This wasn't the news Greyson expected to hear. The confrontation with Ashley was already bad enough, but now—of all people—he was being forced to work with Jason.

Losing his leadership as everyone merged together wasn't just frustrating—it felt like something had been ripped out from under him.

It wasn't persuasion that made him agree.

Ashley was going after Scarlett, who was carrying their child. A powerful mutant child. His child—who has his own rank. The truth left him conflicted, flooded with emotions he didn't know how to handle.

"You have to go!" Emma exclaimed, standing in front of him. "I know you don't want to, but we need your help."

Greyson crossed his arms, already knowing he would get involved. "We're getting there," he muttered.

"Greyson, I know you're doing this for Scarlett," Emma said quietly. "You'd do anything for her."

He knew the truth, deep down. Ever since they'd been separated, it had simmered within him.

What irritated him the most was the silence.

No mocking comment. No one pushing him. Just nothing.

"I am going," he snapped, walking toward River.

"The SUV is ready," Oscar said, standing with Maverick and Preston.

Greyson headed straight for the SUV and climbed in front. Oscar took the wheel, driving toward Sunny's, while Maverick and Preston rode in the back.

He'd be having a meeting where Scarlett decided to stay. They all had a freak meeting because Ashley was somewhere in the darkness.

"Why do we have to work with them? Can't we just do our own thing?" Maverick muttered.

"Then go ahead and die," Greyson snapped. "See how that works out."

When they pulled up, a group of people stood gathered out front. Most of the freaks had assembled—even though Greyson had no desire to join them.

Zane became the first viable person in River's light, shining on the many faces gathered together. It was the first time they were all together as a big group since this all began.

"This isn't a merge," Zane called out. "There will be multiple groups due to keeping all eyes open. Everyone else will be guarding the area inside and out. We're guessing Ashley intends to target Sunny's because of the mutant child. You don't have to move here, but at least camp."

There were murmurs among the crowd as Zane stepped down from a small wooden stool. The area in Sunny's had trailers and random tents set up, with tarps where a fire was burning in a pit nearby.

"Her stay area is that RV," Zane added, pointing past the tents to a large RV.

Greyson walked through the crowd, glancing around as some stared at him. When it came to camping, it was at reform camp, but they provided cabins that were comfy with bunk beds.

He knocked on the door, biting his pinky nail. "Come in," Scarlett called.

Greyson pulled open the narrow door that led to the trailer. He stepped up the stairs with the door slamming behind him. He didn't understand why he felt his heart racing when they were going to be seeing each other like normal.

"I'm not—" she stopped herself as their eyes met.

Neither of them spoke.

Six months apart—and somehow, it still didn't feel real seeing her standing there.

"I assume the meeting ended?" Scarlett said.

Scarlett sat herself down on the seating area that wrapped around on the right side of the trailer. Greyson sat across from her, nodding.

His eyes drifted to her stomach.

The curve was unmistakable now.

Divina hadn't been lying.

"Is it true?" he asked, his voice sounding awkward.

Scarlett's famous smirk returned. "Yes."

A wave of unease rolled through him. The girl he loves deeply was carrying his child. A powerful mutant who had already spoken to him inside his mind.

The urge hit him—step forward, touch her, pull her close.

He didn't move.

They were urges, like on the island where they had conceived their own mutant child.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Seeing you," he replied.

She said nothing.

Months of irritation from Simcoe people who always end up doing something wrong. Crops got ruined. Food got dropped. Something always went wrong,

"Did the Dauntless Leader finally get tired of taking over the world?" she snarked.

"Somewhat," he mumbled, standing and walking toward her.

Greyson had never missed someone—especially not his adoptive parents. Just like Scarlett, he had parents who wouldn't care if his arm got chopped off. Maybe they'd show up to give him some cheap cards, but he could care less about his adoptive parents or even Heather.

Scarlett pushed herself to stand, facing him. Her stomach brushed against his—and something pushed back.

Greyson flinched, stumbling a step away.

Scarlett started laughing and shook her head.

"Haven't you heard that they kick?" she asked mockingly.

"Uh..." he trailed off.

She wore a solemn expression as she walked toward him. Close enough that he could feel her warmth, but neither of them moved. They looked at each other before they leaned in and kissed. It was almost as if they had been deprived of each other; it felt overwhelming.

They both pulled back for a minute to stare before they kissed each other feverishly. It's been months, which Greyson didn't realize how much he missed her soft lips on his.

Hearing a knock, she pulled back. "Yes?" she called, their hands no longer on each other.

Jason climbed the steps, pausing as he spotted both of them. "We have to get going," he said.

