Reflecting Equation - 10. Sometimes a Great Notion

Solaris was in no shape to transport us, so I created a portal that greedily sapped at my diminished reserves. The city wasn’t what we left. Centennial was a disaster zone. Clouds blanketed the sky and hid away the sun leaving the city in a dim shadow of gloom.

Voidwalkers had come to Centennial, leaving death and destruction in their wake. There wasn’t a single person in the streets. Empty vehicles, abandoned and silent, filled the lonely roads. Shattered store windows were abundant up and down the downtown streets. And the bodies.

Withered corpses lay amongst the silent streets, empty husks of human flesh. A putrid smell clung to the air, and it was taking everything I had not to gag.

“God,” Adam kneeled to examine a decayed corpse. It used to be a little girl. Her ribbons were still in her now thin, unnatural gray hair. He looked up at eyes brimming with tears. “What did this?”

Ryan laid his hand on Adam’s shoulder to comfort him. His face was troubled, and his eyes were just as wet and stricken. I looked away and to the overcast sky, blinking quickly to hold back my tears.

“Voidwalkers,” I replied tonelessly. “They’re from the Outland dimensions. Atlanteans called them walking chaos. Their touch is ruin.”

Killian frowned. “Outland dimensions… That sounds familiar.”

“Think of our dimension like a grain of sand in a sandbox. The sandbox represents our universe, and each grain represents a different dimension.” I splayed my hands out. “Grains of sand closest to ours are what science calls parallel dimensions. They’re most like our reality. The further away you travel from our dimension, the bigger the differences between realities.”

“The Outland dimensions are the outer dimensions at the edge of reality,” said Ryan, eyes distant as he recollected on past memories.

I nodded. “The voidwalkers are from a dimension of maddening chaos. It’s a formless plane made of prismatic mass and ectomatter. Physical laws of order that bound our dimension mean shit there. They are the lords of their world, and they walk it like gods.” I shook my head at the ruins surrounding us. “I don’t know how but Cobalt’s set them loose here.”

“Where are they then?” asked Killian. He cracked his knuckles.

Ryan shot him a look. “You’re in no shape to be fighting anyone.”

“I’m a big boy. I’ll be okay.” Killian looked away at Ryan’s glower. “Really, Ryan. I’m not.” He tapped his fist against his mouth three times. “I’m not dying, alright. Don’t do this. Don’t be all caring and then not be mine.”

Ryan looked dazed for a moment like he wasn’t sure what was happening, and then he nodded, smiling. It was like flipping a switch as he came to some inner decision. He was suddenly calm, expression utterly beatific.

Ryan’s smile was tentative, shy. “Okay.”

For a second, Killian’s brow furrowed, not comprehending. “Okay? Okay, what?”

“If I can only care about you if I’m yours...” Ryan trailed off, tone light as red rapidly spread across his cheeks. “Then, okay. I’m yours.”

Killian was so stunned he couldn’t even blink. It didn’t even look like he was breathing. He took a step forward and then stopped. Killian’s face was like an open book. Naked longing shone through clear as day.

“Do you mean it?” he asked intensely, staring, looking at him like nothing else in the world mattered.

“With you,” Ryan said gently. “I always mean it.”

Killian let out a shaky exhale. Pain pinched at his eyes and made his mouth tremble. This was Killian open and honest, completely vulnerable, and all on the line.

When he spoke, his voice came out soft and threadbare thin. “I should have never ended it. I’m an idiot.”

“I’ve told you that many times.” Ryan moved closer to Killian, who stood frozen.

“I don’t blame Lacey for going after you,” said Killian, honest regret making his voice thick. “I’m an asshole for taking so long. I -- did I make you wait a long time?”

Ryan placed his hands around Killian’s waist. “I’m here, so it wasn’t that long.” He reached up to cup the side of Killian’s face, his thumb stroking firm across his cheekbones. “I love you.”

Killian let out a bark of startled laughter. He shook his head, unable to fight the smile on his face. “Boy, I’m so far gone over you I can’t even see straight. I don’t know how to not be anything but in love with you.”

“Charmer, charmer,” Ryan said, barely audible, his voice little more than a whisper as he leaned forward. He finally kissed him, slow and waiting until Killian responded, breaking free from his frozen stupor.

Killian pulled away, looking faintly astounded. Ryan smiled at him low and sweet, thumb sweeping gently just under Killian’s eyelid. Killian’s expression turned adoring, and there was no denying the bone-melting desire coming off him in waves. Their foreheads leaned together as the world faded away to just them.

“Bout time,” I grumbled, but the beaming smile on my face was ecstatic.

