Two months off the grid and avoiding any Republic agent. Two months of wearing a hood and stopping any crime that comes by or saving people (Most are stupid kids). Two months wearing trying to track down my old girlfriend or anyone who I used to know. Two months of being alone.

"Ma'am, you don't have to pay me.." My usual saying, to be humble and modest. I honestly got by with illegal fighting back beneath an old and long abandoned club. It maybe a scum move to even consider it but getting a job would put me back in the public records.

I looked down at an ash covered boy, his eyes were bloodshot from crying but other than that he hadn't had any trouble since I saved him from a burning house. The small house was going up in flames while the woman insisted she give me a small fortune.

She was a tall, slender, woman. She had a European accent and coffee brown skin, she wore a pink dress shirt and a long gray skirt. "Yes, but I want to give you my thanks. I would feel dreadful if I didn't." She changed her tone of voice and made puppy dog eyes at me, which made me say yes, and I took one grand from her. I almost teared up and cried right then and there, but I didn't.

She smiled and gave me a hug.

"We need more people like you.." She lifted my hood and then kissed my forehead then her face tensed when she saw the symbol of the Republic burned into my neck, I fought that day and now a small area of my face is burned as well. A crude "R" rested on the left side of my neck, my skin was darker than everywhere else in my body.

"That's-.", I held up my hand, "A brand from them...they killed my family then kept me locked away in a facility to be tortured and made into a soldier for five years." Her face relaxed then changed to pity and sadness. She caressed my face.

"How awful...I'm so sorry.." She was at a loss of words, using that advantage, I spun around and ran away before she could say anything else.

I walked in silence as usual, but this time something was missing. Another friend to talk to, someone to break the ice, to shatter the cold silence which surrounded me. I didn't even dwell on it, I had to keep low and hoped no cops were around. I couldn't think about that, if I was spotted my records would resurface and I could be traced by any Republic spy and dragged back to the hell I came from.

I focused on the building that I called home and what I could buy. I wasn't homeless nor was I poor, just wanting to stay away from the public and live comfortably.

If "home" wasn't so empty..and if only Alice was around..

I passed a couple of small company businesses and big name restaurants before landing in the ravaged part of the city. Before a man named James A. Baker came along, the poor parts of this city were battlefields for an everlasting war.

Houses rotting with black mold and festering with all sorts of parasites and vermin were lined up on the abandoned streets. It may have been eerie to strangers, but sometimes you could hear the depressing cries of the homeless, who later were found amongst the dead. It's heartbreaking to hear such sorrow in their wails.

Dead women and children in the streets, killed for entertainment, race, or for what they were.

A place where the Republic is strong within the safety of North America.

Everyday I walk to, what used to be a family of three, and then give them some money. George, a small blonde kid with white eyes and no determined gift, who usually is sick answered the door, tears filled his eyes.

"Hey little buddy, how's it going?" He gave me a hug and broke down in my arms.Although being sick all the time, he was always happy and I was shocked when he started to weep and shake violently.

"It-It's momma she's sick and she said she wouldn't get any better unless she had money." Ten, one hundred dollar bills..I could save his mother, but that'd mean less food and water to go on for me. Then I remember something that my grandfather had said.

"Lai..we live in times of ignorance and greed, do not become ignorant and greedy. Become selfless and kind, give to the needy and you shall be rewarded, not in cash or any physical value but in spiritual and emotional value." My grandfather's words echoed in my mind and stirred something within me, realization.

We live in a time where hate, greed, ignorance, and arrogance reside. The wealthy ignore the poor, the strong prey on the weak, and the hateful attack the different. I smiled at him and shushed him, using sleight of hand, I acted as if I pulled the wad of cash out of his thick, curly hair.

"Tada!" He gasped and then smiled, he held his breath back and tried to hold back tears but as if someone had broken a dam, his tears bursted out of his eyes and he started laughing.

"Thank you Jason! Thank you! Thank you!" Then a beautiful woman stumbled into sight of the dusty and crumbling hallway. Her white eyes and smooth pale skin seemed regal, as if she came from royalty, her blonde hair was curly and shoulder length, her lips looked as if someone had taken a light pink color and painted them on. How could someone like her become so poor? Her eyes widened when her eyes locked on to the money, she ran up to me and fell into my shoulder and held on, her tears staining my hoodie. I sat there and let her cry.

"You..are such a blessing to this family..is there anything I could do for you?" I shook my head and kissed her forehead.

"Only that you get better soon and you get a job." I pulled out a small handgun and gave it to her. It was the same one that Rico gave me. "Stay safe Ms. Grace," I pointed to George, "You behave and protect your mother." The little boy winked at me then hugged my leg. "Thank you." That was the second time I almost cried, after chatting with the Graces I finally pulled on my hood and left.

