2.25.2

Endran Again

In a display of ease, Romo landed the shuttle further into the school’s courtyard. On the piazza directly. And the two men that stood guard when they last left, remained.

The pair bounded over in surprise, and perhaps a little suspicion, to see the shuttle back so soon.

But the side door opened and Astrid, dragged at the arm by an intent Ramsey, stumbled into the afternoon light.

“Problem?” One of the men asked. Then eyes fell on the Channeler and her clothing.

“We found one of your students stowed away,” Ramey accused.

Astrid found a pleasant surprise in the way the men regarded Ramsey and Dell. As though their return of such a treasure endeared them to the captors.

“You.” The second watchman glowered upon approach. “What’s your tag?”

“Fifty-Eight A,” Astrid reported.

“Go and check it out,” the guard said to his fellow.

And there they stood, caught in a stalemate while they waited for the S.O. to confirm their loss.

It took little time, and the second man returned. Though, he appeared thoroughly disgruntled to discover they did indeed somehow miss an escapee.

No doubt he’d pay for that later.

“Yeah, she’s one of ours,” he fumed. “I thank you for returning her.”

“You have an issue with runaway students?” Dell asked while one of the doormen grasped Astrid by her other arm.

“They’re still our responsibility. For as long as we can keep them here,” the men deflected.

Ramsey inclined his head to the shuttle before Dell posed one question too many. When both watchmen handedly took the Channeler back to the doors of the academy, she looked over her shoulder to receive one last subtle nod from the team.

Inside, however, a very cross, older man awaited her.

She stood between the two guards, one on each arm, while their master fiercely glared into her face.

He wore a suit and tie pin. His hair lay cross between blonde and grey, and his stature imposed.

“We do not have the luxury of tolerating troublemakers here,” the man reprimanded threateningly. Then Astrid placed his voice, laced with superiority. Principal Paulsen.

“What we’re doing here is important,” he continued when she declined to speak. “And you’re old enough to know what you risk by running.”

Dark blue eyes scrutinized her, as though to ascertain whether his words sank in. Then he dropped his voice and stared hard.

“Don’t do it again.”

Astrid lifted her chin, unafraid, but carefully kept the anger within from reaching her face. Instead, she promised herself he’d come to remember this moment later.

Her restraint paid off, when, upon dismissal, the guards at her sides forced her through scorched halls of a repurposed battlefront, and deposited Astrid right where she longed most to be.

She would have to wait to see more of the facility and what evidence of urprising could be still found within. For now, the thrum of energy, pooling, shifting, cycling, called to her like a siren song. And through a set of doors, she found herself shoved into a large, crowded chamber. What may, Astrid judged by its size, to have once been a cafeteria.

And dozens of eyes fell on her.

Finn, his face lit, jumped to his feet. But she extended a hand, to stay him, until the doors shut behind their abductors.

Broad windows still exposed them to the halls beyond. Where Guardian-wannabees patrolled with their pulsar sticks.

But once sufficiently left with the others, as alone as they would ever get, Astrid couldn’t help herself. She darted to Finn, only to find Maya at his side and on her toes just as suddenly.

“Astrid!” The young woman exclaimed.

“Shh, sh.” Astrid hurried to soothe them still. But helpless to her own elation, she fervently lifted Maya’s jaw under a careful hand. She sought any sign of abuse, both on her, then Finn.

After she deemed them unharmed, she pulled them both into a hug so relieved she thought she might burst.

“I’m here. I’m here, now.”

“Astrid!” Another little voice interrupted their reunion, and the specialist found a small black-haired beauty wrapped around her thigh.

The Channeler’s eyes stung when she swooped the young girl into her arms and snuggled her closer than she ever dared on Endra. She buried her face in the girl’s dark hair and breathed in the precious life for which she most feared.

“Opal! Thank the stars you’re alright.”

The child hugged her tight, excited to be held. Astrid shifted the girl on her hip to keep her close. Afraid if she set her down, she’d lose her again.

She'd found them. Finally. Both Finn and Maya looked on. Startled to see their older fellow so free with her affection.

Indeed, Astrid realized, she surely must have changed a lot since they last saw her.

She looked out over the crowd. Others from Endra gathered, and beyond them, more Channelers. People Astrid didn’t know stared in wonder at what the fuss could be about.

“Come on.” Astrid herded them to a table. “Let’s not draw attention.”

Her eyes slipped to those that stalked outside, but it seemed the other Channelers adapted well to their new prison. Which, sadly, couldn’t be too terribly surprising for Astrid to consider.

Maya and Finn immediately sat with her, one on either side. She kept Opal on her lap, though it felt the girl grew several sizes since their last time together.

“Astrid, why did you go away?” Opal immediately pouted. The child wove her fingers through the Channeler’s rose gold hair.

“I needed to help the Statics. The ones that came to Endra, do you remember?” Astrid explained apologetically. “They’re going to help us, too. My new friends. I promise I’ll tell you all about it later, okay?”

She lowered her voice, though she needn’t bother. Most the Channelers returned to their own conversations. At least, those that didn’t know enough to understand the significance of Astrid’s arrival.

The teenagers, however, most clearly recognized Astrid as not the one that recently bailed.

And a young man in a hooded tunic came to sit directly across from her with his expression painfully serious.

“Celeste?” he asked pointedly.

“She’s with my people,” Astrid told him. “She’s safe.”

Menloh nodded, though he too, looked about, as if to contemplate what it would take to claim them all as such.

Behind him, a brown skinned young woman with lovely almond eyes came to join them. And aside her, an orange-haired male. Speckled with freckles and alight with curiosity.

“This is Ivy, and Jeremy. From Sanctuary Lorelei,” Maya explained.

Astrid nodded to them both. “It’s good to meet you. We’ll need to talk, all of us. Is there time at night? Do you have a schedule?”

“Yeah, a lights-out curfew. Just like back home,” Finn shared.

The specialist mulled over the possibilities.

“They’re always out there.” Finn nodded to the windows. “They bring in bedrolls every night. We only leave this room once a day, except for bathroom escorts. That’s how Celeste slipped out, I think.”

“We’ll have to be careful. For now, we pretend nothing has changed, okay?” Astrid instructed as quickly as she could. “I’m taking Celeste’s place. As long as we stay together, we’ll get out of this.”

“Who are you?” Ivy, the young woman behind Menloh, looked about eighteen herself. And distrustful. Which, in this instance, Astrid understood.

“Astrid Hale,” she told the girl. “I’m an Energy Specialist for the Earthen Military Service. Channeler Division.”