3. Mission start or not!?

  The next day she packed what few things she had, sporting a short black dress with

  blue flames at the bottom, a nice change from her uniform;and took the bus to a train

  station. She booked the next bullet train to castoria after seeing the price 80 eles on the

  way. “Glad I’m not paying for this”. Andy thought.” Back home, any bus ride is 6 eles at

  most.”

  Upon boarding the train it was a dull white color, and inside there were flat screen TVs

  mounted above the seats and little kiosk screens embedded into the back of each chair to

  call an attendant or change the channel. As well as headphones and a pull out desk.

  “This is fancy” Andy thought to herself.

  After finding her seat she notices a mother and baby, an old man, a guy about her age with

  curly black hair, their eyes meet and he grinned at her while she gave a small smile back.

  Among the other passengers who had their noses into their electronic devices. Blocking out

  the noise of her surroundings, cell phone rings, video game music, people typing on their

  laptops and focusing on the journal she checked out of the library.

  6/22/2550

  “We've dug out half of the facility now thanks to our earth elementia users who have told

  us they have found enormous amounts of moissanite in a small room inside. We figure that

  it was used to possibly add more onto the building later.”

  7/14/2550

  The engravings on the pillars upon closer inspection of our nation's symbol and the altar and

  pedestal we found upon entering the ruins seems to function as an activation system for the

  entire facility but only when there is more than one person in the room could it be

  responding to the elementia gene?”

  9/2/2550

  “I, Claust have become quite unsettled in this place. What started out as a great expedition

  to discover our history has become a daunting experience “.

  9/5/2550

  “We are about to conclude our expedition in a few days. All the facility seems to have been

  just a place of worship and meeting for our ancestors.Perhaps our work here will help others

  to continue on in finding out our history.”

  The rest of the journal included a few drawings of the ruins and pillars. Andy slightly

  frowned and thought to herself “ I should have picked a different book. There's hardly

  anything in this book, although the ruins activating to elementia is interesting”.

  As she starts to put the book away-”AHH!” someone screams and people look up and

  around “My computer crashed!” “Shhh!” another person said to the screaming woman. Who

  grumbled in an inaudible tone. The old black man sitting adjacent to Andy got up and came

  down the aisle, he was taller than Andy originally thought he wore long brown slacks and

  brown loafers a white shirt and brown artisan cap his face had quite a few moles on it. You

  could tell had been very physically active in his youth. He stopped in front of her and said.

  “ Whatcha readin’ there miss?”

  “Huh oh that was a history book” said Andy.

  “ It must have been a mighty good book the way you were lookin’ at it,” said the old 13

  Andy’s face became flushed and surprised. He let out a hearty laugh.

  “It wasn't that interesting” Andy said in a somewhat defiant tone.

  “Could've fooled me you've got a sweet voice young lady. It's pleasant to hear, unlike

  that crow hollerin’ a minute ago. But won't bother ya no more I'm gonna go find the

  bathroom.” The old man said.

  “Alright bye” Andy said smiling.

  The young Sassorian man quickly looked away from Andy as she turned her head back to

  face forward. She knew that he liked her or that the very least was interested and at this

  she frowned slightly.

  The curly haired man made eye contact with her again and said “Hey.”

  Andy nodded back.The Train plowed on and an announcement was made over the intercom.

  “We’ll arrive in Castoria in thirty minutes please prepare for departure.”

  -They don't call it a bullet train for nothing. a passenger behind Andy said. “Yeah we've only

  been on for an hour.”

  Then the young man got up and came to sit by Andy. “Hey how's it going?”

  “Fine,” Andy said curtly.

  “I'm Jay so what brings you to Castoria visiting a boyfriend?”

  “Work, no boyfriend.”

  Jay nodded and twiddled his thumbs.”And you?” said Andy.

  He let out a small sigh and said “ Work also I uh-saw you reading earlier. Do you just like

  reading or is that a part of your work too?”

  “Both”

  Andy turned to actually look at Jay now. He was a fair skinned shade of the sun of middle

  eastern descent Andy guessed he was sassorian. He had brown eyes, short curly hair and a

  skinny but muscular build. She stared a moment at his strong arms. Which were somewhat

  covered by his white sleeves which he had rolled up he had a loosened tie around his collar

  and black slacks.

