How did it go? Luz said to Alex, handing him a towel. ‘’You’re drenched.’’Alex wiped his hair with the towel and nodded. ‘’Guess I managed to make it.’’Luz hugged him in excitement, kissing him on the forehead.‘’You’re now an elemental?’’Alex nodded, smiling.‘’Sorcerer,’’ Cetzel called out. ‘’The Guardians aren’t done with him yet.’’‘’Sorry my lord,’’ he apologized.‘’Son of Kulkantzi,’’ he turned to Alex. ‘’There are ominous signs ahead, as the day of the final battle approaches.’’‘’You have to be prepared for just about anything,’’ Yum Balam intoned.‘’I understand that now my guardians,’’ Alex looked at him thoughtfully.‘’This Kimil,’’ he asked. ‘’Why hasn’t he invaded Earth yet?’’‘’Hmm,’’ Yum Chak shook his head.‘’He’s chained to the underworld which limits his powers of direct intervention. For now, he can only fight by proxy.’’‘’But,’’ Cetzel intercepted. ‘’Like I told you last time you were here. Your rebirth has set off a clock.’’‘’And we’ll be out of time when the
Alex sank into the sofa, the phone still positioned on his ear. ‘’Go on. I’m all ears.’’‘’You’re gonna steal something for us.’’‘’Steal? Maybe you got the wrong person.’’ Alex’s voice rose. ‘’I’m no thief.’’‘’We know about your sorcerer friend and the magic tricks with the dinosaur. This is real life, Alex. No magic is going to save her.’’Alex paused for a moment, then spoke. ‘’What do you want me to get?’’‘’You’ll steal a suitcase of diamonds from the city metropolitan bank. No tricks.’’Alex covered the mouthpiece for a moment and whispered to Luz. ‘’They want me to steal from a bank.’’Luz had a surprised look on his face as Alex resumed the conversation.‘’So, assuming I retrieve the diamonds, how will you get it?’’‘’Meet us at the old meat factory at 9 Alamao Close.’’‘’When?’’‘’Seven p.m. And come alone.’’‘’Wait! Alex continued. ‘’How do I know my mama’s okay? Let me talk to her!’’‘’You have 5 seconds.’’After a pause, Isabella’s faint voice came on the line. ‘’Alex? Al
All of a sudden, the lights were switched on. There were fifteen policemen in the room, and they were now face-to-face with the armed kidnappers.‘’We have you surrounded, Kostas,’’ Gomez said, stepping forward. ‘’Anything you say will be used against you in court.’’‘’You’re dumber than I thought, cop,’’ Andreas Kostas laughed, coming out of the shadows.‘’You think this is funny?’’ Gomez replied, a serious look on his face.‘’Alex was still hidden in a corner, watching the altercation. ‘’Who is this Kostas guy?’’ he wondered.‘’You do not understand what real power is,’’ Kostas smirked at the cops. ‘’Now you will.’’‘’I warn you for the last time,’’ Gomez said angrily. ‘’Drop your weapons!’’The two women dressed in black were now standing close to Kostas. One of them clapped her hands and a thick smoke covered the room.‘’Kill!’’ screamed Kostas as he retreated with the women.All of a sudden, sounds of guns blazed through the air. Kostas’ men shot indiscriminately at everything th
Xiba (The Underworld)‘’My dark master, Lady Sibla has news for you,’’ a demon announced to Kimil.‘’Umm… send her in,’’ Kimil replied.Lady Sibla walked into the chamber and bowed. ‘’Greetings dark lord master.’’Kimil nodded his head in acknowledgement ‘’What news do you bring from the human world?’’‘’I’m afraid not much sir.’’ Lady Sibla said, her voice shaky.‘’How do you mean,’’ Kimil asked, fire brimming from his eyes as he walked towards her.‘’Err… Sir, she stammered, ‘’He defeated our ninjas and even the fire elementals.’’Kimil grabbed Sibla by the throat, slamming her against the wall. ‘’Your orders were to take him out by any means necessary.‘’Y-Yes, my master,’’ she struggled to breathe. ‘’But he h-had help.’’‘’From who?’’ Kimil’s loud voice echoed throughout the chambers.‘’The guardians,’’ she replied. ‘’They trained him to become an elemental.’’‘’Umm…’’ Kimil loosened his grip and looked at her face to face.‘’You failed me, Lady Sibla. I shall never forget how you
