"That's not good," Jason muttered, his eyes fixed on the orange glow swallowing the horizon.

"Guess we found that deranged thing," Greyson spat, his voice cold.

They took off, sprinting across the uneven field as darkness cloaked the world in shadow. The only light came from the roaring inferno consuming Simcoe ahead and the faint, wavering beam of a single flashlight cutting through the gloom.

Jason gasped between breaths. "What exactly are we supposed to do once when we get there?"

Greyson's eyes narrowed, locked onto the charred edge of Simcoe looming ahead.

"We have to find a way to slow her down."

As they reached the town plaza, Jason's eyes swept over the devastation. Familiar buildings lay reduced to smoking rubble.

The streets were ripped open by deep cracks as thick smoke curled through it.

"Head toward the outskirts," Greyson ordered, already veering away from the ruined plaza.

Jason coughed harshly, the acrid smoke burning his throat. "Looks like most of the people in the plaza... they're dead."

They skirted around houses not yet engulfed, searching for anything.

Just ahead, bodies lay sprawled across a driveway and the street. It looked like a scene from a horror movie where everyone was killed in the first ten minutes.

"The buildings, too," Greyson muttered, eyes narrowing. "She's wiping out everyone here first, then she's heading straight to the campground."

The street ahead remained untouched by flames, but the storm's wrath had already destroyed the homes. Only skeleton frames remained, splintered wood and shattered drywall marking where homes had once stood.

"Cindy and Emma... they were still in town," Jason said, his voice cracking.

"They'd get out of here if they had the chance," Greyson said flatly. "They wouldn't wait around."

Jason doubled over, coughing so hard his chest felt ready to split open. Every breath scorched his lungs, and ash stung his streaming eyes.

The smoke dragged him back to another fire—the blazed child he'd tried to save. He still remembered the screams. The smell. The helpless feelings as the flames won.

Simcoe was no longer a town, but it was hell itself. Fires roared in wreckage. The stench of burning flesh and wood clung to everything.

"Ashley's probably still in Simcoe," Jason started.

Without warning, an invisible forced slammed into him, hurling him backward. He crashed hard onto the ground, the words dry on his tongue.

From the smoke, Ashley emerged wreathed in flames and pure fury.

"Die!" she screamed.

Greyson's hand shot forward, his invisible punch landing with brute force.

Ashley skidded across the pavement, carving a trench through ash before crashing into the wreckage.

She staggered upright. Burned flesh peeled from her arms, flames crawling across her body, yet she smiled through it.

Jason staggered to his feet. Dizziness clouded his vision, and his legs nearly gave out. He forced himself forward, stumbling through a driveway. Desperation surged as he searched for anything.

Ashley's steps were slow as she advanced toward them, eyes burning with malice.

"Jason and Greyson," she hissed. "The two high ranks. But that doesn't seem so true anymore, does it?"

"Have you come to admire my beautiful work?" Ashley taunted as she jabbed a finger at Greyson. "Or better yet... tell me where your mutant child is hiding!"

"I don't see it," Jason muttered, his palms outstretched.

He wondered if the child would intervene again. It had before—protecting Greyson from Ashley's attack. Jason didn't understand it, but he knew that the baby did not want Greyson to get hurt.

"Might be in that house," Greyson said, his finger stabbing toward a half-collapsed yellow house up ahead.

Ashley's eyes flashed with recognition, and she sprinted the house without hesitation.

"Burn it!" Greyson shouted.

Jason sent a beam of light at the house, wood cracking and sparks flying as flames licked the roof.

An abandoned car groaned as Greyson's power lifted it into the air. With a sweep of a hand, it hurtled into the house. It tipped and slammed through the roof, sending a cloud of smoke and splintered wood in to the air.

Ashley staggered out, coughing, flames curling around her like living hair. She raised her hands, but Greyson's invisible grip hit her mid-motion, throwing her off balance.

She slammed into the ground, grit and ash coating her face, and then rose again, snarling. She threw her hands out, and the invisible force slammed into them.

Jason was ripped off his feet and hurled through the air, his body slamming hard against the jagged pavement. His limbs twisted as he tumbled. Pain exploded through him.

