The oldest of the five drove to the new fighting machine. The location of it was the same. Being hidden from the world had been improved though. The team no longer had to walk through piles of trash. The inventor of the robot made a secret entrance. It's easier, quicker, and more useful than how it was done before. That and sometimes the guys just felt super lazy.
The sixteen year old pulled up at the junkyard. Once he stopped, everyone unbuckled and got out. The pilot however stayed behind as he did right before they entered the vehicle. He waited for his teammates to leave. The doors closed, but only two people left. The former jock was about to leave. He turned back to lock the car doors. His little brother didn't look up to see. Instead, he was playing on his phone. The older Walker brother reopened the door.

"You coming?" Mark asked.

His younger sibling nodded in response. And even though he wanted to ask, the used-to-be man on campus walked away. That's when the explosion loving teen jumped back in the car. He hopped in the driver's seat. The slam from the car door scared the pilot.

"Geez dude, Mark is gonna kill you if you break that." Ryan warned.

"Eh, I didn't slam it that hard. Compared to when he's mad, I'm still shocked the door is even on here." Spyder replied.

The young technopath didn't respond, but did agree with what was said. He put his phone in his pocket. His hand reached for the door. He was about to get out, but his companion pulled him back in and closed it.

"What?" Ryan questioned.

"Tell me about it." Spyder responded.

"Tell you what?" Ryan inquired.

Spyder blinked at him.

"About the magical flying bunny. Bro, you know what I'm talking about." He retorted.

Ryan sighed.

"I don't know." He spoke unsurely.

"Ry, for one I already saw some of it. Two, I told you I wouldn't say anything. Plus, I like secrets and I keep them better than Harris." Spyder listed.

He turned his body around so he fully faced his pal.

"So spill." Spyder urged.

His best friend bit his lip in nervousness. He knew he was right. He had to tell him.

"Well um, after I tried finding you guys, I went after Grey and Tragear." Ryan began.

"By yourself?! Dude, that's my thing." Spyder commented.

"I know. And I was really mad and I thought you guys were dead. I-I wasn't thinking straight and I really thought I could handle it...but I couldn't. I fought Tragear and that had to be one of the most intense battles of my life. Worse than the one with Harper in that giant monster." Ryan explained to him.

"Wait, what do you mean handle? Handle what?" Spyder asked.

The fifteen year old sighed once more.

"I lost it. I mean I really lost it. I wanted him gone. All I could think about was him being dead. About everyone whoever hurt us being killed. My powers went crazy and everything I was saying even scared me. I-I tried to fix it, but I couldn't. It was terrifying. I don't...I-I don't think I felt human." Ryan revealed to him.

Spyder was unsettled and surprised, but continued to listen.

"It's like I didn't feel anything but anger. It was freezing, but I didn't know it. And yeah he has to be destroyed, but I didn't think I would want his blood on my hands." Ryan went on.

"He's made of ooze." Spyder mentioned.

"Spyder." Ryan stopped him.

The jokester nodded.

"Anyway, I messed up the machine and shut down the crystal. That's why there was an explosion." Ryan returned to speaking.

"You caused that?! Woah, that's awesome." Spyder reacted.

"You would say that." Ryan replied.

"Course I would, you know who your talking to right?" Spyder inquired.

His buddy chuckled a bit, but a smile didn't appear on his face.

"But, I didn't see my eyes change color til after I got home. I guess they've been that way since then and I never really noticed." Ryan added in.

"Well, are your powers supposed to do that?" Spyder quizzed.

His best friend shrugged.

"Maybe you have more powers in your powers." Spyder suggested.

The younger Walker brother shifted in his spot.

"Ya think?" Ryan asked.

Spyder shrugged.

"Could be." He replied.

The tech controlling teen thought about it for a second as his teammate got out the car. He closed the door and made his way to the other side. Luckily, he was accompanied by his pal. His side of the car was shut as well. The two were now face to face.

"Listen, your-"

"Told you twice dude, lips are sealed. Yeah, and I don't listen." Spyder interrupted him.

"You don't." Ryan admitted.

His best friend's mouth dropped open. It made the male technopath laugh.

"But you do when it comes to me." Ryan stated.

"And the others. Long as it doesn't involve science, insults, or something I don't care about." Spyder added.

Ryan nodded, knowing that was simply true. The two made their way through half the pile of trash. The door to the secret entrance was spotted. Both teens stood on top of it. Almost immediately, they were shot through.