Adam wrapped his arm around my waist and leaned into me. “This is so not the time for this, but I’m way too happy for them right now.”

I grinned. “Let’s give them another minute.”

Ryan pressed his face into Killian’s shoulder. “I missed you. So much.”

“I missed you too. I never meant to make you feel like you weren’t good enough.” The tips of his fingers touched Ryan’s temples. “I miss your glasses. You didn’t have to change. To me. Shit, now I’m starting to sound like a big goddamn girl.”

Ryan squeezed Killian’s hips. “No. That’s our problem. We don’t -- say what you mean to say. Please.”

Killian rolled his eyes at himself, the tips of his ears turning red. “To me...you’re everything.”

Ryan’s face softened, and his arms tightened around Killian, lifting him a little. His hand curled around the nape of Killian’s neck as he babbled a string of flowing words in Atlantean. It was too low, only for Killian’s ears, but I caught some of it. The words missing him every day, never wanting to let go, and loving him forever made my own heart do summersaults.

I turned away from the sight, suddenly feeling like I was intruding on something so very private. I wiped at my eyes, and Adam beamed down at me with pure joy.

“They’re going to be okay,” he said with an air of surety.

I tightened my hand around his hands. “I think so too. They’ll need each other.” Goosebumps rose on my forearms. “Things are going to get worse before they get better. I can feel it.”

Adam let out a startled noise and moved away from me. He pulled out his phone with a sheepish look at my raised eyebrow. The screen lit up as the communication link came online. Nathaniel’s frowning face filled the screen.

“Finally,” he snapped, sounding completely and utterly wrecked. And he looked it. “Voidwalkers have-”

I moved closer to let Nathaniel see me on the vidlink. “We know about the voidwalkers,” I cut him off. “We got back as quickly as we could.”

Adam noticed Nathaniel’s state of frenzy too. “What’s wrong?”

“Those bloody creatures were here,” Nathaniel said in an uncharacteristic, aggravated tone. Even his perfectly coifed hair was in disarray from where he had been pulling at it. “I think I need a drink.”

“Are you okay?” I said in a rush.

Nathaniel sighed. “I’m fine. They managed to breach the perimeter, but I beat them off with the defense systems.” His lips twisted into a scowl. “Bastards snuck up on me. Sensors didn’t even see them coming. I’m trying to reconfigure the arrays to detect for their extraplanar resonance.”

“It’s not safe there,” Ryan said suddenly. I didn’t even see him join us. “The Outpost could be compromised. Cobalt’s already been there once. He could get in again. This attack only means they aren’t satisfied to leave things be.”

Adam’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “The voidwalkers are probably heading back to the city then.”

“Our families?”

“They’re fine,” Nathaniel assured us. “No alerts have appeared on the monitoring program.”

I let out a whoosh of breath. He was right, of course. Our families unknowingly carried tiny nanobots within their bloodstream. These sophisticated devices regularly monitored their vitals for any signs of distress in health, physical or mental. It had been Ryan’s idea to inject our relatives secretly. It used to be standard practice for Atlanteans.

“Right now, cell towers are down, and a public broadcast is going out by old school radio wave.” Nathaniel looked away to read another monitor. “All civilians are holed up at government shelters. They’ve got the national guard and the army patrolling.”

Like that’s going to stop voidwalkers. But at least they had a plan. It was more than we had at the moment. The shelters themselves were built after the Elder Spawn decimated the world and turned Centennial into ground zero. Evacuating the town had been Hell, and most died on the bridges leading out. Construction of the shelters began right after so people would have a place to bunker down until whatever newest hellstorm blew over.

At Adam’s urging, Nathaniel activated the feature that traced whoever was injected with nanobots exact location. Killian muttered something about his parents being in Milan. Ryan’s dad was at the hospital. Adam’s aunt and uncle were at a shelter across town.

Nathaniel paused for a moment, surprised. “Your family is pretty close, Chad.”

I knew they were safe, but it was suddenly vital that I needed to see it for myself. Nathaniel must have seen the distress on my face because he rattled off the directions to the shelter he traced them to.

“Listen, I’ll meet you boys there. I’m going to lock down the vault and grab anything we might need.” His frown was grim. “They’ll head back into the city soon. But we’ve got some time, and we’ll be ready for them.”

The walk to the shelter was short and quiet. The streets were eerily silent and deserted. Soon enough, however, we reached the shelter. The east 1A shelter was a converted community recreation center.

The National Guard lined the top of the surrounding buildings armed with rifles. Soldiers in army greens took up the perimeter, and orders barked out as we came upon the shelter.

