The Engineer Part 3

The world seemed to freeze.

In the clearing, soldiers hung onto tree branches or clutched onto large rocks.

Wilson held onto a branch like a sloth while the Major perched on the branch above him.

And on the ground, Data was coughing up water.

Upon the peak, Data's three friends watched him. Pierce and Cam looked down at what happened in shock while the Chief's eyes were focused on Cam.

Because of this, no one noticed Sophie, her eyes blank, and her hands vibrating. If someone were to look at her, they would see that she was the one who caused the sudden flood that went as fast as it had come.

'Relax. Relax...' Sophie thought to herself, gripping her hands together as she tried to calm herself down.

'Hide it. Control it,' she chanted to herself over and over again.

When her head cleared and she felt the vibrating in her hand stopped, Sophie ran from the peak. She sprinted as fast as she could down into the valley, pushing past soldiers and engineers.

Data laid on his back, eyes closed. His breathing was harsh as he was trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.

Sophie finally reached the boy she was looking for.

"Data!" Sophie shouts.

She fell to her knees beside his laid-down body and leaned her head over his. "You okay?" she asked him quietly.

"I thought I was... I thought I was going to die" he panted, opening his eyes to look into hers.

Sophie felt her eyes tear up when she saw the fear in Data's eyes. He sat up a little as Sophie leaned closer. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she hugged him tightly. He responded by wrapping his arms around her upper back.

"You're okay, Data. You are okay," she whispered to him, squeezing his waist tighter so he knew he was okay.

Data closed his eyes, relaxing at Sophie's words.

"Data!" A distant voice called.

Both Pierce and Cameron fell to Data and Sophie's side, their eyes wild with worry.

"Are you okay Data?" Cameron asked when Sophie and Data pulled apart from their hug.

"I think I'm okay. Other than nearly killed by a flaming boulder, of course," Data says. Pierce and Data both helped Data up to stand on his own two feet, keeping the boy steady as his head spun.

"That was way too close!" Pierce said relief in his mind that Data wasn't hurt.

"Yeah... too close," Cam whispered his mind elsewhere.

'How did I do that?' Cam thought to himself.

When the machine malfunctioned and the boulder started going for Data, Cam didn't even register what was happening until the come-and-gone tsunami came out of nowhere.

If he was this fabled "One" shouldn't he have felt some power flood through his body? But he had felt nothing. Nor did he when he almost got hit by a boulder yesterday. It didn't make any sense!

"Let's get back to the Hall. Data I think you need to sit down," Sophie said, snapping Cam out of his thoughts.

Cam and Pierce were about to help Data walk but were stopped by the Major blocking their path. "I'm afraid not, children," he told them, standing between them and the stairs that led up onto the peak, "Since Data has gotten us the farthest this has ever been, we would like it if Data assisted Wilson in the redesign of the launcher and the remote."

Sophie surveyed the Major and the lead engineer who stood behind him.

The Major was standing straight and tall, his arms folded behind his back, looking down at her and her friends expectantly. Meanwhile, the engineer appeared to be disappointed, and Sophie even caught a pinch of jealousy in his eyes.

"May I remind you that Data nearly got killed today. He's soaking wet and anxious!" Sophie growled at the Major, glaring him in the eyes, "he doesn't need to work on your stupid weapon which could kill innocents, no he needs to go back to the Hall, lay in bed and sleep!"

Sophie and Major Morgenstern stood face to face, glaring into each other's eyes. They only stopped their little staring contest when Data cleared his throat, getting them both to look at him. "I'll help fix it," he said. He gave Sophie a little smile, "I'm fine, Soph," he promised her.

Sophie looked into Data's eyes, and finding that he was being sincere she looked down, let out a sigh and nodded her head. "Whatever you think is best Data," she says, walking to stand in front of him, "take it easy, please," she whispered to him then went with Pierce and Cam up the steps onto the peak.

Data turned to the Major and Wilson. "I'm good to go, Wilson," he told the engineer enthusiastically.

The Major, getting the boy to follow the lieutenant up onto the hill, then left Wilson and Data to fix the machine while he went with the Chief and the other three teens back to the Hall.