Emily wasn't sure what to make of it. After all, she'd been with Victoria when the girl left The Acropolis with Apex. All evidence pointed to her being a traitor. But her most recent actions suggested otherwise.

Trying to make sense of it only made her head hurt.

Once they were out of their cuffs, Victoria explained everything to them

After the failed assault on the Nexxus Laboratory, she developed a scheme to get in close to Kane and take him down from the outside. Apparently, she tried bringing it up to her father, but he never took the time to listen to her.

Emily thought back to meeting they all had after they returned from their botched mission in Canada. She remembered Victoria tried saying something but was shut down before she got the chance.

The girl eventually grew tired of waiting around and acted on her plan alone. Her objective was to gain Kismet's trust, which was why she revealed the location of The Acropolis and helped them reacquire their Primonium. The plan proved to be successful, as Kane supposedly accepted her into her ranks after Apex brought her to their base.

Unfortunately, she never found an opening to send Atlas the coordinates to Kane's headquarters. Had Emily and her friends not visited the man's old lab in New York, her entire plan would've been useless.

Though, Emily couldn't fault the girl for trying. She took initiative. Had she not acted as a double-agent, they all would've still been stuck in those Prime-nullifying handcuffs and Kane would've won anyways, So, in a way, her strategy did work. Just not in the way she intended.

Emily rubbed her wrists, the skin puffy and agitated. She whistled for good measure. The high-pitched noise caused everyone to plug their ears for a few seconds. She grinned.

Her abilities were back.

After Victoria finished explaining, Oscar wrapped her into a hug. The girl stiffened up, her arms stuck to her sides as the boy held her tight.

''I knew you weren't a traitor,'' he said, his head buried in the crook of her neck.

Emily blew air from her nose. ''Yeah, right. Weren't you the main one calling her a traitor just a few minutes ago?''

Oscar let go of Victoria and rubbed the back of his neck, a blush creeping upon his cheeks. ''Yeah, about that....''

Victoria huffed, seemingly annoyed. Though, she looked like she wanted to smile at him. Emily stifled a laugh as she looked at her and Oscar. She had to admit it, the two of them would be cute together.

''Your plan was pretty lucky,'' Chase said. ''And risky.'' He didn't seem as convinced as everyone else. He regarded her with caution, his blue eyes steely. Stella urged him to ease up.

''If your gig as an Atlas agent doesn't work out,'' Theo said, ''you could always be an actress.''

Victoria snorted. ''I'll think about it.''

''This is a nice little reunion and all, but can we get out of here now?'' Cutter gestured towards the door. ''We've still got a job to do.''

Victoria nodded. ''He's right. We've got about half an hour before the Asclepius is ready. We need to stop Kane before he can start the launch sequence. With the amount of Primonium he's collected, it's enough to wipe out millions of people.''

That stunned the room. Emily shook her head in disbelief. Millions. That's how lives were potentially at stake.

''We've gotta take that machine down,'' Chase said. ''We don't need anyone else dying today.'' He dropped his hand onto Cutter's shoulder. He and Precision wore pensive expressions, their gazes dark and their jaws taut. ''Blackbird didn't die in vain. We'll finish this mission. For her.''

Cutter nodded while Precision signed something, most likely words of gratitude. Chase nodded back at the sniper.

''She didn't deserve to go out like that,'' Cutter muttered. He ran a hand over the sharp bristles of his hair.

Emily wanted to say something, but she couldn't get the words to come out. She'd never beem any good with this kind of stuff.

''You're right,'' Andre said. ''For the short time I knew her, she seemed like a decent woman.''

''She was a damn good pilot,'' Oscar said with a warm smile. ''That's for sure. Without her steering us into the snow the way she did, we'd all be dead.''

For a moment, everyone's spirits seemed to be lifted. It wouldn't last. Sirens wailed outside, followed by shouts from the mercenaries. They warned each other incoming Atlas agents. The dark mood that lingered over them like a storm cloud returned, almost like it never left.

Emily looked to Chase. ''What's the plan?'' He was their strategist. She'd never tell him to his face, but he was a decent leader. He always knew what to do and kept them all grounded. The team would've been a mess without him.

Chase and Victoria turned to each other. They stepped away from the group, speaking in hushed tones as they developed a plan. After a few moments, they returned to their squad.

''Okay, so here's what we're gonna do— ''

''Is this plan going to get us killed?'' Theo asked, his eyes darting around.