“You boys okay?” asked an army Captain with a thick southern drawl. He holstered his sidearm as he stared at us grimly. “Go on and get inside. We don’t know if those nasties will be back. Make sure you register so they can try and locate your families on the master list.”

We were ushered through a steel door and into the fortified building. A guard walked us through check-in and to what was once the gymnasium. I was momentarily startled at the amount of sound coming from inside. There were more people packed in the gym than I expected.

Families clustered around cots in units radiating with tired and wary movements. Doctors were scattered throughout the gathered populace, and their coats were the cleanest clothes in the whole place. The sound of kids and crying babies mixed in a drone of noise. Some people were sick, some healthy, some injured –- and the ones covered in blood -– they were the worst off. The Red Cross moved among the weary and dirty people gathering volunteers where they could.

“I was hoping for the best, expecting the worst,” said Adam taking in the scene quietly, like we all were. “This is bad –- but not as bad as it could be.”

It could have been mass hysteria. Instead, the survivors were surviving. They banded together and didn’t roll over and let the extradimensional threat outright kill them. If the Power Rangers thought they were going to rule the Earth, then they had to get through humanity to do it.

We didn’t go more than fifteen feet when a woman’s voice called out, “Chad!”

I spun to see my mother break from a group of adults I recognized from her company’s picnics. Morgan was a step behind her as they ran the distance between us. My heart leaped, and I met them halfway, overwhelming happiness and relief thrummed my body as we hugged.

“Ah, Mom, stop crying,” I said through my sniffles.

She just clutched me harder, weeping loudly into my shoulder. Morgan was in a similar state, and my heart clenched. I hadn’t seen my sister cry in years.

“Good to see you too, brat,” I said gruffly as something squeezed my throat tight.

Morgan shook her head and wiped at her tears with a trembling smile. “Idiot.”

There was joy in her voice, but it was frail, too, and the sound hurt me to hear. I tenderly wiped at the tears on her cheeks. She hid her face in my shoulder as fresh tears appeared. The world blurred, and I scrubbed at my wet eyes.

“I thought the worst...” Mom trailed off, leaning back and looking me over. She shook her head and smiled happily. “Not a scratch on you. Where have you been? How did you even get here?”

A lie was on the tip of my tongue faster than the truth. A wave of self- loathing rose in me. But it wasn’t just my secret to tell.

“It was crazy,” said Adam stepping to my side, smiling reassuringly at my mother. “We were at the mall, and then it was chaos.”

Ryan and Killian came up beside him. They had been quietly watching the reunion, and once the crying was over, they finally decided it was appropriate to approach.

“We kept away from main areas and moved around as quickly as we could when it was safe,” said Ryan, elaborating on Adam’s lie. “My dad made me watch a program about disaster drills on NBC once. We were lucky, I guess.”

Mom gave him a confirming nod. “You were. It all came out of nowhere. So fast. God, it was all so fast. It was like the world just went to Hell.” Lines formed between her eyebrows when she frowned. “But we’re all okay. That’s the main thing that everyone is alright.”

Morgan stepped closer to Adam and touched his wrist. “Thank you,” she said softly. “You looked after my brother.”

My eyes misted up again. The damn brat. The pain she was, but she was my pain, my baby sister. Adam’s eyebrows rose in surprise, and warm tenderness made his face go soft as he smiled a tiny smile.

Adam’s fingers curled around her smaller palm. He spoke with quiet surety. “I won’t ever let anything hurt him.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Or you.”

Mom placed her hand on Killian’s shoulder. “You boys come on and sit. They’re handing out MRE’s. It’s not the best, but it’s something to eat.”

Our reunion was like a promise of spring. That the winter was over, and the sun was coming out. In this little tiny corner of the world, there was joy, and it was glorious.

We dragged two benches by the cots my mother was issued. True to her word, the MRE’s weren’t the best. I made a face at what was supposed to be beef stew. Adam chuckled at my expression.

“Reminds me of the starship rations,” Adam whispered against my ear.

I poked at the packaged food, morose. “This is worse.”

“With cell towers down and the internet pretty much dead in the city, the only way to contact anyone is with sat phones.” Mom nodded to her coworkers clustered around a long black phone. “Radio broadcast coming in or outside the city is being distorted somehow.”

Ryan looked over at the phone thoughtfully. “Most satellite phones operate in the L-Band, a portion of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Adam nodded along, picking up his train of thought. “You can configure those phones to change operating frequency to compensate for RF interference in certain parts of the spectrum.”

