The last runner : Academy of magic

Chapter Six : Escape in action

"Impossible," Mike muttered with a highly esteemed gaze at Thomas. He had a carefree personality and could easily get triggered whenever he saw something new.

"You should return to your seat now. but don't fail to see me in the next room immediately after class," Kelvin said and Thomas nodded slightly as he walked down to his seat.

in the Dimension department. Elise was seated on her desk which she shared with her seatmate, Ana. The desk was one out of fifteen and there were a total of Thirty in the class. Their teacher was exceptional in her field and the entire class found her as an expert, except for Elise who thinks she was better.

"Elise," Ana called as Elise turned right to meet her inconspicuous gaze. "Who was the young man I saw you with earlier at the field?" she whispered.

"Do you mean Thomas?" Elise asked.

"How should I know his name? Of course that could be his name, but you didn't tell me your new friend was from the electric department," Ana said.

"Of course, he couldn't keep his mouth shut," Elise rolls her eyes forward to their teacher who was making some narrations on the board.

"He did tell me a thing, I saw him earlier with Kelvin's nephew," Ana said and Elise turned to her.

"Do you mean Silas?"

"Yes," Ana answered.

"Elise and Ana," Their teacher interrupted their conversation as they turned to her. "Can you tell me what the last thing I said was?" she asked with her eyes on them.

"I have no idea," Elise replied instantly and the class burst out in laugher.

"What! You two should stand up," The teacher said as Ana hopped on her feet but Elise stood up sluggishly, as she brushed her hair backwards then lifted her gaze forward.

"I have tolerated your rude attitude long enough Elise and I might not tolerate it again," The teacher said and immediately, they were interrupted by a loud bell.

"Time up! That was the sound of a bell," Elise dangled her fingers in the air and before the teacher would utter another word she hopped off her seat and Ana followed her as they ran out of the classroom through the exit door by the right.

"Elise," The teacher called but it was too late and the other students followed suit.

"That was salvage, Elise," Ana said and Elise rolled her eyes to her.

"Whatever," she mumbled as she felt her cell phone vibrate in her back pocket. She reached her hand to her pocket as she took out the phone then glanced at the screen.

Hello Elise

This is Thomas and I need you to do me a favour,

We don't need many people to move on with the plan. All I need you to do is get me a trustworthy person from the mind reading section. Do it quickly because we will be leaving the institution tonight. You have ten minutes to convince someone and five minutes to meet me outside. Your time starts counting immediately after you see this message.

'That was so sudden,' Elise thought to herself as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"What is it?" Ana asked when she saw Elise's reaction as Elise lifted her gaze to her.

"It's nothing. It's only a task from a friend," She answered.

"Don't deceive me Elise. I know you well," Ana said and Elise heaved a sigh.

"Okay. Meet me outside the field in the next fifteen minutes and I will explain it all, but for now I have to leave," Elise said then turned as she ran off.

"Thomas," Kelvin called to have his attention as Thomas lifted his gaze from his cell phone. Their class was now over and Thomas and Kelvin were together in Kelvin's office. "Did you hear my question?"

"I'm sorry, please come again," Thomas sat upright as he stuck his phone into his side pocket.

"I said that I know what you are up to, and I will like you to tell me everything you know about the plan," Kelvin said.

Thomas paused as he stared at Kelvin In confusion because he didn't recall discussing any plan with him. "What plan sir?"

"You have fifteen minutes to meet your friend outside so you better start talking or I will keep you here for one hour," Kelvin blinked as he folded his arms.

"I don't still understand,"

"Just spit it out Thomas. I already know," Kelvin interrupted.

"Shit!" Thomas whispered then looked forward to Kelvin. 'I can't trust him. He is one of the teachers of this institution and if he finds out, he will surely expose my plan,' Thomas thought to himself.

"Ouch!" Thomas pulls his hands away from the table immediately after Zack zapped him with his index finger. "What was that about?" He said.

"Quiet Thomas," Kelvin emptied his glass of water into his stomach then turned to Thomas again. "I know you think that you cannot trust me with your plan, but what if I hold all the information you need, and I am willing to help you?"

Thomas squinted his eyes. "How did you know I was planning to leave the institution," He said and Kelvin chuckled.

"I had no clue but you just told me," He answered and Thomas widened his eyes in shock as he gritted his teeth. "How do you plan to escape, Tell me,"

"You read minds," Thomas said as Kelvin chuckled.

"No," Kelvin drifted his eyes to him. "I am just an expert in what I do. I told you earlier that if you are able to master the electric powers you will be able to do almost everything other powers can do. We don't have much time, three minutes is already gone," He said when he had a glimpse of his watch.

"How should I trust you? You are one of the teachers here,"

"You have no other choice Thomas. I already know enough to stop you," Kelvin answered.

"Okay, I will tell you everything but the deal here is that I don't have an escape plan since I joined the institution yesterday. The only plan for now is to find the key to the gate and get it opened," Thomas replied.

"That is a stupid plan, Thomas. You should be thankful you found me. Your plan is a really foolish one," Kelvin said.

Thomas felt ridiculous. That was the first time anyone had said something like that about him. His friends in the world he came from thought of him as someone who is smart but right now someone is calling his plan a foolish one?

"Well, suit yourself. I think I will just handle this my way,"

"Sit down!" Kelvin said when Thomas was about to get up. "Sit, and let me show you how foolish your plan is, and what a good plan looks like," He repeated.

Thomas stared at him and after a while he sat down again.

"Now listen carefully. I know, you might be thinking that the key to the gate is in one of those towers, but it isn't. If it were there, I would have set everyone free by now. The key to open the gate is in a basement in this building but no one goes there and comes out alive,"

Thomas recalled the practical lab in the basement where they had earlier used him for an experiment but he managed to escape.