Victoria see-sawed her hand. ''Maybe.''

Theo paled. ''She's kidding right? Somebody tell me she's kidding.''

''We'll be fine. Probably,'' Chase said. ''Now, listen up.''

Once the plan was laid out, Victoria led them to the room where the soldiers hid their confiscated gear. Emily's eyes lit up when she spotted her bow sitting atop a pile of unused assault rifles. She snatched it up, along with her quiver, and smiled.

The bow felt good in her hand, the cool metal soothing her clammy palms.

Emily slung her bag of specialty arrows over her shoulder. After the rest of the group retrieved their respective weapons and gear, they moved towards the exit of the room.

Victoria, who stood in the doorway, held up a fist as she scouted the hallway. Once it was safe, she motioned for them to follow. Surprisingly, the corridors weren't as busy as they were before. Emily chalked it down to the arrival of the Atlas agents; the mercenaries were probably on their way to combat the threat.

But a nagging feeling behind her navel suggested something else might've been at play.

''Where is everyone?'' Andre asked.

''Maybe they ran away.'' Theo's tone suggested that even he didn't believe that.

Victoria spearheaded the group, with Chase a few paces behind her. She held her rifle up, peering through the scope. ''Kane pulls men out of this sector all the time to help him out. We've probably got a few minutes before someone else comes back here.''

Emily stopped walking. Her ears were ringing. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on the sounds but she couldn't discern which direction they were coming from. There were voices, three of them. She could hear the agitation in their words. Footsteps accompanied them. The sound of metal clanking followed. Then it dawned on her.

Those were bullets hitting each other inside of clips.

''Guys—''

A battalion of Kismet soldiers emerged from around the corner, blocking off their path. She spun around, only to be met with the sight of Apex, Frost, and Lycan. The guards aimed their weapons at the Atlas team, a deadly silence filling the hall.

Apex stood menacingly with a metal facemask covering every part of his face besides his eyes—which gleamed like enchanted rubies. His shaggy hair framed his angular face. Shadows and the muted light from the lanterns in the rock walls painted his bone-white skin.

No one said a word. Emily and her group were boxed in. Both ends of the nebulous corridor were guarded. There was no way out. Not a desirable one, at least.

Apex stepped forward, removing his mask. ''Victoria.''

''Victor.''

His lip curled. ''You're on the wrong side.''

''Am I?''

The siblings stared each other down. Red versus blue. Righteousness versus chaos. The air crackled with electric tension.

''I suppose I should've seen this coming,'' Apex said with a disappointed sigh. ''You're just like me, you know. Smart. Cunning.'' He unsheathed his blade. ''Except I don't betray my family.''

Victoria aimed her weapon at him, her guile unwavering. Emily watched in quiet anticipation, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

''You're not my family anymore, Victor,'' the girl said. Apex's nostrils. She smirked and looked around at Emily and her group, her eyes lingering on Oscar for a few extra seconds. ''Atlas is my family.''

Frost snarled and turned to Apex. ''Let me kill her.''

He shook his head. ''No. No, she's mine.''

Both groups stood in silence for a couple moments. No one moved a muscle. She could've sworn everyone stopped breathing. Apprehension crawled up her skin like a thousand insects.

Ahead of her, Chase pulled his sword from its magnetic holder and activated his holo-shield. Its cobalt light projected onto the walls around him. Oscar lit his hands, Andre's skin turned to cement, and Cutter balanced a knife in his gloved hand.

Emily's fingers twitched at her side. She'd slid off her bow, which now laid poised in her hand. If any of the Kismet soldiers or one of the three Primes moved, she was going straight for her quiver. Or maybe she'd let off a few rings of sonic energy.

Whichever she felt like doing.

She noticed Stella's fingertips glowing with a golden light, the StarBands on her wrists cranked up to the highest setting. An undaunted expression settled on her beautiful features, her hazel eyes glowing with unbridled power. She was ready for battle.

They all were.

''So,'' Oscar said. ''We just gonna stand here and stare at each other like idiots or what?''

''You always know just what to say,'' Victoria mumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Lycan snorted like a bull and cracked his neck twice. A low howl rose from his chest. His body contorted and transformed, bones elongating and shortening, his visage shifting until it resembled a canine's. Dark fur sprouted over the exposed portions of his body. His fingernails grew and sharpened like shards of glass, as did his teeth. His dark gray and black uniform expanded as he grew a couple of inches.