Dead silence punctuated the end of his observation. Realizing what happened, Ryan and Adam turned away from each other. They met the incredulous stares of my mother and sister. They exchanged shocked gazes.

Morgan blinked. “Was that English?”

“Those honor courses are stepping up the curriculum.” Mom stared at them blankly.

“Good old Centennial High,” I said in a rush to fill the silence. “Go, Cougars!”

All heads swiveled around to me. I inwardly groaned. My dignity? Collapsing on itself like a dying star. My eye twitched as I grinned falsely.

Mom side-eyed me and slowly turned around like I might start eating play dough the minute she took her eyes off me.

“Have you checked the list for your parents and loved ones?” Mom directed the question to my friends.

“Dad’s at the hospital,” Ryan replied. “He was at work when it all went down.”

Killian shrugged. “It’s fashion week. Mom dragged Dad to Europe for the week.”

I didn’t miss the way that Ryan gave Killian’s hand a comforting squeeze. Killian didn’t have the closest relationship with his parents. Even calling it a relationship was stretching it.

“West 3C shelter,” said Adam with a real smile. “Their status was confirmed as uninjured.”

Morgan saw a friend and gave a sudden squeal of delight before darting off to embrace a pretty girl with flawless dark skin. I waved at Krystal as she enthusiastically beamed over at us. Mom walked over to them as Krystal’s parents came up behind the girls.

“I just want to crash,” Killian said once my mother was out of earshot. “I’m exhausted.”

Ryan fought off a yawn as he tore into his MRE. “Your life force won’t completely be recharged for a while.”

“That was master healer level aura manipulation,” Adam said to Ryan, earning him a bashful shrug.

Adam reminisced on his own healer training and speculated on Ryan’s adept level and instinctual abilities. Ryan prepared the MRE without looking like he had been doing it all his life. The champion of soul hands seemed to move on their own he was so engrossed in what Adam was saying. Barely glancing at his can of juice, he slid it over to Killian, nodding and adding into the conversation with Adam without pausing.

Killian looked dazed for second at the action “Orange Pineapple?” He read off the label with raised eyebrows. “This is my favorite.”

Ryan shrugged nonchalantly. “I know.”

Adam and Ryan went back to their conversation. Ryan was once more absorbed into the topic, but every so often, his gaze would dart to Killian to watch him out of the corner of his eyes.

Killian had a little quirk on his lips. It was not a smile. Killian wasn’t one to show the world his true feelings. Yet even though it wasn’t a smile, it was almost one, and near bursting to get through. Every once in awhile, when I looked over, Killian’s control would slip. He beamed down at his juice like it was the best thing that ever happened to him before he composed himself again, and only the quirk remained.

When Ryan did really look at Killian, it was quick and fleeting, only for a second, then he ducked his head. If I weren’t watching for it, I probably would have missed the way Ryan’s chest puffed up or the barest hint of blush that colored his cheeks.

Their arms gravitated until their forearms lay flush against each other. Hands quickly followed, and their fingers slid together, till they’re hand in hand, like they would never let go. And they stayed just like that. Despite the conditions around us, their eyes were bright and happy, and they looked content.

“I can’t hold it in anymore,” I pointed at their hands, beaming. “You two are so adorable right now. I can’t even. Are you like together again?”

They didn’t even pause before both nodded and simultaneously said, “Yes.”

Adam threw his arm out and punched the air. “Awesome.”

Ryan laughed, squinting at us appraisingly. “You two been waiting on this?”

“Perverts,” Killian added, but he was smiling as if he’d never stop.

I smirked. “I’m not buying what you’re selling, asshole. But I really am glad you guys made up.”

“Ditto,” Adam said.

“Since when do you say ditto?” I asked, prompting him to whistle innocently. I narrowed my eyes, suspicious. “I knew it. Ghost is totally your favorite movie.”

Killian was visibly confused. “I thought Die Hard was your favorite movie?”

I snorted, turning my smirk away from Adam’s glare. “That’s what he tells people. Doesn’t even own it, but he has Ghost on his computer and a backup copy on DVD.” Ryan shook his head, pretending to be disappointed, but he was grinning. “The power of Swayze.”

We all laughed, and it was this bright and happy moment that I would cherish in the days to come. In the back of my mind, I knew things would get very dark soon. A throat cleared, and we looked up. Nathaniel was dressed in a pressed, pearl gray three-button Dior suit, hair dark with product, and perfectly slicked back. He trained clear green eyes on us.

“Thank God,” I let out a loud exhale. “Earlier, you looked like you’d been in a knife fight. I thought it was the end of the world. Like some Ragnarok shit.”

