Odyssey Of Survival

Chapter 144 - 144 Confronting Jack I

Madison materialized in front of Alice in a blur of motion, her breathing ragged as she staggered slightly, gripping Bella tightly in her arms. The teleportation had taken a toll on her after the battle they had endured, and though she was relieved to have caught up, her exhaustion was evident in the way her muscles trembled from the strain.

Bella, still slightly disoriented from being carried, quickly steadied herself as Madison released her. The two had followed as fast as they could, pushing their limits, but neither of them had been able to match Alice's raw speed. Now, as they stood before her, their eyes locked onto Alice's face,

"We were attacked," Bella said, her voice calmer but still firm. "We went looking for clues about Zoro, and while we were searching, a group ambushed us."

Ryder's eyes darkened. "Attacked by what?" he asked, his tone shifting.

Bella exhaled before shaking her head. "It's not what—it's who," she corrected before turning her head slightly and pointing directly at Claire, her expression sharp. "The same people who defended Claire against Nate the other day. Except for Axel."

Claire let out an audible gasp, her eyes widening in shock before she shrieked, "You think I had something to do with this?"

Alice, who had remained quiet for a while, finally turned her gaze toward Claire. "I don't know," she said, her voice void of emotion. "You tell me."

The tension in the air thickened, the silence stretching between them. The people around them watched closely, some whispering amongst themselves, others merely waiting to see what would happen next.

Before the situation could escalate further, Ryder stepped in. "Enough," he said, his voice cutting through the rising tension. "Let's not start throwing accusations at each other without proof." His gaze moved between the girls and Claire before settling on Madison, Bella, and Alice. "I understand you're upset, and you have every right to be, but we need to be rational about this. Right now, we can't just assume anyone is guilty without evidence."

A few people murmured in agreement, nodding along with his words. Even Claire, despite her frustration, seemed to calm down slightly.

Madison, however, muttered under her breath, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Funny how everyone is so quick to be rational now," she said, her voice low but laced with venom. "But when it was Nate, everyone was so damn quick to believe he was guilty."

Alice, standing beside her, nudged her arm slightly, silently telling her to hold back. "Now's not the time for that," she murmured.

Ryder, oblivious to their exchange, turned back toward the girls. "You're saying you were attacked," he repeated, his tone steady. "But why do you think Jack was involved?"

Bella didn't hesitate as she replied. "Because we couldn't use our abilities," she said, her eyes locking onto Ryder's. "The only person we know who can suppress powers like that is Jack."

The weight of her words settled heavily over the group. Jack, who had remained mostly silent up until now, looked visibly shaken. His mouth opened slightly, as if wanting to defend himself, but no words came out.

Ryder exhaled slowly, rubbing his chin as he processed the accusation. The tension in the air refused to dissipate.

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