Emily didn't think she'd ever get used to seeing that.

Apex pointed his sword at them. ''Are you all sure you want to do this? Because I'm sure Kane will forgive me for not taking any prisoners this time.''

Emily fought the fear from her mind. Had it been anyone else, she wouldn't have been afraid. But she knew what Apex could do, what he was capable of. If he had been under orders from Kane to not kill them in the past, she couldn't imagine what he could do if he actually tried killing them.

She figured she'd find out soon enough.

Chase stepped forward, his weapon held tight in his grip. He spoke no words, but his stance said everything.

Apex chuckled. ''Your funeral.'' He teleported away. 

The blond instinctively took a step back and raised his shield. The mercenaries let off rounds at the Atlas squadron while Frost and Wolf Man advanced from the other side. Chase protected the others, bullets bouncing off him and his shield.

''Get out of here!'' he commanded. ''Go!''

Stella nodded and raised a light shield of her own, helping fend off bullets while the others attempted to flee the hall. Andre created a path for them, tanking through soldiers with his sheer strength and size. Theo sped ahead of the group, snatching away guns and using the walls to maneuver around enemies.

Emily turned around and ran after them as well, occasionally letting off a couple of sonic rings from her mouth to slow the guards down. Once the burning sensation became too much for her, she fired off a few arrows.

The corridor emptied out into the huge cavern she'd seen from the room they were before. Looming at the border of the clearing was the tenebrous ravine that traveled deep into the earth. She made a mental note to steer clear from the edge. The kidnapped Nexxus Industries workers abandoned their posts and ran for cover. Emily and her group did the same.

Oscar and Victoria crouched behind a short wall, shooting off fire and bullets respectively. Cutter rushed into the fray, slicing down enemies ruthlessly while Precision provided cover fire from his hiding spot.

Emily knee-slid behind a table and flipped it over. She scanned the dark battlefield. The ravine didn't provide much light, and the snowy sky above didn't let too much sunlight through. Her body tensed as she spotted a soldier encroaching on Oscar and Cutter's position.

In an instant, two arrows flew from her fingers. They found their marks a moment later.

''Thanks, Reverb!'' Oscar yelled.

''Shoot her!'' she heard someone order. Yelping, she dove from behind her table and to a rack of equipment. Bullets tore through where she'd just been. Her heartrate spiked. Gritting her teeth, the sound agitating her senses, she waited for them to stop shooting. The men would have to reload eventually.

A couple seconds later, gunfire ceased. She exhaled, her ears popping. It was her turn now. 

She peeked around the corner of her cover and cupped her hands around her mouth. She released a powerful scream; the sonic energy formed into long spirals as they hurtled toward the company of mercenaries. They expanded on impact, sending the men flying, their shouts rippling through the noisy air.

Turning around, she took note of more guards rushing towards her. She notched a couple of black-tipped arrows and shot their weapons out of their hands.

They snarled at her and raised their fists. She shook her head at them, getting into the starting position her father taught her.

''Let your enemy attack first,'' is what he would tell her when she was at Tae Kwon Do practice. Hopefully the advice would help keep her alive.

The angry men advanced towards her, circling around like bloodthirsty sharks.

''You wouldn't hit a little girl,'' she said speculatively. She bounced on her toes, her eyes taking note of everything around her. ''Would you?''

One of them responded by charging at her from behind. She sidestepped and kicked the back of his leg. Grunting, he fell to one knee. She took advantage and sent a flurry of punches to his abdominal area. He groaned in pain and collapsed to the floor.

The two remaining soldiers exchanged fearful looks but continued to circle around her like bloodthirsty sharks. They nodded at each other before engaging.

One grabbed her arm and pulled, causing her to yell in pain. The other swung his fist at her head. She ducked, though, his fist still managed to glance off her temple.

She blinked rapidly, a sharp pain echoing throughout the side of her head. She tried wrenching her arm away, but the man's grip was stronger than a Chinese finger trap. She drove an elbow into his gut. His hold loosened and she broke free.

The two men retrieved their weapons from the ground and aimed them at her.

''Say goodbye,'' one of the guards growled, cocking his gun. ''Freak.''

Her heart stopped. She shut her eyes and turned away, bracing herself. As the shots rang out, she felt a whoosh of air pass in front of her, followed by someone sweeping her off her feet.

