'Find notorious Jaw and bring him to the army's quarters.' My mission reads.
Notorious Jaw? The famous thief in the whole of Nehemas. I have heard a lot about him and how terrifying his skills are. This mission should be the job of the army or the City security service. Why would they give a mission as tough as this to young students who just got out of school?
It was a death job.
"Why do you give them difficult jobs? This should be our jobs." I heard an army officer ask the commander. Even though they were many distances away and they were whispering to each other, I could hear them.
I guess that's a new added advantage to having Maki.
"Don't you get it? This is not a mission to test them. This is a test to eliminate them and reduce their population," the commander replied.
"What are you talking about, sir?" The curious officer asked. She suddenly gasped and answered, "To reduce their popularity? Is the economy going down?"
"The people who are useless shouldn't be allowed into the society. They should be killed and the ones who are useful should be welcomed," he coldly replied.
"But father, this is not fair. They are young people who doesn't deserve this," she answered and pointed at some students who weren't given the papers. "Then what about them? Why weren't they given missions?"
"Their parents are people of high positions. They already have an easy way for them and they are the people we need in the society; people who would benefit the economy."
"Dad, this is outrageous."
"That's enough, Dianne. Don't let me hear this from anyone and for your own good, shut your mouth and say nothing about what you just heard."
I smirked and shook my head. So this was it. It's all about the rich being favored and the ones who couldn't afford it being cast away like trash and killed. Not surprised. It has always been that way.
I looked over my shoulder and the officer also looked towards my direction, coincidentally. I sighed and looked away.
John and a few of the others were part of the specially exempted students.
"Reggie, we are both in the same group," a girl yelled out, with a high-pitched voice.
I nodded and looked down.
"Don't get in my way. Just let me catch the thief and you can die on my behave," she said and walked closer. "Remember you said you would do anything for me. This is your chance to prove your love for me. Profit me with your life and let me bring back the notorious Jaw. Don't worry, I will live well and make you proud in your grave. And also, I will give you the kiss you have always wanted." She winked and joggled away.
"Do you want me to kill her, master?" Maki said.
I fixed my gaze on her as she made her way to her friends. Stephanie, the girl I was having a crush on, but she went for John instead.
"I haven't decided yet," I muttered and walked away to go join my group and of course, they had to give me the worst group. Kelly, Ben and Stephanie, the people who hated me the most and made my life a living nightmare. They were all John's minions.
"Is this weakling joining us too?" Ben asked with irritation lacing his voice. "Its crazy enough they joined me with these two, but with Reggie? Are they nut or something?"
Stephanie smirked and stepped closer to me. "Don't be like that, Ben. Reggie should be in this group for my sake."
Kelly rolled his eyes, picked up his backpack and left.
"Where is he going?" Ben asked and went after him. Stephanie followed next, leaving me behind.
I let out a deep breath and went after them. They all disappeared into the thick forest, using their abilities as an advantage to move fast.
I dropped my crutches and tried to move fast too, but fell to the ground. I can't go fast. "Isn't moving fast an advantage too?" I asked with a frown.
"It is, but you have to gain the energy first," Maki answered.
"Energy? What energy? I never gained any energy before I could hear from a far distance."
"You have the power of a ghoul. A power no one has, and we ghoul, we feed on energies to utilize it as ours," he answered and in the next second, he was sitting on a tree branch above me. "That fire ability you have, it's not yours. You were never birthed with any natural ability."
I drew my brows, trying to understand what he was talking about.
He went on, "Remember that night at the Atlas. The night you gained your freedom?"
I clearly remembered that night. It was forever etched in my heart. The night I gained my freedom from the Atlas nine years ago, but that freedom came with blood.
"That night was the night you first discovered that you had the fire ability," he said, which was correct.
I remembered how pleased I was to have finally gotten my ability. I was rejected and sent to Atlas because I had no ability.
"That wasn't your ability. You stole it from the director," he revealed and my eyes widened. The director had the fire ability too.
"So you mean, I took it from him after I-" I kept shut, remembering the gruesome scene of that night. "I can get people's energies if I do that again?"
"Yes," he answered and appeared before me. "Your power is to give and take. You have the power to give energies and take them back. That is the omnipotent of all."
Give and take? I've never heard of that ability before.
"Whatever it is, I will figure it out. As for now, I need to catch up with my group members if I want to make it to the society," I said and began to run after them, holding on to my crutches and my backpack.
They had gone far, heading towards the eastern part of Nehemas where Notorious jaw was.
"Remember, you have to give and take to be powerful. If you don't, you are nothing but a log," Maki said in a whisper and vanished.
I ran as fast as I could, not taking a minute to rest or catch my breath. I finally sighted them standing around someone. I stopped, panting heavily as I tried to see who was in their center.
When I finally recognized him, I drew my brows and stood straight. Notorious jaw was right in their midst. I thought he was suppose to be in the east. Why was he close to the school?
I brought down my crutches and walked to them.
"So you are the famous thief. Your time is over now. It's time you get arrested," Ben said.
Notorious jaw smirked, not showing any fear for any of them. "You little children. How dare those officers looked down on me by sending kids to bring me down?" He asked, pissed off.
"Hey, we are no kids!" Stephanie yelled.
He laughed and shook his head. "Go back to your mummies, I have a serious business to attend to," he said and made to leave, but suddenly, I felt a push from behind and the next second, I collided with him and we both landed on the floor.
I heard Stephanie chuckled and knew it was her doing.
"There is no where for you to hide now, Notorious jaw," Ben said and a blazing arrow emitted from his palm.
I tried to stand but notorious jaw got a hold of me and wrapped his arm around my neck, pointing a shape iced dagger at me.
"One more move and he is dead," he warned.