Greyson groaned under his breath as Jason closed the door behind him.

"I want to hear those words after your mission," Scarlett said.

"We'll find that thing and stop it," Greyson said.

"And don't kill Stick or James if they mess up. The baby has a plan," Scarlett remarked.

The echo had always talked about planning or having some type of idea.

Scarlett lifted her hand. White light flickered across her palm.

She sighed. "I'm sure you've heard the rank by now, considering you know about the baby. You should get going because I don't want to be fried."

He kissed her again.

Yes, he feared her dying because of the urges. Ones she had done, like running her fingers through his hair. They both pulled back as he walked past her, and she turned to watch.

"Don't die," he said quietly.

"I won't," she said.

Greyson stared at her before he opened the door, shutting it behind him. He had already lost his position. He wasn't going to lose her too.

Flames devoured the car, the heat pressing against their skin like something alive. Bella's hands blistered as she fumbled with the door handles, her grip slipping against the scorching metal.

"Run!" Bryce screamed.

One by one, they spilled out into the snow, collapsing onto the frozen ground as they coughed through the smoke and clutched their burns.

Bella staggered forward. Every step sent sharp pain through her arms and legs, her hands trembling so badly she could barely hold on. Smoke clawed at her lungs, making each breath a struggle.

Behind them, the car howled, metal twisting and fire snapping. Ashley's laughter faintly echoed over the roar.

Mia collapsed, rolling in the snow to smother the flames on her coat. She gasped, coughing until tears streaked her soot-streaked cheeks.

This wasn't how Bella imagined coming back to Simcoe. After six months alone, she'd pictured something quieter, maybe even peaceful. Not fire. Not screaming. Not running for her life.

There had been food back at the cabin, but she could barely eat. Some days she cried; other days she went numb. Guilt clawed at her—about everything.

She had used Jason like a shield, clinging to him as like he could protect her from everything. She wanted to keep him close, all to herself, because deep down she knew sooner or later he'd leave. Just like her family. Just like her friends. Just like Teagan.

Now she sprinted across the wide, open field, snow crunching beneath her feet as her chest tightened with each ragged breath. Somewhere behind her, Ashley's ragged footsteps pounded the ground.

The others struggled alongside—limping, scorched, and escaping in the darkness.

"Where the hell are we going?" Will shouted, glancing back at the inferno devouring the car.

"Power plant!" Bella gasped, muscles screaming as she pushed forward to the looming silhouette.

"Where is she?" Bryce panted, struggling for breath.

They stumbled inside the plant, the darkness swallowing them whole. The cold, damp air smelled of rust and burnt oil. Ahead, a long, wide hallway stretched into shadow, their footsteps echoing off the concrete walls.

"My cheeks are on fire," Mia moaned.

Bryce flashed his toward Mia's face, revealing gruesome burns on her cheeks. Small pieces of flesh were gone. It was similar to the burns Bella had on her hands months ago. Yet those had faded.

"We need to find somewhere to hide," Bella said.

The darkness pressed close, thick and suffocating, carrying a choking stench of burning rubber mixed with gasoline. Maybe it was from when Luke blew up the pipe.

"Try left," Bryce said, pointing. "Bathroom's that way."

They slammed into a cramped navy-blue bathroom, the stale air heavy with the scent of disinfectant and mildew. Three stalls lined one wall, their doors battered and dented, while a row of surprisingly clean sinks gleamed under the trembling beam of a flashlight.

Bryce and Will slumped against the brown door, backs pressed hard to the cold wood.

Mia's flashlight wobbled in her hand, catching on the angry welts carved across her cheeks.

"Makeup won't hide this," Eden said, flexing blistered fingers.

Bella peeled off her coat slowly, revealing the burns she'd tried to hide. As she rolled up her sleeves, her eyes widened at the scattered marks crawling across her arms. She reached out, fingertips trembling as she brushed one, and a whimper escaped her lips.

"I'm pretty sure we're all dying," Mia muttered, picking absently at the burnt skin on her cheeks.

"I agree," Bryce whispered.

The door slammed open with a deafening crash, throwing Will and Bryce across the floor. Bella's heart hammered as she locked eyes with Luke, his body whole, every limb reattached.

"Did he just come back from the dead?" Mia asked, pointing in a daze.

"Being a stupid follower has its perks," Luke sneered, flexing his reattached noodle arm.

Bella couldn't deny it, but Mia was right. They were all doomed. None of them had powers strong enough to fight back.

Luke lunged forward with a devious grin spreading across his face.

A loud gunshot cracked through the room.

Bella slammed her eyes shut, hands clamping over her ears.

When she finally dared to look, a puddle of light purple liquid spread across the floor where Luke had been standing moments before.

