Extraordinary Mistakes

Rachel uses her ability and plays with the ashes, making a little dance in the air. When she turns around, her aunt hides in the trees looking at her, and that sight makes her flinch.

Seeing Amy doesn’t always bring her comfort, especially when Rachel knows that she’s judging her. Like now, helping someone like Abigail Parker would be something that Amy would never do.

“What are you looking at?” Abigail notices that Rachel’s stare is fixated.

“Nothing,” she quickly looks away, “let’s go?”

They silently head back to the car. Rachel starts it and Abigail calls Ánh and puts her on speaker.

“Abigail, are you okay?!”

“Yeah, I’m okay. We’re heading back now...” Abigail looks to Rachel, “Can you give me a ride to the Institute? I left my car there.”

Rachel sighs and nods.

“Maybe you should come here. Alex can check your brain and see if the man did something to you.”

What now, Ánh? Seriously? How can you put our secrecy in jeopardy?

While Rachel tries her best to hide her discontent, Abigail notices it.

“All good. He only accessed my memories, didn’t erase them. Have you found the identities of the shooters?”

“I did two seconds ago; I’ll send them to you.”

“Please...” Abigail taps on the seatbelt, “I think I know one of them.”

“If you do know... don’t do anything, please.”

Abigail smiles.

“Rach, you are too silent...”

“Everything’s okay, Ánh. I’m just tired. It’s late already, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

“Yes! I was waiting for you so we could see our K-Drama. Tomorrow it is.” Ánh’s voice squeaks. “Abigail, stay safe.”

“Stay safe.” Abigail hangs up. “K-Drama?”

“What?” Rachel keeps her eyes fixated on the road.

“Nothing, nothing... I just...” Abigail tries to hold back the laughter, “didn’t think that the leader of a terrorist movement had time for a show.”

“Sometimes a girl needs a break from all the terrorism.” Rachel smiles. ” Ánh loves it, so I watch it with her. It makes her happy. It’s the first time that I’m watching a show.”

“I know she does. We used to watch it too. How...” Abigail scratches her forehead. “How’s this the first one you are watching? Didn’t you watch anything when you were growing up?”

“No. First time watching television.”

“How...? What did you do with your time? That’s so weird.”

“I trained.”

Abigail focuses for a moment on the road instead.

“Ánh is right, if you confirm that you know one of the assassins, let us handle it.”

“She’s clearly better with you, isn’t she? I can tell from her voice. I knew she wasn’t happy at the Institute. We tried to,” her voice breaks, “but to leave everything and become a terrorist. I didn’t think that she was that miserable.”

“It’s a possibility for you too. The becoming a terrorist, joining us, I mean.” Rachel looks momentarily at her.

Here it is... another glimpse of your true nature. She doesn’t care... Her goal is to recruit people. Don’t believe anything she says.

“Emily said that you tried to convince her. Now me.”

“What can I say? I’m just a good Samaritan. The door is open if you want to.”

“Just stop it!” Abigail stomps her feet and takes several deep breaths. “I know you don’t mean it... Emily’s ability, that you want. Sure. But mine... are useless. You just want me to convince her to come along. Don’t pretend like all abilities are important and that you want everyone to join you. It’s a lie, and I can see right through you.”

“You shouldn’t say that about your powers.”

“Out of everything I just said, that’s what you focus on?” Abigail avoids looking at Rachel. “Also, you said my ability was useless when we met. Remember?”

“We have to be proud of our powers. It doesn’t matter what everyone else may say. And that...” she looks at her and softens her voice, “it wasn’t personal. Emotional warfare is part of being a terrorist. The door is open for you, even if Emily doesn’t come along.”

“Sure. Don’t you have enough people already?” Abigail scoffs. “It must be tiresome to lead 119 people.”

“We are five,” Rachel says softly.

“What?”

“Five. We are five. Not 119.” She says it a bit more loudly this time.

Again with the manipulation, I’m so tired of all these lies.

“Sure... five.” Abigail rolls her eyes.

“The three poster children that keep showing up on the videos. Ánh, obviously, and Alex. You met him on the other day. Ten years of movement and we are five. Okay, online we are much more, but in realit-”

“You expect me to believe that the big terrorist movement...” she elevates her voice “the one that everyone is so afraid of! Is you, your cousin, Ánh, the Angel of Death and Diego Álvarez?”

“Megan. Her name is Megan!” Rachel grabs the steering wheel tightly. “And I don’t have a cousin... wait, you mean... Alex?”

“He’s the son of Amy Anderson, no?”

Rachel laughs for a beat and shakes her head.

“Because of his silver hair? Parker, there’s a thing humans invented called hair dye. His parents were the Williams, you know? The other two members of The Five. I mean, we were a family in a sense, but he’s not my cousin.”

“And following up on this, pretending that I’ believe you.”

“Believe whatever you want, Parker.”

“Why would you be just five?”How ironic.

“It’s difficult to convince people to join. Megan is part of the movement, so we have a lot of deviants who criticize us. They oppose the system, some even hate humans, but they’re against Megan more. Some other, sure, they want a new order, more rights, but they don’t want to be terrorists. They want to live comfortable lives and play fantasy at night on a screen. Joining us... is a death sentence. We look over our shoulders whenever we leave the house, even when disguised.”

Rachel parks the car away from the cameras. She can see Abigail’s car from there. Next to it, are Matthew and Amanda, shaking their heads.

“Ánh asked me to help you today. There’s no favor that you need to return if you’re worried about it.”

One day she’ll ask you for something, and you’ll have to say yes to blindly.

“I can give you something in return-” Abigail shuts the car door.

“There’s no need.”

“If I hear someone in the Institute being against the system, I’ll refer them to you.”

They smile for a bit and their eyes meet. Abigail immediately looks away.

“Rachel... I’m sorry about your leg... legs, actually,” she takes a short breath, “but well, I could’ve shot you in the heart and tonight you kind of deserved it. I just hope we never meet again.”

“I guess there’s no class on how to apologize on the Institute. Do us both a favor and stay out of trouble,” Rachel rolls her eyes.

Abigail heads to her car and drives off. Rachel follows her, making sure she gets home safely.

On the other side of town, Megan is in a known area of drug dealing. After the failed attempts of following the people connected to the Institute, she decided to spend her nights going through the most dangerous parts of the city. Seeing if, in some abandoned building, there’s a secret lab. She’s about to leave when she notices the red shoes.

What are you doing here?

Megan’s eyes fill with water when she sees her clearly buying drugs from a dealer. She has to take several deep breaths to stop her from hopping off the motorcycle and kill the man with her bare hands.

Why would you do this to yourself? How reckless can you be?

How unfair to blame the others for not measuring up to the image we created of them from a safe distance.