The next day, Leighton soared past the city's steel towers as the scent of oil and salt filled the air. The sun beamed overhead. He touched down on the Cutters Bay docks-where Level, Spark, and Black Guard waited.

Leighton strode toward the group. "Everyone's here. Good."

Spark crossed his arms. "You're late." 

Leighton rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the pull of serum withdrawal.
"Only by ten minutes."

"Mira said Sector Twelve is all that's left to take down, which is five miles from here," Black Guard said.

"So, what's the plan?" Level asked.

"We roll up on Sector Twelve and strike at noon," Leighton said as his hand shook.

Level levitated four inches off the ground. "Well, I have a score to settle."

Spark's electricity crackled around his fingers. "Nah, I say we focus on the mission."

Level's feet touched the ground as he shot an evil glare toward Spark. "I want Risham's head."

Leighton hid his hand behind his back as it shook. "We stick together."

Leighton and the group climbed inside the gray van. Spark turned the wheel and drove off on the highway. Spark turned on the radio. His eyes flickered toward Level then back at the road.

Level glanced at Leighton's hand trembling. 

"What's the deal with you, Leighton?"
Level asked.

"Just tremors. It happens," Leighton said, trying to hold his hand steady on his lap.

Level looked at Leighton."I have seen that shake before. Track marks next?"

Leighton gave Level a glare. "I'm going cold turkey on a serum."

"That's a good call," Black Guard said. "Doc and the group were worried about you."

"How long until Sector Twelve?" Leighton asked.

"Another ten miles to go," Spark said, eyes on the road.

"That's not far," Leighton said. "As soon as we roll in, we hit'em with everything we've got."

Hours later, the van rolled to a stop before Sector Twelve, a tall dark building. Seven dark armed soldiers occupied the gates. Drones hummed overhead. Leighton slid open the door and stepped out the van. The team followed. He strode toward the fence, fists balled. With ease, Leighton ripped the front gate off its hinges and tossed it aside.

The alarm roared to life. Soldiers fired. Black Guard absorbed gunshots into the torso with his shadow powers. Level snapped up a telekinetic force field. Spark unleashed electrical current from his hands, frying the drones mid-air. Level levitated the soldiers off the ground with the wave of his hands. Level flung the soldiers against each other taking them out.

Leighton sighed as he punched a hole through a steel door. He separated the steel leaving a gaping hole. Two soldiers fired their weapons at him. Bullets bounced off his white suit. Leighton blurred forward, knocking the soldiers out. Leighton's hand shook again. He strode forward. Inside the room was surrounded by computers and cameras embedded in walls. Leighton entered another room where machines hummed in the room. His eyes locked on scientists monitoring the conveyor belt manufactured chips.

"The show's over," Leighton said. "Whatever you are doing, it ends."

The scientists paused with their hands up.

"Leave now!" Leighton said.

The scientists ran out of the room.

"All right, let's trash this place,"Level said. 

Level waved his hand to smash the cameras and computer monitors. Spark lifted his hands and fried microchips on the conveyor belt as smoke rose. Leighton looked to his left with his thermal vision and saw more soldiers running through the hallway. He blurred in their direction, taking them out one by one.

Leighton led the group to a dim chamber with rows of ancient books swirling in a faint air. Without warning, a TV monitor at the center flickered on to life with a cold white glow. Risham's image appeared. Eyes focused, still, calculated.

"Persona, I see you brought friends," Risham said.

Leighton's hand tightened to a fist. Spark's hands crackled with electricity. Level's jaw clenched, silent rigid. Black Guard stood motionless shadow tendrils coiled around his shoulders like faded smoke.

"Risham, your evil comes to an end," Leighton said.

"You don't see the big picture," Risham said. "You metahumans thrive on chaos and need structure and order. I offer a better life."

Leighton's eyes narrowed. "As mindless powerless slaves, I see right through you."

Risham smirked "Soon all your kind would be dealt with."

Leighton came close to the monitor. "Over my dead body."

In a blur of motion, he seized a nearby desk and hurled it at the screen. Metal screeched as the monitor shattered, Risham's image dissolving into sparks and darkness.Silence fell-broken only by the faint crackle of dying electronics.

Level nodded. "At least you shut him up. I was tired of his monologue."

The room began to rumble. Everyone spread out. The books shelves came crashing down on the floor. 

Dilak in a dark robe appeared in a flash of green smoke in front of the group, twin swords in hand. His eyes glowed red.

Dilak swung his swords in unison."Master Risham sent me to deal with you all."

Leighton cracked his head to the side, staring down Dilak. "You're going down this time."

Level smirked. "You can't have all the fun."

Spark drew electrical power from the wall, Level levitated the table, metal shelves, and debris, and Black Guard shadow tendrils spread from under his feet with his hand gun loaded pointing at Dilak.

"Before this day is done. You will all fall by my blades," Dilak said as his twin blades scratch the walls.

Level balled his fist."Get ready. Looks like Persona is gonna need backup.

"It's frying time," Spark said as he filled his body with electricity.

"We got your back, Persona," Black Guard said as he pulled his gun forward, finger on the trigger. "Go ahead, make your move."

Leighton's hand had shook again, fighting the need of Serum 28 as his veins burned from his arms. He blurred forward and Dilak's twin blades clashed, creating friction in the air.