"The tsunamis are going to take out Europe," Charlie said, his face ashen. The General ran in the direction of the trucks where he spoke with Austin. Even from here, I could see Austin visibly swallow. "We didn't stop them. We've failed."

"Erin," Josh gasped, gripping my hand. "Erin, listen to me. I know how to stop them but I can't do it alone."

"What do you need me to do?" I asked him.

"Trust me," he said. That's when I felt Josh's thoughts flooding into my head again but this time it wasn't his gently, reassuring, sweet voice. This time, it was just pure rage and desperation. I let out a small scream and fell back.

"Erin?" Charlie asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Erin, what's happening?" But I wasn't listening to him. Images were rushing into my mind, like it was trying to catch up with everything I had missed while we had been separated. I saw everything Josh had been through. All the pain and the desperation and the fear. There was so much of it that it almost overwhelmed me. He had watched everything Lucy made him do, completely powerless to stop himself. God, he had watched as Lucy made him point a gun at me, screaming to make himself stop.

It wasn't how I thought my reunion with Josh would have been like, but we were together now. The two most powerful GE's in the world were again connected, which meant we could stop the tsunami.

"I'm fine," I said to Charlie who helped me then Josh to our feet. "Do you need me to heal you, Josh?"

"I'll survive," he said through gritted teeth but he seemed to have forgotten that I could read his mind again and could tell he was on the verge of collapsing again. His presence in my head was weak and fluttering. The General was right. Lucy had stretched him to the limit. Before, it would always be Josh carrying me but today, if we were going to stop those waves, it would have to be me carrying Josh.

"Are you ready?" I asked him. He gave a small nod.

"Wait, what are you guys going to do?" Charlie asked.

"Tell everyone to take cover," I said. "We're going to rein in those waves." Charlie backed up and ran for the General, yelling at everybody to get down.

"Let's do this," Josh said. I took his hand and together we used the powers we never wanted, the powers we never wanted to unlock to pull back the waves hurtling towards Europe. We latched onto them and started to rein them back like we were holding a lasso. Wind and rain were swirling around us like a tornado, pounding the World United soldiers who were ducked down behind cars.

In my mind's eye, I could see the waves looming over the Irish and Welsh coast, trying to tip over and crush the terrified people hugging each other on the coastline.

It was working. The waves were receding back towards us. But Josh was weakening. Already I could feel the mental strain on him.

'I- I can't Erin,'  he whispered. 'It's too much.'

'Hold on, Josh,'  I said. 'Stay with me. Please, just hold on.'

We had pulled them back half way across the Atlantic now. Even I was beginning to feel it. How Josh had the energy to send these out and now pull them back in, I had no idea. We were both shaking with fatigue but had almost stopped them but then Kieran stepped in front of us, holding a very bloodied and beaten up Harry by the neck. The Master stood behind him, a hand on his shoulder and whispering in his ear.

"Stop it right now, Erin," Kieran said. "Or I'll crush the throat of your little friend here." Kieran through Harry onto the tarmac, making him groan, then smashed a deadly stamp kick into Harry's ribs.

"Stop hurting him!" I screamed, trying to hold the waves and talk to Kieran at the same time.

"Then let the waves go!" the Master roared. "You can't stop them on your own, Erin! Josh is not the person he used to be! I broke him! He can't protect you anymore!" Sure enough, Josh was sinking to his knees, his face turning scarlet with effort and drenched in sweat despite the chilling wind and rain.

'Stay with me, Josh!'  I cried. He only made a moan in reply.

"Give up, Erin!" the Master shouted. "You were never brave enough to stop me, to stand up for yourself! That's why I chose Josh! Pity he was a weakling too."

The rage was boiling up inside of me. For years I had let the Master control me. For years I had been scared and frightened and completely powerless. The weak one, the pathetic one, the vulnerable one. But no more. It was my turn.

"You will never control me again!" I screeched. I diverted all of the waves energy into myself, building it all up and containing it above my head, my arms raised. Josh used the last of his strength to help me. "Last chance, Kieran. Live or die, your choice."

"I belong to the Master," Kieran growled. He made to crush Harry's throat but Josh and I were faster. We released all the energy we had been holding and launched it at the Master and Kieran. The water smashed into them but skirted around the body of Harry. They flew backwards, taken up by the powerful current and were swept side to side.

'Smash them on that building,' Josh said in my head.

'But that will kill them,'  I replied.

'They deserve it,' Josh said. 'They don't deserve to live.'

'That isn't who we are Josh,'  I said, taking control. 'And I refuse to become what the Master wanted me to be.'  I made the water swirl up into the air then let it fall, leaving Kieran and the Master gasping on the tarmac. The wind and the rain died as both Josh and I collapsed onto the tarmac. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Charlie crouching beside Harry, his face devastated.

***

"Josh!" I cried, sitting bolt right up in my bed. Charlie stopped me from smashing into his head by holding his hands out.

"Woah, Erin," he said. "Relax. Everything is fine." He made me settle back down on the pillows. "We have to stop meeting like this," he chuckled.

"Where's Josh?" I demanded. "Where's Harry? What happened?" Charlie's laughter died a little. He pointed to the bed next to me where Josh lay unconscious.

"He's fine," Charlie said. "There wasn't a scratch on him. But the General...he couldn't fix Josh's mind. They almost completely shattered him, Erin. I'm...I'm not sure if he'll ever be the Josh we knew again."

"And Harry?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "He's...He's not dead, is he?"

"No," Charlie said. He looked down. "But Kieran did a lot of damage to him. We've put him in the healing machine now. But there are some things we can't fix..."

"What do you mean?" I whispered.

"Harry's going to be paralysed from the waist down," Charlie said. "Kieran broke his back while Harry was trying to distract him from you."

"Oh god..."

"He knew the risks," Charlie said softly. "Both he and I knew we never really stood a chance again GE's."

"Where's the Master?" I growled. "Where are T11."

"In containment units down stairs," Charlie said. "They were originally built for you... There will be a trial in a few months time when we find and clear out the rest of Triple's bases and strongholds. Who knows what we'll find there? The General did want you to help us-"

"No," I said, looking over at Josh. "Neither of us can go back there. It will completely destroy what's left of him." Charlie nodded in understanding.

"Come on," he said, helping me up. "I'll take you to the General. He's been waiting for you to wake up. It's over now, Erin. It's over."

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Hiya peeps!

Only the epilogue to go now! It's been such a journey for poor Erin and Josh. And Harry! Oh my goodness I felt so bad...

So, vote and comment as always! Thank you so much for your support during this book. Carry on reading for the epilogue and information on my next original story!

Love y'all!

CricketCat