'That must be the place he is talking about,' Thomas thought to himself.

"I know what you might be thinking. The place they had used you for an experiment is not the basement I am speaking About,"

"How do you know about that?" Thomas asked.

"I will tell you about it later, but you should pay attention to me. There are two basements. One is at the right side of the institution and the second one is at the left side. The one at right is used for practical’s, but the one by the left is the place the lock to the gate is, but it is highly secured. Even though the gate is opened and we all try to escape everyone will be killed,"

"How is that possible?" Thomas asked.

Kelvin drifted his gaze to Thomas' hand. "There is a stopwatch under your wrist. The stopwatch is not just there for the game alone but it is also there for anyone who disobeys the rules. If everyone tries to escape, there is a button reserved to put us out,"

"I thought the game is ruled by people outside the wall, because the stopwatch was in my wrist before I arrived here," Thomas said

"I don't have the answers for now, but the games they have been playing are not run by the outside world. It is run by this institution," Kelvin answered as he stood up from his seat then walked down to the large wall paper pasted on the right wall.

"I would have escaped long ago but I didn't because I wanted to carry my nephew along with me. Silas has a good heart and he didn't want to go alone so I decided to share the plan with my class,"

"They all know?" Thomas furrows his eyebrows.

"Yes," Kelvin answered.

"Okay, I understand, but how do you plan to take us out if the gate is not the way?"

"We will leave through a tunnel inside my room. My class has been digging the tunnel for months now and today will mark the last day. That was the reason I said you were lucky you found me, and that I am your section leader. i can't leave any of my students behind," he answered.

"How many other people are aware of this?"

"It's just my class, no one outside the class should know about the plan," Kelvin answered while staring at the wall paper.

"Well, one person will be exempted. Her name is Elise and I won't leave her behind," Thomas said and Kevin turned to him.

"We can't carry anyone else along Thomas,"

"She saved my life. if not that I met her I would have been dead, so she is coming with me,"

Kelvin paused as he pondered on his words and after a while he lifted his face to him. "Okay, we will carry her along but no one else is expected to know about this," He said then glanced at his wrist watch. "I think fifteen minutes has past now and your friend must be waiting for you outside,"

Thomas looked at the time as he jerked up then hurried towards the exit door.

"Be cautious and fast Thomas. We will be leaving by eight p.m. tonight," Kelvin said and Thomas left the office, swiftly closing the door behind him.

Thomas made it outside the field as he found Elise standing some feet away from the door. There were other runners outside and it was exactly how he liked it, since it would drive away any suspicions.

"Elise," He called to have her attention as he ran up to her. "Did you find him?"

"Yes," She replied then turned to the young man who was standing beside her.

"Hello, My name is Elvis," He said and he and Thomas exchanged handshakes.

"It is nice to meet you Elvis," Thomas said immediately as he withdrew his hand. "I hope Elise told you the reason you were bright here?"

"Yes, she told me it was an escape plan and I was needed," he answered then paused as he lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, thank goodness you met someone with a better sense of reasoning because your idea was very terrible,"

"What do you mean?" Thomas asked.

"I know everything. Kelvin, the small team, and even deeper to the tunnel,"

"Shush!" Thomas silenced him as he drifted his gaze around then looked back to him. "Now listen to me, Elvis. I didn't call you here to start creeping into my mind, I called you here to help with a plan,"

"Sorry I'm late!" Ana rushed in as she made her way to Elise's side. "So what was the plan you were telling me about?" Alice asked Elise.

"What does she mean by that, Elise?" Thomas drifts his gaze to her.

Elise bit her lower lips then turned slowly to Thomas. "Sorry, but I couldn't leave my best friend behind,"

"Guys, I'm here!" Another young man bursted into their midst. "My name is Felix. Who is the leader of the group?" he ran his gaze at all of them until he spotted Ana. "Thank goodness. I thought I was in the wrong company,"

Thomas' gut hung open as he watched his world crash. I hope I am imagining this? This can't be real. He thought to himself as he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes again to see Felix white teeth and bright eyes.

"I am sure that you are the great Thomas Claus my friend Ana told me about?" Felix said.

For a moment Thomas wasn't sure what to say. Should he scold him or just walk out on them.

What will Kelvin say? He will be mad at me for this. I can't carry them along.

"Of course you can," Elvis said as Thomas turned to him.

Thomas felt anger rise in him as he frowned at Elvis. "How many times will I tell you to stay away from my mind!" He exclaimed with his teeth clenched.

"Sorry I don't know if it's okay, but before we get upset, we still have one person missing, and she is coming this way," Felix said and another young lady rushed in.

"Whoo…" She heaved a sigh. "Hi everyone, I am Vicki,"

"Clam down Thomas. I promise you won't regret this," Elvis said and Thomas moved his gaze to the floor. "You also said the same thing to Kelvin. You told him that you can't leave Elise behind and that is the same with everyone here,"

"Shut up Elvis! If you don't keep your mouth shut, I will drain the life out of you," Thomas grit his teeth then lift his head up. "How many people are here?" He asked.

"We are six in number. Elise, Ana, Felix, Vicki, You and I," Felix answered.

"This is your fault Elise. I am not the one in charge. If Kevin insists on carrying you all along, better, but if he doesn't, then you should all know that I am not at fault. I hope we all know the electricity department?"

"Yes, we all do," Elvis answered.

"Now listen. We have to leave one after another but no one should act suspicious. Do we all have our phones?"

"Yes," They chorused as they took it out of their side pockets.

"We will separate in twos, to different corners of the field. You will come with me Elvis," He hesitated. "Elvis and I, will leave first but you should all remain at your posts. I will text you all, one after the other so if you receive our message head straight for the electricity department. understood?" He said and they all nodded in agreement.