Diego turned in shock. The 25-millimetre bullet had exited from the brain, and the wound was beginning to heal. All vital signs began to improve, as the cop started moving his hands and legs. ‘’I must notify the doctors,’’ Alex thought. But he was interrupted by the turning door knob.Realizing that someone was about to enter the room, he quickly teleported.‘’How did it go?’’ Luz asked anxiously as Alex emerged from the bathroom.Alex nodded his head, smiling. Luz and Isabella rushed and embraced him. ‘’I’m proud of you son,’’ Isabella beamed with smiles.Moments later, two doctors and three nurses could be heard running across the hall, towards the intensive care unit, while the two cops on duty also got up and joined them.Alex could hear them discussing in excitement and patting each other on their backs. The policemen had all rushed inside the room and there were shouts of jubilation.He smiled and turned to Isabella. ‘’Let’s go. My work here is done.’’They all took the lift to
‘’Mama,’’ Alex called out, strolling from his room. ‘’What’s wrong?’’A startled Isabella put down the letter and adjusted her sitting position.Coming closer to her, Alex asked: ‘’Anything the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’’‘’No – No, son,’’ Isabella forced a smile, leaning back defensively. ‘’I feel unwell. Have to go take a rest inside.’’Alex nodded, still eyeing her with suspicion.‘’Mama,’’ he pulled a small chair to sit beside Isabella. ‘’I’ve wanted to ask you certain questions for quite some time.’’‘’Mhmm?’’ Isabella nodded. ‘’what is it, Alejandro?’’‘’You told me years ago that my papa died before I was born.’’‘’Yes?’’‘’And that he was shot by gangsters.’’Isabella nodded.‘’I was just wondering,’’ continued Alex. ‘’Why he was killed. Was he one of them?’’Isabella paused for some moment, shaking her head. Then she spoke.‘’Pedro had gone to buy groceries and drugs for me from the pharmacy. I had just discovered that I was a few weeks pregnant.’’‘’He had ju
The gas spread quickly around the enclosed basement chamber. Serena was coughing seriously and her eyes were in severe pain.Alex also felt himself choking as the gas filled his airways. He attempted teleporting but failed, as he needed full concentration to do that. ‘’I’m suffocating. Where are you, Alex?’’ Serena screamed in panic, as she coughed more violently.The smoke got thicker and Alex tried to run up the stairs but changed his mind. He decided to help Serena instead.‘’Serena!’’ he called out. Silence.‘’Where are you Serena?’’ he coughed as he groped blindly in an attempt to reach her.By now he was delirious. His vision had blurred and he felt himself getting weaker.‘’Whoever did this,’’ he thought. ‘’Wants us dead.’’‘’But not today!’’ Alex screamed as he searched, the pain in his eyes, nose and throat getting excruciatingly worse.All of a sudden, he found her. Moving her with his hands he discovered to his shock that she lay motionless.While in severe pain from the g
Isabella glanced at the clock on the wall, noting the time with a sigh of relief. Her morning shift ends in thirty minutes, but there’s still work to be done. She adjusted her scrubs and headed into the private ward where a patient was recovering from hip surgery.“Afternoon, Madam. How are we feeling today?” Isabella asked, her tone warm and reassuring.The patient smiled weakly. “Better, thanks to you.”Isabella carefully checked the patient’s vitals, recorded them in her chart, and helped adjust her pillows. “Remember, if you need anything, just press the call button. My colleague will be here soon.’’Twenty-five minutes later, Isabella made her way to the nurse assistant's station, where she updated her patient charts. The head nurse caught her eye.“Almost done for the day, Isabella?” the head nurse asked, sorting through a stack of files. “Just wrapping up now. Do you need anything before I go?”The head nurse shook her head. “No, you’ve done more than enough. Get some rest t
Serena's voice quivered with anxiety. "What's going on, Alex? Who is he?"Alex held her gently, a soft smile touching his lips. "I'll explain everything when I return from this mission.""Mission? I don't understand." Serena clung to him, her grip tightening. "It sounds dangerous.""This is what I do now, love.""Why do you sound like this? You've really changed.""Cosmopolis is in danger. I have to go," Alex said apologetically, gently prying her hands off him.He stood up, facing Agent Q. "Let's go.""Miss Davis," the agent announced, "my staff will take you home. Your parents are expecting you.""But I don't want to go without Alex," she protested."It's for your safety, ma'am," Q insisted, giving Alex a meaningful look."Oh, uh," Alex stammered instinctively. "I'll see you at home later, okay?""Promise?" Serena's voice was fragile, laden with helplessness.Alex nodded, kissed her hand, and quickly left with Q. Serena followed them to the door, watching as they stepped into the ele
