Humanities Pride

The van rattled down the highway, its worn suspension groaning with every pothole. Jaden sat in the back, wedged between Marcus and Sarah, the heat of their bodies a constant reminder of the surreal situation they found themselves in.

"How long until we reach the city?" Jaden asked, his voice barely audible over the engine's rumble.

From the driver's seat, a man Jaden knew only as Reeves – no relation to the doctor, he'd insisted – called back, "Another hour, give or take. Assuming we don't run into any checkpoints."

Jaden nodded, though no one could see him in the dimness of the van's interior. His mind raced, replaying the chaotic events that had led them here. The facility in upheaval, powers manifesting left and right, alarms blaring as reality itself seemed to warp around them. And then, in the confusion, their escape – a mad dash for freedom led by Reeves, who claimed to be part of some underground organization.

Sarah shifted beside him, her breath coming in quick, panick