A/N: A round of applause to abi_bumblebee for the idea of an event in this chapter. Once again, thank you for your input!

- Moonwatcher's POV -

Gazing out the window was something I quite enjoyed doing, especially when the weather was stormy. For some bizarre reason, the furious thunder claps and blindingly white-yellow lightning put me to a tranquil peace at mind. 

I let my gaze wander over to our original hotel, the one we were supposed to stay in the entire vacation, but because of the dangers we currently faced, Clearsight decided it be best for us to book another place somewhat far away from where we used to stay.

Two feet away from me, Turtle was struggling to write. Too often would he press the 'delete' button on the keyboard and hold it until almost half the page became blank again. A blank, faraway look settled in his pupils. Unfortunately, everyone knew why he was this way. It was evident the moment he began toying with one of Kinkajou's colorful necklaces.

"Alright," I heard Winter mumble. "We should be leaving for home this afternoon. I think it would be best for us to bring everything with us. At this rate if we throw anything in the trash or whatever, a spy will drop in the next day and use it as evidence."

"Right," I agreed. Suddenly my phone―along with everyone else's―buzzed. We opened up to the group chat, silently taking in the shocking information.

Glory: Guys, some of our neighbors are missing

Clay: what?

Starflight: Everyone should be staying in their basements or some hidden place that's hopefully underground 

Sunny: according to the news, more and more police officers are going missing too

Peril: this place has become a living hell

Peril: literally, b/c multiple events are happening over the country

Tsunami: GUYS ANEMONES MISSING

Tsunami: she was there an HOUR AGO I SWEAR

Sunny: oh no!

Fatespeaker: i predict Darkstalker's using all these missing people to manipulate them or something

I sent a text.

Moonwatcher: We'll be back home tonight. Keep us updated!

Flying back home, my phone buzzed again. I turned it on, only to gasp at the text message's username.

Darkstalker: let's meet @ the mall tonight @ 9 PM sharp

Moonwatcher: how did you get my email?

Darkstalker: u gave it to me

Moonwatcher: I never did

Darkstalker: you may have indirectly

Moonwatcher: how?

Moonwatcher: what do you want?

Darkstalker: I may or may not have Kinkajou w/ me

Moonwatcher: what do you want w/ her?

Darkstalker: chill, I didn't do anything to her

Moonwatcher: give her back to an actual hospital

Moonwatcher: and what's with shapeshifter and all that

Darkstalker: i'll explain everything when we meet. don't come if you don't want to, but it's your one chance, just saying

Moonwatcher: fine

Darkstalker: I know clearsight + fathom are w/ u 2. 

Moonwatcher: what do they have to do witth anything

Darkstalker: Nothing

Darkstalker: I just want to see u

Moonwatcher: Not suspicious at all. fine. you had better not do anything to them

I showed everyone else the chat. 

Qibli nodded grimly. "Okay, I think Winter and I should go with you in secret when you meet him at the mall. Did he say which part?"

I texted him.

Moonwatcher: Which part of the mall? 

Darkstalker: Idk, the west entrance since it's closed by then

Moonwatcher: right. guess i'll see you there.

Darkstalker: Yep. See u :D

"Out of all emoticons he used a smiley face," Qibli rolled his eyes. "How perfectly fitting for this crappy situation we're in right now."

"He must think whatever he's created is some kind of light-hearted game for him to toy around in," Winter fumed. "Seriously, what does he think he's doing?"

"Hold on," muttered Turtle. "He's gonna be meeting us in the mall, right? We should alert everyone in the Hangouts chat to sneak in on him while he meets up with Moon, and secretly call the cops. That's probably our one and only chance to catch him since he's usually every and anywhere else.

Clearsight nodded. "Good thinking."

"I'll text them," I said, opening my phone. 

Moonwatcher: Darkstalker told me to meet him @ the west entrance of the mall (i'll explain details later). This is our chance. While I talk w/ him, one of you can call the police on him.

Fatespeaker: The west entrance? I feel like it'd be better to go meet him the south. Cuz there's more hiding spots and all. Could you ask him to meet there instead?

Starflight: no, he would suspect we're up to something

Clearsight: Exactly

Tsunami: Cool, got it! hey maybe instead of hiding in the bushes to call the cops like any boring dude, we cud bring knives or some other weapon and ambush him ;3

Glory: YES. IMMA USE MY SO-CALLED "MAGICAL DEATH SPIT" ON HIM

Fathom: what

Glory: It's when I accidentally almost melted my science teacher's hand by mixing together some random ingredients into this deathly potion thing. I can't wait to pour it on Darkstalker; i still remember how to make it

Fatespeaker: what a mood

Clay: No!

Sunny: A B S O L U T E L Y  N O T 

Qibli: What abt pepper spray, then?

Peril: yeah! pepper psray is ok, right?

Fathom: ...

Turtle: Okay all jokes aside, you all know the plan, right?

Clay: Aye aye, captain!

Moonwatcher: Alright. Keep in mind that this is serious, and keep an eye on your surroundings ALL THE TIME.

A chilly air had settled in the atmosphere back home, almost as if to anticipate what was about to happen. I walked along the sidewalk, grinning slightly at the fireflies which looked like microscopic glowing yellow dots among the dark night sky.

