《The Elementalists》


 Chapter 1 - Kass

    Dust and sand shiver beneath my feet as I walk, alone. The sky above the mountain is vicious purple swirled with grey, the colours smudged as though by clumsy fingers. Clouds tumble over each other and around my throat.


    I can''t breathe.


    The pain is everything. Everywhere. I close my eyes against a swell of horror, as beads of sweat speckle across my temple. Running hasn''t helped¡ªyou can''t run from what I''ve just seen¡ªand images flash unchecked under my eyelids as the rush of thunder fills my ears. My mouth falls open and a scream rips forth¡ª


    No.


    I fall to my knees, my hands trembling in the dirt. The ruined ground of the mountain shakes back at my touch.


    Then¡ªa crack. Deep through the earth, under my thumb. Just a splinter at first, but then it grows, blossoming beneath my fingertips. I watch, eyes wide, as it flows from me, a river through the rock, splitting into a hundred tributaries, meandering streams¡ª


    ''No!''


    I bolt, but the ground begins to crumble. It gives way beneath my every step, cracks collapsing into chasms that yawn, and even though I know it won''t do any good, I run and run, my eyes streaming against the biting winds¡ª


    It stops. Just like that. I stop too, my breath bursting out in shuddering gasps. My knees buckle and I fall, exhaustion heavy, dragging me down. I rest my cheek against the cool, trembling earth. A sob wells in my chest, breaking free unhindered; I cry until the purple clouds roll into the distance, leaving a dull grey residue in their place. Slowly, gently, the ground melts away, leaving me stranded, alone, in the debris. I surrender, letting unconsciousness envelop me in its arms. Take me away, I think.


    And it does. For a few, short minutes, it does.


    *


    I remember the weeks that came . . .before. My upcoming birthday had been the talk of Quillin. It was my sixteenth, see, and as though the limelight wasn''t special enough, my little sister, Kitty, insisted on treating me like a goddamn celebrity. It was cute, I guess, but too much. A bit like Kitty herself, really. She''d even pounce on my back just to stop me going in rooms containing "forbidden birthday secrets", her hands snaking over my eyes. Her giggles loud in my ear.


    As I lie here, eyes closed on the mountain side, the memory of Kitty''s laughter makes me smile.


    ''You''re only sixteen once,'' Mum reminded me, only yesterday evening. We were hanging up laundry on the rickety line outside our pod, my arms full of table linen and hole-pocked underwear, when the hurricane that wasKittyarrived. She hurtled towards us down the street, a suspiciously cake-shaped box in her arms, andbargedus out of the way, slamming the front door behind her. Sheets and spotted socks went flying.


    ''Don''t youdarecome inside,Kass!''


    Scowling, I bent down to gather up the fallen socks. ''Yeah, but she''s acting like I''m frikkin'' General Jinaka. It''s notthatbig of a deal.'' Dumping them back on the line, I leaned against our front door, picking at the flaking wood chips. Kitty was making such a racket inside; I could hear her thundering about through the walls.


    Mum cuffed me across the head, lips twitching. ''Oh, shush, I know you love it. You should be flattered she cares; how many other little sisters idolise their brothers like Kitty does?''


    I snorted. ''Yeah but there''s making a big deal and there''s whatever-the-heck Kitty''s doing. It''s too much.''


    ''She just wants you to have a good time.'' Mum chuckled. ''Don''t be such a grouch.''


    I rolled my eyes. ''Guess I''ll go to Niv''s, then. See you later.''


    ''Don''t be long, kiddo.'' Mum ruffled my hair and sighed as I wriggled away to flatten it back down. ''I''ve got to make the most of calling you that. One more day and you''re officially a man. My little Kass, my baby¡ª''


    She didn''t know how right she was.


    Mum''s words rang in my ears as I slouched down the street to Niven''s place. The lights inside his pod were on. I swept aside the Futurist flag (a cheap imitation but still the right shade of cerulean blue) that covered the window and peered inside, coughing as a stream of cooking smoke trickled through the cracks. I rapped on the glass with my knuckles; the window flew open.


    ''Kass?''


    ''Hey, man, what''s up?''


    My best mate, Niven, appeared at the window. He propped his elbows up on the frame, resting his pointed chin in his hands. ''It''s kinda late. What are you doing here? It''ll be curfew soon.''


    ''Notthatsoon. Aw come on, Kitty won''t let me in at home. She''s in full birthday-barmy mode.''


    ''Ah. Planning secret things for your sixteenth, huh?'' Niv pushed his mop of curly hair off his face with a smirk, revealing the mischievous glint in his eyes. On his sixteenth, we all took a wormhole to the ancient canyons of S?hrazona. We spent the whole day there, everyone in the village, we all chipped in. When we got back, we partied in the streets until the sky turned purple and the curfew alarm rang; then we raced to Niv''s pod to feast the night away on helium drinks and sugar-beet snacks. We''d saved ration tokens all year long. I was only fourteen. The thought of reaching sixteen blew my mind.


    See, getting to sixteenth was a bit of a big deal on Tellus. Few kids made it, what with the toxic air, food shortages and lack of healthcare. . . But at sixteen, everything changed. You qualified for your adulthood-vaccinations and from then on, you could expect to live a long, healthy life.


    Usually.


    ''Sorry man, come in. I was just watching the news. Have you seen what''s going on?'' Niven shuffled aside, letting me climb in through the window; I clambered unceremoniously over the ledge, falling flat on my ass on the floor.


    ''No?''


    ''Check it out.'' We settled on Niv''s bed to watch his fuzzy, lopsided TV; the rickety frame creaked under our weight. On the screen, a man in a startling-blue blazer and the Futurist badge frowned into an interviewer''s microphone. It was some sort of press conference.


    ''For years, we''ve done everything in our power to locate the Elementalists, but it''s no simple task. We fear that the closer they get to sixteen, the stronger their powers become¡ª''


    ''It''s the General!'' My eyes widened and I leaned in closer, drinking him in: the great General Jinaka, leader of the FUTURE party, father of all Futurists. As though the nearer I was to the screen, the more he''d soak into my brain.


    Niven grinned, nudging me with his shoulder. ''I knew you''d be interested.''


    ''But he never does press conferences! He''s famous for it!''


    ''I know!'' Niven was laughing now. ''I''m so glad I get to spend this monumental occasion with you.''


    ''He''s so awesome.'' I sighed, lying on my front and gazing at the cracked screen. It''s weird; the General seems almost plain, at first. A balding middle-aged guy, bit short, kind of stocky. Scrubby beard. But when you look closer, you notice his expression. It''s hard to explain. It''s like when he smiles, you feel like he knows you''re starving and is going to come to your pod and personally feed you dinner from a spoon. Just to make you feel better. Which isn''t far from the truth; he''s travelled the world handing out extra rations, and donates all his salary to fund health-care to the poor. My bedroom wall was covered with posters of the Futurist General; I could only imagine what it felt like to live in the same city as him. His city, Singavere. ''What''s brought him out to the public?''


    ''Shut up fawning for a second and you''ll find out.''


    Grabbing a pillow, I smashed Niv''s face, kicking my shoes off and pummelling his stomach with my feet. With a yelp, Niv grabbed my arms and wrenched them backwards. But even as we fought, I couldn''t help keep an eye on General Jinaka, who was now appealing directly to the cameras. His eyes intense as ever.


    ''It is imperative that members of the public do not go out after curfew, however mild the weather might look. The atmosphere is at its highest level of toxicity in years, and we believe that this directly correlates with the imminent coming-of-age of the Elementalists. If you see anyone around sixteen acting suspiciously, youmustreport them to your local authorities. Let no-one be above suspicion. You will be rewarded greatly¡ªif we want to stop these fugitives, we needyourhelp. For the safety of our Futurist Nation, wemustlocate the Elementalists and stop their inevitable reign of terror¡ª''


    At some point, we lay down our pillows and flopped onto the bed. Niven was gazing at the General and sighed. ''He really cares about us, you know?''


    ''Yeah. If anyone can find them, he can.'' The interviewer was now asking a scientist with Jinaka a complicated question about Elementalists. I''d learnt a bit about them back when I used to go to school, but it''s one of those things thatsoundslike it''s going to be interesting, but then lets you down by being really boring and complicated, physics kind of stuff. Without Jinaka in the spotlight, my interest waned. ''Niv, let''s sneak in a round ofSandshipsbefore curfew!''


    Last week, Niv got this virtual-reality chip as part of his cadet training; he''d just been accepted into the most elite space-training programme in Singavere. It was awesome, a wafer-thin disc that you slipped over your eye. I''d never seen anything like it. The technology in Singavere was on another level to anything we had in Quillin, so I''d been round Niven''s pod every day since he got it for my video-games fix. We''d just got to level ten onSandshipsof Vesta¡ªwe settled down together to tackle the boss.


    I quickly lost track of time; it was dark when Niv''s mum kicked me out. Darkness was dangerous. Curfew was due any minute and the streets were already deserted. Rows of off-white domes lined each side of broken cobbled roads, and as I walked between them, curtains drew closed and locks clicked. All the while, the familiar, musty-smelling mist that always hung in the air fanned between our domed-pod houses, and I glanced upwards. The sky was not yet completely purple, but it wouldn''t be long. I accelerated into a run.


    Our front door seemed impatient as I approached. ''Mum? Dad?'' I pressed my palm to the plastic lock-panel; it glowed orange and the door slid open. I trudged in, shaking dew out of my hair and shrugging off my cloak. The thick folds fell to the floor with a soft flump. ''Kitty?''


    ''Kassius McKenzie! Where have youbeen?''


    Goddammit. My dad''s strong gravel-crunch voice sounded amazing when he was pleased with you. Except, right then he was not pleased with me. His rough farmer''s hands dragged me into the pitch-black living room, and I stumbled over a chair leg.


    ''Dad? Why the hell are the lights out?''


    ''We ran out of power. And I asked you where you''ve been. You know it''s dangerous to be out so late.'' His stumpy fingers dug into my arms, and I wriggled out of their grasp.


    ''Jeez, Dad, relax! I was only at Niv''s; I told Mum I was going. I tried to come home but Kitty wouldn''t let me in.'' I frowned at my dad''s shadowed figure; if I squinted, I could just about make out his hands on his hips. ''How can we have used up the electricity already? We had a week''s supply left this morning.''


    ''Never you mind,'' Dad said through gritted teeth, and I grinned, safe, hidden in the dark. Whatever they were planning for my birthday must have used up all the power. My mind whirred with possibilities.


    ''There you are. I was getting worried.'' Another shadow, more affectionate, joined us and pulled me close. ''How could you leave it so late to come home?''


    ''Sorry.'' I eased Mum off my shoulders. ''I lost track of time. I was playing Niv''s new game¡ª''


    Dad swatted me across the head. ''Late because of video gamesagain,Kass? Come on. I thought when you started at the farm you''d grow out of this nonsense. You can be so damn irresponsible; what''s it going to take?''


    ''Sorry.'' Shame crept up the back of my neck. Dad was right; it was stupid. Right on cue, the curfew siren sliced the quiet of the night; my parents brought their hands to their ears. It sounded just like a wailing child. Suddenly Kitty was there, hugging me around the waist.


    ''Make it stop.. .''


    ''It''s okay, Kitty-Kat. It''s okay.'' Her nose burrowed into my sweatshirt as thunder clapped louder than ever, and I rocked her gently in my arms. Together, we looked out of the window to watch the golden lightning slice through the night, the pavements glow purple and the mist alight.


    Just another regular night on the Caeltanican Cloud Islands.


    *


    Someone was shaking me awake. It smelt like morning: damp sulphur and Mum''s cinnamon porridge. I tugged my blanket over my head with a groan.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ''Wake up, sleepyhead. It''s your birthday. . .''


    Wait. . .


    ''My¡ª'' Bloody hell. I''m sixteen! My eyelids flickered, and still in a daze, I rubbed crust out of my eyes. ''What time is it?''


    ''Early, baby.'' A hand stroked my hair; blearily, I opened my eyes but it was so dark. I could barely see a thing.


    ''Mum! It''s the crack of dawn. Why''d you wake me up so early?''


    ''You need to leave, sweetheart. Now.''


    I sat up. The sky outside my bedroom window had relaxed into a pale mauve and was weeping, droplets plopping soft to the ground. Kitty''s sleeping frame rose and fell, huddled beneath her blanket. I looked up into my mother''s face as she crouched beside my bed.


    ''I have to leave? What, now? But it''s so early. . .''


    ''Yes. I''m sorry.'' Mum''s voice trembled. Her eyes full of tears.


    ''What''s going on? I guessed there''d be surprises, but. . .''


    ''I''m sorry, Kass. I''m just¡ªit''s just¡ªan emotional day. My boy, sixteen . . . I never thought . . .''


    I cut her off with a hug . ''It''s okay, I get it.My baby hit sixteen, wah, wah, boo, hoo.Get it all out of your system now, Mum¡ªI want you happy by the time I get back. How long do you need me gone for?''


    ''A few hours at least.'' She sniffed, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. ''Enough time for . . . Well. Enough time.''


    I stumbled out of bed, trying not to disturb Kitty. She''d been clingy after the storm, not letting me banish her to her own bed for hours. Her breathing was heavy, strong enough to blow the seeds off a dandelion. I listened to her in silence whilst Mum bustled about.


    ''Here.'' She shoved a bundle of warm shaggy wool into my hands. My cloak. ''Put these on.'' She kicked my muddy boots towards me, then busied herself with Kitty''s blanket. I pulled a jumper from the floor over my head then wrestled my boots over reluctant feet, straining on the heavy leather straps. Finally, I swung the cloak over my shoulders.


    ''I''m feeling a little unloved here. Chucking me out in the rain on my birthday¡ªthis wasn''t quite what I was expecting.''


    ''Me either, Kassie. Me either.'' Mum descended on me, clutching me to her body. ''I thought we''d be more prepared,'' she mumbled into the folds of my cloak. ''We thought¡ªwe thought by the time this day came, we''d be ready. But now . . .'' Her voice caught in her throat, and I blinked, utterly clueless. I''d never seen Mum like this before. ''Now. . .'' Her shoulders shuddered against my chest. ''Now I just don''t¡ªI don''t¡ª''


    ''It''s okay,'' I said, patting her tentatively on the back. ''I don''t mind if you''re not ready. I''ll come back in two hours, alright? Think you''ll be ready by then?''


    ''Better make it three,'' she whispered, finally letting go. I sprang backwards, wiping hot tears off my cheek with the back of my hand and scrunching up my nose.


    ''You''re gross, you know that?''


    ''And you''re perfect.'' She touched the spot where her tears dusted my cheek, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. ''Go on then¡ªget off with you. You better not come back before we''re ready, though, or you''ll ruin the surprise. I know¡ªgo to the farm and shear some wool for the market.''


    I huffed. ''Making me work on my birthday? Slave driver.'' We walked into the hallway together and I grabbed my mud-stained rucksack from the cubby hole in the wall. It had everything I needed: gloves, torch, shears, scissors. I slung it over my shoulder and opened the door to the howl of the wind, rain splattering across my face like tears. Mum called out to me as I left.


    ''See you soon!''


    I ran off into the the mist without a backwards glance. The sooner I left, the sooner I could return.


    *


    My village was high up in the Quillin Hills, our pods speckled between irregular rock formations in a valley that snaked all the way down the mountain. The Cloud Islands of Caeltanica were once beautiful, as most places on Tellus were once, and I was lucky to have been brought up there, far from the dangers of the mainland. But still. It was a husk of how it used to be.


    There was nothing to do, nothing but the vast emptiness of the world. You could travel for miles and still find nothing but barren rock and dirt. Every now and again, you might come across a tree. Niven and I loved climbing trees; higher and higher until we were on top of the world in a forest of branches, and there was something about it that just felt real. Alive.


    But of course, the trees were all dead. Once we reached the top, we''d slide all the way down inside the trunks until our feet hit the bottom with a haunting echo. There were no leaves, no flashes of colour, no life. Just dead, brown bark, crisping in the cold.


    It wasn''t always like this. War left this world behind.


    Still, it''s not like we had to stay in Quillin all the time. At the bottom of the valley, we could teleport through Wormhole 2056 to anywhere within that Wormhole''s database. Permissible places economically similar to Quillin. The authorities allowed us to trade between ourselves; we specialised in wool. We got all our ration tokens, water, and electricity by trading with the government, but could trade any extras we had, as well as tokens, for whatever we wanted in the foreign markets: food, gadgets, clothes, toys, books. But we got fewer and fewer coats of wool from our goats each month, and we knew they wouldn''t be able to sustain us for much longer. Each night, we''d sit down to pray that the government would relocate us to another, better, planet.


    Let it be Ra, I''d pray before bed. No one believed in the old Caeltanican gods anymore, but my parents were traditional and insisted we still pray. Kitty longed for Lares, but for me, it was always Ra. Please.Please.


    The rain was heavy as I squelched down the valley towards the farm; it was miles away, a good few hours return trip. A smile played on my lips. It would be worth it. Still¡ªthe damnrain. It sizzled right through the fabric of my cloak. I pulled a hat from my rucksack and rammed it on under my hood for extra protection. The sulphurous smell leached from puddles that sprayed under foot, and I wrinkled my nose, tugging my cloak tighter around my shoulders.


    I reached the farm at sunrise, as a strange mix of amethyst and orange flooded the sky. The goats were waiting for me by the fence, rearing up on their hind legs, bleating. They cantered between my legs, long fur draping in the mud; I knelt down beside them to stroke each one, before wrestling the huge comb and scissor set out of my satchel. Then, I looked around for a suitable goat.


    ''There you are.'' A rather large, curly-haired male lurked on the other side of the paddock, hiding. ''You''ll do.'' It regarded me with resigned eyes, then settled into my lap. He knew the drill.


    One hour moulded into two, and the weather showed no signs of clearing up. It was as though the sky was purging itself of a year''s worth of acid¡ªand soon, my mohair was soaked through. I shivered, shaking rivulets of rainwater and hair out of my eyes; the acrid sting brought tears to my lashes and I scrubbed them away.


    ''Quit wriggling, Duster.'' I tried to coax the soggy creature under the paddock''s flimsy tarpaulin shelter, but he was having none of it. The rains shouldn''t have lasted so long¡ªI''d look a mess on my birthday. With a huff, I forced my shears through his coat; it had gummed together into a sticky mulch thatdidn''t¡ªwant¡ªto¡ªbe¡ªcut. Duster bleated balefully at me.


    ''Sorry. You know it''s harder when you''re wet. Hey, what do you think they''re planning. . ? We haven''t had a birthday since Niv. Celine didn''t make it . . . I guess this will be hard on her parents.'' I paused, prising apart some of Duster''s more stubborn hairs. ''Still. Whatever it is, it''ll be good. More than good.'' I couldn''t help breaking into a grin. ''I hope we''re going to Paradise Park. That would be awesome.'' I stopped talking, abruptly realising that I was having a conversation with a goat.


    The journey back was harder with mounds of sodden wool weighing me down. My back ached and I started to sweat as I staggered along the hillside, cursing my family''s lack of organisation. It didn''thaveto be Paradise Park, something small would do. Something crashed in the distance and I tripped, slicing the top layer of skin off my palm. Sucking it mutinously, I wrenched myself to my feet. ''Goddammit, Kit. This has to be your fault.''


    The smell of sulphur usually faded at daybreak, once the acid rains subsided. But that morning¡ªit was only this morning¡ªthe smell was getting stronger. I stopped a mile away from my village, gagging at the stench. What''s going on? My chest tightened. I''d always been sensitive to sulphur, ever since I was a kid. Dropping my bag, I threw everything out until I found my inhaler. A few deep breaths later, I relaxed, letting myself slide down against the rocks, resting my forehead on my knees. I had to get home. I hadn''t had an attack in ages; Mum would want to know. Struggling to catch my breath, I headed off once more.


    But the smell kept growing stronger. I had to stop three more times¡ªwhat the hell was going on? I screwed up my eyes against the rain, looking around for anything that could be causing it. . .


    ''Dammit.'' I stomped forwards, splattering my trousers with mud. ''Why does it have to storm today?'' But relief was starting to filter through, warming me through the cold. There, through the mist, was the cliff face I knew, and around that corner was the valley, myvalley. Once I got there¡ªmy heart gave an excitable skip. What birthday surprise had they got in store for me?


    I ran around the corner, wheezing with each step, but it was worth it, because¡ª


    Because. . .


    My breathing slowed to a stop. My heart slowed to a stop.


    Five blue tanks, bigger than three of our pods combined, were parked by the entrance to the valley. The villagers, my neighbours, were lined up outside their houses in a trail that ran all the way down the valley, their hands held up high behind their heads. I could see five-year-old Melody. See her shaking all the way from where I stood, dripping in the fog. In front of them were soldiers. In the soldiers hands were guns.


    Someone shouted¡ªI heard a yell. Then, shots.


    My mouth opened to scream, but nothing came out. My chest collapsed in on itself, and all that emerged was a whisper of a wheeze.


    The villagers of Quillin fell one by one. Dominoes. The sharp, high-pitched soldiers'' commands were punctuated by awhoosh-ing noise; a drone whizzed over my head, followed quickly by a second, a third. They zoomed through the sky before swooping down to circle the soldiers. Vultures waiting to feast.


    Run.


    With a gasp, my chest expanded and my legs moved on auto-pilot; I had to find Niv and my family. The tanks were barring Quillin''s main entrance but there were other ways in; staggering, I raced around to the other side of the hill and fled down a rocky passageway that I knew led straight to Niven''s house.


    The last time I''d run down that path, I''d been chasing Kitty, skidding over pebbles and laughing as we landed in a heap at the bottom. Bruised and giddy. Niven had come around the corner to greet us.


    This time, nobody greeted me as I emerged from the passage. The tanks had beaten me to it; chunks of white plastic, that had once been our pods, our homes, were strewn across the ground. Melting. Steaming. Stinking.


    Pale plastic doors that held our identification panels lay scattered in twisted pieces that belched black smoke into the air. The mist was worse¡ªso much worse¡ªthe smoke mingling with the fog to form a thick blanket coating everything, everywhere.And all around¡ªall around me¡ªwere bodies.


    I choked, falling to my knees.


    Lightning flashed. Rain danced on my shoulders. My heart beat in my ears¡ªboom, boom, boom.Then I was on my feet, sprinting through the mess, with smoke in my hair, my lungs, my mouth¡ª


    Something caught my foot. I tripped, landing face down in the mud. ''No, no. . .''


    A hand lay next to my foot. I knew that hand. I knew the woman attached to it. It was Niv''s mum. With a bullet hole¡ªa third, evil, eye¡ªin the centre of her forehead.


    ''No, no, no, NO¡ª''


    I wrenched myself to my knees and clawed my way through the smoke.


    ''MUM?'' I screamed. I could hear the not-so-far-off sounds of gunshots, but I couldn''t stop myself. ''DAD? KITTY?''


    No one answered. Just the silence of rain and the dead.


    ''Kitty? Muuuuum?''


    ''NIVEN?''


    ''No . . .no . . .''


    My knees kept giving way and spots clouded my vision. But at last, I spotted someone on the ground outside where my pod used to be.


    ''Niven?'' I collapsed beside my friend. My best friend, who made it to sixteen against all the odds, who was moving to Singavere in the summer, to the great Space Port. He was going to study with the Futurists, he was going to get away¡ª


    ''Niven, wake up,wake up!''Except his face wasn''t hisanymore. Pale and blank, he stared up at the swirling sky above him, seeing nothing, hearing nothing. I swept his curls out of the way, and as hard as I could, coughed into his mouth what pitiful air I had left inside.


    ''Please, Niv,please¡ª''


    Kitty. Mum. Dad. Maybe . . . maybe¡ª


    I dropped Niven''s head, and it banged against the ground. In an instant I was up and facing my pod. The soldiers had been; bullet holes spattered my front door. With a quivering hand, I pushed it open. The smell inside made me heave, and I spat vomit onto the hallway floor. The bright white floor was spotted with blood.


    ''MUM?''


    No answer. I ran into the living room and cried out at the mess that was once my home: the television smashed across the floor; our meagre ornaments decorating the carpet in fragments; the table on its side, forlorn by the doorway. I pushed aside a pile of debris, blind in the dark¡ªMum, Kit, Dad¡ªfeeling my way through what used to feel so familiar but now felt so alien¡ª


    A balloon. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a balloon. Drifting lazily by. I watched it, boiling tears of silent hate spilling over and down my cheeks.It was my birthday.Across the floor were smears of chocolate sponge and frosty-white icing.


    ''K-Kass?''


    Finally, a voice. A sparkler in the dark. I tore through the wreckage to find her¡ªthere. There, under our crooked old gas hob. It lay on top of her like a cage.


    ''Mum¡ª''


    It was her. Face streaked with blood, hair plastered to her face with sweat. And¡ªmy stomach lurched. The rest of her body. It was¡ªit was¡ª


    ''No,'' Mum whispered.''No.''Her voice cracked, bringing my own sobs to the surface; I couldn''t swallow them down any longer. ''You''re not supposed to be here. You were meant to be safe. . .''


    ''What¡ªwhathappened?You¡ªyou''re¡ª''


    ''Shut¡ªup.''Her lips were so pale. Her chest barely moving. I lowered myself as far as I could, hands splayed in a red, expanding pool. ''You must¡ªlisten¡ªto me . . .''


    Her hand found mine and she clenched it.


    ''You have to¡ªget out of here. They¡ªtheycame¡ªI feared they would. But Ineverthought they would¡ªdothis.I¡ªI''m so sorry. . .''


    ''I don''t understand.'' My tears were snowflakes on her cheeks. ''Please, Mum, tell me what to do.''


    ''Theycame . . .for you. I¡ªthought¡ªthey would but . . . they didn''t find you. I made sure.'' Her eyes closed, a satisfied smile breaking through and lingering on her lips. ''But you¡ªyou cannot stay. They''re still here. They might¡ªfind you¡ª''


    ''Whomight find me?Who are they?''


    ''Shh.'' Her fingers found my cheek. ''You''ve got to go. You have so far to go, my boy, my sweet¡ªsweet boy¡ª''


    ''Mum?''


    ''In¡ªmy shoe. Take it . . . take it and run . . .''


    My breath caught. Her hand went slack and her smile melted. Just like that.


    Silence. Nothing.


    Gone.


    *


    They came for you. I thought they would but they didn''t find you. I made sure. They came. . . They came forYOU. . .


    Her words swirled around in my head.


    They came foryou. . .


    People died. . . Because of me?


    Take it . . . In my shoe . . .Takeit. . .


    My fingers fumbled with the laces of her shoe. A bow-knot. Her boots, lined with fur. Now lined with blood.


    Inside was a note and a small beige coin. Or maybe it was a button; I pressed it and maybe I was seeing things, but I could have sworn that it changed colour to black. I turned it over, pressing it again, but nothing happened. I turned instead to the note, my fingers trembling so much that it was almost impossible to hold it still enough to read.


    ''Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh,'' the note said, in my mother''s rushed scrawl. ''Find the peak. A box, your box. Inside is the truth.''


    *


    That was when I ran.


    Faster and faster. The longer I ran, the more everything bubbled up. I couldn''t breathe.


    They came for you. They came for you.


    They came forme?


    Just run, Kass.Faster and faster and faster.


    It was nearly impossibly getting out of the village unseen. I didn''t know how many people had died, how many had survived, but I''d been told to run and that was all I could do¡ª


    For hours, I ran. It seemed like hours¡ªhours, or days. Up the Quillin Hills. To the highest peak. I had to get there. I had to know.


    They came for you. They came for you. Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh. Find the peak. Find the truth.


    The highest peak. I slowed to a walk. Daylight dwindled, but still I walked. Who were they? Those dark blue soldiers. In their tanks of murder¡ª


    In that moment, on top of Quillin,somethingtook over. My eyes rolled up inside my head and there was rumble deep in the depths of my belly. Slowly, my fingers, my arms, then my whole body, began to shake. I couldn''t breathe. I couldn''tbreathe.


    I collapsed on all fours, eyes glowing in the purple night.


    And then, under my hand, the ground cracked. I watched it spread, my eyes growing wider, and then once again I was on my feet, running,running . . .


    Until finally, exhaustion overcame me, and everything stopped.


    *


    I passed out.


    The realisation is slow, stunted. I can''t have been out for long; my breath comes out in shudders as the memories, like ghosts, fade.


    I broke the earth.


    My eyelids flutter, hot and wet, against the ground.


    Somehow . . .I broke the earth.


    ''Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh. . .'' I whisper. The sun has started to sink behind the crooked peak of the mountain; soon, it will disappear completely. All that is left to see is a blur, a fading grey shadow, heading towards me, growing larger in the dwindling light. . .


    ''Kassius. . .''


    Someone takes my hand.

 Chapter 2 - Sammi

    ''Is she asleep?''


    ''I think she''s waking up!''


    ''Don''t be silly, she''s dreaming. Look, you can see her eyes moving under her eyelids. . .''


    But nobody really knows. Answers aren''t meant for the likes of us.


    My sister, Nura, has been asleep for the past four months. Her slumber consumes everything, the lives, hopes, and futures of my whole family, even though we knew it was bound to happen. Very few families have a child live to sixteen, let alone two like mine: my cousin, Musa, and me. By living, we doomed Nura; we don''t know of any family with three children alive.


    No one knows for sure what causes the toxin-sickness. The lack of clean water can''t help, or the rate bacteria flourishes. Nor the radiation that lingers, a relic of nuclear wars won and lost long ago. Whatever it is, it''s killing our children¡ªonly the strongest of us survive to sixteen and qualify for adulthood vaccines. Once vaccinated, our immune systems can handle almost everything.


    Why everyone can''t be vaccinated, I don''t know. No one does. Maybe only General Jinaka knows. I hope that one day, he has a child himself. And for the sickness to take his child away. I want him to know what it feels like.


    But it''s children like Nura who die instead. I miss her. I miss her so much. I miss waking up to her pulling my hair, wanting to play, her chimes-in-the-wind laugh. I miss how my dad used to watch us bicker with a smile and a drink in hand, and how we''d gang up on Musa, tickling him till he cried. I miss the glow of my mother''s happiness. It''s all gone now. Lost in an endless waiting game for something that will never happen. For we all know.


    Nura will never wake up.


    ''Samma, c''mon. Let''s get out of here.''


    A hand grabs the back of my shirt and pulls me through the crowd, away from Nura and my parent''s despair.


    ''Musa? What are youdoing?''


    I try to wriggle free but my cousin''s too strong. Musa slams his shoulder against our front door, accidentally knocking into a shocked elderly couple on their way to pay their respects. I smile an apology as I stumble after Musa, but I shouldn''t have bothered; they scuttle past us as fast as they can, avoiding eye-contact. I sigh. Even though Nu''s the one who''s sick, I''m the one treated like a pariah.


    ''Sorry, Sam. I just had to get out of there.'' Musa sinks to the ground outside our pod, puffing out his cheeks and leaning his head against the smooth white plastic.


    Ah. . . I hadn''t realised I''d been holding my breath. It eases out from my chest in a sigh and in that moment, watching Musa, I feel lighter. I settle down beside him, chewing the ends of my plait as his eyebrows scrunch into a frown. ''I know. I''m sorry.''


    ''What are you sorry for? It''s not your fault,'' he snaps. But just as quickly, his temper wanes and he rubs his eyes. ''Sorry. I didn''t mean it.''


    ''It''s okay,'' I mumble. ''It''s hard on all of us.''


    Musa shakes his head, picking at a hangnail on the side of his thumb. ''It''s just. . . It''s not fair. We should be celebrating. Hardly any families get two kids to sixteen. Hardly any. And all ours do is mope around after Nura. No one''s even wished you happy birthday.''


    I shrug. ''Well, in the grand scheme of things, it''s not really important.''


    ''Of course, it is! Nura''s going to die anyway, would it kill your parents to pay you some attention for a change?''


    ''Don''t say that.'' I struggle to my feet. I can''t even believe those words came out of his mouth. ''That''s a horrible thing to say.''


    ''Don''t act like you weren''t thinking it. You aren''t perfect, you know.''


    ''I''m not saying I am!'' Musa and I glower at each other, all family comradery vanishing abruptly. ''But getting mad won''t solve anything. It''s no one''s fault Nu got sick. And it''s not like it''syourbirthday being forgotten, is it.''


    ''Well, forgive me for caring.''


    I put my head in my hands. What am I doing? Musa isn''t just my cousin, he''s my best friend. Born just eighteen-months apart, we''ve always looked out for each other. He''s only upset on my behalf, and here I am, judging him for it. He looks so . . . I peek at him through my fingers. His mocha skin all flushed around his cheeks, eyes shining with something bright and furious, but not tears. Never tears.


