleagues who have various powers. Now, I can use their tendency to intermingle against them. The rooftops will be my own secret navigation tool.

After I catch my breath, I climb to my feet and examine the cityscape around me. I know my way to the Mechanic School, but I’ll have to go around the long way to avoid the Peacekeeper headquarters. To my right is a building I could easily jump toward, but the left will get me a bit closer to my destination. The gap is only a few dozen feet. I’m sure I could push against the ground with enough force to send me that way, even if I haven’t quite mastered flying yet.

With a running start, I race toward the edge of the building. I can’t hesitate. Hesitation leads to failure. Committing to my jump, I throw myself from the ledge. I release slightly too much energy, chipping at the corner of the building. However, it’s enough to get me to the other rooftop, so I roll over my shoulder as I land.

As I continue toward Mechanic School, I grow far more adept at this navigation technique. By the time I am squatting on a rooftop across from the school, I consider myself somewhat skilled.

Waiting for the right opportunity, I watch through the glass walls and search for Rhett. Patiently. I await my opportunity to speak with him alone. Hours go by, but he’s trapped in classes all day. Finally, as the sun sets, he has a break for dinner. This is my shot. I wait for the students to clear out, everyone searching for their own place to eat. Rhett, apparently having not found a new group since I’ve left, wanders out on his own. He turns onto a relatively deserted street and I navigate to the rooftop of a building along his path. Searching from above for cameras, I confirm the isolation of the position.

Leaping from the roof, I slow my descent with a gentle stream of energy. My landing is almost silent. Almost, but not entirely.

“Who’s there?” Rhett demands, turning over his back shoulder.

“Hey, hey it’s me,” I stammer. I lift my hands and remove my hood. When he sees me, Rhett’s eyes widen and he backs away. He isn’t afraid of me, is he? “Rhett, it’s okay. It’s just me.”

“Where have you been, Car?” He stammers, still apparently unsure how to process the new information. Finally, he shakes his head and runs toward me, pulling me into an embrace. I realize it’s been ages since I’ve hugged anyone. Resting my head on his shoulder, I return the gesture, appreciating the human connection. As with all good things, it comes to an end, and he backs away. Keeping his hands on my shoulders as he looks at me.

“I’ve been… Hiding,” I sigh.

“I’ve seen what they’re saying about you,” he whispers.

“It’s not true, Rhett. I promise, I would never –”

“I know. I know you’d never do it on purpose,” he stammers. “But…”

“Rhett, you have to hear me out, okay? My power is external. I didn’t know how to control it. The Council recruited me for Battle School – that’s where I was for the last two phases of Recruitment. They had the recruits fight one another and I won. I should have been admitted, but they questioned my mental state. They claimed I couldn’t control my power. Then they tried to take it away. They had this thing – they called it Protocol Omega – and it is a serum which can take powers. They tried to steal mine but I stopped it. Then Derrick tried to kill me, that’s why I had to fight back.”

“Slow down, Carson,” he stammers, pulling his hands back and grabbing his head. I realize I’ve just been vomiting words, but I’ve wanted to tell him for so long. I don’t know any better way to ease someone into this information, so I have to just tell him everything.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s a lot.”

“A lot? Carson, this doesn’t make sense.”

“I know, but it’s true. I promise. I said I’d tell you everything. This is everything.”

“The Council wouldn’t do that,” he argues shaking his head. Rhett’s face contorts in confusion and he backs away, processing everything. I try to give him a moment, but I know I don’t have much time.

“The Council wouldn’t do that,” he repeats. “They wouldn’t try to take your power, even if they could. It must have been a misunderstanding.”

“What about when Derrick attacked me?” I argue.

“I don’t know,” Rhett stammers.

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” I assure Rhett.

“I know! I know you. But I also know my Council. You’re wrong, Carson. They wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone either. All they do is to protect us.”

“That’s a lie, Rhett! They’re lying to you and you’re too brainwashed to see it!”

“I’m not brainwashed, Car! You can’t just drop that word because you disagree with me. I know them, I’ve seen them. We learned about them. You can’t just call someone brainwashed because they have taken the time to understand history!”

“Rhett, please, please listen to me. I don’t know how to present all of this yet, but…”

“No, Carson, you listen! I want to help you. I want what’s best for you – but you’re scaring people. Everything is good here. The Council keeps us safe, we have enough food and a place to live. I’ve never wanted for anything.”

“But they call you a Class V and demean you!”

“No, they give us classes to help us understand our powers. It helped me grasp what I could do and strive to get stronger. It isn’t a caste system. High schoolers are mean, but in the real world, I’m working with every class and we’re all equals, Car.”

“They just tell you you’re happy,” I stutter desperately, losing my resolve.