"This will be easy work," Ashley sneered, her eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as she lifted her hands once more.

Ashley's launched a bolt of blue light at them. Jason and Greyson quickly darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the searing attack.

"Where it is!" she screamed, as her muscles swelled, mimicking James's super strength.

Greyson retaliated with another invisible punch, the force of it sending Ashley flying backward into a pile burning debris. The crackling flames wrapped around her, but she didn't falter.

"Why would we tell you?" Greyson snarled.

Jason regained his footing and blasted a beam at Ashley. She screamed in agony, firing back as he felt his body burn.

"I'm done with your games, Ashley," Greyson growled, his teeth grinding together as a surge of white light flared from his palm. "Once you made me mad. Twice? That's unforgivable."

"You're the one toying with me!" Ashley snarled, as she staggered to her feet.

Greyson's expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. He unleashed another beam of white light, this time aimed directly at Ashley's legs, the force enough to knock her off balance.

Jason fired a blast of light.

Ashley shot her hand forward, an invisible shield forming in front of her. The rebound force slammed into Jason, tossing him in the air.

He crashed hard onto the broken sidewalk, the impact sending pain through his body. Groaning, he rolled on his side, his head throbbing with each pulse.

Greyson approached Ashley, now on her hands and knees, gasping for breath. She managed to raise her hands in a last-ditch attempt, firing a burst of burning light at him. The attack ricocheted off an invisible shield, striking her instead.

"You shouldn't have gone after my parents," Greyson began. "You've heard my voice in your head, and Divina warned you."

Ashley's bloodied face drained of colour as fear flickered behind fury.

"What are you talking about?" she spat.

Ashley's feet left the ground.

She clawed at empty air as an unseen force dragged her higher.

"I'm connected to them, Ashley," Greyson said. "I see what they see, I hear what they hear, and I know what they know. You're not the ruler here. You're just a monster."

Jason's eyes went wide in disbelief. It wasn't just the cold calm in Greyson's voice—it was the way he levitated effortlessly in the air, his control so absolute it made the scene feel almost unreal.

"I am the ruler here! I always have been, and I always will be!" Ashley spat. "No mutant child, no goddess, is going to steal my domain. This is mine!"

"Time's up, Ashley," Greyson said.

He swept his arm forward.

Ashley hurtled into a nearby house disappearing through its blazing walls.

The structure groaned and collapsed as the fire swallowed her house.

Greyson closed his eyes, drifting gently back to the ground, and glanced around the area.

"The baby took control again," Jason remarked. "We can't go back there, but we could trail her."

"It seems like the only option with everything going on," Greyson said. "Stay near the end of town. We can't risk getting too close, but we can't lose sight of her either."

"We can't beat her," Jason admitted.

They stumbled toward a higher vantage point, where they wouldn't miss seeing Ashley if she left the burning house.

The flames devoured the burning building, obscuring everything in a haze of smoke and fire. The door was lost in the inferno, as were the remnants of the house.

Jason knew the fire wouldn't kill her—nothing short of a miracle could do that—but it would slow her down, at least for a while.

"We got lucky," Greyson muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the burning wreckage. "What did it do this time?"

"It did the same thing as before, except this time it was talking," Jason said. "I think it's angry, if that's even possible. It used its powers again, sent Ashley straight into that house."

"We have to follow from a distance. She can't see us, but if she keeps burning the town down, we need to find a way to stop her," Greyson said.

He and Greyson knew the truth.

There was no stopping Ashley.

Not like this.

Not until the baby was born.

"Ashley's injured, which buys us some time," Greyson said. "But I don't know how much longer we have until she heads to the campground. We need to take advantage of her weaknesses while we can."

It felt wrong, but it was the only option left in Ashley's endgame. She wasn't going to give them any reprieve to recover or panic about the mutant child. No, this wasn't just a battle—it was life or death, and there were no other choices.

"If we die, it's over for everyone here," Greyson said. "It's not about our ranks, but they won't have the powers needed for people to fight back, even with the mutant child on the way. Without us, they're helpless."

