Aleks kept her gun ready as they crossed a long hallway. It was very odd, the passageway was turning left and right, but they hadn't seen any doors or crossing with other corridors. The place didn't fit the warehouse plan GSO studied before action; that much was evident as soon as Aleks landed in a glass cage, but this never-ending hallway was unnerving.

Diego appeared next to her. "This hallway is just going on and on." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I might be going insane, but as I crossed the corridor ahead, the walls... moved."

"You're not going insane," said the freckled man with a smoke gift. "It's the deviant. I saw her once. She waved her hands, and more of those glass cages formed from the floor."

Aleks ran a hand through her hair. "So, they know we are out and leading us exactly when they want us." She rubbed her chin in thought. "Is there any way we can make our way through the walls?"

Libby scratched her claws along the wall, making a horrible sound that made everyone wince. She shook her head and said in a raspy voice, "Too thick."

"If they form this hallway in a loop, we're screwed."

"I think they are leading us somewhere," Diego said. "Further ahead, I've heard gunfire and fighting getting closer. I bet that's where they want us to be."

"I hoped I could get you out with as little scuffle as possible." Aleks sighed and looked at the other gifted. "I'm afraid we have no choice but to move forward. Stick together and watch each other back."

As they crossed the hallway, the minutes stretched like hours, but Aleks sensed they were getting close to somewhere where many auras were mixing together. But muffled gunshots and painful screams did not sound encouraging.

Suddenly Libby growled and raised her hand, stopping Aleks. "Wait. She's there."

"Who's there?"

"Sorcha. She's a witch. A mind deviant. She can play with your mind and make you see horrible things."

"Did she do that to you?" Aleks asked quietly.

"Many times."

Diego appeared out of thin air and swayed on his feet, leaning heavily on the wall.

"Diego! Are you alright?" Aleks grabbed his elbow to steady him.

"I am now. We finally got somewhere. But what's happening in the room ahead of us...." He fumbled for words; his face was ashen. "I can't even describe it. Everything is breaking apart and spinning like crazy and...."

"It's her, alright," Libby growled.

"How do we stop her?" Aleks asked.

The predator shook her head. "We can't. Once we enter that room, our minds will be under her influence. She will trick your eyes and brain so you can never get to her."

"There must be a way." Aleks closed her eyes and massaged her temples. She had a horrible headache with so many gifted all flaring with powers and overflowing her brain with signals.... Her eyes snapped open, and she turned to Libby. "What if I close my eyes? She can't fool me if I can't see her illusions."

"That's insane!" Diego protested. "How can you stop her if you can't see her?"

Aleks laughed.

Everyone stared at her, flabbergasted, but she couldn't stop laughing. The constant tension from the last few days came out with a slightly maniacal fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Aleks said, wiping tears from her eyes. "It's just... It's my bloody useless gift. The irony of this situation is just too good." She turned to Diego. "I don't have to see her to know where she is. I don't only see auras. I can sense them. They are like pulses connected directly to my brain, enabling me to pinpoint their location."

"But how would you know which aura is hers? You said there is plenty of people there," Libby said.

"That's true. And all the people there are terrified and lost and in pain. Everyone except the deviant."

"Are you sure you can do this?" Diego asked.

Aleks gave him a crooked smile. "I'm the only one who can do this, Diego. Now come, lead on."

It took a few minutes of a brisk walk to reach the end of the hallway, but the high archway leading forward was covered with heavy-looking black curtains that concealed whatever was happening inside. They couldn't hear gunfire now, but many people screamed in fear and pain.

"Stay here until I call for you and tell you it's safe," Aleks said, stepping forwards.

"Wait!" A girl, no older than seventeen, grabbed her neckerchief, pulled it down and handed it to Aleks. "You'd better use that to cover your eyes, or you might be tempted to open them."

Aleks stared at the colourful scarf with a pattern of laughing sushi pieces. She looked up at the girl and smiled. "Thank you. I'll wear it with pride."

"Here, let me help you with that." Diego took the neckerchief from her hands and put it on her head, covering her eyes and knotting at the back of her head. His close presence almost made her giddy, even in their dire situation. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Just point me to the entrance." She raised a gun and took off the safety catch.

She was steered forward till her free hand touched the soft surface of the curtains.

"Alright. Stay away and wait for my signal," Aleks repeated, moving the screen sideways and entering the chamber.

Even with her eyes covered, she felt like she entered a completely different world. The air was heavy with a metallic scent of blood and a sharp odour of sweat. Over painful moans, she could hear a familiar low hum of Regan's forcefield. Aleks ignored the sounds and focused on auras pulsing around her.

It was almost as if she could see them. She could pinpoint where each aura was in the room and sensed their movements. And just like with colours, she could feel the emotions behind each of them. Maybe seeing colourful spheres was just a trick of her own brain that was supposed to make her understand her gift better.

Aleks slowly turned from one aura to another until she found the odd one. There was no fear or pain, just unfazed focus and... joy? The deviant was enjoying watching the others suffering.

Making sure there was no other aura in her line of shot, she raised her gun.

"What the hell?" Sorcha shrieked in surprise, and her aura finally spiked with a few shades of orange. "How─

Aleks pulled the trigger. And then again. And again.

Sorcha screamed, and with a thud, her body hit the ground. Something shifted as if a sudden breeze blew through the stale air. Aleks grabbed her neckerchief and pulled it down. As expected, she found the deviant lying on the ground in a slowly expanding pool of blood. Her dark makeup was smudged, and her wide eyes glared at Aleks as if she still couldn't believe someone dared to shoot her.

Aleks felt a pang of guilt, but she knew there was no other way. All life was precious, but as an agent, she knew some threats couldn't be thwarted peacefully.

"Aleks!"

She turned around just in time to be swept off her feet by strong arms. "You came! How...?"

"Long story," she replied, squeezing her twin tightly once and wriggling out of his arms. "We don't have time for that now. We need to get out of here."

Everyone in the room slowly returned to their feet, not fully believing the nightmare was over. Still, many of the soldiers that weren't gifted lay motionless on the floor. Aleks called out, signalling the civilians that it was safe to enter. They came in in a tight group, huddled together. Many turned their eyes away from bodies littering the floor.

"I think we owe you quite a debt now, Aleks," Stephen said, walking up to her with grumpy-looking Regan.

"Not bad for back-office support, huh?" she asked with a grin.

"You made your point," Regan huffed. "But there's no time for celebration now. Let's regroup and get the hell out of here." He looked around. "Team Beta is here, but I can't see anyone from Team Gamma. Pola!"

"Sir?" Pola appeared at his side, ruffling everyone's hair with her dash.

"They have a deviant who is altering the building, but they won't be able to keep up with you. Run down this hallway to see where it leads."

"Sure thing, boss." She dashed towards the exit opposite where Aleks came from but stopped because Tommy appeared before with a loud pop.

"Tommy! Thank God you're!" Pola cheered. "Is team Gamma safe?"

"No! Pola, get away from him!" Aleks shouted, but it was already too late.

A long knife appeared in Tommy's hand, and he plunged it straight into Pola's chest.