"Oh yeah, I forgot we had a gun," Mia remarked.

Eden stood steady, the rifle still smoking in her hands. Her expression was cold, unreadable, as she kept the weapon trained on the spreading purple stain.

Bella crouched beside Bryce and Will, who both struggled to stand. Every movement was slow and agonizing, their laboured groans filling the heavy silence.

"How far is Sunny's from here? Or Simcoe?" Mia groaned. "Because there's no way I'm walking ten miles."

"We'll have to walk," Bella whispered. "Bryce and Will can barely stand."

The two had blood dripping from their heads, each with a burn on their face.

"Wait, part of my hair's burned off!" Mia gasped, staring in shock at her reflection in the grimy mirror.

Bella ran trembling fingers through her hair, eyes locked on the mirror. Strands were uneven, shorter, and scorched by the flames.

Her gaze flicked to Eden, searching for signs of injury. All she saw were a few stringy strands of hair barely visible in the shadows.

"We're not carrying them," Mia said. "They're too tall."

She glanced down.

"We'll drag them."

Bella reached out to help, but a sharp, searing pain tore through her arm, tears springing to her eyes. The ache dragged her back to the time when Henry and Stick had tightened skipping ropes around her arms.

"Nah, we can walk," Bryce hissed through clenched teeth, pressing his palm against his swelling temple. "Ashley probably torched the car, thinking Mia had the baby."

"I'll carry Will," Bella whispered.

She bent down carefully, muscles trembling as she reached out to lift him. The weight was heavier than she expected. It settled across her back, crushing.

Every nerve screamed in protest, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

She took a step before her knees gave out, and she hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath from her lungs.

"Plan B!" Eden laughed.

"We find something," Bryce groaned, staggering.

Bella's eyes flickered down the shadowed hallway, her breath coming faster, a cold knot twisting in her stomach.

Beside her, Mia gritted her teeth, struggling to drag Will's limp body across the ground.

"Mia, if you start singing, we're feeding you to Ashley," Eden threatened.

"I'm not the fragile girl in this horror movie," Mia said. "If anyone is dying, Bella can."

"Are you sure you're not the chaos crew?" Bella muttered, glancing back at the four of them.

"Crackhead suits us better," Mia said, grinning as she stuck out her tongue.

Bella stared down the hallway, the chill seeping through her clothes and settling into her bones. She tried to push herself up, but her arms trembled violently beneath her weight, refusing to obey.

"We'll go left," she said.

They moved cautiously down the dark hallway, the beam of their flashlight trembling across the walls. Shadows danced as the light caught a door lying flat on the ground, its framed splintered, glass shattered beneath their feet.

"Woah, I didn't realize it was this bad," Mia gasped.

She aimed her flashlight toward the spot where the main power source had once stood.

The room was a scene of utter chaos, with gaping holes torn through the walls, debris littering the floor, and twisted machinery lying toppled in every direction.

Bryce stepped closer, his flashlight cutting through the thick gloom. He paused, his eyes narrowing as they settled on a massive piece of fallen machinery half-buried in rubble.

"That's where your soldier got trapped," he said, nodding toward the crushed metal.

The machine loomed enormous, crushing weight that spelled death for anyone trapped beneath its cold, twisted metal. There was no chance of survival if caught under that nightmare, but Jason did.

Bryce swung his flashlight around the room, the beam catching shattered pipes and twisted metal jutting from the walls. "All the culverts are smashed," he observed.

Bella slid down the wall, her limbs too heavy to lift, pain pulsing with every breath like a second heartbeat. Exhaustion clawed at her mind, dragging her closer to the edge with each breath she took.

A deafening bang shattered the silence behind them, echoing off the walls. All five spun around, hearts pounding, eyes wide and searching for whatever nightmare has just announced its presence.

"This is the part in horror movies where the killer shows up and finishes us off," Mia murmured.

"Probably followers," Bryce whispered.

In an instant, an unseen force exploded through the air, slamming all five backward like rag dolls. Their screams echoed as bodies hit the wall with sickening thuds.

Bella's breath tore from her lungs as she crashed behind a jagged chunk of machinery, pain flaring through her ribs.

"Stop messing around!" Ashley roared.

A few metres away, Bella spotted Ashley with arms outstretched, palms glowing  with a faint blue light that pulsed in the dark.

"Stop hiding!" Ashley barked once more.

Bella knew Ashley's vision was impaired—Divina had taken her glasses months ago, leaving her partially blind. But even without clear sight, Ashley's could still fire wildly at any moment.

"One of you five knows where the mutant child is," Ashley said slowly.

