The Valiant (The Seventh Avenger)

Chapter 41

~Two weeks later~

My hand grasps the silver pendant from my original uniform as I sit in class. Graduation on the eve of the dance which is only a week away.  Due to my trying to get caught up with school work, I've had no time to prepare for either. But that's not the only things that are bothering me. Three men who look conspicuous walked into our bio class and won't stop looking at me and Peter. My leg begins to shake as I fidget my hands under my desk. Why did I tell them? I would be the only person in danger if I hadn't told them, they would go after me instead of them cause they wouldn't know. Millions of thoughts begin to flow in and out of my head as I watch them with intensity. My finished work sits at the top of my desk so I won't get in trouble with the teacher. 

"Grace?" Mr. Moress says. One of the men's jaws clenched when he said my name. "Is there not any work you need to get caught up on?" I shake my head, I finished all my work a week after I returned to classes. I continue to look between the three men before my gaze travels back to Mr. Moress. "Then please find something to keep you occupied." 

I pull out my phone and place the headphones on my ears. I continue to look at them before I feel a tap on my shoulder. I look back and see Peter with wide eyes, he hands me a note and I quickly turn back before unfolding it. 

What's wrong?

I take out a pen before responding. 

I don't like them, they won't stop looking at us. 

I hand the note to Peter after pretending to scratch my back as I look back down at my phone. He taps me on the shoulder again and I turn to look at him but he's just pointing at the front of the room. Mr. Moress is looking at us and I quickly take my headphones off. "Pardon?" I say. 

"You and Mr. Parker are needed to answer some questions with these men." Mr. Moress says. My stomach drops to the floor and I look back at Peter, his eyes go wide and we slowly stand to reach down for our bags. "That won't be necessary, you will return before class is over." 

I try to remember to breath as we exit the room behind the two men, Peter squeezes my hand three times as we exit and I squeeze back. They lead us down the hallway towards the doors and I stop. "We're keeping this indoors," I say but the men just shake their heads. 

"We need to go outside," one of them says. 

"That's not going to happen," I say. They all look between each other before walking towards us. I push Peter behind me and get into a fighting stance, using my abilities is the last thing I want to do in the school. I double press the button on my bracelet, feeling it softly vibrate to tell me it was activated. 

"We could either do this the hard way or the easy way," another says. "there's no way you can back out of this." His eyes flick up and I quickly turn to see Peter be taken into a choke hold, a gun cocks before being aimed at his head by a woman who is wearing a janitor's uniform. My eyes travel around the hallway and stop when I see the alarm trigger that was installed for gunmen. 

"I don't back out of things," I say and hear Peter squeak, I quickly turn and see the woman had switched the gun out for a knife at his neck. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." I need to reach the alarm but I have to get Peter somewhere safe first.  

"I wouldn't fight this if I were you," the woman says, my eyes flick towards the knife and notice a symbol engraved into the hold. Hydra. Alarms blare in my head, they came back for us. Why?

"What do you want with us?" I ask. 

"We want you," the last man says. Chills spread throughout my arms and legs. I hear footsteps travel down the hall and I quickly turn to see two more men in janitor's uniforms approach us. I'm surrounded. The trigger only stands a few feet behind the farthest man. I take off towards it and run against the wall, jumping out of the way of their electric sticks. My fist flies through the glass and I pull the trigger. A siren blares throughout the halls and teachers pull the screens down as they lock the doors. I take a deep breath knowing that, for the most part, the kids are safe. Now I just have to get Peter out of this.