The two of them trudged across the frozen field beyond the ruined power plant. Silence smothered everything except the crunch of snow beneath their boots and the occasional snap of branches.

Each carried a flashlight, its narrow beam slicing through the darkness.

As usual, Greyson took the lead, forcing Jason to pick up his pace just to keep up.

"Obviously your stupid stepsister can't see in the dark," Greyson sneered, not bothering to look back.

"It's dark like everything around here," Jason muttered.

Greyson stopped abruptly and swung the light into Jason's eyes.

"Whose fault is that?" he snapped.

Jason clenched his jaw, swallowing the bitterness that came with working alongside Greyson. They didn't choose to team up, but it was all they could do. Both of them held high ranks that could challenge Ashley's growing power.

"Where the hell did that thing go?" Greyson snapped, sweeping his flashlight wildly across the empty field.

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Last I checked, you're the one who threw her with your mind," he said flatly. "And don't forget the light you blasted from your palm."

He was certain it had been the baby controlling Greyson.

Scarlett had produced the same white glow from her hand before, but it had never caused any damage. He wondered if the child's power was tied between its parents, Greyson and Scarlett.

"Yes, because apparently my mutant child can puppeteer my body like a marionette," Greyson muttered, resting a hand on his hip. "Guess the baby takes after me."

Greyson resumed his pace, sweeping the flashlight across the field.

Jason glanced over his shoulder.

"Do you think we should've brought those five with us?"

"No. I'm pretty sure you don't want to watch your housewife get burned to a crisp," Greyson snarled.

It had been months since he'd last seen Bella, and he wasn't sure how to react. Yes, she had been burned, but his mind stayed locked on chasing Ashley.

"They can find their own way back," Greyson said flatly.

Jason tightened his grip on his flashlight until his knuckles ached. No matter what he did, it was never enough.

The bitter truth gnawed at him: if he'd really had that kind of power, Ilya would still be alive—and Bella would have stayed.

"Have you ever stopped to think this is Ashley's endgame?" Greyson provoked. "It wants Scarlett dead because of our mutant child, which means Ashley's willing to take out anyone in her way."

Jason had already considered that possibility. Everyone knew Ashley's powers were limited, but the baby acted as a barrier.

"By the time this is over, we'll probably end up crammed in a jail cell," Greyson muttered.

Jason's mind was buried under too much to keep track of—everything they'd done, everything they'd broken. Laws didn't mean much anymore, but the list kept growing anyway.

"See? It's all starting to click," Greyson snapped, pulling Jason from his thoughts.

"They might hear us out..." Jason insisted.

"We're not getting off easy just because we're kids," Greyson sneered. "And don't count on Heather bailing you out."

"You don't seem to miss her," Jason remarked.

"That woman was never a mother to me. If we make it out of here, we won't find any open arms waiting. For some parents, news of our escape will bring shock and horror, with a small dash of relief. TMZ or CBC will be blasting the story, and the police will be right on our tails." Jason tried to block out Greyson's words, but he continued. "Unless that Highlighter covers all our charges, everything will trace back to us and that god."

"What about the mutant child?" Jason asked.

Greyson stopped in his tracks and faced Jason. "It has plans, starting with the darkness. Scarlett probably knows more."

Jason swept his flashlight over the bush at the entrance, searching for any sign of Ashley.

As they stepped into the darkness, a ruined house came into view that was collapsed and broken on the ground. An unsettling feeling crept over him with a strange vibration in the air he couldn't quite place. It was as if a thick, pulsing energy surrounded them.

"This is a hotspot," Jason murmured, eyes narrowing.

"There's a strange, almost inhumane aura in this place," Greyson added. "We need to clear out these trees."

Jason noticed the trees formed an almost impenetrable wall. He extended his palm, slicing clean through one trunk.

Greyson caught the other half, hoisting it overhead before hurling it aside.

They worked their way along half of the bush, leaving a clear gap in the thickest part.

"It's weaker here," Jason noted.

"Follow."

Greyson stopped beside the tree's base and aimed his flashlight at the trunk.