I jogged in the direction of my usual spot, but as soon as I got half way there it started to snow. Not only is this Florida but it was the middle of summer, I ignited my fists and kept jogging. I had made sure to check for trackers by lighting myself up and changed out of my prison jumpsuit. There was no chance of them finding me but I couldn't be for sure.

Maybe they did find me.

My fists sparked with intensity, if I was being hunted there was a chance, a small chance, of me being caught. That's when lightning hit me into a nearby gift store.

I tumbled through the building, trying to regain control over myself. I did a mid air flip and slowed down before having a rough landing.

I spat some dirt and blood out of my mouth then glanced up at a slender figure touch down, no, not just any figure. It was Commander Jackson, the head of the Republic, the most awful tyrant in history, and murderer of my parents and friends. As soon as civilians saw her, they fled either in cars or on foot. Even other Gifted left the scene, everyone knew who she was and feared the Commander.

Plasma swarmed up to my arms and crackled and burned off my sleeves. I wanted to melt her face off, her smile made me want to pound in her skull. She stretched and did a back flip in her tight, latex jumpsuit. She put up her hair in a ponytail, she was ready to fight.

"Hello cutie, how's the big city life coming along? I hope you didn't get hurt." I laughed, not because I thought she was funny either. "I think you mistook me for the wrong person, I have not once loss a fight..You should know from the current guard count at your little headquarters." Her flirty and overconfidence suddenly changed into anger, I heard a low growl from her throat.

"Exactly why I came to drag you back to where you belong, you can be my star soldier.." I gave her the middle finger and plucked a car door off a Toyota and then held it in front of me in a defensive position. "Two words: Screw. Off." She bowed then rolled in the same action, she licked her nails and then brought her elongated claws through my makeshift shield.

I quickly bashed her in the nose with it then threw it to the ground, the metal hissed from the venom on her nails. She stumbled backwards in pain, then she sneezed blood. Her nose wasn't too pretty at the moment and if she had a mirror to look in she'd probably kill me.

"Hmm, I like that new nose job you got there." She didn't think that was funny and tried to claw me, I sidestepped and then grabbed her nails in my fist, the keratin started to melt in my hand. She cried out then decked me in the face, an imprint of a fist burned into my cheek and it stung bad. She then did a high kick to my chin and sent me flying upwards. Before I could reach the clouds, another lightning bolt hit me.

She can't possibly develop that kind of strength, she already has four abilities!

Generally a Gifted only has three main abilities and can develop variant powers, lightning and plasma users can eventually use magnetism or make lightning balls and people with supernatural strength can eventually become invincible to physical threats. Four abilities is rare and highly dangerous, like me. I, in particular, have super strength, telekinesis, plasma, and although it happened once, I can go invisible for some time.

So far, I noticed that Jackson can extend her nails, spit venom, control weather,(unless you want a ridiculously long lecture on the manipulation of weather, I suggest you don't ask how she can do this.), super strength and some form of telekinesis since she can fly or she can control air.

I hit the ground hard enough to make a small hole, I immediately regretted trying to move, several of my ribs made a sharp cracking noise and searing pain traveled through my body.

I grunted in pain as I got up and then formed a large ball of condensed plasma lighting in my left hand and lit up my katana. Finally the hot energy crawled up and surrounded my torso, my hoodie hit the ground as kindling for a fire.

"Don't defy me soldier, you know you can't win.."I smiled and then coughed up blood.

"Screw you..I ain't no one's soldier, no one's star player."

"Very well then..." At that moment, I could hear my mother's screams, I remembered the bloody body of my dad's, the lifeless yellow eyes of my grandfather, and the memories of my friend's sacrifice. I launched myself at her with everything I had and shoved the ball of lightning into her chest and stabbing her in the stomach with the full intent of killing her, the ball of energy exploded and the blade entered her body and I was knocked out cold.

I remember hands all over my face and the sound of someone crying, I opened my eyes and saw a girl, her eyes were silver and reflective, her hair was as red as a rose and she had freckles that dotted her face. I recognized her face.

"Ali..Alice.." She held my hand to her face and nodded.

"I'm here Jason..I found you.." My cheeks felt heated then without realizing it, I kissed her. I held her there while she sat there, frozen for a moment. Then she pressed me back down and kissed me back. She smiled at me and caressed my face for a moment. Then I felt something sharp and hot, it sent a ripple of pain through my body. I touched my stomach and felt blood, it was like water but thicker and warm.

That was the last thing I remembered before I blacked out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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