    Everything about Musa is tense. From his clenched jaw, that stretches his skin taught over bones, to the hairs from his glossy black bun straining to escape at the nape of his neck. I''ve been told we look alike, almosttooalike, Musa and I. I look far more like him than I do my own sister. Nura''s the complete opposite of me, all wispy light hair and delicate complexion. The only difference between Musa and I is that no one is scared of Musa.


    Everyone is scared of me.


    ''Oh, forget it. Come on then, let''s go celebrate. Just you and me.'' Exactly the way it should be. I hold my hand out to Musa, smiling suddenly; I can never stay angry with Musa for long. He frowns, the fierce gleam in his eyes fading. ''How about we make a rule: no mourning on birthdays. Okay?''


    His face splits into the cheeky, wide grin I know and love so much. ''I''m glad you said that, ''cause I''ve got a little something planned. C''mon.'' Scrambling to his feet, he takes my hand and yanks me down the street, away from the shroud of misery that looms over our pod. And in our wake, the grey curl of mist that is always lurking, waiting, draws like a curtain over the town.


    *


    Al-Abhor, my home, used to be spectacular. High up in the S?hrazon hills beyond the Eternal Desert, it used to border a national park, full of wild birds of every colour and animals like monkeys¡ªtiny, chittering macaques to giant, lumbering baboons. But the park and its creatures are long gone now, leaving our home deep in the dark, dank solitude of the hillside. Several narrow tunnels lead through the hills to our local wormholes, but first you have to wade through thick marshland. We usually use the northern tunnel to Wormhole 23, but this morning, Musa drags me down the southern tunnel. There can only be one possible destination.


    ''Whyare we going to the baths?'' I hold up the folds of my baggy trousers and squelch through the mud, trying hard to keep up with him. It slurps through the straps of my sandals, right in-between my toes. I scrunch up my nose. ''It''s not Sunday.'' Everyone hates bathing day. The water around here stings like crazy from the sulphurous rain. It makes the water burn to the touch and too acidic to drink. We suffer baths once a week out of necessity, but it''s not exactly somewhere I''d volunteer to go more often.


    ''You''ll see,'' Musa grins. He''s acting very strange. Extra fidgety; he does this dance from foot to foot when he''s nervous, but this time there''s an almost mischievous spring to his step. I glance up at the sky and bite the inside of my cheek; purplish-grey clouds roll over our heads, preparing to settle over the town and get cosy. I pause to watch the drizzle start from our vantage point on the hillside.


    ''Don''t worry about the rain,'' Musa says. But I can''t tear my eyes away.


    ''The weather''s always worse when I''m around.''


    ''Don''t be silly. Compared to yesterday, this is beach weather.'' Musa nudges me in the ribs, trying to get a smile. It''s not working.


    ''It always rains when I''m around. . .'' My words peter out as the rain grows heavier by the minute.


    ''You''ve got it backwards,'' Musa mutters. ''It only rains when you leave.''


    You are my starlight, my mum used to sing.The light of my life. Shining your way through darkest nights.To me, it''s not just a song. It''s a mockery. Only clouds follow me, wherever I go. The wind always whips around my face, and then, when I leave, it rains. Maybe the clouds are crying for me. The thought brings a lump to my throat, and a burning shame to creep inside my¡ª


    ''Oi. Snap out of it.'' Musa shoves me in the arm; I stagger, teetering on the edge of the hillside.


    ''Watch it, idiot!''


    ''Well stop moping and hurry up. You''re only sixteen once.''


    When we''re together, our love grows stronger. Be mine forever, my sweet starlight.


    We splash through the tunnel until we emerge in a clearing, where rocks have been piled high to create a ring, a large bowl-like crevice. A thick pipe sprouts from the rocks in a spout at the far end of the pool, from which steaming, purple-green water bursts forth. Mist rises from the water, casting a musty, sulphurous stench into the air that makes me gag and stings my eyes. Blinking, I turn to Musa, who''s watching me through the mist with a most peculiar expression. The vapour settles in his hair, hissing on contact; droplets begin to run down his temple.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ''What are we doing here, Musa?''


    He scuffs his feet though the pebbles. ''I¡ªI wanted somewhere quiet. Somewhere we wouldn''t be disturbed.''


    I swallow. ''Why? What''s going on?''


    ''I wanted somewhere for you to practise.'' He takes a step towards me, and beads of sweat blossom on my forehead; whether from the heat of the steam or the beating of my heart faster and faster against my rib cage, I don''t know.


    ''Musa?''


    ''I know you can do this.''


    ''No, Musa, not now, not today. I can''t!''


    ''Yes, you can. Close your eyes.''


    He''s so close now, I can see the faint red marks on his cheeks where the mist is scalding him. The soft velvet of his eyes as they lock with my own. The bubbling of water mingles with the rush of blood through my ears¡ª


    ''Focus.''


    ''I can''t!''


    ''I said, focus¡ª''


    The noise stops. I breathe deeply and my rapid heartbeat slows, almost to a stop. A tingle on my fingertips slowly spreads through my arms, warming them through the chill.


    ''That''s it, deep breaths, Sammi. You can do this. I know you can.''


    The heat curls upwards through my body. I inhale deeply once again, sucking the mist into my body until I''m so full, consumed by it, I''m scared my lungs might burst. Then, as the heat burns my chest. . .


    I blow.


    The release is like nothing I''ve ever allowed myself to feel before. Mist floods from my mouth in a torrent, a stream, the force pushing me backwards as I struggle to stay upright, to keep calm, in control. The silence breaks too; all the sounds I''ve repressed come pouring back: my blood, the pool, Musa shouting my name.


    At last, lungs empty, I open my eyes.


    Musa is crouched on the ground by my feet. Something above us is blinding. I screw up my eyes against it, shielding my face with my hand. Is that . . . thesun?


    The mist is gone.


    ''You did it.'' Musa uses my hanging arm to pull himself upright, a laugh bursting from his mouth. ''Sammi! You did it!''


    I stand, dazed, as Musa throws his arms around me, whooping, jumping up and down. All I can do is just stand. And stare.


    The pool hasn''t really changed. But with the mist gone, it looks naked. See, wherever there''s water, there''salwaysmist. But now¡ª


    I controlled it. I made it disappear.


    ''What. The. Hell.''


    Musa''s laughter dies in an instant. We swing around; a group of girls are stumbling towards us over the rocks, clothes tucked under their arms and flimsy bathing shoes flapping against the rocks. The heat in my cheeks begins to rise¡ªflap, flap, flap¡ªand the tingle in my fingers wavers as my control slips, like strings sliding through them. I fumble, desperately trying to seize the strings of control backbut¡ª


    I lose them. An almighty splurge of water erupts from the pipe and with it comes the mist, galloping towards us, furious at being dispelled. It spreads its arms wide like it never left and the girls fade into its embrace almost at once. I can still make out their silhouettes though. Moving steadily towards us.


    Musa curses, pushing me behind his back. ''What do you want, Zaida?''


    ''Need your cousin to protect you, do you, witch?Elementalist?''


    Oh. That word.Elementalist.It stings more than the mist. I don''t even really know what it means. What is an Elementalist, anyway? All I know is that the government wants them. These people with "special powers". The rhetoric goes that they are dangers to society. That they have to be found and they have to be stopped.


    Zaida''s getting closer, her clothes clutched to her chest. It''s a struggle not to wince as she glowers around Musa at me, her dark hair plastered to her face. She sweeps it out of her eyes and beckons her friends forward. I know them all: Amani, Eshe and Salma.


    Once, Nura and I were part of her group. But as we got older, strange things started to happen around me. Our friendship, that rotten fruit, soured. When Nura got sick, none of them even bothered to call. Not even a card, not even when they heard she was dying.


    Some friends they turned out to be.


    ''I''mnotan Elementalist. And I don''t need anyone to protect me.'' I try to edge around Musa but he''s having none of it; strong arms push me back behind him.


    Zaida smirks. ''Yeah, sure looks that way.'' Her breath mingles with the mist, turning it from faint lavender to murky grey. ''What are you worried about, Musa? Scared she''ll hurt us and you''ll get the blame?''


    ''She wouldn''t hurt anyone!'' Before I can stop him, Musa lashes out,his pincer-grip leaving my arm for less than a second. He swipes at Zaida, who leaps backwards¡ªbut the rocks behind her are slick with algae and condensation. She slips, her arms circling through the air like a windmill¡ªthenLittle Amani lunges, catching her before she hits the ground. Eshe and Salma grab her arms, steadying her. Their shocked expressions quickly turn to fury.


    ''You''re just as bad as Samma!'' Salma yells, tossing her hair over her shoulder. ''What are you playing at? You could have hurt her!''


    ''Good!'' Musa roars, his cheeks darkening to a violent scarlet.


    ''Stop it.'' I swing Musa around, taking his face in my hands. ''You''re making things worse.''


    ''Yeah, listen to your freaky Elementalist cousin, Musa.'' You have to hand it to her; Zaida''s persistent. Now she''s steady, Zaida approaches once again, although this time, she''s a little more hesitant.


    ''She''s not an Elementalist!''


    ''What would you call her then? She was controlling the mist! She''s exactly the type of person the government''s been telling us to report!'' Zaida''s eyes are round and earnest; I realise that she doesn''t even mean to be cruel. In her eyes, she''s just being honest. I wonder how often people disguise cruelty as honesty.


    Musa hesitates. Even he doesn''t know what to call me. What I am. ''She''s¡ªshe''s not dangerous. She''s just Samma.'' His cheeks flush again; maybe he realised just how lame that sounded.


    ''She''s justSamma,''little Amani mimicks, snickering from behind Zaida''s back.


    ''Come on, Musa, we saw her.'' Eshe rolls her eyes. ''It''s so obvious. She''s not safe, we need to report her ¨C besides, think of the rewards. We''ll make a tonne of money. We''d be stupid not to.''


    ''You''re stupid already.''


    ''Stop it!'' It''s a struggle just trying to restrain Musa. This isn''t his fight, or anybody else''s¡ªit''s mine and Zaida''s. We glare at each other through the mist, our eyes slits of distrust and dislike. ''Leave Musa out of this. It''s me you have a problem with.''


    ''Sammi ¨C''


    ''Shutup, Musa. For once, just shut up.''


    Zaida''s taller than me. Despite being a year my junior. Her hate is so obvious ¨C her lips curl into a grimace just looking at me. I step towards her, bridging the gap between us, ignoring every instinct that screams that it''s incredibly stupid to gotowardssomeone who hates you.


    ''I know you have powers, Samma. Just admit it. You''re an Elementalist.''


    ''So what if I am?'' My mouth goes dry.


    ''Then you don''t belong here.''


    It doesn''t sound like much, does it. Being told you don''t belong. I''m sure much nastier things have been said, in the whole wide history of spite. But to me . . . it feels like Zaida has reached inside my chest, grabbed my heart and squished it between her nails. I can almost picture the blood trickling between her claws. She''s plucked every doubt inside my head and wrapped me up in them, winding them around me until I''m a fly trapped in her web. And she knows it¡ªthat playful smile that dances on her lips¡ªshe knows what she''s doing. I can see how much she enjoys it.


    ''GET. LOST.'' To say that I''ve never seen Musa this angry is an understatement. He storms at Zaida and with a titter of glee, the girls scatter. Damage done. I watch him splash after them over the rocks as they disappear into the mist.


    Elementalist,Zaida called me. With such venom.What did I ever do to make her so afraid?


    But the worst thing? I sink down beside the pool, tracing the mist-swirl patterns through the water with my finger. The worst thing is that I''m starting to think she might be right.


    Of course people have noticed. When I walk down the street and the mist parts for me. When the clouds darken with my anger. When I leave and it starts to rain.


    ''They''re just jealous,'' Nura used to say. My mum would then stroke Nura''s silken mane and say something likewhat a kind daughter I have,defending her sister so.Then she''d sing, and she''d say she sang for us both:you are my starlight, the light of my life. . .


    But I know she never sang for me.


    No matter how much I long for it to disappear, the mist is always here. Drawn towards me. And now it''s taken Nura. It''s taken our starlight. . .


    ''Are you okay?''


    I hadn''t noticed Musa return. I turn to see him watching me, arms swinging awkward by his side, so forlorn it makes my heart ache. His left cheek bears a scratch from his ear lobe to the corner of his mouth, and his hair has come untied, now free and rumpled. I lean back on my hands, letting my legs swing over the side of the pool, my toes inches from the water. Musa sits down beside me.


    ''I''m sorry for what they said. They''re so mean.'' He stares off into the distance. The scratch on his cheek looks like a road. A track for tears.


    ''It doesn''t matter,'' I whisper.


    ''It does! They used to be our friends. How can they call you that? An Elementalist. . . You''re not!'' He says it a bit too vehemently. Thou dost protest too much, so they say.


    ''What am I then? We both know there''s something not right about me. We saw today what I can do.'' My voice sounds resigned even to my own ears. Musa doesn''t reply. How can he? How can he know when I don''t even know myself?


    ''I don''t care what you are,'' he eventually says. ''Nothing could change the way I feel about you.''


    It''s such a ludicrous thing to say that I can''t help snorting. Musa looks so offended by my reaction, and it''s so sweet, that I throw my arms around him.


    ''I didn''t mean to laugh! I''m sorry. I love you, best cousin, please don''t be mad¡ª''


    ''Ugh.'' Musa rolls his eyes, but I notice the smile he restrains. ''It''s fine. Don''t go all soppy on me.''


    ''It''s true. You''ve always got my back.''


    He nods, turning away but I still spot his smile breaking free. A fierce protectiveness rises inside my chest.


    ''I''ll always have your back too, Musa. I promise.''


    He says nothing, just takes my hand and squeezes it, his fingers soft and warm against the numbness of my own. Eventually, he breaks the silence.


    ''I made you something.'' His voice is so soft, it''s almost drowned out by the bubbling pool. When I don''t reply, he fumbles in his pocket and brings out a small, badly-wrapped package, which he presses into my hands.


    I can''t help but grin. ''A present?''


    ''Open it.'' Musa sighs as he watches my fingers slip on the paper. ''I couldn''t stand your sixteenth birthday, the most important day of your whole life, being completely ignored.''


    The last leaf of paper falls away and I stare, mouth-open, at the little bundle coiled in my palm. I hold it up, as delicately as I might hold a dragon-fly''s wing.


    It''s a chain. Impossibly thin, rustic loops; I can just imagine Musa''s grimace of concentration as he wove chunks of metal, cursing as he burnt himself on the forging flames.


    My eyes fill until the chain is just a blur.


    ''Don''t you like it? I''m sorry it''s not pretty, I didn''t have much to work with. Just some scraps left from the pump I''ve been making¡ª''


    ''It''s¡ª'' The most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen in my life.


    ''Garbage.'' Musa''s face is burning; I can''t bear it a second longer. Gentle this time, I draw him towards me, holding him close, letting my tears fall unchecked onto his shoulder.


    ''It''s perfect,'' I mumble into his shirt, snuffling and wiping my nose on the back of my hand.


    ''Really?''


    ''Really.''


    With clumsy, unpractised fingers, Musa undoes the clasp and fastens the chain around my wrist. And I know that whilst I may not belong with my people in Al-Abhor, I will always belong to Musa and he will always belong to me.


    All I have to do is look at my wrist to remember.

 Chapter 3 - Kass

    ''Who are you?'' I glower at the man out of the corner of my eye, wrapping my cloak tighter round my shoulders. After I passed out at the top of Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh, the next thing I remember. . . was someone taking my hand. He pulled me up, clutching me tight under his arm¡ªthere was nothing I could do but hang there, wheezing and dying¡ªand god knows how but he managed to haul me away from the crumbling mountainside to the safety of this cave.


    I lie, drifting in and out of consciousness. I welcome the blackness¡ªI don''t want to be awake, I don''t want to be alive¡ªevery breath is a burning hell of pain. I don''t want to know. I don''t want to feel. Instead, I curl myself up into a ball and let the darkness carry me away, over and over again.


    Eventually, the man grows bored. ''This wasn''t quite the thanks I was expecting,'' he grumbles, flipping a chunk of meat over on the fire flickering in front of us. The roasting smell churns my stomach. ''Doesn''t cost much, you know. A "thank you". Cheapest two words in the dictionary if you ask me. Criminally underused. Such a pity.''


    I ignore him, pulling my hood over my head.


    ''No way, kid, not happening. I haven''t gone through all this to find you to let you wither away and starve. Eat, for heaven''s sake.''


    Why won''t he stop talking? I wrap my arms around my ears. All histalking.It makes it impossible to block out the images in my head, my mother''s voice, the sound of my own screams¡ª


    ''Oi! Stop that right now.'' Something kicks me in the side. I flinch out of my ball to find the man towering over me. I glare up at him but then realise it isn''t the memory of screaming I can hear. It''s me. Screamingnow. I clamp my mouth shut and close my eyes, fighting back the heat that burns beneath.


    ''Aw, come on, now. I didn''t mean to make you cry.'' Hands, far gentler than I expected, grip my arms and pull me upright, coaxing my arms away from my face. ''That''s it, there''s a good lad. Won''t you eat something? I have goat, freshly caught you know, some idiots had a farm not far from here. Took a few for myself, didn''t I.'' The man grins. My stomach heaves, and I''m careful to aim my vomit at the man''s legs. Which goat was it? my mind shrieks. Woolly or Duster? Harley or Curly? Which of my friends is roasting on the fire?


    ''Ugh.'' The man drops my arms like hot stones, dabbing at his trouser-legs with a handkerchief. ''That''s disgusting.'' The parts of his face I can make out are scrunched in distain. ''I sure hope you''re worth all this trouble.''


    ''If a bit of sick''s your biggest problem today, then lucky you.''


    ''Oh ho! He has a voice at last, does he?''


    I scowl and turn away. ''Who are you?''


    He''s an odd-looking man. Most of his face is hidden behind a thicket of beard, the rest covered by a floppy grandpa-style cap that went out of fashion years ago. He doesn''t look old¡ªnotthatold anyway¡ªbut there''s a certain world-weariness to his skin that makes him seem older than he probably is. He crouches down beside me, now keeping a healthy distance.


    ''Well, the answer to that depends on whether you''re going to behave yourself.'' He grins, showing off gaps in his teeth, and scrubs sweat from his russet cheeks with his sleeve. ''I''m not sure my constitution can take much more of your crap. Rescuing you was no piece of cake, you know.''


    I don''t even know how to respond to that. ''Well, I''m sorry to have been such a¡ªa nuisance,'' I eventually spit, unable to stop myself shaking. ''I guess¡ªI guess I should just behave myself and not be upset at all¡ª''


    ''Over what happened to your family, yeah, yeah.'' The man starts digging a bit of gristle out of his teeth with a scraggy fingernail; I stare in wide-eyed disbelief. ''Oh, get your head out your ass, kid. You''re not the only one with problems, you know.''


    ''I''m not the. . ?''


    ''Yeah. I saw what those scumbags did to your village. Shitty thing to do, such a waste. But we''ve got bigger things to worry about now, kid; the bastards are still after you, you hear? We''ve got to get you to somewhere safe before they find you. God only knows what you were doing up here.''


    ''A shitty thing to do?'' A horrible buzzing sound fills my ears. ''A SHITTY THING TO DO? IS THAT ALL YOU CAN SAY?''


    ''Watch your tone, kid¡ª''


    ''WATCH¡ªYOUR¡ªTONE, you piece of¡ª'' It''s anger like I''ve never felt before. All the pain building up inside of me, my head feels like it''s about to explode. It''s bursting, the rage, uncontrollable¡ª


    ''Kid. . .''


    ''YOU¡ª''


    I lunge for the man''s throat. He skirts around me; I thrash wildly and miss¡ªmy fist hits the cave wall directly behind his head. There''s an audiblethwackand I howl¡ª


    Wait.


    My rage dies in an instant. My hand. It should be mangled. It hurts, holy crap it hurts, but not as much as it should. I stare at the wall, back at my hand, then back at the wall. Cracks skitter through the rocks, growing steadily bigger away from a deep, fist-shaped hole. The shape ofmyfist.


    ''Did you just punch a hole in the wall?'' The man raises an amused eyebrow. ''Nice.''


    ''I¡ªhow?''It''s like the rocks turned to clay. I touch the wall¡ªno. It''s still solid rock. Now with a perfect imprint of my hand. The man sighs.


    ''You really aren''t the finished product yet, are you?''


    And just like that, my temper is back. ''WHAT DO YOU MEAN I''M NOT THE FINISHED PRODUCT¡ª?''


    ''Okay, okay!'' The man holds up his hands in a placating gesture. ''I''ll tell you everything on two conditions. One, you sit down and stop yelling. Jeez. And two, you tell me what that is there in your hand.''


    I glance at my balled fist. I''d forgotten. There''s a piece of paper, scrunched within an inch of its life. I unfurl it and sit down, spreading it out across one of my knees.


    ''It''s. . . It''s. . .'' My face crumples as I read my mother''s last words all over again.


    ''Oh, give it here.'' The man snatches it before I have a chance to stop him, clears his throat, and reads aloud: ''"Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh. Find the peak. A box, your box. Inside is the truth." Oh. Well, that explains why you''re here. Did you find your box? Did you find "the truth"?''


    ''What the hell do you think?'' I mutter into my lap, sniffing, the taste of salt fresh on my lips.


    ''Well, there''s no point asking me, I don''t even believe in such things. Thetruth,I ask you. Load of nonsense. Differs depending on the person, doesn''t it. The truth can be anything you want it to be.''


    When that doesn''t get any response, the man huffs. ''No? No thoughts on the matter? Not exactly one for a hot debate, are you. Never mind, I''ve always been happy talking to myself. It''s lucky for you that I''m here, really; I''ll help you find your box, lad.''


    ''Why would you do that?'' I glance at him in distrust. ''You won''t even tell me who you are.''


    ''Hmm, fair point. I''m sorry, I should have started with that, I suppose. Never been good with kids, me, never have been.'' The man pulls himself upright using the wall as a crutch and holds a weather-beaten hand towards me. ''My name''s Professor Eldred, and I work for RESIST, you know, the political party. My job is simply to bring the Elementalists home when they call. And call me you did.'' He takes out of his pocket an odd, black coin, and on autopilot, I find myself reaching into my own pocket. I bring out the strange little button I''d found in my mum''s shoe: it''s changed colour again. Now, it''s a deep, dark brown, growing lighter as I stare.


    ''Whenever you press that button, I will be able to find you. Now, let''s get you safely home.''


    *


    I stumble after Eldred as we search the ragged peak of Sg¨´rr Amhlaidh. My knees keep giving way but I won''t let Eldred help me¡ªeach time I rebuff him he backs off, shaking his bushy head.


    ''Today was always going to be high-risk, what with it being your sixteenth birthday and all,'' Eldred says conversationally, as we clamber over some particularly jagged rocks. I swallow, trying not to look down. What was my mum thinking, hiding something up here?If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ''Why''s that?'' I ask dully, only half tuned-in. All I want is to find my mum''s box. Maybe then I''ll get some answers that make sense.


    ''Well, there was high chance of your powers being exposed today. The blocker in your system was only guaranteed to mask you for sixteen years before it broke down completely. Finding you before was like finding a needle in a haystack, but now the blocker''s gone, you can be tracked by the energy released by your powers. The only way to stop it would be to exercise, even subconsciously, a degree of control¡ªbut clearly you haven''t been doing that. You seem to have absolutely no control over your abilities whatsoever.''


    ''My powers? What abilities?'' I''m starting to feel sick again. ''I have literally no idea what you are talking about.'' God. My chest is seizing up. ''I don''t understand what I''ve done. Who are these people?''


    ''Ah.'' Eldred smirks. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely, bounding over the rocks far more nimbly than I''d expect from a man his age. ''Those are the tricky questions. How about we find your box first, eh?''


    ''Git.'' I scour the ground for any signs, but still¡ªnothing. We walk in silence for a bit longer, but by now I can barely breathe. Eldred watches in interest as I reach into my rucksack and bring out my inhaler.


    ''Is that an inhaler?'' He trots over, peering at the spout. ''Astounding. I''m shocked a child with breathing problems could survive this long. How do you cope with the mist?''


    ''Badly,'' I wheeze, taking another puff. ''No shit, Sherlock.''


    ''So much sass! I despise sass. But look here, my poor portentous puffin, I think I may have found what you''re looking for.''


    ''Where?'' I can''t see jack through all the mist swirling around our ankles.


    ''Down here.'' Eldred bends down and together, we scrape away a scattering of pebbles.


    ''There''s nothing there¡ªoh, hang on. . .'' I trace the ground with my fingers and I swear it shudders under my touch. Thereissomething there, something familiar, carved into the ground. I squint through the haze.


    ''It looks like letters,'' Eldred says.


    ''Yeah,'' I say, my voice faint. ''It''s my initials.''


    There, scratched into the stone:KMK.KassiusMcKenzie.I even recognise my mum''s writing. One by one, tears slowly plop to the ground, until my name is obscured from view.


    ''Well, if you''re going to start bawling every time you read your name, we might be here a while,'' Eldred sighs, patting me on the back. I shrug him off and begin chucking belongings out of my rucksack, searching for something to dig with. The best I can find are my shears, but they''re better than nothing. Thankfully, Eldred keeps his thoughts to himself, producing a slim-bladed knife from his pocket with which he proceeds to help me dig.


    Eventually, our tools hit something hard. We pluck a slight wooden box from the hole, sweating in the damp chill of evening. I pause to take a few more puffs.


    ''Are you ready for this, kid?'' Eldred sits back on his haunches, watching me. Stuffing my inhaler back into my pocket, I nod; the box feels so light in my hand. How can something so small possibly answer all of my questions? As another wave of nausea bubbles up from the pit of my stomach, I wonder if I''m really ready to face the truth. I''m not sure how much more I can take.


    But then again, what more do I have to lose?


    ''Ready.''


    I prize off the lid¡ªI expected some resistance but it slides off with ease, glad to see me¡ªand with a shaking hand, I take out. . .


    ''A note?''


    Goddammit.It''s just another note.


    *


    ''My dearest son,Kassius.


    If you are reading this, then I must be dead. These words feel terribly strange to write. I don''t want to die. I can''t imagine it. Not because death frightens me¡ªit''s impossible to live on this hell of a planet and not become somewhat hardened to it. It''s because dying means that I''ll never see your face, or my darling Kitty''s, again, and that thought breaks my heart more than you can possibly imagine. I never want to think about not being with you. I want to be with you, to protect you, always. But if I am to write this, then I must, so as you''d so charmingly put it, I may as well get the hell on with it.


    I hope you will forgive me for what I am about to tell you. And please, I beg you, before I do, please remember that I love you. I will always love you, no matter what. I always have. I don''t know how to tell you this. Kass, I am so, so sorry. I''m sorry. I don''t know how to write the words. Kass¡ªyour father and I arenot your biological parents. We took you in when you were a few days old and brought you up as our own.


    But I am your mother. We are your parents. I may not have given birth to you, but you are our son. This changes nothing about who you are or who you believe yourself to be. You ARE our son. No matter what anybody tells you. You will always be mine.


    But before you were ours, you were somebody else''s. I''m sorry I don''t know anything about your birth parents, but I do know that you were brought into this world for a terrible purpose. You were born to be a weapon, Kass, a weapon and not a child, and that in my opinion is a crime and something you must never see yourself as. You, my boy, are no weapon.


    When you were given to us, we were told that you would grow up to control the world around you. That you would have powers other people couldn''t even dream of. I know nothing of those powers. I''ve seen nothing of them in all the time I''ve watched you grow. I know only of you. These people who made you wanted to use you, but they couldn''t even keep you safe. The Futurists found out and we were told to hide you and never, ever let them find you.


    We took you and fled, far away to our home inQuillin, where we raised you as our son.


    Kass, I''m so sorry. I''m so sorry to have to tell you like this. I was hoping to tell you on the night of your sixteenth birthday, but I guess that is no longer to be. You had to know. But I am still so very sorry.


    Please stay safe, my beautiful boy. Please remember that you are never alone in this world, for you have been loved, and love lives forever.


    Yours, always, forever,


    Mum


    *


    Just another note.


    ''Sit down, Puffin. I''ll fill in the gaps.'' Eldred''s husky voice wakes me from my trance. I sink down beside him, too shocked to argue, too stunned to think. His hand suddenly forces my chin up so I''m looking at him, and though I try to pull away, his grip is firm.


    ''I know it''s a lot to take in, but you need to know. Your mother''s letter is accurate according to her understanding of the situation¡ªsee what I mean? There''s no such thing as the truth.


    ''Our society has been governed by FUTURE, the political party led by General Jinaka, for nearly thirty years. You know that, of course¡ªI saw the flags in your village, you were FUTURE supporters yourselves. Well,Ibelong to RESIST, their main opposition, and what do opponents do?They fight. We''ve been trying to stop the Futurists destroying our planet for years; just look around you, kid.See the state of the world we live in?It''s their fault.


    ''So, we created you.


    ''Well, technically, I suppose, we borrowed you, four of you. Our four Elementalists, each designed to combat the Futurists and help us repair our beautiful world.


    ''But when you were born, we were betrayed and your existence revealed to the Futurists. We couldn''t risk them finding you; once Jinaka knew, he became obsessed with eliminating "the threats to his peaceful society". Before we sent you away, I injected you all with a blocker, a drug to mask the energy released by your powers to stop them tracking you. But we knew it would run out eventually, and today is that day. And with you unable to control your powers. . .


    ''Anyway. The Futurists came looking for you. When your family and friends refused to hand you over, Jinaka must have become . . . angry. That''s what Futurists are like, Kassius. They''re destroyers. They destroy everything.''


    I gape at Eldred like a dying fish.


    ''Now you, Kassius, are special. Becauseyou''re an Elementalist;a physical Elementalist would be my guess based on that hole you punched in the wall. Hell, surely you wondered how an asthmatic could survive this long? We lose a thousand children a day to this toxic air, how on earth wouldyousurvive? It''s because you''re special, with powers greater than you could ever imagine¡ª''


    ''Stop.'' I''m on my feet.Enough. Stop. Can''t. Handle¡ª


    ''No, I''m sorry, but you have to hear this.''


    ''I don''thaveto doanything.'' Burying my head in my hands, I tremble, barely able to contain the thoughts-in-my-head.My mother is not my mother my father is not my father I''m being hunted by Jinaka I was made I wasn''t born I wasmadewhat the hell what the hell is going ON¡ª


    ''Kassius? Kassius. . ?''


    ''YOU''RE LYING!'' A scream tears my throat, ripping at my insides but I have to get it out, I have to claw these thoughts right out of my head. ''You¡ªyou''re LYING, you even admitted it, you¡ªyou don''t believe in the truth¡ª''


    ''That doesn''t make me a liar, Kassius.''


    ''YES, IT DOES¡ª


    ''No, it does not. You think the truth is a fixed variable, like night versus day, like black verses white? You think it''s a solid object that cannot be changed? The truth is none of those things: just like stone, it can be weathered, eroded; it''s every shade of grey that lives in the mist; it''s twilight, sunset and sunrise and everything in between; it warps and shifts from the mouths of every person who tells it, moulding itself into whatever that person believes to be true¡ª''


    ''I''M NORMAL!'' The words explode out of me and I collapse to my knees. My head once more in the safety of my arms. Sobs wrack my body, spilling over the edges of my self-control. ''I''m normal.'' Desperate gasps for air between tears. ''I''m normal. Iam¡ª''


    ''You are not, I''m afraid.'' Eldred kneels down beside me, and carefully, tentatively, as though not sure of what to do, he puts his arm over my quaking shoulders. ''I wish you were, but you''re not.'' I jerk him off me, a wild animal, flailing but still he holds on, so much stronger than me, the wheezing, crying boy who just lost the world.


    *


    We end up sitting, our legs dangling over the cliff side, eating the burnt remains of leftover goat. I chew the same piece over and over, tasting nothing. Seeing nothing. There''s nothing to see anyway but endless rain and purple sky, darkening as time passes to midnight maroon. The familiar curfew alarm wails in the distance over an empty ruin. There''s nobody left to hear its cry any longer. I''m the only one left. And it was only ever me they wanted.


    The Futurists. I grind the meat between my teeth that little bit harder.


    ''So, what about you?'' I ask Eldred, who''s sipping on something that smells like herbal tea out of a flask. Like we''re at a sodding tea party. ''Why are you even here?''


    ''Well.'' Eldred regards me with a mild-mannered expression. ''I told you before. I''ve come to take you home.''


