Scarlett watched as Greyson stood tall and confident at one end of the table. His piercing gaze swept over the group of those from Simcoe. Some stared with admiration. Others with shock. Nobody could pretend he didn't command the room.

He had a fearlessness about him—one Scarlett had watched him grow into. Fourteen or not, he carried himself like someone used to be listened to.

"Greyson Newman. If you don't know me already." His gaze moved across the Simcoe group. "Scarlett and Luke are with me. Preston, James, and Emma make up the rest."

He dropped into the chair, crossing his arms as he stared down at Jason Harp with that don't-blink-first expression Scarlett knew too well.

Jason rose slower, like he was second-guessing every move. "I'm Jason," he said. "Bella and Mark... beside me. And Ilya, Nelson, and Zane." He swallowed. "We want to work together through this."

Scarlett smirked. Boys trying too hard to look intimidating had always been one of her favourite things to poke at. Getting under people's skin was almost instinctual—she didn't need adult tricks, just confidence and a well-timed smirk.

It was exactly how she convinced Mr. Thomas to hand over the pool key.

Greyson rose again. "Uden needs an equal share of food," he said, his voice smooth. "No spoiled stuff. No half-empty cans."

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Okay. Equal share works."

Ilya stood, twisting her fingers together like she was afraid to speak. "We need help with the daycare. Supplies, diapers, supplies. We're running out."

Greyson nodded, wearing that concerned expression everyone expected from a leader.

"We'll send help. The kids are important."

Ilya brightened instantly, relief washing over her face.

Scarlett knew better. Greyson cared about his own ideals. The children were simply part of the equation.

Scarlett stood, hands firmly on the table. "We want our fair share of alcohol."

Jason looked up sharply. "Only for teens," he said.

Nelson lifted his chin. "I want to run Burger King myself."

Scarlett glanced at Greyson as his pen tapping sped up—nervous habits disguised as impatience—and she slid the pen from his fingers under the table. He didn't resist.

"If we get our fair share of food for free," Greyson added.

James stood and stared at the floor. "Uh... power's still on. But phones are dead and the Wi-Fi's stopped."

Jason leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "And the abilities?"

"We can use them for pleasure," Greyson interjected.

"Wouldn't it be better if people didn't use them much?" Jason asked. "Some kids don't have abilities—"

Greyson's smile faltered.

"So?"

Nobody spoke.

Even Jason looked tense now.

Before it could blow up, Scarlett cut in. "How about no breaking shit," she said. "But we can use them sometimes."

Greyson gave a slow nod, his gaze lingering on her for a beat longer than necessary. Jason followed suit a moment later, his shoulders relaxing as he accepted the compromise.

Scarlett eased back into her seat, and felt Greyson squeeze her hand from under the table.

Zane stood next, running a hand through his curly black hair as he scanned the room. "The fire department could use extra staff," he said simply.

"Fine," Greyson said. "Anyone can choose their side. No forcing loyalty." His eyes stayed locked on Jason, daring him to decrease.

Emma rose, fists tight, eyes shut. "You can keep your two helpers at the church... and Uden has someone who can heal injuries."

Jason stared. "Heal wounds? Illnesses?"

Yes, they had a healer. One who could mend broken bones with a touch or soothe fevers. Scarlett glanced at Greyson, catching the smug curve of his lips—because the healer Jason was so curious about was standing right in front of him.

Emma.

Jason leaned forward, voice tight. "Would the healer help in extreme cases? When Melany or Cindy can't handle it?"

Scarlett studied Greyson. He didn't flinch, didn't give anything away. Typical. Calm. Controlling.

"If the healer wishes," he said casually.

Jason's eyebrows furrowed, and Scarlett could see the suspicion flashing in his eyes. He kept glancing between Greyson and Emma, like he was trying to read a map he didn't have.

"Can we get their name?" Jason asked.

"No!" Emma's voice cracked, panic flashing in her eyes. "I... I mean, she doesn't like the attention her power brings."

Scarlett smirked slightly. She knew exactly what Greyson would do. Sure enough, he walked over to Emma and placed gentle hand on her head. Emma froze, eyes wide in surprise.

"Emma is just very protective of her friend," he said.

Scarlett caught Emma's slow nod and the way her shoulders relaxed a fraction.

Greyson stepped back, turning to face the others. Scarlett knew this was done—the overvalued was delivered, and the power dynamic had been quietly asserted, just the way he liked it.

"I'll send some people for the daycare and grocery shoppers," Greyson announced. "See you around."

Without a word, they strode out of the building toward the waiting convertible, the afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement.