"I think there's something inside it."

Jason pressed his palms against the centre of the tree, channeling his power to burn it.

Greyson angled the flashlight closer. Thick purple liquid oozed down the trunk, eating through bark and branches as it spread.

"Does this mean all the trees are soaked with it?" Jason asked.

"I'm guessing it all connects to something," Greyson said. "Either the powers or the followers. We can't waste time trying to destroy it all."

"We should probably crash somewhere," Jason sighed.

"We'll move away from here," Greyson spat.

Jason didn't want to stay anywhere near the bush.

They moved on, cutting through the darkness toward the edge of the highway.

"This spot works," Greyson said, scanning the area.

Jason set down his pack and pulled out a frozen water bottle. They still hadn't found Ashley, which was the most exhausting part of the hunt.

"Ashley's probably nearing town, or we'll spot a glowing fire sooner or later," Greyson said, pulling a protein bar from his backpack.

"Sunny's isn't far if we need to move," Jason said.

Greyson gazed into inky blackness, running a hand through his dark hair as if trying to read the shadows.

Now that Jason got a clear look at him, it was hard to believe they were twins. The only obvious similarity was their skin tone, but everything else set them apart.

"If Cindy shows up to warn us, Ashley wants that child gone," Greyson said, almost hesitantly.

Jason already found it strange enough that Scarlett was having a child, but this was his brother's child. He knew they'd never reach that bonding, brotherly point, because he still didn't like the guy.

"The baby won't be born for another couple of months," Jason implied.

"I think this baby has more than one plan in mind. If this baby is intelligent like me, there will always be a second plan," Greyson remarked. "This child is supposed to be stronger than all freaks combined."

Jason wished Greyson was wrong.

"They're going to protect her," he said.

Greyson sat down and slowly began to eat the protein bar. His face was crinkled, even though the two of them weren't bickering.

"Love sucks," he mumbled.

"It does," Jason agreed.

Greyson and Scarlett were polar opposites of him and Bella, but it wasn't the opposite of good and bad. Greyson may be a control freak, but he'd do anything for Scarlett.

Jason tried to fix everything.

Bella had only learned how to use that.

Scarlett and Greyson had used people or even each other, but they still stuck with each other. Jason didn't stay back when the storm occurred because he had to help in some way.

He thought he could handle everything that was happening, but reality proved him wrong.

"Yeah, but you aren't becoming a dad," Greyson said, crossing his arms.

"Sleep," Jason muttered, turning away.

"We have to interrogate that thing when we see it. If we don't, we'll all be dead," Greyson said.

Ashley's body trembled with searing pain as she curled against the cold, unyielding ground. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears while she struggled to understand what had just happened.

Just moments ago, Greyson had thrown her like a rag doll.

She slammed into a place she didn't recognize. Her vision swam, its edges hazy with disorientation. Whether it was from the impact, or the thick darkness, she couldn't tell.

It didn't make sense. Greyson couldn't summon blinding white light from his palm—none of them could.

She knew every one of their abilities by heart, categorized in her mind according to how useful each could be like Jason's light or Greyson's telekinesis.

But some powers always slipped through her fingers.

Will's tracking ability always slipped through her grasp.

Esme's speed was easier to use, but it left Ashley dizzy and disoriented, forcing her to stop and remember where she'd just been.

Worst of all, Emma's healing ability remained out of reach, still blocked by Divina's lingering influence.

The burning in her veins refused to fade, relentless and all-consuming.

Then it clicked.

Greyson never produced white light.

That power belonged to someone else.

Ashley's eyes widened.

"The mutant child is controlling him," Ashley hissed through gritted teeth.

No—if the mutant child was controlling Greyson, then the parents could stop her.

The burning pain.

The blue light that had ricocheted off his body.

It all snapped into place.

She hadn't just been attacked. She was being played.

"If that's how the mutant child wants to play," Ashley spat, forcing herself to her feet despite the agony tearing through her body.

If the child could control Greyson, the parents were the key.

"We're heading to Simcoe."

"You've made a grave mistake, God," Divina's voice echoed inside her mind.

