The Alien Within

Chapter 17- Construction Chaos and Hidden Power

As the team celebrated on the field, James stood off to the side, catching his breath. He was exhausted, physically and emotionally. And yet, there was a strange sense of peace.

He looked over at Adrian, who was being mobbed by teammates and fans alike. Adrian caught his eye and gave him a small nod. It wasn't much, but it was something. Maybe they didn't have to be enemies after all.

But just as the excitement of the win began to settle in, something far more sinister was unfolding.

Up in the bleachers, Mr. Rudbick was watching the scene with a calculating smile on his face. He'd seen enough. Adrian wasn't just talented—he was alien. And that meant only one thing: it was time to act.

His plan to kidnap Tessa was already in motion, but now... now he had two targets.

---

Later that evening, as the team basked in their victory, Ms. Caldwell found herself cornering Adrian in the hallway outside the locker room. She had been watching him closely, and she knew there was more to his story than met the eye.

"You were amazing out there," she said, her voice steady but serious.

Adrian shrugged, his usual smirk in place. "Thanks."

Ms. Caldwell took a deep breath. "There is trouble, Adrian."

He froze, his blue eyes narrowing as he turned to face her. "What do you mean?"

"He is here" she said quietly, her eyes locking onto his. "And I know Mr. Rudbick is planning something. He's not just after Tessa anymore. He's after you, too."

Adrian's face tightened, but he couldn't deny it. He could also sense the lingering gaze from somewhere far in the stands.

"I'm going to do my best to protect you, I stand by my word," Ms. Caldwell continued, her voice firm. "Just like I'm protecting Tessa. But you need to be careful. Rudbick won't stop until he gets what he wants!" Ms. Caldwell smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "Now, go enjoy the win. You've earned it."

As Adrian walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated. But for now, he had one thing on his mind: Tessa. And no matter what happened next, he wasn't going to let anything—or anyone—come between them.

...

The morning after their triumphant win against Sord Academy, the school grounds buzzed with excitement.

Everyone was still talking about the football match, about how Adrian had turned the game around, and how James had stepped up in the second half. But the celebrations were short-lived.

They were in the semi-finals now, with two more crucial games ahead, and pressure mounted. Yet, something more dangerous than the competition loomed over Tessa.

As Tessa walked down the corridor towards the outdoor track where construction work was happening, she noticed the familiar sense of heightened attention.

Since her stellar performance at the mathematics quiz, her peers had finally recognized her for the intellectual force she was.

Whispers followed her wherever she went—half in awe of her, half intimidated by the quiet, shy girl who could turn into an academic hurricane when needed.

But today, something felt off. Tessa couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the air around her seemed denser, like an unseen presence lurked in the shadows.

Ms. Caldwell, walking beside her with that same nurturing but vigilant aura, sensed it too. She always did when something wasn't right.

Ms. Caldwell was calm but fiercely protective of Tessa.

Her soft demeanor could flip in an instant if anyone even thought about hurting her. She was a teacher, an adoptive mother, and a guardian all rolled into one, and today, her senses were on high alert.

The last thing she wanted was for the peaceful school environment to turn into chaos.

"Keep your head up, Tessa. We've got a game to focus on," Ms. Caldwell said warmly, her hand briefly touching Tessa's shoulder as they passed by the school's football field, where players were already practicing for the upcoming semi-final. But as they neared the construction site, Ms. Caldwell's gaze sharpened.

Adrian had been there earlier, practicing alone. He was a figure of calm confidence—fearless, almost indifferent to the whirlwind of excitement that surrounded him.

Even with the constant adoration of the fans, especially the girls who now flocked to him, Adrian remained in his own world. His alien abilities gave him an edge, a certain god-like indifference that kept him untouchable.

He trained, dribbled, and worked the ball with supernatural precision. Yet despite all his power, Adrian remained humble and, in his way, protective of Tessa.

Meanwhile, James, though fiercely competitive, had become closer to Tessa. The jealousy that had initially clouded his interactions with Adrian had softened, though not completely.

He still couldn't fully accept Adrian's god-like prowess, but he knew they had to work together for the team's sake.