    ''I don''t have a home anymore.'' I throw the rest of my meat over the cliff-face, watching it crash down onto the rocks below.


    Other than raising an lazy eyebrow, Eldred shows no signs of having heard me, continuing as though I didn''t even speak. ''Now you''re all sixteen, it''s time to bring the Elementalists out of hiding. Let''s show the Futurists that they don''t own this world. It was me that gave you away in the first place; now it''s time for me to bring you all home.''


    He says home like it means something. But the word means nothing to me anymore. I look up to the sky, to the electric violet storm clouds that rage overhead, relishing the sting of the rain on my face. The hiss as it burns my skin. Bright-white lightning slashes the darkness in two. I know nothing of where we might go, or what will happen next¡ª


    All I know is that I''ll never see the place I call home again.

 Chapter 4 - Sammi

    ''Are you alright, Samma? You''ve hardly said a word all evening.''


    I jerk as something kicks my shin and fight to hold back a wince; Auntie is leaning across the table, her face full of concern. Musa, on the other hand, is a picture of innocence. My mum and dad prod their rations in silence.


    ''Fine.'' I nod, spreading my features into a smile. It''s not easy¡ªyou could cut the tension with a knife. A typical evening in the Fazil household.


    ''And Nura? How has she been today?'' Auntie continues, a little wary now, cautious. I have to give her credit. She''s persistent.


    ''How do you think, Mum?'' Musa rolls his eyes and gets a slap on the arm in return.


    ''Same as ever, I guess,'' I shrug, raising my eyes to my parents, left to dad, right to mum. Dad''s face sours, but other than that, he doesn''t react. Mum has a glazed look about her¡ªI doubt she can even hear our conversation. ''Maybe she dreamt a little this morning, but it''s hard to tell.''


    ''I know, sweetie.'' Auntie sighs. ''Musa, honey, please stop kicking your cousin under the table. I know what you''re doing, I''m not stupid.''


    Musa scowls. ''I made Sammi something for her birthday,'' he says, swiftly changing the subject. ''Look, Mum. Show her, Sam.''


    Dutifully, I hold out my wrist, and Auntie coos over my new bracelet, making all the right noises. I don''t expect my parents to notice, and of course, Mum doesn''t even flicker. But my dad actually glances up, and for a moment, my stomach wiggles with excitement. Then I see his look of revulsion.


    ''Get that abomination off your wristnow.''


    My eyes meet Dad''s with defiance. He frowns deeper than ever before rounding on Musa instead.


    ''What were you thinking, giving her something like that?What will people say? They''ll get the wrong idea. Don''t you want Samma to ever meet someone?''


    Something in my chest twists.


    Musa''s face glows fuchsia. ''What, now she''s sixteen you''re instantly ready to palm her off to another family?''


    ''You know what I mean,'' Dad growls, scratching the rash on his arm. ''Don''t be facetious.''


    ''People can think whatever they want,'' I say through gritted teeth. ''We''ve done nothing wrong.''


    ''Youwantpeople to think you''re promised to your cousin? You''re a funny girl¡ª''


    A clattering noise makes me jump; Musa stands up so fast, his chair topples over. He kicks it out the way and storms from the room.''At least I bothered to get her a gift.''


    The rest of us remain, mute and awkward, at the table.


    ''You understand, don''t you, Samma?'' Mum''s voice rings out at last. ''Without Nura . . . what is there to celebrate?''


    ''I understand.'' I get to my feet and tuck my chair carefully under the table. I understand¡ªthat''s what makes it worse. Mum''s expression is all it takes to bring the guilt flooding back to the pit of my stomach. How can I complain about something as petty as my birthday when Nura''s dying? How can I justify the burning in my heart? ''May I be excused?''


    ''You may.'' Dad waves his hand at me, in disgust, or dismissal, I don''t know. Regardless, I bolt for the door. I need Musa. I need him.


    It''s raining; I yank on my wellies and tie my rain-hat haphazardly around my chin as I pull the door shut behind me. I scrunch up my eyes, trying to force the clouds away but I just can''t concentrate, so the stubborn drizzle remains. My mind is elsewhere. Where did Musa go?


    ''You coming to the protest, Samma?''


    I spin around. Eshe is leaning against a street lamp, regarding me with suspicious eyes. Thankfully, Zaida''s not with her.


    ''What do you care? You and Zaida planning to snitch on me to the Authorities?''


    She shrugs, fiddling with a strand of hair. ''That probably wouldn''t go down very well with all the resisturds at the protest, would it?''


    My insides are bursting with hate. ''Resisters, you mean.''


    Eshe titters. ''Resisters, you mean?Aww, does poor widdle Sammi not like the naughty word?''


    ''Piss off, Eshe.''


    ''Ooo!Resisturds,resisturds.''


    I don''t have time for this. Musa could be anywhere by now. Then it hits me¡ªhe must have gone to the protest. Obviously. After giving Eshe one final look of contempt, I swing around on my heels and sprint towards the town centre. Noises are already emanating across the square; I''ve almost forgotten Eshe when I hear a squeal.


    ''Hey!''


    I turn back and burst out laughing. Eshe''s soaked to the skin, lifting sopping wet hair out of her eyes. A cloud has literally emptied itself over her head. Grinning, I leave her in the downpour and dash across the street towards the town square.


    *


    Al-Abhor is built around a little market square, with streets of pods spiralling outwards from the centre. Usually it''s pretty quiet but today it''s rammed, the crowd an enormous, swelling beast. Placards float high above the sea of heads, adorned with pictures of General Jinaka''s face and phrases like ''End our dictator¡ªend Jinaka''and''Becomea Resister¡ªjoin and RESIST''.Voices, tinny and high-pitched, echo over a dozen cheap loud-speakers, louder and louder, and the closer I get to the square, the tighter the clouds gather overhead, trapping us inside the noise and tension.


    It''s impossible to worm my way through. I hover on the outskirts, rising onto my tip-toes, straining to see Musa. It''s no use. I''ll never find him through this horde.


    ''Looking for Musa?'' Mrs Hamam at the vegetable stall beckons me over; I run to her in relief.


    ''Yeah, have you seen him?''


    ''There, outside the pharmacy.''


    With a wave of thanks, I dive into the thrall, fighting through limbs and armpit-sweat that makes me want to heave. I crouch, peering through a gap in the flailing bodies . . . there! I can just about make out Musa, flushed and defiant, with his friend Fares and Fares''s father. Both sport huge signs, one with the RESIST flag, red with a grey ''X'' from corner to corner, and one with Jinaka''s face and some choice, unpleasant words.


    ''He looks angry, doesn''t he?'' Someone pinches me in the back; the next moment, I''m being dragged backwards, nails digging so hard into my arm it makes me yelp.


    ''Ouch! What the hell is your problem?''


    The person tugs harder, yanking me away with her until finally she flings me behind Mr Achmed''s blacksmiths on the corner of the square, where we won''t be seen, scraping my elbows against the rough brickwork.


    ''You''remy problem.''


    I squirm free and swing around to face Zaida. Of course it''s her, who else would it be. There''s a wildness in her expression and for once, she doesn''t seem to care that the rain might mess up her perfect hair. An uneasy feeling nestles in my stomach, and from out of nowhere, tears spring to my eyes.


    ''I''m your problem?'' I say, furious with myself for showing vulnerability. ''Oh, yeah, that makes sense. The Futurists make our lives hell, so obviously you want to gang up on me with them. Why are you at the protest if you love your precious Futurists so much?''


    ''I don''t love the Futurists!'' Zaida pushes me and I stagger backwards. ''I hate them as much as you do.'' She shoves me again¡ªmy head smacks into the wall. Crying out, I put my hand to my hair and feel blood. ''But they''re offering a reward!A rewardfor the person who hands in an Elementalist.'' Her eyes drift for a moment, a smile playing on her lips. ''Who knows what it could be. . . Money? Early vaccination? Relocation?''


    I hesitate. ''Zaida. . . You don''tactuallybelieve that, do you?''


    ''What''s the alternative?'' she snaps, her blazing eyes focusing back on me, and to my surprise, I see them swimming, just like mine. ''What, protest like the rest of these idiots? Like your cousin? Such a joke¡ªeveryone knows they''re wasting their breath.'' She scrubs her eyes with her fists. ''The Futurists won''t ever change. Jinaka won''t ever change. But if he wants the Elementalists badly enough to offer a reward to us commoners, then yeah, Samma, selling you out is a price I''m willing to pay. I¡ª'' She pauses, before words burst out as she chokes on her own tears. ''How can you not understand? Look at your sister! I¡ªI don''t want to die too!''


    She breaks down, hiding her face in her hands. I reach out but she swipes me away with such venom, I back off sharpish.


    ''It''s okay for you, you''ve made it to sixteen. Your vaccine''s probably waiting for you at home right now. But what about me? And Salma and Eshe? And Amani''s only ten. We can''t all make it.'' She wipes her nose on the back of her hand. ''So, if turning you in saves me and my family, to hell with the Resisters and their protests. I want to live.'' She takes a deep breath and turns to the crowds; following her gaze, I see it settle on Musa. ''He''d risk everything for you, wouldn''t he.'' Zaida shakes her head in disgust. ''You''re not worth it.''


    ''Zaida¡ª!''


    But without another word, she flees back around the corner. I attempt to follow but am immediately swallowed by a wave of people chanting''end the Futurists today; we will make Jinaka pay.''I''m flung this way and that from all sides, until an almightycrackbellows from above our heads. Everyone looks up.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    God.It''s like a demon is crawling towards us, forcing his way through the clouds and shattering the evening''s sky like glass. Out of nowhere, the curfew sirens sound and a voice that drowns out even the loudest of our speakers declares:


    ''This evening''s storm is set to be the worst in thirty years. Curfew is officially being brought in early. Everyone back home, now. This is an order by command of LieutenantBasara.''


    The storm waits for no one. The first shock of glaring white lightning strikes the top of one of the market stalls and it burst into flames; one person screams. And chaos erupts.


    ''MUSA?'' I shriek. Everyone scatters in panic; all I can feel are people''s shoulders and arms, slamming into me, buffeting me from all sides.''Musa, where are you?''


    Someone grabs my hand; we''re running before I even realise who it belongs to. My heart is hammering so hard I can hardly contain it, sweat mingling with rain as it pours down my face, but it''sokaybecause as I turn I see that running beside me, his hair escaping his bun and falling into his eyes, is¡ª


    ''Musa.'' We stampede through the puddles; I can see our street, our row of pods glistening in the malicious purple haze, that parts right through the middle, just for me.


    ''Can''t you make it stop?'' he gasps.


    ''Are you kidding me? How am I supposed stop a storm this size¡ª''


    ''Sorry, sorry.'' Finally, there''s our pod. I yank Musa inside after me and together, we slam the door closed. Chests heaving, we collapse to the floor.


    ''Musa? Samma? Oh, thank goodness.'' Auntie''s beside us in seconds. A huge fluffy blanket descends and soon we''re both snuggled up, Auntie knelt and scrubbing us down furiously. ''We''ve been out of our minds! We thought maybe you''d gone to the protest, I was so worried something like this would happen¡ª''


    ''You think they caused the storm to stop the protest?'' Musa demands, pushing the towel off his face.


    ''I wouldn''t put anything past the Futurists.'' Auntie turns her fierce blanket towards me and I wince. She''s rabbiting on¡ªLieutenantBasarawould never¡ªFares''sfather, irresponsible swine¡ªthe market, the storm, Jinaka¡ªher voice growing shriller as she works herself into a state. I think she''s forgotten we''re even here.


    ''Musa,'' I whisper. ''I saw Zaida again, just before.'' The tears I''ve been working so hard to suppress now return with a vengeance. ''She . . . I think she''s going to sell me out to the Authorities, Musa. . . I really think she will this time¡ª''


    ''I won''t let her!'' Musa bolts upright, sending poor Auntie flying.


    ''Musa, what on earth¡ª?''


    ''Mum, Zaida''s going to sell Samma out to the Authorities!''


    I don''t expect Auntie to know what Musa''s on about. I expect questions, confusion, her classic''oh, don''t be so silly, dear.''But none of that happens. Her rich coffee cheeks drain instantly. And her eyes dart from Musa to me, wide, bulging and full of fear.


    ''Wha¡ªwhat do you mean?''


    She knows something. Her expression shows everything. She''s terrified. I stare at her. ''Auntie. . . What do you know?''


    ''Nothing!'' she says. Too quickly. Too firmly. A nerve twitches under her eye. The tip of her tongue brushes against her bottom lip.


    ''You''re lying. . .'' I say slowly, narrowing my eyes. ''Tell me the truth, Auntie.''


    Her eyes are pleading with me, to stop asking, to stop talking. When she gets no reprieve, she closes her eyes and whispers, ''What¡ªwhat doyouknow?''


    Musa bites his lip and I glance at him for reassurance. If I tell her. . . If I say the words out loud. . . What will happen? I don''t even like thinking it, in case the Futurists somehow hear. Musa gives the faintest shake of his head.


    ''Auntie¡ª'' I swallow. ''I think there''s something wrong with me. I¡ªI think I might be an Elementalist.''


    Silence. Auntie''s breath catches and I wait for her to exhale. But it doesn''t come. Instead, she opens her eyes to stare blankly at the floor, so intently that for a second I wonder if she heard me. But she must have done.


    ''Do you know what that means?'' she asks eventually, her voice cautious, wary, as though weighing the choice of her words very carefully.


    ''Mum!'' Musa explodes. ''Shut up!''


    ''What?''I round on Musa, punching him on the arm. ''Don''t tell me you''re hiding things from me too.''


    ''Of course, he is,'' Auntie interrupts, spreading her arms out between Musa and I, casting desperate glances at my parent''s bedroom door. If she''s praying for them to come and rescue her, she''s going to be sorely disappointed. ''Sweetheart, we had to. I''m sorry, but it wasn''t our place to say anything. But we''ve always known, ever since you first arrived.''


    ''Arrived?'' My mouth is bone dry. ''Arrived from where?''


    ''I don''t know.'' Auntie eyes well up; her fingers rise to catch the tears as they fall. ''Sixteen years ago, a man approached me with a baby. You. You''d been matched to me¡ªyou lookedsomuch like Musa. But I was barely coping raising Musa on my own, so he offered you to my sister instead. He¡ªhe promised that you would live.'' The tears track along her cheeks, too strong to be contained. ''Children are so hard to raise, you should know that better than anyone, Samma. Look at Nura. . . See how much losing her is killing your parents. He was guaranteeing a child in the family who would survive. How could we turn you away?


    ''So, we took you here to hide you. The man told us you had extraordinary powers and that Jinaka would always be searching for you. He said we would need you alive if this Futurist regime is ever going to fall.'' She bows her head, as though uttering something holy.


    ''I remember when you arrived,'' Musa whispers. ''You were so tiny.'' His long, black hair is loose now, hanging in his eyes, and for one crazy moment, I want to sweep it out of his way. But then, the impulse is snuffed out by something hot, red, and raging.


    ''You lied to me, Musa.'' The thought of it. It tastes of poison. I want to wretch. ''Everyone else, sure. . . But not you.''


    ''What was I supposed to do?'' Musa reaches out for me but I brush him away; Auntie springs back between us in an instant.


    ''Children, please! You mustn''t fight.''


    ''But he made me think I was okay!'' My words taste of salt as they drip from my chin to the floor. ''He¡ªhe¡ªI knew I was different, I knew there wassomething, but he always made me feel like I was okay, like I belonged¡ª''


    ''Enough.''


    We jump. There, outside Nura''s bedroom door, stands my dad.


    ''You always knew you were different? Well, you were right.'' Dad walks towards me and I realise that I haven''t properly seen his face for months. The look in his eyes¡ªit''s like hehatesme¡ªbut then Musa''s by my side, holding my hand, exactly where he''s been for as long as I can remember.


    ''You were such a strange child,'' Dad continues, his brow stiff and jaw clenched. ''Not like Nura. . . Nura was so happy, so full of laughter. You were quiet. You liked being alone.''


    ''No, she didn''t¡ª'' Musa begins, but a glare from my dad silences him.


    ''As a toddler, you used to try and play with the mist. You''d wrap it up in your hands, moulding it into a ball; sometimes, you''d throw it to Musa, expecting him to catch it. . .''


    ''But it always used to fall through his fingers.'' I finish his sentence as the memory rises from the deep, so powerful I can''t believe I''d forgotten it: little Musa, watching me open-mouthed, straining high to catch this ball of mist and crying as his hands slipped right through. . .


    ''We put a stop to it. We didn''t want them to find you.'' Dad sweeps the memory away, scattering it into the mist. ''But now . . . Zaida''s onto you?''


    ''Yes,'' I whisper.


    ''Has she told anyone yet?''


    ''All her friends.''


    ''And she really plans to inform the authorities?''


    I nod, fear sitting heavy as lead in the pit of my stomach. ''She¡ªshe thinks she''ll be rewarded. . . She''s scared. She doesn''t want to die.''


    Dad flinches.Ahh.If only I could shovel my insensitive words back into my stupid mouth. But the damage is done.


    ''I can understand,'' Dad croaks, his fingers reaching out instinctively to Nura''s room. ''I''d give anything for Nu to wake up. . . But Zaida''s wrong. Betraying you won''t help, not in the long run. You''re one of the only people who can stop the Futurists. Who can stop our children dying.''


    ''Me?''


    ''Jinaka is afraid of you, of all the Elementalists. Why do you think he''s put the world on red alert? He''s terrified of you rising up against him.''


    ''But I can''t do anything. . .''


    ''Not now. Not here.'' Abruptly, Dad turns on his heel and disappears into his room; Musa, Auntie and I are left staring at each other, with no idea what to do. But as quickly as he left, Dad returns, this time carrying a small black box.


    ''This is yours.'' Gentler than I expect, he presses the box into my hands. The rash on his arm has travelled down to his hand; I withdraw the box, careful not to brush the grey flaking skin in case I cause him any more pain. He scratches it absent-mindedly. I search his sorrowful eyes for even a flicker of affection . . . but when he casts them away, I realise it''s wishful thinking.


    ''What''s inside?''


    ''Open it. The man left it for you. He said you had to have it by your sixteenth birthday.''


    My fingers are trembling so much I''m scared I''m going to drop it. Then, Musa''s soft, firm hands are on mine, steadying me like always. We lift the lid and there, on a bed of red satin, sits a pure-white coin. I pick it up, letting the box fall to the floor.


    ''What is it?''


    ''I don''t know,'' Dad says. ''The man just told us that if you press it, he will come for you, and that you should do so before you turn sixteen.'' He shoots Auntie a nervous glance. ''I would have given it to you sooner, but Musa persuaded me not to. And what with Nura getting sick. . . I suppose we just forgot. Don''t press it now!'' he shouts as my thumb hovers over the button. ''Not near Nura. I don''t want her involved.''


    ''What d''you mean?'' Musa yells. ''Where''s she supposed to go? For once, this isn''t about Nura, you selfish¡ª''


    ''Enough,Musa.'' Dad thunders. ''Samma, all these years, we''ve kept you safe. But if your secret''s out, then there''s nothing more we can do. Staying here puts us all in danger. You need to¡ª''


    ''I know what I need to do.'' Taking a deep breath, I shove the button into my pocket. ''I need to go and find this man. Find out where I came from and where I belong. And you know what, Dad, maybe you''re right.'' Looking back at him, I jut my chin out in defiance. ''Maybe there is something I can do to save Nura. If Jinaka is afraid of me. . .'' The thought brings a grim smile to my face. ''Maybe he has good reason to be.''


    *


    It''s early next morning when I finally heave my rucksack over my shoulders, straining under the weight of it. I''ve been up packing all night, and my mum¡ªor, whoever she is¡ªhas been up too, baking me snacks to keep me going. We don''t know how long it will be until my next meal.


    ''It''s time for me to go now.''


    My parents are in the living room having a furious argument with Auntie, but I don''t care. I''ve taken the rare opportunity to sneak into Nura''s room. To say goodbye. Her face has curdled like sour milk, her feather-dusting of eyelashes tickling her cheekbones. Her pale, wispy hair spreads over her pillow in a halo, and if it weren''t for the tubes running from her nose to the pump by her bed, she''d surely be an angel. I want so badly to rip them out, to see her face unblemished as it once was. But I know that without those, she stands no chance.


    ''I''ll miss you, little one.'' I lean down and peck her forehead. For all her pallor, she''s burning hot. ''I''ll find a way to save you. I will, Nu, I promise.'' Then, before I can cry¡ªI know if I cry, I''ll never be able to go¡ªI turn away and leave her. Tiny and alone.


    ''Ready?'' Musa is waiting for me. Auntie stands beside him, sobbing into his shoulder; we''ve all tried begging him, but nothing we say makes the slightest difference. I''ve pleaded with him, insisting that this is his home, this is where he belongs, where people love him, where he''ll be safe. . .


    ''You''re my home,'' he just says with a scowl. ''I''m coming and you can''t stop me.''


    And I guess, if I''m honest, I don''t want to.


    After bidding our parents one last goodbye, we set off down the street, looking back only to wave. My shoulders are already aching from my rucksack. I zip up my anorak and pull down my hood, the wind howling and clouds threatening overhead¡ªthe vestiges of yesterday''s storm. We plod in silence, Musa''s footsteps heavy along the path, his hair tied back tighter than ever. We are headed for Al-Abhor''s quietest Wormhole, deep in the suburbs at the bottom of the hill, and with each step, I feel a weariness take a hold of me.


    ''Are you okay, Musa?'' I wonder if he feels the same way. He looks at me with an expression so calm, with a look of uttermost peace in his eyes as they settle on my own.


    ''Of course, I am.'' He smiles. ''I''m with you.''


    *


    By the time we reach the Wormhole, both our feet are aching and sore. Musa kneels down to massage his, whilst I withdraw the little black box from my pocket, along with a package that arrived for me this morning in the post.


    ''Well? Open it then,'' Musa says impatiently. I nod, fumbling on the cheap paper packaging¡ªout falls a tiny needle kit.


    ''My vaccine!'' How could I have forgotten? I''m sixteen now. My head spins for a moment; what if I''d left yesterday? I''d have missed my vaccine. . . The thought makes me feel ill.


    ''Want some help?''


    I laugh. Musa hates needles; last year, I''d had to do his vaccine for him. ''No thanks. I''ve got this.'' I unwrap it, careful to keep the needle sterile; Musa slots a vaccine cylinder into the injector needle for me then covers his eyes. With a quick, sharpjab, I plunge it into the crook of my arm, just as we''d been taught at school.


    I thought it would feel different, a little voice whispers in my ear. I thought I would feel something.


    ''Feels good, right?'' Musa grins.


    Funny. . . Maybe it needs more time to work.


    I shrug, ramming the kit back into my rucksack before turning back to the box. Musa stops grinning, watching me intently. Opening it, I pluck the button from the satin and press down hard.


    It turns black. Jet black. Coal black. Darkest night black. But after that¡ªlike with the vaccine¡ªnothing. Nothing seems to be happening.


    But then, the Wormhole flashes red¡ª


    And two figures emerge.

 Chapter 5 - Rai

    ''Henry, watch out!''


    And the crowd goeswildas we whizz around the corner¡ªnearly hitting Saffron, swerve Henry!¡ªa bunch of racers¡ªnovices¡ªscattering as we burst through their midst, drones knocked clean out of the air. The breeze whips through my hair and my eyes begin to stream.


    But there it is¡ªthe finish line.So close. . .


    ''Hurry, Henry, c''mon!''


    His motor whirring with effort, Henry zooms forwards; I pinch my knees tighter together, flattening myself as much as I can as we soar over the audience.


    ''Almost¡ªthere¡ªalmost¡ª''


    No! From out ofnowhere, Quail drops down in front of us. His drone, Edgar, spits a trail of black sludge behind him, right in my face.


    ''Ugh!''


    The finish line is too close, we''ll never beat Quail now¡ª


    ''Yeesh, Henry, is this stuff toxic?'' I spit out a mouthful of sludge as the crowd gasp, a noise of collective heartbreak for my about-to-be-stolen victory. . .


    Beep-boop.Henry''s light sensors flash double-red:negative.


    ''Right.'' I grit my teeth. ''Ready to knock this asshole out the sky?''


    Bee-dee-boop!Two blue flashes:game on.


    ''GO!''I yell and with a high-pitched stream of beeps and squeaks¡ªwatch your mouth, Henry!¡ªwe dive, a stomach-lurching nose-drop. I glance up; Quail is turning, desperately trying to see where I''ve gone, taking his eyes off the prize for a fraction of a second too long. . .


    ''Now!''


    I slam on the breaks; Henry shoots up like a cork exploding from a bottle. Our velocity exactly on point. I look up just in time to see Quail''s eyes widen in horror¡ªoh heyy, buddy¡ªand we crash with full-force straight into him.


    There''s a horrible crunch of metal and limbs. Flailing, smashing together¡ªHenry judders and jolts beneath me. It takes all my skill to keep my feet on the handlebars and knees tucked in. Then I open my eyes: Quail is spiralling, Edgar totally out of control, before crash-landing on the sand of the arena floor.


    Henry and I breeze past the finish line, my arms outstretched in victory. And the crowd? They go nuts.


    Hah! Like there''s a drone-rider out there that can take me and Henry down.


    We land with a soft flump on the sand and I jump off Henry; he takes off again over my head as I''m immediately mobbed by my gaggle of dronies. Yup, that''s right. There''s a word for drone groupies¡ªand I have them.


    ''Ohmigod,wow, Rai, you''resucha good pilot!''


    ''Can you take me riding one day?''


    ''Can I touch it? I mean, him? I mean¡ªah, I''m sorry, I sound like such a fanboy¡ª''


    And Henry saunters down reluctantly, letting his adoring fans reach towards his little round body, all sleek and shiny. Aw, hell, I sigh.They''re breathing all over him. I''ll have to polish him all over again.


    ''Nice one, Rai.'' Quail finally hobbles over, Edgar tucked under his arm; he gives me a rueful smile, dabbing his nose with the back of his hand. ''You sure screwed me over, didn''t you.''


    ''Sorry about your nose.'' I offer him a tissue from my pocket, but he just laughs and wipes his nose on his sleeve, smudging blood across his chin. I get it; after all, cuts and bruises are the signs of a good rider. This isn''t a sport for the delicate.


    ''Meh, it''s okay. What''s a bit of blood between racing buddies.'' He claps me on the back and we leave the stadium together, Henry zooming after us with a stream of beeps and stutters. Quail leans in close to my ear. ''I''ll get you back next time.'' His breath tickles. I flinch away, giving him a playful shove on the arm.


    ''Keep telling yourself that.''


    We chat as we hand in our racing IDs to the front desk; the Dennydome''s like our second home, we know it like the back of our hands. It''s the biggest semi-pro stadium in the world, only a little smaller than the professional stadium, the Ultimate Dennydome, in the heart of Singavere. Our capital city. I''ve been lucky enough to be part of the YDA¡ªthe Young Droners Association¡ªsince I was twelve, making it onto the Lares Youth team in less than a year. To fly for my team is the greatest honour. Quail flies for Ra Youth and we''ve competed against each other for years. Messing with each other after a race is par for the course and this evening''s no different. We hang out until the city is almost ready to switch on the Night-Sky; we run outside just in time to watch.


    I love the sunset. It''s my favourite time of day. There''s something kinda magical about it, you know? We squint upwards, hands over our eyes, as the speakers announce,''Light''s out everybody, and have a wonderful evening!''.And just like that, the pale blue sky melts into a deep cerulean. Shadows of city-drones flying to their stations circle above us; AI vending-machines glow from inside, illuminating the sweets and goodies in their bellies; and spot-lights line the pavements like a catwalk, so we can all make our way home safely in the dark.


    I wave goodbye to Quail along Helium Street, crossing the road to Titanium Bay. A squiggly knot burrows in the pit of my stomach and my face¡ªthis issoembarrassing¡ªI can''t wipe the smile off it.Titus is going to be so pleased with me!Just imagining his pleasure makes each of my steps that little bit faster. Clicking my tongue, I clip in my headphones back in after having taken them out for the game¡ªtwo neat studs that nip onto each tragus¡ªand hum to myself as I saunter down the street, one hand on Henry''s lower handle. Just to keep him close.


    ''Hi, Rai!'' A stranger waves at me from across the road. ''Good night!''


    Blossom,my headphones chirp, pausing the music. ''G''night, Blossom!'' I wave back and we continue on our way. The air is cool and crisp; so nice that I decide to stop by an AI vendor before going home. I''ll pick up a treat for the others with my winnings.


    ''How may I help you?'' the robotic voice chimes. Its head, face adorned with an artificial smile, cocks to one side as it wobbles on top of the vending machine.


    ''Three packs of choco-pods, please.'' I lean forwards so the vendor can scan my retinal-chip; there''s a flash of red light, I blink and payment''s complete. I rub my eye; it''s getting kinda sore. But that''s not weird or anything; one in a thousand people have retinal sensitivity. I stash the pills in my pocket and race Henry home.


    ''Hey, Auden.'' I nod to our gate keeper as Henry flies clean over the gate, presumably to show off how much better than me he is, obviously.


    ''Evening, Master Rai.'' Auden tips his hat, his face scrunching into my favourite crinkly smile of his. Crinkly faces are the best, don''t you think? Most faces in Singavere are so smooth, so well designed, it''s kinda difficult to tell what''s real and what''s fake. ''Race went well, I gather?''


    ''Couldn''t have gone better!''


    As per routine, I hold his ancient phone-thingy up to my reti-chip, and within a millisecond, they''re synced. Auden umms and aahs as he watches the blow-by-blow download of my performance on his cracked screen.


    ''Clever boy. Lord Tituswillbe proud. So, you''re through to the quarter-finals?''


    ''Semi''s!'' I puff my chest out proudly.


    Auden guffaws. ''Oh, to be young and riding about on drones. Wish I''d been able to do that at your age. Get on with you, I know the Lord is waiting.''


    A stab of something icy shoots through the pleasure in my gut.Ahh.I shake my head,hard, and the feeling vanishes. Just like that. A grin spreads over my face like it left. ''Sure thing, Aud. See you later!''You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ''Night, Master Rai. Be careful now,'' Auden calls to my retreating back; for a second, I think he sounds kinda sad. But with another shake of my head, the feeling is gone. I run up the long, paved driveway carved through thick, lush hedgerows¡ªa labyrinth hiding Titus'' vintage car collection¡ªand in through the front door.


    I musn''t keep Lord Titus waiting.


    *


    Just to be clear¡ªso, you know, you don''t get the wrong idea or anything¡ªTitus, or I should say, the Lord Titus of Titanium Bay, isn''t my dad. We''re not even related. He''s my guardian, but like, that isn''t unusual. When the FUTURE government took over, they formed a new capital, my home, Singavere, out of all the victims of the nuclear wars. Since there were so many orphaned kids and broken families, it made no sense for people to live in traditional units. You know; two parents, two-point-five kids, whatever.


    We created a holistic society far away from the bitter warmongers in the rest of Tellus. I mean, we get on okay with the other Huans, I guess, like the Singwari and the Haoshi, but the rest? Well, you just don''t know who''s part of RESIST.


    Guardians like Titus take in orphaned wards and General Jinaka''s government supports their living costs; man, Jinaka''s such an awesome guy. He reallygetswhat it feels like to be one of the people. He comes to all the races, sometimes even the semi-pro ones, too. He visits scholars in the Academies and apprentices like me in the Guilds. He tours countries like Amariland and Caeltanica, handing out ration tokens to beggars on the streets. He loves all the people he serves and wants to be a part of them. Of us.


    Lord Titus has seventy wards, at last count; his mansion grown to seven stories tall with two underground basements, one of which is mine, Buffalo and Cherry''s workshop. The ground floor and first two floors are for Titus and clients only, but the other four are split between the seventy of us. We each have our own room and everything. Sometimes it can be a little tricky finding each other, though.


    ''I''m home!'' I burst into the entrance hall, flinging my satchel to the floor. Henry''s perched on top of my head; he always acts a little skittish at home. To be fair, you need your wits about you. Living with sixty-nine other wards definitely has its pros and its, uh, cons.


    ''Hey, Rai-ro.'' Dove sticks her tongue out at me as she jumps out from a side-room with a clack of her silver-studded boots. ''Titus is freaking out! He wants to know how the race went. What took you so long?''


    I delve into my pocket and with a flourish, produce a pack of choco-pods. Dove''s eyes bulge.


    ''Oooo, gimme, gimme!''


    I toss the pack to her and with a well-practised rip, she tears the packet with her teeth and jerks her head back, knocking back the pods in one gulp. Her pupils pulse; a sure sign of a sugar-high.


