Vanished

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It was nighttime as Scarlett walked toward the headmistress's office, now taken over by Greyson. Opening the door, she spotted James asleep on the ground. If she didn't find him asleep on the floor, it would become a record. She crouched in front of him, shaking his shoulder. Blinking a couple times, he noticed it had been her with the moonlight glow.

"It's time to go," Scarlett said. "Time to tell Jason how to stop the vanishing."

James wasn't exactly sure why she woke him up to go in the middle of the night. Standing slightly dazed, he wiped the bit of drool at the side of his mouth.

Grabbing his laptop, he had to speed walk to catch up with her. "You're going to drive," she said.

James panicked inside because he had no clue how to drive a car, much less an SUV. He knew how to drive those cars at an arcade or through online games, but he's only in the sixth grade.

"I don't know how," James mumbled. She opened the front door, seeing an SUV parked out front.

James wasted no time getting in and shutting the door. Scarlett handed him the keys, looking around to adjust the seat.

"Find Jason and tell him about the vanish situation," Scarlett remarked.

James wasn't even sure which way to go into Simcoe. The only driving he's done has been in a toy car as a kid. That wouldn't help him here because you use your feet to move the car, not buttons.

"Go," she spat.

James watched Scarlett enter the academy. Holding the keys in his hands, he twisted them with the engine roaring. He gripped the wheel with both hands, trying to push on the gas.

"Hey!" He heard Finn's voice but took off immediately.

He travelled the dark roads leading into town, not exactly knowing where he had been headed. Slowly, he checked through his headlights and windows for anything he could possibly hit. Looking at the gas tank, he knew they'd have to refill the gas for the SUV.

James knew more about computer knowledge than how to drive a car. If anything, he's being set for Scarlett's personal goal. He didn't want her to reveal that he was a medium rank by being able to break or shift anything with such force.

Greyson had assumed he didn't have a freak power. It didn't actually start developing until The Bubble started.

Seeing a flashing stop sign ahead, he stared around at the four-way stop. James wasn't exactly sure where he'd go from here. It's midnight, and most would be sleeping, unless they're doing security or daycare shifts. Some may hang out together, but they can't watch Netflix or play video games on an Xbox. Living without that type of technology has been rough.

Seeing headlights approaching his location, he automatically made a right turn. Nobody can know what he is up to. That did seem to be the route he had remembered Greyson driving down.

Behind him, James could see the bright headlights of an old truck. Did someone from Uden rat him out? No, Scarlett wouldn't let that happen. She may not care, but she wants to mess with Greyson's plans.

"Stop!" she heard someone's voice yell.

Could he force his way out of here using the SUV? Pushing hard on the gas, James attempted to control both the gas and the SUV. It didn't work well at a fast pace. In a moment, he spotted something speeding into the dark area, causing him to slam on the brakes, almost flying out of his seat into the windshield.

He heard someone slamming on his window, making him look over with panicked eyes. This would be the part in an action movie where the person speeds away and hits the police car. However, there weren't any police, just kids who had no clue what they were actually doing. Rolling down his window, he could determine from the headlights that it was Esme. Why on earth are they out at this time?