As the doors of the mall's entrance loomed ahead of me, I felt my breath stop. I gulped, then took a deep breath and continued walking. I hadn't walked to even the mini garden in front of the building when a sickening light-hearted voice called,

"I see that you're an overachiever, just like me. You arrived ten minutes early."

Darkstalker's cold, shining eyes met mine. I felt my breath quicken as a trail of sweat ran down my forehead. I took another deep breath.

"Where is Kinkajou and what happened to her?"

"Like I said earlier, calm down. She's in one of my privacy facilities. Nothing happened to her."

"Is she okay?"

"She should be, in a week or so."

"What do you want with her?" I demanded.

Darkstalker dramatically held up a hand, as if he was surrendering to me. "I simply wanted to move her to a better hospital. The one she was in had terrible patient treatment. Hell, some machines didn't even work."

"And how do you know that?"

"By sending someone to put up a camera."

A cold chill flowed down my spine. Cameras, huh? Did he stick any in our friends' houses so he could personally spy on their activity? To keep them from getting onto him?

"And what's with all the missing people?"

"It's a complicated story, if you have the time-"

"Put your hands up," a new voice rang in the air. 

Thank god, I thought as two police officers walked over with the rest of our friend group. 

Darkstalker lightly smirked, before letting out a bitter laugh. "I knew you guys would stage something like this."

"Put your hands up," the officer repeated.

"I think not," he sneered. "I've got backup on my own, up above me."

Sure enough, the whirring of helicopter blades surrounded us. Before anything could happen, multiple henchmen appeared out of the shadows, piling us all except for the cops into the large flying vehicle. 

We flew for about twenty minutes, with half the group demanding Darkstalker for answers, and the other half sitting there in a cold silence. 

We landed at a strange dark blue modern-looking building. Darkstalker walked out first, leading us all down a long, empty hallway.

"Welcome," he announced as he gestured around with his arms, "to my headquarters."

He stopped at a large room. Unlike the others, this one was painted white and contained beds next to each other by the windows. Tsunami gasped when she saw one of the people lying in one of the beds.

"Anemone!" she yelled, running over to her younger sister. Likewise to all the other sleeping people, Anemone was covered in wires and strange test tubes. Tsunami immediately began discharging Anemone of the equipment. Turtle did the same with Kinkajou the moment he saw her.

"What have you done to everyone?" snapped Peril.

"Ohh, you know, just a simple science experiment which is for their own good anyway, so I really don't see why you all are freaking out," he replied cooly. "Apparently after Arctic was killed-"

"By your own hand!" interrupted a fuming Sunny.

"Anyway," Darkstalker continued, ignoring her. "I found out Arctic was the owner of a human testing lab so I decided, why not try it out when I'm at it because I had a membership there too? I, as the genius I truly am, came up with the idea to design a race of human beings who have the power of superstrength."

"By kidnapping innocent citizens?" Winter hissed. "Why- What-"

"However, I started another much more interesting project, to try and clone little kid versions of human beings. So far, the part I'm stuck at is trying to install their past memories into their brains. It's cool, isn't it- OW!"

What had happened ... I could not comprehend. Kinkajou―alive and suddenly energy-filled―jabbing a sleeping needle into Darkstalker's neck. He collapsed with a weak shout for help that none of his guards heard.

"So," Clay said. "What should we do with him!"

"Glad you asked!" replied Kinkajou, grinning from ear to ear. "I came up with the perfect plan: we'll turn him into a kid using his own machine so that he's nice and innocent, and call him Peacemaker! Absolutely cool, right?"

Glory frowned. "Actually, let's just leave him be. The cops should be here any minute now, and then we can all finally head home."

- Narrator's POV -

The events that followed this significant incident were awesome, each crazier than the past.

For starters, Moonwatcher, Kinkajou, Glory, Clay, and all the others who contributed to stopping Darkstalker took a huge raise in popularity as they got featured in the local newspaper.

They made their next debut in a broadcasting TV show interview and got to tour the country as audiences showered them in questions and compliments. There were some crazy and irrelevant questions, like "Did any romantic relationships spring up during what happened?" and "What food did you eat for dinner that night?". Of course, Clay enthusiastically filled the audience with detailed information when he got asked the second one.

Finally, the group was able to successfully write and publish an autobiography describing their experience, complete with quotes, pictures, and additional information each person wanted to inform readers about, before settling in to live as high schoolers again.

Do not forget that this story began on a normal autumn day and ended on a still relatively normal winter evening. However, it's all about the established friendships, endless teamwork, and trust created by the bonds between these teenagers. Without each other, none of them could have ended Darkstalker singlehandedly.

"Hey wait, I could have!"

Not true, Tsunami. I can already spot all the places you'd mess up.

"Yeah, Tsunami. Don't go thinking you're so quick-minded, witty, and powerful. Because that's supposed to be me."

"Be quiet, Glory! Besides, everyone knows that the great and awesome Peril would be capable of saving the day all by herself."

"Okay guys, can you all stop talking? I'm hungry and your talking is making me crave hamburgers even more."

"Thanks Clay, now I'M craving food as well!"

Okay guys, y'all can shut up now so I can keep narrating-

"What is there to keep narrating about? This is the end of our story, after all!"

Well that's true, but-

"How about WE end the book instead? Everyone on the count of three, say goodbye to the readers! On one ... two ... three ..."

"GOODBYE AND THANKS FOR READING!"