    ''Nice.'' She grins. ''More please!''


    ''Nope! Not ''til you clean Henry''s charging station. It''s all messy again.''


    ''Aw, man, you suck.''


    ''I make it worth your while.''


    She sticks her tongue out again; this time, it''s coated in chocolate. ''I do it for Henry ''cause he''s worth ten of you.'' She reaches up to tickle Henry''s round front panel, and he scoots upwards over our heads with a string of angry beeps.


    ''Spoilsport. Anyway, babe, buzz for Titus before he goes out.''


    ''Will do. See ya later.'' We do our signature fist-bump and head our separate ways; Dove to the door¡ªI guess she has a client¡ªand me to the lift. As I wait, I tap my forehead above my left eye twice, firm and fast. At once, Titus''s voice floods my headphones.


    ''Finally! Come to my office on the sixth floor.''


    It cuts off just like he''s hung up the phone. But obviously he didn''t, ''cause, you know. Phones are for old people and resisturds.


    By the time I reach the sixth floor, that funny feeling is starting to creep back into my chest, but I keep shaking my head and it''s fine, it goes away. Instead, I smile. And the more I smile, the happier I become. He''s gonna be so proud of me!


    Titus''s office is the first door on the left; I buzz the intercom and speak into it, my voice a little high.


    ''Hello?''


    ''Enter.''


    Titus''s office isfancy. It''s got a white leather-look sofa sprawling the length of the back wall, which itself is made entirely from glass. It overlooks the gardens, which are programmed to grow whichever plants Titus likes in whatever weather he wants. In the winter holidays, he always makes it snow; we build snowmen and snowballs, and lie on our backs catching snowflakes in our mouths. He has a huge white desk with an aquarium inside; sometimes, when he''s feeling generous, he lets us feed the fish. When he''s pissed, sometimes he threatens to feed ustothe fish, but, I mean, I''m sure he''s joking. Most of the time.


    Everything about the sleek, crisp room makes me feel even more conscious of my sweaty, dishevelled hair and sandy shorts. I try to brush the sand off without him seeing, but of course, Titus swivels his chair around to face me at exactly that moment. Damn, he must think I''m such a scruff. But if he does, he doesn''t say. His porcelain features remain as serious and composed as ever, but there''s an extra twinkle in his cool grey eyes that I know is just for me.


    ''Rai. I heard on the grapevine you did rather well?'' Listening to his voice is like bathing in warm honey. It''s so inviting, you want to dive right in and never climb out. I nod eagerly, tapping my eyebrow so he''ll know I have it recorded.


    ''Not just well, Titus. I won!''


    Titus''s composure breaks; a chuckle emerges from the pit of his stomach and he rises to clasp me tight on the shoulder, his crystal-white suit crackling as his limbs unfurls.


    ''So, we have a champion in the making. My, my, is there no end to your talents, my boy?''


    My cheeks glow even hotter. ''Erm. . .''


    ''Your last report from Guild Master Song was glowing: she said your mechanical skills exceed apprentices with years more experience. You''re winning more and more races each season¡ªand that''s not to mention yourotherlittle trick.''


    I cast my eyes down. My face is burning. But that little shard of ice . . . it''s starting to creep back.


    ''Let''s see it, then.'' Titus smiles. I step closer, letting him gaze right into to my eyes so our retinas scan. Soon enough, he adopts the glazed-expression of someone watching a video behind their eyes.


    ''Nice.'' Smirking, he syncs our retinas so I can see the bit he''s referring to. It''s the crash with Quail; I can''t help laughing. I knew he''d appreciate that.


    Finally, his eyes focus back on mine. I clear my throat. ''So, er, Dove and Auden said you were looking for me?''


    ''Oh, yes. I wanted to find out how your race went.'' Titus presses his fingers, tucked as always inside gloves of finest white silk, to his pursed lips. ''But something else did come up, as it happens. Another little job for a boy of your skills.''


    I swallow. A job. Okay, but what kind. . . Henry comes to rest on my head again. I feel the slow, gentle hum of his body through my hair. It''s exactly what I need; the icy shard in my stomach just shattered into a hundred beads. It must show on my face.


    ''Oh, come now, Rai. Don''t look so worred!'' Titus stands, takes me firmly by the arm, and walks me over to the window. We watch the deer outside lollop across the grounds. I know he can feel me shaking. ''Rai.'' He cups my cheek, stroking it with his thumb. The fabric is so soft. ''It will be okay. I promise.''


    ''But what if¡ª?''


    ''I know your last client . . . got a little out of hand. But I promise that won''t happen again.''


    ''But that''s what you said the timebeforelast. . .''


    ''Excuse me?''


    There''s a bite to Titus'' tone that makes my heart stop. A flash of steel in his usually calm eyes¡ªI try to cringe away, but Titus holds on firm.


    ''I¡ªI''m sorry, I didn''t mean¡ª''


    ''Oh, Rai.'' His eyes are mellow as always. Maybe. . . maybe there wasn''t actually ever a flash in them at all. ''It''s okay, I know you didn''t mean that the way it sounded. You''re a good boy. You always do the right thing.''


    ''I¡ªI try. But, I can always do better¡ª''


    ''And you will, my boy. You will do magnificently.'' Titus lets out a long, weary sigh, then guides me back to the sofa. We sit, and he lounges beside me, one hand resting lazily in my hair.


    ''I know you don''t much care for my clientele. I can''t say I''m particularly fond of them myself. But not everyone is as fortunate as we are. Not everybody has access to our internal climate; most people suffer constantly from the toxic rain. You''re a lucky boy, Rai, born to a lucky society, but you know I always say¡ª''


    ''We must not take luck for granted, but share it where we can.'' I can echo Titus''s catchphrase by heart.


    Titus laughs. ''Well said. So, if those in the lesser societies don''t have access to clean water, wouldn''t you say it is our common duty to provide?''


    ''Yes,'' I admit, not quite meeting his eyes. ''But¡ªbut there are official routes, aren''t there. . ?''


    ''Of course. But the authorities don''t always provide families with enough. You know that.''


    I say nothing. I''ve heard it all before.


    ''Can you really begrudge people wanting a little extra?''


    ''No,'' I whisper. ''It''s the other stuff I don''t like. . .''


    ''Yes, well. I know.'' Titus clears his throat and gets to his feet; I get the distinct impression I''m being dismissed. ''But you had a choice. Never forget that. You chose this path; your clients live hard lives and these are desperate times. There''s no shame in what we do, we''re just here to make people happy. Besides, you know the drill: seventy wards don''t feed themselves, however much General Jinaka kindly gives us. We have to follow the money. Now go and get changed and cleaned up, I want you in the hallway in twenty minutes. We''ve got a wormhole to catch.''


    I''ve been excused. ''I''ll be as quick as I can.'' I bow my head in respect before practically racing for the door. Henry squeaks in protest as he speeds after me.


    Soon, I''m safe in my room, knelt on the lush carpet with my head in my hands. My eyes are heavy and I feel sick to my stomach. I don''t want to go. My last client was so dirty and smelly, and . . . well. . .


    All I ever wanted was to give people something beautiful. But for some, beauty is never enough. People think they can take, andtake¡ª


    Beep?Henry floats in front of my face, one of his handles rising to brush away the lone, fat tear that rests on my cheek.


    ''It''s okay.'' I laugh despite myself, patting Henry between his top handlebars. His lights flash bright blue. ''I know the drill. Anyway, it''s good to help people, Henry. You know that.''


    With a sigh, I pull myself to my feet and wander into the bathroom, letting the tap pour a steady stream of crystal-clear water into the deep, hollow tub. Kneeling in front of it, I strip off my blood-stained t-shirt and lean forwards, closing my eyes. Letting my hands hover in front of me, feeling the steam rise up to my fingertips. The aches and pains of the race melt away, and the anxiety and nerves of what''s about to happen wash over me, until my mind is completely at sea.


    I wait, silent and still. My fingers twitch, navigating the steam. Reaching . . . further into the calm. Into the peace.


    Into each and every drop.


    Soft.


    Relaxed.


    A solitary splash.


    And when I open my eyes¡ªthe tub is no longer full.


    It''s empty.


    And surrounding my hands¡ªin halos of twisting, tumbling swirls¡ªare great, azure rings of water.


    A warm glow of pure happiness engulfs me, overwhelms me; with a laugh that dances like droplets off of a waterfall, I let the swirls embrace me.


    They are mine to weave, mine to control, mine to dance with.


    Water ismine.

 Chapter 6 - Kass

    I don''t know what I expected, but it certainly wasn''t being lunged at by some random guy. All we did was walk out of the wormhole¡ªand this boy just comes at us. I almost fall back through the wormhole.


    ''Who are you?'' The guy drops his rucksack and raises his fists. Oh, please. He can''t be much older than me, and he''s all skin and bone. ''Get out of our way.''


    There''s a girl, too, peering at us from behind the guy''s back. Jet-black hair swirls around her face and it''s weirdly difficult to tell where her waves end and the mist begins.


    ''Ahah!'' Eldred claps his hands, then thrusts one under the boy''s nose. ''Pleased to meet you, young man, pleased to meet you; the name''s Eldred, Professor Eldred. Now, was it you who called, or your pretty sister behind you? I know whomymoney''s on.''


    ''Get away from her.'' The boy spreads his arms out wide. ''Pretty sister,my ass; get lost, you sleazebag, or I''llmakeyou.''


    ''Phwoo! Feisty one, aren''t you?'' Eldred turns and raises an eyebrow at me. ''Hear that, Puffin? We best move, or he''llmakeus.''


    ''Don''t call me that,'' I mutter. Eldred seems to get endless entertainment by seeing how far he can push me before I snap; the last few days have been the longest nightmare of my life. My insides feel raw, like I''m crumbling away. Like the slightest gust of wind could knock me down and I''d never get up again. Plus, my asthma''s at its all-time worst; we keep having to stop and for someone who calls himself a professor, Eldred''s sure been unsympathetic.


    ''Come on, now, Puffin,'' he grumbles. ''Stop slacking!''


    But I can''t. My entire world has disintegrated. FUTURE is nothing but a cult ofmurdering bastards. Whilst the Resisters, the fabled warmongers that destroyed the world, are actually. . . who?


    I just don''t know what to believe anymore.


    When Eldred showed me that his black button was vibrating, I couldn''t muster up much enthusiasm.


    ''Another of the Elementalists is calling,'' Eldred said, dancing a jig on the spot. ''Come on, Puffin, let''s go!''


    He then tampered with the wormhole at the bottom of the mountain, slotting a red chip-card into the control panel. The control screen usually shows a map of the routes you can take within that specific wormhole''s database; I managed a grunt as the map flickered, settling on a completely new location.


    ''Al-Abhor? Where the heck. . . That''s not where this wormhole goes.''


    ''Oh, Puffin.'' Eldred patted me on the head. ''That''s whatthisis for.'' He slipped the chip-card out again and pocketed it with a wink. ''Call it platinum-level access, if you will. Or¡ª'' He grinned. ''Platinum-level hacking. Come on¡ªour next Elementalist awaits.''


    And without a backwards glance, he stepped through the Wormhole. For a fraction of a second, I wondered¡ªcould I make a break for it? Would he return to hunt me down, or would he choose the new Elementalist? Then realisation came crashing down;making a break for it.Stupid, stupid. Even if I wanted to, where the hell would I go? I have nothing, nowhere.


    I am completely alone.


    *


    ''I''m warning you,'' the boy growls, unearthing a blade from his pocket; although dull, it''s enough to make the girl gasp and Eldred''s eyebrows to raise a little higher. ''MOVE.''


    ''Or what?'' A hot rage floods through me. The way he''s looking at us. . . It''s starting to piss me off. ''What are you going to do? Stab us? Yeah, right.''


    ''I''m sorry,'' Eldred says softly, shoving me with surprising roughness back behind him. ''But you need to come with us.''


    ''Go!'' the boy yells behind him at the girl. ''Run, I''ll hold them off¡ª''


    Eldred completely ignores the boy. He turns to the girl instead, his voice a gentle caress. ''Sweetheart, I''m here to help. You called, so I came.''


    ''Don''t speak to her!'' The boy brandishes his knife inches from Eldred''s chin, trembling all down his arm. ''You don''t understand; we have to get out of here, they''re after us¡ª''


    ''They''re not after you,'' Eldred says. ''Yet.'' There''s a scuffle, so quick I barely see it. The boy yells, the blade swings¡ªand a splash of blood splatters the ground. The girl shrieks and the next thing I know, Eldred has the boy pinned, arms to his sides. The knife clutched in Eldred''s fist.


    ''Let him go!'' The girl runs at Eldred, pummelling his arm; there are red rims around her eyes. ''Please, please! He''s all I''ve got.''


    ''C''mon.'' Eldred''s eyes soften as he glances down at her. ''What do you take me for?'' He pauses, readjusting his grip on the squirming boy. ''So, what did they name you, in the end?''


    ''Don''t tell him anything!'' the boy hisses, struggling against Eldred''s unexpected rock-solid grip.


    ''Samma,'' the girl sniffs. ''Samma Fazil.''


    ''It''s a pleasure, Samma. I''d shake your hand, but unfortunately mine are otherwise engaged. A nod will have to suffice.''


    Samma gapes at Eldred. Even the boy stops straining long enough to shoot him a very odd look.


    ''Please,'' Samma whispers after a pause, still trying, and failing, to prise Eldred off the boy. ''You don''t understand. I need to get away from here before it''s too late. I''m¡ª''


    ''Iknow,'' Eldred says, his voice so quiet, I can hardly hear him. ''I know who you are, sweetheart. Elementalist. . . It''s okay. I''m here to help you.''


    Samma gasps, eyes widening¡ªbut then, Eldred slams a hand down on the Wormhole''s control panel. With a laugh that escapes into the wind, he thrusts the boy through the glowing red void.


    ''Follow if you''re ready to find out who youreallyare!'' He jumps backwards through the wormhole and disappears. Samma screams andholy hell¡ªI cry out in alarm as all around her, the mist starts to thicken into a dense, dark fog.


    ''MUSA!''


    A blast knocks me off my feet; the girl dives through the wormhole after Eldred and the fog explodes off the surface of the void, unable to travel through.


    It''s all I can do to claw my way on my hands and knees through the biting mist, my eyes streaming from the sting, after them into the wormhole. I tumble through¡ª


    And Al-Abhor disappears.


    *


    ''Where are we?''


    I roll out of the wormhole and scramble to my feet, scattering pebbles across the dusty ground. Wherever we are, it''s dark. Dank. There''s an abandoned feeling to the place; I can''t explain it. It just screams loneliness. Maybe once it was a forest, but now, it''s just a ghoulish imitation¡ªwe''re surrounded by an army of dead, blackened trunks, shadows of their former selves, not a leaf to be seen. The ashen forest seems to stretch out for miles.


    I shudder. The mist lies particularly heavy here, like it''s trapped by the trees; I''m slowly becoming soaked, just by standing here. The vapours prickle my skin and I scratch my arm, suddenly self-conscious. ''Where are we?'' I repeat.


    The boy, Musa I guess, is no longer being pinned down by Eldred; he and Samma are clinging to each other like they''ll never let go. Kitty''s face floods my mind and I have to look away as my heart burns.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ''Where the hell have you taken us?''Musa fumes, at the same time as Samma whispers.


    ''How did you know?''


    ''Simple.'' Eldred smiles at her, ignoring Musa once again. ''You pressed a button that only Elementalists have. Look.'' He shows her his little black button, and just as I did when he showed it to me, she brings an identical one out of her own pocket.


    ''It''s changing colour again,'' she says softly; it is, right before our eyes. Black fades all shades of grey, before settling on a sort-of milky off-white. I get mine out too and press. We watch it turn from beige to black, then slowly fade back to beige again.


    ''Snap,'' I say and she stares at me.


    ''Are you one too? An Elementalist?''


    ''Apparently.'' I want to say more, but I can''t right now. My breath jars, sticking in my chest. Coughing, and heart hammering, I reach for my inhaler and the tension between Samma and I breaks. Musa scowls and snatches Samma''s button, shoving it into his own pocket.


    ''What is this? Some kind of bloody reunion? Well, you can shove it; this isn''t a game. Sammi''s life could be at risk; we need to stop the Futurists before¡ª''


    ''Oh, believe me,'' I croak, as my chest finally expands. ''If anyone wants to make the Futurists pay, it''s me.''


    ''I love this!'' Eldred claps his hands together in glee. ''You don''t know how long I''ve waited to see my Elementalists back together. And so furious with the Futurists¡ªpeople really do create their own enemies in life, don''t they.''


    ''Shut up, Eldred,'' I snap, pocketing my inhaler again. ''Can''t you just tell us where are we?''


    ''I thought you wanted me to shut up?''


    ''Screw you.''


    ''Charming as ever. We are just outside the RESIST headquarters, wherein lies the very heart of the resistance itself.'' Eldred beckons us over, pointing downwards; we shuffle forwards. At first, I don''t see anything, but then, Eldred kicks over a log and the ground suddenly shifts¡ªI stumble, trying to maintain my balance. A whole section of the ground sort of just . . . melts away. It slides out of view, revealing a deep pit; I peer down into the darkness. ''Which is, of course, where I work. Shall we go inside?'' He smiles, showing off his rows of crooked, but glaringly white, teeth.


    ''What, down the hole? Are we rabbits now?'' Musa snorts. Sammi shoots him a reproachful look.


    ''Musa, give it a rest. I have a good feeling about this.''


    Why?What about any of this feelsgood?Then I recognise her expression. It''s hope. And it''s so pathetic, and childish, and so starkly like how Kitty used to look when we''d pray to be relocated to Ra every single goddamn night. . . I can''t stand it. Blinding pain slices the wound in my heart, ripping it open, leaving me reeling.


    Kitty, my Kitty. Gone. . .


    ''It''s okay.'' Eldred''s voice echoes in my ears and I feel the weight of his hand on my arm. ''It''ll be alright, son.''


    ''I''m not your son.''


    Samma and Musa exchange a glance before nodding Eldred''s way. After giving me a chuck under the chin, Eldred clicks his fingers and a shuttle appears, whizzing up through the hole towards us.


    Despite the tears tracking down my cheeks, I step inside after Eldred as though in a dream. And the shuttle drags us down. . .


    *


    ''Lower level ten,'' the shuttle announces. ''Preparing to dock.''


    I wonder how deep into the ground we''ve gone and how much further we''d need to go before we hit the mantle. Maybe we could sink into its fiery depths and never resurface.


    We step out of the shuttle into what looks like a factory. It''s so busy; the moment we leave the shuttle we have to fight to avoid being swept along by a swarm of workers, rushing up and down the passageway. There are even people dangling from the walls and ceiling. Hulking tanks and copper pipes hang down from above us, oozing a noxious-green tar; every few seconds, great puffs of steam burst from a gap, whilst a worker hastily tries to nail it shut.


    ''I''ve got lots of people who want to meet you,'' Eldred says, leading us down the hallway. No one gives us a second glance, but Eldred is greeted with a respect bordering on reverence by¡ªwell¡ªeveryone. He acknowledges everybody. Droids mingle with the crowd almost as common as humans, but no one pays them any particular mind; it''s like they''re just the same as any other worker. I gaze around at them, at these people, stunned.


    ''Are you. . . Is thisreallyRESIST?''


    Eldred raises an eyebrow at the surprise in my voice.


    ''Why wouldn''t it be?''


    ''You''ve gotdroids.How on earth would Resisters get hold ofdroids?''


    Eldred laughs. ''You assumed we''d be as primitive as Resisters above ground? Hell no! We can''t let the Futurists have all the fun gadgets now, can we? Yes, above ground we''re still woefully behind the times, but if everyone knew about the tech we''ve got squirrelled away down here. . .''


    ''They''d be pretty pissed off that you''ve left us rotting in the gutter,'' Musa mutters. Eldred shoots him a sharp look.


    ''Exactly. But the reality is that we can''t fight a monster stronger than us, can we.'' His tone switches, suddenly very careful. ''We''re already at a huge disadvantage. This looks impressive to you? It''snothingcompared to the Futurists. This is just stuff we''ve scavenged or bartered for on the black market. Supplemented by inventions from our own brilliant minds, of course.'' He pauses to tip his hat at a worker passing by. ''Anyway, everything will become clear shortly; I''ve got a team waiting for us just a few minutes ahead.''


    At the end of the passageway, a huge metal door bars our way.


    ''Scan,'' Eldred says to nobody in particular, and a red light bursts from a control panel on the side of the door. It flashes across his face and Eldred blinks; then, with a grinding creak of metal, the door creaks open. We follow Eldred inside.


    I guess it looks a bit like a boardroom. Like one you might see on a Futurist TV program. There''s a labyrinth of rusty pipes snaking across the ceiling, but as long as you don''t look up, it looks pretty sophisticated. A table takes up most of the room, with comparatively few people perched around one side of it. It''s not the kind of table my family and I''d have sat down for Sunday lunch at. The whole surface is a touchscreen, currently showing a map; the people at the table are zooming in and out of certain segments. Every time they zoom in, a hologram of that location pops out, and they rotate each image, inspecting it from every angle. The current image looks a lot like Caeltanica.


    They then bring up a holographic image of me.


    ''Hey!''


    The people at the table jump; hands spring to rifles on their hips. But then one of them chuckles; their grips relax, rifles slide back into holsters and they slump back against their chairs.


    ''Morning, Eldred. We weren''t expecting you back for weeks.'' A tall woman rises and approaches us, placing a balled fist to her forehead¡ªa move that Eldred immediately imitates. Her expression is hauntingly solemn, its coldness sending a shiver through me. Have those lips ever smiled? Have those eyes ever closed, calm and at peace? I doubt it. Those lines carved into her skin looks as deep as through stone.


    ''How many did you manage to obtain?''


    ''Two, General.'' Eldred cocks his thumb at Samma and I. ''And one more identified, but unobtainable for the time being.''


    ''Oh?''


    ''It is as we suspected.''


    ''I see.'' The woman purses her lips so hard, they practically disappear altogether. Sweeping past Eldred, she stops sharply in front of me. Hell. I''ve never seen anyone so enormous; she towers over me and I''m not exactly short.


    Her hand appears beneath my nose and I blink. ''Elementalist.''


    I allow her to crush my fingers, before she turns to demolish Samma''s hand too. If I didn''t feel so numb, I might have laughed; Samma''s eyes bulge and she nurses her hand to her chest the moment it''s able to escape.


    The Resister seems oblivious to our discomfort. ''My name is General Alicia Cotton.'' She has the deepest voice I''ve ever heard. ''I am the leader of political party RESIST. It is an extraordinary pleasure to meet you both.'' And just like that, the stone cracks and her lips twitch into a smile. Tiny though it is, it''s the most honest thing I''ve seen in days; I inexplicably want to weep.


    ''Kassius McKenzie,'' I whisper. She nods at me.


    ''Samma Fazil.'' Samma hesitates, before gesturing at Musa. ''And this is my. . . Musa.'' After a moment''s thought, she juts her chin out in resolution. ''Where he goes, I go. Where I stay, he stays. That going to be a problem?''


    Cotton chuckles, a dull, humourless sound. ''I''ll see what I can do. Come and meet the team.'' She gestures at the group of people watching us from around the table.


    ''This is Labelle, our Head of Technology and Engineering; without his expertise, neither our factories nor our laboratories would exist today.'' Labelle is dazzling. My eyes widen; he looks too impeccable to be a Resister, with his shock of blonde hair and brilliant white teeth. I guess his title made me expect a nerd.


    ''This is V?n, our Head of Logistics; he''s a political mastermind. Tactics are his speciality; no one plays the game better than him.'' V?n is a tiny, middle-aged man with an almost eerily neutral expression. It''s the poker-face of a most well-practised gambler¡ªor politician.


    ''This is Brie, our Head of Espionage and our link to the black market. She''s in charge of gathering information, secrets to keep us sharp and hit them where it hurts.'' Unlike Labelle, Brie is the epitome of what a Futurists might derogatorily refer to as ''a resisturd.'' Scruffy, with spiky hair and coating of tattoos¡ªhow she''s the head of anything, let alone espionage, I have no idea. Inconspicious, she was not.


    ''Hit who where it hurts?'' I interrupt.


    Cotton sniffs. ''The first rule you should learn is to mind your manners when you speak to me. I don''t care what or who you are.''


    ''In other words,'' Brie chuckles. ''Interrupt again, and you''ll have me to deal with.'' She winks; I quickly turn back to Cotton, biting back a retort.


    Cotton is watching me carefully, like she''s expecting a challenge from me.When none comes, she continues. ''And this is Dr Keller¡ªhe''s worked alongside Eldred for many years, on projects ranging from reducing the toxicity of the atmosphere to the creation of the Elementalists.'' Dr Keller is an owlish man in a thick lab coat; he gives us a curt nod before starting to twitch his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He makes me imagine a highly intellectual mouse.


    Cotton turns to tap the table-top and everyone redirects their gaze to four holographic figures that blossom upwards from the map. Despite the pixilation, I can tell exactly who they are; well. Two of them, at least.


    ''Four Elementalists, scattered as infants across the world: two physical Elementalists and two ethereal Elementalists. The road to overthrowing the Futurists has been long. We have had many obstacles and challenges to overcome; we''ve waited, patiently, but now, it''s time. For you, our most ingenious creations, to fulfil your roles at the centre of our operation.


    ''With your help¡ªand this, McKenzie, should hopefully answer your question¡ªwe''ll hit the Futurists and we won''t just hit them hard. No.'' Cotton''s smile returns, this time, with a sting of venom. ''We''ll crush the life out of them¡ªso hard¡ªthat they''ll never sully the surface of our planet again.''

 Chapter 7 - Sammi

    Sammi


    ''Musa? Are you awake?''


    Nothing. Just the gentle flutter of his soft feather breath against my cheek. I lie, head resting on his chest, unable to sleep. Each time he inhales, I ebb and flow like the tide upon the sand, gentle as a lullaby. But still. I can''t sleep.


    My head is too full. With strangers, and strange words. Making sense of them is like stumbling through fog. "We''ll crush them so hard, they''ll never sully the surface of our world again."


    How on earth am I supposed to process something like that?


    I cling to Musa, my ship in a storm. His arms wrap around me, anchoring me, making the dark, cramped room the Resisters have given us seem that little bit safer. That other boy, Kass, is huddled next to us on a blanket. His shaggy hair has fallen across his face, but I can still make out the furrow of his brow; whatever he''s dreaming about, it looks unpleasant. He''s curled into a foetal position, knees hugged to his chest; it makes me cling to Musa even tighter. I can''t imagine going through this alone. My chest aches, listening to Kass wheeze in his sleep.


    He just looks so alone.


    We haven''t seen Cotton since our intense first meeting. It''s strange. It almost feels like the Resisters exhausted so much in trying to find us, that now they have, they''re not quite sure what to do with us. Eldred tried, but proved a scant tour guide, disappearing for hours at a time, leaving us to wander. Labelle found us inspecting a pipe that was leaking some sort of smoking tar . . . after that, he took over the role of keeping an eye on us. But he''s been little better than Eldred¡ªhe just wants us to watch him work. Which isn''t as interesting as it sounds; mostly, he squints at a screen, typing and muttering codes to himself.


    It takes a few days, but eventually the other Resisters seem to cotton on that we''re here, and we''re bored. Volunteers start to pour in, a motley mix of soldiers, scientists and engineers who fight to take us to breakfast, show us the gyms, the virtual-reality room, and generally keep us out of mischief. Away from anywhere "important".


    I wonder what it is they don''t want us to see.


    One of Labelle''s men, who introduced himself as Dylan Tanner, caught us after breakfast one morning, offering to show us what he called the "weather-tunnels".


    ''If the Futurists are manufacturing their own climate, we need to understand how,'' Tanner explained, pushing Musa''s head beneath the dripping web of pipes on the ceiling. ''It just seems impossible. What we can''t understand is if they have this technology, why aren''t they using it to reverse some of the climate damage? It makes no sense.'' He also showed us the "data centre", a room jam-packed with computers and whirring, clunking machines; one had a probe that every few minutes sent out a shock of lightning.


    ''Keller''s team might do the science.'' Tanner beckoned us forwards to watch the probe. ''But it''s us, the engineers, who make everything. Well.'' He gave a sheepish smile. ''Some of us do. I don''t personally, I''m just a soldier trained to use and fix stuff in battle. Someone''s gotta do it.''


    We went to see Dr Keller''s labs not long after. They were the only places that looked properly clean, gleaming with bright-white plastic. There were lab benches strewn with glass tubes and coloured liquids; robotic arms transferring substances from bottle to bottle; holographic molecules floating over sharp-coloured panels, while other robots rotated them, merged them together, then broke them apart. Sometimes they would take the holograms to a computer, where they would be sucked into a sensor and appear on the screen.


    We found Dr Keller knee-deep in an enormous glass tank. We peered inside; it was full of billowing emerald leaves, fanning themselves in the golden rays beaming down from orbs of light suspended above us. Great velvet petals, so soft, I ached to touch them¡ªpinks, yellows and reds formed clusters of rainbows along a trickling stream. I gazed in wonder at the crystal-clear water. It glittered, iridescent in the light. I''d never seen fresh water without mist before.


    ''This is what Tellus was like before the Wars,'' Keller breathed. His enthusiasm was infectious; Kass, Musa and I couldn''t help inching closer to the tank to peer inside. ''Look. . . So colourful, so alive. The vibrancy¡ª'' He broke off with a laugh that animated his mild-mannered features. Just our being there with him seemed to make him giddy with delight; he thrust a bug-eating plant into Musa''s hands, blew a white puff of seeds into Kass''s hair, before gently placing something, with utmost care, into my cupped hands.


    I gasped. A tiny thing, green and slimy, no larger than my fingernail, sat on my palm. Its chest pulsed, emitting a trill; it sounded so funny, I couldn''t help giggling. Even Kass managed a smile, leaning forwards to squint at it.


    ''It''s a frog,'' Keller said, grinning from ear to ear. ''Isn''t it beautiful?''


    The frog hopped from finger to finger and we gazed at it in awe. I couldn''t help wishing that my life could be so simple. One simple goal: to survive. A life of instinct, hopping from one hurdle to the next. Then I wondered if my life was really so different.


    ''What exactly is an Elementalist, Dr Keller?'' I asked, finally allowing the frog hop back into Keller''s palm.


    He frowned. ''Well, no one knows exactly, not really. At least, not anyone on Tellus. But from my understanding, Elementalists exist in two forms: physical and ethereal. We believe that physical Elementalists have a natural affinity towards elements in a solid or liquid state¡ªfor example you, Kassius, are a solid Elementalist, meaning you are drawn to the manipulation of rocks and minerals. Ethereal Elementalists, on the other hand, can control the atmosphere, so, gaseous or plasma states of matter. You, Samma, seem to show affinity with the air around you, which would make you an ethereal Elementalist, at least, for now. I imagine that with practise, Elementalists could widen their fields of control, but, of course, this is all just theoretical.''


    Keller seemed to enjoy our visit so much, he requested my return the very next day. I arrived with Musa, leaving a rather disgruntled Kass behind with Labelle; Keller had a job for me.


    ''Since you were curious about the details of your powers, I thought maybe we could conduct some preliminary research together. Recognise this?'' He lifted a jar up to the light; I approached eagerly. But when I realised what it was, I recoiled.


    ''I''ve seen enough of that, thanks.''Mist.I regarded the silver and lavender spirals like a spark about to blow.


    ''Yes, I''m sure. I was wondering if you could help with a little something.''


    The way Dr Keller was looking at me¡ªit was like I was a fossil from an excavation site. Or an alien . . . or a god. Something shiny and rare to be utilised, analysed. Revered.


    The same thing must have crossed Musa''s mind. ''She''s a person, not a new toy,'' he snapped.


    ''Of course,'' Keller nodded fervently, almost too sincere.


    Are we safe here?I locked eyes with Musa, cocking my head slightly. Musa squeezed my hand. I imagined it meaning:probably not, but what better option do we have? Be on guard.


    Thankfully, Keller was oblivious to our silent exchange, pushing the crystal jar of swirling mist towards me.


    ''As you know, our atmosphere is made up of mist like this.'' He popped the rubber bung off the tube with a well-practised flick, holding his finger over the end. ''I want to see if you can separate this mist into its different components. Think you can do that?''


    Pin-pricks of anxiety flooded down my spine. I watched, frozen, as Keller tipped the tube of air into my waiting hands.


    A memory sprang to mind.I threw the mist to Musa, laughing as the ball sailed through his fingers. My dad sprinted towards us; I raised my arms, reaching up to him. Look at me, Daddy. Did you see what I did?