Scarlett's eyes immediately spotted Henry and the two other guys he'd been with earlier, leaning casually against the wall. They were easy targets that would fall right into Greyson's hands.

As Scarlett slid into the front seat, Greyson slammed the door shut and turned back toward the group.

"We said what they needed to hear," he said with a smirk, before settling behind the wheel and driving back to Uden.

Luke laughed from the backseat. "Some of their faces during the presentation were amusing."

Greyson let out a groan, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel."We'll try and put up with half the bargain."

They reached the academy, its tall windows gleaming in the faded light.

As they started walking through the gates, Greyson suddenly stopped Scarlett mid-step, his expression tightening. She could tell this was mattered. He wouldn't have asked her privately.

"Can you search the filing room for information on Heather Harp?" Greyson asked, his arms folded. "There should be plenty of documents there. Her being Jason's mother doesn't sit right."

Scarlett curled her lip into a sly grin as they walked toward the large school building. Some students rushed over to Greyson, waiting for him to explain what he wanted them to do. If Scarlett knew Greyson, it would be to change the rules.

She pushed open the large black doors and made her way down the hallway toward the front office. The gym was open, and some people were sitting in groups, being supervised by Oscar and Lucy.

Greyson had instructed most of Uden to wait in the gym. Scarlett knew she would have to attend that meeting after she found the file. She wasn't exactly sure what Greyson wanted with Heather Harp, but Scarlett remembered her as a counsellor she was forced to see.

Scarlett walked through the already-open file room. The wooden desk lay toppled on the floor, papers scattered around like fallen leaves. Filing cabinets lined the walls, their metal handles catching the dim light. She rifled through the folders, fingers tracing labels until she found the one marked she 'Harp.'

Luke sneered from behind her. "Now, what are you doing? Finding the list of teachers you've manipulated?"

"Doing a task for Greyson. Aren't you supposed to be helping him?" Scarlett shot back, turning to look back at him.

"Oscar and Preston are helping him round up the students. So why not use the opportunity?"
Luke smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the fixing cabinet.

Scarlett turned back to the files, pulling out the woman's folder with a sharp flick of her wrist. She settled into the black office chair, scanning resumes and health records, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Heather Harp? Isn't that the mom of the other high rank?" Luke asked, travelling toward her.

Most of the files contained resumes and reviews of her work at Uden Academy, while others detailed her degree in social work or printed information about insurance.

Luke snatched up a paper from the pile, scanning it quickly before sneering. "Wow, remarried after your husband died? That's pathetic." He tossed the paper down, then paused, squinting at another document. "Wait, when's Greyson's birthday?"

"May 18th," she said. "You should know that."

Luke slammed the birth certificate down on the desk with a loud thud as she read over the printed words.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" Scarlett started, grabbing the form and pushing the rest of the papers into the file. "This feud will be far more eventful."

Scarlett strode out of the filing room as she headed toward the backstage area. Finding Greyson was a matter of importance since this revelation would change everything.

Greyson leaned against the wall near the backstage entrance, talking to Oscar.

Scarlett pushed open the door without hesitation, Luke close behind her.

"Oscar, out!" Greyson snapped, his eyebrows narrowed.

Oscar groaned but obeyed, brushing past them and heading toward the gym where the crowd of Uden students waited.

Scarlett handed Greyson the golden birth certificate.

He scanned it once.

Then again.

Scarlett grinned slyly.

"Congrats."

She tilted her head toward the paper.

"You've got a brother."

Luke snickered beside her, but Greyson's eyes were sharp now, darkening with something Scarlett hadn't seen often: bitter surprise.

"Fraternal twins," he muttered. "Unexpected."

He stared at the paper for long second.

"So she kept Jason."

His voice went flat.

"And got rid of me."

Scarlett's stomach flipped slightly—not fear, but excitement. She leaned back, letting the weight of the revelation hang in the air, watching Greyson carefully. He might be the king of control, but even kings have cracks.

This feud was going to be messy.

Luke's grin twisted into an evil smile. "Isn't it time for your speech?" he asked, flashing his braces.

The three of them climbed the creaky black steps to the stage, the murmurs of the crowd growing quiet with anticipation. Students sitting, standing, or leaning against the gym walls all turned their eyes toward them, waiting for the truth to unfold.

Henry never cared much for rules—they always felt like pointless obstacles. Sharing everything equally felt like a rule invented by people who never learned how to win. He didn't see fairness, but gaps and opportunities to be used.

Charging kids a few bucks just to step inside the variety store didn't sound unfair to him—it sounded like leverage. If people wanted access, they could pay for it.