Cindy rushed through the campground, her heart pounding hard enough to make her dizzy. Her eyes darted from shadow to shadow, searching desperately for anyone she recognized. She wasn't alone in her fear—everyone here was trying to survive Ashley's wrath.

From Sunny's, she couldn't see the flames consuming Simcoe, but thick, dark smoke clouds billowed into the sky.

"Zane!" she shouted. "Ashley set Simcoe on fire."

Conversations died instantly. Those still clutching weapons or whispering strategized turned toward her, horror spread across their faces. They were slowly losing more people. Whatever protection they had left, it wasn't enough.

"Come with me," Zane replied sharply. "The whole town?"

"Shooting Jason's light all over the place. People are dead, Zane," Cindy said, her voice trembling. "A lot of them."

For the first time in weeks, fear fit her full force. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking, and her stomach churned like she might be sick. This wasn't about helping with Scarlett's pregnancy or teleporting people that were injured. It was about inescapable death.

"Do you know where those two are?" Zane asked.

Cindy ran a trembling hand over her face. "Emma sent me back to warn you." She paused, taking a breath. "I imagine they saw it."

Zane's eyes narrowed. "Is this about the child?"

How did bringing a child into this world devolve into complete chaos? They should have expected it from the moment they arrived in this place, but not Ashley's overwhelming fear. Her main objective is killing the mutant child because it was the key.

"Check on everyone," Zane said. "I'll handle Scarlett."

Cindy teleported to where Greyson and Jason lay unconscious on the pavement. She waved her hand in front of their faces, but neither moved.

"Great," she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly, she felt herself thrown backward, her feet lifting off the ground.

Greyson groaned, slowly sitting up and pressing a hand against his forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking everyone's hotspot," Cindy replied, crossing her arms. "Zane wants an update."

"Ashley's probably out there burning houses because of my kid," Greyson said. "Ashley doesn't know where it is. I think once the whole town is burned, it's the campground."

From their location, they looked around. The flames still raged across the plaza, consuming everything in its path. There was no way to extinguish the fires anymore as there was no water or electricity.

"Scarlett's doing fine," Cindy added.

"Good," he whispered.

"I'll warn you two if anything changes," Cindy said, bopping away.

She flashed onto the roof of a green car. The vehicle jerked beneath her as she gripped its sides tightly.

Carefully, she inched forward and reached for the side mirror, her fingers closing around it. She pressed her other hand against the roof for balance.

River turned his head and immediately screamed. The car slammed to a stop, nearly tossing her off the roof.

He turned on his glowing light as Cindy scanned the people around her and noticed that some appeared injured, while others were unharmed. Her gaze landed on Bella, causing her to roll her eyes, as she placed one hand on her hip.

"That was so funny!" Mia managed between laughs. "You should have seen his face!"

"Is there a problem?" Emma rushed out, barely hearing the words.

"Other than Ashley burning down Simcoe?" Cindy started. "Well, Greyson and Jason are injured."

"Already?" Emma gasped.

Cindy glanced at Bella, who had her eyes on the ground. Had she finally come to terms with the kind of person she'd been?

"We're all heading back," River said.

Cindy bopped back to where Greyson and Jason were. She watched Emma stare at the town in horror.

"Yeah, it's bad," Cindy said dryly.

Emma dropped to her knees in front of Greyson, pressing a hand to the side of his head. He gritted his teeth as Jason seemed to stir from his state.

"Is the nightmare over yet?" Jason mumbled.

"No," Cindy responded plainly.

The two of them had made out on more than one occasion. Cindy knew they weren't together—Jason was still stuck on Bella, whether he admitted it or not. However, romance wasn't her department or focus during those six months. The baby who might end up saving all of their lives.

"Cindy, there's one more thing that has to be done," Emma started. "You have to take Scarlett somewhere safe."

"Wait, what's going on?" he asked.

"Your son or daughter wants to be born," Emma said.

"My intuition was right?" Cindy asked.

She is already tired of bopping all over to try and find the safest place. She knew if she went to the island, she'd probably pass out in the middle of the lake from exhaustion.

"Safe isn't exactly this place," she said dryly.

"Try Wasaga Beach," Emma suggested. "The change rooms are large enough to hide in."

