Chapter 13 - Escape for freedom

Estimated reading time: ±9 minutes

It was the evening, I stayed awake to enjoy the fact that everyone was asleep to finally leave here. I had managed to give them enough confidence that they no longer cared about me. I'm fit enough to use my power over gravity if necessary. Around 11 pm, I get up and lock the door of my room, I go beside the window. I'm on the third floor, but it shouldn't be a problem because of my power. I open the window, take my bag and bring it down via a rope that I tied on the straps of my bag. I make as little noise as I can, if I get caught, I'm screwed. I take a deep breath and jump. I use my power to receive myself silently. I take my bag and make sure no one was around. I get up and go to the border that leads to Mahinu. I'm afraid I have to steal a car or a truck. No, it would make too much noise around here. I have to get away enough before I do this.

After 30 minutes of walking in the city, I see an abandoned car, but which seems in a condition to be driven. I approached the driver's side and there was no window. Somebody probably stole it and left it there. I look around, checking that no one was there and I open the door and open under the steering wheel to turn the ignition on. I finally leave for the border, I hope in a sense that the police will not get in my way, I do not see myself explaining everything that happens.

On the Guild's side, Éléa arrived, she came to wear the Guild's uniforms, Wamien had invited everyone to come to the common room to receive the outfits. Clara smiled as she saw how excited Wamien was about this novelty. She came and huddled against him and put one hand on his shoulder.

Clara: Relax, honey, you'll scare everyone.
Wamien: It will be official, we will have uniforms, people will know who we are when we intervene.
Clara: I know, honey, I know, but in the meantime, you have to try to calm down, because you look like a kid waiting for presents.
Wamien: All right, all right, I'll calm down.

Wamien smiles and sits down. Clara will join Thalie and Louann who were talking outside. Sam was sitting on the roof watching where Éléa was coming from. Wamien wasn't the only one looking forward to it. Sam looks at the horizon and sees the lights from Éléa's car in the distance.

Sam: She's coming! Uniforms are coming!

Sam takes out his wings, jumps off the roof of the house and stows his wings after landing in front of the girls who were looking at him with big eyes.

Louann: Come on Sam! Relax, don't scare us like that, I practically spilled my hot chocolate.
Sam: Sorry Louann, but uniforms are coming! I saw the headlights of Éléa's car in the distance.
Clara: You're worse than Wamien!

Clara laughs softly and Thalie smiles as she looks at Sam's face.

Sam: Seriously girls, aren't you looking forward to this?
Thalie: Yes, but we know how to stay calm.

The lights approach and Éléa parks her car. We see her yawning through the windshield, the road must have been long, especially alone. Sam's approaching the car. Kameron, Tim and Hiro go out to help get out the boxes that contain the uniforms.

Sam: Come on, girls, we're here to help, we'll get the boxes in.

Éléa gets out of the car and stretches. The girls come to help and we queue by passing the boxes so that it goes faster, Wamien goes out and goes to see Éléa with a hot chocolate.

Wamien: Hey, Éléa, thanks for bringing this here.
Éléa: You're welcome, Wamien.
Wamien: Here, have some hot chocolate.
Éléa: Would you try to buy me?

Éléa looked at him smiling.

Wamien: Huh? No, it's to thank you and if you want, we have a room available for you, so you don't have to drive at night.
Éléa: All right.

Éléa smiles as she takes the cup and takes a sip. She smiles as she watches everyone work hand in hand to get the uniforms in.

Éléa: Okay, I'll stay the night, but that's good because you insist.
Wamien: No worries.

Wamien smiled and went to help by taking a box and carrying it inside. Éléa also came to see the changes that The Guild had made in the area. The place was warm and full of life even though the people who lived here had mostly moved into the houses on Clara's estate. Éléa noticed her son's backpack hanging in the living room. She went to see Wamien with the bag in question.

Éléa: Wamien? Do you know whose bag this is?

She showed it to him. Wamien looked at her with some thoughts.

Wamien: It's a new one, William, arrived a little over a month ago.
Éléa: William?! My William? 15, this tall? Can he control other people's moods?

I look at her, I realize he lied to all of us.

Wamien: That's exactly that.
Éléa: And you didn't ask yourself where this young man came from?
Wamien: He told me that his parents had been dead for over 4 years.
Éléa: Oh, the damned boy!
Wamien: He lives with Hiro, he's his apprentice.
Éléa: Excuse me, Wamien, but I have to go see him. He ran away because we had a fight between him and his father because he used his powers on his little sisters.
Wamien: I didn't know you had a child?
Éléa: I have three.

