Everyone is gearing up, strapping a large number of weapons to their utility belts. Once everyone is ready, we make our way over to the semi-isolated Government HQ.

We stand together a few hundred meters from the entrance and review the plan.

"Gabe, you go in first and create the distraction," I say.

Gabe nods, runs to the doors, and enters the building. The rest of the team slowly progresses toward the entrance, preparing for the signal. Suddenly, an alarm sounds and Gabe bolts out of the HQ with at least twenty security officers behind him. I strain my neck to see what he has done. That's when I see his hands, slick with blood.

"Jesus, Gabe," I facepalm. "Not an illegal distraction."

"Actually, he led almost all of the security guards away from the building, so, an illegal distraction was probably the best option," Caden says from beside me.

I sigh in irritation and enter the building, Caden and Dakota behind me, and Ryella and Lana behind them. 

"Be quick but thorough," I don't turn around, I am unable to face Lana. "If things go wrong, use the radio and someone will come and help you. Got it?"

"Got it," Everyone replies all at once.

I make my way to an elevator with Caden and Dakota. On the ride up, some kind of calming classical music plays, very ironic considering the circumstance. The elevator dings and we've reached our stop. We exit the elevator and travel down a long corridor until we reach a door with a sign that reads "broadcast room".

"Caden, you watch the door. Dakota, come inside with me," Dakota and I enter the room, and he locks the door behind us.

There is plenty of equipment littered about the room and a clock, no, a timer, on the wall.

"Ten minutes until the broadcast starts," I say.

"Cass, you never answered my question, you know," Dakota takes a step closer. "I asked you if you would be my girlfriend."

I try to say yes again, but it won't come out. Instead, I say, "No."

"Why not?"

I take a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, but I still have feelings for Caden. Despite what he did. And in fact, what happened wasn't even his fault. It was my dad's and he's dead. He used to be my boyfriend, and those feelings haven't disappeared. But I do have feelings for you. And it's so goddamn confusing."

"Wrong answer, Cassiopeia," Dakota brings the butt of his gun down on my head, and everything goes black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I groggily open my eyes. I try to move, but I am restrained. I have been tied to a chair, my ankles bound and wrists tied behind my back. 

Dakota paces the room in front of me.

"What did you do to Caden?" I hiss.

"Dude," Dakota raises his hands defensively. "You've been out for two minutes. I literally just finished tying you up."

Traitor. 

My mind repeats this word as tears prickle my eyes. 

"Why?" I choke.

"When the government offers you millions of dollars to be a double agent it's pretty hard to resist. And you guys are so trusting. It's insane," Dakota laughs.

"So you never had feelings for me," I lower my head.

"Yes, Cass, I did," He strokes my cheek. "I was so in love with you, I was tempted to follow your plan. Until you rejected me. Then, a crap ton of money seemed better than living with my heartbreak every day. Even if part of the deal is killing you."

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

"Save it, you're not gonna change anything now."

He walks away, continuing to go on and on about what he's going to do when he gets his blood money.

Silently sobbing, I remember my utility belt. Idiot, he didn't take it off of me. I pull my knife out of its sheath and begin to saw at the ropes. Soon enough, they fall loose. I pull my gun from its holster and stand up.

"Dakota," He turns around and laughs.

"You won't shoot. You could never kill me. You could never kill anyone. You're weak," He sneers.

"You know, you and Lana have something in common," I steady my shaking hand.

"And what's that?"

"You both underestimate me."

I pull the trigger.

Dakota falls to the floor. 

I run to him and cradle his head in my hands. 

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, kissing his forehead.

With his last ounce of strength, he thrusts a knife into my gut.

I gasp and pull it out. The stab wound isn't deep, I will live, but I need medical attention immediately. 

Dakota's breath hitches and his eyes glaze over. He is dead. 

I'm about to leave, when I remember the broadcast. 

The timer counts down from five, and my face is projected on every screen in the City.

I take a deep breath.

"My name is - ugh - Cassiopeia," My voice is pained. "I have a gift. I can - ugh - control things with my mind. (A/N Shut up, my dirty-minded frens.) I have had this gift since I was a - ugh - a toddler. If you're wondering why I sound like I'm in pain, our government paid someone to shut down our - ugh - organization and assassinate me. I was stabbed, but I will live.

"They are lying to all of you. They have enslaved people to make your food, clothes, and everyday machinery. My organization is - ugh - a rebellion force. We are trying to change - ugh - the world for the better. So - ugh - please. Join us. Work with us not - ugh - against us."

I limp out of the screen and hear the sound of multiple gunshots as I enter the elevator. I quickly pick up my radio and call for Gabe.

"Cass! We're being attacked!" He sounds frantic.

"I can - ugh - hear," I grunt. "Is - ugh - is Caden with you?"

"Yeah, he said that Dakota told him he could wait outside," That bastard. "What happened to you, Cass?"

"Noth - ugh - nothing, I'm fine," I clutch my stab wound.

"Where's Dakota? I'm coming to get you."

"No, Gabe, please, I'm coming right now. Don't put yourself in - ugh - danger."

"If you aren't out in five minutes, I'm coming in. Deal?"

"Ugh - deal."

I turn my radio off.

The elevator doors open. Surprisingly, there's no one on the main floor. Thank God. As I make my way over to the doors, I see an iris sensor for a large metal door. I stumble over to the keypad and tap the bottom of the three buttons and type in the password, "blackbird". Why do I need a password, you ask?

Because I tapped the self-destruct button.

T-minus thirty seconds until self-destruct.

I stumble as quickly as I can to the doors and push, but they don't budge. I try to push them open with my mind, but it seems as though something is blocking my telekinesis from working. 

Ha.

Smart people.

Damn government.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabe's P.O.V

"I'm going to get her," I declare.

Caden steps forward. "Gabe, she said to-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT SHE SAID!" I shout.

Caden's eyes widen in shock and he nods. "Be careful, man."

"I will," I reply and take off running toward the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cass' P.O.V

Gabe is running toward the building.

No.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gabe's P.O.V

"Gabe, stop," Cass' voice crackles on my radio.

"What? Why?"

"Please, you need to live."

"You're not gonna die, Cass, I'm coming to open the doors for you."

"They're locked."

"Then find another way out."

"I can't."

"WHY NOT!?"

"There isn't enough time."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Gabe, tell Caden that my feelings for him never changed. And thank you so much for being the best friend I could ever ask for."

Cass gets down on one knee with her hands touching the ground and her eyes squeezed shut.

"Cass, what are you-"

I fly backward and black out when I come in contact with the ground.

Why?

Because the building just exploded.