Lessons and Lost Things.

Lessons and Lost Things.


Chapter Seventy-Six: Lessons and Lost Things

The last bell had rung, and the schoolyard was chaos…just the way Gabriella hated it. But today, she had a mission. 

Her sleek, black car purred to a stop right by the main gate.

"Whoa, is that a Tesla Cybertruck? Who's mom is that?" a kid whispered, pointing.

Gabriella smiled behind her designer sunglasses. Mom? Please. 

She stepped out, the heels of her boots clicking on the pavement. 

Her leather jacket wasn't just for show; it screamed 'don't mess with me.' And right now, she was in a don't-mess-with-me mood.

Her eyes scanned the crowd and found him instantly…River. 

His shoulders were hunched, his head down like he was trying to disappear. 

A group of older boys had him surrounded. One of them stuck his foot out, and River stumbled, his books and papers scattering everywhere. The bullies laughed, the sound ugly and sharp.

Gabriella’s cool expression vanished. Her face hardened. She slammed the car door shut…THUD.

The sound cut through the noise. The bullies turned, their smirks dying when they saw her. She didn't even look at them. Her gaze was locked on River.

"River, darling! Over here. We don't want to be late." Her voice was smooth but left no room for argument.

River’s head snapped up. Relief washed over his face. 

He scrambled to grab his things and practically ran to the car, sliding into the passenger seat.

In the car, the silence was heavy. Gabriella focused on the road, but she could feel the sadness radiating from the teenager beside her. It made her blood boil.

Finally, she spoke, her voice softer now. "I know what those children were doing."

River slumped in his seat, staring out the window. 

"It's fine, Grandma. I could have handled them. I just... the family said I can't use my powers on humans." He sounded so defeated.

"And they are right," Gabriella said firmly. "Using your power would be like using a flamethrower to light a candle.”

“Restraint is what makes you strong. It's a lesson you have to learn, especially as the future guide for Aiden's baby." 

She paused, a sly grin spreading across her face as she glanced at him. 

"But... that doesn't mean we can't teach them a lesson. A very... human one."

River turned to her, his eyes wide. A spark of mischief replaced the sadness. "What kind of lesson?"



The highway stretched out before them, boring and straight.

"Come on, Grants, you can drive faster! I can't wait to get back home and see everyone," Prince complained, tapping his fingers on the dashboard.

Grants just tightened his grip on the wheel. "Safety first, especially when you're in the car with me. I'm not having Aldrich kill me because I got a speeding ticket."

But a few minutes later, something was wrong. A stream of cars was coming toward them, speeding in the opposite direction. The drivers had panicked, pale faces.

"Grants... what's going on?" Prince sat up straight, his playful mood gone. "I think we need to turn back."

Grants’ jaw set. "Whatever it is, we can handle it. Humans panic over everything." 

He pushed the gas pedal, driving straight toward the danger.

They soon found the source, and it was a nightmare.

The scene was pure carnage. Cars were flipped over, smoke filled the air, and people were screaming. 

But the worst part was the creatures. They were grotesque, like a mix of insects and shadows, tearing through metal and flesh.

For a single second, Grants and Prince just looked at each other. I told you so warred with let's go in their eyes.

Then they moved.

They leaped out of the car, a blur of motion. Grants was a storm of brute force, slamming creatures into the ground. 

Prince was a whirlwind of precision, moving so fast he was almost a ghost. 

They fought back-to-back, a perfect team, taking down the monsters effortlessly.

As the last creature fell, Prince's eyes caught movement near a wrecked car. A shadowy monster was looming over a baby carrier. The parents... they were gone. There was no saving them.

Prince’s heart stopped. In a flash, he was there, dispatching the creature and scooping up the tiny, crying infant into his arms.

The sirens were getting closer.

"Prince, what are you doing?" Grants yelled, running over. 

"Put it down! The cops are coming, they'll take it to social services or something!"

Prince held the baby closer, its cries muffled against his jacket. He looked around at the bloody mess. 

"Look around, Grants! Its parents are gone! We can't just leave it here in this... this graveyard."

"We have to!" Grants argued, his voice rising. "We can't just bring a random human baby home! Are you insane?"

Prince looked down at the tiny, tear-streaked face. His own heart felt like it was cracking. 

He looked back at Grants, his expression fierce and final. "I'm not leaving it. We're taking it with us. End of discussion."



Back at the mansion, the mood was cozy until Fiona flipped on the TV.

"...a scene of unexplained terror on the interstate," the news anchor said, his face grim. The screen showed the exact highway of carnage.

Fiona leaned forward, her hand over her mouth. "What... what are those things?" She had never seen monsters like that before.

A shaky video from a survivor played. "There were two men," a woman sobbed. "They weren't normal. So fast, so strong. They saved us."

At that exact moment, the front door swung open.

Everyone turned.

Grants and Prince walked in. They were a mess…clothes torn and stained with dark, weird-smelling blood and dirt. They looked exhausted.

But that wasn't what made everyone freeze.

It was the small, wriggling, crying bundle held tightly in Prince's arms.

The news anchor's voice continued, "...the two unidentified men vanished before authorities arrived..."

Aiden was the first to speak, a small smile touching his lips despite the tension. "What... what is that?"

Prince was on the verge of a panic attack, bouncing the baby desperately. 

"He won't stop crying! I don't know how to make him stop! I tried everything! What do I do?"

Grants threw his hands up in the air, completely frustrated. 

"I told him! I said, 'Prince, for the last time, do not bring the human infant home!' But does he listen to me? No!"

Aldrich stood up, his presence suddenly filling the whole room. 

His face was like stone, his voice a low, strict rumble that promised serious trouble.

"It's dangerous. That baby does not belong here. It must be returned. Immediately."