"Are you sure it was thoroughly checked?" Agent Q asked, a worried look on his face.The computer operator nodded, swinging his chair towards him. "We're certain, sir. It's not from this world.""Just got a report from the police," Agent X added. "And it's not looking good.""Ah, there you are," Agent Q smiled as he turned to the entrance."What's up, Q?" Alex spoke, out of breath. "I came as soon as I could.""There has been an attack in Cosmopolis," Q replied."Uh-huh?" Alex nodded attentively. "When?""Today. The creature broke into an antique shop, killing the owner and his wife.""How?""Their heads were severed from their bodies.""Ugh." Alex recoiled in disgust. "Did anybody get a description?""We're processing the CCTV footage," Q said."It was damaged in the attack," X cut in. "But our techies are working on it.""So, nobody knows what it looks like?" Alex turned to the operator."Eyewitnesses confirmed it possessed the body of a human and the head of a reptile, sir," the op
“Alejandro, wait!” Isabella cried out, her voice breaking as she sprinted after him. But he had already slammed the door and disappeared into the elevator."Stay away from me, Mama," he said coldly as the lift doors slid shut.“No!” Isabella screamed. “Come back!”"Let him go," Carlos said softly from behind her.Isabella wailed, collapsing to the floor with her hands covering her face."Give him time," Carlos murmured, gently helping her to her feet. "He'll come around."Both returned to his office, with Carlos offering her a seat."Father," Diego said, his voice trembling. "You mean Alex is my brother?"Carlos nodded, offering Isabella another handkerchief.Diego sank into the sofa, his head in his hands. He still couldn't believe all he had heard. Until now, he had been the sole heir to the El Diablo empire. Now, he had a potential contender—someone he hated with every fibre of his being.“I’ll leave you two to catch up,” Diego said flatly as he stood up.Isabella was now in Carlo
“Mama?” Alex muttered, narrowing his eyes in thought.Diego shook his head in disbelief, restraining himself from speaking to avoid further incurring his father’s wrath. All three men maintained a graveyard silence as they waited for Isabella. Within minutes, there was a soft tap on the door.“Come in,” Carlos said, puffing out more smoke. He replaced the cigar in the ashtray, his gaze fixed on the door.Isabella opened the door quietly, almost tiptoeing into the room. She was dressed in a denim jean skirt paired with a pink shirt. Her dark hair was neatly arranged and tied with a matching pink ribbon.She failed to notice Diego and Alex seated to her left, as her gaze was focused on Carlos. “You going to stand there, or do u want to sit?” Carlos spoke politely.Isabella stood transfixed, clutching her bag. “We need to talk, Carlos.”“Mama,” Alex interrupted, rising from the chair.Isabella turned towards the direction of the voice. "What?" she gasped, startled by the surprise.“W
A small, amused smile played at the corners of Alex’s lips, growing into a full, booming laugh.The leader of the gunmen, a hefty man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward, his voice a low growl."Ready!" he spat, venom dripping from his words“Aim!” he barked, raising his right hand.The blaring of a car horn broke the solemn silence. All eyes turned to the gate as it opened to allow the vehicle in.“What are y’all waiting for?” Diego screamed. “Shoot him!”Silence.“Do it!” “Sorry young boss,” the leader shook his head. “El Capo is here. He will give instructions now.””Cowards,” Diego muttered, shaking his head reproachfully.All the gunmen slung their weapons back over their shoulders, their eyes fixed on the black limousine slowly parking at the main entrance of the complex.“Move,” the leader pointed a handgun at Alex’s head. “And I want your hands where I can see them.”Alex put his hands behind his head and was marched towards the limousine. “My father will dea