Killian rolled his eyes. “And there we go. Chad sounds like a dumbass. The Earth is completely back on its axis. Everything is normal.”

Nathaniel rubbed his left eye. “Earlier I was...” He paused to search for the right word. “Distressed.”

The advisor took a seat on the empty cot and laid a briefcase on his lap. It was Burberry. Figures. I forgot Nathaniel was old money until I got a visual reminder. His manners were all prep school charm and everything he owned was designer. He belonged to the 1% of the American population that owned a Black Card. Nathaniel had style. I wished I looked as sharp as he did when I was older.

I shook my head, tuning back into the conversation. Nathaniel patted the bag carefully after casting a searching look around him.

“I packed some weapons and a few interface tablets so we can connect to the mainframe.” He adjusted his Windsor and made a face. “I would prefer being at the outpost but that’s obviously out. I should start drawing up plans for a safe house.”

I grinned at his afterthought. I loved when he went all James Bond.

“I approve,” Killian heartily agreed.

Adam nodded. “Ditto.”

The three of us shot him a look. He ducked his head, grinning.

“Do you still need help reconfiguring the sensors to detect voidwalkers?” asked Ryan.

Nathaniel fiddled with his sleeves and his cufflinks. “I managed to have some leeway, but your help would make this whole thing go a lot faster.” Ryan took the briefcase from Nathaniel. He pulled out a slim black tablet that looked like an iPad, if an iPad was upgraded and on its 29th or 30th version.

I wiped my hand against my lips to smother my smile. “At least if someone gets suspicious, you can pass it off as some Apple gadget.”

Killian looked at me wistfully. “If only you came with an off button.”

“I’ll put up a struggle before you could press it. It would be epic.”

Nathaniel grumbled crossly. “Really? Even in a crisis.”

I smiled all teeth. “Multitasking, yo.”

Killian examined his nails. “Keeps him in line.”

Adam spit up his apple juice a bit, making a complete mess. I wiped away a speckle from my cheek and looked straight at him. He just grinned, juice dribbling down his chin. I may or may not be still attracted to him.

“Oh, God,” Ryan laughed, quieted. “Sorry, Nathaniel. We’re just kinda tired.”

“Ah, hyperactivity decline,” Nathaniel said, patting Killian on the shoulder. Killian yawned tiredly in response. “I didn’t ask, but what happened to you after you went into that forest? Your signals went dead on the grid.”

I perked up. “We found the faerie realm. Well, one of them.”

Nathaniel looked at us, astounded. “Did you really?”

“And you’re not going to believe this,” Adam said excitedly. “Ian and Isabella were there. Faeries can resurrect or something in their homeland.”

My tone was somber. “Too bad their homeland is worse off than Centennial. Between the Power Rangers and us, we decimated that place.” I licked my lips. “If they come back from the other faerie realms, I don’t think they’ll have much to come back to.”

“Hey,” Killian protested. “You make it sound like it was all for nothing. We killed my clone. So, plus.”

Nathaniel congratulated us with quiet enthusiasm. I looked over at the tablet as Ryan’s hands moved smoothly over the touch display. My shoulder gave a twinge, protesting the sudden movement as my healing factor continued making it whole.

“That just leaves three clones left,” said Nathaniel. He pinched his nose and closed his eyes briefly. “Ryan, Chad, and Adam. I imagine your clones will be even more ruthless now that one of their own has been killed.”

I stared around at the weary state of people. “Four against three now, though,” I said viciously.

“I still don’t like those odds,” Adam prompted.

“Downer,” Killian mumbled.

I lifted my head. “We’re Chosen. The odds are never in our favor. But we do the impossible anyway.”

A shadow loomed over us, and Mom stepped back into the group. She was staring hard at the pocket notebook she always carried, seemingly immersed in her notes. When she finally looked up, it was with surprise as she found Nathaniel sitting on the cot.

“Uh, hello,” she cocked her head. “Do I know you?”

Nathaniel stood, smiling charmingly. “Nathaniel Ruiz.”

“He’s Killian’s uncle!” I blurted out.

Killian smiled, bright and false, and with fake cheer. “I didn’t even know he was here. It’s like a miracle.”

If he said the last part kind of dry, no one commented on it. Mom extended her hand, and Nathaniel bent over, placing a delicate kiss against her knuckles.

“A pleasure,” he said smoothly.

Mom took her hand back. “Call me, Samantha. Your accent is so lovely. What part of England are you from?”

“My family has its roots in Spain. I spent most of my life in Wales, though. Practically grew up in boarding school there.”