    I could still see the look on his face. The shame. The disgust. My eyes clamped shut, sealing it away. ''I can''t!'' I gasped. ''I can''t.''


    ''Sammi?'' What''s wrong?'' Musa was beside me in an instant, smoothing the hair off my sweating brow. ''Did he hurt you?''


    ''Of course I didn''t!'' Keller held his hands up in innocence. ''All I did was give her the mist. She''s not hurt, she''s panicking. Samma, just calm down. What I''m asking shouldn''t be unnatural; it should feel as autonomous as breathing. All I''m asking is that you deconstruct the mist. You can put each component in the jars on the bench behind you.''


    I opened my eyes, trying as hard as I could to slow down my breathing. ''Is that all?''


    ''That''s all.'' Keller''s voice was calm, reassuring. As I looked into his eyes, he smiled. ''You are very important to me; I''d never do anything to hurt you. Losing you was more painful than I can explain. Having you and Kass back¡ª'' he shook his head, with a small, sheepish smile, ''¡ªmakes me think that maybe there''s hope. Especially you, Samma. Your abilities are special, so precious, considering the toxicity of the air we live and breathe¡ª''


    ''Oh, cut the crap.'' Musa pushed Keller away from me, breaking our eye contact. ''Just get on with it.''


    ''Alright.'' Keller folded his arms, regarding Musa with a cool expression. ''Calm down. Sammi, there''s no pressure. Just do what feels right. It should be as simple as taking apart a jigsaw puzzle. I just want to see if you can do it.''


    Do what feels right. . . What terrible advice. What felt right, in that moment, was bolting to the door.


    But instead, I closed my eyes again. The mist felt solid, almost rough against my palms. I could feel it shifting, a current. With a deep breath, I focused all my attention on working the mist between my fingers, moulding it together as I''d practised with Musa before. At first, my fingers slipped through and my attention wavered for a second. But then¡ªno. I reeled the wisps of mist back together again, coiling them around my fingers for safe keeping.


    I started to notice that the particles felt different. Some were heavy and coarse; some were light, fluttering moths. Some were slow and sluggish in their attempts to escape me; others darted back and forth like frightened sheep fleeing the wolf.


    ''I think I''m going to need more than four tubes, Dr Keller.''


    ''You just put them in, I''ll worry about the tubes and stoppers.''


    I got to work. The tight band of worry across my chest lessened with each particle I prised apart; Dr Keller was right, this was natural, this waseasy. Easier in fact than what I did with Musa by the bathing pool. I can only describe it as being a bit like tearing apart candy floss.


    The last few slithers slipped through my fingers and I felt Keller squirrel them away. At last, my hands were empty. Barely daring to breathe, I opened my eyes.


    Keller and Musa were staring at the lab bench. On top were no less than twenty tubes.


    ''Carbon dioxide.'' Keller''s voice squeaked with excitement as he pointed to each tube in turn. ''Methane; ammonia; alotof sulphur dioxide; toluene; nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide together¡ª'' He glanced at me questioningly, and I shrugged.


    ''They were more tricky to split so I kept them together.''


    He nodded and carried on. ''Chlorofluorocarbons, again, I guess you decided not to split, no problem; areallyworrying number of radioactive pollutants, mostly radon-222, iodine-131 and cesium-137; some ozone in this one; peroxyacetyl nitrate. . . oh, alotof tobacco.'' He shook his head, with a dazed expression. ''Want me to go on?''


    ''God no.'' Musa looked like I''d punched him in the face. ''How did you know how to do that?''


    ''I don''t know.'' But that was only half true, and I couldn''t help my lips creeping into a small, secret smile. It wasn''t something I could ever explain. It was something innate.


    It waspartof me, this ability. Like my limbs. Like my blood.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    When Keller finally let me leave, we found Kass sat with Eldred in the canteen. He was furious at being left behind.


    ''What about my so-called powers?'' He stabbed a carrot with his fork. I shrugged, focusing entirely on my meal; somehow the Resisters managed to squirrel enough food down here to satisfy their workers. Well, kind of; at least one meal a day was a Futurist nutrient shake. Dr Keller said that some Futurists never bother to eat, replacing all meals with grey substitute shakes. Whilst others eat such extravagant foods¡ªconstantly¡ªthat they grow obscenely overweight. Futurists really are impossible.


    ''Oh, come now, Puffin, don''t get your knickers in a twist.'' Eldred clapped him on the back with such gusto, Kass began to choke; Musa and I stifled a laugh. ''Keller''s just bang smack in the middle of a particular piece of research that happens to be more relevant to Sammi than you. I''m sure, had you been there, you''d have been just as apathetic as you were in the barracks.''


    ''You went to the barracks?'' Musa leaned forwards, his spoon half-way to his mouth, unaware of the gravy dripping down his arm. ''What were they like?''


    ''Alright, I guess.'' Kass shrugged. ''Tanner was there, but Labelle wanted to introduce me to some front-line soldiers. I don''t know why.''


    ''Front-line soldiers? What, like infantry? What do they do?''


    ''Lots of things,'' Eldred interrupted. ''Haven''t you seen the uprisings on the television?''


    ''Uprisings?'' Kass looked confused. ''There aren''t any uprisings, everyone loves Jinaka. Well.'' His expression darkened, his hands balling into fists. ''Theydid.''


    ''Not true,'' Musa bit back. ''You must have lived in one of those pro FUTURE villages. You know,'' he sniggered. ''Where suck-ups sit around with scraps bleatingit will be our turn next to be relocated, I know it!''


    ''Shut UP.'' Kass leapt to his feet, cheeks scarlet; I placed a cautionary hand on Musa''s arm. ''You don''t know what you''re talking about¡ª''


    ''Musa''s right,'' Eldred sighed. ''It''s terrible how many villages live in fruitless hope, blindly believing in FUTURE beyond all logic or reason. But they are not to be mocked.'' Eldred frowned at Musa, who had the grace to look abashed. ''They are to be pitied, and¡ªto have such faith in such dire conditions. . .'' He shook his head. ''I have only admiration for such people.''


    Kass sank back down, burying his head in his arms. We all politely averted our eyes. Eldred had finally told Musa and I about Kass''s village. . . I couldn''t even begin to imagine how I''d feel if that were Musa, my family, my people.


    ''But they are living a lie,'' Eldred continued. ''All they see is the propaganda, not the resistance faced by Futurists every day. We have forces all over the world laying sieges to food supplies, raiding trade routes, intercepting their technology. Many of our soldiers work as spies, whilst the rest of the medics, engineers and infantry are trained to be ready for the next war. We think that''s how this will end, eventually.''


    We finished our dinner in silence. Kass didn''t touch the remainder of this meal, and when we got up to go to bed, a cleaner-bot scurried his plate away. I felt a pang of distaste for the wasted food.


    Really, it''s no wonder my head is too full to sleep. The days re-play over and over as I wait for the boys to wake up. Cotton''s finally reserved a day for us, to go over our "duties as Elementalists", whatever that means. I can''t fathom how Kass is able to sleep.


    Then I notice that his eyes are open, staring blankly at the ceiling. A tear tracks down his cheek, disappearing into his hair.


    I pretend to be asleep.


    *


    When Musa finally wakes up, we make our way to breakfast where Eldred''s waiting. Something''s got him excited; he''s tapping his foot faster than usual with an extra twinkle in his eye that makes me nervous. There''s a thick, tense anticipation amongst the workers too. As Eldred leads us to Cotton''s boardroom, they call out things like''fingers crossed, Eldred!''or''maybe today!''


    All we can do is scurry after him.


    We arrive to find Cotton pacing her office, her face baked into a scowl that only relaxes slightly upon seeing us. She gestures for us to sit at the enormous table, where V?n and Dr Keller are already gathered. Dr Keller shoots me a discrete wave, and reluctantly, I smile back. It''s difficult not to like the owlish man.


    ''Shall we wait for Labelle?'' Eldred asks, plonking himself in the nearest chair and swinging around like a child.


    ''Let''s not.'' Cotton shakes her head at Eldred in disapproval, before turning to me and Kass. ''I''m sorry it''s taken so long to meet with you, Elementalists. Sorry, McKenzie and Fazil, right? You''ve just been "Elementalists" to us for so long, it feels odd using your names. Anyway, I don''t want to keep you waiting any longer.''


    ''Sure,'' Kass says, sounding a little snide. Cotton''s right eye twitches.


    ''I''m sure you have lots of questions, but we''ll have to keep this brief. Brie is due back from an important mission, so this will need to be wrapped up by the time she returns.''


    ''Alright.'' I bite back a pretty snide remark of my own. Why is she acting like we''re objectives on a to-do list? ''Can I ask something first?''


    ''No,'' comes Cotton''s short rebuttal. ''Questions can wait. I don''t want to repeat myself; time is of the essence.''


    I glance at Kass and he rolls his eyes; with a sigh, I lean back in my chair, letting Musa take my hand. Cotton clears her throat.


    ''So Tellus used to be separated into independent countries, each with their own government: the Caeltanican Empire, the Kingdom of Amariland, the Slavskani Republic¡ªit goes on. However, what was law in one country was not necessarily law in another; different governing bodies clashed, and after hundreds of years of tension, the Nuclear Wars began. It was war like the galaxy had never seen, and as other planets got involved, the damage grew greater and deadlier. The wars lasted fifty years, leaving Tellus in ruins. Before the local governments could pull themselves together, Jinaka swooped in and set up a single government, FUTURE, which eventually spread over the entirety of Tellus.


    ''Under enormous pressure, all forms of nuclear power were banned. Jinaka decided that Tellus would join the Republic of Extra-terrestrials, an uneasy union between the planets Ra, Lares, Vesta and Ceres, which is where FUTURE gets its name: the Futurist Utopia of Tellus, Under the Republic of Extra-terrestrials. From then on, Jinaka relied heavily on aid from Ra in particular. Our population was sick and dying, and without power, the Futurists didn''t know what to do. Ra stepped in with a solution; a technology we are still struggling to understand today. They gave the Futurists a "capsule", made from a substance that the Ra callvisinium.''


    ''Visinium?'' I echo.


    Cotton nods. ''We believe it only occurs naturally on Ra. The capsule, from what we gather, triggers changes in the surrounding atmosphere, or put simply, the weather. Over time, the Futurists bought more capsules; we believe they now possess three and assume they plan to purchase and install more. They use the visinium capsules to trigger violent weather conditions, like earthquakes, and collect the energy generated as a replacement for nuclear power.


    ''Clever, really. Except, constantly triggering natural disasters makes the damage to the atmosphere even worse. But they don''t care; more of our land gets rigged up to the capsules every year. All the Huan volcanoes are linked to the Gamma-Capsule; the Beta-Cap connects pretty much the whole of Slavskanistan; and there are trigger points for the Alpha-Cap all over Amariland, the S?hrazon west coastandmainland Caeltanica. Caeltanica is basically uninhabitable, more people moved offshore to the Cloud Islands every year.


    ''Clearly, life like this isn''t sustainable. But the Futurists have found that not only do they make enough energy to support Singavere, they''re making a tonne of money by selling the excess back to Ra and Lares.''


    ''Hang on¡ªso instead of providinguswith the energy, they''reselling it?''Musa exclaims, earning himself a smack on the back of the head from Eldred.


    Cotton ignores him. ''By the time they rigged up the third capsule, their evacuation programme had been signed off. The inhabitants of Tellus began to be shipped off to safer planets, so FUTURE can make a killing farming the world left behind.''


    Cotton resumes her agitated pacing, her features twisting into pure, unadulterated hatred.


    ''But the worst part? Thelies¡ªare they really going to evacuateevery person on Tellus?Of course not. Other than rich Singavereans, most of us don''t even get protection. Once the "important" members of society are safely evacuated, the rest of us will be left here to rot, whilst the relocated Futurists continue to line their pockets.''


    Cotton''s hands slam down on the table-top and she leans in towards us. On reflex, I inch closer, so I''m right next to Kass; I see the perspiration clinging to his forehead. He looks like a frightened little boy.


    But me? Well. The storm brewing in my chest feels more like rage than fear.


    ''The Futurists were right about one thing,'' Cotton hisses. ''The Nuclear Wars did do unimaginable damage. Butweat RESIST haven''t given up. Do you know why we are called RESIST? Because we believe in Restoration, Equality, Social-rights and Independence to Save Tellus. We are the Caeltanicans, the Slavskani, the Amarish, the Huansandthe S?hrazons, and wewantto resist.We want to fight back.Our aim is to destroy the visinium capsules; without them, our planet might have a chance to heal.


    ''But the capsules are strong. None of our previous agents sent to destroy them ever returned. There seems to be a limit to how close we can get to them¡ªour agents succumbed to a variety of horrible deaths.


    ''We thought we would never be able to destroy them. Until we created you.''


    ''Us?'' I whisper.


    ''You. We''d all but given up hope when a double-agent from Ra contacted us through the black market. He claimed to have highly classified research, weapons that could control and manipulate the capsules, and ultimately, destroy them. When we finally received the weapons. . . They were you. Four of you, before you were born; embryos in small, strange incubators. Keller studied you before and during your implantation into host-mothers, and found your development to be . . . odd. He eventually concluded that you could, as the informant said, grow to have powers to control, and even destroy, the capsules.


    ''But we were betrayed. Just after your births, the Futurists discovered you and launched an attack on our base. Everything we''d worked on was destroyed¡ªeverything, that is, except the four of you. Eldred took you and ran, hiding you within the population, in the desperate hope that you would survive. And now, you''re back. Now, two of you are finally home, and we can start what should have happened many,manyyears ago¡ª''


    ''This is crazy,'' Kass breathes. His voice makes me jump; I suddenly realise my nails have been digging grooves in my arm. My whole body is crackling with a nervous pulse, an electricity. It''s like, even though my mind barely understands, my primal instincts do.


    ''Crazy? No, McKenzie, far from it. I can see the world that was ripped away from us so long ago. I can see how close it is, and howwe can take it back.''


    Cotton takes a huge breath and collapses back into her chair. I stare at her. Musa''s making these weird choking noises, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.


    I want to say something . . . but what? Okay, so I''m one of four people in the world who can destroy the capsules and stop the Futurists. What then?


    ''How does that save her?''


    ''Who?'' Cotton''s brow puckers at me.


    ''My sister, Nura. She''s dying from the sickness. If I destroy the capsules, and you take over¡ªI get how it savesus. But, how does it save her?''


    From Cotton''s nose comes ahuff,as she sits back, regarding me, fingers pressed to her lips. It''s as though, in that question, we''ve reached a silent, but mutual, understanding.


    ''Outside of Singavere, vaccines are only given to children aged sixteen. Why? Because the more people die, the fewer that need feeding, clothing, evacuating. But Singavereans are all vaccinated from birth and no one even thinks to question it. I would roll out a nation-wide vaccination program starting with everyone who is sick, so that no one,no one, dies from the sickness under my rule.''


    Just hang on, Nu. I''ll save you, I promise.


    ''No!''


    My chair is shoved backwards as Musa pushes in front of me. His shoulders shake as he leans across the table towards Cotton, his eyes dark. ''You can''t ask Sammi to do this. It''s too dangerous¡ª''


    ''Who are you to speak for her?'' Cotton rises sharply. She marches swiftly around the table, reaches out and grabs his hair, yanking him nose-to-nose.


    I spring to my feet. ''Let him go!''


    ''Listen to me,''she roars, spit flying in his face. ''If we want to live¡ªany of us¡ªwe need to risk our lives. Not just the Elementalists¡ªall of us. We have no choice. Our world is dying, and if it does,we all die with it.''


    ''But¡ª'' Kass blinks. He looks like he''s been abruptly woken from a deep trance. ''The evacuations. . . How do you know they won''t save everyone?''


    V?n speaks for the very first time. His voice is nothing, flat and deadpan. A zombie''s voice. ''Like they saved your village?''


    Kass''s trance breaks.


    His fists slam the table-top with a howl of anguish that tears across my heart like the slash of a whip. The force shakes the ground and the entire screen shatters, shards flying in all directions. Everyone jumps to their feet, yelling and swearing, and even Eldred looks startled, kicking himself backwards on his swivel chair.


    ''SHUT UP,'' Kass screams. ''SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UUUUP. . .''


    ''Cotton!''


    The office door opens and Labelle walks in. He stops in the doorway, eyes widening as he takes in the scene: Kass shrieking at the top of his lungs; the table lying in chunks, steaming smoke up to the ceiling; us standing in the mess in silence.


    ''Oh. . .''


    ''Is she back?'' Something lights up behind Cotton''s eyes as she turns her back on Kass and the mess.


    ''Right behind me.'' Labelle grins and Cotton closes her eyes, her taught cheekbones finally relaxing.


    ''Should my ears be burning?''


    ''Brie!''


    Brie strides into the room, face alight with mischief. ''Well, jeez. You guys have all the fun without me.'' She points at Kass. ''Hey you, ground-breaker-boy. Couldn''t you have waited a couple more minutes to wreck the place?''


    ''What news?'' Cotton runs towards her and grabs Brie''s wrists, as the rest of the team follow.


    Kass sways on the spot. His meltdown instantly, and completely, forgotten. Then he sinks to the floor, glass slicing his knees.


    ''Only the best!''


    ''You found the last one?''


    ''Finally. Through the black market, no less.'' She brings out a device from her pocket and presses the middle button; a small, life-like hologram appears of a boy with messy hair and alotof ear-piercings. ''He''s a ward of this stinking-rich twat called Titus Titanium¡ªI know, the priceless names these Futurists have¡ªand you won''t believe what he''s doing. It''s no wonder we couldn''t find him We were looking in the wrong places.''


    ''Why?'' Cotton frowns. She''s twisting her hands together, like she''s trying to restrain them. ''What''s he doing?''


    ''He''s basically a little black-market bitch!'' Brie laughs, throwing her head back in delight. ''Selling his talents to the highest bidder. I thought we might have our work cut out with him, so I tried him out to see what he can do. Don''t worry, he''s good.'' She nods, thoughtfully. ''Very good.''


    ''Not as good as Sammi, surely,'' Dr Keller interrupts, gesturing in my direction; my face shines. ''She separated the air pollution into all its components!''


    ''Oh, Keller,'' Brie scoffs. ''Only you. Just wait and see what Rai can do.''


    ''That''s settled then.'' Eldred stands, almost tipping over his seat in enthusiasm. ''Sammi, Puffin¡ªlooks like our next mission is set. Tomorrow we head out for¡ª''


    ''Singavere,'' Brie quips.


    I look over at Kass, motionless and bleeding in the glass. And I realise I''m crying; my hand rises to feel tears streaking down my face. But before I can blink them away, Kass is gone.


    ''Kassius?'' Eldred shouts, but it''s too late; Kass storms from the room, slamming the door behind him. I let Musa gather me up into his arms and close my eyes on the world.


    But then, beyond the darkness, a picture springs to mind, so clear, so stark; Nura, my Nura, lying in bed, as though asleep. Except, she''s not asleep. She''s dying.


    My hands ball into fists.


    Bring it on. If I need to risk my life in order to save the ones I love? I glance up at Musa, then close my eyes again.


    Then I will. I''ll do anything. Risk anything.


    For Nura.

 Chapter 8 - Rai

    Boom ¨C ka powwow, boom BOOM ¨C bada dumdumdumdum. . .


    The beat is a pulse, synthetic, electric, reverberating through my skull ¨C boom BOOM ¨C bada dumdumdumdum ¨C


    Closing my eyes, I sway to the rhythm.


    Oh. . . ah, ah, ah . . . lovin'' life, i-i-i-it''s-just-so-bright ¨C


    My hands cover my ears, pushing my headphones in deeper, until the music swallows me whole.


    Yeah, w-w-we got tomorrow ¨C


    The beat rises to a climax ¨C I lift my head, feel the whole room jump together ¨C


    AND ¨C


    ''Hey?''


    There''s a touch, light on my arm. I open my eyes, squinting through the darkness and haze of flashing lights. There''s someone in front of me, face shining with sweat and a smoking shot-glass in one hand.


    ''Quail?''


    It is Quail. His headphones hanging out of his ears like weird little insects, flashing bright yellow. Like stars. I laugh, reaching out to brush them aside, accidentally getting them tangled in his hair. His sweat lingers on the back of my hand; I don''t care. It feels kinda nice. Then my body''s distracted by the pull of the music ¨C all I want to do is dance right now ¨C but Quail''s lips are moving. Reluctantly, I slide my own headphones out my ears.


    ''So, what d''ya say?'' Quail''s looking nervous; he''s grinning at me a little too hard, and when my fingers nudge his hand, it''s so sweaty. Too much to be from the heat. I smile; at him, and to myself. He''s nervous because of me.


    ''To what?'' I yell, then I laugh again, sheepish; a problem with earphones is that when you take them off, everything sounds too quiet. I know I''m overcompensating. But Quail doesn''t seem to mind; he tucks my hand in his, and leads me away through the dance floor.


    ''Wait for me,'' I mutter to Dove as I pass her, and she winks.


    ''Will do!'' She lands a kiss on my lips, and I push her away, laughing, laughing too much, I don''t even know why.


    ''Come on,'' Quail whispers, and I flick Dove on the nose as I leave her behind.


    ''Promise you won''t leave without me.''


    ''I won''t!'' she shouts, her back to me, not listening, or caring; she''s dancing, her head lolling from side to side, drifting further into the crowd.


    Needless to say, by the time I get back, she''s gone.


    *


    ''Stupid, stupid. I knew I shouldn''t have listened to her.'' I shove my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans, shivering in the midnight breeze.


    There''s no one to hear me, no one to reply. I scuff my trainers along the pavement, cursing Dove into oblivion.


    By the time I got back, the party was almost over; only the dregs remained, and let''s be honest, who wants to be around at the end of a party, am I right? Calico was frantically trying to tidy up before her Guardian got home, whilst Froz swapped between vomiting into paper cups, and tossing them into the incinerator. Except, he kept missing. Cali was screaming at him, and the noise ¨C jeez ¨C it went straight through my head. There was no sign of Dove or any of the others; they must have Wormholed home together.


    Still. The night is crisp and cold; just what I need to sober up. The smell of smoke lingers in my hair; I muss it up, taking a few deep breaths, trying my best not to throw up. The pads on the back of my neck are starting to itch; I shake my head hard, determined not to scratch them ¨C it''d suck if they get infected ¨C and break into a jog. Anything to clear my head.


    Sometimes a party can help you forget. And sometimes it''s best to forget the party. You know? Flashes of the night are starting to come back; I shudder, rubbing my hands over the goose-bumps on my arms. To be honest, I''m relieved it''s over. I hate all that popular dance, trance music anyway. Now I''m alone, I can scroll through my reti-chip of songs I love, weird, vintage music from a hundred years ago, when songs had a tune and lyrics had meaning, and a beat was a drum, not a synth.


    I find the perfect one ¨C and a song I love fills my head, then my heart.


    Don''t pretend you haven''t seen me,


    I''ll always be there.


    From the moment I saw you,


    I knew I''d adore you


    Forever, building a world for you in my


    Head that''s always a


    Safe and sweet place and


    Whether you be afraid or brave I don''t


    Mind, I''ll always be


    There. . .


    And before I know it, I''m crying, but I don''t know why.


    I want to call for help, but there''s no one to call.


    So, I wipe  my eyes on my arm and lie in the moonlight, flat on my back, waiting for the feeling to pass.


    The sky is so big, so blue, so black, so. . . Beyond. Beyond everything. Beyond me. The planets bright ¨C Luna in orange. Ra in red. Vesta in yellow. . .


    And I wonder if the feeling ever will.


    *


    There''s a crick in my neck that hurts like a bitch. What the hell?


    I roll over, expecting fresh, soft linen and the smell of lemon and pine. Instead, there''s something hard and cold. That definitely doesn''t smell of lemon. Opening my eyes, I realise with a pang: ohmigod. Have I seriously just spent the night sleeping on the street? Titus is going to kill me.


    I sit up, running a hand through my hair; oh god, my headphones had fallen out my ears. Ramming them back in, I hear the gut-wrenching trilling noise:you have six new messages.


    I groan. ''Play.''


    ''Message one: Rai-raiiiii, I''m bored! Hurry up and finish already, what''s taking so long? Oh, hang on, there''s a message from Titus. I''ll call you back. . .''


    ''Message two: Rai, pick up. Get here NOW, we need to leave.''


    ''Message three: Rai, where the HELL are you? I waited for ages, you stupid ¨C Titus is freaking out that you''re not here. Leave Quail and get the hell back here now.''


    ''Message four: RAI. You are in SERIOUS trouble ¨C just a heads up.''


    ''Stop messages,'' I mumble. I can''t listen to any more. My stomach churns, and I retch everything from last night over the pavement in a multicoloured splat.


    Titus is going to kill me. God. Dammit. I shake my head, and feel better at once; forcing myself upright, I croak into the ether ¨C


    ''Reti-chip? Get Henry.''


    ''Summoning Henry from Home-Station,'' my reti-chip chirps through my headphones, and I curl my knees to my chest to try and stop shaking. People are passing me on the streets; some roll their eyes, tutting disapprovingly, whilst others pointedly look the other way. I focus on the cracks in the pavement. I must look such a mess. I hope they don''t recognise me ¨C Titus will be so ashamed.


    It''s a good twenty minutes before the reassuring rush of wind; at last! Henry''s coming, soaring through the air towards me, his speckled lights dancing with the sun''s reflection. But then, I hear ¨C


    ''Rai? Is that you?''


    Something hard kicks me in the side, and I jump, startled. ''Watch it!''


    Squinting, shielding my eyes as they adjust badly to the daylight, I can just about make out ¨C goddammit. Boots, caked in filth; the spiky, cropped hairstyle so unlike our Futurist fashions; her scarred, hideously-marked skin. . .


    I know her. I''d know her anywhere.


    Cadence.


    She taps her foot, peering down at me with an amused expression. Her arms slouch under the weight of her black coat; why does anyone need a coat that thick here? It''s never that cold in Singavere. She holds out a hand to help me up, which reluctantly, I take. A graphic image is etched in ink onto the blotchy skin of her arm: a person, consumed by flames, poking out from beneath the cuff of her sleeve. The sight of it makes me feel even more queasy ¨C I drop her hand the second I can.


    Cadence doesn''t seem offended. ''Didn''t expect to see you again so soon.''


    ''Likewise,'' I mutter, turning away. She isn''t the last person I want to see in this state, but, she''s definitely on the list. ''Come on, Henry, let me up. I''m not feeling so good. Fly slow, okay?''


    Henry dips down next to me, hovering obligingly by my waist, but Cadence steps forwards and pushes down on top of him to stop me boarding.


    What the ¨C! I wince. You don''t touch another person''s drone without permission. It''s just not done, it''s unthinkably disrespectful; my already red face flushes deeper still. This one simple act shows exactly what she thinks of me.


    ''G-get off,'' I stammer, finally finding my voice. ''What do you want?''


    Cadence smirks, running a finger along Henry''s body; it sends a shiver down my spine. And she knows it. ''Oh, don''t be like that. What''s the rush? You weren''t in such a hurry the other night.''


    I close my eyes, summoning every ounce of control I can possibly muster. ''I''m sorry, but my Master needs me home. I imagine he has a job for me.''


    ''I imagine he has.'' Something in her voice makes my eyes snap open; her lips are curled in a very unpleasant way.


    No. It''s too much ¨C I jerk my neck, and an instantaneous, numbing sensation floods through my body. I sigh in relief. It feels so good not to feel. ''Is it you again?''


    ''Oh, darling, you''d be so lucky. I just wondered if I could waylay you a little, that''s all. I''m thirsty.''This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ''No. There''s an AI-vendor right there. Or if you''re desperate, you have a local authority, you know. Contact them.'' I snatch Henry away from her, and swing my leg over him. ''And if you can''t afford it, well, you''ve got Titus'' number. I''m off duty now so piss off.'' I kick off from the ground, not even glancing back at her. I don''t want to look at her. I feel sick enough as it is.


    ''You''ll be seeing me again soon enough!'' Her voice floats up behind me, but by now, I''m no longer listening. I''ve flooded my ears with music again ¨C this time, even louder ¨C and Henry''s taking me home.


    Home.


    Auden''s waiting for me by the front door. I bolt into his arms, and he closes them around me, his hands in my hair.


    ''Where''ve you been, I''ve been so worried! The state of you. . . what are we going to do with you?''


    I don''t answer. How can I? I don''t know. I just want someone to hold me and never let go.


    *


    ''Don''t wait up, Kareen, we won''t be back for hours.''


    Titus strides down the hall, his suit-jacket flung over his shoulder; wards poke their heads around doors just to watch him leave, eyes wide with awe. And probably a little envy. Of me, obviously ¨C I follow in his wake, confidently enough for Kareen to click her tongue in jealousy and Strike to hold his fist out for me to bump as I walk past. I spot Dove as we pass her room; she staunchly avoids my eyes. I pause. My moment''s hesitation not lost on Titus.


    ''Hurry up, Rai. We don''t want to be late.''


    ''Coming!'' I glance back at Dove. She seems determined not to look at me ¨C I yank her towards me by the wrists and whisper in her ear. ''It''s okay, it''s not your fault.''


    ''I know that, dumbass,'' she hisses, but then she grabs me, holding me close; I can feel her delicate frame trembling. I flinch on reflex, then try to pretend I haven''t. But I can''t fool Dove. Her expression sours, eyes darting to my ribs. ''What did he do?''


    ''Nothing, nothing!'' It''s obvious she doesn''t believe me. All I can do is shoot her an apologetic shrug before taking off after Titus, Henry buzzing along behind me.


    Titus is waiting outside. ''Are you ready?''


    ''O-of course!'' I nod, stumbling over my words in my eagerness to prove myself. ''I told you I''d make it up to you; anything, Lord Titus. You just say the word.''


    ''Alright.'' He regards me with appraising eyes, before leading me down the path to where our ride is waiting. We get inside and the car drives off, without either of us uttering another word.


    We head for Singavere Station, the biggest centralised location for all the most common Wormhole destinations. You can go almost anywhere: the Amarilands, Slavskanistan, the Mist Archipelago, the Caeltanican mainland. . . anywhere on Tellus, mere steps away. Yet another thing that makes Singavere the perfect Capital. Other than, you know, it having the world''s best academic minds and engineers, and the biggest spaceport in the galaxy. I gaze longingly at the signs to the spaceport ¨C I wish we were going there. But we aren''t. We couldn''t be going anywhere more opposite if we tried.


    I dock Henry in a charging-bay; he cocks his round frame at me, lights blinking mournfully.


    ''Sorry, buddy, you know I can''t take you.''


    ''Beep boop,'' Henry buzzes, before turning his back on me, settling into the docking bay. He hates it when I leave, but I''ve got no choice ¨C the conductor''s already calling:


    ''Last call for the ten o''clock to Yama, S?hrazona!''


    Henry will have to wait. I race from the charging bay straight into Titus; he grabs me by the shoulders and steers me through the crowds to Wormhole twelve.


    ''Two tickets for S?hrazona.'' Titus shows the conductor our passes. The conductor raises his eyebrows.


    ''You sure, my Lord? Nothing nice out there. You''d be better off saving your money for the next shuttle to Ra.''


    ''We have urgent business to attend to. Are you going to let us through?''


    ''Oh, of course, Lord Titus, my sincerest apologies.'' The man turns a brilliant shade of magenta, and stamps our tickets so fast he drops his stamper. Titus laughs, stepping over the man. Careful not to tread on him, I edge around the conductor, throwing him an easy smile as we pass. A look of relief spreads across his face as he raises his hand to bid us farewell.


    Or maybe he''s just glad to be rid of us. Who knows.


    Wormhole twelve is a wasteland; other than an elderly couple waiting on a bench by the barriers, we''re alone. A whistle blows in the distance and out of the blue, the barriers start to rise. Clasping my hand tight, Titus steps through the Wormhole, pulling me in after him; other than a surrounding feeling of warmth, it''s as smooth and effortless as stepping through a doorway.


    We stand in Yama, S?hrazona.


    And my god, it''s as different to Singavere as it could possibly be.


    ''Titus, it''s raining.'' Thunder, real thunder, crashes above our heads; bright white lightening streaks across the sky, carving a scar that cleaves the heavens in two. Except, this sky isn''t the sky I know ¨C not blue, but a venomous purple, swirled with darkest charcoal grey.


    ''Quick, under here!'' An umbrella blossoms from Titus'' pocket, and we huddle underneath like penguins, instantly soggy and frozen.


    ''I thought you said people would be waiting for us?''