He had been sneaking drinks whenever he could. Nobody had stopped him before, and that had taught him something: if nobody enforced a rule it barely existed. His dad's drinking had made it easier. Still, most of the liquor that he could get hands on tasted awful that burned going down and left a sour taste behind.

Henry leaned against a rusted streetlight, arms folded, eyes tracking Jason's group as they climbed the church steps. They moved like perfect little preachers, and his face twisted.

He didn't want lecturers but freedom. Freedom to whatever, to mess around, to be calling the shots, and laugh at them. Instead, an irritating thought slipped in: maybe Jason actually knew what he was doing.

Jason unfolded a crumpled note and glanced it over before looking up, his expression tight with focus.

Henry didn't need to hear a word. Jason was playing hero, strutting around like he had the answers. He wanted to roll his eyes, but a tiny, uncomfortable thought whispered that maybe Jason's careful planning with Uden wasn't useless. He shoved it aside. He wasn't going to admit that aloud.

"We've reached an agreement with Uden," Jason said. "Food gets divided between us. They'll help at the daycare and fire station, and we'll help with deliveries. The liquor gets divided evenly too. And nobody under eleven drinks."

A low murmur rippled through the crowd as people exchanged uncertain glances. The idea of being governed by rules—especially ones influenced by Uden—didn't sit well with many.

Uden had a reputation: intense, cold, and fearless. Henry had seen that firsthand. Greyson wasn't just organized—he was always two steps ahead, and that was what made him a better leader.

Since Simcoe High was a joint system, nobody acted that way at their school. This meant JK through grade twelve were in under the same roof. The difference was that they got their end of everything.

"What about those powers?" Issac shouted from the edge of the crowd. "Some of us don't have them! How's that fair?"

A ripple of unease swept through the crowd. Some exchanged worried looks, others stepped back as if they expected something dangerous to erupt right there.

Jason raised both hands. "Power use is limited," he said quickly.

Someone from the back scoffed. "So Uden gets to use theirs and we don't?"

A few heads turned immediately.

"No," Jason said. "It is limited on both sides."

The crowd murmured, louder this time.

Henry watched the fear growing that he instinctively understood how to twist. Kids who didn't have powers felt cheated. Kids who did have powers felt punished. Jason was juggling both sides, trying to make everyone happy.

Henry pushed away from the streetlight.

"You keep calling it a plan," he said. "Sounds like rules to me."

He looked around the crowd.

"And who exactly decided you were the one who gets to make them?"

"I'm not deciding because I want to. We made these decisions because—" Jason stopped, jaw tightening. "Because things are already falling apart. You just don't want to see it."

A few kids shuffled nervously between them.

Henry smirked, letting the words hang. "Maybe. Or maybe you just like feeling important."

Jason's jaw tightened. "I'm not trying to feel important. I'm trying to make sure we survive. Can you say the same?"

Henry laughed. "I survive just fine on my own. I don't need your rules telling me how."

Suddenly, Henry's eyes caught sight of one of the Uden SUVs parking nearby.

Jason glanced up just as a guy with sharp golden hair and mean eyes, a smug smirk curling his lips. Behind him, a girl and two guys were followed closely.

They walked toward Jason as Henry followed to get the information. He was going to do it his own way, even if Jason kicked him out for doing it.

"Damn, Scarlett isn't with them," Stick, also known as Matthew Field, sighed.

He had fallen hard for Scarlett, drawn in by her effortless charm and hot appearance. If she wasn't a student, she could easily pass for a model.

"I'm here for the groceries, Dipstick," Luke snarled.

Henry leaned against the curb, arms crossed, watching the Uden students move through Foodland like they'd done it a hundred times before—and would do it a hundred more without asking permission.

Luke didn't raise his voice. He didn't have to.

The others moved anyway—fast, eyes down, like they'd learned not to wait. They had carts loaded, groceries sorted, baby supplies stacked.

Jason froze nearby, watching the efficiency in shock.

Henry smirked, heart pumping. Jason kept talking about rules and safety. Uden didn't wait for permission to exit.

The difference stuck in Henry's head.

Even from a distance, their presence carried weight. People followed them because they had to, or maybe because they wanted to.

His mind raced. That was it. People moved when they spoke. No arguing. No questions.

"Greyson didn't say you'd be coming this early..." Jason trailed off.

"I don't remember needing an appointment," Luke said with sharp grin.

Bella approached Jason cautiously, her usual swagger gone. She kept her eyes down as Luke noticed her with his grin widening.

