News Report

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

"Who is that?"
"Seiza."
"Come in, Sei."

It has been two days since the event happened. Seiza started to get used to her power, and she has calmed down from her thoughts of killing the hero.

"How is it going? Do you feel any better?"
"... That's what I want to discuss with you, Zeed. "

Right. I almost forgot. Jordan turned her personality into that of a regular young lady. Her charm of forgetting people's names was no more. She didn't have a uniqueness in her anymore.

"Something's not right? Are you feeling something changing again?"
"No. I think I might want to use my power extensively."
"... HUH?"
" I know it was shocking, but Tasyah said, as long as I just use it around our apartment, we don't need to worry."

Actually, we have to worry because apparently Jordan has discovered another sinister thing. The building he tried to infiltrate was a power research facility. At least, the basement floors of it. From the outside, it was just a typical hospital, but down below, it was a facility built for research.

"We need to worry, actually."
"Huh? But I have it in me. Wouldn't it be a waste if I didn't use it at all?"

That was the problem. That power actually emitted a radioactive signal. That facility could track us down if we used it frequently.

"I should be honest, shouldn't I?"
"You talked to Jordan again?"
"The radioactive signal inside your DNA. Remember that? I talked about it two days ago."
"Yeah. What about it?"
"You're new to that power. The signal would be a huge spike on their radar. The more you use, the more they will likely track us down."

She looked devastated. It was a heartbreaking scene to look at. Seiza has always been sunshine, just like Tasyah. Well, less than Tasyah, but she is still a bright-looking girl. To see her like this was depressing.

"So, I should stop using it?"

I looked back at my board.

"Well, we can think of a strategy."
"Strategy?"
"Jordan listed their schedule. You can train your power at this specific time of day."

I gave Seiza a clip note about the worker working in there. Jordan may be turned against us, but I was happy he was still helping us.

"Thanks, Zeed."
"You're welcome."

Not too long after that, Tasyah knocked on my door.

"We have another news report."
"A hero died again?"
"Nope. This time was a higher-up."

That was a rare occasion, so it was a surprise to Seiza and me.

Seiza responded, "Our governor?"
"No, foreigner. They said he got into a heated argument with the hero of their city and got burned to death. It was sad."

They were all still human after all. They wanted to win the argument. They got it because they had the upper hand. It was unavoidable.

"Which foreign country?" I asked.
"America."

Of course, it was there. There have been a lot of kill streaks in that country, whether it's a normal human or a hero. They dropped dead left and right. I hope they found peace among this disaster.

"Do you want me to look into the case files?"
"Sure. We can learn more about the 'hero' who committed the murder."
"Okay. It will be longer than usual, so wait patiently."
"Thanks for the report, Tash."
"No problem."

After it ended, Seiza stood up and stepped outside my room.

"Hey, thanks once again for the advice, Zeed. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, no problem."

We needed to keep moving forward and...

"YOOO."

He came again into my brain. I jolted and jumped high. He sounded like one of those kids on a headphone microphone. And it was loud.

"Fuck off, Jordan!"
"How was it, partners? Miss me already."
"Honestly, I appreciate the peacefulness."
"Hey, come on, that was rude."

We agreed on this. I was glad that my inner monologue made him gag, that he needed to be turned off in my mind.

"I can still hear you, you know."
"Just spit it out. What do you want?"
"News Reported. I just killed a hero."

My goosebumps went flying out. That was the first time I heard him say that so casually.

"You're an idiot! What were you thinking?"
"Relax! The higher-ups didn't know."
"No, you numbskull. Where was your human morality? They were still human!"

He didn't answer; instead, he changed the topic.

"Lasereye. I wondered where his descendant inherited his power. Is it from her eyes, or her brain?"

I got heated and screamed, "JORDAN, STOP! DON'T DO THIS! DON'T GO FAR AWAY FROM HUMANITY!"

Everyone must've heard my scream because they are all knocking on my door.

"Zeed! Zeed! What's going on? Why are you screaming?"

I was too busy talking to Jordan; I wasn't paying attention to them knocking.

"I haven't done anything, Zeed. I was just wondering."
"Even when you think about it, it was still bad. Don't do this! I won't let you step far from human morality. I would never!"
"You're worrying too much, dude. I won't do those things..."

He paused. He didn't finish that sentence. Why did he stop mid-sentence?

"... instead, I will just give it away on the black market."

Rage fueled my body. I screamed again, and this time, I couldn't hold my tears. What happened to the friend I've known for ten years? In a span of two weeks, he drove so far away from us.

"JORDAN, STOP! YOU ASSHOLE. WHO ARE YOU? YOU'RE NOT THE JORDAN I KNOW. YOU'RE NOT THE JORDAN I ADMIRE. YOU'RE NOT JORDAN YONDELFIELD. YOU... YOu... you..."

I fell on my knee. I couldn't stop crying. I felt trembling. My body couldn't stand still. I just couldn't anymore. I can't.

"Zeed!" I heard Harold shove my door, "Zeed!"

They all gathered around me. Hugged me. I didn't feel warm. I felt flame and blizzard inside me. I couldn't bring myself to think that the one whom I called my best friend had blood splatter around his body. I just couldn't. I couldn't...