Bella pressed a shaking hand over her mouth, panic crawling its way up her throat. Tears welled, blurring her vision—not just fear for herself, but the crushing thought that Ashley could end them all in an instant.

"We don't!" Bryce called out weakly, barely holding himself up.

"Emma was right," Jason's voice echoed through the room.

Without hesitation, Jason raised his hands, sending a blue beam toward Ashley. Bella blinked, trying to track the light through the darkness.

Ashley recoiled—then fired back.

Blue light.

Bella couldn't tell who's hit first.

The beams collided in a blinding flash, forcing her to cover her eyes.

When she looked again, Jason was blasted backward with an invisible force.

Nearby, Greyson stepped forward, eyes hard. A white light shot from his palm like a jagged spear, slicing through the attack of Jason's beam.

Ashley screamed, shielding herself as white light slammed into her chest, spinning her backward.

The light blazed, flooding the room with brightness. Ashley fired Jason's beam back at Greyson, but the light reflected, scorching her instead.

"No, it's not possible!" Ashley barked.

Greyson stood motionless, his hard glare distant, almost vacant. His eyes flickered around the darkened area, appearing unaware of everything. Without a word, he extended his opposite palm outward with his teeth clenched.

An invisible force slammed into Ashley, hurling her backward. She slammed through the metal roof with a deafening crash. Dust and debris rained down, and there was only silence.

Bella's heart thudded. Ashley's scream had stopped, but that didn't mean she was gone.

Bryce's voice cut through the silence. "What the hell was that?" he exclaimed.

"What was what?" Greyson asked, arms crossed.

"You literally burned Ashley with some white light and threw her like a baseball," Bryce said.

Jason stumbled over, eyes locked on the gaping hole in the ceiling, where the dark sky peeked through twisted metal.

"Where did you get those powers?" Mia asked.

"The baby," Jason answered quietly.

"So, the baby is accessing control. That must be the plan," Greyson said, nodding to himself as he slung a bag over his shoulder. "Let's go."

Jason locked eyes with Bella. "Right, you should be clear to leave," he said.

The two of them hurried out, leaving the five sitting against the cold wall.

"Did they overlook that we don't have a ride or that we're injured?" Mia asked with a laugh.

"Well, I guess we'll have to try making it back to Simcoe," Will mumbled.

Bella's legs threatened to give out. Bryce and Will were barely standing, and she knew someone was going to collapse.

The two of them trudged through the snowy field, eyes scanning the landscape. The ice that had once seemed solid now groaned and cracked, revealing patches of water beneath.

Angel watched as Esme bounced on her toes, her boots scattering loose snow with each leap.

"Okay," she said. "If we see Ashley, you'll kill her gravity, and I'll shoot her so she barely notices."

Life hadn't turned out the way Angel Fernandez imagined. After countless hours at the daycare, helping the younger kids, he pictured something simpler—maybe escaping the bubble, maybe spending time with family. He had been wrong.

"Wait... doesn't she have both Greyson's and Jason's power?" Angel asked.

"I'm a superhero, so I have to stop the bad guys," Esme declared with a firm nod. "We're like the spies in action movies. But, if you end up shooting her yourself, don't scream like Emma does. Lukey might show himself since I can't find his body parts. I think next time I'll bury him in the lake."

Angel knew Esme was fearless, but the thought of slicing up a body made his stomach turn thinking twist. That wasn't some story in a horror movie—this was real, and the reality made his skin crawl.

"If the plan fails, just jump on my back and we'll get out of here," Esme with a grin. "Not that she could catch me anyway!"

Angel's attention was drawn to a faint glimmer on the barrier. "What's that?"

In an instant, Esme blurred across the snow. Angel scrambled to keep up, crouching beside her. She tapped the glowing barrier with a single finger. Nothing happened. He exhaled shakily, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Is The Bubble turning light?" Angel asked.

The glow was tiny—no larger than a cell under a microscope—but it was spreading, slowly expending outward into the surrounding darkness.

"Move," Esme ordered, eyes narrowing as she pointed her gun directly at the glow.

Angel took a cautious step back. Esme levelled her gun at the dark expanse, finger tense on the trigger. She fired. The bullet bounced off the barrier, thudding into the snow.

"Maybe we can crawl out of here," Esme suggested, placing her hand on that small light, flicking light, but it remained unresponsive. "Ashley's probably getting sick of this darkness by now."

Angel wasn't the type to dive headfirst into fights—he preferred handling the quieter, less violent things. But lately, the daycare felt different. The laughter had faded, replaced with heavy silence, shadows creeping where light once lived.

