The story so far: 

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija has a crush on Ze. 

---- Ze lives at the Apartments where Zuri and Aija live. 

---- Zuri visits her family at Apper town. She feels the air is different here than in Innermost. Zuri visits her friends along with her brother Alex, at the neighborhood playground.

---- Zuri meets a girl – Nala – at her father's shop. Nala talks to her despite being rude at first.

---- Zuri likes Nala.

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****4.1 - Ze****

The week scurried away rather fast.

Two more missing persons had been reported that week other than the old man. There was never any clue as to how these people were taken. So many people were missing and hadn't been found. The rumor was that they had been killed. There was no other way people could explain the disappearances. The missing people hadn't been seen in years. People from all the Pristine Cities went missing, even from Innermost where the Security was the best in every City. 

None of the SecureCams showed any weird activity, neither did the drones, although now and then a few drones would be found broken in the vicinity of a kidnapping. The Leadership always gave messages of assurance that they were working on it and the situation isn't as bad as it used to be before; that they have it all under control. The Leadership even made announcements of a special team of Secures working on the issue. But, reports of missing people continued to make the news every month from all the Pristine Cities. And since the cases were so random, the Secures never knew where to increase security.

Ze washed the dishes. He helped his mother and aunt as much as he could whenever he went home. Ze didn't really like staying at Innermost, and he hated the way the Cities worked. But he'd had little choice in choosing where to live. 

He had wanted to get into Research so that he could help find a cure to the Green Plague that haunted the Open, or become a doctor to help people; or, at least to be in the Army to go somewhere far. On some days he still missed the fields of his family's farm. If he closed his eyes, he could even see his mother working on the wheat fields. He could still smell the wet earth.

"I'd like it better if you came home every day after work." His mother confessed. "That man is the second person missing from your School Housing."

"Can't you stay here, Zeze?" asked his aunt helping his mother fold clothes which his uncle had just brought in from the dryer.

Ze wiped his hands and joined them at the table. His cousin Nova was completing a quiz on his DigiBook.

"You know I can't," Ze said gently. "The Leadership has instructed me to stay there. It's the same for all Volunteers. It was the same for you back then."

"Well, things have changed since my time." His aunt complained. "It's less safe now."

Ze said, "I'll be fine, Aunt Amaya."

His mother and aunt sighed simultaneously, making him smile.

His Scroll vibrated. "Come home tomorrow; seven p.m." Zuri's message read.

Ze smiled. He found Zuri interesting and he liked to meet her; she made him feel comfortable, and that's all there was to it. It was difficult to meet genuine people at Innermost and Zuri was sweet. But the next day was Saturday. He wasn't sure if he would go; he might be needed at home.

"Is there anything else I could help with?" he asked.

"No, thank you, Ze," said his mother.

He wondered several times what would have happened if the Leadership hadn't allowed him and his mother to live at Innermost with his Aunt Amaya, on such short notice. They'd nearly fled the fields - because of him.

"Nova, do you need help with Science?" he asked his cousin. Nova came to him for help with Science and went to his father for Math.

Nova shook his head from the couch.

"Alright then," announced Ze. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." said his aunt and mother.

Ze replied to Zuri's message: 'Sure. Thanks. Is Aija fine?'

Zuri and Aija had told him about the guy who had spied on Aija. He was the one who had run that night when they'd been on the rooftop to see the rain. And, that night the old man had gone missing. They were worried he might be targeting Aija. Ze had kept an eye out for him throughout the week, but none of them had seen him.

He closed the door of his room and stood in front of the shelf of books – actual books made of real paper. His uncle's book collection was ancient. They were from the Pre-Wars era when many books were still made of paper. They had been handed down from generation to generation. This book collection was now worth tons of money. Not that his Uncle George would ever contemplate the idea of selling them. He spent a great deal maintaining the books in mint-condition against the forces of nature.

Ze had enough spare time after Volunteering at the school since he hadn't applied to the SWV Program. He, like Aija, didn't know what subjects to major in so he had decided to give himself some more time to decide. He wondered how Zuri managed to study after work. She was one determined girl going after what she wanted with confidence. The thing was, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Ze was lost since Teaching had never been a part of his plans. Now that he was into it, he had no idea what to do next.

He stood closer to the shelf of books and lifted his hands in front of him. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the books. He could feel them. He could feel everything around him if he concentrated enough. Everything had its own unique energy or reflected other energies. He felt the books; every one of the ninety-eight books and remembered his Uncle George express his wishes to make it a hundred. He felt the books move, and he held them there – in mid-air.

Ze opened his eyes. All ninety-eight of them floated in front of him.

He wanted to practice more; wanted to do more with his 'powers.' He wanted to find out what more he was capable of. Could he protect someone with it? He wanted to know; wanted to try it.

The door to his room opened, and he let go of the books. They tumbled to the floor, each book a loud thud against the quiet of the house.

"Ze?" his mother's voice was accusatory.

"It wasn't anything." Ze declared hurriedly picking up the books.

"How many times have I told you not to do that!" scolded his mother, feeling hurt. "Ze!"

Ze stood and faced her.

"Look at me, Ze Roan."

Ze slowly looked at her.

"What do I need to do to make you stop?"

"It's not going to do anything."

"You will get yourself in trouble," she whispered, closing the door behind her. "We have nowhere else to go, Ze. This is it. We don't another place to run to."

"Do we have to run?"

"I don't want to lose you, son," she said, her voice breaking.

They picked up the books and restacked them in silence.

"Showing off that power is going to get you into trouble," whispered Diya Roan, after all of the ninety-eight books were back on the shelf. "We are much closer to the Leadership here."

Ze sat on his bed, his anger bordering on annoyance now.

"What if I could help people with it, Ma?"

"No. Help me keep you out of trouble. No one has seen such powers before. The Leadership will hunt you down and lock you up. It's quite enough that we've lost Volt."

Ze sighed. "How did I get these... powers?"

"I've told you, boy; I don't know."

"Is that why my father left us?"

"Ze!"

"Tell me! Tell me Ma!" his was voice hurried and abrasive.

"That's enough now, Ze!" said Diya, her hands on her hips. "Worry about things that do matter, not about the past. Worry about securing that job at school."

"You want me to have that job." groaned Ze.

"Yes. I want you here where I can keep my eyes on you. I'll do anything to protect you, son, even if you do not appreciate it. I'm not losing you Ze. Now, get to bed."

Diya walked out of the room. Ze fell backward on his bed infuriated. It bothered him that he had never seen his father. It bothered him that he himself may have been the motivation behind his father's absence. Not being able to use his powers upset him even more. It bothered him that he made his mother worry. He knew she only wanted to protect him, and it upset him for he felt he troubled her.

Slowly, Ze fell asleep with his thoughts haunting him, like they often did.

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