    ''I thought they would.'' As Titus frowns, a spot of rain splashes onto his nose and he jumps as though electrocuted. I begin to shiver, and Titus puts his arm around me, hugging me tight. ''I''m sorry, Rai ¨C I honestly thought they''d be here. You know I''d never deliberately subject you to this hell-hole any longer than necessary.''


    ''I ¨C I kn-n-n-ow.'' My teeth chatter; catching each other''s eyes, we grin weakly. It always feels weird, travelling through time zones, but especially when coming to places like this. Places that can''t afford the luxuries I''m used to: our specially designed sky, carefully controlled temperatures; unpolluted air, treated to get rid of toxins; and most importantly to me and the part I play in all of this ¨C clean, fresh water.


    There''s a squeal of breaks and an almighty surge of water; a car shudders to a halt next to us. My jeans are instantly soaked. Titus bundles me inside more forcefully than I expect; two men sit in the front, and the smell of them ¨C it''s all I can do to stop myself gagging.


    ''You got what we need?'' one of them grunts. His shaggy, unkempt hair falls over his face, but I still notice the stains on his teeth as he bares them at me. The other man just glowers into the distance, even more grizzled and weather-worn than his friend.


    ''Right here,'' Titus said, clapping me on the back so hard I jerk forwards. The two men exchange glances, their expressions loaded with cynicism.


    ''Right. . . We heard you had a kid, but seriously. It''s just him? Surely he needs some equipment or something.''


    ''No, just him and his bare hands. Just take him where you need, and then drop him back here when you''re done. I''ll wait on the other side of the Wormhole, alright, Rai?''


    I nod, and Titus drops a kiss on my forehead, before holding out his hand to the men in the front.


    ''You get nothing without payment.''


    ''You get paid when the job is done,'' the grizzled man snarls.


    ''Oh really? Right, then, Rai, let''s be on our way,'' Titus says with an easy shrug, making to get out of the car. ''Come on.''


    ''Wait, wait! Hold your horses.'' The shaggy-haired man makes to grab Titus, but quickly thinks better of it. ''We''ll pay you now. Just don''t go. We''re desperate. We''ve got kids, dammit.''


    ''Not my problem,'' Titus shrugs. ''No money, no service. That''s my one, simple rule. If you can''t follow it, that''s your choice. And I''m entitled to exercise my choice in leaving. With my boy.''


    I know it''s wildly inappropriate timing, but a drop of pride swells in my chest. My boy, he called me. My boy.


    ''Here,'' Shaggy spits, shoving an envelope into Titus'' hand. ''It''s all the ration tokens we have. We''ve been saving up for months. Please, we''re begging you. . .''


    ''It''s fine, it''s fine. I''ll take tokens.'' In one swift move, Titus slides out of the car and back under his umbrella, already starting to close the door. ''I''ll see you in a few hours, Rai. Night, all.'' And with that, he slams the door. I fumble with my seat belt for want of anything better to do.


    ''You better be worth it, kid,'' the grizzly man grunts, tapping the ignition. The car springs into automation, swinging around and bolting into the night; I''m soon very glad of my seat belt.


    ''I am,'' I say, trying to keep my tone as mild as possible. ''You''ll see. But it was your choice to spend your tokens on me instead of water, not mine.''


    Grizzle and Shaggy look at each other, and burst out laughing; even the car''s acceleration sounds like snorts of laughter.


    ''You got any idea how much a water token gets you?'' Grizzle turns around in his seat to look at me; his smell hits me stronger than ever. His cheeks are ruddy, mottled with scars and grey flaking skin. I cringe away from him.


    ''Here, specifically? No.''


    ''A trip to the baths once a week, and a bucketful from the well twice a day. How long do you think that lasts?''


    This is an argument I really shouldn''t have got into. ''Not long?''


    ''No. It doesn''t bloody last long. So yeah, forgive us if we fancy a little bit extra. We''ve gone for months without luxuries like electricity and soap to collect enough tokens for this. And here''s you, judging us, turning your nose up at us.''


    My heart begins to hammer; be careful, Rai. I''ve been down this road before, I know all the ways it can end. ''I''m not.''


    ''Greg,'' Shaggy interrupts, putting a warning hand on Grizzle''s shoulder. ''Leave the boy alone. He''s here to help.''


    ''No,'' Grizzle snarls. ''He''s here to put money in that scheming snake''s pocket.''


    It''s my second car ride of the day in silence, so I close my eyes and fly Henry three times around the Dennydome in my mind. Finally, the car crawls to a stop; the wind is howling, beating its fists in fury against the window, heavy splashes of rain drumming against the roof.


    Not a single part of me wants to get out.


    ''We''re here.'' Grizzle reaches in and hauls me out, kicking the door shut behind him. I try to wriggle free but damn, he''s strong; he sprints with me under one arm, the other shielding his head from the rain. The bare skin of my arms sizzle with every drop; I let out a yelp, and Shaggy tuts.


    ''Don''t be such a wuss.''


    Luckily, there''s a shack nearby; Grizzle throws me inside and Shaggy bolts the door, slamming a piece of wood across it to stop the wind bursting it open again. It''s damp and smelly in here, just like the two men, but at least it''s shelter.


    We''re not alone. Three young children are hunched by a fire, faces pale but glowing in the amber light that reflects off their eyes. They stare. They can''t be much older than six. As much as they stare at me, I stare back at them; at their rain-pocked skin, bristly hair, and ragged clothes.


    ''Hi.'' I wave, a little hesitant, unsure if they understand me. If they do, they don''t let on ¨C they just continue to stare, blank and frightened, like I''m an alien. Or a monster.


    ''We''ve been collecting rainwater, like Titus said.'' Grizzle interrupts my thoughts, shoving me in the back. ''It''s just through here, in the kitchen.''


    This shack has a kitchen? I can''t believe it. It doesn''t look big enough for a sink. But they prove me wrong; in the next room, a woman leans over an, albeit tiny, sink, washing clothes through gritted teeth. The skin of her hands are burnt red raw.


    ''Turns out Lord Tit''s secret weapon''s just a kid, Jules.'' Shaggy moves to kiss the back of her head. She spins around, flinging a dirty dishcloth to the ground.


    ''What do you mean, a kid? What the hell''s he going to do?'' she yells. ''Spin our straw into gold?''


    ''No, but I can remove the toxins from your water,'' I say, patiently.


    ''Bull,'' she snaps. ''Go back to where you came from, Futurist.''


    ''We might as well give him a try,'' Shaggy sighs. ''We''ve paid for him now.''


    ''You WHAT?''


    ''I can help,'' I say, walking towards her, trying to keep my voice as gentle. ''Please? Let me do my job.''


    ''Fine!'' Furious tears burst down her cheeks as she points to an deep tub on the other side of the room. ''Like we haven''t wasted enough money on you; let''s waste our time as well.''


    I''m shocked the room can fit anything so big inside it. It''s full of water, but not as I know it. This water is, like, a murky grey, fused with pink; fumes drift up from the surface, letting off a strong, eggy smell. My dinner churns.


    Still, that''s why I''m here. I perch on the edge of the tub, hovering my fingers above the surface of the water, closing my eyes. I need to find a place of peace. I think of Henry, the feel of racing on his back, clean, fresh wind in my hair, and grin. My fingertips touch the surface ¨C


    The sting. It burns, so much. On instinct, water from inside my fingers sprouts through my skin and spreads across my hands to form a barrier. Like a glove. The woman is shouting; I hear her as though from the other end of the tunnel. Ignore her. Ignore everything. The sting is okay now, I can hardly feel it; instead, I channel every ounce of energy I have through my fingers into the water.


    ''Clean,'' I whisper. Then I slip my hands deeper into the water, and, with a faint moan of effort, ease something foul and unnatural from the particles inside. ''Ugh, what''s in this?''


    I know other people can''t do what I can do. I know I''m special. But it''s moments like this that I really understand.


    I open my eyes to marvel at the flow of liquid, of life, circling my right hand like an orb of glass, whilst my left hand siphons away the toxins. It''s easy to coax the poison away; to me, it feels as different to water as sandpaper feels to glass. Clean, fresh water rises to surround us in a quivering dome, desperate to please me, to mould to my every whim.


    How can I describe it? It''s a bit like a dance. When you and your partner intertwine, when you mingle and merge, flowing as one, as an extension of each other. That''s what water is like to me.


    The people in the shack watch, gobsmacked. With a laugh, I funnel the water into one of the nearby kegs.


    ''I''m gonna need another barrel.''


    And that''s the end of the woman''s doubts. By the end of the night, she''s hugging me, kissing me, her children pouncing all over me. They dive into the barrels, splashing each other, all solemnity dissolved, banished. Tears streak down Grizzle''s face as he pours water into his daughter''s mouth, and a satisfied glow warms me from inside. This is the sort of job I love.


    They deliver me back to the Wormhole as promised, and again, it''s laughter, hugs and words of gratitude. I''ve heard it all before, but it''s always nice. My hands are still wet and tingling from the tub so I hide them behind my back so the family can''t see how red and swollen they are. I flee from the car to the Wormhole station, calling to them with goodbyes. But the second I step through the Wormhole? They vanish.


    The glaring lights of Singavere Station blind me for a moment. I peer through my fingers to see if Titus is waiting for me on the bench. No, not this time. More often than not, whatever he promises, he isn''t there when I get back.


    Someone else is though. Cadence. Spiky, grubby Cadence, chilling on the bench without a care in the world. Holy mother of ¨C


    But this time, she''s not alone. And her company is bloody weird: a battered old-man with a lopsided mouth, a girl with a cloud of dark hair, and a boy in a mohair cloak. Yup, mohair, in the Singaverean summer. And he''s looking at me like I ''m the freak-show.


    ''Finally!'' The man rises and steps towards me; I retreat on instinct. Any friend of Cadence is definitely no friend of mine. ''We''ve been waiting for you.''


    ''Who are you?'' I fold my arms across my chest, trying to contain my hammering heart. ''What do you want, Cadence?''


    She winks at me, and I actually want to throw up.


    ''Actually, her name''s Brie.'' The man smiles, taking another step towards me. ''And my name''s Eldred. I''ve been searching for you. And who am I, Rai? I''m your family. I''ve come to take you home.''

 Chapter 9 - Kass

    Who am I?


    The question rattles around my tired, aching head.


    What am I?


    An all-powerful Elementalist, who can control the earth?


    Hell. I can''t be. That can''t be me. . .


    A kid from Quillin, who wants to see the stars?


    No. All of that, that life, is nothing but a lie.


    Am I even Kitty''s brother? Niven''s friend?


    Who knows? Not me. I am nobody, now. They are gone, and I will never see them again.


    I huddle further into the deepest, darkest corner of my room ¨C no, not my room, that room ¨C and bury my head in my hands. Trying everything I can to just breathe.


    Breathe.


    But I can''t.


    Not anymore.


    ''Kass?''


    A voice, by my shoulder ¨C I look up and it''s her, that girl, Samma ¨C Sammi? ¨C crouched down beside me.


    ''Here, take this.''


    She''s pressing something into my hands.


    ''Where. . . where. . .?''


    ''Shh. Don''t talk. Just breathe.'' She moves my hands, with the gentlest touch, up to my face, helping me press the inhaler to my lips. Slow, steady hands circle my back, and ¨C and if anything, it makes everything hurt more. . .


    ''G-go a-awa-ay.''


    ''No.'' She sits beside me, and to my horror, lays her head on my shoulder. ''We''re in this together. I know you don''t know me, and I don''t know you. But, I guess I don''t feel lonely knowing that whatever I am, you''re one too.'' She takes my hand and squeezes it; I try my best to squeeze back, but, I just feel so weak. Everything feels so weak.


    She understands. At least, I think she does.


    ''We''ll work this out, Kass, okay? Together. I promise.''


    And although I don''t believe her ¨C it''s nice to hear. Even if it is just another lie.


    *


    Singavere. I can''t believe we''re actually going. If Niven could see me ¨C the look on his face. He''d be so jealous. I think of the one-way ticket stashed in his room that he worked so hard for, now probably nothing but ash. I wonder if he''d be glad that I''m going instead.


    It''s early morning when we leave RESIST headquarters, Eldred, Brie, Sammi and I. Musa is staying behind, much to the dismay of Sammi; they''d argued, and I couldn''t help agreeing with Sammi. His decision to remain with the Resisters was odd, abrupt. He''d been so aggressive in wanting to stay by Sammi''s side, always. Why now, has he changed his mind?


    ''It''ll only be for a few days,'' Eldred consoles her, as we traipse through the blackened tree-stumps towards the Wormhole. ''You''ll be together before you know it. Cotton just needs to discuss something with him, I''m sure you''ll understand soon enough.''


    But Sammi merely averts her red-rimmed eyes and stalks off ahead, determined to walk alone.


    It''s spitting, the morning air thick with a dank, ashen fog, so cold that I''ve pulled my mohair right up to my chin to stop me shivering. But the moment we disappear into the Wormhole''s rippling void and emerge on the other side ¨C holy crap.


    It''s like walking into another world.


    I guess we''re in. . . a station? Everything about it seems to, well, glitter; from the shiny chrome benches, to the floor panels that light up under your feet as you step; from the blinding streaks of colour from the holographic signposts, to the neon-flashing timetable with Wormhole destinations and times. Robots whizz past us wheeling luggage as their owners trot behind sharing food and laughter, and I can even see a section marked "Charging Bay" where drones are perched in neat little rows, their rumps glowing red.


    Most wormholes around the world aren''t monitored or guarded. But Singaverean Wormholes, apparently, are different. Each has their own platform and guards standing by; we''re immediately stopped by a barrier, where a conductor in a neat blue hat and whistle accosts us.


    ''Tickets please.'' He appraises us, up and down, nose wrinkled as though he doesn''t like the smell of us. His hat gleams almost as much as the spotless floor; I can see my reflection gazing back at me, startled and skittish, and about three-times wider in my mohair than the Singavereans around me.


    ''Right here,'' Brie smiles sweetly at the conductor, who rolls his eyes as she faffs around in her many, many pockets trying to find them. Finally, she plucks four crumpled tickets from her breast pocket with a flourish; the conductor snatches them away, holding them up to the light.


    ''Where did you buy these? I don''t recognise the station on them. . .''


    ''You should get out more.'' She taps her foot loudly until other passengers start to stare. ''Aren''t you going to let us through?'' Her voice carries, an echo, across the platform. ''It''s ''cause we''re not from here, isn''t it, you Futurists and your prejudices ¨C,''


    ''No, no!'' the conductor insists, motioning for her to be quiet. ''Please, you''re causing a scene.''


    ''ONLY because ¨C,''


    ''Just go through.'' He must have had enough; he stamps our tickets and pushes us all through the barrier, and Brie herds us through the crowds, smiling merrily at everybody she barges out of the way.


    ''This way,'' she says. ''I popped a tracker on Rai''s drone ¨C just a tiny one, so he won''t notice. It says ¨C'' Brie stares intently into the air. I glance at Sammi ¨C she looks as perplexed as I am. What''s she seeing that we can''t? ''¨C Oh. It''s docked at Wormhole twelve.''


    We make our way towards Wormhole twelve, and I pause for a moment to peer inside the docking station, where the boy ¨C Rai''s ¨C drone is supposedly charging. I can''t imagine it. Niv''s VR chip was enough to impress me. And yet here''s a guy owning his own drone?


    ''He should be out any moment,'' Brie says, beckoning us over to the bench, where we sit. And wait.


    It feels like an age. Bored, I distract myself by watching the Futurists, as they hurry along outside the platform. They all look so smooth. Like their faces are carved from marble or something. Most people have brightly-coloured hair and a face-full of piercings; they also have this habit, like Brie, of abruptly staring into space. They then comment about something they''ve read, or seen, which is so utterly bizarre that I can''t help asking Eldred about it. He chuckles.


    ''They''ve got chips in their eyes ¨C right at the back, over their retina. It allows them to see images that aren''t anywhere physically.''


    My mouth opened. Discs over your eyes, okay, but behind them? How the bloody hell do you put one in?


    Just then, the Wormhole starts to pulse ¨C and someone bursts out, stumbles, and pauses, panting, their hands on their knees.


    ''Finally!'' Eldred springs to his feet, like a jack-in-the-box. ''We''ve been waiting for you.''


    The boy straightens sharply, obviously startled, before folding his arms across his chest. He''s weird looking, there''s no other way to describe him. He''s absolutely soaked, his blue hair ¨C yeah, blue ¨C plastered to his face, and tight-fitting t-shirt turned practically see-through. Futurist fashions are so dumb: his jeans are artfully ripped, and I just ¨C why would you want that? Mine are ripped too, ''cause they''re old. It''s so annoying. His ears are full of nails and rings, and a stud sparkles through his eyebrow. I wonder if getting those piercings hurt.


    ''Who are you?'' His eyes dart over each of us in turn, his expression turning sour as they settle on Brie. ''What do you want, Cadence?''


    ''Actually, her name''s Brie,'' Eldred beams. ''And my name''s Eldred. I''ve been searching for you for years. And who am I, Rai? I''m your family. I''ve come to take you home.''


    Oh please. He used a similar line on me. I raise an eyebrow, wondering if the boy will take the bait, and if I actually care about any of this after all.


    ''I''m not interested,'' he mutters, trying to dodge passed us. But Eldred and Brie are fast; they''re both up and in front of him sooner than I can even blink. They tower over him; although he must be mine and Sammi''s age, he''s still rather short.


    ''Sorry, Rai. We really need to speak to you,'' Eldred says, at the same time as Brie says, with a smirk:


    ''Told you I''d be back.''


    Rai takes a deep breath, then he shakes his head. Next thing I know, a great beaming smile is plastered over his face. He holds out a hand. I notice it''s red-raw. ''Nice to meet you, uh, Eldred. Sorry, I was rude. It''s just, I don''t think we can be family. . ? I''m an orphan, so. . .''


    ''That was quite an about turn,'' Sammi mutters in my ear.


    ''Well,'' Eldred says, looking a little taken aback by Rai''s sudden change of heart. ''I wondered if we could go somewhere a little quieter to discuss the situation?''


    ''No, sorry, I don''t think so,'' Rai shrugs, with an apologetic smile. ''See, my Master will be here any minute, and he won''t want me delayed.''


    ''Titus is coming?'' For once, Brie seems alarmed; she glances over each shoulder in turn, and prods Eldred in the arm. ''Here?''


    ''Yup,'' Rai nods. ''And I don''t think he''ll be so happy to see you. You''re breaking his contract by harassing me like this, you know.''


    ''I''m not harassing you.'' Brie sounds really pissed off now. ''We just need to speak with you.''


    ''Is that. . . Cadence?''


    Brie and Eldred jump. I''ve never seen Eldred look anything other than cheerful ¨C but now, he''s serious. A man in an impossibly-white suit, so emaciated his legs look close to snapping, strides around the corner. He stops when he spots us. And his grey eyes darken.


    ''Titus.'' Brie swallows. ''I ¨C I didn''t expect to see you here. You didn''t collect Rai from me?''


    ''I don''t think the ins and outs of my business decisions are any of your concern.'' Titus walks over and places a hand on Rai''s shoulder ¨C Rai''s face relaxes immediately, even though he winces a little at his touch.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Then, the man turns to Eldred. And visibly double-takes. ''Y-you!''


    Eldred grimaces. ''Well, hello there, old friend ¨C,''


    ''What in GOD''S name are you doing here?'' Titus''s face drains of all colour, tugging Rai towards him so hard, Rai''s neck jerks. ''Rai, we''re leaving now ¨C,''


    ''Please.'' Eldred makes to grab Titus''s arm, but Titus flinches away with such a horrified expression, you''d have thought we were diseased. ''Please ¨C we really need to speak with Rai. I understand he''s your ward but ¨C,''


    ''But nothing,'' Titus spits. ''You can''t have him. He''s mine, do you hear? Mine.''


    He swings around on the balls of his feet and marches Rai away, striding off towards the docking bay. With an eyebrow raised, I glance up at Eldred. He stares after them, his expression unusually blank.


    ''So. . . Are we going after them?''


    ''I think not. I know his Master, Titus, from old.'' There''s a bite to his voice I''ve never heard before. ''You should have known he''d be here, Brie, this was important information.''


    ''Important how?'' Brie asks, scowling. ''You asked me to find the kid and I did. You didn''t ask for the schedule of the prick he works for.''


    ''Well, unfortunately for us, it''s relevant. Titus is ¨C,'' Eldred hesitates, as though searching through words that all taste nasty. ''¨C not a nice guy,'' he finishes, somewhat lamely.


    ''How so? Is he part of FUTURE?'' Sammi bristles, straining up on her tip-toes to get a better look at Titus across the platform.


    ''No,'' Eldred chuckles. ''The world isn''t split into bad Futurists and good Resisters, you know. He is a Futurist in as much as he lives in Singavere, but he''s pretty inactive. He doesn''t give a damn about politics; if anything, he hates it. You could say he''s one of life''s fortune-hunters. He''s out for himself, seeking to manipulate life to his advantage.''


    ''How so?''


    Eldred sighs. ''He runs a rather unsavoury black-market industry using his wards to do a variety of jobs for him. These jobs range from relatively innocent to. . . not so innocent.''


    I glance at Sammi and she shrugs. Then, something occurs to me.


    ''So, hang on ¨C how do you know him?''


    Eldred shuffles his feet, looking both awkward and a little sheepish. ''Well, my dear Puffin, you must remember I was in a difficult position. I had to find you homes, and inject you all with the blocker, at very short notice. The Futurists were snapping at my heels; it was all I could do to get you away. Titus was determined to get his hands you, his connections with the black-market have always been strong. He helped me out with a couple of things, but then. . . how to put it. We had a disagreement of sorts.''


    ''Which. . . you won?''


    ''I thought so, but apparently not. He took a particular interest in you boys, for some reason, but I really thought I''d shaken him off. But seeing as the boy now lives with Titus rather than the couple I placed him with. . . Anyway. No point rehashing the past. Time for plan B.''


    After exchanging a brief nod, Eldred and Brie make their way across the platform, pushing through the swelling crowd; we must have hit rush hour. It''s all Sammi and I can do to race after them, struggling not to lose sight. But still, at the back of my mind, I wonder: did Eldred mean to stop the conversation so abruptly? Or am I just overthinking?


    The Singaverean sunshine smacks me in the face as we emerge from the station. It''s so strong, I can hardly see. I didn''t realise life could be this bright. The sky ¨C it''s so blue, and there are roads, pavements, gleaming clean, and trees and bushes and birds, birds, seriously, flying overhead ¨C


    ''Those are drones,idiot, not birds,'' Brie cackles when I point them out. ''Can''t you tell the difference?''


    The colours of this world are so startling, they make my eyes water. I''ve become so used to brown earth, grey air, purple skies, my eyes don''t know how to deal with such a bombardment.


    ''How. . ?''


    Eldred chuckles at my expression. ''It''s not real, Kass. Any of it. All completely artificial.''


    ''What do you mean?'' I bend down and pluck a blade of green spiky plant that lines the pavement. ''This feels real.'' I try giving it a chew, but it tastes awful.


    ''It''s grass. And it may feel real, but don''t be fooled. Singavere exists in a giant bubble.'' As we walk, Eldred gestures at everything we pass. ''They sealed themselves inside a specially-designed atmosphere, controlling everything within, the air, the weather, the day and night cycle. . . Everything. It''s a very strange place, and totally unsustainable. That''s why only the stinking rich can afford to live here.''


    ''Yeah, yeah. What do we do about Rai?'' Brie''s picking something out of her teeth, looking utterly bored. ''We need to get him away from Titus.''


    ''Indeed ¨C you''ve still got the tracker on his drone, haven''t you?''


    Her face brightens. ''Yes! And he never lets that thing out of his sight.''


    ''Right then.'' Eldred purses his lips. ''We''ll track him, and strike when he''s alone. He can''t stay with Titus all the time. Can he?''


    *


    Turned out, Titus is possessive as hell.


    ''This is ridiculous,'' Sammi moans, stretching out on the hotel bed she''s been reluctantly sharing with Brie. We''ve been stuck inside for three days straight, waiting for Titus to let Rai stray out on his own, watching them like creeps via the camera synced to the tracker.


    ''I don''t know what you expected,'' I mutter, leaning on the edge of the balcony as I gaze over the city. Beneath me, kids are buying sweets from a robot on the street. Every time they laugh, a spark of anger in my gut flares.


    It''s impossible. Rai''s clearly under house-arrest; all we''ve done is sit around, wasting time. Watching him sleep and eat has been boring enough, but the worst is his dogged-determination to practise flying for hours on end. Watching the drone whizz around the room over and over. . . Just thinking about it makes me want to hurl.


    The only time I can face watching is when he''s working. He sits for ages, alone in his workshop, cross-legged on the floor with his tongue sticking out, connecting wires, hammering plates of metals together, wrenching and screwing and whoever-the-hell-knows what else. But there''s an animation in the way he works that''s. . . I dunno. He looks like he cares, so much, about whatever he''s making.


    It reminds me that everything I''ve ever cared about has been taken away.


    ''This is such a useless waste of time.''


    ''Patience, Kassius.'' Brie comes and flings an arm around me, thrusting the camera screen under my nose. I shove it away, wishing I could snatch it from her and hurl it down to the street below.


    ''Sheesh, you''re so touchy. Whatever, McKenzie, don''t hang out with me then. You''re nowhere near as fun as Rai.''


    ''Who gives a crap.''


    ''You''re priceless!''


    But luckily, the monotony doesn''t last forever. That night, after Sammi goes to bed, I watch the sky fade out into darkness. Eldred and Brie are at the table with their heads bent; suddenly, Brie grabs her jacket.


    ''He''s on the move.''


    Within minutes, we''re gone, Brie throwing Sammi''s anorak down the stairs after her as we hurry from the hotel.


    ''He''s heading down Osmium street,'' Eldred says, his nose squashed against the camera. Brie is pulling Sammi along beside her.


    ''That''s only a few streets away.'' Her eyes dart around as she scans the map behind her eyes; it looks incredibly creepy.


    I''m starting to sweat under my mohair as I struggle to keep up, a familiar tightness banding across my chest; coughing, I follow them down a winding staircase into an alley.


    ''Where are we going?'' I croak, but Eldred shushes me, a finger to his lips.


    ''Kid sneaked out,'' he hisses. ''Seems he''s got some spunk after all ¨C I was starting to wonder. He''s headed this way.''


    A dilapidated warehouse loomes at the end of the street; at first, it seems deserted. But then ¨C


    Multicoloured sparks explode from the windows in a shatter of glass, and music ¨C well, if you could call it that ¨C booms into the otherwise silent night.


    Brie yanks us behind some bushes, and through the leaves, we watch a group of teenagers saunter past us towards the warehouse in a haze of smoke that stinks of liquorice. I clamp my hands to my mouth, desperately trying to stifle a cough.


    ''What are they doing?'' Sammi whispers. Brie pushes her head down further into the bush.


    ''You never seen a party before? Cute.''


    ''Dude, check out who''s coming.'' One of the teenagers points upwards at a speck of white against the deep-blue velvet sky. At first, I think it''s the moon ¨C until it grows bigger. Then I realise; it''s something I''ve only ever seen before on TV.


    A boy riding the sky on the back of a flying drone.


    It''s him.


    Rai''s feet are lodged into handlebars the dangle underneath the drone, and he clutches two grooves behind the drone''s anterior lights. Another guy is clinging onto Rai''s back, the two of them laughing so hard I can almost picture the tears in their eyes.


    ''Quail, get off!'' The boys land in a heap on the ground; the drone whizzes back up in the air, flashing its lights at them. ''Ah no, see, you''ve pissed Henry off.'' Rai''s laughing so hard, he has to drag himself upright using the other boy as a crutch. ''He''s gonna be so grumpy.''


    ''Oh, whatever. He''ll get over it.'' The other boy grins and takes Rai''s hand; together, they join the rest of the group. His finger still on his lips, Eldred gestures for us to follow.


    ''Ahh yay! You made it ¨C this is so great, you haven''t been out in, like, forever!'' One of the girls wraps her arms around Rai, edging the other boy aside. ''We''ve missed you.''


    ''Yeah, sorry. Titus has been, like, super overprotective lately.'' Rai hugs her back, grinning sheepishly. ''A client got super clingy, I think it''s freaked him out.''


    ''Hey!'' Brie storms out of the bush, and Eldred covers his face with his hands. ''What d''you mean, clingy? I don''t know the meaning of the word clingy, you cheeky bastard.''


    ''What the ¨C?'' Rai''s mouth falls open as he swivels around. His friends start nudging each other, whispering behind their hands. ''Cadence? W-what are you doing here?''


    ''It''s Brie,'' she reminds him, marching right up in his face and shoving him in the chest. ''And I''m not clingy.''


    Eldred pulls Sammi and I up by our collars and hurries over. ''Easy, Brie!''


    ''Okay.'' Rai shoots Brie an odd glance, before turning back to his friends. ''Guys, I''m gonna have to deal with this. Go in without me, I''ll only be a minute.''


    ''Will you be okay?'' The girl tugs on his hand whilst the boy he arrived with glowers at her, his hand possessively moving to Rai''s shoulder.


    ''Yeah, course,'' Rai smiles. ''Don''t worry, Dove, I''ll catch you up. Go!''


    Albeit reluctantly, his friends wander off towards the factory, looking around at us every so often, muttering to each other. The music has grown so loud, the ground starts to tremble; so much that I can feel it juddering my bones all the way up to my arms. I wonder if the others can feel it too.


    Rai sighs, running a hand through his dusk-blue hair. ''What do you want so badly you''d follow me all the way here? Titus will kill you if he finds out, you know.''


    ''That''s okay, he doesn''t frighten us,'' Eldred says. ''It''s imperative that we speak with you. I''m not sure you realise just what, or who, you are.''


    ''Why,'' Rai frowns, as his drone drops down from above to land with a gentle plop on his head. ''You think you know better?''


    ''You''re an Elementalist, Rai. Although from what Brie''s told me, I shouldn''t need to explain that to you.''


    Rai sniggers, his hair and piercings twinkling in the moonlight. ''You think I don''t know that?''


    ''How?'' I blurt out. ''How did you know?''


    Rai blinks, and cocks his head to the side, regarding me in curiosity. He doesn''t look the slightest bit nervous of us anymore.


    ''How could I not know?''


    ''I didn''t,'' I say, folding my arms defensively. ''It was total news to me.''


    Rai shrugs. ''You must suck at your powers then. Not like me. As soon as Titus told me about Elementalists, I knew I was one. I''ve used my powers since I was tiny. They''re a part of who I am.'' He spins, waving his arms with a flourish; a jet of water springs out of nowhere in a circle around him. He laughs, wiping his hands on his jeans. ''See? Water Elementalist, at your service.'' He bows.


    ''You poor boy.'' Eldred sighs. ''You''re a physical Elementalist, not a water Elementalist. And you''re meant for far greater purposes than Titus'' puppet.''


    ''I clean water for resisturds and beggars like you. What greater purpose is there?''


    ''Resisturds? Watch it, kid,'' Brie snaps. ''Who do you think profits in the end? Titus, that''s who.'' Her anger dies and she shoots Rai an odd, almost flirtatious smirk; his face flushes in the lights of his drone.


    ''You''re wrong,'' he mutters, lowering his eyes.


    ''You''re living in a dreamland.''


    ''So, let me enjoy it there!'' Rai exclaims, shaking his head. ''Look, I know what you''re going to say: FUTURE''s trying to kill me, only RESIST can save me, blah blah blah. That''s who you''re from, by the way, aren''t you? Titus told me all this from the start. He taught me to control my powers, I''ve kept my head down ¨C Jinaka doesn''t know anything about me. No one in the black market would sell me out, they''d just drop themselves in it too! I''m safe with Titus, I owe him my life. What more could you possibly offer me?''


    ''It''s not you we want to make an offer to,'' Eldred says. ''I haven''t made an offer to Kass or Sammi. It''s the people who are dying, starving, living in poverty all over the world that we want to make an offer to. We want them to know they have people, powerful people, on their side, willing to fight for them. People who can change the world. Don''t you want to be one of those people?''


    ''No. We''re all going to be relocated soon anyway. Like, c''mon ¨C isn''t that better than wasting time trying to fix this world? A fresh start somewhere not broken?''


    The arrogant little ¨C! ''What about all the people who won''t be relocated, you selfish asshole?'' The words burst out before I can stop them, my chest a tight knot.


    Rai looks confused. ''What do you mean?''


