008
— a curse or a jinx ? —

HIS EYES FOCUSED ON THE RISING NUMBER ON THE ELEVATORS SCREEN, HEADED TOWARD DOCTOR KRUGER'S VEMAN MUSEUM. Cole stepped out of the elevator walking through the doors the doctor had left open for him. "Uh, Mr Martin, hi," Terry said, waving to the boy. Cole greeted him, but walked quickly to Kruger who was searching through the shelfs of Veman artefacts.

Kruger turned to the boy, sighing as she greeted him. He had called ahead of the elevator, explaining the incident with Hazel's light and dream. "Please tell me you have something," Cole pleaded, his arms dropping to his sides.

"Okay, number one, your sister's light," Kruger said, spinning her tablet to face Cole. "Based on your description Hazel's power is reaching 15 percent"

Cole shrugged softly, "That sounds good."

"Last time she was here it was 0.1," Kruger said and Cole sighed, his hand running down his face. "Her power is now equivalent to 2,250,000 degrees Celsius." Cole grabbed a stool and sat down, his head dropping into his hands. "But it is actually still good news," Kruger continued, and Cole turned to face her. "When it starts to reach 70 percent is when we need to really worry."

"Her power went from point 1 percent to 15 in three days," Cole re-stated and Kruger nodded, "she will be at seventy in 9."

"It's bad, I know, but we're combing through our research as quickly as we can. Checking off everything Videl ha sent or left us," Kruger insisted, and Cole nodded softly, his head dropping back into his hands. "You also mention a skull headdress. Hazel saw this in her dreams?" Kruger motioned for Cole to follow her, and she led him further into the room to a large table, 4 different golden skulls lined on a table, displayed on clear mannequin heads, each with a different array of feathers draped from the back of the skulls.

The first was almost feline, shaped like a cone, with a pointed snout and large eye sockets, but the snout was flatter, closer to the eye sockets then a regular cats. The second looked more like a bird with the top jaw looking almost like a beak with a more arched and spacious forehead. The third was larger, a large wide forehead with prominent eyebrow ridges, a large jawbone hinge, like a bear but with a line of horns running across each cheek. But the last was the one that drew Cole's attention; thick gold bones pulling back like a reptile into two large horns, blue and purple feathers hanging from the golden spikes. The only thing missing from the bones were the diamonds.

"From what we know, they act as status helms," Kruger explained.

"What does that mean?"

"Each has their own title, the feline is a fighter, the bird an archer, the bear a warrior of the crown and the reptile a leader," Kruger went on. "The additions like feathers, flowers, stones, they act as a showing of position. The more added to the helm the more titles and roles the owner possesses."

Cole leaned closer to the reptile, her eyes scanning over the small crystals melted into the ridges of the skull. "Reptiles a leader?"

Kruger nodded, "The animal is called a Dro'coyro, kinda like a dragon."

"Was this Videl's?" Cole asked, pushing himself up.

"No, it belongs to the heir, but these are just recreations of the pieces."

Cole's phone buzzed and he sighed as he read over Tim's message, need you downstairs! Now!. "Thank you for your time, Doctor," Cole said with a smile and a nod. He turned and rushed from ET Divisions, back to Conner, Bernard and Tim.

The doors opened and Conner immediately called Cole to his side. He spun the screen so Cole could see the computer, "I saw something like this at the slaughterhouse, but without these extra lines." Conner motioned to the extra lines beside the lines making the star.

Cole's eyebrows furrowed, "I saw this exact one in the basement. Where'd you find it?"

"It's a screen grab from a beta version of a video game," Conner explained, returning to a file he had already pulled up. "This guy, Sebastian Sanger, uploaded it online. Says he's the creator."

"All right, um, let me see what I can dig up on him," Bernard said with a nod.

Tim walked to Cole, stopping by his side. "You think he could be a part of this? Like, one of the killers?" Tim asked, looking up at the two taller boys.

"I don't think so," Cole said, leaning closer to read the site.

"The symbol from the crime scene just happens to be the centrepiece of his game?" Conner countered, glancing down at him.

"My first day of fourth grade, I wore the exact same green striped pants as my best friend, Kaiya," Tim said, offering an alternative.

"Got him," Conner said, pulling up a file. "Sebastian Sanger. Place of birth, unknown. Raised in Metropolis by Sandra Sanger. Foster mother. Currently employed at Wolfman's Taxidermy."

"I think we better find him fast," Bernard spoke up, looking away from the computer. "I've just taken a morally questionable peek at Sebastian Sanger's medical records, and he has the same genetic mutation as the other victims."

Cole stepped back, illuminating his eyes as Tim read over the screen. "So, for all we know, he could be the next one," Conner said softly and Bernard gave a soft shrug.

