. 01

Chapter 3 Pt. 1

Heart Full of Pride, and a Head Full of Anger

Alex came out of the flashback overwhelmed. He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around his body. He had witnessed firsthand the carnage Zenakuu bestowed to people of Kalryn. Because of his clear moral definition of what was wrong or right, anger and rage flooded his heart. The hair on his head stood up as electrokinetic power swelled inside of him.

"Calm yourself, Alexander," Shyra said. "There will be a time to avenge lost lives. This is not it."

"I'm sorry, Shyra. I've just never seen anything like that before. What was that?"

"That was a Kalrynian memory bank. We Kalrynians are able to share our memories and store them in a records container that is guarded and preserved by the Savants. What you just witnessed were the collective thoughts and memories of my people during the invasion attempt," Shyra explained.

"I see. I'm sorry about what happened to Jeramine." Alex said.

"I apologize, Alexander, you were not meant to see that memory," Shyra held her shirt tight where her locket rested underneath; "Jeramine was my entire world, and the reason I still fight. He had the uncanny ability to metaphorically see right through me. All the farces I used on other people never worked on him. He would keep me in check but let me get away with so much at the same time. He figured me out as if he had me down to a science." Shyra gave a reminiscent smile. "I remember how he thought he knew it all, but even when he was wrong, I would smile and let him ramble on just so I could hear his voice. He could make my sides hurt from laughing and my throat hoarse from yelling all in a few minutes. Looking back now, I know he made me a better person. There was really no one else like him. I loved him, and he is gone now thanks to the Zenakuu." Shyra turned her head away so Alex couldn't see and made a motion that looked like she was wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Shyra."

"It is fine. Do not give it second thought, Alexander."

"This power of mine—how did I get it?" Alex asked, changing the subject.

"Alexander, there are a handful of humans like you on this planet. I have sensed a few when I landed, and after our training, you will be able to sense them too. After we track down the others, I will explain the origins of your powers to all of you."

Alex complied with her and listened closely to all she had to say. Shyra told Alex everything about Zenakuu and their Karyokinesis, the apparent ability to manipulate your body on a cellular level. Alex soaked in all the information he could from Shyra like an impetuous sponge, dedicated and willful. In the beginning his performance was pathetic at best; he was not accustomed to the high altitude of the mountain. The elevation and lack of oxygen caused him to run out of gas in mere minutes. He kept training though; determined to be the best and hopeful that he'd make his new teacher proud.

Weeks went by, and Alex's training continued as he learned how to manipulate electricity and use it in new and creative ways. At first, the sensation felt strange to him; the electricity was surprisingly hot. As if he were slow cooking his hands, the pungent smell of singeing skin was thick in the air, and filled his nostrils —yet he endured on until his hands callused over, and his body became used to the sensation.

Alex excelled before Shyra's eyes, justifying her anticipation in traveling and training earthlings. Shyra's studies were right; the power that Alex was showing actually surpassed her expectations. Excited with her findings, Shyra walked to the control room of her ship, not knowing Alex was right behind her. He eavesdropped as she opened a communication line to her father on Kalryn.

"Greetings, Father, how is everything on Kalryn?" asked Shyra.

"We have been very busy sending guides to the important planets in the universe," replied Rayvaar.

"Stop it, Father. I want to show you my findings on Earth," said Shyra.

"Whatever findings, as remarkable as you think they are, I assure you are insufficient to hold my attention. We have a war to win, and thanks to that damned invasion, we're down and missing one Chrentex suit."

"But, Father—"

Rayvaar then yelled, "You went to that waste of a planet against my will on a hunch that they had some kind of hidden power, and because of their primitive nature, you did not even know if those apes were capable of intelligent speech! Do not prattle on to me about your so-called findings." He sighed in frustration before continuing. "There is a forged bond between us, daughter, but do not waste my time with such frivolous matters. Just come home safely when your mission is complete."

The computer screen read "Communication End."

Shyra had faith the human race could level the playing field and give the Zenakuu a taste of their own medicine, but she was obviously upset after the talk with her father, and Alex noticed.

"What happened, Shyra?" Alex questioned.

"It is nothing, Alexander. Let us start the next lesson—flight."

Alex replied, "Did you say ... flight?"

"Now, do not be afraid, Alexander. Almost all electrokinetics can fly."

"Fly, huh?" Alex grinned. "I've always wanted to fly."

"Now, Alexander, it is sort of tricky when it comes to flying. There are two ways to fly. One way is to use your powers to propel yourself through the air like a rocket. The other way is more passive. You have to concentrate very deep at first. Calm yourself and quiet your mind. Then, in your case, it is a matter of picking yourself off the ground through electromagnetism. Imagine yourself floating and then soaring through the air."

Alex didn't quite get flying down. After falling flat on his face all day and night, he finally got his fill of eating dirt. The thought of not being good enough to fly struck Alex hard, and he retreated to his quarters for the evening to be alone.

The next day Alex tried flying again but was stopped by Shyra when she decided to expand on the group from two to hopefully more. Shyra told Alex about how there should be a few more espers like him. While Alex was training, Shyra was searching the country for others and has found at least four more espers with high kinetic readings.

"Alexander, your shortcomings are going to have to wait. I require your assistance to help recruit the rest of the team. I have marked this map and will teleport you to the cities that they are in. One by one, recruit them and bring them back."