"I haven't."

Divina laughed.

"You've angered the child," it taunted maliciously. "It saw you trying to harm its father."

Ashley's eyes swept through the darkness.

Empty.

Then he stepped out of the shadows as though he'd been there the entire time, wearing that infuriating smile.

It had been months since he's last interfered, ever since she'd gained the powers in her hideout.

"You may have gained their powers," Divina said, amusement flicking in his eyes. "But can't you feel the child's fury? It's angry at you for everything you've done."

Ashley snarled, "I don't care if that child is angry. I need to kill it."

"You still don't see it, do you?" Divina sneered.

Ashley lashed a blast of blue light toward him.

It sliced through empty air.

She spun around.

He was standing behind her with a smirk.

"Do you even know what that mutant child is planning?"

Ashley said nothing.

Her clenched jaw answered for her.

She already knew the harsh truth that the mutant child was unpredictable, every move a twist she never saw coming.

"Exactly," Divina smirked. "Neither of us knows, but the healer already senses everything. She's more aware than you realize."

"I can still kill others with my followers," Ashley countered defiantly.

"And how well has that straggler worked so far? Speed Demon shot one of your followers, and that religious girl shot one of your stronger followers who despises your looks."

"They always slip away until the very end," Ashley said coldly.

"Until when?" Divina sneered, wicked smile curling his lips. "When the mutant child arrives to destroy them all? Or when they finally can't stand to look at you anymore?"

Ashley felt rage building. "I don't care, but I'm killing that child," she barked.

Without warning, Divina pressed his palm against her forehead.

Reality fractured.

Sounds collapsed into silence, and in the next instant, Ashley was dragged into the memory of the power plant.

"Let's watch this again," he hissed.

In the memory, Ashley stood frozen on the staircase, her mind trapped. Jason and Greyson appeared, but Greyson didn't throw this time. He just glared at her, cold and silent.

Then, without a word, he raised his palm.

Blinding white light burst from his palm, swallowing Ashley before ripping through every nerve in her body.

Ashley's eyes widened in shock as the glowing white light engulfed her. It wasn't just any light, but it pulsed with a similar dark energy, eerily like Divina's power.

"Can't you feel it?" he taunted, mockery thick in his voice.

She glared and shoved him back with a burst of invisible force. The illusion wavered, but he reappeared before her, smirking, head tilted with that all-too-familiar arrogance.

"Feel what?"

His grin widened.

"The danger."

"I don't feel it," Ashley growled, but the searing pain in her body only deepened.

"Are you sure?" Divina challenged, smug grin widening.

"Yes," Ashley grated through clenched teeth, her palms still extended.

"The big, bad God is afraid of a powerful human, and I'm savouring every second," Divina mocked, grinning spitefully. "Those boys found your hideout and tore half of it apart. It's a shame your followers are growing weaker."

They should have never found her hideout. It seemed everything she was doing was somehow falling down slowly. She needed to kill everyone, especially that mutant child.

"Any human knows Godrin grow on trees," Divina sneered. "That human won't help you either. You're nothing but a pathetic god."

"I can overpower you," Ashley spat.

Divina stood with hands on his hips, chin raised.

"I'm just an illusion," he taunted. "So overpowering me? Not exactly your problem."

"I'm killing them all, no matter what it takes," Ashley snapped.

"Where do you think that'll get you?" Divina snarled.

"Out of this pathetic bubble, and into a world I'll burn to the ground. I'll scatter their ashes, throw them into buildings, and watch them crumble."

Yes, her main objective was clear: she would kill everyone before the mutant child could be born.

If the mutant child was born before she carried out her her plan, everything she'd worked toward would collapse.

"We may have landed on Earth five years ago, but don't underestimate the mutant child. After all, you're ugly for a reason," Divina sneered, laughter echoing as he vanished.

"Injuring my father is unforgivable."

The baby's voice reverberated in Ashley's mind. Its tone calm, making it impossible to tell whether it belonged to a girl or boy.

