Page 36 of Akarnae

And another.

Eventually they reached the outer wall of the Gen-Sec building where, without warning, Jordan’s hand disappeared from Alex’s shoulder and she fell like a dead weight to the ground.

Eleven

The drop was only short, but her breath was still forced from her lungs with an “Oomph!” when she landed on some kind of bushy hedge.

After rolling off it and onto the grass, Alex looked up and realised firstly that her vision was clear again, and secondly that the three of them had just fallen from the second floor of Gen-Sec. She rubbed her shoulder and turned to glare at Jordan.

“Sorry about that,” he said, offering her a hand up. “I didn’t want to risk finding some stairs to get to a lower level. And I knew this bush would break our fall.”

Alex thought it best not to respond.

“What’s a few bruises, hey?” Bear said, clearly excited by their escape.

“How did we get out here?” Alex asked, brushing leaves and twigs out of her hair.

They looked at her as if she had a few screws loose.

“We walked. Then we fell,” Jordan said carefully. “Did you hit your head when you landed?”

“No, Jordan,” she huffed. “What I meant is… You used your gift on us, right?”

He continued looking at her strangely. “How else do you think we got out without being caught? And walked through walls?”

“I just—I didn’t know people could do that. Share their gifts, I mean.”

“Some people can’t,” he said, “but since mine is a physical gift, I can make it work for other people too.”

“That’s… really handy,” Alex said, impressed.

“It has its limitations,” Jordan admitted. “It only works with physical contact, which is why I had to be holding onto you the whole time.”

“So, I’m not transcended anymore?” Alex asked. That would explain why her blurred vision had cleared—and where it, and the earlier anti-gravity sensation, had come from to start with.

“No,” Jordan confirmed. “But we should be okay out here since everyone else will be stuck inside with the Lockdown.”

“Whatisthe Lockdown?” Alex asked.

Jordan looked at Bear and they both shrugged. “No idea.”

“That’s what we’re investigating,” Bear said, practically bouncing with anticipation. “Let’s go see what we can find out!”

“I think we should head to the Tower,” Jordan said. “That’s where Jarvis’ll be, and if anyone knows what’s going on, it’ll be him.”

Decision made, the three of them headed towards the centre of the grounds, carefully keeping to the sides of the buildings and staying as sheltered as possible. When Alex asked why Jordan didn’t just keep them all invisible, he explained that it was tiring to use his gift on other people. But even so, whenever they had to cross an expanse of uncovered ground, he grabbed onto them and hurried them invisibly towards the next building.

The Tower wasn’t too far from Gen-Sec, but they took the long way around the apprentices’ dormitory and the food court so that they’d have more cover if anyone was looking out at the grounds. When they eventually reached the entrance to the Tower and stepped inside, their journey became more complicated.

“Did anyone bring a torch?” Alex asked into the darkness. Like the building they’d just left, the entire Tower was pitch-black.

“No need,” Bear said from somewhere ahead of her. “We’ve got Jordan.”

Before Alex could ask what he meant, Jordan spoke. “I know my way around this place better than my way to the food court.”

“You’d have to,” Bear replied. “This is practically your second home, what with all the trouble you get into.”

“It has its uses,” Jordan said, and Alex felt him grab her hand and pull her forward.

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