She turned around and went to Hiro's house, she knew where it was because Hiro's name was written on the front of the house. Éléa approached the door and knocked.

Éléa: William! Get out! I know you're in there!

Wamien comes to join her, takes out her keys while Hiro arrives.

Hiro: What's going on?
Wamien: William is Éléa's son, he lied to us all.
Hiro: Oh. Go around the back, he's in training at this hour.

Éléa came down from the balcony and went around the house. She froze when she saw her son. He was sitting in the grass and meditating, he had heard nothing of his mother's calls since he had his headphones. Éléa approached with a determined step, ready to bring her son to order. Wamien and Hiro were watching from a distance, and the teenager was in trouble. Éléa shouted once beside her son.

Éléa: William Drumel!

William jumped up and turned to the voice he had heard. He froze when he saw the look in his mother's eyes. He was too scared to say anything or even use his power.

Éléa: You don't know how worried we were about you! Running away like that at your age!
William: Mo... Mom, I.
Éléa: Get up and pack your things, we're going home!
William: But, I, I'm fine here...
Éléa: You'll come back when you're old enough, in the meantime, you come home, no fuss!
Wamien: William you should listen to your mother.
Éléa: You Wamien don't get involved!

Wamien steps back a little to indicate his withdrawal from the conflict and looked at Hiro.

Wamien: Go help get the other boxes in.

William got up and went home to pick up his things. Wamien went to check that everything had been returned. Éléa was pacing in front of her car, trying to calm down. William ends up going out with his bag and Éléa opens the door.

Éléa: Get in.

William sits in the car and attaches himself. Wamien and Éléa look at each other.

Éléa: Thank you for taking care of him at least he was safe.
Wamien: You're welcome, Éléa. Sorry again for everything, I should have investigated further.

Éléa nodded a little and got into the car.

Éléa: Good night.
Wamien: Thank you too and enjoy your journey.

Éléa left and William looked away at us. Angélique had watched the scene from her room and was afraid her mother would come too. She decided to pick up the phone and called her mother. There were no answers, so she left a message.

Angélique: Hi mom, it's Angélique, just to tell you I'm fine, I'm with The Guild and I'm learning to better control my powers. I'm fed and housed. Don't worry about me. I love you, Mom.

She hangs up, tears in her eyes. She wonders why she didn't contact her sooner. She must have been worried sick.

On Daryl's side, he finally arrives at the border and approaches the building where the customs officer was working. He parked and got out of the vehicle to see the customs officer. There's no way he's getting caught with a stolen vehicle.

Daryl: Good evening, sir.
Customs officer: Good evening, paper and motive of passage please.
Daryl: I don't have my papers, my name is Daryl Koido. You can contact Darakei Drumel to validate.
Customs officer: I don't call at this time, let alone look up the number.
Daryl: I know the number.

The customs officer sighed, he clearly did not like his work. He handed him a pen and paper to write the number. Daryl wrote down the number that was the direct number to reach Darakei. The customs officer dials the number.

Customs Officer: Good evening, Mr. Drumel, I presume. I'm the customs officer at post 4 between Giotry and Deracus and I have a man here who says he knows you. His name is Daryl Kiodo.
Daryl: Koido, sir.
Customs: Daryl Koido, sorry.

The customs officer pulled the phone back from his ear since Darakei was screaming, Daryl could hear very well.

Darakei: Put him on immediately! I need to talk to him!

The customs officer's pointing the phone at Daryl. Daryl takes it and puts it on his ear.

Daryl: Hi Darakei.
Darakei: Daryl! How are you? How are you?
Daryl: It's okay, I escaped from where I was held.

The customs officer stared at him, he found it suspicious that he said he had escaped from a certain place. Daryl put his back to the customs officer.

Daryl: You can send someone to pick me up, I'll explain everything when I get back.
Darakei: I'm sending Éléa to pick you up.
Daryl: All right, thanks Darakei.

Daryl hangs up and turns around to the customs officer. The customs officer takes the phone.

Customs officer: I have to ask the question, but are you an escaped prisoner?
Daryl: Not at all, I was held up in a criminal group and I managed to escape.
Customs: A criminal group?
Daryl: Yes, the kind who use their powers to do evil.
Customs: I don't want any problems with new humans. I don't want to know any more.
Daryl: Well, thank you and good night.

Daryl will sit on one of the benches waiting to be transported.