Kelvin instantly appeared and saw them.
Nathan huffed, "You weren't kidding—he's fast."
Kelvin's eyes widened in shock when he saw Kai and Lila. "What happened to them? And why are you dressed like that?"
Ryu wavered, "Hey, no time to explain. Can you take us down to Fred?"
Kelvin looked at Lila and Kai again.
Ryu continued, "Please. I don't know if they have much time to live."
Kelvin took a deep breath and sighed. "I can only teleport two persons."
Nathan faced Lila and Kai and replied, "Just take these two."
Ryu stared at Nathan. "But you're hurt as well."
Nathan, unwavering, sighed. "It's fine. I'll find a way out."
Kelvin glanced at the both of them and knelt. "Okay then." He touched Kai and Lila but turned and faced Ryu. "When next we meet, you better have a good explanation for this."
Ryu smirked, "I will."
Kelvin vanished with them.
Nathan huffed, "Phew...but Ryu, I hope you have a backup on your phone."
Ryu smiled, "Yeah, of course... not the first time my phone was destroyed."
---
Back at Fred's residence
Kelvin appeared. Gwen closed her mouth in shock.
Kelvin huffed, "Help!"
Fred came out angrily from his room. His wife, Elizabeth, also stood up.
"They keep injuring themselves. How many times have they come for treatment this month?" Fred snapped.
Elizabeth moved closer towards them, saying, "Calm down, Fred. I'll heal them."
Gwen saw something in Lila's pocket and took it away. "Hmmh, what could this be?"
Fred walked away. "Ugh... be my guest."
Elizabeth placed them on the bed and started casting healing beams on Lila and Kai.
Kelvin sat on the couch and sighed. "So much stress, and tomorrow school is resuming."
---
Next morning
Kai woke up. He held his head. "Ugh, my body hurts."
As he turned his face, his eyes landed on Lila.
He drew the bed sheet up and screamed. "What happened to us?!"
Blush appeared on his face. Soon he remembered. "Oh, that's right. We went after those agents—Virex."
Kai glanced at Lila's body. She was torn on her chest. Although it was bandaged, she was sleeping on her injured side.
Kai held his hand. "Should I adjust her?"
Lila squinted her eyes. She was having a flashback in her mind where Fury pushed Kai and Nathan.
In shock, she opened her eyes and screamed, "No!"—channeling her hands which charged up with lightning. Soon she realized it was a dream.
She sighed and winced in pain. Kai was just speechless. "Uh... bad dream?"
Lila, in shock, "Kai!! Oh, Kai... you're safe. Thank God."
Lila held Kai's hands. Kai was still blushing. "Yeah, we are. I guess."
He stood up and looked around. Lila stood up too and asked, "So, have any idea where we are?"
Kai turned. "It doesn't look like the Sanctuary, but I'll check."
He moved towards the door, but Gwen was already coming in—the door hit his head.
"Ouch! What the hell?"
Gwen smiled. "Oh, sorry. You guys are finally awake."
Kai was confused. "Sorry, who are you?"
Gwen smiled. "I'm the doc's daughter, and you're in his home."
Kai nodded. "Oh. I guess he always comes to my apartment to treat us. I've never been here."
Gwen laughed. "Yeah... I figured that out."
"But it's best you don't disturb him. He's in a bad mood. And news flash—"
Kai and Lila faced each other. "What news flash?"
Gwen sat on the bed. "The government has reopened schools, mainly to train ability users and all of that. So, I hope you guys are ready."
Kai was shocked. "What?! Well, I know who will be ready."
"Didn't the government know about the dangers of this? The Shadows, the Apostles, Virex?!"
Gwen scratched her head. "Well, if you look on the bright side—staying at home has been boring. But going to school? Not just school with random students, but ability users."
Kai rolled his eyes. "You sound so much like Nathan."
"You guys should get a job, seriously. What with your love for school."
Lila stood up. "Whatever. Don't listen to him. It's gonna be fun, like you said. We'll get to meet new people, and of course, new abilities."
Gwen smiled. "Exactly."
She continued, "And I heard you guys got roasted by Virex."
Kai frowned. "Yeah... damn it. We had one of them down, but another just came up all of a sudden. I should've paid more attention."
Lila sighed. "No... it's my fault. I rushed at him. When I saw the way he killed those guys, I remembered my sister—Tessa."
"Using his lightning to murder people."
"It hurt so much. All I wanted to do was take him down."
Kai placed his hands on her back and patted her. "We'll get them next time."
Gwen sighed. "I see they've learned how to harness two different abilities—ability amplifiers."
Lila smiled. "Yeah, kinda. How do you know?"
Gwen continued, "I recently hacked into some files by the government. They've been collecting a handful of abilities to amplify. Perhaps they've been getting them from assassinated vigilantes."
Kai responded, "Yeah, that Virex guy was using two different abilities simultaneously."
"I guess they also have their agents share in these amplifiers."
---
Fred's lab
Fred was mixing some chemicals while his wife was typing on her laptop.
He snapped again, "Now my wife and three teens are living in the same bedroom... not exactly how I pictured my marriage."
Elizabeth smiled. "Awnnn, it's only for a few days."
"So the package Gwen saw was an ability amplifier, as you said?"
Fred sighed. "Yes. This isn't the first time I've seen it. I saw it on a dead vigilante once when I was coming home."
"Although I didn't want to have anything to do with it, so I left it on the dead man's body."
Elizabeth placed her hands on her grin. "But you do now."
Fred sighed. "Yeah. If it has the power to alter abilities, I can improve our patients'—Kai and Lila's—abilities."
Elizabeth smiled. "That's genius, Fred."
Fred blushed and smiled.
Kai and Lila came in along with Gwen. Lila smiled, "Hey, doc."
Fred frowned. "It's Fred."
Elizabeth stood up and walked towards them. "So glad to see you guys awake. Hi, I'm Elizabeth."
Kai smiled and said silently, "She's stunning."
Fred looked at him and yelled, "You better not be checking my wife out, twerp!"
Kai scratched his head and smiled. "Absolutely, doc. Good catch."
Fred folded his arms. "You guys are already wandering about again and spying, just after two weeks I treated you?"
Kai raised up his hands. "Oh no, doc. I can explain."
Fred sighed. "Save it. School has resumed. There's going to be more crimes now."
Elizabeth held Fred and glanced at Lila and Kai. "I hope you guys are better now."
Lila bowed. "Yes, thank you so much..."
Her shoulder snapped and she immediately winced in pain. "Ouch."
Elizabeth held her. "I see you still have to rest."
Lila wavered, "Oh, that won't be nec—" but Fred broke in, "My rules have changed. As far as you guys are in my house, you must be fully well before heading out. Understood?"
Kai and Lila looked at themselves. "Yes, sir ''