Nathaniel offered her a seat on the cot. She sat next to him smoothly, crossing her ankles and fixing her eggshell-colored dress. She had on a pair of nude flats and her blonde hair was pulled back in a chignon. I thought she looked lovely. Judging by Nathaniel’s interested stare, he thought so too. I frowned hard, and he rolled his eyes at my dark glare.

Mom spotted the tablet on Ryan’s lap and the matching one that Nathaniel held. “Trying to keep distracted? I get it.” She held up a mini pocket book and pen. “Trying to keep distracted? I get it. I’m attempted to do some work myself.”

“Where do you work?” asked Nathaniel, casually moving the tablet away from her roving gaze. Killian took it without prompt and slipped it back into the briefcase.

“I’m a reporter,” She clicked her pen a few times in an absent-minded gesture. “I’m going around trying to take a few statements. Like it or not, this is news. Care to make one?”

Nathaniel plastered on his broadest smile. “I wouldn’t mind at all. What about?”

Mom leaned forward, pen poised, and ready. “Where do you suppose our resident superheroes are? It’s not like them to be MIA during an event like this. Do you think they’re alright?”

His smile wilted.

“I’m sure they have good reasons for not responding to the threat,” he said carefully, not sparing us a single glance.

Mom had a total focus face as she jotted down his short statement. I knew the paper had her exclusively working on Chosen related articles lately, but to see it up close and in person was...awkward. I shied away from the anxious stares directed at me. I was dealing with my own alarm, didn’t need the others to add to my already building panic.

“Chad said you’re up for Pulitzer?” said Ryan trying to direct attention away from the subject.

“Yeah, Mom wrote this awesome article about the Chosen.”

I froze.

Mom stared at me, questions burning in her eyes. “The what? Chosen?”

Shitshitshitshit. Humans knew only the vaguest bits about the Chosen... they didn’t even know we were called the Chosen. I stilled, and my expression was closed off, crystal smooth and blank as a check. But my heart hammered loudly in my throat.

“I’ve heard you say that before...The Chosen?”

My mother rolled the word around her tongue. No one knew what to say, and the silence was not making it better. She was expecting me to elaborate, but my tongue was stuck in my throat. Mom stared at me, questioningly. I was the world’s worst liar. I wasn’t good at it, and I hated it. I hated lying to people I loved more than anything. Tears gathered in my eyes, and stubbornly refused to go away. I felt pathetic, small.

I finally looked around at the others. Their stares weren’t judging or accusing as I expected. Calm acceptance was what soothed the surging panic that gripped me. I knew what I had to do.

“I’ve said it before because the Heroic Quartet are called the Chosen.”

“Oh?” Mom’s tone dripped with skepticism. “How do you know that?”

I took a deep breath. “Because, I’m one of them... We are the Chosen.”

Mom giggled and got up, her lips quirked in a tiny smile. “Honestly, I don’t know where you get your humor from sometimes.”

“I’m serious.”

Mom nodded absently and began sorting through her notes. “I believe you, kiddo. I swear on your Grandma Abbey’s grave.”

“Grandma Abbey is still alive.”

“Until she admits that she stole my famous Lemon Pie recipe, that woman is dead to me.”

“More like infamous,” I muttered.

She gathered her notebook and stood up. “Look, I’m going to try to wrestle the sat phone away really quick, so I can fact check a source. We’ll continue this later.”

“Mom,” I demanded, grabbing her hand as she tried to leave. “I’m telling you the truth.”

“I really don’t have time for this, honey.”

Magic swirled around internally in response to my jumbled emotions. I couldn’t see them, but judging by the shock on her face, I’m guessing my eyes were glowing. Leaking power always caused my eyes to glow blue. This time wasn’t an exception.

Silence followed as I reined in my power. I gently tugged on her hand till she hit the edge of the cot and plopped back down. I gave the others a quiet look.

“Guys, can you give us a minute, please?”

They reluctantly left after seeing my pleading stare. Their support was appreciated, but I needed to do this one on my own. It’s been a long time coming.

There was silence. It hung in the air between us as this oppressive thing. It stretched on for ten seconds, thirty, a full minute.

“I don’t understand,” is what she opened with.

Her tone was vacant, and she looked at me like it was the first time really seeing me. I had to look away.

I focused on the gymnasium floorboards. I couldn’t look her in the eyes yet. “I was going to tell you one day. I just couldn’t lie anymore, I guess.” I smiled shakily. “You know I suck at it.”

“This isn’t...” she mumbled weakly. “How?”

I took a shaky breath, and I knew I was pale. I felt like shit. “We’re called the Chosen. The less anyone knows about us is best.”