It wasn't that finding a place would be difficult; she'd be the one delivering this baby. She held her head in her hands. She has studied it for months in case she ended up delivering it. All of it has become too early.

"What if it's weeks or days?" Cindy panicked.

"Bring food, water, and other necessities," she trailed off, almost nauseated.

"Should I check on Angel and Esme?" Cindy asked.

"Go straight to Zane about the information. Even asking Scarlett or Hanna," Emma said.

Cindy bopped away where Zane sat, who was in his RV with Yara and Talia.

"Emma's healing the brothers, but I'm doing a task," Cindy explained. "Emma believes Scarlett will give birth prematurely; send someone to check on Esme and Angel."

She bopped inside Scarlett's RV, where Hanna sat across from her, perplexed.

"You're going to give birth early," Cindy said.

"That's why it keeps kicking repeatedly," Scarlett whispered.

"We're going to Wasaga Beach. If Ashley comes, we'll bop somewhere else," Cindy said.

"You need someone else," Hanna interjected, her tone serious. "And you can't do the whole birthing process by yourself."

Hanna couldn't come because someone still had to be left on the campground in case people still got injured.

"I'll ask Zane if Stick and Nevaeh can come," Cindy said. "I'll ask him quickly."

She bopped back to Zane, still in his RV. He seemed to be contemplating something, but she guessed it was something with Ashley's plans.

"Are we okay with bringing Stick and Nevaeh?" Cindy asked.

"They should be okay. I'll have to change a few things now that you'll be at the beach," Zane said.

Cindy's legs ached, and her head felt heavy from the past few days of chaos. She teleported in front of a fire, forcing herself to stand tall even though her hands shook. Nevaeh sat with two girls and looked far more composed than Cindy felt inside.

Nevaeh smirked. "What gossip do I get?" she asked, her hands behind her head.

"You get to be a nurse," Cindy said.

"It will be gross, but I'll take the risk," Nevaeh grinned.

Nevaeh wasn't exactly the person Cindy imagined helping out with delivering a baby. It should be Hanna or Emma since both helped in the infirmary, but neither would be possible for assistance right now.

"Pack up a bag of things you think we'll need," Cindy instructed.

Nevaeh rushed away faster than Esme. Cindy sighed, bopping in front of the trailer where Stick was staying. She knocked and waited as he opened the door, looking slightly dazed.

"Your redemption plan is changing. You're going to be a bodyguard to make sure nobody attacks," Cindy explained.

"Instead of guarding Scarlett?" Stick asked, sounding unsure.

Cindy wasn't sure if he would actually accept doing such a job, given his current road of redemption through religion and the guilt he carries.

"The baby is coming soon. It could be hours or days, but soon," Cindy rambled.

"Okay, I'll pack some things," Stick said.

Cindy nodded before bopping back to her own trailer. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to visualize the essentials. While some items seemed obvious—like a towel or a sharp tool—she understood everything was unpredictable.

She grabbed a small bag and started packing essentials, like a flashlight, a towel, a blanket, and a knife. They would also need some food, so she added fish to the bag.

She was aware that they might stay in a dark changing room without proper protection. She considered the current security situation—Esme and Angel might still be patrolling the area, unless they ran into one of the followers.

As she hesitated for a moment, she considered whether to bring one of those biology books with her to better understand what was happening. She had read it several times that explained they go into labour before everything else happens.

She slipped the book into her back, and bopped back to the RV, where Nevaeh was already waiting.

"Are we going to bring everyone?" Scarlett asked dryly.

Nevaeh smirked slightly and shrugged. "An extra nurse and a bodyguard," she said, sticking up her thumb.

"Stick is grabbing some food," Cindy added.

"Do you have any names picked out?" Nevaeh asked, leaning across from Scarlett, who had just arched an eyebrow.

Scarlett's arched an eyebrow. "Yes, but I'm not saying for both genders," she replied. "Are we just hiding out there until my water breaks or whatever happens?"

"Yes," Cindy stated. "Emma feels that it wants to be born. A prime example is the kicking."

The RV door opened to reveal Stick holding up a red bag. "Food and water," he said.

