Nina cried most of the way, her face pressed against the cold window as trees and buildings blurred into a streak of motion. Everything was fine, for now at least. But inside the car, an eerie silence settled like a heavy fog. Despite how calm the two in front were, it felt like they were still on the run. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, shallow breaths struggling to calm the storm inside.
Questions swirled in her head. Who were those men? Why her? What had she done to deserve this? She gritted her teeth, trying to stop the trembling in her hands. The taste of smoke and blood still clung to the back of her throat, a bitter reminder of how fast everything had fallen apart.
"You can ask us anything," said Kima, breaking the quiet at last. Her voice was soft but steady, like a hand gently placed on Nina's shoulder. "Oh, and by the way—he's Felix."
"She forgot to mention I'm also her idol, mentor, and role model," Felix added with his usual smug grin, as if the past hour hadn't turned the girl's life upside down.
Nina's patience snapped. The sharp edge in her voice cut through the car like a blade."How can you smile like that? Mrs. Lopez just died! And who the fuck were those guys? Why did they come after me? Why ruin my fucking life?"
"The truth is... we don't know who they are. Or what exactly they're after," said Kima, calm but serious. There was no evasion in her tone—just a sober truthfulness that made Nina's stomach tighten. "But we do know one thing—they need you."
"Why me?" Nina demanded, her eyes darting between the two strangers who had become her reluctant saviors.
"Because you're a user," said Felix, his grin gone now. He looked in the rearview mirror, studying her carefully.
Nina blinked, disoriented. "I'm a what?"
His smile came back. "When we left that place, you said the cops would arrive in six minutes. How did you know?"
"I just... had a hunch," Nina said, the words tumbling out more from habit than intention. She'd always had those feelings—intense, spontaneous flashes of certainty that guided her. She never questioned them. Until now.
Kima turned her head towards her, intrigued. "Do you get these hunches often? Like you just know things are about to happen?"
Nina hesitated. A pattern was beginning to emerge like ink spreading through water. She thought back—school drills, family arguments, that one time she told her friend not to take a shortcut home. Things she couldn't explain.
"I do," she said slowly. "Whenever I'm anxious or stressed, these images just pop in my head. Are you saying these are... powers?"
"We don't have an official name for them," Kima replied, crossing her arms. "But yes. One day, the world was normal. The next, people beagun to change. At first, it was just super strength, speed, heightened senses... But now? Now there are people who can blow up entire cities."
Nina froze. Her fists clenched in her lap, nails digging into her palms. The image of that man's face—cold, expressionless, inhuman—flashed in her mind."So that man... he was one of them?" she asked, her voice tight with fury.
"No," said Felix. "If he'd been a user, trust me—we'd still be fighting him. You can't take one of them down that easily. Remember this. It might save your life one day."
Nina glanced between them again, this time with a newfound suspicion. "How about you two? Are both of you users?"
"Nope, just him," said Kima, pointing at Felix casually. "But he's not allowed to use his powers anymore. So if things go south, I'll be the one protecting you." She turned again and winked at her.
Something finally made the poor girl smile.
Felix rolled his eyes. "You know I can still fight, right?"
And it was true. His reputation preceded him, even among users. Known for his unparalleled skill in hand-to-hand combat, Felix was one of the few who didn't need to rely on his power to win. He had trained ever since he was able to walk, and it showed.
"Sure, sure," Kima said with a grin, leaning back. "Nina could probably take you out right now if she wanted to."
A vein in Felix's forehead twitched. Kima was clearly enjoying herself, and Nina, against all odds, turned that smile into a laughter. It started as a small, choked giggle but grew until she was laughing openly. It felt alien at first—like her body had forgotten how—but the sound pushed back some of the darkness clinging to her.
Felix's irritation melted into a grin as he joined in with his annoying but infectious laugh. There was something reckless but sincere about it, and for a moment, everything felt just a little more human.
"You asked how can I smile," said Felix, catching his breath. "In our world—and especially in our line of work—if you can't laugh no matter how bad things get... you're already dead."
Nina wiped a tear from her eye, still smiling through the ache. "And what exactly is your line of work?"
Felix looked at Kima, silently passing her the mic. She took a deep breath and leaned forward slightly, folding her hands in her lap.
"Well," Kima began, her tone shifting to something more professional, "when powers first started appearing, some of the most powerful and rich men in the world held a summit and together they formed a secret agency. The goal was to monitor and contain threats. And who's better at stopping people with powers than people who have powers themselves?"
"But you don't have any," Nina pointed out, frowning.
Kima smirked. "Exactly. Most users have... mental issues. So each one is paired with a non-powered partner to keep them in check."
"There used to be teams with two users," Felix said. His voice lost its usual playfulness. "Until one pair got drunk, made a plan, and wiped out almost eight million people."
Nina's mouth fell open. "What?! When?!"
"Remember The Great Pandemic? The one five years ago." said Kima. "Turns out, one user could turn dust into bacteria, and the other could control animals. In just a week, they made around fifty thousand new viruses. That's when the 'no two users per team' rule started."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Nina tried to absorb what she'd just heard, but it was like drinking from a firehose. The world she thought she knew had been a lie.
"But you two don't need that, right? Since he's... banned?"
"In the Agency's eyes, I need to be supervised every damn day," Felix muttered, clearly still bitter about it.
Nina could see the frustration etched in his features. His jaw was tight, his gaze distant. But curiosity got the better of her.
"What did you do?"
Felix looked away, clearly not wanting to answer.
"Remember that part about blowing up cities?" Kima jumped in, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "Yeah. He screwed up big time last year."
