Unexpected twist (it wont let me select what characters are in this post)
"Lydia!"
The familiar voice, unmistakably belonging to a young man, pierced the chaotic air behind her. She whipped around just in time to see one of her followers collapse to the ground. The sickening thud of his body sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes narrowed as she swiftly assessed the scene: Kobalt, one of her most trusted comrades, lay motionless, his eyelids fluttering before he succumbed to unconsciousness.
She surged forward, pushing through the cluster of mutants with fierce determination. Kneeling beside Kobalt, she carefully rolled him over and extracted the dart embedded in his back. She examined it closely, rolling it between her fingers. "It's a tranquilizer," she muttered, her voice low but urgent.
Kobalt, ever vigilant and skilled in air manipulation, must have sensed the projectile cutting through the atmosphere and instinctively intercepted it, unsure whether it was a bullet or something worse. Lydia's mind raced. "Pick him up and move, quickly. We don't have time to figure out who's out there," she commanded, her voice sharp and authoritative.
The mutants sprang into action, her orders igniting a flurry of movement. One of the larger men hoisted Kobalt onto his shoulders as they moved as a unit, their footsteps synchronized in a rhythmic urgency. They approached a natural dip between the trees, where two massive roots arched over a large, dug-out hole beneath. Lydia gestured to the makeshift shelter. "Drop him in there and close it," she whispered, her voice barely audible but resolute.
The mutant man carefully rolled Kobalt under the protective roots, securing the hidden hatch door with a soft but definitive click before sprinting to rejoin the group. "He's safe," he panted, catching up to Lydia. "How do we know we aren't being followed?"
Lydia shrugged, an unexpected calmness in her stride despite the tension. "We don't. So we're going to split. I'm confident they're after me. You take charge, carry out the plan. Lead the others to the back way of the capitol—I'll draw them directly to me. Whoever shot Kobalt wants me."
The man nodded, understanding the gravity of her decision. With a quick motion, he signaled the others, and the group seamlessly divided. Lydia tightened her braid, a determined grin spreading across her face. She inhaled deeply, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins, and then quickened her pace, ready for a game of chase.
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Johnathan watched in silence as Finlay swiftly transformed into Khunara. Though he knew little about shifters and cared even less to learn, there was something about this one that piqued his interest. He'd encountered shifters before and witnessed their transformations, but he had never seen anyone shift as quickly or precisely as Finlay. The boy seemed innocent, almost out of place in this life, a stark contrast to the seamless transformation he had just performed.
Johnathan dipped his chin in a nod of acknowledgment before quietly exiting the room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Extracting one, he tucked it behind his ear and shoved the pack back into his pocket. Instead of leaving immediately, he leaned against the wall, deciding to wait for Khunara. He wanted to let her know he was heading upstairs for a smoke break.
As he stood there, a slight smile tugged at his lips. He bowed his head, eyes fixed on his feet. The notion of informing someone about his whereabouts amused him; it was a gesture he'd never bothered with before.
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Cynthia sifted through the chaos of papers at her desk, her fingers brushing against the stacks of unorganized personal information on the people residing in her underground community. Amid the disorder, an envelope with a government seal caught her eye. Her heart skipped a beat as she straightened her posture, the sight of the folded paper sending a jolt of alarm through her.
With careful hands, she opened the envelope and extracted the letter inside.
"Ms. Cynthia Black,
We, the federal government, have been made aware that you are in hiding with your sister, Lydia. We are also aware that you are offering refuge to mutants that are on the run. Though we couldn't find your little hiding spot, we were able to get this letter to you through a contact. We want you to know that we will soon be closing in on your operation. You have two weeks to surrender yourself to us, or we will take a more violent course of action."
The words echoed in her mind, a cold dread settling in her stomach. Without hesitation, Cynthia slammed through the doors and bolted towards the infirmary. She needed to find Johnathan, hoping he would be there. Her footsteps echoed through the dimly lit corridors, each step a testament to her urgency and fear.