Eyes snapping open, she realized she was in Theo's arms as he sprinted to safety. He set her down, grinned, and darted over to the two Kismet soldiers. Before they could even see him, he punched them in the backs of their heads. They were out cold.

In a second, he returned to a slightly dizzy Emily.

''You're welcome, by the way,'' he told her. Emily rolled her eyes and took a half-step toward him—which resulted in her knees buckling. Her vision swam, the pain in her head amplifying. Theo frowned and grabbed her arm, holding her up. ''You alright?''

She winced but nodded. ''Yeah, I'm fine. One of those guys just got a lucky shot at me.'' She rubbed her temple. A bruise would be there in no time.

Theo tilted his head. ''Lucky?''

''Shut up.''

Another pair of guards was running up behind him, their weapons ready. Emily's hands flew to her quiver and she grabbed two sonic arrows. She notched them and let them fly on either side of Theo, each one finding their mark. She and Theo covered their ears as the arrows let off their sonic blasts and sent the two flying across the room.

''Those things really do pack a punch.'' Theo whistled. Emily nodded, grinning. She was enjoying her new gear. Archie may have been just a kid, but he sure was talented at making weapons.

She looked over at the rest of her team; they were pinned down by the remaining mercenaries. There were outnumbered two to one, and more seemed to be coming from the cable car on the other end of the ravine. She heard gunfire in the distance. It must've been the Atlas agents fighting the other assailants above them.

A loud explosion sounded, causing her and Theo to face the hallway that Chase stayed behind to fight in. He soared through the air before his back collided with a generator. Sparks popped around him. Red smoke billowed from the glowing number one on his chest.

Apex marched out of the hallway, a long, bloody gash running along his right cheek. Snarling, he pointed the tip of his blade at Chase. ''Bad move, Sentinel.''

Lycan and Andre—who also stayed back—both tumbled out of the corridor, exchanging heavy blows. The wolfman's dark fur was bloodied and one of his beady eyes was swollen shut. However, Andre wasn't in the best shape either. He had changed his skin from cement to silver and parts of the metal was dented. He was moving gingerly, his actions sluggish and delayed.

Seemingly coming out of nowhere, Kane emerged onto the impromptu battlefield.

''I am sick and tired of you interrupting my plans,'' Kane bellowed as he stood in the midst of the fight.

Out the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of someone charging at the man. It was Cutter. He let out a guttural war cry, one of his bowie knives held high in the air.

Kane spun on a dime and stuck his hand out toward the agent. The man froze. Terror surfaced on his face. He struggled against an invisible hold, his neck straining. Shocked, she flinched backward.

''What the hell are you doing to me?!" Cutter shrieked.

The fighting grinded to a halt as everyone watched.

''Since when could he do that?'' Theo asked, his eyes wide.

Emily suddenly remembered the old video tapes she'd seen of Kane in his old lab. He'd displayed telekinetic abilities in some of the footage. She felt stupid. How could she have forgotten that?

''I have worked so hard, made so much progress. I will not let you ruin everything I have worked years to achieve.'' Kane's voice was sinister, venom dripping from his words. A vein pulsed beneath his temple. ''I will not let you...you nuisances ruin this for me. For our people. I gave you all a chance to join me. You all chose your side.'' He turned and looked at Emily, who happened to be the closest to him. His blue eyes stared directly into her dark brown ones. ''Now it is time to for you all to face the consequences of your decisions.''

Cutter body began to writhe in the air. His skin paled and his blue veins became visible. He grabbed at his throat as blood poured from his lips.

Across the rocky clearing, Emily watched Stella clasp a hand over her mouth, muffling her cries as she turned away. She wanted to do the same, but she couldn't tear her gaze from the grisly sight.

He had her in a trance.

''It's time for us to fulfill our destinies,'' Kane said. He shifted his attention from her to the man he held telekinetically. His lips curled, creases digging into his forehead. ''Starting with this one.''

Cutter coughed violently, more blood sputtering from his throat. He fell to his hands and knees. Kane twisted his fingers, causing the agent's body to raise a couple inches off of the ground.

Kane swiped his hand through the air. Cutter's body flew off the edge of the clearing, tumbling into the depths of the dark chasm. His screams faded until they stopped entirely.

The silver haired man faced the rest of the people around him. A wide grin spread across his ghastly features, his crystalline eyes wide with bloodlust.

''Would anyone like to be next?''