Chapter Nine: Revelations and Decisions
The field was empty as the last of the players trickled out, leaving Jada, Malik, Dre, and Ty behind. They gathered in the coach's office, the air heavy with unspoken questions. Coach Harris lingered a moment, leaning against the doorway as he addressed them.
"I'm trusting you all to get on the same page tonight," he said, his tone firm but encouraging. "With Kayden out, the second-string quarterback's starting tomorrow, and I'm not confident he's ready to lead us to a win. We're going to need every bit of your focus and skill to pull this off. You boys were starters for a reason. Make sure you're ready to show everyone why."
Coach turned to Jada, his expression softening slightly. "And you, Ms. Moore--lock up when you're done here. I know you'll get these knuckleheads squared away."
"Yes, Coach," Jada replied with a small smile.
Harris nodded, looking over the group one last time. "Don't stay too late. Big day tomorrow." He clapped Ty on the shoulder, then walked out, leaving them in silence.
The moment Coach was gone, Ty leaned forward, speaking in a rapid-fire burst. "Yo, how did you know all of that, Jada? That was sick! Are you psychic? Can you see the future? Do you know everything that's gonna happen before it does? Like, should I ask Elaina out--will she say yes? Oh, and how do you know about us? And what can Dre do?"
"Breathe, Ty," Jada said, raising a hand to stop the onslaught of questions. "One at a time."
She crossed her arms, scanning their faces with a calm intensity. "I'm not psychic, and I don't see the future. That's science fiction. What I do is...different."
Jada explained, her voice analytical and measured. "Since the accident, my ability to predict outcomes has become highly advanced. The more details I have, the more likely I can anticipate what's going to happen. It's not magic, just probability. Before the storm, I was always trying to anticipate the team's needs--packing rain gear if the forecast suggested it, organizing plays based on opponents' stats, stuff like that. But now..." She paused, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Now it's like I can process every possible future at once. The more I know about a situation or a person, the easier it is to predict their behavior."
"That's wild," Dre muttered. "But how did you know about us?"
Jada's gaze sharpened. "After I confirmed my own abilities, I suspected I wasn't the only one. Everyone injured in the accident healed incredibly fast--faster than medically possible. That was my first clue. Then I started testing you."
"Testing us?" Ty asked, his voice low with suspicion.
"Yes," Jada said unapologetically. "During your evaluations, I gradually increased the difficulty of your workouts. None of you showed signs of exhaustion or stress beyond what would be expected of regular athletes, even with the extra strain. That confirmed my suspicions. To be absolutely certain, I tagged each of you with GPS trackers."
"Wait, what?" Dre said, his voice rising in anger. "You were tracking us? What the hell, Jada? Ever heard of privacy?"
Malik felt the anger radiating off Dre and caught the unease from Ty as well. Uneasy himself, Malik unconsciously activated his emotional cloak, shielding his feelings as his mind raced. What else does she know about me?
Jada remained composed. "I only tracked your movements, not audio or visuals. It was enough to confirm my theory. Both you and Malik were recorded moving at top athletic paces for extended periods. And Ty..." She said, her voice dropping slightly as she turned to him. "You were moving at speeds that should be impossible. That's unique to you."
Dre shook his head, his anger undiminished. "Still creepy as hell, Jada. You could've just asked."
"I couldn't afford to be wrong," Jada said firmly. "This isn't a game. Our lives have been permanently changed by these abilities. I needed to be sure."
Malik felt the truth in her words and consciously dropped his emotional cloak. "So, the storm gave us all different powers because of what we were already good at?" he asked.
Jada nodded. "That's my theory. The storm enhanced whatever we relied on most. For you three, it was your physical abilities. For me... it was my mind. I'm faster and stronger than I was before, but nowhere near your level. My brain, though--that's where the storm's effects are most profound."
Jada shifted, her expression turning thoughtful. "After I confirmed my powers, I told my parents."
The room went still as the boys stared at her, their collective unease spiking.
"You what?" Ty blurted. "Why would you do that?"
Jada's voice didn't waver. "Because I needed their support. They were skeptical at first, but after I demonstrated what I could do, they believed me. They also understand the importance of keeping my abilities a secret."
"That's insane," Dre said. "What if they'd freaked out? What if they'd told someone?"
"They didn't," Jada replied. "And I didn't share your identities. That's for you to decide. But we can't navigate this alone. Our families are our first line of defense."
Malik frowned. "So, are you asking us to tell our parents, or are you trying to force us?"
"I never had to force you," Jada said calmly. "If I wanted to manipulate you, I could've planted ideas in your parents' minds, nudged them toward discovering your powers on their own, and swept in afterward. But that's not who I am. I refuse to rob people of their choices."
Her voice softened, taking on a profound, almost poetic quality. "Power without trust is meaningless. Manipulating people may solve the present, but it destroys the future. We're the first of our kind, as far as we know. I won't be the girl who uses these gifts selfishly. If I want us to succeed, I need your trust."
Malik considered her words, but one question lingered. "If you're so good at this, why didn't you stop Kayden from getting hurt?"
"Yeah," Ty added. "Why didn't you just get practice canceled or something?"
Jada sighed, her gaze steady. "Because manipulation has consequences I can't predict. Canceling practice might have kept Kayden safe, but it could've caused something worse. Say I canceled practice, and one of the players decided to visit his girlfriend instead. Excited, he speeds, texts while driving, and crashes. He's killed instantly. I don't know every outcome, but I know the risks."
"So, doing nothing was safer," Dre said, his anger softening.
"Sometimes," Jada said quietly. "Not acting can feel wrong, but if intervention creates more harm, is it still the right choice?"
The room fell silent as her words sank in.
"I need time to think about all this," Dre said finally, standing up. Ty nodded in agreement, and the two of them left, exchanging quiet goodbyes.
Malik lingered for a moment, watching Jada thoughtfully before heading home. As he ran home, Jada's words echoed in his mind, and by the time he reached his street, he'd made up his mind to tell his parents.
"Mom, Dad, we need to talk," Malik said, walking into the house. His mother greeted him warmly, but her face shifted to concern as she noticed his serious expression.
"What's wrong, baby?" Tanya asked.
"Sit down. This is important."
Moments later, the family sat around the dinner table as Malik explained his powers. His parents exchanged worried glances, skepticism written all over their faces.
"Baby, we need to see a doctor," Tanya said. "You may have a brain injury."
David frowned. "Malik, power comes from God. You don't need powers to feel safe--He protected you."
Malik resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he reached for the leg of the table and lifted it effortlessly into the air. His mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "My God!" she whispered.
Malik set the table down gently, focusing on their emotions. Shock and disbelief swirled around them, but awe began to take hold. He amplified the positive feeling, giving them space to process.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," David said finally, his voice hushed. "What do we do?"
"We keep it quiet," Malik said. "It's too dangerous if anyone finds out. But there's someone I want you to meet after tomorrow's game. She's like me. She might have some answers."
Tanya and David exchanged a look before nodding. "Alright, baby," Tanya said. "We'll keep this between us. But we'll do whatever we can to help you."
And for the first time since the accident, Malik felt a glimmer of hope.