Uncle Don

They ran for ten minutes but didn't meet any people. Seemed like after all the encounters they had today, Lady Luck finally came to Lian's side. After turning into a next alley and not seeing anyone there Lian relaxed a bit and began thinking to himself.

'What is happening to my sister? No… What is with both of us? We are already running for 10 minutes and are not even out of breath. But it is only secondary. What is with our mentality? I don't think that Sofi, as I used to know her, would not even blink an eye after killing a person… But what about myself? Although giving an order to kill a person was unnerving, I did not feel that my decision was wrong. And that in itself is very wrong…'

Lian was running with his brows furrowing closer and closer together to the extent of wrinkles appearing on his forehead between them. 'Probably it is somehow connected to the powers we received. Is it the feeling of being powerful enough, so that you can look down on ordinary people? I hope it is not. But still… Will I be able to command her kill any ordinary innocent person?'

At this moment Lian was thinking hard about different situations when he might need to do this, a little anxious himself. 'No… At least not on a whim, there should at least be a certain reason, like just now. We can call that man innocent too… Jeez, it's so f*cked up… Better stop it right now, or this moral struggle will just give me more and more problems.'

Stealing a glance at his sister and seeing her tranquil face Lian put those thought in the back of his mind. Better take things as they come.

They continued running for another twenty minutes, before coming to a house surrounded by people in special forces outfit.

"Stop" Lian heard a single world said in a bit apprehensive male voice, before half a dozen rifles were pointed in his direction glistering with metallic luster under the gloomy sky.

'Looks like even soldiers are scared by what is happening' Without panicking Lian quickly assessed the situation before starting talking. Out of all soldiers here, who looked the same and even had no insignias, he turned to the one who stood closest. "My name is Iko Lian, Major-General Hinson Donald should have told you that my sister and I will arrive in next half an hour. May I take passport out to prove my identity?"

"Alright. Is it in you backpack? Give it here." Asked the same voice much calmer now from behind the barricade.

"No need, it is in my front pocket. Here it is… Please." Lian said, taking out his passport and giving it to the same nearest person, without taking his eyes off and even smiling a with the very end of his lips.

Soldier took passport, looked at it and nodded back, returning the passport to Lian.

"Alright. Now, give backpack. We need to check it." The same voice sounded for the third time.

"Sure" Lian said, for the first time taking off his eyes from the person and holding his backpack out. Then he suddenly turned to the one speaking with them and asked, pointing at the nearest soldier. "But Sir Lieutenant, could I ask you to let this Soldier lead us to meet Major General Hinson Donald?"

After this question it suddenly became very quiet. Only Sofi was curiously looking at that solder, trying to guess what was wrong with him. Lian saw Lieutenant piercingly looking at him, from under the mask. Not knowing whether it was because of him guessing the rank or of his bold request. So, he could only look back. Then after a moment he heard a brief. "Sure. Backpack first."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Lian smiled, giving his backpack. After reaching their destination, Lian became much more relaxed.

After a short inspection backpack was returned to him and the duo were led into the house. It was a typical 3-story house build in a 19th century style and it was owned by Uncle Don. It was yellow in color and had a lot of windows that were separated from each other by columns build into an outer wall. Also a few reliefs were carved on its walls. 'Tsk. Never loved this style. Looks like some 2D Greek Temple from "The Hercules" cartoon.'

Lian grumbles a bit, but then changed his focus onto the soldier who was leading them. He was dressed in the same outfit as everyone else, so there was no visible difference between him and other soldiers. But it seems like something was wrong with him.

"Sofi, how do you think, will Uncle Don let us stay? If he is unable to protect us, I don't know what we should do then. Also, we need to ask him if he knows how our parents are doing." Lian started speaking to his sister.

Not really understanding why her brother was speaking like this, Sofi still answered. "I don't know why you are so sure that he will kick us out. He was always a good person. He will easily agree to help us, would he not?"

"You see, Sis. People's true nature can be only seen in extreme situation. Or so they say… But I tend to trust that phrase. It is also better to get ready for the worst before it strikes you. So, what do you think we should do if this worst happens?" While speaking all this he was carefully observing their guide. And when he finished speaking, he saw that the soldier's steps became heavier and he looked like he wanted to turn around, but then decided against it.

Then he turned to his sister. "So, what do you say?"