“You were the first one,” Mom realized faintly.

She stared at me for a long moment. The pieces were coming together. I could read it on her face. All the little moments were adding up in her head.

I bit my lip and said hesitantly, “Mom?”

“It all makes sense. The late nights, the bruises or cuts you can never explain.” The blood drained from her face, and I winced as each accusation felt like a bullet.

“You noticed that, huh?”

Her eyes narrowed at my attempt at coyness. “Do you know how much danger –- I can’t believe I never noticed. You’ve been playing superhero all this time. What if you had died? Did you think about that, how that would make your family feel?”

My mouth formed a scowl before I could stop it. “That’s all I think about! It’s why I do this.”

“You don’t have to,” she countered.

A humorless laugh escaped from my throat. “I wish that were true. If I don’t fight, I’ll be dead anyway. You don’t realize how many disasters we’ve averted... If I didn’t fight, there would be nothing to fight for. We’d all be dead.”

Mom took my hand. “Have you tried not being Chosen?”

My mouth dropped.

“It’s kind of something I was born with.”

She pursed her lips nonplussed. “Get someone else to do it,” she said dismissively.

Anger started to rise in me. I opened my mouth and then stopped. How many times had I asked myself that same thing? When I spoke, it was quiet and with dedication.

“I asked that at first. All the time.” I smiled fleetingly. “Then I got used to it. I make a difference. The fighting…I wish I didn’t have to do it, but I like saving people. No one else can do what we do. It’s destiny.”

“Destiny?” Mom repeated, thick tears rolling down her cheeks. “Destiny makes you go out and risk your life? Would Destiny make my baby lie to me? God, if you had died, we never would’ve known!” She choked on emotion, gripping my hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white. “Destiny took your father, and now it wants you. Please. Don’t do this anymore. I can’t lose you too.”

“I’m sorry.” I could feel my face crumble as my lower lip trembled. I held her hands just as tightly. “I can’t, Mom. This is who I am.”

She shook her head, stubbornly. “No! You’re just Chad. My little boy who colors outside the lines. When you’re sick, you like 7-up and not ginger ale. You wear too much blue, and you have a ridiculous fear of cats.” Tears fell thickly as she twisted her fingers in the sleeves of my shirt. “My baby boy.”

I turned but heard her sigh.

“You’re not going to stop, are you?”

Meeting her gaze steadily, I shook my head. “I’m not. I’m still your Chad. But I’m also Warlock. I’m the leader of the Chosen. I can’t change that for anything.”

“So much like your dad,” she whispered sadly.

I could visibly see the fight leave her. Her shoulders sagged as the tension receded, leaving only a tired sadness that lingered at the edges of her eyes and around her mouth.

“Are you disappointed in me?

Mom looked at me quickly. “I’m feeling a lot of things right now. But I have never been disappointed in you. Not now, not ever.”

I felt a warm glow in my stomach. I couldn’t help sitting a little straighter because of the fierce pride she had in me while even being furious with me. Her hand came up, and she cupped my cheek fondly.

“You’ve grown up so much these last few years.” A tear rolled down the side of her face. “Please don’t—-”

I rested my hand over hers, covering my cheek. “I won’t die. I promise.” A gentle smile settled on my face. “I’ll make you so proud of me.”

“Always proud.”

That got a real smile from her. She hugged me and then leaned back to wipe her eyes with the napkins from the MRE’s. Mom composed herself, and a curiosity I was used to appeared in her expression.

“Your friends. They’re all superheroes, Chosen?”

I nodded. “I was first. Ryan was next, then Killian and Adam were last. There’s Kevin too but—-”

“Kevin is like you?” she interrupted more than shocked. “I don’t understand. You said you were born this way?”

I half smiled. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“We’ve got time.”

I started to talk but stilled as a tremor raced through the floor. The building shook suddenly, but it wasn’t an earthquake. Gunfire echoed through the air, and everyone screamed as the shaking intensified and more gunfire joined the explosion of noise. It was chaos under the gymnasium roof as fear spread like a virus.

“Mom!” Morgan raced to our mother and threw her arms around her.

I breathed a little easier when the guys parted through the fear filled crowd. Nathaniel stood near my mother and I knew he would do his absolute best to make sure no harm befall my family.

“We’re out of time,” said Ryan.

Adam suddenly looked up. “Guys!”

There was another great rumble, and terrible crunching, like metal grinding together, and the ceiling support beams broke. With a thunderous crunch, the ceiling was heaved away before our eyes, like some gigantic invisible hand had torn it off, and it was flung through the air.