Scarlett lifted herself to stand as she held her wrist, along with Nevaeh's. There would be no way she'd risk leaving Scarlett alone.

They stood inside the dark change room that was untouched by the storm's destruction, but far from clean. The air reeked of mildew and dirty feet, and murky water pooled across the cracked cement floor.

Nevaeh grabbed a battery-powered lantern from the bag and switched it on, casting a yellowish glow across the change room. She placed it on one of the faded green benches nailed to the wall. The sinks were stained and blocked, and the stalls looked like they had overflown at one point.

"Okay, we'll have to jam something against the door," Cindy stated.

Nevaeh twisted the lock on the door with a smirk. "This place is disgusting, but I'm not risking getting burned alive," she irked.

Scarlett carefully sat herself on the cement floor using the bench.

"I'll get Stick," Cindy said as she bopped back to face the boy.

"Can I really protect that baby?" he whispered, looking down at her.

"We'll both protect it." She bopped them into the change room, placing the things on the ground.

She looked at the scattered items that she brought along. She realized nothing was really clean—the towels, extra clothes, even piece of cloth she intended to wrap around the baby when it was born.

"Let's get this room set up, so hopefully we aren't staying out here for days," Nevaeh sighed.

"If we run out of something, I'll bop back and get it," Cindy stated.

"Yeah, I think that'll be sooner than we expect," Scarlett said.

Cindy spun around.

A dark stain spread across Scarlett's pants.

"Yeah... Emma was right," Nevaeh said.

"I'm not guarding Scarlett anymore?" James asked, frowning at Zane.

"Cindy didn't have time to check where Angel and Esme were," he replied. "There's only one car left, so I want you to go alone."

James's mind flashed back to the last time he drove. That was the night he was supposed to inform Jason about the vanishing situation, but he ran into Emma, Esme and Jade.

Now the danger had split into three parts: Ashley, Divina, and Scarlett's mutant child.

"Ashley is still in town, but I don't want to risk having more freaks gone," Zane stated.

James understood Zane's hesitation. Ashley could appear at any moment and turn the entire camp into ash.

"They were headed to Wasaga Beach, but on the east side," Zane explained.

The east side had the wider stretches of sand; the west side was crowded with changing rooms. Most people preferred the west. That meant if they were heading east, they'd have more space.

"You're certain that's their location?" James asked.

"Actually, take Yara with you. We don't know if anyone is injured," Zane remarked.

"All four of them are gone," Yara said, opening the RV door.

James froze. "Gone? Where did they—"

Zane stepped forward, his expression grim. "Emma predicts that the baby is going to be born."

James remembered Emma's frantic explanations about the mutant child. Her words made little sense, but one thing was clear: Ashley's intentions were deadly.

Ashley wasn't afraid of Scarlett. She was scared of the child growing inside her. Somehow, the baby could reach through both Greyson and Scarlett, using them like a connection to the outside world.

Nobody knew what this child could actually do.

The degree of power that Ashley and Divina have combined into one that could bring the light back. James refused to consider how far that child's power extended.

"Find them quickly, because time is paramount," Zane said, handing him a set of keys.

James turned on his heel, clenching the keys tightly. His eyes scanned the shadowy campground as he followed Yara. He felt the prick of goosebumps as he noticed people standing with weapons in their hands, rifles and pistols aimed in every direction.

"That one," Yara said, pointing toward a grey Ford car with cracked rear window.

Around them, people stood frozen with weapons in hands.

It wasn't just Ashley anymore.

No one knew what that child was capable of.

James slid himself into the driver's seat, his fingers tightening around the keys.

A few onlookers stared.

He turned the key. The engine sputtered, coughed, then settled into a shaky rhythm. The car lurched forward, rattling over the uneven campground, dust kicking up behind it.

He took a deep breath and steered toward the road leading east, the way leading to Wasaga Beach.

"I hope that mutant child ruins Ashley's plans," Yara sighed, setting her legs on the dashboard.

"It already has," James replied quietly. "It uses Scarlett and Greyson's bodies as hosts because it isn't born. Just how that god is a host for Ashley."

