Chapter 4

Jack followed Jamie out of the lecture hall in anticipation for more fun. They approached three men pushing a crate down the hall. As they were passing each other, he felt one of them brushed against his shoulder. Jack halted. He never knew there was someone here other than Akira who could touch him. He turned around to see them leave the crate outside the lecture room. He was curious and he followed them inside until they approached the professor.

As one in the middle talked to the professor, the other two split up and surrounded her before they grabbed her and covered her mouth with his hand in order to prevent her from screaming. The professor struggled before she stopped moving.

He felt his heart almost stopped beating when he saw her motionless. He rushed towards them. "Hey what are you doing?" He shouted. He leaped towards them, twirling his staff and swung it with all his might, creating a gust of wind at the same time.

The man who was talking to Professor Vangoose ducked, while the other two didn't noticed it, even when it went through them. The wind blew all the papers off the desk. The men looked around in bewilderment, wondering where the wind comes from. Except for the one in the middle.

Jack landed in front of them. He pointed his staff threateningly at him. "Let her go!"

Jamie zoomed down the halls. He knew where her office was in the same building in the basement. He waltzed through several classrooms in order to get to the stairway around the corner of the hall. He saw students were pouring out from their classes. The hallway was crowded of students it was hard for them to move freely.

Jamie analyzed his situation. He was thankful that he had left his bag with the Professor. He took a deep breath and dived into the crowd. He side step one student and waltzed around another. He paused to let one pass by him before he quickly moved forward before the other student behind her could. Then he hurried his steps before he could walk around another. He avoided tripping over a student who decided to sit down with his legs stretched out on the floor. He silently congratulated himself for being successful. Until a red and green blur ran into him. "Oof!" Jamie stumbled back and landed hard on his bottom.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" A Scottish accented voice said. "Are you all right?"

Jamie rubbed the sore spot on his rear, "I'm alright."

"Here, let me help you up."

He felt someone grabbing his arm and helping him up. He turned his head to stare at a beautiful girl with long auburn hair. Her green emerald eyes stared at him in concern behind her lightly freckled nose. Jamie blushed; he quickly pulled his arm back. "Thanks." He bent down to pick up the folder she dropped. "Elaine Vangoose." He glanced at her, "You know the Professor?"

She brushed her hair back nervously. "Yes, I went to her office to meet her. But she was not there. Her secretary told me she forgot her folder and sent me to her class in order to give it to her."

"Oh good, 'cause the Professor just sent me to get this folder. Let's go back to the classroom together."

He grabbed her hand and they ran down the hallway together. "By the way, what is your name? I'm Jamie Bennett, a freshman."

She smiled at him, "Colleen, Colleen McCullen, I'm a freshman as well."

Jamie ran through the door, "Professor, there is someone here to see you!" Then he stopped. He couldn't believe his eyes. He heard Colleen gasped. The room was a mess. Everything was covered in snow and ice. Papers were scattered everywhere, the desk was turned over and there were huge cracks and dents in the ice covered walls. Icicles punctured everything. The chairs were shattered or broken.

"What happened here?" He whispered.

Jack groaned from behind the overturned desk. Glad that he was immortal or else that guy will finish him off for good. He did not know who or what that guy is, but he isn't normal. He knew he have to hurry or it will be too late. He gritted his teeth in pain as he hoisted himself up. He wearily leaned against his staff. He saw Jamie and a girl standing at the entrance. He grimaced to himself. Jamie, for once I'm glad you can't see me like this. It is best that you don't get involved. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

They heard the wind roar as it charged down the hallway. Jamie grabbed Colleen and tried to shelter her from the wind as it crashed into the room and whirled in the center; scattering snow and paper in its wake. It picked up Jack and carried him outside.

"Whoa!" Jamie shouted as the wind rush past them.

"Come on we must find the Professor!" Colleen grabbed Jamie's hand and dragged him. They followed the wind to the nearest exit which led to the parking lot behind the campus.

