Bonus Chapter
Jordan tried to catch up to Amara, who was being pushed along by a multitude of students all late for first period, when he was suddenly intercepted by Blackridge's famous security guards. At the forefront stood Mr. Bond-a towering figure in a polished black-and-white suit, complete with shades that lent him the air of a super spy. Mr. Bond, like almost everyone at Blackridge, harbored a deep-seated dislike for Jordan; his disdain was compounded by the fact that Jordan's antics on campus regularly turned the security team's shifts into living nightmares.
"Mr. Carter," Mr. Bond's voice boomed with an almost deafening command as he stepped forward.
"Yo... if it isn't my boy, Mr. B-O-N-D! Like, wassup my guy, though I can't talk right now-I gotta get to class," Jordan quipped desperately, attempting to break free.
But before he could make another move, two other guards lunged forward and grabbed him by the arms. Mr. Bond turned around slowly, a sinister smirk curling on his lips-a smile that evoked every supervillain cliché imaginable.
"Ha... ha... ha..." Mr. Bond laughed in a menacing tone. "Very funny, Mr. Carter, very funny... but it seems that you've reported late on the first day of school, just as you did last year and the year before that." His laughter trailed off into a low, present continuous muttering-"m-m-maligning..."-that sent a shiver down Jordan's spine.
"Yeah, so?" Jordan replied, trying to maintain his composure despite the pounding of his heart.
Mr. Bond's smile twisted further as he continued, "Well, this is strike three." He paused deliberately, letting his words hang in the air. "You're out."
"Ha," Jordan laughed nervously. "Damn, that's crazy-you just laid down the rules of baseball. Now, how does that apply to this situation exactly?"
For a moment, Mr. Bond's expression hardened in response to Jordan's mockery, but then he seemed to retrieve a dark amusement from within himself. "Seems like you don't get it, huh? Jordan," he said through gritted teeth, his smile now even more twisted. "You have violated one of our school's simplest, most fundamental rules-not once, not twice, but three times, Mr. Carter." He let the words sink in, his tone icy. "So, it's high time that you're expelled."
"You're joking, right?" Jordan tried to sound casual, though his voice betrayed a tremor of disbelief.
"Oh, I'm not joking," Mr. Bond replied, his voice laced with cruel satisfaction. "But I am just wasting your time, aren't I? Shall we go and see Principal Waller?" The mere mention of her name sent a chill racing down Jordan's spine.
"Um, I don't think I can fit that in my schedule-I've got homeroom in about 30 minutes, and I'm already missing the opening assembly-so, yeah, I'm just gonna like, go," Jordan stammered as he activated his blue light energy. He shouted it at the guards holding him, the burst of dual-colored energy slamming them down onto their feet, causing them to release their grip. With a swift backflip, Jordan landed several meters away and powered up his agility, intending to make a break for it. Yet, as he took off, something froze him in place-an eerie stillness like time itself had paused.
Mr. Bond slowly strode up to him. "Ah, so you forgot about my ability during winter break, I see." His tone was mocking, yet layered with a sinister promise.
For a split second, the world around them slowed even further as Mr. Bond activated his unique power-a mastery that could freeze time around his opponents. However, Jordan remembered clearly how his own red and blue energy manipulation interacted with such effects. "I know your trick," Jordan muttered to himself. "Time stops around me only briefly if my energy's strong enough... it's only a matter of time before it runs out."
With that, Mr. Bond launched himself into a fierce martial arts assault. His movements were precise and calculated, each strike designed to exploit any hesitation. Jordan retaliated by channeling his dual energies-splashes of cerulean blue and flashes of crimson red danced around his fists and fingertips as he deflected blows. The clash was a blur of energy and martial prowess: Mr. Bond's freezing technique momentarily slowed Jordan's motions, but the unstable surge of his energy fought back, reducing the duration of the freeze to mere seconds.
They traded blows amid a symphony of grunts and clashing energy, the corridor echoing with the sound of their struggle. Mr. Bond's experience and mastery in martial arts pushed Jordan to his limits. With each calculated strike, the seasoned security guard showcased why he was feared on campus. Despite Jordan's agile maneuvers and powerful energy bursts, he was gradually being overpowered by Mr. Bond's relentless precision.
Finally, after a particularly vicious combination, Mr. Bond landed a heavy blow that sent Jordan sprawling to the floor. The world spun as Mr. Bond's grip tightened, and Jordan's vision blurred. Realizing he was losing the fight, Jordan's thoughts raced-he remembered exactly how his unstable energy worked, a ticking clock of dwindling power.
Before Jordan could muster another surge, he was hauled to Principal Waller's office. The door swung open to reveal a stark, imposing room where a single chair faced a massive, imposing desk. Jordan was pushed into the chair, and as soon as he sat, Principal Waller's icy glare met his.
Her presence was overwhelming; every fiber of his being trembled under the weight of her authority-a fear he had never fully understood, but which now gripped him with ruthless precision.
"So, Mr. Bond, why have you brought Mr. Carter to my office first thing in the morning?" Principal Waller demanded, her voice cold and precise.
Mr. Bond replied in a tone that barely concealed his excitement, though he fought to keep it in check. "He has reported late for the third time, which means he can be expelled now."
Principal Waller's eyes narrowed. "Ah, Mr. Bond, I cannot expel him merely for breaking a silly rule. I told you to stop pestering me about expelling him-he's in Form 5, one more year until he graduates. You can't tell me that's too long to wait, hmm?" Her words dripped with icy authority as she continued to sign forms with deliberate calm.
Mr. Bond tried to speak, but nothing came out, his enthusiasm stifled by her commanding presence.
"Well, that settles it," Principal Waller said briskly. "You can both leave my office. Jordan, I'm sure closing assembly is over-get to class."
"But what about his punishment?" Mr. Bond finally managed, causing Jordan to shoot him a bombastic side-eye.
"Oh, Jordan," Principal Waller sighed, not even looking up from her documents, "see me for your punishment in March." She finished, her tone dismissive. "That's about two months from now, and-"
"That's enough, Bond. Leave my office," she snapped in a tone of absolute power, her authority unquestioned even without her direct gaze.
And with that, Mr. Bond and Jordan were dismissed.
As Jordan stepped out of the office, his mind churned with conflicting emotions. The taste of defeat and humiliation stung bitterly, yet a spark of defiance burned within him. He knew that every setback at Blackridge was just another challenge to be overcome-a test of the power that he struggled to control. With his heart pounding and adrenaline still coursing through his veins, Jordan took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
The corridors of Blackridge Academy now beckoned him once more-a maze of whispered secrets, latent supernatural energy, and the promise of a destiny that was only just beginning to reveal itself.