This took Henry by surprise, as she was usually the confident one. She often acted as if she were above others, simply because she was popular with upperclassmen. Even with her looks, many fawned over her.

"Dude," Issac muttered, nudging Henry. "You're going to say something, right?"

Isaac's height alone made him hard to ignore—Henry had to tilt his head up just to meet his eyes. Still, Henry's determination had already earned him six recruits since the group's start—a small but growing force ready to shake things up.

Henry noticed that Stick was already watching Luke.

Usually, Stick was the kind of guy people noticed first in the hallway. He was popular, knew everyone, and rarely seemed uncomfortable around anyone. Right now, even he looked unsure.

"People can switch sides, right?" Henry asked, eyes flickering toward Luke.

"Of course," Luke sneered. "This isn't a constitution. Right, Dipstick?"

One Uden student pushed a loaded cart toward the exit. Another broke it down into labelled bundles without being told. A third was already halfway to the daycare with diapers stacked like it was a routine.

Henry watched it unfold. Orders given once, moved followed instantly. No debate. No hesitation. It wasn't cooperation. It was obedience wearing a clean face.

Jason was still explaining himself.

"Heather seems to have a lot of secrets," Luke said slyly, leaning against the driver's door.

Jason blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Luke raised his eyebrows as a girl named Rachel approached, her steps hesitant, her eyes flickering nervously between him and the others. She looked like she wanted to disappear.

Henry knew that anyone who looked at Luke like that either feared him or owed him something.

He couldn't point to anything obviously wrong with Uden. They were organized, efficient, and nobody seemed confused about what they were supposed to do.

"We grabbed our food for now. Two helped with the daycare. This girl is staying behind to assist," Luke sneered.

Rachel froze, like her body had forgotten how to choose a direction. Her eyes flickered Luke and dropped. immediately. Then she shuffled toward the daycare with her shoulders hunched.

Henry glanced at the daycare. Kids were gross, unpredictable, and boring. This wasn't his battlefield. Jason could handle the hand-holding—he had the patience for it.

He turned to Stick and Finn, lowering his voice so the others couldn't hear. "Jason's rules? Forget them. We're making our own rules." He grinned. "First stop: the variety store. We get what we want, when we want it. No lectures, no babysitting, no orders."

The outskirts looked abandoned to Ashley. Scattered trees and patches of dead grass lined the road, stretching beneath a cloudless blue sky.

It hadn't always felt this empty.

She remembered hiking this same path with her family, following it toward Wasaga Beach. Back then, the air had smelled of pine and water, and the quiet had been comforting.

Now, it just felt wrong.

Without Jason beside her, everything felt wrong. He'd always been there during the worst school days, the ones when speaking felt like too much.

Reading aloud had always been a battle. The letters seemed to blur together whenever the teacher called on her, and by the time she reached the end of a sentence, someone was usually laughing.

Dyslexia had made school difficult. The other students had made it worse.

At times, she wondered if being sent to Uden Academy would've been a good idea. The bullying had been wearing her down, leaving invisible scars that she could feel. The voice in her mind was catching up with her, whispering harsh words only she heard.

Ashley stopped on the cracked road and stared at the blue sky. It was too bright, too empty. The silence pressed against her chest until it felt hard to breathe.

Where were her mom and dad? Why had they left her and Jason alone like this?

Jason had to deal with Uden Academy, such as Scarlett. The pretty one with the dark hair and eyes who was full of confidence in everything she did. If Ashley tried to stop her, she would mess it up.

Tears began to water in her eyes as she walked down the road. It felt weird to be walking on a paved road without automobiles rushing by. Ahead, she saw a ditch. The ditch she used to play in during hikes, where water rushed and buttonbush grew along the bank. She ran toward the ditch, sitting on the incline. It brought back many memories in her mind.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps. They grew louder by the second, as Ashley covered her mouth with her hand. Was someone going to attack her? Did Jason finally find her? Did any of her friends come find her? Maybe it was all in her imagination.

"You lost?"

The voice was deep and rough.

Ashley looked up.

"Whatever."

He turned and walked away.

Ashley's heart hammered in her as she glanced back. He looked about a year older, with a rough edge she didn't like. Her mom always said talking to strangers wasn't always bad.

She pushed herself toward the edge of the ditch.

Her fingers caught a crumple of dry grass. It crumpled instantly

"Come on..."

She shifted herself, but her foot disappeared into a hole.

Ashley gasped as she pitched forward and slammed her knee against the hard ground.

She grabbed her pant leg with her left hand. Pain exploded through her knee, and blood seeped down onto her white-and-green shoe. She swallowed hard. She had to get out of this ditch.