    ''People like my family, who dreamed of being relocated. People the Futurists slaughtered like cattle ''cause they got in the way. People like Sammi''s family, who are too poor to ever have enough money to even be considered. People like ¨C,''


    ''Why on earth would FUTURE hurt your family? Sure, Jinaka doesn''t like Elementalists, but he''d never ¨C,''


    ''Don''t even try ¨C,''


    Then Brie steps between us, her warning hand on my arm; I try to shrug her off but hell, she''s strong. ''Rai, come on,'' she snaps. ''You know the Elementalists are hunted; join the dots, will you? If they can do that to Kass'' family, think about what they would do to Titus for keeping you right under their nose.''


    Rai hesitates, biting his lip. ''You don''t understand,'' he eventually says. ''Titus would never let anything like that happen. He''ll keep us safe.''


    ''But what about everybody else? Don''t you care about them?''


    I guess the answer is a resounding no. ''Cause all he does is turn and walk away.


    ''I don''t have to justify myself to you.'' His words drift from his retreating back. ''Now, please leave me alone.''


    ''Yeah, well, we don''t need you anyway!'' I yell. Of all the stupid, selfish. . .


    Eldred huffs. ''Calm down, Puffin, he''ll come around.'' He tries to pat me on the shoulder, but I flinch away.


    ''Don''t touch me.'' The ground shudders beneath my feet, tremors working their way into what feels like every muscle of my body. I''m shaking all over in white-hot rage, in synchrony with the earth. I clutch my head in my hands, desperate to not let it take over, as that son-of-a-bitch just walks away ¨C


    ''How can you be so sure?'' Sammi sounds exhausted.


    ''Because.'' Eldred lips purse into one thin, grim line. ''I don''t think Titus will be around much longer to protect him. Soon, he''s going to realise he is all on his own, and then, you mark my words ¨C we''ll see him again.''

 Chapter 10 - Rai

    There''s a feeling, long repressed, deep in the cavernous pit of my gut, that something isn''t right. I can feel it. It feels like tonight, everything''s about to change. I can''t explain it, but it''s there. I can''t bring myself to dance. No matter how hard Dove and Quail try to pull me into their arms, to drag me down to the beat of the music; all I can do is smile. And try.


    Smile and try. It''s all I ever do.


    All I want is to climb onto Henry''s back and fly through the night''s sky home.


    But I can''t even be sure where that is anymore.


    The boy in the mohair coat. . . he''s one of me. I shiver even though it''s warm, swathed in a haze of sweat, lust, and hormones. I''ve never met anyone like me before.


    Can he do what I can do?


    But he''s with her, isn''t he. Cadence. The sudden heat in my cheeks, the sweat, the twisting of nausea in my stomach, everything intensifies ¨C with a well-practised smile, I ease myself free of Quail''s arms and head up the rickety steps to the balcony. So I can breathe the midnight air.


    Its silence. Its stillness. A soothing embrace.


    Then, Henry appears from over the railing like he''s been waiting for me. His lights flash in greeting, and I perch beside him, staring up at the moon.


    ''Do you think it''s true?''


    Henry quivers at my touch. As I stroke him, he inches as close to me as he possibly can.


    ''That boy thinks I''m a bad person. But Titus warned me, about the Futurists and the Resisters. He said my kind are criminals. He wouldn''t lie to me. Would he?


    ''Am I a bad person?''


    Henry doesn''t answer ¨C just cocks his body to the side and emits a comforting string of beeps.


    ''I know, I know. . . Of course, I don''t trust Cadence. I''m not stupid.'' I place my chin in my hands. ''I just. . . don''t understand.''


    ''Rai? Where are you?''


    From downstairs, Dove is calling my name; hastily wiping my eyes, I rest my forehead on Henry, letting his cool, sleek body send a rush of calm through my body.


    ''Coming, Dove. One second.''


    And then I leave him on the balcony, alone in the wind, and although my body is down in the mess of limbs and smoke, my mind is upstairs with him in the stars.


    *


    We sneak in late through our bedroom windows, praying we won''t get caught. But of course, we do. Titus is furious. And by morning, his anger seems to have evolved into a testier beast, almost nervous. It''s not long before he slaps Buffalo for simply speaking out of turn, and kicks poor old Auden down the stairs for adding milk to his tea.


    Nevertheless, he insists on walking me to the station for my next client ¨C I''m due to be travelling into the depths of the Slavskani Wastelands. His mood is only getting worse.


    ''I doubt you got any practise in last night, did you. The state of you.'' He spits on the ground, leaving a shiny puddle by my feet ¨C people are starting to stare. Henry zooms above me, his lights flashing in annoyance; my cheeks glow with embarrassment. I''ve let Titus down.


    ''I''m really sorry. All the Cadence stuff just got to me, you know? I''m not sleeping ¨C,''


    ''Don''t lie to me.'' He grabs the scruff of my t-shirt, yanking my face to his mouth. ''I know about the parties, the disgusting things you get up to. I''m your Master. Even when I''m not there, I''m still your Master. I always know.''


    Tears prick in my eyes, unbidden, and I cough, shaking my head furiously to get rid of the feeling.


    ''But, Titus ¨C,''


    ''You disgust me. Still. What do I expect, from the likes of you ¨C''


    ''That''s not fair.'' The cold, emptiness inside is starting to hurt. But endorphins are spreading fast, trying their best to numb the pain. . .


    ''No? Well get this, Rai: life''s not fair. Remember, I gave you a home when no one else would. I kept you safe when everybody else abandoned you. I made you what you are, and don''t you ever forget it.''


    Through my tears, I see the old man''s expression from the night before. His pity. And Cadence speaks loud in my ear: ''You''re living in a dreamland.''


    But then ¨C Titus pulls me close. His lips brush my forehead, and he kisses me, soft, the warm comfort of home, and the sting of his words vanishes in an instant. We stand, locked in our embrace, for a long time outside the wormhole. But too soon, he lets me go.


    ''I''d come in with you, but I''ve got a meeting I can''t get out of.''


    His sharp, slender face looks even paler in the glow of the electric lights, and I notice for the first time the dark circles shadowing his eyes. He hands me something in a small, fabric bag, and I turn it over, glancing up at Titus with questioning eyes.


    ''Make sure you get the payment ¨C,''


    ''First,'' we chime together, and both let out a weak chuckle.


    Titus sighs. ''Look, Rai. . . I didn''t mean. . . I didn''t ¨C,''


    ''It''s okay,'' I smile, shoving my hands into my pockets. ''You don''t have to say anything.''


    He nods in approval. ''That''s my boy. Off you go then, we don''t want to keep the clients waiting.''


    ''Will you dock Henry for me?''


    Titus frowns, his eyes following Henry as he flits around my head. He plucks him from the air and pushes him gently into my arms.


    ''Keep him with you, just this once. I have a feeling you might need him.''


    Relief spreads through me as I hug Henry close; I hate being parted from him. And so, I turn my back on my Master, my mentor, who''s guided and looked after me my whole life. With the mysterious bag clutched in my fist and Henry in my arms, I disappear into the Wormhole.


    And Titus is gone.


    *


    I step out onto a barren, snow-covered wasteland. It''s so cold, each breath crystalises in the thick smog of grey air; I blow on my hands, wishing I''d brought gloves.


    My clients are nowhere to be seen; mind, I can''t see jack through the fog.


    ''Scout around, Henry. See if you can find anyone.''


    Rear-lights flashing in acknowledgement, Henry springs from my arms and plunges into the fog; vanishing instantly. I''m left alone in the tundra, listening to the rushing winds howl as they sweep across the dusting of snow on the ground.


    Pulling my sleeves over my fingers, I shove Titus''s bag in my pocket and start to search; soon enough, there''s a lake. The light hits the surface, scattering into prisms of every colour, and I realise it''s completely frozen. I give it one gentle tap with my toe; a crack slithers across the ice and I withdraw, sharpish.


    ''Damn.''


    Shivering, I crouch by the edge. It''s mesmerising; I''ve never seen anything like it. The ice is a jagged mosaic, it''s diamond shards tinged a deep violet; but as I peer more closely, there''s a turquoise colour straining through from beneath. It''s hypnotising; that is, until I hear a noise.


    Crunch.


    I swivel round.


    Five people shuffle into place behind me. They''re obviously Skavs, natives from Northern Slavskanistan ¨C their movements slow, weighed down by hulking wolf-skins slung over their bodies, their boots leaving heavy footprints in the snow all the way back to the wormhole. Their faces are obscured by fur-lined balaclavas, barely an inch of skin showing; but I''m not looking at their faces. I''m too distracted by their hands.


    Each leather glove clutches a six-inch-long shard of ice.


    I swallow, rising to my feet. And take a careful step backwards onto the lake.


    ''Uh. . . Are you, um. . .''


    Dez White and company, my headphones sings, clipped as always onto my tragus.


    ''Dez White, er, and company?''


    ''That''s right.'' One of the Skavs steps forwards, snow crunching softly underfoot. ''You must be the kid we hired.''


    ''H-how can I help?''


    They advance towards me, inching me bit by bit backwards onto the ice. There''s a faint shudder ¨C a crack ¨C and I freeze. My breath catches as I glance up, eyes wide, at the five shards now raised in my direction.


    ''Well, for a start.'' The man''s voice is barely audible over the wind. ''You can come closer. We don''t bite.''


    I drag my eyes from the shards up to his face, and instantly wish I hadn''t ¨C his teeth glitter the same purplish colour as the ice as he grins.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ''Yeah, we don''t bite.''


    I swing around. To my horror, three more people have emerged from the mist behind me across the ice.


    I''m surrounded.


    ''W-what do you want? T-Titus sent me to help ¨C,''


    ''Aw, bless.'' A woman''s voice floats towards me from behind ¨C everybody takes a step closer. I don''t have a hope in hell of escaping. ''Have we scared you, little boy?''


    Come back, Henry, I plead. I need you, boy. Come back. Then I remember Titus''s last words to me: ''I have a feeling you might need him.''


    Did he. . .


    Did he know this was going to happen? My numb, blue fingertips are nothing compared with the chill in my heart. I''ve been in sticky situations before but. . . I glance back at those shards and close my eyes. Don''t look, I tell myself. Don''t think about Titus. And don''t look.


    ''We need you to do something for us, something big.'' One of the Skavs is so close, I can feel the waft of his putrid breath on my face. ''Look down.''


    Suddenly his hand is in my hair ¨C my neck jerks forwards as he forces my head down. My eyes snap open ¨C my nose inches from the surface of the ice.


    ''See that?''


    Say nothing, feel nothing. I try to shake my head but can''t, the man is holding me too tight, there''s nothing I can do. . .


    ''ANSWER me.''


    ''S-see w-what?''


    ''You see how the surface is purple, but the underneath is blue? We think that maybe only the top layer of water is contaminated. If the lake froze over before rain became toxic, only the top layer will be poisonous. If we could get to the layer underneath, we could sustain our whole village for months, years even, without having to rely on scum like Jinaka.'' The man spits Jinaka''s name like the word itself is poison. ''We need you to break through the layer of crap to release the water beneath.''


    Still forced into a crouch, I scan the lake through the corner of my eyes. It must be hundreds of miles long, and tens of miles wide. Even if I could affect this much water, I''ve never melted anything before. I don''t even know if I can.


    A sharp scratch, and the blade digs into the back of my neck ¨C my legs buckle and I crash to my knees.


    ''Please. I-I don''t know how to do that.''


    All I can see are legs and fur-linings of draping coats. The pain intensifies as blood, warm and wet, trickles down my neck.


    ''P-please,'' I croak. ''Just let me up. I can at least try.''


    ''Try now,'' a voice hisses in my ear. ''And I sure hope you can do it, because we''ve already paid. One way or another, we''ll get our money''s worth outta you.''


    My vision blurs as on reflex, a protective sheath of water spreads out to coat my hands.


    How do I break this? This isn''t what I do. Can I melt it? But how?


    Then I realise ¨C oh god. Without removing the water protecting my hands, I can''t do anything anyway. As my tears sizzle on the surface of the ice, I reabsorb the water into my skin, and place my palms onto the lattice below.


    ARGH.


    The cold hits in a wave of agony ¨C this isn''t normal, it''s like frozen acid. Blisters blossom across the soft skin of my hands, hot, angry, sizzling ¨C


    Break. BREAK.


    Nothing happens. And even if it had, I suddenly realise ¨C what would I even do with all the toxic water?


    ''Hey!''


    A voice bursts through the fog.


    It''s heavy with command, and the hands pinning me down whip back instantly. I drop, my legs flailing desperately to keep grip to run ¨C but hands are quicker, hoisting me back, a blade drawn to my neck once more.


    ''Who''s there?'' the man growls.


    ''Drop the boy and put your hands in the air.''


    From the fog, a woman in a bright blue uniform emerges. A commanding officer''s badge shines proud on her lapel, her hands clutching a rifle. A team of officers appear behind her, and the Skavs huddle closer together, trapping me in the centre. They exchange furious, incredulous glances, and honestly, I''m just as confused. In all the years I''ve worked the black market, I''ve never had the authorities turn up. Ever. And I''ve been in worse situations.


    ''Get out of here, Futurists. You''ve no business here.'' The man in front of me shields me with his body, his shard held aloft. For all the good it will do.


    ''I repeat,'' says the Futurist officer. ''Put your hands in the air. You are under arrest for collusion in trafficking and child abuse.''


    ''Child abuse?!'' the man splutters. ''Get outta here, I never seen this kid before in my life.''


    ''Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air.''


    ''What are you gonna do, shoot us all?''


    ''DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE ¨C,''


    ''NOW.''


    Another crowd of Skavs dive onto the officers from behind; I''m thrown to the ground as gunshots fire over my head. Someone is dragging me across the ice, but it''s a chaos of bullets, snow and legs trampling all around us.


    ''Henry?''


    I thrust my elbow sharply into the man''s face as I scream Henry''s name; with a yelp, the man relaxes his grip for a second.


    That''s all I need.


    Water bursts from my hands, blasting him backwards ¨C I hurtle across the ice as one of the Skavs crashes down beside me. The surface splinters, and the man drops; I run, sweeping aside the sulphurous wave with a flick of my wrist, wincing as a shower of icicles slice my cheek.


    ''Get the boy, get the boy!''


    My stomach lurches ¨C the officers have rounded up most of the Skavs - but are now storming across the ice towards me.


    ''Where is he?'' one of the officers shouts.


    ''He must have run into the fog; whatever you do, don''t let him escape. He''s the one we had the tip-off about.''


    ''You think he really is ¨C?''


    Bloody hell. They''re not after the Skavs, they''re just a handy bonus. They''re after me.


    But they can''t see me; I must have run straight into the fog. Except - now I''m blind too.


    The bag.


    My scorched fingers fumble in my pocket as I suddenly remember: the bag. The one Titus gave me.


    Cadence. This has to be because of her. Titus knew ¨C he wanted me away from the others to protect them. That''s why he let me take Henry; to protect me too. That must be why he gave me this.


    The weight of pounding feet is fast turning the ice to slush ¨C I''m wasting time ¨C a small black coin, or button, or whatever-the-hell-it-is, falls into my palm. I''ve never seen anything like it before; with a pang of horror, I realise Titus hasn''t given me anything to help.


    He''s abandoned me, high and dry.


    I press it over and over again, desperate for it to do something ¨C please, please DO SOMETHING ¨C but all it does is turn blue; I fling it to the ground in a howl of despair and pound away across the ice as the officers blossom into view.


    ''HENRY?''


    My legs hammer beneath me, propelling me slipping and sliding forwards; the ice shatters beneath my feet, plunging me ankle-deep into the poison. With a cry, I turn back to the officers.


    Guns raised, wading through plumes of mist, water and fog ¨C they''re gaining on me.


    ''Stop!'' The commanding officer shouts. ''Elementalist, you are under arrest. Stop, or you''ll make the situation worse for yourself.''


    Then ¨C everything seems to happen at once.


    First, bright lights burst through the fog above me, and I cry out in relief as Henry soars through the air towards me. He ducks; I grab hold of his lower handles and swing myself out of the water onto his back. We sail over the officers, swerving as they shoot wildly up at us through the fog.


    At the same time, a voice pierces through the mist. ''Oh, come now; how can the poor boy''s situation possibly get any worse?''


    The commanding officer swivels round. ''What the ¨C,''


    Four figures emerge from the mist. I almost fall off Henry in shock.


    It''s the strange old man, Edward or Eldred or whatever, tipping his hat in politeness, with Cadence, mohair-boy and a girl by his side.


    ''Puffin, Sammi, as we discussed.''


    With a scream, the girl spreads her arms wide - all of a sudden, the mist starts to move. Howling winds start to twist around her, writhing as though in terrible pain; it''s all I can do to cling on to Henry as they hurtle towards the officers in a whirl of fury.


    ''Kassius, now!''


    Mohair-boy dives to the ground as the officers turn their guns towards him, and he does what I could not. An almighty gash slices through the centre of the lake, and the remaining ice shatters, plunging the officers into its depths in a riot of shrieks and splashes.


    But more officers are pouring out of the Wormhole; someone must have called for backup. Cadence is spinning, a gun in each hand, firing in a circle around the boy and girl with cackles of delight.


    With a deep breath, I clench my knees tighter around Henry to keep balance. ''Lower,'' I yell, and Henry swoops into the thick of the swirling winds, and I force my hands through to hover over the water.


    From inside me, a fierce yearning rises; I shake my head to clear my mind, letting peace take over. And whisper into the depths ¨C


    ''Dance with me.''


    Great cascading waves of turquoise rise to greet me, finally free; I fly high into the air, the waves twirling upwards with me in an effortless spiral, obeying my every command.


    ''Ha!''


    With a cry, I fling my arms outwards and the wave crash down in an spectacular pirouette; officers scream, lifted clean off their feet and under, under. . .


    ''To Cadence, Henry,'' I pant, exhaustion washing over me; we soar towards the ground and I tumble off his back at Cadence''s feet. The girl of wind runs towards me, her hands still raised.


    ''Get behind me!'' she cries, as she sends another swirl of mist careering towards the officers who are trying to crawl out of the water, forcing them back into the deep.


    ''It''s okay,'' I gasp, staggering to my feet, Henry propping me up beside her. This is what I was born to do.


    Once again, I lift my hands and waves flow from the lake towards me, like I''m their magnet. With a twirl of my finger, I encase us in a rushing, violently-purple bubble.


    ''Quick,'' Cadence grabs my arm, my bubble rendering her gunshots useless. ''We have to retreat ¨C there''s more backup on the way.''


    ''Where?'' I say, my knees wavering as exhaustion crashes like an avalanche on top of me.


    ''Just trust me,'' Eldred roars, pulling the mohair-boy to his feet, dragging him along beside him. ''Get to the Wormhole, quick!''


    ''But it will just take us back to Singavere!''


    ''Just do it!'' The girl starts sprinting back to the Wormhole, one arm aloft behind her to try and maintain the twisting winds. ''Come on!''


    I fling the bubble away, and it bursts over the officers; I leap back on top of Henry and zoom over the girl. The officers are starting to crawl from the lake, shooting once more; a bullet ricochetes off a boulder beside me, blasting it to pieces ¨C Henry swerves ¨C but luckily for me, I''m one of the best drone-riders in the city.


    There it is - the Wormhole. We dive towards it, and Eldred slaps something down onto the control panel; the substance inside the Wormhole glows a twinkling, dark red.


    ''Get in, get in!'' he shouts, pushing mohair-boy through head-first. ''Quick!''


    Cadence grabs the girl and thrusts her inside, and before I know it, Henry and I are flying through after them.


    Swallowed up by the darkness.


    *


    We burst from the Wormhole and tumble to the ground; it''s warm, and dark, and very much not Singavere. I stagger off Henry and clutch him close to my chest, shivering this time not from cold, but from shock.


    ''What the ¨C how did ¨C where are ¨C,''


    ''Don''t worry.'' Eldred is fiddling with the control panel ¨C the Wormhole suddenly glows deep ruby again, before turning back to its natural inky-black. ''Phew.''


    He wipes his forehead on his sleeve, before turning towards me. ''That was close. It''s alright, they won''t be able to follow us, it''s returned to its Singavere destination now. They haven''t got a hope in hell of finding us; as far as they''re concerned, we''ve completely disappeared.''


    A hundred questions flood my mind, but I barely have the energy to keep my eyes open. I sink to my knees, and Eldred''s beside me in seconds, lowering me to the ground.


    ''That was some intense power I saw from you back there. Brie was right ¨C you''re incredible.''


    A vague noise rumbles from the back of my throat, but that''s all I can muster before I realise my headphones are ringing. A phone call.


    ''You should get that,'' Eldred says with a wry smile.


    I''m not sure how much more I can handle, but nevertheless, I raise a trembling hand to my ear. ''Yeah?''


    ''RAI?'' A voice, familiar and comforting as warm cocoa in winter. I let out a cry of relief, just to hear her voice.


    ''Dove? Thank god, you ¨C you won''t believe what''s happened ¨C,''


    ''Shut up, shut up. Listen, I''ve only got a few minutes ¨C we''ve been ratted out, Rai, the authorities are all over us, we''re all hauled up in the house and they are turning the place over looking for you.''


    ''Looking for me?''


    ''And Titus is gone!'' Dove''s voice breaks, and my heart bleeds to hear her weep. ''He''s g-gone, with all his s-stuff, all the m-money in the safes, everything. The authorities are asking us all s-sorts of questions, none of us are allowed to leave ¨C,''


    ''It''s okay, Dove, just try and stay calm. I''ll be home as soon as I can ¨C,''


    ''You can''t!'' Her voice sharpens with sudden alarm. ''You mustn''t come back here!''


    ''Why?''


    ''Don''t you understand? They''re after you. They won''t stop asking us where you''ve gone, and about if we knew about. . . Well. . . They''re saying all sorts of things. . .''


    ''I can''t come home?'' I hear my own voice as though from afar.


    ''Are you safe, Rai?''


    ''I ¨C I guess ¨C,''


    ''So, wherever you are, stay there.'' I can barely make out what Dove''s saying over her sobs. ''You mustn''t come home ¨C oh no, I''ve got to go, I''ve got to ¨C,''


    The line goes dead.


    Leaving the empty, hollow ring of the dialling tone.


    I turn to face the people who have probably saved my life. The boy in the mohair, face scrunched into a scowl; the girl of wind, ebony hair coiling with mist; Cadence, or Brie, or whoever she is, sneering as always; and Eldred, the man who just hacked the most complicated piece of technology on the planet.


    But there''s only one thing I can think of. One thing I can say.


    ''They''re after me.'' They''re after me.


    ''I can''t go home.''

 Chapter 11 - Sammi

    We set up camp for the night. Moving Rai just isn''t possible; one minute, he''s fighting like some kind of sorcerer ¨C his powers look like magic. They''re so fluid, so effortless, the waves obeying his every command.


    But as soon as we get through the wormhole, he collapses. Eldred finds a cave for us to shelter in from the storm, but still, we''re all frozen stiff. Kass reluctantly offers me a space under his mohair cloak but, to his relief, I politely decline. Musa very much on my mind.


    Rai falls asleep immediately, his face pale and tear-stained. He looks so out of place amongst us, with his gadgets and shock of blue hair. Kass and I give him a sneaky once-over: the clip on his tragus, hoops all down his cartilage, the stud through his eyebrow, and the sucker-pads on the back of his neck. They look sore. Not to mention his drone ¨C a silvery-white ball the size of a pumpkin. It buzzes around Rai''s head in circles for hours before admitting defeat, blinking its lights mournfully as it settles in Rai''s arms.


    ''I let you guys down.'' Kass stabs at the fire Brie started with a stick, wrapped up in his cloak like a giant morose moth.


    ''It''s alright, Puffin,'' Eldred pats him on the shoulder (he''s thrown off immediately). ''We all have shaky starts sometimes. You helped, that''s what matters.''


    ''Not as much as Sammi. Or him.'' Kass throws a glance at Rai, sleeping peacefully, hugging his drone like a teddy.


    ''Do I spy some jealousy?'' Brie chuckles, ripping off a chunk of bread with her teeth, earning a disgusted glare from Kass.


    ''No.''


    ''You did do exceptionally well, though, Sammi.'' Eldred turns to me with an almost fatherly expression. ''I was very proud of you out there.''


    ''Thanks,'' I smile. ''Practising with Dr Keller''s really helped. Why don''t you go see him when we get back, Kass?''


    Kass grunts, but otherwise ignores me. I catch Eldred''s eye, and we shrug.


    ''So, what''s wrong with Rai?'' I ask Eldred instead. ''I mean, I feel a bit tired, but nothing like him.''


    Eldred picks the edge of a scraggy fingernail, his nose scrunching in thought. ''I''m not too sure, to be honest. I''d like to get Keller to run some tests. In theory, Elementalists should be able to use their abilities without major consequence. Unless we''re missing something, he shouldn''t be exhausted.''


    ''Weird,'' I mutter, rubbing the air between my fingers. There''s the familiar thickness of the mist, the friction of different particles scraping against each other. It doesn''t feel tiring. No more than breathing. What I did earlier, summoning the winds ¨C it was like running a race. A little tiring, gave me a bit of a stitch, but, nothing a few deep breaths couldn''t sort. No need to collapse or anything.


    After dinner, Eldred calls it a night. We''re headed back to HQ tomorrow, and he warns us we''re in for a busy day.


    ''Things are going to kick off now, for real,'' he grins.


    I''ve got no way of knowing what tomorrow will "kick off", but I do know that I''ll see Musa again. We didn''t part in the best of terms ¨C understatement of the year.


    ''Why can''t he come with?'' I''d yelled at Eldred, when he delivered the bad news. The thought of leaving without Musa. . .


    ''It''s alright, Sam, course I''m coming,'' Musa glared at Eldred, hands on his hips. ''Aren''t I.''


    ''Er, ''fraid not.'' Eldred handed Musa a letter. As Musa read, his eyebrows knitted together into one long caterpillar across his brow.


    ''Y-you think I''m going to be persuaded by this?'' He looked up, incredulous. ''Where Sammi goes, I go. End of story.''


    ''Oh,'' Eldred blinked. ''Our mistake. We thought you were the kind of person who wanted to take a stand. For your dying cousin. For all your loved ones suffering under FUTURE. For Samma.''


    Musa looked utterly taken aback. ''I ¨C I am!''


    ''Oh.'' Eldred cocked his head. ''But you just said you''re only here to follow Samma around.''


    ''Don''t twist my words, you know what I meant.''


    But Eldred didn''t seem at all bothered by Musa''s defensiveness. ''Just think about it,'' he said, wrenching himself to his feet. ''I need a decision before I leave.''


    For all of Musa''s reassurances, the note had bothered him. Something in his protests made me uneasy. I begged him to tell me what it said, but eventually, he ripped it up.


    ''You want to stay here, don''t you.'' It wasn''t a question ¨C I knew the answer. Musa swallowed, and began fiddling with the bun at the nape of his neck. A sure sign he was anxious.


    ''No,'' he said, his voice quiet for a change. Longing. ''I want to stay with you.''


    ''So, what''s the problem?''


    Musa took a deep breath. ''Cotton''s made an offer I don''t think I can refuse.''


    ''What?''


    ''She says I can''t tell you. Or the offer''s off.''


    ''Then it''s off.''


    ''You don''t understand.''


    ''So explain!''


    ''I told you, I can''t.''


    Things deteriorated from there. When Musa and I fight, we''re vicious, hungry wolves. We both said things we didn''t mean: you''re selfish ¨C you don''t care ¨C you''ve used me ¨C you don''t have a clue.


    Eldred eventually intervened. ''It''s for the best,'' he said. ''It''s not good in any relationship to be joined at the hip.''


    My insides cringed into a knot as Musa spluttered his own rebuttals. Of course, Eldred carried on regardless.


    ''The boy means well, Sammi. This really isn''t his fault. Have a little faith, won''t you? Has he ever let you down?''


    No, he never has. He''s always been there. Always on my side, even as kids. It drove Nura mental; the image of her stamping her feet whilst Musa laughed, his arms around me, brought a smile to my lips.


    I looked into his eyes, now so full of hurt. And we held each other until the hurt started to fade.


    ''I''ll see you soon,'' Musa whispered, his lips on my forehead with uncharacteristic gentleness.


    ''Promise?''


    ''Promise.''


    At which point, Kass spoilt the moment. ''Ugh, get a room.''


    ''Just wait till you''re in love,'' Eldred chuckled, amidst our protests. ''If anyone will put up with you, that is.''


    A crack of thunder jolts me back to the cave, and I stare through cracks in the ceiling, watching the stars twinkling up above. Lares, a lost emerald. Ra, a drop of blood. And despite today''s drama, all I can think about is Musa. Missing him with every fibre of my being, but scared stiff of how it will be when we see each other tomorrow. The look on his face when Eldred said that word ¨C I shrink from the memory, my face flushing in the darkness.


    I fall asleep praying he''s forgotten, unlike me, who can''t get it out of my mind.


    *


    ''Lazy git.''


    Kass and I sit side by side, watching Eldred try to shake Rai awake. Not helped by Rai''s drone, who keeps butting him out the way. Brie is out in the rain, checking if the Wormhole''s clear; I can tell she and Eldred are skittish to be back.


    ''You think?'' I ask Kass. ''Maybe he''s ill?''


    Kass shrugs a shoulder reluctantly. ''He''s a bit weird, isn''t he.''


    ''Aren''t we all?'' Sighing, I find myself scratching Musa''s name into the dust, only realising when I hear Kass laughing at me. Furious, I scrub it out.


    ''Touch¨¦,'' he grins. ''But I don''t mean weird, like, we''ve suddenly sprouted magic powers and are writing our cousin''s name in the dirt.''


    I stick my tongue out at him and he laughs again. It''s nice, seeing him laugh for a change.


    ''I mean, he just seems weird. All Futurists do in real life, they''re nothing like how they seem on TV.'' He pauses, biting his lip. ''Me and my friend, Niven, wanted to go to Singavere so badly. All we wanted was to be relocated with them. We watched all Jinaka''s shows, followed all the races. . . we were just so blind.''


    ''Hey,'' Eldred cries out, and our heads whip up. ''He''s waking up!''


    ''W-what''s going on?''


    We leap up and hurry over, falling to our knees beside Rai. He''s blinking fast, his eyebrows twisted upwards in confusion.


    ''You''ve been asleep, Rai,'' Eldred says, his voice soft. ''Do you remember what happened before you collapsed?''Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Rai shakes his head and rubs his eyes. As Eldred helps him upright, the drone dives into his arms with a flurry of beeps. Rai''s face lights up instantly.


    ''Henry! You''re okay!''


    ''Your drone''s called Henry?'' Kass'' lips twitch.


    ''Yeah,'' Rai smiles. It''s the last thing I expect ¨C his smile is so sweet, so sunny, it''s as though we''re chilling in some fancy Singaverean hotel, not cowering in a cave. It''s so inappropriate.


    ''How are you feeling?'' Eldred asks, shoving Kass out the way and hunching by my side to get a closer look.


    ''Fine,'' Rai yawns, stretching. ''How are you?''


    Eldred chuckles. ''I''m fine, thanks. You''re the first person to ask me that in a while.''


    Rai smiles again, and this is apparently too much for Kass, who gives a derisive snort. Rai looks surprised.


    ''Is something wrong?''


    ''Er, yeah,'' Kass says. ''You just got attacked, abandoned, almost killed, then told you can never go home. Before you passed out, you seemed pretty bummed out; now you''re acting like nothing''s happened. What the hell''s wrong with you?''


    Rai''s breathing stops, just for a moment. He stares at Kass through wide, blue eyes. Then he shakes his head, hard; the smile instantly returns.


    ''Yeah. . . it sucks.'' He rubs the bridge of his nose, looking a bit uncomfortable. ''So, um, what now?''


    Kass throws up his hands in exasperation. ''See?'' he turns to me. ''Told you he''s a weirdo.''


    ''None of that now,'' Eldred scolds, waggling his finger in Kass'' face. ''Just because Rai doesn''t wave his emotions around all over the place screaming look at me, look at me, feel sorry for me all the time, doesn''t mean they aren''t there.''


    Kass looks like he''s going to punch Eldred in the face. Rai''s watching us, an increasingly nervous expression replacing the annoying smile. But Kass doesn''t; instead, he storms outside, muttering swearwords under his breath.


    ''Look at me, look at me.'' Eldred turns back to Rai. ''Sorry, Rai, where were we? Ah yes. What now. Well, we need to head back to RESIST, where our General will fill you in on everything important.''


    ''Okay.'' Rai sighs, resting his chin on top of his drone. ''I knew it. I knew you were Resisters.''


    ''And?'' I ask, unable to check the bite of hostility in my voice.


