The Last of Them All (editing)

Justin's POV

Dr. Tusik took us back to Viribus. He had called the headmistress and she was getting all of the student body together, and anyone else in the area that could make it within a few hours. A Peculiari meeting, he had called it. He had asked me to speak, to address the entire body of people that would be there, about, about Ali.

I accepted of course, but that didn't mean I wanted to do it.

Once we arrived, Clara, Andrew and I were rushed around hurriedly until I eventually found myself standing in front of a podium on a large stage, surrounded by hundreds of people. Everyone was staring directly at me and I suddenly felt very vulnerable. I closed my eyes and thought of that afternoon in the park, before we were interrupted. I thought of all the times I realized how much I loved her, all of the times we had kissed, all of the times we had fallen deeper in love. And I began to speak.

"Everyone." My voice shook a little bit and I looked behind me to where Andrew and Clara were sitting. I gripped the sides of the podium. "All of you know the basic story of Dr. Adenosine in the 1960s. His discovery of the Shapeshifters, Superhumans, Nature Benders, and the Mind Reader. These discoveries eventually led to Viribus, and they led to every single one of us developing our powers today. However, the Mind Reader was lost, and unfortunately, has not been found, until recently."

Whispers arose through the auditorium but they were quieted quickly.

"There is good news," I took a deep breath, "and there is bad news." I gripped the edges of the podium tighter. "It has been confirmed, by several reliable sources that there is a mind reader," I gulped, "alive" hopefully, "You all know what mind readers are capable of, and the mere fact that we have her on our side is amazing." I breathed deeply. "Unfortunately, she has been taken captive. We do not know of her whereabouts but we have faith that we will be able to find her, or that she will be able to find us. We do not know what they are planning to use her for, and it is my prayer that we all band together to fight the evil that threatens to destroy us." The entire room was silent. "If it's a war that takes it to get her back, then it is a war we will have." I struggled to find the right words. "Thank you."

I stepped off of the podium and turned my back, only to turn it to accusations, hatred, and bitterness.

"FALSEHOOD!" One woman stood up and shouted.

"Where's the proof!"

"There hasn't been any Mind Readers for over fifty years! Why would one show up know!"

"Attention seeker!"

"Stupid teenagers."

"He has no idea what he's talking about."

"He's delusional."

"Stupid."

Heat filled up into my face and I grabbed Andrew and Clara as we made our way off the stage, pushing it through people and their accusations. I didn't care what they said. I fought back tears. I couldn't cry, and I wouldn't cry.

"You did good Justin," Andrew stated, the only kind word amidst a room full of hate.

"I'm going to get her back. Even if I have to find her and kill Thanatos myself."

Ali's POV

Everyone stared. That was the thing I hated most about this place. I could handle the cold cell, lack of food and water, and the cold lonely nights. That was doable. But the doctors coming to the edges of the wall with their clipboards staring at me like a mouse in a cage, the prisoners walking by with their gaunt expressions gawking at me, that I couldn't handle. I was the center of attention and I hated it.