Masterpiece

The loud crash and crumbling of what seemed to be a gigantic thing almost seemed like it shook the ground.

Jolene, Kiel, and Alana did not waste any time and hurried out from the kitchen. There they saw the factory falling into the ground in pieces. Jolene instinctively ran towards the front of the factory, Alana and Kiel were right behind her. By the time they reach the factory, Jolene halted when she saw Owen, surrounded by men who seemed to be ready for a fight. Owen has his hand raised slightly, trying to calm the men. But she looked around and all the people are furious with him.

"What did he do?" Jolene uttered wondering, she was shaking her head.

"Everyone's really mad at him," Alana said in a concerted manner as she looks through the crowd filled with rage.

"He must be the one responsible for what happened to the factory." Kiel took another glimpse of the fallen establishment and then back to the crowd. The three of them are not leaving their sight to Owen. They know he's in deep trouble.

"I have a plan." Jolene calmly told the two.

"I didn't know what came to me I swear!" Owen was trying to reason to the crowd facing him. He looks at his boss, hiding behind some men. He is visually stunned, his face as pale as paper. The old man tried to speak, "Maybe he's telling the truth because I-"

"Pa, just leave it to us." Gray spoke stopping him, "Take him somewhere else safe." he told the two other men beside them. They nodded and the boss was immediately escorted away. After that, Gray turned towards Owen again, "You, you always thought you're better than all of us don't you?" Gray spat those words in disgust, "Just because you're some kind of freak."

"Hey, we all know Owen! He's not the kind of person Gray's talking about." Arch shouted in the middle of the crowd, beside him are Tito and Sky.

"Says the one who knows him very well! Did you even know he can do this?" Gray called Arch out.

"I-" Arch could not continue, he looked at Owen who's been watching them, looking very sorry at himself too.

"All of you so-called 'friends' of his didn't know, right? Now is the time when you question your friendship with him. Because me? I knew, so now I'm telling all of you"

"You weren't planning to tell anyone about this, let's be real." Another shout came out of nowhere and all attention was diverted to it, "If possible, you're going to keep it until the grave." Alana continued as she slowly walked towards the crowd, approaching Gray.

"Really? And why would you think I'd do that?" Gray defensively chuckled at her as they stood a meter from each other.

"Do you want to know why? Should I tell you?" Alana cleared her throat before she continued, "You're a greedy person Gray, the type that would not think twice of stepping unto other people or to take advantage of them for your benefit. Also, you're very manipulative."

Gray folded his arms, "And who would believe that? From you?"

"From me? It doesn't take a genius to notice that, I'm pretty sure most people have noticed. And for your information, everyone likes me here." she even glanced at everyone.

He squinted his eyes, "Well, I never liked you."

"Makes sense... since perhaps you're into men?" Everyone gasped and murmured at what she said.

Gray, confused, profusely asked, "Wha-what are you talking about?" he was starting to feel embarrassed.

"You and Alex, I saw you talking one time alone in the factory."

"And?"

Alana gave her a meaningful look, "You like him, don't you? You like each other! Well, of course, there is nothing wrong with it. Except for the fact that you don't like anyone to know it, I wonder why you need to hide it?"

The crowd's reaction grew wilder as a few stares from Alex, who was visibly turning red.

The crowd had their thoughts voiced aloud altogether,

"We literally shower with Gray, I didn't know..."

"Is that why he and Alex stay just by themselves all the time?"

"I couldn't have possibly thought but... it makes perfect sense!"

Gray's eyes were panicking, until he finally sighed and submitted, "Okay! Fine! Alex and I are together! But I'm not into guys! She's a girl!"

"WHAT?" Everyone, even Alana, exclaimed.

Alex slightly pouted and stroked her short hair, "You didn't even notice I never went to the quarter's bathroom, I shower in Georgia's area, near the kitchen, and none of you asked so." Alex indifferently explained.

"WHAT?! I THOUGHT YOU'RE JUST A SCRAWNY TEENAGER!"

Everyone looked at the distant scream and saw Owen, quietly fleeing with Jolene and Kiel. Gray's revelation also made them pause but when they noticed that they had caught everyone's attention, they quickly ran again.

"They're getting away!" Gray shouted as he chased after them, along with the other men.

Alana was not able to hold back everyone's attention as they all left to catch Owen. "Damn you, Owen, I hope I bought you guys some time." Alana ran to chase after them as well.

"You're so stupid Owen!" Jolene shouted while they were running,

"I'm so sorry! But can you believe that?"

"No! Alana didn't even tell me anything!" Jolene replied.

"They're chasing after us, let's try to lose them first before we go reach the gate!" Kiel shouted at the two.