  “Are you military? Where's your boyfriend?”Andy asked.

  “Hmm- yeah” Jay said intently.

  Andy chuckled. “Me as well”

  “Really what department are you in?--wait I don't have a boyfr-” Jay was interrupted by

  large sighs from people.

  OOHH! Damn it! What's going on with the screens! The people clamored.

  They both looked around everyone with electronics whether slapping, banging them or

  fiddling with the kiosks in front of them. Then Andy noticed that the tv’s and kiosk weren't

  working.

  AAHH! screams came from behind them Sm-SMOKE! People panicked and they could hear

  running and screaming from the next car.

  Jay jumped up and ran into the next car. The woman with the baby stood up here hands

  glowed green and her eyes flashed. Unwrapping the cloth from the baby revealing the baby

  to be nothing but a clay figure which turned into dust to Andy’s bewilderment. She then

  spoke her voice calm but firm.

  “My name is Shelly. I'm an undercover peace officer for the international

  transportation department. Everyone is to remain calm and let me and my associates who

  are also aboard this train handle the situation.”

  Shelly pulls back her long black hair into a bun and puts an earpiece in her ear and

  begins talking with other operatives. Now Andy was really paying attention to the woman

  looking about thirty was wearing military attire a white blouse with ruffles and gray pants, 14

  her long hair which had previously covered it a small brooch with the Seust insignia, a

  jeweled sword with a golden ring encircling it.

  “What's the status of the control car? Ok I want Ki guarding that car now how many

  smoke are there? Ok two- hey! you attendant!” exclaimed Shelly.

  A shaking young woman says'' y-yes?” There are two cars ahead of us to the right.

  There are two smoke members confirmed aboard this train and I have one operative

  heading to the control car. How many attendants are there on this train.?”

  “Four mam, this is a rather short train so there are only seven cars, one attendant

  for every two cars and an extra attendant for the vip car.”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “One of the attendants could be smoke in disguise. come with me so we can ID

  them.were in the third car so who's the attendant ahead?”

  “His name's Titus, he's been here 20 years he usually handles the vip car ahead”.

  The attendant says as they jog up the aisle. In the next car they see a bunch of fearful

  passengers.

  “Hello everyone I'm Shelly, a peace officer please remain calm and seated”. “I'm

  going ahead to stay here to calm the passengers. I'll grab Titus so you can ID him.”

  the attendant nods.

  Shelly runs ahead into the next car and a few rows in front of her she sees a tall middle

  aged man in the train uniform of a gray suit with silver buttons and green hems. Trying to

  calm a hysterical passenger. She says Titus?”

  The man turns and says “yes.”

  “ I'm a peace officer, come with me for a second,” said Shelly.

  “It's gonna be alright” he says to the hysterical passenger and quickly comes down

  the aisle.

  They go back to where they left the young attendant.

  “Is this him?”Shelly said.

  “Yes.” says the young attendant on the verge of tears and Titus grips her shoulders

  tightly.

  “ Remember it is our job to stay calm and attend to the passengers. Just do what I

  taught you Amber and it will all work out.” said Titus. Amber sniffs and nods.

  “Ok you two keep this area under control whatever the smoke organization is up to

  i’ll stop it I’m meeting up with another operative in the back they are mostly likely trying to

  reach someone in vip.” Shelly says.

  Back in the car with the old man and Andy. As Shelly jogs down the aisle she asks “Where is

  the boy?”

  the old man says” He jumped up and ran down there” pointing to the next car.

  Shelly sighs and runs into the next car cursing in Spanish.

  The car's passengers had all been put to sleep with gas and an empty spray can lay close

  to her feet. In the fifth car she walks into an ensuing battle. A man dressed in Seust uniform

  lay knocked out over some seats passengers belongings had been left unattended, In front

  of her was Jay his right arm a flame towards the back of the car was a man in a black cloak

  his body imitating a gray and black glow that made with look as though he had smoke

  coming from his body. His eyes were pitch black and he began to gather energy into his

  hands which made all the electronics float in the air and then suddenly began flying toward

  Jay.