They saw a car leaving the parking lot with the Professor sitting between two men in the back. Jamie could not believe his eyes. He wanted to think this was a big joke, but after seeing a getaway car and his classroom a wreck was not normal. He turned to Colleen, "Quick call the police, find anyone who can help."

Colleen nodded and rushed back inside.

Jamie ran after the car. "Hey!" He shouted, waving his arms wildly, "Stop! Kidnappers!"

Jack was flying after the car. He saw the car was approaching a T-intersection. A tall brick wall was behind the intersection. He flew ahead of the car. Pointed his staff down at the road and covered it with black ice.

The car whipped around the corner in order to avoid crashing into the brick wall. It skidded the ice before it collided into a lamp post. The men jumped out of the car and ran, leaving the passenger in the car.

Jamie saw the car crash. Driven by fear, he ran as fast as he could. He almost lost his footing when he stepped on black ice. Careful not to slip or fall. He pushed his way through the crowd of curious on lookers. He threw the door open to check on the passenger. Jamie checked her pulse and saw she was still breathing with a huge bump on her head. He didn't attempt to move her out of fear that he might do more harm than good. "Quick, call 911!"

Jack ignored the other two men as he chased the driver around the corner to an alley. The man was cornered back into the wall. He looked down at him. His eyes have a wild glint in them as he grinned dangerously. He felt his staff vibrated as it glowed in his hands. "I owe you one for that." His staff flashed in bright blue light.

Suddenly, a stranger wearing a baseball cap and a jacket leaped over the wall and landed in between them. Jack quickly lowered his staff. "Whoa! Where did you come from?"

The intruder didn't answer him; he picked up a can from the ground. The can burst into flames in his hand. He threw it at him. Jack recovered from his shock and flew aside in order to avoid getting hit. He raised his staff and hit the burning can. At the same time, he extinguished the flames by coating it with ice.

The intruder kept picking up trash and throwing at him. Whatever he touches was burn in fire. Jack laughed at him as he repelled his attacks with his staff. "Is that all you can do?" He asked.

He raised his hands in the air with the palms of his hands facing Jack. Flames of fire shot out from his hands at the winter spirit.

Jack was ready for the attack. He pointed his staff and fired ice at the flames. He expected the ice to snuff out the fire. But it had the opposite effect. He saw the diamond blue and white light seemed to ignite the red and golden flames. He felt the heat from the fire blasted at him. Jack pulled his staff back. "What the-?"

The wind saw Jack was in danger of being burn by the fire and tried to lift Jack up in the air out of harm's way. But the fire followed them up.

"Shoukeki!"

Akira threw a paper charm at Jack. The paper flew between Jack and the fire and turned into a bubble. The bubble engulfed Jack and shielded him from the flames. Jack saw a flash of light that almost blinded his eyes. He covered his eyes with his arm. He did not see the bubble channeling the fire away from him until it died down. He lowered his arm and blinked a couple of times, trying to ignore the white lights in his eyes to find the man and the intruder. But they were gone. "Where did they go?"

"Jack!" Jack heard someone calling his name. He found Akira was standing on the sidewalk behind him.

"Akira?" Jack flew down to him. "What are you doing here? I thought you went back to class."

"If I had then I would lose this chance to catch you," then he added, "and let you become barbeque." Akira showed Jack the paper charms he kept in his coat.

"I'll let it slide for now," Jack told him. "What happened to the old lady?"

"She is safe. Jamie went with her to the hospital."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, did you see where those guys went?"

Akira shrugged. "I was busy keeping the flames away from you. I didn't see where they went." He bowed deeply, "Sumimasen."

Jack patted his head, "It's ok. Let's go check on them."

Akira raised his head. He was about to head towards the hospital. Without warning, he felt someone tugged his coat and the ground became smaller. Akira was startled. "Hey," he protested, "I don't need a lift. I can walk!"

But Jack did not listen to him as he flew to the hospital.