“We are! We are happy. Carson, what you did didn’t help anyone. It just scared people. Please, just turn yourself in. They’ll send you to rehabilitation and you’ll be okay. We can all be okay. No one has to get hurt.”

“That isn’t an option, Rhett.”

“People are scared, Car,” he repeats. “I’m scared. I’m worried for you.”

“Rhett, the Council is lying to you,” I plead.

“What reason do they have to lie?” He yells. I glance over my shoulder, worried he will attract attention. I don’t know what to say to him. Looking back at him, I try to find the answer. My words get caught in my throat and I can barely croak.

“Powerless?” A voice growls from behind me. I was just beginning to believe this couldn’t get any worse. Why would she have chosen Mechanic School?

Turning slowly, I find myself face-to-face with Jade Cameron. Before I can move, she grabs me and slams me into a wall, pressing her face toward me and snarling.

“Jade, leave him alone,” Rhett begs.

“He’s a fugitive,” she retorts. “I’ll hold him here until the Peacekeepers decide what to do with him.”

“I’m not having a good day,” I explain, trying to remain calm. “I just came to talk to my friend. Let me go, I don’t want to fight.”

“I wouldn’t want to fight if I were you either!” She scoffs before spitting at me.

“Jade, I don’t want to do this,” I mutter.

“Let him go!” Rhett demands again. He steps toward Jade, but she shoves him across the street with one hand.

“And that was it,” I sigh. I move my hands forward, placing them on her stomach. With one blast, I send her flying away from me. Pieces of fabric tear from my shirt as she is violently removed from my proximity. She collides with another building, leaving a few cracks in the side. I have to minimize property damage – I don’t want to give them more reasons to believe I’m a terrorist.

Jade stands and runs toward me, winding back for a punch. I could dodge, but she would just damage the building behind me. Instead, I hold my hands out, trapping her in place. Thankfully, she’s much weaker than Derrick, so I’m able to immobilize her. Still, she’s putting up more of a fight than I would have hoped.

“Enough,” I groan, throwing my hands downward and slamming her into the concrete. Jade stumbles up, wiping blood from her face.

“Jade, this isn’t your problem, just let the Peacekeepers take him in,” Rhett stammers. “Carson, please stop fighting. They’ll protect you. I’ll vouch for you. Just please. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I won’t,” I confidently assert.

“You arrogant little brat!” Jade snarls, racing in again. This time, I counter. I throw my fist forward, but it stops two feet short of her. Regardless, she recoils as if she’s been punched in the stomach. “What are you?”

“I’m a Class I,” I taunt.

“I’ll tell you what,” she laughs. “If you can beat me before the Peacekeepers get here, I won’t tell them anything.”

“You asked for it,” I sigh. She runs toward me again and I throw a hook, catching her on the jaw. Stumbling to the side, she recovers quickly, but I kick forward. My kick propels energy and knocks her to the ground. So I can use telekinesis with my feet too. I suppose that makes sense. I know I’m relying on my hands as a crutch; I suppose it doesn’t matter what that crutch is.

“I’ve already won,” I tell her. She coughs, but doesn’t argue. She climbs to her hands and knees, but I won’t let her stand. Silently, she drops her eyes and turns her head. Rhett stares at me with terror. I want to explain myself, but I hear sirens.

“Please, Car,” he stammers.

“I wish you could believe me, Rhett. If I stay, they’ll take my power. I can’t let them. I have to go.” I turn and start running down the alley.

“Wait, Powerless,” Jade yells, struggling to her feet and glaring at me. Blood drips from her nose and some scrapes on her arms. I guess I overdid it. “What did you say?”

“The Council has a serum,” I sigh. I know I should keep this information more privileged, but I’ve already let it slip. I don’t think there’s much I can lose from telling her. “It has the ability to negate powers. They don’t tell anyone about it, but they tried to use it on me. That’s why I’m running. I’m trying to prove that they aren’t as perfect as everyone thinks they are.”

“I don’t care about that,” she growls.

“What?”

“I don’t care about that! I would have been in Battle School. You stole that from me and now I’m stuck being a Mechanic.”

“That’s the broken system!” I yell.

“No! This is your fault, Powerless. I am stronger than you. I am better than you. I should have won. If they take your powers, then I can never prove that. I don’t care about the Council or corruption, but I won’t let them steal my chance to beat you. Until you admit that I’m stronger, Carson Adachi, I will not let them take you.”

I suppose it isn’t exactly what I’d hoped for in a recruit, but I’ll take what I can get. I glance toward Rhett, but he’s already walking away. I know I can’t trust Jade, but I also know her determination will keep her from reporting me. For the time being, that’s all I can ask for.

“Okay,” I sigh.

“Okay what?”

“If you’re serious, meet me in the construction district tomorrow. I’ll introduce you to the team.”