  Jay began shooting down the electronics with his fire and knocking them away steadily

  advancing toward him. The mysterious man spotted Shelly and pulled her forward by her

  broch. Shelley's body started glowing green and the green light flowed into her hands which 15

  she then started to throw desks from the seats toward the smoke and immediately stopped

  her from being pulled forward. As the smoke dodges her attacks Jay uppercuts him searing

  of flesh from his face and knees him in the stomach following a high kick to his skull. The

  smoke member's body begins to fall to the ground, his cloak setting a blaze.

  The smoke only laughs and says “ Repulsion!” is arms outstretched toward Jay, a flash of

  black energy and it sends him flying backwards. and the flames that were consuming his

  body were extinguished. Shelly, having made a wooden spear, throws it at the smoke

  piercing his neck. Killing him only for his body to vanish into a puff of smoke.

  “What the hell are you doing soldier?!” Shelly yells looking at Jay on the ground.

  “Helping,” said Jay, getting up from off the floor.

  ” I’ll deal with you later.”

  They rush to the next car.

  “Hey! Stop!” a figure leaps out of the door of the train and all the lights and

  electronics begin working again.“DAMMIT!” a man with blue jeans and a baseball cap says.

  “Bailey! What happened!? Where are the other passengers?”

  “In the last car with the attendant I didn't get anything out of them” said Bailey

  punching the seat making the car shake.

  “It's alright the most important thing was to protect the passengers” said Shelly.

  “Hey thanks kid couldn't have done without ya” said Bailey.

  “No problem.” said Jay.

  Shelly fixes her mouth.

  “Now Shelly don't worry so much, there were two of them so I asked him to help me

  out. He's got skill been in the field for 3 years.”

  “OK will be in Castoria in about five minutes. Authorities will be there as well. Lets

  get the passengers seated.”

  The police questioned passengers and made reports of the incident.

  “Chief this is what we know so far-”

  “A whole lot of nothing,” said Bailey stroking his mustache.

  Shelly tossed him a dirty look.“ There were two smoke aboard that just appeared on

  the train according to other passengers” said Shelly.

  “No one just appears anywhere where the train's security cameras are,” said the

  Chief of police.

  “The tape shows that the people who are identified to be smoke organization

  members just blended into the crowd; most of the people weren't really paying attention;

  they're all playing or doing something with electronic devices,” said Ki.

  “Alright why did they appear on a train?" said the Chief.

  “We really don't know that either sir we thought that there was a target in the vip

  section they were after but it really wasn't anyone of importance there except people

  wanting to pay for luxurious service.” said Shelly.

  “All the crew and employees check out too,” said Bailey.

  “The only thing peculiar is the smoke I fought," said Jay.

  “How do you mean?” the Chief asked.

  “ He had some sort of magnetic power. He moved and controlled the electronics at

  will and even pulled Shelly with it.” said Jay.

  “The other one really didn't do anything but be my punching bag, although punching

  him felt like hitting iron,” said Bailey. 16

  “That's it they worked together to create a magnetic force which is why all the

  electronics stopped working and only one attacked,”said Shelly.

  “ Ok then why the train we haven't had any smoke organization incidents in years

  why now?” asks the Chief of police.

  “Maybe that's why to let it be known that they're out there that they're a threat,”

  said Ki.

  “Yeah they are a terrorist organization after all,” said Bailey.

  After the meeting Jay leaves the Castorias main police station. Outside he runs into Andy

  nearly knocking her down. He catches her before she fails.

  “Oh sorry, Jay says.

  “It's okay,” says Andy.

  “ It's you I never got your name” said Jay with a surprised look on hir face.

  “It's Andy”.

  “Your military right where were you during that attack?”

  “In my seat,” said Andy.

  “ I thought you'd help in some way” said Jay.

  “ I was a civilian following a peace officer's orders or you could say I was a soldier following

  orders from a superior officer. hero,” said Andy.

  Jay paused and shook his head. A bus started to pull up. As Andy boarded she said

  “Touch my ass again, I'll kill you.”

  “It was soft,” Jay said with a sly grin as the bus drove off.