Chapter 3: An Unexpected Encounter

Clark and Alex sat in the school sports field bleachers, enjoying the calm atmosphere of the afternoon. They chatted about everyday happenings when Clark's attention was suddenly drawn to a girl practicing on the field. The girl moved with incredible speed, as if she was flying across the field. Every movement was agile and graceful, making Clark unable to suppress his curiosity.

"Alex, look at that girl. Does she always train like this?" Clark asked, pointing towards the girl.

Alex followed Clark's gaze. "She's known for her incredible speed. She's even the star of the school's athletics team."

Clark nodded, observing closely. The girl indeed had an almost unbelievable speed. However, while they were watching, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. A man dressed in black appeared from the corner of the field, followed by several others, also dressed in black. They moved with quick, tense steps, as if they had a clear purpose.

Clark sensed something was wrong and immediately heard the system's alert. "Mission Set: Protect the runner girl from abduction. Reward: Increased strength and additional abilities."

Clark's heart pounded. He had never been in a situation like this before, and even though he had just acquired his powers, he knew he had to act quickly. He looked at Alex, who also seemed worried. "We have to do something," Clark said firmly.

Alex looked at Clark, confused. "But how? They look very dangerous. And we..."

"Don't worry. I'll distract them. You try to find a way to help her escape," Clark said, moving towards the field.

Clark began walking towards the group of men in black, trying to appear confident even though he felt anxious. Meanwhile, Alex ran towards the girl, who was still unaware of the approaching danger.

"Excuse me! Umm... C-can you come with me?" Alex asked, trying to get her attention.

The girl turned, her face looking confused. "Who are you?" she asked. "Why should I go with you?"

Alex hesitated, but in the distance, the fight between Clark and the men in black had already begun. "There's no time to explain." Alex felt the tension starting to rise. "Do you see them?" Alex pointed to where Clark was. "If you stay here, you'll get involved in that fight."

The girl sensed something was wrong. She also didn't want to get involved in something troublesome, as it would be dangerous for her. Besides, the guy in front of her was wearing their school uniform, so she didn't need to worry too much.

"I'll go with you."

Alex smiled, relieved. "Let's go, we don't have much time!"

They then left, leaving Clark who was fighting for his life.

***

Clark felt his adrenaline surge. He knew his new powers weren't fully under control, and fighting those men directly was clearly too risky for him. However, he had to think of a strategy to deal with them. He utilized various objects around him and the field's wide area. He dodged, drawing the attention of the men to give Alex a chance to escape. After ensuring his friends could get away, Clark finally decided to flee.

***

Meanwhile, Alex and the short-haired girl were running towards the school's parking area. They hid behind some cars, trying to find a safe place to stay out of sight.

"What about your friend?"

Alex turned to the girl. "You don't need to worry. He's a strong guy."

The girl had her doubts, but suddenly Clark appeared in the distance.

Alex immediately stood up and waved his hand. "Clark?!"

Clark spotted Alex waving. He ran towards Alex and hid there.

The men in black arrived a few minutes later, but they couldn't find Clark. After searching for a while, the men finally left.

"Are you guys okay?" Clark asked, panting.

"Yeah, we're fine. Thank you so much," the girl replied gratefully. She looked at Clark with deep gratitude. "Do you know who they were?"

Clark weakly shook his head. "I don't know. I thought they were after you."

The girl frowned. "I don't have any enemies. Are you sure?"

Alex and Clark looked at each other. "Then why were they chasing us?" Alex said.

No one knew, but the three of them felt relieved to have escaped danger.

After feeling safe, the girl stepped out from their hiding spot and thanked them. "I have to go now."

Clark and Alex nodded. "Be careful. If you see suspicious people, you should run immediately."

The girl smiled. "Oh, by the way, what's your name?"

Alex introduced himself first. "I'm Alex. We go to the same school."

The girl smiled. "I know. I saw your uniform."

Now it was Clark's turn to introduce himself. "I'm Clark."

The girl nodded. "Elena Blackwood."

Clark's eyes widened. He couldn't hide his surprise. Elena was the name of his deceased wife. Was this just a coincidence?

***