River's light sliced through the endless darkness, throwing shadows across the snow-covered highway. Mallory Jonz paused, her breath fogging in the air as she stared in awe at the light cutting through the void.

She wasn't Tumbles anymore. She'd learned to stay on her feet. Falling wasn't embarrassing anymore—it could shatter whatever she landed on. She could control it now, but only if she stayed careful.

"What's the trick to attracting girls?" Preston asked.

River hesitated before muttering, "Behaviour."

"No girl wants you," Mallory shot back. "You're a pervert."

Preston shrugged nonchalantly, folding his arms behind his head. "I'm fine with that. Mia still flashes me."

Mallory scrunched up her face. "Mia flashes anyone."

As they walked down the highway, the darkness seemed to stretch endlessly, pulling at the edges of the road and swallowing the distant horizon. The light from River's power barely pierced it, spilling a weak glow on the snow.

Mallory's stomach twisted in knots. The cold bit at her fingers, but it wasn't just that. It was the feeling that something terrible was waiting in the shadows.

During her time at Sunny's, she learned a lot. Not just about shooting a gun or surviving out here in the dark—but about people.

Nevaeh had told her more gossip than she ever asked for, and half of it she probably shouldn't have heard.

If she were still in school, she'd be in the fifth grade, stressing over long division and fractions. Instead, she was out here—walking empty highways, running from followers, and hearing about messed-up things that happened at Uden Academy.

Sometimes she imagined doing something reckless—running, jumping, not caring if she slipped.

But she always stopped herself. One wrong fall, and something could go wrong.

"Mia's pretty," Preston stated.

Mia was pretty, but Scarlett had always been the prettiest.

Mallory didn't feel jealous, not really. She wasn't insecure about it either. Her mom had always said not to care too much about looks or drama and just be herself. Even girls at camp noticed Scarlett when she walked by, glowing with confidence.

Preston broke the silence. "Are we supposed to spy behind bushes?"

The three of them stopped, eyes scanning the long, empty stretch of highway ahead. Abandoned cars scattered the road, their windows cracked and frosted.

"We have to set off a flare," River said, holding a small, circular device in his hand.

It was an idea Zane and James created. It was an emergency flare that would shoot golden light high into the sky, like a slow-burning firework. It was a warning to everyone that Ashley and her followers were approaching.

"We'd have to run because Ashley would probably see it," Mallory said.

"I'm not in the mood to die today," Preston called out, still invisible.

"Zane said to look out for Bryce and them. Emma sensed something happened," River said, his voice uncertain.

"Jason and Greyson were forced to go there," Mallory added.

Jason and Greyson working together was a disaster waiting to happen. She didn't know why Zane would pair them together. Maybe it was because of the ranking system. It could always be to overcome the hatred they have for each other.

Mallory doubted Jason and Greyson would overcome their hatred, but they both got irritated by the same things.

She scanned the highway again.

Nothing moved.

That somehow made it worse.

Ashley could be anywhere standing beyond River's light, waiting to kill them all.

"Do we just sit here?" River asked.

"I think we should hide," Mallory suggested, but none of them moved.

"We could hide behind trees," River said.

They sprinted toward the trees and slammed themselves against the rough bark, shoulder to shoulder.

Mallory's heart pounded.

The silence felt heavy.

Could it hide them from Ashley?

"What if she ends up finding us?" Mallory whispered. "I don't want the baby to get killed."

"Ashley wants us all dead," Preston said flatly.

Mallory then saw a silhouette behind the bushes. "Be quiet."

"Should I send a flare?" River asked in a whisper.

Mallory didn't know what to say. It wasn't that she was an expert at finding killers. She was evil because she watched people get helplessly injured.

When Eden was numbing Bella's movements, she was playing with Christmas lights.

"I'll go see," Preston's disembodied voice said. He didn't make a sound as they awaited any harm. When he crept back, he crouched. "It's the one Luke shot in the daycare."

River's eyes widened.

"We have to run back."

"But Zane said we have to stay out," Mallory interjected.

"Don't leave."

The voice came from behind them.

All three screamed.

Mallory whipped around so fast she nearly slipped.