"How do we find him?" Tim asked.

"Start with Derek Sands," Cole said, moving to grab his jacket as Berbard turned to the computer.

"Uh, the computer says he's deceased," Bernard said.

"Just searched for a sign of Mr Sanger, his energy trails all the way to Derek Sands' office." Cole pulled his coat on, "Now that's not a coincidence.

Cole led Conner and Tim to a large company building and up to a higher floor. Hazel had taught him and Terran to track certain energies, just in case anything happened, and it also helped keep them grounded to their own powers, keeping them from being overwhelmed. He'd have to thank her for it later.

The police noted Conner as Superboy and let the three boys look at the crime scene but were instructed not to touch anything. They stayed close to the police tape, looking at the blood staining both the carpet and the desk, Derek Sand's body already having been picked up by the coroner. Cole looked up at Conner and he sighed through his nose. "I'll call Dick," Conner stated, pulling out his phone and turning around, slipping under the police tape.

Dick answered the call, Tim and Cole following, taking a few steps away from the police officers. Conner put the phone on speaker and Dick spoke up, "Conner, talk to me."

"We identified a unique genetic marker common to all the victims and traced it to a guy in Metropolis. Sebastian Sanger," Conner relayed.

"Can you get to him?"

"Uh, we tried," Cole offered.

"That's where it gets strange," Tim agreed.

"He's just been arrested for murder," Conner stated.

"What?"

"Yeah, it's really weird. The cops arrived almost as the murder was happening."

"It's like they knew," Tim nodded.

"It's a set-up. It has to be," Dick said sternly. "She's engineering the whole thing."

"Then we know where she'll be next," Conner said. "Cole said they're holding him at Metropolis PD. I can stop her there."

Dick sighed, the worry clear in his tone, "Connor, no. This isn't the time."

"No, I told you, I just need one more shot at her," Conner argued.

"We need to know more about what we're going up against. We do that together. Do not go off on your own."

"But, Dick, I got this," Conner argued and Cole pulled Tim back a step, giving Conner some space.

"Meet us at Metropolis PD. Our mission is to get Sebastian, that's all." After Dick hung up, Conner uttered a curse under his breath.

❁

THEY MADE THEIR WAY UP THE LARGEST HILL, THE WIND HOWLING IN THEIR EARS. Gar kept his hand on Hazel's, leading the way through the woods and out into the clearer sections of open fields of dirt. The cloudy sky had given way as they grew closer to wherever they were headed, the sun had long ago left with the beams of orange, leaving them with the red sky and blood moon. The light shone against Hazel's skin and hair, her eyes lighting up a soft red to match the light around them. They stopped at the top and looked down at the cleared centre of the hills with a single tree in the middle. Hazel's eyes fixated on Gar, staring at him for a moment before Hazel turned back to the tree, "Is that. . ?"

"The same one I saw in my vision," Gar confirmed with a nod. Hazel squeezed his hand as they set off, carefully making their way down the hill walking closer to the tree. Hazel's eyes wandered the thick dark branches that sprouted out holding the skulls and bones of different animals, both regular and alien. The bones tapped against each other in the soft wind, the sound eerie but not enough to defer them.

Hazel stepped closer and delicately spun a tiny, intricately detailed skull of a bird between her fingertips, her eyes studying each curve and groove with close eyes. "Are these real?" Hazel whispered, looking up at Gar.

"They're trophies," Gar explained, his voice breaking slightly. "Collected and slaughtered by a dark force. They're trying to tell me something."

"What are they saying?" Hazel asked.

Gar closed his eyes tightly, trying to focus and listen to reverberating voices that surrounded him, but he just shook his head, the mess of commands too loud and echoing. "I can't understand them."

Hazel looked down at the hands before stepping closer to the tree, pulling Gar with her. She placed his hand on the branch and Hazel leaned closer, placing her hand on his. "Try not to be overwhelmed, pass the power onto me. You just focus on the voices," Hazel instructed and Gar nodded softly. Hazel took a breath, her power racing through Gar, his eyes lighting up in tandem as they pushed their hands harder against the rough bark of the tree. Hazel pushed her power through the tree and back to Gar.

Gar closed his eyes again, taking a long breath feeling the power in his bones and the voices in his mind. He pushed the power back to Hazel, the words suddenly clear in his mind. He removed his hand and then raised his eyes to meet Hazel's. "When the blood moon is full, the world will fall to you."

❁

HAZEL AND GAR WALKED BACK TO THE RV WHERE KORY AND DICK STOPPED THEM FOR A MOMENT. She quickly explained everything that had happened with Sebastian and the witch, Dick adding the connection between Sebastian and the victim's blood type. They had tried to get him to talk but he seemed pretty unresponsive, so they were waiting for him to settle for now, sitting him in front of a small fire.