She tried to keep her left leg straight, but every step sent a sickening jolt through her knee, forcing her to freeze and gasp.

The thought of dragging herself out alone felt impossible. Tears blurred her vision as she hopelessness washed over her, the weight of pain and loneliness pressing down harder than ever.

Ashley's fingers slipped from the grass.

Before she could slide back down, someone grabbed her wrist.

"I've got you!"

A girl leaned over the ditch, dreadlocks falling along her face as she struggled to pull her upward.

"Hey! I saw something moving down here."

The girl frowned as she looked over at Ashley.

"Are you hurt?"

Ashley blinked through the pain, her thoughts muddled. Who was this girl? Her knee throbbed, every pulse a fiery reminder of her fall.

"Can you help me?" Ashley gasped. "I think I hurt it badly."

The girl rolled up Ashley's pant leg up. Ashley cried out we pain flared.

"What happened to your knee?" the girl asked, eyes wide.

"I... I slipped climbing out of the ditch," Ashley whispered, trembling. "It just started hurting really bad."

"Cindy and Melany usually handle injuries. I can take you to them," the girl offered.

Ashley nodded without hesitation, desperate for relief—not just from the pain in her knee, but from everything else she was carrying inside. The throbbing wouldn't fade anytime soon, but maybe help was close.

"Okay," the girl said, proceeding to drag her up.

The girl slipped her arms under Ashley's shoulders and guided her out of the ditch. Ashley had to support most of her weight with her good leg. Every movement sent sharp jolts through the injured knee, but together they managed to get to level ground.

"I'm Yara Larson," the girl said quickly. "Fifth grade. Jason sent out people and search teams. They're looking for anyone lost. Most of them are checking houses, looking for kids."

"Ashley. Jason's sister," she whimpered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled to breathe through the pain.

Yara spotted a golf cart farther up the road.

"There's someone!"

She waved frantically as she hurried toward it. Two girls were sitting inside. Ashley recognized one immediately.

Bella.

"Oh my gosh!" Bella exclaimed, eyes widening.

Yara carefully lifted Ashley into the seat. Bella leaned closer to look at her knee. Even the slightest touch made a jolt of fire through Ashley's leg, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming,

"I've got the first aid kit," Melany said, already reaching down to grab it from the cart.

Bella pulled the pant rolled pant leg higher and froze.

"Uh..."

Melany leaned closer. "What?"

"That's not blood."

Ashley looked down.

Something thick and purple coated the side of her knee. It glistened in the sunlight, slowly dripping onto the dirt.

Melany leaned in closer, frowning. "It's dislocated... but I've never seen anything like this. Did you touch anything weird in the ditch?"

Ashley shook her head. "No... nothing."

She stared at her knee with a cold knot forming in her stomach. This wasn't just a made fall. Something was wrong.

A sudden sting shot through her leg as Melany pressed a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol against the wound. Ashley screamed, shocked by how deeply it burned.

"I'll wrap it for now, but you're going to need support," Melany said with a sigh.  "We don't have the right equipment for something like this. Cindy's still helping gather basic supplies."

Ashley braced herself for the physical pain, but it was the mental weight that hurt more.

The voices returned, sharper this time.

Useless.

Stupid.

Idiotic.

She pressed her face into her hands.

It sounded different.

Maybe if she could just disappear for a while, everything would stop hurting. No more struggling with words that never come out right. No more pain, no more knee throbbing like fire. Just quiet. Just gone.

The pain in her knee flared violently, and her vision blurred. Her body jerked, and the world around her dissolved into darkness. For a moment, she felt weightless, as if the purple liquid from her wound had pulled her into another space.

When her mind cleared, she was no longer on the golf cart. She sat alone in a pitch-black void.

Someone stood in front of her.

Ashley stopped struggling.

It was her own reflection without the knee injury.

But the girl standing in the darkness was smiling with eyes glinting faintly purple.

Ashley screamed and thrashed, but something invisible pinned her down. Her heart hammered.

The reflection stepped closer. Its eyes glowed purple, and its grin stretched too wide.

"You found me," the reflection spoke slowly. "Clumsy little you."

"W-what do you want?" Ashley gasped, tears streaming, and her hands shook.

"You," the reflection said.

Its smile grew even bigger, and the purple in its eyes burned brighter.

Ashley jolted awake, Melany's hand gripping her shoulder, shaking her gently. She was back in the golf cart—dizzy, disoriented, her knee still pulsing with pain. But then, clear and cold, a voice echoed inside her head.

"It's thanks to your wound that I'll take over this world."