Gamma Accidents #1: Journey

the school's main entrance, Ethan was concealed in a classroom as a nondescript object and the newest edition to the team, Dean, was up a tree somewhere round the other side of the building.

  "So alooooone," Caleb repeated, struggling to keep his heavy eyes open. If he just had someone to talk to, someone to laugh with, someone to share jokes with, then he'd be okay.

  Wallowing in his misery, he almost didn't hear the noise. It sounded like heavy boots treading on finely cut grass, a soft sound, but just enough to raise his adrenaline and prepare him for action.

  Caleb straightened up suddenly.

  Maybe he wasn't so alone, after all...

  Bella didn't reach Urban Danger in time. She was only inches away from him when Principal Parr took a microphone, hushed the band, and introduced Urban Danger as the new Global Director of Hero Education and Training.

  Applause sprung up and Bella joined in, balancing on the balls of her feet to see over the heads and shoulders of students and teachers.

  Danger smiled, graciously, and accepted the microphone from Principal Parr, fighting the urge to wrinkle his nose when he felt how wet the microphone was from Parr's sweaty palms.

  He waited for the prolonged ovation to calm down and then he began.

  "I am astounded at the overwhelming support," he stated with a warm smile. "I've been global director for little over two months and everyone has been tremendously helpful, enabling the transition process to go as smoothly as possible. I have to thank everyone for their cooperation."

  Applause kicked up again, this time louder, more enthusiastic and lasting longer.

  "Well, now that I'm in your good books, let me jump straight into the firing line," Urban Danger said, changing tone, drastically. He went from jovial new boss to serious in under a second. "I know I said when I first took over from my late father that there wasn't much I intended to change. That statement still stands: I don't want to change everything because our curriculum is good, our methods are fine and our teacher body is pleasant. However, there is one thing I have wanted to change, something I've dreamed about changing ever since I was a child."

  People started whispering questions. Bella looked around her. The crowd was changing. Not only had their mood suddenly dipped to one of uncertainty, but Bella could have sworn she saw a majority of students move as if forming a... a barricade?

  No one else seemed to notice the shifting. Bella immediately radioed Jack.

  "Something's happening," she hissed.

  "You've got that right," he replied, that mission-leader tone creeping into his voice again. "Caleb's gone. He left his post. I think our 'special friends' are making a move..."

  Bella's pulse picked up and her mind started racing. "Tell the boys to get in here, now, I think we're going to need back-up."

  Urban Danger continued his speech, oblivious to the conversation between the Gamma Accidents. He looked his audience in the eyes. "I want to drop the decades-long laws, restrictions and bans on Gamma Accidents."

  Low murmuring commenced and Bella frowned when she saw the painfully restrained anger contorting people's faces. What was going to happen?

  She grabbed her walkie-talkie. "Come on, guys, please get in here."

  Urban remained calm, despite the dirty looks and the angry whispering. "My father and I had conflicting views on this topic (and I say this with all the respect in my heart), it's now time for change. There is no pure evidence to confirm this minority group of supers are without exception evil. We don't know what happened with G-4, I will admit. Nevertheless, no one ever banned mutants just because statistics show a minority lose control of their powers or turn evil. Why should Gamma Accidents be any different?"

  The murmuring intensified and became full-out protesting. No one wanted to hear this, and they were determined to drown out Urban Danger's reasoning with their own hysterical voices. Their protesting sounded like enraged thunder.

  Danger had expected a reaction similar to this, but he had not imagined it to be this intense. Nevertheless, he stood tall and proud, keeping his expression straight and not even blinking.

  He could tell he would soon have a riot on his hands.

  The global director kept silent as enraged students, veteran heroes, parents and even a few teachers continued screaming, shouting and hurling abuse.

  Bella crouched down and crawled out the crowd of chaotic rioters. She had to reach Urban Danger, to protect him as best as any sixteen-year-old glower could.

  Before she reached her goal, things deteriorated from bad to worse.

  Earlier, before Urban Danger took the stage, a group of teenagers had broken away from the crowd and slinked away. Bella had watched it out the corner of her eye but hadn't truly taken note of it. Now, as that same group of teenagers snuck up behind Urban Danger before her very eyes, Bella chided herself.