“And what exactly do you have in mind? Tyler eyed Diego in disbelief.“Simple,” Diego said, relaxing in his chair. “Grand Theft Auto.”“What about that?” Tyler asked, looking puzzled.“Well dummy,” Diego sneered. ‘We’ll file a complaint that your car was stolen.”Silence.Ryan and Tyler nodded continuously while exchanging glances.‘Why didn’t you think of that earlier?” Ryan joked, giving Tyler a friendly jab in the arm. Tyler smiled, a relieved look on his face. But the smile quickly melted into a frown.“What now?” Ryan poked him.“What if the cops question the timing of the report?” Tyler replied.“Hmm.” Diego nodded. “I’ll get a friend of my father’s to handle it. He’s a cop on our payroll.”“I’d drink to celebrate that,” Ryan declared. “What do you have, Diego?”Diego smiled, picking up the receiver of his intercom. “Send champagne on ice. Three glasses,” he ordered.After half an hour of drinking and chatting, Diego looked at his watch. “It’s already one p.m. Let’s go bail you
“Knock, knock, knock!”Silence.Serena and Alex stared at each other.“Well, don’t just stand there,” Serena said pointing to the door. “Open it, while I clean up this mess.”Alex walked to the bathroom exit and paused suddenly.‘’But how do we explain what happened?” he replied. “I think you should get back to bed.”Serena hesitated for a moment. “You think that’s a good idea?”“We don’t know who’s at the door.”“Okay if you say so.”There was another knock and Alex proceeded to open it, while Serena quickly jumped into her bed and sat upright.As he opened, a nurse showed up at the entrance, looking puzzled. “What happened?”“Oh uhm,” Alex scratched his head. “I was in the bathroom.”The nurse froze on seeing Serena sitting up on the bed. ‘’Miss Davis?”Alex looked at her and then back to Serena who was now smiling. “Uhm,” Alex stammered. “She complained of wanting to vomit. So I took her to the bathroom and she did - ”“I felt better after that,” Serena cut in.The nurse still sto
The operator got to work, pulling out the electronic files of Tyler and Ryan, containing all their records.“I’ve transferred to your official cloud sir. You can access it using your password.”“Password?” Alex stared at her.“Check your access card, sir, it’s a barcode.”“Oh okay,” Alex replied sounding relieved.Oh there you are,” Q stepped out of the elevator, walking towards him.“Agent Q, where can I get hold of a computer?” Alex asked.“You can use the control centre up on the balcony,” Q replied. “Or my office.”“Alright,” said Alex. “I’ll be back.”Thirty minutes later, Alex reclined his chair backwards and marvelled at the information he had just obtained.‘’So that’s why they’ve been quiet,” he thought. “They’ve been planning this all along.”He saw what looked like a satellite photo, and zoomed into it. He could make out two figures whose heads were covered by their hooded shirts. He tried to access the security camera footage from Serena's house, but there was none.“I gue
‘’Where is she?” Alex was now in a panic mode.“In the private ward,” Q replied as he turned to his office. “Stay with her. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”“I’ll come with you,” X offered. Both men moved quickly from the situation room and were soon at the door of Serena’s room. Alex could see traces of blood on the floor.As they opened the door, they saw two doctors and two other nurses who were setting up a drip line for Serena, who lay motionless on the bed.‘’What happened?” X asked as the chief doctor rose to greet him.‘’The nurse came to administer her medication when she grabbed the scissors and stabbed her,” he explained.“Scissors?” Alex asked.“Yes,” the doctor continued. “She picked it from the nurse’s tray.”Alex shook his head in surprise. “But I just spoke to her not too long ago. She appeared calm.”“We’re doing our best to ensure she recovers fully.” the doctor said, forcing a smile. “She’s been sedated and is now in deep sleep.”“Can I stay with her for a moment?”