Chapter One

"So did you get it", whispers an older gentleman with short dark hair with a few strands of gray in the front jumping forward.

"I got it," a young girl replies who had some similar features to the gentleman, she held up her bag to him.

He nods smiling sweetly and proudly at her. The sound of the door made both of them jump. The gentleman rushed towards the door brushing the girl away. She slips down the hallway and into her room.

"Honey!" The older gentleman calls out with his arms spread out, "you're home a rad bit early."

A woman in similar age to the gentleman was wearing a blue comprate-approved dress with a navy tweed blazer and black slip-on flats, was by the door removing her shoes. "Yeah I couldn't wait to get out. Practically raced out of the office."

The older gentleman arms slacked a bit at her words, for a brief moment his eyes wide but composed itself.

"That bad huh," his words soften, gentle.

The woman didn't reply just looked at him. The longer they started at each other in silence the more her armor came off chunk by chunk: anger, stress, frustration, lack-of-confidence, overcompensating, stress. The gentleman stretched one of his hands towards her. She automatically takes it. In one swift movement he brought her into his emprace. Holding her soft but firmly, stroking the back of her head while taking in her scent. From the other side of the room the girl peeped from behind the wall taking in the scenery. The sun was still semi high in the night. Long enough to envelope the entire room in a warm light, thanks to tge tall long windows that lined the wall. Space between the dining, kitchen an living room were open giving the feeling grandure and spring all mixed into one.

Off to the side by the window there is an entrance to a hallway. There the girl squat by the wall watching the whole scene with a warm smile on her face. She should have went back to her room to finish putting the stuff together but she couldn't missed her parent's interaction, for this wasn't any day but a special day. And she could watch this scene forever. But it didn't last forever. Her mother pulled away first.

"Where's _________"

"Oh, she's in her room, finishing up her essay," he said the latter part a little louder thinking it wouldn't lead to some suspicion, "haha, actually I just what you need to take your mind off things." He gently lead her to the dining room.

"Oh, really." She smiled letting the out-of-chatacter action go.

"Of course, of course," he pulled out a chair for her and she elegantly sat, "I do not slave away at the stove for anybody."

They gave each other a heart-tugging smile. The father eventually pulled himself out their trance.

"I'll be right back." He winked as he head towards the kitchen.

Knowing it will soon be her turn and the gift is nowhere near ready to give the girl slip back to her room and quietly shut her door. Her room was a mess but knew where the gift and the decorations laid as if everything was laid in exact orderly fashion. She swiftly but quietly wrapped and decorated the gift. The soft knock on her door made her jump.

"Everything is ready," her father whispered.

She gave him a thumbs up. She picked up the gift with one hand and then her guitar with another. In the hall she handed him the gift as she sling the guitar over her shoulders and strumed the guitar before playing the first cord to 'Happy birthday'. As they round the corner her mother eyes were wide and round. She clapped her hands to her mouth as her eyes began to water. It was quite but even all the way by the windows she cpuld hear the her mother sniffles.

"All this...for me," her mother clenched her chest as water builds on the bottom of her eyes.

They were rounding to end of the song. Her father placed a two tier cake with two huge sparklers lighting it up in front of her mother.

"Happy birthday!" Both her and her father yelled at the end.

"Thank you you two, I'm so... I'm so..." Her mother's hand was still on her chest but now laid flat, the tears that was building up now fell down her cheeks, she was facing her now turned to look at them beaming her brightest smile before opening her mouth again, "BEEP BEEP BEEP!"

The girl jumped up with a startle, a blanket in her hands. Her hair was as messy and disorderly as she currently felt. She looked around taking in her surroundings. The door was left ajar, and next it was her guitar that leaned against her wall all over the floor where heaps of clothes and papers with the occasional fallen book. The wall adjacent to the door had a full desk and chair in front of it. She was in her room.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP

She slid her hand across the phone screen to shut off her alarm and fell back into her pillow.

"Don't fall back asleep, get up before your late for class," a stern voice ordered from her door.

The girl slowly turned her head to see her mother's head peaking through her door.