"Okay, let's go beat up this girl," Esme beamed, jumping to her feet. "Zane said we should check Wasaga Beach."

She grabbed Angel's hand, and in an instant, they were facing forward with the force of a roller coaster. They skidded to a stop on the beach and collapsed onto the cold sand. He held out a hand as Esme was glued to the ground by an unseen force.

"Let me go! I swear, I won't do it again," Esme pleaded, trying to pull herself up.

His powers felt different now—no longer shaking his body uncontrollably. He'd learned to control them, but the thought of using them to hurt someone still filled him with fear.

He finally let Esme go and sank to his knees, eyes fixed on the dark, calm lake. Rumours whispered of an island hidden somewhere out there—though no one had explored it. Apparently, Cindy bopped back and forth for food. Other than that, there was still ice on the lake, along with holes.

"We could camp out here because Ashley might be able to breathe underwater," Esme suggested.

"She's not a mermaid," he sighed.

"Haha, that was actually funny," she said, grinning. "You're kinda like James... just less nerdy."

"My memory isn't great because of the medication I have to take," Angel said. "Epilepsy is hard to deal with."

"I don't know what that is. Can you do some magic tricks?" Esme asked.

"Epilepsy is a condition when you have seizures, like Ilya had, except you need medication to control it," Angel admitted, looking at the lake.

Esme furrowed her eyebrows, but from the outside, there was nothing visible wrong with him. He didn't have random outbursts or have a physical disability. He appeared like any normal human being, except during a seizure.

Angel usually didn't let it define him, but in Puerto Vallarta, it had. Bullies lurked everywhere, just like at Uden Academy. That was why he had volunteered at the daycare—to shield kids from bullies like Luke.

It wasn't about being noble, like Jason. He helped because this place had pushed Ilya and Layla down a dangerous path.

He remembered confronting Mia about the drugs, but she was with the crackheads. They were people everyone knew were absolute chaos together.

Mia wasn't the one who even answered him.

It was Eden.

"It's your fault for not watching her," she had said coldly. "Mia was just doing her job."

Angel was stunned when he heard those words from her mouth. She always acted like a weird girl who enjoyed religious practice.

But she was different when he talked to her.

She was cold. Detached. There was no warmth in her voice.

It was then he realized everything she had done was an act.

The eyes that had looked back at him he'd seen in bullies.

"Can you destroy that change room?" Esme asked, pointing to the cement structure with snow covering the entrance.

Angel snapped from his daze. "I'm not going to destroy the change room."

"If this were real life, I would be in seventh grade by now. And you would be in..." Esme trailed off.

"Ninth," Angel clarified.

"I turned thirteen on January 5th," Esme said, scooping up a handful of snow in her hand with a smile.

"Let's keep looking," he suggested.

Esme sped up to him as they walked along the long beach, scanning between the lake and the shore. Angel was surprised there weren't any killer fish lurking in the water, ready to attack and bite off their arms.

"Shh," Esme whispered, bouncing on her toes as she spotted a silhouette.

Angel didn't dare flash the light at them, instead Esme sped off with her gun and began firing around. The melt acid melted the snow and sand as they popped to the ground.

"Vickie," Esme sighed, tucking her gun into her waistband. "I want real fights. If Ashley shows up, I'll shoot her until Emma's power doesn't work."

From what Angel observed, Ilya and Emma were foils of each other. Both suffered from breakdowns, but for different reasons. However, Emma was able to overcome her problem.

One thing he knew about this fighting was that they just had to cause gruesome injuries. It was still strange to him how Zane had put Mallory, Preston, and River together.

"Do people still call her Tumbles?" Angel asked.

"Yes, some still do because of her power. But when we ambush Ashley, we'll be able to damage her," Esme replied.

"What about Bryce's power?" Angel inquired.

"It only works on two objects now. All we have to do is fight or shoot," Esme explained, giving a thumbs up. "I'll run like the speed demon I am."

Suddenly, another silhouette appeared in the distance. Angel's heart raced—months of preparation hadn't made him any less tense.

"Looks like luck's finally on my side," Luke growled, satisfaction lacing his voice

"Yes, this is what I've been waiting for," Esme taunted. "Are you going to burst like a balloon?"

"I'm not stupid enough to run from this fight. That idiotic girl made me run when Eden shot me," he said, his voice dripping with venom.

"Eden shot you, of all people?" Esme asked with a laugh.

Angel knitted his eyebrows together. Wasn't Eden the Catholic who knew the entire Bible by heart?

"Everyone knows she's unhinged," Esme remarked, with a pistol in her hand. "Just like you, Lukey."

It seems the crackheads and Bella are okay, but, seems there are some dangerous fights coming.