"You blew up a city!" Nina gasped, recoiling slightly.
Felix groaned, covering his face with one hand. "I just miscalculated, okay?!"
"What's your pow—"
"Don't," Felix snapped, cutting her off. His voice dropped, sharp and deadly serious. "We happen to know yours. But never, ever ask someone about their power. And never tell them yours. Some people just want to watch others suffer. They're always looking for a weakness or a reason to fight."
Nina nodded slowly. The warning wasn't dramatic—it was honest. And chilling. She could still see the face of the man who'd attacked her, still hear the chaos echoing in her ears. Some people would kill without hesitation.
"How come this was never discovered?" Nina asked, her brow furrowed. "I mean, powers? That's not exactly something you can hide easily."
Kima glanced at her in the rearview mirror, the corner of her mouth twitching in a hint of a smile. "Not many people had them—at least not in the beginning. Back then, it was easier to control. Fewer cases meant fewer risks. I guess the people in charge assumed the worst and prepared for it before the public ever found out."
Nina leaned back in her seat, absorbing the words. "It just... seems like the kind of thing that would've started wars."
Felix chuckled under his breath. "There were wars," he said flatly. "You just never heard about them."
She stared at him, mouth slightly open, eyes wide with disbelief.
"They kept it all secret? How?" she asked, almost whispering now.
"That's a story for later," Felix replied.
She sat in the back seat, dazed. Her eyes darted from Kima to Felix and back again, trying to piece it all together. As soon as her thoughts settled, more questions surged forward like a tidal wave.
"The men who came after me... why?" she asked softly, her voice no longer angry, just afraid.
"There have been people with similar abilities before," said Felix. "But seeing the future? That's new. And as you just saw, many would kill to use it for themselves."
Nina's thoughts spiraled again, faster than she could contain them. It didn't even feel real. She had more questions now than ever before, but something told her they were out of time.
Felix pulled the car into a crowded parking lot, the engine humming lower as he eased into a space between two trucks. He turned off the ignition and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Let's go. We're swapping cars."
As the engine died, so did the last remnants of her old life. Whatever lay ahead, Nina wasn't going back.
Once they got out of the car, a man in greasy mechanic overalls came over to greet them. Tattoos covered his hands, and a cap sat tilted on his head, with thick dreadlocks spilling out from underneath.
"My man Felix! Wassup?" the man called out, striding toward Felix with a wide grin.
"Good to see you, Earv," Felix said, meeting him with a handshake. "Is she ready?"
Earv jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward a car parked a few meters away."She's right there. Not the prettiest ride, but completely untraceable."
He smiled as Kima approached. "Hi, Kimi! Almost forgot you were here— and… oh." His eyes locked on Nina who tried to hide behind the woman. "Who's the shadow?"
"Hello, Earv," Kima greeted with a small nod.
Felix stepped in. "This is Nina. She's with us."
Earv's eyes narrowed for a moment before he relaxed and gave Nina a friendly wave."Okay, I see, I see. Hey there, Nina."
Nina returned a shy wave, barely lifting her hand.
Felix leaned toward her. "You asked how people never found out about the wars? Guys like Earv are the reason. We call them fixers."
Nina's eyes widened.
"A fixer," Felix continued, "is someone who makes sure agents have what they need for any mission, and also makes sure that mission disappears—completely. No evidence. No mess."
"So he's like a janitor who can also repair stuff?" Nina asked, deadpan.
The adults burst into laughter.
"Finally, someone with a sense of humor," Earv said, enjoying the moment. "How long's she been with you?"
"A few hours," Felix replied.
Earv raised an eyebrow.
"I'm taking her to someone now," Felix added. "Need to make her untraceable, too."
Earv let out a sigh. "You're going to my sister's place, huh?"
Felix nodded. "You two still on good terms?"
Earv gave a lopsided grin, all sarcasm. "Always. Just… don't tell her you saw me."
Felix winked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
They didn't have time for more banter—Nina suddenly froze, staring down at the ground. Her hands began to tremble.
A moment later, she slowly lifted her gaze."They're coming," she whispered.
And then, everyone heard it—the sharp roar of engines in the distance, growing louder with every second.
Felix tilted his head, listening. "This is—"
"Yeah," Earv interrupted. "Take this," he reached into his pocket and tossed Felix a set of keys.
Within seconds, several black cars screeched to a halt around them, blocking every exit. Men began pouring out.
"Go!" Earv shouted. "I'll handle them."
Kima grabbed Nina's arm, and together with Felix, they sprinted for the unmarked car. Felix jumped in first and fired up the engine.
The men moved to intercept them, but Felix didn't stop. He gunned the car forward, swerving through the narrow gap between two smaller vehicles and over a low curb.
Nina twisted in her seat, looking back in panic."Is he going to be okay?" she asked, surprised at how much she already cared about the man who had greeted them with a smile.
Felix gave a confident grin. "Yeah. They're no match for him. Especially on a sunny day like this."
Through the rear window, Nina watched the scene unfold. The men rushed Earv, weapons drawn, but none of them could land a hit. He weaved between them with impossible speed, his movements almost like dancing—fluid, precise, beautiful.
Then the real shock hit her.
The attackers started collapsing, one by one, blood spraying from their bodies. For a moment, Nina couldn't understand what was happening—until she looked closer. As Earv dodged their strikes, sharp, jagged spikes rose from the shadows beneath the men, impaling them with perfect timing.
So that's an user's real power, she thought, stunned, as they sped farther and farther away.