"What if they don't want to join?" Alex asked.

"Then you will just have to be persuasive, Alexander."

"I'll try, but do me a favor, Shyra. Cut everyone else some slack. If you wanna take your frustration out on me, fine, but you'll never get anyone to follow you if you keep acting like this."

She gave him a puzzled look. "I see. I will try to be nicer, Alexander."

Nervous yet excited to meet others like him, Alex set off. He knew they would be mankind's only real defense against the invasion sure to come.

His first stop was New York, and after he geared up, Shyra teleported Alex behind a local pizza parlor in Manhattan. The jump hit him at millions of miles per hour, and in an instant, he was plastered in place like an astronaut strapped in during takeoff. The heat made it feel as if his eyes were going to melt from their sockets, and he couldn't walk straight for a few minutes after his arrival. With legs made of JELL-O, Alex fumbled across the busy street.

He had never been up north before, so he didn't know what to expect. It was almost sunset, but the streets were still very crowded. While wading through the hordes of natives, Alex basked in the smell of vendor almonds being roasted until he felt an unusual pressure on his frontal lobe that began to pulsate. Being more sensitive after receiving some quick training from Shyra, Alex knew it was a power similar to his emanating from the group of people in front of him.

Without warning, an earthquake struck New York. As the tectonic plates shifted, streets cracked, sending sewage covers shooting through the air like a soda cap bursting off its bottle after being shaken. Alex saw some of the unsuspecting civilians abandon their cars and run for their lives, while others crawled underneath trucks for shelter from the falling debris. He was scared but wanted to save everyone somehow. The thing that stood out like a sore thumb was a teen that was standing in place straining his arms out as if to control the earthquake with his will alone. Sure enough, the cracks closed, and the quake subsided, but Alex's eyes were fixated on the boy who did not even try to run. After the earthquake stopped the teen attempted to vanish in the crowd of spectators, but Alex was on pursuit. He dodged and weaved between people, trying to always keep one eye on the person running away.

His chase led him to a back alleyway, but he lost sight of his target and faced a literal dead end. Alex turned around and was sucker punched square on the jaw. The hit knocked him back flat on his ass. Somewhat disoriented, he stumbled to pick himself off the ground, and dusted off his pants.

Alex thought he had just been struck with brass knuckles, but much to his dismay, his attacker was unarmed. The young man standing before Alex was African American and seemed to be six feet tall with a muscular build, dark brown eyes, and perfectly symmetrical, short, wavy hair. The few hairs on his chin made him look older than he really was, but the expression on his face was filled with murderous intent. Alex had always heard that people from New York were dangerous, but he never thought he'd be mugged in just a few short hours. The assailant wore a plain black hoodie and baggy blue jeans; on his feet, he sported work boots.

He demanded to know why Alex was following him. The tension between the two was thick enough to cut with a knife. Alex didn't know why he felt so uneasy with this kid, but he really didn't want him on the team. When he looked into the mysterious teen's eyes, Alex couldn't help but think about the bullies who terrorized him and his friends throughout high school. He could already tell the conversation was not going to go as planned.

"Who the hell are you?" the boy once again demanded to know.

"My name is Alex, and I'm not here to pick a fight with you. I just came to talk," Alex replied.

"Are you the one who caused my power to go out of control?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" Alex curiously questioned.

"Out of nowhere I got one of those headaches I get from time to time, but it felt different than before—more refined, more concentrated. Next thing I know, my powers reacted to the strain, and I lost control," the teen explained.

"Wait. Are you saying you did this? You caused the quake?" Alex asked. "Listen, we have to talk."

"You and I have nothing to talk about. Just what kind of freak are you anyway?" questioned the teen.

Alex snapped back, "You're one to talk, buddy. You think I didn't notice you during that earthquake? What did you do to that crack anyway?"

"Not a damn thing," he said in a condescending voice.

"Don't bullshit me. I honestly don't have the time for it. There's something important I have to talk to you about," Alex explained.

"What's your name?" Alex asked him.

"Friends call me D."

"Okay, D. There's—"

The other teen cut him off immediately, "You can call me Dimitri, though."

Alex was more than annoyed at this point. "As you wish ... Dimitri. Let me paint a rosy picture for you."

Alex went on to tell Dimitri the entire story, and yet, Dimitri just didn't care.

He explained that he didn't turn down going to a technical institute for nothing; he had a family to look after and a sister who had been gunned down in a drive-by shooting to avenge. He wouldn't leave them—not after what had happened to her. He was determined to provide a better life for them.

"Look, I know how it feels. You think you're the only one who is being taken away from his family because he has to save the world?" Alex shouted back. "I get it. It's a lot to take in, but this is our calling—this is what we're meant to do." Alex calmed down and said with sincerity.

Dimitri's demeanor changed, and with a serious tone he asked, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Alex responded with an inquisitive, "No."

"Then you have no idea what it feels like to have someone ripped away from you, someone who you've known your entire life!" he snapped back.

"Yes, I do actually. I didn't raise myself. I had to leave my grandfather—the only family I have—to fend for himself while I'm gone," Alex said defensively.

"You left your grandfather all alone? I guess I just love my family a little more than you love yours then," Dimitri said snidely.