But today, Adrian wasn't there. And neither was James. Instead, as Tessa and Ms. Caldwell neared the far end of the construction site, two men appeared—suspicious, lingering too close for comfort.

They didn't look like workers. They weren't wearing any uniforms, and their eyes followed Tessa a little too intently.

Ms. Caldwell instantly tensed, her senses screaming danger. She instinctively moved closer to Tessa, her motherly instincts kicking in. "Stay close," she whispered.

Suddenly, the two men stepped forward, their movements calculated and menacing.

One of them grabbed Tessa's arm, while the other reached into his jacket, pulling out a taser.

"Come quietly, girl, and nobody gets hurt," the man sneered, his grip tightening.

Tessa's heart raced. A wave of fear washed over her, but something deeper stirred within her—something primal, alien.

She had never felt her Kaelrian side so intensely before. As the men tugged at her, her body reacted, not in fear, but in raw instinct.

Before she could even process what was happening, a surge of energy coursed through her. The air around her thickened, and with a sudden jolt, she yanked her arm free. Her movements were too fast, too powerful—alien.

Her other hand, which had been frozen in shock, swung out in a defensive reflex, and her palm struck the first man across the chest with such force that he flew backward into a stack of metal beams.

The sound echoed through the construction site as the second man stumbled, shocked by the sudden display of strength. He reached for Tessa again, but before he could lay a hand on her, Tessa's foot lashed out, connecting with his knee.

The man crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain.

Ms. Caldwell's eyes widened, both in awe and fear, as she watched the scene unfold. Tessa stood, chest heaving, her body crackling with the remnants of her alien energy.

It had all happened so fast—too fast for anyone, human or not, to react.

The two men, now badly injured, scrambled to their feet and limped away as fast as they could, disappearing into the school grounds.

They had clearly underestimated their target. This wasn't just some random girl they could easily abduct.

Ms. Caldwell rushed over to Tessa, placing her hands gently on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Tessa nodded, though her entire body felt like it was buzzing with energy she didn't know how to control.

She had never fully tapped into her Kaelrian powers before—not like this. "I—I didn't mean to hurt them," Tessa whispered, her voice shaking.

Ms. Caldwell smiled gently, though her mind was racing. "You did what you had to do, and they won't be back anytime soon."

---

Meanwhile, miles away, in a dimly lit office, Mr. Rudbick paced back and forth, his phone pressed tightly to his ear.

"What do you mean they failed?" he barked, slamming his fist on the desk. The two men had barely escaped, limping and bruised, recounting the events to their employer.

"She's not human," one of them wheezed through the phone. "Whatever she is, boss, she's not like the others. We couldn't handle her."

Mr. Rudbick's eyes gleamed with a sick excitement. "Of course she's not human," he muttered under his breath. "But don't worry. This just proves my theory. And now I know how much of a threat she truly is."

As he hung up the phone, a twisted smile crept across his face. He had underestimated Tessa before, but now he was more determined than ever. He wouldn't stop at just observing her. He was going to capture her, and nothing—alien powers or not—was going to stop him this time.

---

Back at school, the incident was quickly swept under the rug. The men had fled, and the students were none the wiser. But Tessa wasn't the same. She couldn't stop thinking about the sudden power that had surged through her. It scared her—how easy it had been to hurt them. Yet it also felt... empowering.

Adrian, noticing the change in Tessa's demeanor, approached her later that day. His calm, god-like confidence was a strange but welcome comfort for her.

"You're stronger than you think," he said simply, his voice carrying a weight of understanding that no one else could provide. After all, he knew what it was like to be different, to hold power that no human could comprehend.

Tessa gave him a small, unsure smile. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Adrian nodded, his blue eyes shimmering with an otherworldly calm. "Neither do I. But sometimes, we have to defend ourselves."

James, watching the two from a distance, clenched his jaw. The jealousy, the tension, it was all still there. But more than anything, he felt powerless. He couldn't protect Tessa the way Adrian could, and it was eating at him.

As the days moved on, Tessa, James, and Adrian all knew that the upcoming semi-finals were the least of their worries. With Mr. Rudbick closing in and the threat of being exposed growing stronger by the day, they had more than just football to contend with.