It wasn't exactly hosting but more like an interconnection of voices that nobody else could hear. It was a connection between a parent and child, but in a different way.

"The mutant child probably has heightened senses," James explained. "That's why it probably used Greyson's body because he was in danger. From the sounds of it, the baby is like Greyson."

The thought of facing someone as ambitious as Greyson filled James with dread. It wasn't because of the fight, but it meant people would look to him for scientific answers. He wasn't Jason or Greyson. He was James.

"There!" Yara called out

James snapped his head in the direction she pointed.

He slammed the brakes.

A figure stumbled into the headlights.

Angel.

Esme was hanging over his back, her clothes soaked with blood.

James froze. He had seen injuries before, but not like this.

Angel's movements were sluggish, his arms shaking as he fumbled with the door.

James watched in horror, unable to look away from the gruesome wounds on Esme's body.

"I threw Luke into the lake," Angel stated. "Esme is sleeping, but she fell victim to Luke's noodle arm."

"That's... a lot of blood," Yara said, shutting the door as Angel sat in the back. "Emma's in town somewhere."

James's chest tightened. Anger surged like fire, but so did fear. He swallowed hard, trying to push down the nausea twisting his stomach. He couldn't face Luke in a fight, and now he didn't have to worry about him popping up like normal.

"Hanna is back at camp," Yara said, returning her gaze to Angel. "Are you crying?"

"I saved her... but she dying," Angel explained, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Superhero," Esme murmured, pushing herself up on the seat. "See, James, we beat Lukey."

"Your face is half destroyed!" James exclaimed.

Esme's face was covered in so much blood that she had tried to wipe it away with her glove. She lifted her arm toward him, wincing.

"Luke's buried deep in the lake," Esme said, trying to grin. "Now we just have to deal with Ashley."

"Speed Demon, get your injuries treated, or Emma will come panicking at you," Yara remarked.

"I'll get part of it treated, but I honestly can't feel it," Esme implied.

"You need to rest," James said.

"Are you going to save the day while I'm resting?" Esme's voice almost sounded eager. "Beat up Ashley with some punches or shoot her. Be a badass like Divina."

James knew he wasn't like Jason, who could easily keep Ashley distracted. And being a computer geek wasn't going to help anymore.

"Esme, rest," Yara repeated.

By the time they returned to camp, the tension hadn't eased.

James helped Esme and Yara assisting Angel.

They looked around for Hanna.

"What happened?" Jade exclaimed, rushing towards the two of them.

"We beat Luke," Esme said.

"All of that was from Luke?" Jade asked.

It was strange to hear Jade express so much emotion, as her voice usually had a mellow tone.

"Where's Hanna?" Yara inquired.

Jade pointed to one of the orange-coloured tents.

Despite his strength, James resisted the urge to carry Esme, forcing himself to conserve his energy.

"Why aren't I surprised?" He gently placed Esme down in the tent with Jade's assistance.

"I'll need Emma for your face. I think Cindy ditched her in town." Esme laughed, but it made her wince.

"Emma won't make it back on foot. She'll panic halfway there and probably throw up," Hanna said, shaking her head.

Emma had been in town with Jason and Greyson, but nobody wanted to go near town because of the raging fires.

"I'll go," James volunteered.

Everyone looked at him.

He almost took the words back.

But he was tired of being the person who hid behind the screen. He was always the one programming the information for Greyson or set off doing some scheme for Scarlett.

"Take Conner, because your power is pretty easy to see," Hanna said.

"Don't tell Emma until a bit later because she'll ask questions and then vomit," Esme rambled.

James had never met anyone as easily nauseous as Emma. Even if she had been working through her problems, she would still vomit if someone has a bone sticking out of a body part. Everyone knew that they weren't going to leave her to deliver the baby because she'd probably vomit.

"Conner, you're going to help James," Hanna said.

"Fine," Conner spat.

"Are you sure that will be okay?" Yara asked.

She glanced toward the distance.

"It's burning out there."

"Talk to Zane about it," Hanna said.

She looked between them.

"Right now, we need to find Emma."

It seems the baby is going to be born early. Do you think it will be a girl or boy?