  The band of eleventh and twelfth graders didn't make a move; they just simply stood behind Urban Danger, their expressions neutral, not giving away anything.

  Bella stood up and looked around her. All she heard were angry voices, the beginning of an uproar. All she saw was unbridled rage against the new global director. He hadn't been in position for long and now all these people wanted was to get him out that position.

  Bella couldn't believe how such a simple statement could spark such an uprising.

  She searched the crowd, desperately seeking a familiar, calm and reassuring face. She couldn't see anything of the sort. If anyone was neutral on this subject, they were drowned out by the mass of protestors.

  She was flooded with relief when she saw Dean, Ty and Ethan enter the gymnasium, just in time to witness the miniature uproar.

  Bella ran up to them, grateful to be in the presence of calm people again.

  "What's going on?" Ty asked, confused.

  "Urban just announced his plans for the future of the superhero community," Bella quickly summarized. "And it has these guys pretty upset. But that's beside the point. Do you..."

  She couldn't even finish her sentence before things deteriorated.

  A loud rumbling like thunder boomed, rattling the school with its sheer force. A massive earthquake followed, shaking the ground, rattling the windows, silencing the protestors and throwing everyone off balance.

  Dean caught Bella before she fell to the ground.

  "Thanks," she said, clutching Dean's arms for stability as the earthquake continued.

  Ty grabbed his walkie-talkie and radioed Jack. "Dude, what was that?"

  "Something's happening in the playing field," Jack replied. "I think... I think it was a bomb."

  29

  All hatred against Urban Danger faded as a new threat presented itself.

  "Students, stay inside," Principal Parr ordered as teachers, heroes and parents gathered to go check out what was going on in the playing field behind the school building.

  "They're protecting us," Dean said, feeling like he had to explain what was happening to the Gamma Accidents. "The experienced heroes, parents and teachers go and chase away the bad guys and leave the students inside so that no harm can come to the future generation."

  "Has this happened before?" Ethan asked.

  "No, but it's common knowledge. An experienced hero will always check out the danger first before letting teenagers on the scene."

  "We should be out there, too," Bella said. "If that's our villain teacher revealing himself and the rebels making their move, we should be out there, ready to stop it. Not in here, huddling together like in a bomb shelter."

  "We don't know what we're doing or who we're dealing with," Ethan acknowledged. "Maybe it would be better to let the experienced heroes handle this."

  "You mean, wait and see what happens?" Bella reworded. She hated missing out on the action, but she had to admit, Ethan knew what he was talking about. He was often the voice of reason.

  Suddenly, Bella's radio crackled. She answered it. "Jack? What's going on?"

  "Stay inside," he said, urgently.

  B
ella frowned. "What's happening?"

  "Things are getting complicated, but stay inside. When I get there, I'll explain our new plan of action, okay?"

  "Okay."

  "Is Urban Danger still in the gym? Please tell me he's still in the gym."

  Bella looked around. She caught sight of the global director, guarding the exit doors with the help of old Mrs Opal, to prevent foolhardy students getting out and caught up in something too big for them to handle. "Yes, he's inside."

  Jack sighed with relief. "Good, catch up with you in a minute."

  Jack stuffed the radio in his pocket before Bella could say anything more.

  Everything deteriorated from the moment Caleb left his post. Jack didn't know exactly what happened, but he knew something major had to have taken place to lure the excitable teen away from his station.

  From there, things got out of hand.

  Jack was conflicted: should he go after his friend and find out if he was alright or hang around and wait for a villain that may, or may not, show up to make an appearance?

  The debate inside his head didn't last very long, because he soon saw exactly what his duties were.

  He was leaning over the edge of the roof, watching the playing field as a shadowy figure walked, in plain sight, to the middle of the grassy field. Brazenly, he placed an object on the ground, pressed a few buttons and made a run for it.

  Jack knew, instantly, it was a bomb, but he didn't have any time to make a move before it went off, knocking Jack backwards across the vast gym roof.

  Jack hurriedly got back on his feet and ran to see the extent of destruction the forceful