SECOND WIND

In a dimly lit room with a large table in the center surrounded by holograms on all sides apart from the two opposite sides of the table.

In one of the centers, a man in a white suit was sitting. His features couldn't be seen clearly due to the little lighting in the room but his aura seemed oppressive.

Those In the hologram aura also matched his. They were all staring at the other center side of the table where a blurry hologram of a man could be seen it was hard to make out his clear features

Everybody in the room including the man wearing a white suit had serious expressions, indicating that the discussion taking place here was one of utmost seriousness.

"How many Neos was successful this time." One of the holograms spoke out, obviously directing the question to the man in a suit.

" Thirty percent." The man replied.

"That's a slight improvement from last time." Another hologram stated, with the rest nodding their heads to acknowledge that he was right.

"I think we are ready to proceed with the next phase of training. " The suited man announced.

"Agreed, they've gone through the test and now we know our expendables." Another hologram said with a cold voice. If all the kids were to see this particular hologram they would immediately recognize him as the mad Albert Einstein lookalike scientist.

" We're are just waiting for your confirmation sir." The suited man said and then all the holograms turned and looked at the only blurry hologram in the room.

After a few seconds, the hologram only said one word with a crackling voice. "Proceed"

**************************************

Days have passed since the day he was taken and tortured, he was just going through the motions during these periods. Bed to class, class to Cafeteria, and back to bed. But he did notice two things, one was the little girl eighty and her sister was nowhere to be seen again and also it seemed fewer and fewer people seemed to be awakening an ability till no one awakened an ability anymore.

Five was just lying down and staring at the light in his room when suddenly some little openings appeared on the roof, he was still confused about what was happening when from those openings green smoke came out.

No one had to tell him that he shouldn't breathe it in. He quickly stood up from the bed and ran towards the door. He tried opening the door. But it wasn't budging. "Help, anybody there." He shouted and banged on the door but no one came.

It didn't take long before the smoke filled up the whole room and even as he took his bedsheets to cover his nose to prevent him from breathing it in, he soon began to feel dizzy and weak in the legs. Eventually, he fell on the floor and lost consciousness.

The same scene was playing out in other rooms as well, soon all the children still left were just lying down there unconscious, probably dead no one knows.

**************************************

In New York City a tall majestic multi-storey building stood with a lot of windows adorning its sides. This building was not a new thing to New Yorkers as it belonged to their main law enforcement agency NYPD. The New York Police Department(NYPD) sign was boldly written on his walls, with police cars Parked at different strategic positions around the building.

Inside the building were people going about their business, police officers, offenders in handcuffs, complainers, and so on.

"You people should try and locate my son, is already a month but you guys haven't done anything yet." A homeless man dressed in rags was talking to the fat female police officer at the counter, who had a disgusted expression on her face. She was irritated by the man's looks and how dirty he was.

"We've told you, street kids who have no home usually hitchhike with their friends, your son would be found soon or come back to you when you have a roof over your head. " The lady officer replied with a not-so-kind voice, obviously tired of dealing with the smelly man.

"What's going on here?". Behind the homeless guy, a 6'4 tall man with dark hair and green eyes suddenly appeared. He was wearing a black Coat whose buttons were opened to reveal the White t-shirt he was wearing inside it. He had long black pants on and a black Armani shoe to compliment his dark coat. The man was probably in his late forties but was still exuding apex male aura and most have been the looker when he was younger.

This man was no other than Detective Edward Cook, one of the best if not the best detective in New York City. He was coming in for work when he noticed the unusual disturbance coming from the lady officer and the homeless man and he was immediately attracted to it.

"Sir, the man filed a case of his missing son, who we don't think is exactly missing from what he said about the boy." The lady immediately answered her superior's question.

Turning to the old man "How long has he been missing?" Edward asked.

"For about a month now."

"Come with me," Edward instructed the homeless man who immediately followed him, leaving the fat lady officer puzzled on why the great detective was interested in a missing person case instead of homicides as usual.

Edward took the man to his office and closed the door. He then directed the man to sit down, while he took his seat behind the big mahogany table in his office which had different files neatly placed on it.

"Tell me everything about your son and the circumstances surrounding his sudden disappearance. "

*Few Minutes Later

Edward was now presently sitting alone in his office, he had his hands crossed over and his head resting on the rotatable chair. He soon took out a file from a drawer in the table and opened it, inside it contained pictures of little children and their information. From the same drawer, he brought out another file, which contained pictures of some little kids as well but at the same time pictures of their grown-up selves with their information.

And with a frown on his face, he said; "Is happening again"