House of Cards

Card Overdrive

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“I came as soon as I heard, how are they doing?” Kadmus asked right after entering the office. “They are fine, they were not in harm’s way thanks to that fellow.” I answered as I pointed out to Rain who was not in the room.  “How the hell did they end up in that mall in the first place?  Thank goodness nothing happened to them because if there was then we are in big trouble. Mr. Bradley didn’t want something like that to happen especially to his partners daughters.” He muttered as he shakes his head in disappointment. “I know right? I was worried like hell earlier too and I almost fainted when Hannah interfered in the fight earlier *SIGH!*.” I let out a sigh in relief as awe sat on the couch waiting for them to get out from their fathers’ offices. “Where the heck did their body guards went? We wouldn’t have worried about them if they were there right?” he turned his head towards me waiting for an explanation. “I don’t think their body guards would do any difference since they are so eager to meet Rain that badly that even I, their teacher recently had a hard time convincing them to leave the area immediately.” I replied with an awful smile on my face while slightly nodding my head. “Oh, so it because of him huh? Well, I can’t deny it. My niece is like that as well, she keeps calling me and barge into my office everyday asking if when we will meet up with Rain again. She even started humming and smiling after that meeting was over. I guess that guy has too many admirers.” He said with a worried expression. “That I can relate to.” I pat his back trying to comfort him with the threat of having his niece got taken away from him when a few seconds later the two young ladies got out of their fathers’ rooms. And basing on their expressions they did get an earful from each of them. ‘Look at how gloomy their faces are- they must have had it hard. Well, being a daughter and the successor of the two families means the whole world for their fathers even when men are normally the ones who succeeds the family. The men on their families must be really screwed for them to resort for the young ladies.’ I thought to myself as I stare at them walking towards us.

“So- what did not listening to me do?” our recent teacher from Olympus asked the moment we were near the couch where he was sitting. “…..” we could not say anything back since he did have a point and we were just hard headed that we did not followed his advice that time. “Our  fathers decided to put us in top security since those guys might come and look for us the moment they realized what are relations to him are.” I answered back telling them an information that they might get told later. “Heh? That’s quite a good approach to that problem. Well, if it were me then I would have possibly done the same thing especially when you are both the successors of your families.” Our teacher agreed to our fathers’ decision immediately sharing his sentiment to the matter. ‘I knew it! So anyone would have done the same thing.’ I thought to myself when suddenly he added. “That is if those guys wake up before their organization is destroyed.” He said with a smile on his face knowing that we would be bummed by what happened. “Eh?” we tilt our heads in confusion as to what he is trying to say. “They were all affected by Rain’s lightning and one of them was struck not once but twice. Any normal human being would have died maybe instantly but this case is different, they are card holders which are well, let’s just say super humans. If that’s the case then if my guess is correct, they would be put to coma for a long time is left untreated but if their organization values them so much they would even wake them up forcefully in just a short amount of time or wait for them to fully recover.” Teacher Aron said as he looks at the situation those guys are in then suddenly Mr. Ferlin cuts in. “I heard that one of those guys have encountered Rain before and was badly injured and now he appeared just a day after looking all fine, if my calculations and assumptions are correct then they are not normal card holders at all. Sure, card holders can easily recover from an injury but it would take a week before that injury is fully healed and looking at the date then it is safe to assume that they are a specialized unit made by their organization. But even so, it may take time before fully heal, a typical lightning flash is about three hundred million volts and the capacity of our homes to handle electricity is just about two hundred and two volts so just by imagining and comparing the size difference then they are going in for a long slumber.” He added as looked at us.

“If Rain’s lightning is the same as the lightning that struck the ground then why were we not affected by it when he attacked that guy next to use earlier?” Freya got involved in the conversation and I too share her point but after asking the two old men just stare at us with a blank expression. “That one is easy to explain, Rain can control his ability that much. He can vaporize a specific enemy in an area without having to harm the innocent ones. That is quite an astronomical amount of control knowing that lightning is an energy that is unpredictable that any metal would attract electricity and let it flow in that same metal, I assume you guys have phones and other accessories made of metal, yes? That’s just shows his mastery over his ability. Even I am not confident in my mastery of my own ability, I tried experimenting once a few years back but I failed and even to this day I am still trying.” Mr. Ferlin explained with a smile on his face.

After the little chat that we had, the young ladies were fetched by Mr. Bradley’s men to have them take refuge on our place for a while with the current stand of things and after that, Mr. Bradley called on to all the leaders of the organization and its allies for an urgent meeting.  “I know that what happened earlier shook us all. And we are now here to share our thoughts on the matter, I want to hear all of your opinion.” Mr. Bradley said as he announced what the meeting was about then one hand immediately raised. “Please speak.” The man bowed as Mr. Bradley gave him permission. “We got a brief explanation just an hour ago about what happened, was it true that one of them encountered Rain before- just a day to be exact?” the man asked as Mr. Bradley nodded his head as reply. “That is what I am also told and it was confirmed by Rain himself.” He added. The crowd of leaders gasp in awe as they started stating their worries. “If they can recover that fast then aren’t we at a disadvantage?” another leader asked first then the others followed with him. “What exactly are we going to fight against?” the leader of Rain’s followers asked and in that instant Van raised his hand. “I think I know the answer to that.” He said with a serious expression. “Please tell us Mr. Van.” Van nodded his head as he proceeds to his explanation.

“You all know that we had a prisoner from one of the said laboratories that went haywire a few weeks ago right? When we encountered those guys, the others who were deceased used a syringe and injected it to themselves completely giving them a power boost, so powerful that it was alarming but thanks to uncle they were all dealt with. I made my research when I was still studying at Olympus about the thing that makes a card holder dangerous and the one thing that popped and caught my eyes was Dr. Stephen’s theory, the Card Overdrive.” Everyone was in awe after they got the hint of what Van was trying to say. “That syringe had the ability to allow them to overclock their abilities like what a Card Overdrive does but they can still keep themselves in full control without losing themselves and basing from what Mr. Aron told me, those guys are as strong if not less stronger than uncle. Then that only means the Pandora Institute was able to complete their research based from the tragedy thirty three years ago- the same tragedy where the fifth generation of Olympus student died where uncle is the sole survivor.” His words shook the entire room as it fills with silence due to the shock that it brought to the leaders of the organization and its allies. ‘Kadmus and I heard this from him earlier but to think that it still gave me goosebumps after hearing it the second time.’ I warmed myself up since the atmosphere became frigid the instant Van finished his explanation.

‘So they have completed the experiment that they made thirty three years ago huh? The reason my son no- the entire class was sacrificed is for this? To use card holders as soldiers?’ I clenched my fist in anger after realizing that the dots connected and Van’s explanation made sense. “Where is Rain right now?” one of the leaders asked. “He has some important things to attend to so we did not bothered him to attend this meeting. Fear not, what he is doing will benefit us.” I replied to calm them down and give them assurance.

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“So how are they?” Dumas asked as he entered the medical room. “The doctor said it would take them a few months at minimum but I doubt they can. They received a whole lot of injuries from lightning alone without taking into consideration the other injuries from a beat down.” Shade replied with a cold tone. “I don’t know if you are told about this but- the strongest of the Old-World abilities decided to take our side and is willing to take care of Rain Ambro for us.” Dumas said as Shade turns to him with a grin slowly creeping his face.