"Now!" Her mother's eyes narrowed, "and for goodness sake __________ your about to be eighteen do your laundry," she emphasized before leaving.

__________ sighed as she rubbed her tired eyes. She glanced longely at her guitar before finally getting up and ready for school.

The television was on as her mother watched it drinking coffee resting on the counter. There was a plate of food on the table still warm. ________ picked up with one hand, the other is holding her bookbag. She brought the food to the counter.

"Anything good on," she asked before taking a bite of eggs and toast.

Her mother grunted but said nothing else. The television was a morning talk show. One of the hostes was making a out of touch new generation jock and their co-host forced a laugh. Then said another bad line before introducing the guest of this segment. A older gentleman with balding hairline and glasses but well built physique jogged in waving to the audience smiling. It looked like it hurt, the smiling.

“Who is he?“ ________ asked more than halfway done with her breakfast.

Her mother's jaw stiffen before opening, “the CEO and co-founder of ____________ and Co. And the most likely the one behind all the recent changes in the cities.“

“Mom, he's a business man not a politician. At the end of the day it's the law makers who bend and choose the laws what laws the want to pass,” ________ said finishing up her breakfast.

Her mother said nothing but gave her daughter a stiff smile but he eyes were warm.

“Does boy genius have any new plans or products in the near or far future,” one of the hosts asked giddily.

“It has been a long time since someone called me boy,” ______ laugh was strained but he looked like he was in good humor, “actually me and the guys have been working on a new project, project Neo.“

“He looks and sound like what I expected, anyway I have a presentation today, wish me luck,” ______ hooked her bag over her shoulders before giving her mother a kiss on the cheek.

“You got this but good luck,” her mother gave her a kiss on the head before she rushed out the door.

“This project will not only shack this country but the entire world.“ ________ smiled staring directly into the camera.

____________ legs was shaking profusely under the table. He stared into the deep dark void of his half drunken coffee. His third, fifth cup for the day. He reluctantly looked to the side of his where an open envelope laid face down. He sighed and looked back into his coffee. Leg still shaking. The coffee shop was semi busy. Lots of people going in and out only a few taking the time to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. But most importantly nobody knows him here. And yet he could still feel the big from hand crushing his shoulder.

“Take the offer son, even a boy genius like yourself need help. Everyone need help sometimes right. We all are human, right” the last part sounded like he was mocking him but one _______ did not get.

The man pushed his shoulder and walked away. _________ had not seen that man since his graduation. He was 16 years old then he is 18 years old now. So why now, __________ complicated, what is happening that he or they were asking for him, again. Frustrated, ___________ took the letter off his desk and shoved it in his bag. He pulled out his notebook, several worked on sheets of paper, and a couple of textbooks. He opened the book to a page of symbols, numbers and equations that has been running through his mind for weeks at minimum three months. Nothing about it made sense, their isn't a connection between them, there shouldn't be. But something in _______'s mind keep tugging on him telling him there is. He opened the textbooks of his favorite, and according to him, smartest mathmation and physicist, Dr. __________, and engineer, Dr. ________. But nothing they wrote came closer to helping him piece this puzzle together.

_______ took another look around the room. The lines was starting to get longer and the seats were starting to fill up. _________ sucked his teeth.

“I need to get out of here,” he grumbled to no one.

He shoved the textbooks back into his bag but kept hold of the papers and notebook. He took his now cold coffee in one gulp, then looked over his notes as he walked. As soon as he stepped out the air felt chiller to him but it was later in the morning and the sun pierced the doomed sky. _________ shrugged his shoulders and lazily walked in a random direction.

The hair on the back of _________'s was shooting straight up. But she as definitely late and school was so far from where she lived. _________ walked down a garbage scent filled, dark and damp closed off at one end alleyway. Goosebumps decorated her arms, and wasn't just because it felt like at any moment a shadow figure, literally, will jump out and cut her. She kept looking over her shoulders until she reached the spot the sun could never reached. On the brick wall a small smokey symbol hovered in front of it. Blink once and you'll miss it. ________ took one more look back out on the streets. Noone was even glancing her way.

“Thank God for New York,” she said before touching the symbol and instantly being swallowed up.