Gar stepped onto the RV but before Hazel could step through the doors, Kory stopped her, smiling softly. "That errand Dick and I went on, we brought back someone, an old friend of Dick's," Kory spoke up.

"She's a big fanatic for different magic so she's a little excited to meet you," Dick explained with a shrug. "Her name's Jinx."

"Jinx?" Hazel repeated and Kory shrugged.

Hazel opened the door to the RV and immediately a girl with short pink hair rushed towards her. She smiled, showing off her white teeth. "You're Hazel, Videl's kid right?" She asked, and Hazel raised her eyebrows at her British accent.

"One of them yeah," Hazel confirmed, stepping past her and walking to the table where the others had already gathered, a mess of books around them, Tim and Cole nose deep in computer files. She sat next to Terran and across from Cole, taking a book Terran passed her.

Jinx spun, clenching her hands open and closed as she tried to contain her excitement. "But you're the one with the lights, and the nature, and the matter," Jinx rambled, stepping closer. Hazel nodded and Jinx grinned, her eyes wrinkling at the sides. "This is fucking awesome."

"She hasn't stopped talking," Terran muttered, her eyes scanning across the book.

"You should have seen her face when we told her there were three of us," Cole said while laughing softly. Hazel shook her head and flipped the book of runes open, her eyes scanning the pages.

"Hey, have you asked Sebastian what those weird symbols in his video game mean?" Gar asked Rachel, setting his book down.

Rachel sighed, turning to the microwave as it beeped. "I will get there but right now," Rachel said, pulling the packet ramen bowl from the microwave, the steam rising in her face, "we're just talking ramen."

"Before the taxidermy job, he was an aquarium cleaner," Tim said, reading from the computer. "He likes night work."

"Oh, congratulations," Jinx said, pacing the RV to the kitchen area. "You guys rescued an insomniac who can stuff a cat."

"What about the woman in the police station?" Conner asked.

"Says he doesn't know her," Terran said with a shrug.

Jinx searched through a dozen cupboards before turning to the others, a hand on her hip, "You guys have Marmite?"

"Uh, top shelf. Behind the pretzels," Tim said, not looking up from the computer.

"Alright, I'm going in with ramen," Rachel announced, walking out the door.

"You're out of Marmite," Jinx groaned.

"Here," Hazel said, motioning Jinx over. Jinx tossed the Marmite over to her, Hazel catching it with ease. Hazel grew vines in the jar before turning them into a salty spread. Hazel threw the jar back and Jinx smiled.

"So," Jinx mused, leaning closer to Conner, "son of Superman, right?"

Conner's eyebrows furrowed but he nodded softly. "Sort of, yeah," Conner said while eating cereal.

"Cool. Can you fly?"

"No."

"Hmm. That's a shame. What about the magic phobia?" Jinx asked, eating the Marmite off her fingers.

"The what?" Conner asked.

"The magic phobia?" Jinx repeated. "Hmm. Superman kind of has a brown thumb when it comes to magic. It flusters him."

Conner scoffed softly and shook his head, "That's not true."

"Well," Terran hummed, closing her book.

"Yeah, let's ask the Demi-Gods," Jinx said, standing straighter. "Superman, afraid of magic?"

"Most otherworldly humans are," Hazel confirmed.

"Hazel," Conner huffed and Hazel shrugged. "You're meant to be on my side."

Hazel closed the book with a sigh before looking up at Cole. He turned away from Tim and motioned toward the door with his eyes. "Smoke break, we'll be right back," Hazel announced, spinning herself out of the seat. Cole pushed himself up and followed her, jumping from the RV. They walked over to a line of trees a few metres from the RV, but still close enough to see Jinx's figure moving through the windows. Hazel took a deep breath, this chill of the air comforting on her skin.

"So?" Hazel said, drawing out her words as she spun to Cole.

Cole sighed and leaned a shoulder against the tree. His eyes scanned over the woods before taking a deep breath. "You're using a lot of power, like 15 percent," Cole said. Haze furrowed her eyebrows confused for a moment not entirely understanding the heavy tone in Cole's voice. "I thought that was a good thing, but no. Your powers are like 2,250,000 degrees Celsius. It sounds like a random number but that's ridiculously hot. The centre of the sun is 15 million—"

Cole stopped his rambling as Hazel let out a heavy breath, just the mention of her light already starting to ignite her skin. Cole stammered, trying to give his sister some better news, "But they said not to worry until it gets to 70."

"I went up 15 percent in three days?" Hazel repeated and Cole nodded. "I'll be at 70 in—"

"—9 days."

