Aftermath

I found myself in a dream that felt so real. I had been arrested by some security personnel. While in custody, I wished for a way to escape and continue my mission to warn the UN officials. To my surprise, a familiar futuristic laser pen appeared in my hand, and I used it to cut through my handcuffs.

I rushed back to the UN building, where I met a beautiful redhead named Sophia, a UN official. We found themselves in a dangerous situation, but my quick thinking and resourcefulness saved the day.

As we worked together to evacuate the building, I found myself captivated by Sophia's intelligence, courage, and beauty. Despite the chaos around us, we shared a moment of connection, and I realized I was falling for her.

As we made our way out of the building, Sophia and I found ourselves at the center of a chaotic scene. Emergency responders rushed to the site, and people were running in all directions. I grabbed Sophia's hand, and we pushed through the crowd, trying to get as far away from the building as possible.

Once we reached a safe distance, Sophia turned to me and asked, "How did you do that? How did you get us out of there?"

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal about the mysterious laser pen. "Just luck, I guess," I said with a smile.

Sophia looked at me skeptically but didn't press the issue. Instead, she asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Clarke," I replied.

"I'm Sophia," she said, her eyes locking onto mine.

As we stood there, the sound of sirens and chaos filled the air, but I felt a sense of calm wash over me. I knew I had to see Sophia again.

"Would you like to grab a cup of coffee with me?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Sophia smiled, and her eyes sparkled. "I'd love to."

As we walked away from the UN building, I knew that this was just the beginning of our story.

Over coffee, Sophia and I talked for hours, sharing stories and laughter. I learned about Sophia's work as a humanitarian, and Sophia learned about my passion for justice. As the sun began to set, I walked Sophia home, feeling a sense of comfort and ease I hadn't experienced in a long time.

As we stood outside her apartment, Sophia turned to me and said, "I had a wonderful time tonight. Would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow?"

My heart skipped a beat. "I'd love to," I replied, trying to sound calm.

The next evening, I arrived at Sophia's apartment, bearing a bouquet of flowers. We cooked dinner together, and I found myself feeling more and more at home.

As we sat down to eat, Sophia asked, "Clarke, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I replied.

"What really happened today at the UN building?" Sophia asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. But something about Sophia's kind and gentle nature put me at ease.

"I'll tell you everything," I said, taking a deep breath. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

Sophia nodded, and I began to explain the mysterious laser pen and my incredible escape.

As I finished my story, Sophia looked at me with a mix of amazement and concern. "Clarke, that's incredible. But also a bit scary. What does it mean?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm glad I was able to help you today."

Sophia smiled, and her eyes locked onto mine. "Me too," she said softly.

As we finished dinner, I knew I was falling deeply in love with Sophia. And I couldn't wait to see what the future held for us.

As the days turned into weeks, mine and Sophia's relationship blossomed. We spent every spare moment together, exploring the city, trying new restaurants, and laughing until our sides hurt.

*

I woke up abruptly from that dream to bedlam around me. I looked around, barely realizing where I was. I was still at the UN building. It was night already but search and rescue was still going on.

After taking care of the second bomb and stopping it from exploding like the first, Sophia and I had gone around the building searching for the third and final bomb until we found it and got rid of it like we did the last.

After that she had been curious how I'd known that there were just three bombs but had reserved her questions for when search and rescue was over. Now search and rescue was almost over and I'd slept off after doing the best I could.

I was soaked in sweat, covered in soothe, and hungry. It wasn't a surprise I'd fallen asleep from exhaustion. What was a surprise was the weird dream I'd had during that sleep.

I suddenly didn't want to face Sophia's questions with that dream still fresh. In fact, I didn't want to face her at all. She was a UN official and I was an ex convict who just thwarted a bombing at a UN summit.

No, I needed to get away from here. A key appeared in my hand and I blinked in shock until I caught a nice Suzuki in my peripheral vision.

Ah, I was finding it hard to stay mad at my powers.