_________ was spit out in a similar dark smelly alleyway. But this one was coated in the scent of piss. ________ was about to racheted all over her clean uniform.

“I understand the reason but the council really need to ease up on the scent,” she mumbled through her hands trying her best not to take another whiff of the scent.

She ran out the alleyway and down the street to the next, hopefully not excrement scented, allyway.

_________ was a in a frenzy jumping into one portal and running to another. Running, dodging, sometimes bumping into people. Giving them a quick sorry but not stopping. _______ on the otherhand was walking languly. His mind full of numbers and equations that he was completely unfocused on what was in front of him. Several people had to jump out of his way, a few of those people shouted a few choiced words him. ______ didn't hear it. He usually don't.

And so on...

And so on...

And so on they went.

... Until...

BANG!

“Ouch!“ ________ shouted falling on her ass, all the papers in her bag falled out as a result.

“Aye!“ ________ raised his voice, he only stumbled backwards but he dropped all his papers and notebook.

“What are you made out of? Brick?“ _________ spat as she picked up her papers not focus on the content.

“Can't walk much,” __________ mumbled also not looking at her while more concern about his papers trying to save as much as possible before they get trampled on.

“I can't, not this morning!“ ___________ murmured to herself.

Believing she picked all her paper she rushed off, without spearing a glance at the spear brick the was kneeling right in front of her. Meanwhile the said 'brick' managed to save much of their papers. He said a few choice words of his own before slandering on.

__________ jumped through her final portal and was at her final distanation, just not quite yet. A big hulking figure with their arms crossed stepped into view. Would have fell backwards a second time if she wasn't paying attention, again.

“Ms. ________, taking the portals I see.“

“It was an emergency,” __________ council, “I was late and live far ... If not for emergency then when can we actually use it?“

Was not amused and arched an eyebrow, “Come to my office.... Now!!!“

_________ huffed as she walked up the rest of the stairs and followed school's Dean to his eighth floor corner office.

The trip, nay, the lecture at the Dean's office was about to be her undoing. He thankfully cut it short due to the final bell ringing.

“Uh um, excuse me sir, but you're not going to give me a late notice. We are on the eighth floor and my class is on the third floor,“ _________ slowly got up from her seat while gathering up her things.

The Dean arched an eyebrow but didn't turn to look at her as he picked up a fat folder, “Aren't you a _____________ Ms. ____________. I'm sure you can teleport your way there without the use of external magic. You're in school now so it is allowed. Just don't end up somewhere weird or bump into someone.“

__________ slowly turned to leave but snapped back around, “canIhaveanotethatsaidsitisokayformetousemagic. You know... In case I do bump into someone?“

The Dean peered at her through his glasses before taking out a small square pink paper out of his desk. He scribbled some words and his signature before handing it to her. She took the paper and ran out his room. She pulled out her phone and swiped her her best friends name.

“Hey, it an emergency and I have a note from the Dean.“

FLASH! In one second they were both standing at the back of their class. Both swiftly took the seats closest to them. Unfortunately they did not went un notice by their teacher.

“Miss _____________, Miss _____________ how nice of you to pop in. Hope you have something for me for that.“

“I have a note from the Dean!“ ________ shouted as she stood up. She coughed and lowered her voice, “um for the use of magic in to class... He wouldn't give m-us late passes.“

The teacher arched a brow as she made her way to ____________'s desk. She took the paper from and read it. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Fine. Don't be late again.“

“Yes,” the two friends replied, __________ taking her seat.

The teacher took attendance and went on to the lecture. __________, whose notes and papers were mixed up does to the morning rush, took the review portion of the class as a time to fix them.

“SHIT!“ She screamed internally banging on her desk.

“Yes, Miss _________ is there something you want to share,” the teacher looked board but her staring was burning a whole in __________ head.

“N-ye-- sorry!“ ________ said through a strained smile.

Her best friend side eyed her but she ignored it. About a little more than one fourth of her work, the one she spent her summer to now working on, is missing. Wither she lost to the hord of the city or the brick wall my man she would have to recreate the calculation and at worst start from scratch all over again.