The open ceiling left us exposed to a horrendous sight. Voidwalkers, hundreds of them, filled the sky in a swarm of darkly glowing creatures of malevolent energy and rippling bodies of intangible flesh. They filled out the sky like some twisted host of demons from the deepest pit of Hell. They reeked of terrible otherness that skewed at the senses as reality protested the foreign entities screaming wrongwrongwrong.

The crowded people flinched and cowered before the alien entities. I was more worried about the trio hovering in the sky looking down on us like the gods they so wanted to be. Cobalt had no trouble picking me out of a crowd. He glared down at me with lightning dancing within his irises.

“Sloppy portal casting, as always. You weren’t hard to find.” His voice was laced with magic and it mercilessly pounded against our skulls. Children went to their knees even as there was a myriad of hurt cries. “You stupid, stupid boys. You just don’t know how to mind your own business.”

Axel clicked his fingers and a middle aged woman clutched at her head with an agonized scream. Blood poured from her nose and she clawed at her head. Her glasses clattered to the ground even as she fell to her knees.

“Stop it!” I yelled over the alarmed shouts that erupted.

Reece smirked viciously. “Finally, he speaks.”

If they wanted to drag us out of the closet, we weren’t going to do it kicking and screaming. The four of us traded significant glances, and a decision was made. Together we stepped forward. Even as we took our last step, the uniform of the Chosen formed around us, flowing out and replacing our clothes. The Chosen were unveiled, strong, standing shoulder to shoulder, and united.

Morgan let out a surprised noise.

Mom stared at us with wonder. Knowing and seeing were different things.

“You should know this won’t end well for you,” I promised, staring up at the army of death. “Like you don’t know, but you’re not the first, or the last enemy to underestimate us. Leave now, or we’ll drop you.”

The crowd who had been quiet with awe, let out a resounding cheer. Faced with death, the hope that we represented was like a miracle. I could almost feel their resolve strengthen and bolster as a wave of hope swept through the crowd.

“Is that a royal decree?” Cobalt let out a mocking laugh, silencing the crowd and sending them to their knees with his amplified voice. “Try and make us, Your Highness.”

I was bluffing. And they knew it too. Considering the odds, we were more than fucked. We could probably survive, but the death toll would be catastrophic. The people we were protecting wouldn’t survive this firefight. An all-out fight would nuke this whole block.

“Chad?”

It was said with a whisper, but Cobalt heard my mother like she was shouting. His eyes landed on her, and they gleamed with wickedness that made my heart sink.

“And mommy’s here too!” he yelled happily. “Awesome.”

Three things happened at once.

Cobalt conjured a lethal globe of obsidian energy.

I raised my arms, and ruby light gathered in my waiting palms.

White light fell through the open ceiling like a comet.

Before our eyes and amazement of everyone, great white wings unfurled within the dazzling light, transforming, reshaping, and turning into something else. There was a sudden bright flare and standing within the light was now a person. Angelic white wings flashed across my vision before they were gone.

The light receded, revealing Halo.

“Kevin,” I could only whisper, frozen to the spot like everyone else, as the champion of balance stood tall.

Halo stared up at the waiting enemy and said only, “There will be a reckoning.”

He flicked his hand and a ripple, like the heat across the desert air, wavered. Then a tall ornate staff appeared in his waiting hand. Halo raised the staff, and a terrific wave of silver power surged not upwards, like I was expecting, but around us.

The light didn’t touch those above they remained unharmed; however, the six hundred or so people, every one of them with us included, vanished. Our entire world became an all-encompassing light.

As the light began to reach unbearable levels, there was a gentle wind and a soothing warmth as it began to fade. I opened my eyes, and my heart almost burst. We stood at the edge of a forest of otherworldly trees with glowing bark and leaves of glinting silver. That was behind us. The sight in front of the crowd of curious and amazed onlookers was what held my attention. A sandy beach marked the barrier of a gentle sea where the city of Atlantis rested upon the calm waters. Lustrous silver towers of tritium metal and majestic spires rose high into the blue sky. Above them, like a sentential, soared the Imperium Tower.

“Atlantis?” Adam said faintly.

I shook my head, staring at the city with disbelief, but feeling like I’d come home.

His mind was always thinking faster than most; it was Ryan who concluded first. “We’re in the Dreamlands.”

Halo took in our reactions waiting for it to sink in. He leaned against his staff and smiled, it was small but warm, and he looked glad to see us.

“Everyone will be safe here.” He stared right at me with a half smile. “Sorry, I couldn’t come back sooner.” His smile fell then. “Pay attention, brother, because things are about to get complicated.”