****************

"Hey Leo, can we talk?"

The oldest of the bunch turned around. He nodded. Both teammates went over to the new, restored, and upgraded lounge. The couch was on the far left, with a big space in the middle. The television would come down from the ceiling with a click from the remote. Other seats were planted at different corners. Thanks to an idea from the party machine himself, a stereo was added for music. All you had to do was connect to Bluetooth from your phone. Overall, the lounge was more comfortable and a fun place to chill at.

"What's up?" Leo asked.

The sixteen year old sat down on the couch, with the 30 year old genius joining him.

"Have you talked to Ryan at all?" Mark questioned.

After taking a quick moment to think, Leo shook his head.

"No, not recently. Why?" He inquired.

Mark bit his lip.

"I don't know. I just think...I think something's up with him. It's like he's keeping secrets from me now. Been like that since we came back." He admitted to him.

"We're all not taking what happened these past few days very well." Leo pointed out.

"I know, just after that weekend, he hasn't been talking to me much. Harris even said that sometimes he went over to hang with Spyder more than him. And when they did hang out, he wasn't saying much." Mark continued.

Leo nodded.

"And he's been acting weird. He leaves the house everyday and goes who knows where. One time, he came home at 12 in the morning. Mom locked him in his room after he came home from school." Mark said, chuckling a little at the end.

The adult joined in that as well.

"And mom told me he got in a fight." Mark added.

"With who?" Leo asked.

"Some kid from Wade's crew. Spyder said Ryan almost skewered him. The principal suspended him and let the other guys only get detention. Veracity told me that Spyder had to hold Ryan back before he cussed out Dent." Mark answered.

Leo raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, if Spyder hadn't stopped him, Harris said that he would've went down the line." Mark mentioned.

"How many words could he possibly know?" Leo wondered.

"Beats me, but something tells me he would look it up if he could." Mark replied.

He shifted in his spot.

"So, what should I do?" Mark asked.

Leo shrugged.

"Well, maybe you should just talk to him." He suggested.

"He won't even talk to me, so there's no chance of that happening." Mark responded.

"It's not like he's mad at you." Leo told him.

"What if he is? What did I do?" Mark theorized.

"I think the clues would lay themselves out if he was mad." Leo retorted.

Mark nodded, knowing that was true.

"Clearly. The words Harper and woods ring a bell?" Mark implied.

"Yeah...dark times. Harris told me he still has nightmares about that day." Leo replied.

"Yeah...I cracked up every time Spyder mimicked him. His screams are epic." Mark began to chuckle.

"Epic? Try iconic. Can't name one person who come close." Leo joked.

"I said Spyder." Mark responded with a smile.

"Eh well I mean, sure. I'm just saying that big yell from that tiny body." Leo laughed.

"Who's even that short? Yeah he's a freshman, but come on. His voice barely even changed." Mark bantered.

"Oh and yours has?" Leo asked.

Mark's mouth dropped.

"How would you know? You just met me like months ago." He defended himself.

"You do have a brother. And he tells me things. LOTS of things." Leo told him.

"Like what?" Mark inquired.

"Like how you used to dance in your boxers and make out with an Ariana Grande poster in your room-"

"SHH!" Mark urged.

Leo grinned.

"How do you know about that?" Mark whispered.

"Like I said, LOTS of things." Leo replied.

The sixteen year old shook his head.

"Anyway.....I just wanna know that he's okay. As stubborn as he is, I don't want him to be hurt and I don't know anything about it." Mark vented, returning to the main topic.

Leo sighed.

"Mark, you are a great brother. And I'm sure this has nothing to do with you. Ryan he's...changing like the rest of you. It's not always going to be the same." He began.

"So how do I help him?" Mark wondered.

"Best thing is to try and talk. Chances are he might want to and isn't saying it." Leo answered back.

"Why?" Mark asked.

"You said it yourself, he's stubborn." Leo replied.

Mark sighed.

"Wish he wasn't." He spoke.

"How many times has that helped you guys though?" Leo asked.

Mark thought about that for a second. It didn't last long however. The sound of the elevator triggered his attention. The two other members of the team were lifted to the top. Once the doors opened, they stepped out. The former jock stood up, with the adult following suit. He placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Talk to him." Leo told him.

Mark nodded.