Teagan was standing there.

She hadn't been there a second ago.

Mallory knew Teagan had been shot in the daycare by Luke. She was one of Ashley's followers and had been caught spying on them.

"I dont want to follow Ashley anymore," Teagan said quietly. "I'm just waiting until the mutant child destroys me. God won't stop until the baby is dead."

Why would anyone want to kill a baby?

It was wrong. Completely wrong.

Her mother had always said children were miracles.

"Tell Ashley to go away," Preston spat.

"God won't listen to other followers," Teagan retorted. "They all want revenge, but I've already got mine."

This is what it feels like to go up against someone dangerous. They wanted revenge, even though it wasn't the answer.

"What's Ashley so scared of?" Preston asked. "It's a baby."

"She's scared of the light returning and its powers," Teagan answered. "That baby used its father's body to stop Ashley from killing Bella and the others."

"We don't trust you," River mumbled.

Teagan nodded. "I know Ashley is heading to Simcoe to burn the town."

There were still some people in Simcoe who could die. The crackheads went off, and every freak seemed to leave. No, Mallory knew who was going there.

Teagan popped as if she had spilled too much.

"Yeah, we're going back now," Preston said.

They all ran toward Sunny's, boots crunching against the frozen ground as the darkness seemed to chase them.

As they burst through the campground, their eyes darted around, searching for someone to inform.

"What's the emergency?" Zane asked.

Mallory took a deep breath. "Well, according to Teagan, Ashley is going to burn Simcoe. We don't know if it's true, but some people are still there," Mallory rambled. "Teagan doesn't want to help Ashley or whoever. Are there still a lot of people in town?"

"We have to warn those there. I'm not going to send people in case it's a trick," Zane remarked.

Mallory wasn't sure it had been a trick, given the way Teagan seemed panicked.

She didn't feel bad for followers. They were evil and wanted revenge, which meant Luke got to terrorize them still.

"I know Cindy, Emma, and Mark are still in Simcoe," Yara said.

"Do you want us heading to town?" Mallory asked.

Zane stared at her before saying anything. "If you three can warn the people still there," he suggested.

Mallory twisted her thumbs, her lips pressed into a tight line. She wasn't even sure why she'd volunteered.

They were supposed to be part of the protection group—not the main fighters. That was Greyson and Jason.

"Let's hope we aren't burned alive," Preston said flatly.

"You just have to warn Emma or Mark. Cindy will probably be teleporting around to see how everything's going," Zane implied.

Everyone carried some kind of weapon. Freaks were both inside and outside, guarding the campground like a country invasion.

"You can take the one car that has gas left, but you'll have to hurry back," Zane said, motioning to the green car behind him.

"It's ugly-looking," Preston remarked.

"Let's just try to get to town," Zane sighed, handing River the keys, who just stared at them.

"If you can drive a boat, you can drive a car," Preston stated.

The three of them went to the car as Mallory sat up front. It felt weird being up front when she had been used to being in the back.

"What do we do with the people?" Mallory asked.

"Shove them all in the car," Yara implied with a thumbs up.

"There should be other cars there to take back here," Zane said.

"Try not to hit anyone, unless it's Ashley!" Yara called.

River rolled up the window as he slowly backed up the car. The darkness still swallowed the headlights, which barely lit the road.

Mallory missed light.

Real light.

Maybe the baby would bring the hydro back too.

Hot showers.

Lamps.

Nightlights.

She couldn't even remember what the sun felt like anymore.

Maybe the light would slowly return, turning the darkness into something like a sunset. That'd be pretty, having the sky golden or even pink. Scarlett's child would have the choice of it all.

Would the baby want a bright blue or golden one?

"I hope the sky's pretty when the light comes back," Mallory remarked.

"It will probably be blue like normal," Preston said. "Something other than this pitch darkness would be great. We've had this darkness for seven months."

That's why people had gone crazy. They were scared of the darkness.

Mallory rested her head against the cold window.

She imagined the sky turning blue again.

Maybe pink at sunset.

Maybe gold.

She didn't care.

She just wanted to see the sky again.