Hazel stared up at him, but they stayed silent until Cole gave a vague shrug. She turned and looked over the woods, her hands nervously toying with a twig. A squirrel raced across the ground, and raced up the tree the siblings leant again, entirely ignoring them. "What about the skull?"

Cole shrugged softly, "The animal is called a Dro'coyro. It's a helm of status, according to Kruger. Didn't learn much else before Tim and Conner needed me." Cole's eyes dropped slightly, "Sorry."

"Don't you dare say sorry," Hazel said quickly. "We'll work it out."

They settled into silence again, right on time as Dick walked over to the pair. Dick looked between them, but he ultimately focused on Hazel, "Can I talk to you for a sec?" Cole looked up at Hazel and she nodded, Cole racing back to the RV. Dick looked over his shoulder at Cole as he shut the RV door before turning to Hazel, almost debating with himself as she looked down at her. "The witch was trying to convince Sebastian to join the Organization."

Hazel's eyes suddenly went wide in horror, her breath hitching in her throat as her mind was flooded with flashes of the halls of the asylum; the doctor's horrific smile, the pain, the darkness and. . . "Kory burnt it down," Hazel insisted, closing her eyes for a moment as she tried to focus on Dick's words.

"That's what Kory said but Rachel seems pretty convinced," Dick said with a sigh. "I just want your opinion."

Hazel leaned back, resting against the tree. "Do we really wanna dig all that up?"

"We might not have a choice." Hazel sighed through her nose but ultimately nodded. They walked back to the RV, Rachel and Kory already inside with the others. They mostly gathered around the table, but Sebastion kept his distance, sitting on the booths toward the back of the RV.

Dick made his way to the driver's seat, setting off down the road as Hazel sat next to Gar. "We're headed back to the asylum," Hazel said, and Gar's head snapped toward her, his eyebrows turned in confusion. "They tried to make him join," she said, dropping her voice lower and nodded at Sebastian.

"Seriously?" Gar whispered, his gaze shifting to Kory, who merely shrugged in response. He shook his head in disbelief. "The asylum was burned down!" His voice escalated into a shout, making Dick over his shoulder briefly.

"We're going to take another look," Dick said firmly, his gaze returning to the road ahead. "Make sure we didn't miss anything."

Cole and Tim exchanged uncertain glances before Tim broke the silence. "Can somebody fill me in, please?"

Hazel glanced at Kory before offering a vague shrug, "The Asylum was run by the Organization. It's a cult."

"My dad's cult," Rachel added.

"Your dad led a cult?" Jinx interjected, moving to sit beside Hazel.

Rachel confirmed with a soft hum. "Yeah."

"He's the reason I came to Earth," Kory said, rising from her seat and heading to the cupboards for drinks. "To kill him."

"Technically, you came here to kill Rachel," Hazel corrected.

"You tried to kill Rachel?" Cole's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Not to mention when Hazel tried to stop you, you almost killed her," Rachel shrugged.

"Hey, I thought we sorted all this out," Kory scoffed, retrieving a water bottle from the fridge.

Rachel raised her hands in defence. "We did. I'm just stating the facts."

"So, what did the Asylum actually do?" Terran asked.

"They wanted to bring about the end of the world, by any means necessary," Gar replied softly.

"So, who is Rachel's dad?" Tim pressed for clarification.

Gar glanced at Rachel, but her attention was on the bracelet Terran was fastening around her wrist. "Trigon," Gar finally answered.

"Who's Trigon?" Sebastion asked, looking around at the group.

Rachel's gaze snapped to him, her hand halting its movement. She glanced at Hazel, who simply shrugged and headed to the fridge. Taking a deep breath, Rachel turned back to Sebastian. "Trigon is a demon of inter- and extradimensional origin."

"At birth, he killed his own mother," Kory added.

"My grandmother," Rachel clarified to the others beside her.

"And before his first birthday, he ruled an entire planet. By the age of six, he had destroyed an entire planet," Kory continued.

"He challenged Videl for his place as King," Hazel chimed in as she settled into the seat beside Gar. "He tried to bait Videl into war, but his armies managed to banish him to another dimension," Hazel concluded.

"Why not just kill him?" Conner interjected.

Kory sighed, remembering the arguments her parents would often have, "The last time a demon challenged a god to a fight, nearly several universes were destroyed."

"Three hundred and fifty billion dead in less than a month. It was the only way to save existence," Hazel added, causing Conner's eyes to widen in shock.

"Then he tried to use Rachel to take our planet," Dick interjected.

"Take?" Cole repeated.

"Annihilate," Gar stated bluntly.

The RV fell into silence as Sebastion lowered his head. Jinx, breaking the tension, bit into her apple and called out, "Hey, can I drive this thing?"

Kory exchanged a glance with Dick and then sighed. "What did we ever do without her?"

— rapture —