"To the kitchen! It's the nearest we can get close to!" Jolene instructed as they all ran towards the kitchen. It's separated into the factory, although close to its side, regardless, it is still firm.

They all hurried inside and saw Georgia, Castro, and Nana all sitting down anxiously. They know a commotion was happening outside. Kiel was breathing heavily when he first saw the three, "I'm sorry we ended up here but you have to go." he said.

Castro and Georgia mindlessly did what they were told, they assisted Nana to go out and go to safety. But when they were all a few meters away from the door, the men were in front of them. Kiel made sure Jolene and Owen are right behind him.

"Give us Owen!' One man shouted.

"Can we all talk it out? You are all scaring us, it's not good for Nana." Georgia shouted back at them.

"We have no interest in hurting you Georgia" one of the guys' toned down, "Move out of the way. We just want the monster."

"Monster? He had been nice to all of us this whole time!" Georgia defended.

"We are not going to let him cause another disaster like this. he's dangerous!"

"Don't try to stop us anymore!" One man furiously shouted seemed to lose his temper, "Let's get her out of the way!"

The crowd then all forwarded to them, Kiel tried to push them away but there were way too many of them. One of the men pulled Georgia and Nana away. Castro was being held and pulled away too.

"Go back to the kitchen and lock the doors!" he shouted at Jolene and Owen.

Owen was frightened, he immediately ran to follow what Kiel told them, but Jolene was hesitant, "What about you?!" she said.

"Don't worry, I'll hold them off!" Kiel shouted while struggling. He was being outmanned, she can see how the men are holding him off. She was about to come to help him but she did not notice that Owen ran back to pull her hand into the kitchen. He was too strong for her to resist, next thing she knew, Owen had locked them inside safe.

But it only took a few milliseconds before they heard a loud banging at the door. Both of them were startled and in panic, "Do you know how to fight?" Jolene asked Owen.

Although embarrassed, Owen answered truthfully, "No, I never-" he couldn't finish his sentence.

Jolene swallowed heavily and nodded, "That's alright, I can't too." they heard multiple banging on the door. They stayed away from it. "But we have to protect ourselves. Find something we can use." they both looked around the kitchen. Jolene picked up a piece of wood as long as a baseball bat under the sink. She held it uptight.

"Will this work?" Owen showed the frying pan he was holding to Jolene. At that point, the door was almost breaking. They both filled their lungs with air as they prepare themselves, "That will have to do." Jolene uttered.

They both stood beside each other, aiming their 'weapons' towards the door.

"What do we do now?" Owen felt like he is asking a very dumb question.

"Just... hit the nearest ones first." Jolene felt like she just gave the dumbest answer.

Kiel just tasted the blood coming out of the cut on his lip after being punched.

"Look kid, I don't get why are you wasting your time sacrificing yourself for Owen." One of them told Kiel.

"Well, he's a friend." Kiel pushed them one by one.

"He'll just cause you trouble." Kiel could barely point out who were the ones speaking in the midst of the crowd.

Kiel was about to receive another punch, he was about to close his eyes but the man holding him suddenly fell down on his knees as if someone kicked him. When he dropped, it revealed Alana right behind the man. Alana pulled his hair and knocked him to sleep instantly. She then looked at Kiel, "Good job on you holding them back yourself." she complimented.

"Not quite. There are others breaking down the door of the kitchen." Kiel said.

"Go after them, I'll follow soon!" Alana said as she just dodged a man running towards her. Kiel ran towards the kitchen and Alana tried to hold the men coming after him. She was incredibly quick and small enough to easily slide and poke their eyes so they'd stop for a while. She makes it seem as if the wind is carrying her from one's shoulder to another.

They had been bracing themselves but nothing prepared them when the kitchen door slammed open. Men started to come and attack Owen and he knew what he had to do. He clenched the frying pan and hit the man approaching him straight to the face. A loud bang echoed as the guy dropped to the floor. Owen gasped, "I am so sorry!" he whispered.

The men just got infuriated with him even more. Jolene tried to hold them back but she easily gets brushed off. She even tried activating her ability but it's not being very cooperative.

"No no I won't-" Owen was not able to protest when a fist suddenly came whooping on his face. He slammed on the floor. The men took it as an opportunity to pick him up and bring him.

A scene that Jolene would not allow happening.

She ran towards Owen's and hit one man who was picking him at the back. The man lost grip of Owen but when she was about to hit him for another time, one of them caught her weapon. He pulled it away from her and pushed her hard at the side that made her break a few jars of ingredients nearby.

The men realized Jolene was not intending to stop trying to save Owen, they had to do something about her.

The man raised the same wood at her, maybe one hit would be enough to knock her out.