Sofi gazed at him strangely, saying. "Don't you like doing things as they come? Why have you changed your habit now?"

"Hahaha" Lian laughed. "True. You are the one who knows me the best. Well then, I'll stop worrying about unimportant stuff."

With this the conversation came to an end and they followed the lead of the soldier, each thinking about their own things.

A minute later they came in front of a wooden door.

"Stay here. I'll report." The soldier said in a hoarse voice and went in. Through the door crack Lian was able to see a rather plump, bold middle-aged man sitting in front of a table and a few people of the same age on the other side of the desk. Then the door closed.

"Huh?" Sofi looked at the door with squinted eyes, as if mulling over something.

After a minute or so it opened again with soldier walking out. "You may come in." He said, passing by the duo to leave. When he was next to Lian, though, Lian whispered "Come to my room at 10 p.m."

After which they left in different directions. Sofi asked with a smiling lips and squinting eyes as they came to the door. "Are you into boys now?"

"Sis, don't pretend you don't understand anything. Alright, let's talk later." Said Lian with a helpless expression on his face. Then turned to the door, changes expression to a neutral one, and opened it. When he walked in, he saw a typical rich man's office with a long wooden table. A few leather chairs as well as a leather sofa. The dominant color in the room was dark-brown, so it looked very official. All the faces in the room were the same Lian saw from outside, except for the one lying on the sofa, that could not be seen from there. While all other people in the room were in the age from 40 to 60, this one looked much younger.

It was this young man, who attracted the duo's attention. He was in his twenties and had a really likable appearance. He was fairly short, so he was able to fit on the 1.70-meter sofa without problems. His facial features were without any sharpness and even had some innocence to them. Anybody seeing him would have a good first impression.

But it was his condition that drew Lian's attention. It was much colder in the room that had no air conditioner, and there was an unconscious guy here. This situation seemed like his sister's less than an hour ago. So… 'Is he also in the process of acquiring his ability? But why does it take him so long? Is it because of some physical differences between us or because of differences in our abilities? Will his be stronger? Or ours… Well, my sister's? Or is it any other reason I can't think of?'

"Hello, Uncle Don. Good day, Sirs. Uncle Don, how long have Alan been like this? What happened to him?" Lian asked in a concerned voice pointing at a young man. It was, after all, Uncle Don's son. If he still doesn't know what happens to his son, it was a perfect chance for Lian to dispel his doubts and increase likeliness of getting uncle Don's protection.

"Hi, Uncle." Sofi said softly after entering the room.

"Lian, Sofi." Uncle Don nodded. "I'm glad that you are safe. Still, I'm busy right now, so let's get straight to the point. What did you want?"

Lian stood there for a few seconds, trying to get some clues from faces of everyone present there. But got nothing. Those other men were sitting with their backs turned to the duo, while Uncle Don didn't move a muscle after his words. So Lian decided to go step at a time.

"Uncle, I think I know why Alan is in such condition. And it was also why I wanted to find you. As I thought if I could give you information in a timely manner, you would be able to deal with this chaos quicker." Lian said and looked and the old man. Seeing slight interest on his face Lian breathed in relief and then continued.

"I think you have seen the news that a lot of people lost consciousness out of the blue. And if you went to social networks in the past two hours you should have probably seen that the people, who have fallen unconscious, began causing different phenomena in their surroundings."

"I know that, Lian. But that does not really answer anything." Uncle Don said, looking at Lian.

"I still have not spoken the main point. Well, that is all I wanted to tell you at first. But now I have more or less full story. You should have seen the big lightning that happened not far from our house after I called you. We actually saw the reason for that lightning. It was also a phenomenon created by a person."

"Huh?" After this phrase all those who were looking away turned around and began to listen attentively.

"My sister and I were running near the river, when we saw a man lying unconscious on the bridge. With my eyesight I was able to make out a strange thing. He looked like some electricity was running over his body. Knowing that something bad may happen we changed the course. But I was keeping an eye on him. And not long after, he woke up. Then some random man ran up to him, threatening him with a knife. After which a lightning fell on that robber. Less than a second after that robber became an overdone steak… Sorry for this, but it is the best description."

"So, do you mean to say that… all people who have fallen unconscious in such a way will acquire some special powers? Like mutants from X-men?" one of old men asked with an unbelieving voice with his eyebrows raised.

"Well…" Lian scratched his nose. "That's pretty much it."