    ''And nothing,'' Rai says. ''I''ve worked with Resisters before.'' He''s staring hard at his knees, and I wish Kass could see this slight show of vulnerability too. ''I know what they want from me.''


    ''No, Rai.'' Eldred suddenly scoots back, waving at me to back off too. ''Your clients on the black market were not Resisters. They might have supported RESIST, but that does not make them one of us. We would never do anything to hurt you.''


    ''What did they do?'' I blurt out.


    ''None of your business,'' Eldred says and I blink; up until now, Eldred''s saved his sharp responses for Kass. The pang of hurt in my chest makes me realise that for some reason, I care what this man thinks of me.


    ''She did,'' Rai mutters.


    ''Who?''


    ''Cadence.''


    ''Ah.'' Eldred''s lips purse into a line of disapproval. ''I''ll be having words with her, don''t you worry. But surely not all your clients were bad news?''


    ''No, not all of them.'' Rai''s face has gone very pale; he gives another vicious shake of his head, and colour floods back into his cheeks. ''But enough to make the thought of going into a resister-nest not very appealing.''


    ''Fair.'' Eldred offers a hand to Rai, who regards it, his placid features tinged with reluctance. Then he takes Eldred''s hand.


    ''I''ll go with you, ''cause I don''t exactly have anywhere else to go. But I can''t promise I''ll stay.''


    ''I''ll work with that,'' Eldred grins. ''And I promise you ¨C once you''ve heard the full story, you won''t dream of leaving. Sammi ¨C grab your things and go fetch Puffin. Tell him we leave in five.''


    *


    ''Sammi! Sammi!''


    ''Did you use your powers?''


    ''Musa is going to freak when he sees you!''


    The crowd that awaits us upon our return is insane; Labelle has to literally fight to get through to us, then once he''s grabbed hold of Kass and I, physically force our way back out again. Eldred is herding Rai in a different direction and they''re quickly lost from view.


    ''Where is Musa, anyway?'' I ask Labelle. Just hearing his name gives me butterflies. Stop, I scold myself, as they flutter in my belly. He''s my cousin. Nothing more. It doesn''t matter that we''re not related.


    ''I don''t know. I''d have thought he''d be here ¨C he''s talked of nothing else since we heard you were on your way,'' Labelle frowns, spotting a gap down a side passage and shoving us ahead. ''He''s been going off his nut ever since you left.''


    ''She''s been going off her nut too,'' Kass quips. ''Honestly, she''s been a nightmare.''


    ''Like you haven''t been,'' I snarl, but feel a stab of remorse as his face flushes scarlet. He''s been a nightmare because of his family... Whereas I''ve just pining over a boy.


    ''Sorry.''


    ''S''okay.''


    ''Come on, guys,'' Labelle sighs, putting an arm around each of us. ''Let me get you to the lunch hall ¨C I''m putting your grumpiness down to hunger.''


    We eat a furious meal, Kass and I competing over who can eat the most (I win) ¨C then Labelle takes to Keller''s lab, where everyone''s waiting.


    Rai is sat on Dr Keller''s gleaming white hospital chair. I usually avoid looking at it; it reminds me of the disgusting hospital we used to take Nura to, and all the times we had to listen to: there''s nothing we can do. He''s clutching Henry to his chest, like he''s worried someone''s going to snatch him away. Although he greets us with a smile, I notice red circles under his eyes. Next to him, on either side, stand Keller and General Cotton.


    ''You''re here!''


    I spin around to see Eldred in the corner of the room, looking happier than I''ve seen him in days.


    ''How does it feel, Keller? Your best creations under one roof for the first time in over sixteen years?''


    ''It brings hope to my heart,'' Keller smiles, his eyes flashing behind his spectacles. ''But one is still missing, remember.''


    ''Yes, yes.'' Eldred waves his hand dismissively. ''You always focus on the negatives. Three out of four ''aint bad, you know.''


    ''We wanted to see if we could get to the bottom of your sudden exhaustion,'' Cotton interrupts, putting a hand on Rai''s shoulder. Eldred and Keller''s bickering stops instantly.


    ''Oh.'' Rai wrinkles his nose. ''What, is this a hospital, or something?''


    ''Too basic for you, is it?'' Kass scowls.


    ''A bit'' Rai shrugs, not seeming to notice Kass'' hostility. ''Depends. But, you don''t need to do anything, doctor, I know why I got so tired. You just need to ask.''


    ''Well, I''d be happier running some tests.'' Keller disappears into a cupboard for a moment, before emerging with a handful of probes. He plugs them into his computer, then turns back to Rai. ''T-shirt off, please.''


    ''No.''


    For the first time, Rai frowns. His drone scoots out of his arms into Keller''s face, who bats him away with a yelp.


    Cotton rolls her eyes. ''This is not the time to be coy.''


    ''You said.'' Rai turns to glare at Eldred.


    ''It''s nothing bad, Rai, I promise. You have my word. They just want to stick the probes to your skin so they can run some tests.''


    ''But why? Can''t I just tell you what I was doing?''


    ''Do as you''re told!'' Cotton''s hands slam the back of the chair, and Rai jumps out of his skin. She clears her throat, a dot of pink colouring each cheek. ''Please,'' she adds as an afterthought.


    Rai sighs. He strips off his t-shirt, letting it fall to the floor, staring straight ahead, his eyes dull and blank.


    I gasp. I can''t stop myself.


    His torso is covered in bruises. Some clearly old, faded plum and sulphurous yellow, but others are so new, and dark against his pale skin, they''re almost black. Shaped in fist. A foot.


    Kass looks away first, and then, it seems like nobody knows what to say or do. Then Kass pipes up, still facing the door ¨C


    ''For god''s sake, hurry up. He''ll get cold.''


    ''Oh yes.'' Keller blinks, snapping back into action, positioning the probes on Rai''s chest. He glances up, biting his lip. ''Tell me if I''m hurting you.''


    ''It''s fine.''


    Even when Keller allows him to put his shirt back on, the dullness doesn''t fade from Rai''s eyes.


    ''So, go on then. Explain what you did.'' Keller clasps his hands together, all earlier concern forgotten.


    Rai shakes his head. ''Have you got a glass of water?''


    ''Er, sure. Kass, get one from the sink.''


    Kass sprints off to fill up a glass, and without meeting Rai''s eyes, hands it to him.


    ''Thanks. So, usually, I manipulate the water around me, see?'' Rai hovers a hand over the glass, and the water inside rises up to swirl around his hand in a silvery-blue orb. ''I''m not altering anything, or changing anything, just moving what''s already there. Most of the time, I stick to that.'' He makes the ring of water circle around his head, and grins at us through the sheen of water. ''It''s easy! I could do this for hours and not even break a sweat.''


    He siphons the water into the glass, and hands it back to Kass. ''Can you get rid of it, please?''


    Kass scowls, and downs the glass in three gulps. ''I''m not going to waste it.''


    For some reason, that makes Rai smile. ''That''s nice.''


    Kass mutters under his breath.


    ''But my jobs,'' Rai continues. ''Were rarely that simple. Sometimes, the client wanted water and there wasn''t any around. They expected me to create something from nothing. Sometimes, they only had toxic water that they needed purifying. And people don''t like not getting what they pay for. They get nasty when they don''t get what they want.


    ''So, I had to get a bit creative, you know? Like, removing the impurities from water isn''t hard. But, touching it hurts like an absolute bitch. I needed a way to protect myself. I figure I should be able to suck the moisture out of the air, but, for some reason I can''t seem to do it. Much easier is  to do this.''


    He raises one hand again, but this time just stares at it, his brow furrowing in concentration. At first, it looks like nothing''s happening. But then, after a few seconds, I notice something drip from his wrist to the floor.


    ''How the ¨C?'' Keller gasps.


    A thin layer of water slowly spreads across the skin of Rai''s hand. It shapes like a glove, covering his fingers, his palm,  the thin bones on the back of his hand. It shimmers, dazzling, and a bead of perspiration trickled down Rai''s forehead.


    ''Stop, stop!'' Keller yells.


    Rai jumps, the droplets falling to the floor with a splash. ''What?'' he asks, summoning the water back across his hand. ''It''s okay, honest, I''ve done this thousands of times. It''s what I did at the lake ¨C if the water had touched my bare hands, it would have burnt me down to the bone.'' He shudders. ''I''ve made that mistake before.''


    ''I said stop!''


    We all blink at Keller. He''s leaning heavily against the side of Rai''s chair, aghast.


    ''What?'' Rai dries his hand on his jeans. ''I''m just telling you what I did.''


    ''Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?''


    ''Dangerous? To who?''


    ''Yourself!'' Keller runs to the computer, his finger jabbing at the screen. ''Just look, look at that!''


    We peer over Keller''s shoulder at the squiggly results on the screen. They meant absolutely nothing to me.


    ''What does it mean?'' I ask.


    ''Well, Rai basically said it himself. When water is already present, he only has to manipulate it. When it''s not, and he does that, he is not simply conjuring it from thin air. Rai is not an ethereal Elementalist like you, Sammi ¨C he can''t, as he correctly guessed, access any water stored in the atmosphere.


    ''So, where else can the water come from? He must be drawing it directly from his body; the human body is over seventy percent water, you know. But by doing this ¨C.'' He turns to Rai, imploring to him directly. ''You put your body under incredible strain.'' He snatches the empty glass from Kass and hurries to the sink, refilling it and plunging it into Rai''s hands. ''Drink this now, you need to replenish what you''ve lost. Just look at your electrolytes, they''ve plummeted, and they were already too low.''


    ''Probably from yesterday,'' Rai nods, sipping the water under Keller''s furious gaze.


    ''You must NEVER to do that again, Rai. No matter what we or anyone asks of you ¨C you must never use your body as a source like that. You could die.''


    ''As if,'' Rai sniggers. ''You don''t understand how many times I''ve done this before.''


    ''Promise me,'' Keller thunders, startling us all; Rai spills the water all down his front.


    ''O-okay,'' he stammers, dabbing his t-shirt. ''I promise, I guess. It''s just. . . Not that big a deal. I got tired, that''s all.''


    ''Yeah, well one day, you might go too far. Dehydration is a terribly dangerous thing, you know.''


    ''I know.'' Rai must sound abashed enough for Keller to relax; he turns to Cotton and shakes his head, still looking incredulous.


    ''Well, that certainly explains everything ¨C he should be absolutely fine for duty. With a day''s rest and plenty of fluids, he''ll be right as rain to leave tomorrow.''


    ''Tomorrow?'' The word slip from my mouth unbidden. ''But I haven''t seen Musa yet. Where is he?''


    ''He''s not here.'' Cotton''s voice is so clipped and business-like; a cold hand of iron closes around my heart.


    ''Where is he?'' I hiss, soft, deadly.


    Cotton raises her eyebrows. ''We were a man down on one of our missions, and Musa went in his place. He''s young, and strong, exactly the type of person we need. He relished the opportunity to prove himself.''


    ''Liar.'' Kass narrows his eyes. ''You''re not as good at lying as you think you are.''


    ''Musa would never have left knowing I was coming back,'' I whisper. My mouth is so dry, I can barely get the words out. ''You. . . You tricked him, somehow.''


    ''I did nothing of the sort,'' Cotton huffs. ''He''ll be back before you leave tomorrow, I''m sure. Take some time to calm yourselves down, then I want all three of you in my office for a briefing. V?n will go through your first Mission with you there.''


    And with that, she strides from the room, leaving me open-mouthed and wide-eyed, staring at her retreating back.

 Chapter 12 - Kass

    It''s pissing it down as we trudge through the forest towards the wormhole. The lifeless trunks cast us all into shadow as we splash over their withered roots. I keep to myself, my hood pulled low. Nobody speaks; the tension yesterday evening was so thick, so solid, hell, I probably could have smashed it. This morning was even worse.


    None of us are in the mood to chat. Except Eldred, of course. Stupid, bloody Eldred.


    ''Come now, Sammi,'' he chirps, swishing his raincoat from side to side. ''Chin up, eh? I''m sure there''s a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why he didn''t return.''


    ''Go away,'' she mutters, shrugging him off and running to catch up with me. I glance sideways at her as she falls into step; at her swollen, downcast eyes.


    Eldred sighs, retreating back to Rai instead, who''s hovering behind us, looking awkward and out of place.


    ''Is she okay?'' he whispers to Eldred. He thinks he''s so subtle, doesn''t he - idiot. He can''t whisper for shit; his voice carried on the wind.


    ''The heart wants what the heart wants, and lets nothing distract or dissuade it,'' Eldred replies sadly. ''She''ll be fine in a little while, I''m sure.''


    I open my mouth to argue but on second thoughts, close it again. It''s pointless trying to argue with Eldred, like pinning down the mist. Too much effort for too little gain.


    We''d spent the whole evening locked up in Cotton''s office with Colonel V?n, going through our first mission in South Amariland''s Coral-Bay: to destroy the alpha-capsule.


    ''The Lurrera tectonic plate, as shown here ¨C,'' V?n projected a hologram of the world up from Cotton''s brand-new office table, and zoomed in on Amariland''s eastern coastline. ''¨C moves directly into the Amarish plate, and is slowly being forced underneath. This subduction causes friction to build up, ultimately being released in a huge burst of energy. An earthquake,'' he clarified.


    ''Now, the alpha-cap is connected via special cables, we suspect made from visinium, to hotspots all along this eastern border, across the sea all the way through to the west Caeltanican mainland. When the capsule is activated, energy is released that triggers these hotspots, causing earthquakes.''


    V?n zoomed even further in, pointing to a spot directly off the coastline. ''Your job is to travel to Coral-Bay, where the capsule is buried in the ocean floor. One of our men will meet you there, and with his assistance, you should destroy the alpha-cap.''


    He made it sound so easy, I think, as I squelch through the mud. But then, he isn''t the one who has to march into ''an active earthquake zone with high probability of tsunamis.''


    Yeah. Thanks a lot, V?n.


    ''You just have to calm the weather; it''s what you lot do, right?'' The way he spoke. It was so clinical. Like we''re just tools at his disposal. ''Then, and, this will be the tricky part: you should be able to use your powers to deactivate or destroy the capsule, but obviously, we haven''t been able to test how. You''re the only ones, in theory, able to do it. We assume it will require some sort of physical contact ¨C Keller has a theory.''


    ''Yes,'' Keller said, wringing his hands together ¨C the man could hardly contain his excitement. ''My guess is that there must be a chemical link, or at least, a similarity, between yourselves and the capsules. We know visinium allows capsules to alter their environment, which really isn''t so different to what you do. You disrupt and manipulate the bonds between chemical structures, sometimes even the atoms themselves. Perhaps that''s all you need to do to the visinium; touch it, and manipulate it in the same way you would the wind, Sammi, or the ground, Kass.''


    ''But, surely only Kass would be able to destroy them, in that case?'' Sammi frowned. ''I mean, from what you''ve told us, the capsules are solid. So, I won''t be able to affect them ¨C only Kass will.''


    Keller scratched his nose. ''Well, I suppose that''s a good point. But, what then would be the point in ethereal Elementalists? I doubt the Ra would have designed ethereal Elementalists if they couldn''t control capsules.''


    That''s assuming, I thought, that the Ra designed us to have any impact on capsules whatsoever. We have no idea why the Ra created us.


    ''Of course,'' Keller continued with a shrug. ''This is only one theory, albeit, the one Eldred and I deem the most likely. But still, just a theory.''


    So, basically, we''re going in blind. Great.


    ''Won''t we get hurt, touching the capsule?'' Rai asked. Cotton had spent the day catching him up, and he''d driven her mad with questions. ''I thought you said people died by going near them? What if they''re toxic?''


    ''What, like our air, our water, our soil. . ?'' I interrupted, rolling my eyes. ''Everything''s bloody toxic, Rai. Not everybody grew up in a cocoon like you.'' Although why I was arguing, I didn''t really know. Actually, I kind of agreed with him.


    ''I didn''t grow up in a cocoon!''


    Cotton raised her hand, and we fell silent. ''Enough. Stop acting like children. Yes, of course there''s a chance that you might get hurt, but, if we sit around doing nothing, we''ll all end up getting hurt sooner or later. But if our theories are correct, then touching the capsules should pose a relatively small risk for you.''


    ''Small risk my ass,'' I muttered.


    ''Shut up, Kass,'' Sammi snapped, jutting her chin in the air. ''I''m in.''


    ''What, you''re okay with being fried, are you?''


    ''Yes, Kass, if destroying the capsule means I get fried, then yes, I''m okay with it.'' She glared at me with such fury that I suddenly felt ashamed. ''My sister is dying. Children all over the world are dying ¨C and we''re never going to be relocated. We''re never going to be saved. We''ve got to do something. What choice do we have?''


    The dark tanks of death that surrounded my village. The bodies I''d seen strewn across the ground. The never-ending pain I nurse in my heart all the time, every day, ever since.


    Sammi was right. We had no choice.


    But it''s a horrible feeling, knowing you''re a weapon. That you have the power to kill. To destroy.


    None of us knew where Musa had gone. The weight of his absence on Sammi was palpable, the agony of her indecision; to stay until she could say goodbye to the boy she loved? Or to leave to save her sister?


    Not that Cotton would have let her wait.


    ''Just remember. You''re doing this for Nura.'' I had no idea what to do when she broke down in our room that morning. Did I put my arm around her? Was that weird? I sat down beside her, handing her a tissue instead. ''Don''t think about Musa, think about her. I''d give anything to be able to see Kitty again. You might not get another chance.''Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    A huge droplet of rain plops onto my forehead, a scalding burst that wrenches my mind back to the present.


    ''Different wormhole today, Sammi, Puffin!'' Eldred calls out, as I scrub my forehead furiously. ''This way.'' There aren''t any connecting Wormholes in Coral-Bay, so we''re heading to one that Eldred can hack to go to the nearest town, Arenya, instead.


    ''Puffin?'' Rai''s face lights up. Milky-white dew from the mist has settled in his hair, glittering sapphires; he taps Eldred on the arm. ''I love puffins! I saw them in the zoo back home once, did you know that they ¨C,''


    ''He means me, dumbass.'' Scowling, I march back through the mud towards them, shoving Rai out of the way with my shoulder as I pass. Sammi patters after me, throwing Rai a bewildered glance.


    ''You didn''t actually think there were real puffins here, did you?''


    ''. . . No. . .''


    His innocence, his sheer ignorance, only infuriates me more.


    ''Just ignore them, Rai,'' Eldred says, calm and soothing. ''You''ve had a very different upbringing to them, that''s all; it''s an easy mistake to make.''


    ''Not if you have half a brain,'' I shoot over my shoulder.


    Rai smirks, although dots of pink spot his cheeks. ''What, and I suppose you do? That must be why Eldred calls you a puffin then. ''Cause you''re so smart.''


    Something hot and red inside me snaps. I swivel around.


    ''Why don''t you just shut up?''


    Rai stops, the rain plastering his hair to his face. But his drone, Henry, soars from his shoulder right at my face ¨C I swipe at it but Rai beats me to it, jumping between us. His smile, vanished.


    ''Don''t touch him,'' he hisses, dark-blue eyes flashing. ''You don''t touch him, understand?''


    ''Or what?''


    ''Stop! Puff ¨C I mean, Kassius, stop it now.'' Eldred is suddenly there pulling on my shoulder, but I fling him off, all my frustration and fear bubbling to the surface. I take a step closer, right up in Rai''s face. My breath erupts in short, rapid bursts, condensing in the air, mingling with his.


    ''Well?'' Rai stares at me, jaw set in defiance. ''What are you going to do?''


    In one sharp motion, my fist rises. A recklessness, so strong, swells in my arms, my fists, my mind. . .


    Red ¨C RAGE ¨C


    Are my powers. . . this?


    If so, they''re ugly.


    I can rip apart the world. Tear it to pieces. I want it to break. To rip him to pieces. . .


    Rai flinches.


    The heat that had risen so suddenly snuffs out in a single second. Remorse floods through me ¨C the image of Rai''s chest, bare and bruised, springs to mind ¨C as I see my hands raised towards a boy I hardly know.


    ''Hey, uh, I wasn''t actually going to hit you,'' I grumble, lowering my hand and stuffing it deep inside my cloak instead.


    ''I know,'' Rai shrugs. He sounds casual but his glowing scarlet face kind of gives him away. ''I''m not scared of you. Hit me if it makes you feel better.''


    ''I don''t want to.'' Guilt wracks my chest with earnest now. ''I ¨C,''


    Oh hell. What do I say?


    ''Are you okay?'' Sammi lays a hand on his shoulder, throwing me a filthy glare.


    Rai closes his eyes and shakes his head. But, not like he''s saying "no" ¨C he really shakes his head, like he''s got fleas or something. It''s so weird I can''t help gaping in astonishment. Then he opens his eyes again, the broad, beaming smile back.


    ''Of course, I am,'' he grins, easing his shoulder away from Sammi''s touch. ''Why wouldn''t I be? I can take a joke you know.''


    He catches my eye for a fraction of a second, and despite what he says, I realise something has changed. His eyes are guarded with me now.


    I turn away. Like I give a crap.


    Eldred clears his throat. ''Well, this is awkward. Come on, little ones, the Wormhole''s only ten minutes away. If we hurry, perhaps we can avoid being half-drowned by the time we get there.''


    I wait for Eldred and Rai to take the lead, then follow behind in silence. Silence is safest. For me ¨C and for them.


    *


    Arenya is boiling, the most intense heat I''ve ever felt in my life. It''s so hot, the sulphurous rain from the forest starts evaporating off our skin and hair in waves. It looks like we were being steamed. The ground, that ageing loaf, is baked into a stale crust, and sand rolls over it in a thin dusting, drifting in the wind from dunes in the distance.


    On the plus side, it''s only lightly spitting. Nothing like the deluge we''ve just emerged from. On the down side, it absolutely stinks of rotting eggs. As soon as the rain hits the ground, it puffs up in a reddish, purplish steam that surrounds everything, choking us, leaving us staggering away from the Wormhole, clutching our noses.


    ''This is definitely my cue to leave, my young prot¨¦g¨¦s.'' Eldred gags, covering his face with his hat. ''Vile place. Not that I don''t appreciate its, uh, majesty.''


    I stare around at the burnt-orange ground. . . then back at Eldred. In disbelief.


    ''You''re leaving us? Here?''


    ''Of course! I''d be no use to you whatsoever, I''m woefully ill-equipped.'' He grins, flashing pearly white teeth at us. ''I''m a man of strategy, rather than action, you see.''


    Sammi''s chewing on the ends of her hair, her brow furrowed. ''But what if something goes wrong?''


    Eldred smiles. ''Nothing will go wrong. I believe in you. Just remember, keep going through Arenya until you reach Coral-Bay, and when you get there, ask for Andr¨¦ Labelle. He''s our Labelle''s younger brother. He''ll be right behind you, ready to help if things go south.''


    ''One measly guy?'' I say. ''Great. It''s like you want us to fail.''


    ''On the contrary.'' Eldred scrunches his eyes against a spray of sand that sweeps across his face. ''It shows how much we believe in you.''


    I have to turn away. The belief shining in his eyes is so stark, it tears. Inside. The way he looks at us, like some kind of proud father. . . I don''t want to see.


    My breath catches and burns, my chest swirling with pain.


    So rather than watch him leave, I fish for my inhaler instead. Only catching a glimpse of the Wormhole, as it flashes red in my peripheral view. If Eldred''s gone, then he''s gone ¨C just focus on breathing, and nothing more.


    Just breathing. Nothing more.


    ''So.'' Rai''s hanging from Henry''s lower handlebars, swinging his feet against the ground, kicking up dust. ''What do we do now?''


    Breathe in ¨C count to ten ¨C breathe out ¨C count to ten.


    Sammi sighs, then sets her jaw, the mist curling through her hair. ''We do as Eldred said. If we can get to Arenya before sundown, we can lay low until curfew''s over. Then ¨C.'' Her expression hardens. ''We go to Coral-Bay. And destroy the capsule.''


    *


    The road to Arenya is long, slow, and seriously awkward. It''s my fault, I admit it. I shouldn''t have lost my temper before, but what can I do?


    I can''t apologise. Not now.


    He''s not even walking with us. Pampered Prince Rai probably isn''t used to using his legs. He flies his drone high above mine and Sammi''s heads, sometimes way ahead of us, but always looping back for us to catch up.


    Show off.


    Sammi keeps shooting me these reproachful glances, but there''s nothing to be gained by me saying sorry. So, she leads the way in silence, guided by the touch-pad she clutches in her hands.


    The awkwardness is worse than the heat. The heat, if anything, is almost a pleasant change. I strip off my cloak, enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin. I can feel the prickle of it starting to burn, but, what the hell. Anything to make the silence more bearable.


    We''re the only ones in the world who can fix things: me, Sammi and Rai. And yet, we hardly have two words to each other.


    ''Hey, guys! I think I see something.''


    I''m half-way through eating a sandwich, trying to shield it with my hand to stop myself swallowing a mouthful of dust. Chewing, I look up ¨C Rai''s standing on Henry''s back, pointing at something in the distance.


    Sammi squints, shading her eyes from the sun. ''What is it? Where?''


    ''Over there!''


    Even on my tiptoes, I can''t see anything. Just the glow of purple against the orange sun, through swirling mist and russet earth. Just the endlessness of nothingness.


    ''What, Rai? What is it?''


    Sammi''s still desperately trying to see, careering unsteadily on her tiptoes ¨C Rai jumps down from Henry''s back, landing with a thud and a cloud of sand beside her. She starts, then laughs, her eyes wide with surprise. I bite back an irritable comment. She''s supposed to be on my side. Why''s she now laughing with him?


    ''There''s smoke, there, in the distance.'' Rai takes Sammi''s hand, gently guiding it to a speck in the sky; they look at each other, and smile. ''It could be coming from Arenya. Right?''


    Sammi pulls back her hand and bends over the touch-pad, fingering the chain on her wrist. Her hair swings forwards, covering her face, and I have an overwhelming urge to tuck it behind her ear. Kitty''s hair was always in her face too ¨C I swallow. My chest constricts. And my eyes blur.


    Don''t think. Don''t think about her now. . .


    Then I notice Rai looking at me funny. God, he''s always watching. I turn my back on him, determined to ignore him ¨C he wouldn''t understand. This has nothing to do with him.


    ''Right.'' Finally, Sammi raises her head, and grins. ''We''re here, and Arenya''s there.'' She zooms in on our location on the screen, and points to Arenya, only a few miles away. ''Not too far to go ¨C good job, guys. We''re doing well.''


    ''Yeah,'' I mutter, wiping sweat off my forehead. ''So well.''


    ''I reckon we''ll get there in the next hour or so,'' Rai says, swinging his leg back over Henry. A moment later and he''s back in the air, sweeping through the sky with more energy than I can even begin to muster.


    I look down, and press on.


    The sooner we get there, the sooner this whole charade can begin.

 Chapter 13 - Rai

    From a distance, Arenya sure looked Futurist. Futurist flags in glorious royal blue deck every lamppost, bench, street sign. . . It''s almost like being home.


    ''Thank you, somewhere normal!'' I drop down from Henry''s back with a plop, waiting as Kass and Sammi stagger after me into Arenya''s town centre. It''s heaving, everyone bustling around the busy market; I sniff the air, tapping Henry in excitement. ''Look, buddy, check it out! I smell food!''


    ''Is that all you care about?''


    Kass is scowling at me; for a moment I feel chastised. But then, my belly rumbles, and all shame  vanishes.


    ''Ah, stop being so grumpy,'' I laugh. ''Come on, let''s explore.''


    But I''m quickly disappointed. Arenya is nothing like Singavere, for all it clearly supports FUTURE; no internal climate, no AI vendors, no drone domes. And whilst maybe people don''t dress quite as trampy as Kass, I''m not expecting everyone to be wearing thin, flowing veils, the men and women alike.


    But I mean, I totally got why. Arenya is infested with flies.


    ''Ugh.'' I wrinkle my nose when we reach the food stalls; chunks of meat, not even a dozen, are coated in a seamless, shifting layer of flies. All squirming and buzzing as they crawl over each other. The hum alone is maddening. ''That''s disgusting.''


    ''Haven''t you ever seen flies before?'' Sammi exclaims, batting a swarm away from her face.


    ''They must be attracted to the food,'' Kass says flatly. ''Why are they keeping steaks out in the sun like this? It''s like asking for disease.''


    I follow his gaze to the Arenyans, scurrying around stuffing item after item into baskets hidden under their shawls. As we continue our way through, I notice something else that''s odd ¨C we haven''t seen a single house. Where the heck do these people live? All there is is this sprawling, bug-infested market.


    ''They need refrigeration. . .'' I muse, more to myself than anything. Unfortunately, Kass hears me.


    ''God, you''re such a snob.'' He''s pulled his cloak back on, hood raised, to combat the flies, but now, sweat''s flooding down his forehead. ''How the heck would they afford refrigeration? Imagine how expensive it is in this heat ¨C they probably need everything fresh.''


    ''Oh.'' This place is such a disappointment. ''I guess I just assumed. . . it''s so obviously Futurist. . .''


    ''Yeah, well, my village supported FUTURE too, and we weren''t rich. Although,'' he concedes. ''We did have a fridge. Just not always enough power to work it.''


    I glance at Kass. Not only is this the first thing he''s said to me that isn''t snarky, but it''s also the first time he''s mentioned his home in front of me. Sammi reaches over and squeezes his hand; something stirs in my chest and I shake my head. Just in case it was going to be painful. You know.


    ''Really?'' I ask, as Henry perches on my head. ''I thought you hated Futurists.''


    ''I do. But I didn''t always.''


    Ah, his voice. All I want to do is listen to him talk. Maybe it''s the Caeltanican accent ¨C it''s just so nice. Although, sometimes I find it hard to understand him. It is pretty strong.


    ''We all loved the Futurists. My friend Niven even got a scholarship to join a cadet programme in Singavere.''


    ''Wow.'' I want to hear more but a crowd of Arenyans push in front of me, forcing Kass and Sammi deeper into the market. I fight my way through, trying not to lose them. The heat condenses everyone into a wave of sweat; as I duck under someone''s arm, my stomach heaves, all thoughts of hunger forgotten. The stench ¨C this place is definitely not Futurist.


    ''One hour ''til curfew!'' A market-seller cries, and the tempo increases as everyone starts scrabbling at each others'' backs in their haste to grab every morsel possible.


    ''What happens after curfew?'' I manage to ask a woman by the vegetables.


    ''Storms, you idiot,'' Kass butts in. ''Seriously, it''s like you don''t know anything.''


    ''Oh no, dear, not storms,'' the woman says. Her face is completely obscured by the veil. ''Quakes, usually, and tsunamis from the Coral Sea. That''s why it''s so busy today. We can''t risk building permanent shops, or we''d lose everything in the quakes. These stalls are only temporary, so we have to stock up quick when they appear else we''d have nothing to take back down.''


    My eyes widen. ''Down where?''


    ''Below ground. Where we live.''


    ''Gosh,'' Sammi says. ''So, where does the food come from?''


    ''General Jinaka, of course! He always makes sure we get a fresh delivery the moment it''s safe. He always sees us right.''


    ''Sure, he does,'' Kass mutters.


    His dark, intense eyebrows furrow as he glares at the poor woman. He just ¨C  he''s just so odd. Just imagining what Quail would think of him ¨C I can''t help chuckling to myself. He''d find Kass hideous, dressed like a peasant in that moth-eaten cloak, all covered in freckles and scars from the rain. . .


    But I don''t. He''s talking in earnest with the woman, but I''m no longer listening. There''s just something about him. Something more than guys like Quail and girls like Dove. Thinking of Dove ¨C my chest pinches painfully, but I shake it away. Kass'' eyes. They''ve seen things, you know? Real things. He scowls at me, and I wonder how many freckles he has on his scrunched-up nose. . .


    ''What are you staring at?''


    I chew my fingernail, my cheeks going red. He''s really glaring. Is this how it feels to be hated? No one''s ever hated me before. Well, no, that''s a lie, I guess plenty of my clients had, but that was more just hating on life and bad luck. Kass seems to really hate me, the real me inside.


    It hurts.


    Rolling his eyes, Kass turns away and coughs. He does that a lot. This time, it''s bad ¨C his chest seizes up, and his whole frame shudders. He places a hand on his chest, like he''s trying to hold himself together. And then it''s over ¨C wiping his mouth on his sleeve, his eyes flick back to me.


    ''Quit it.''


    ''Sorry.'' I shuffle my feet, my face glowing even hotter. ''Sorry.''


    Sammi huffs, nudging Kass in the ribs.


    ''What?''


    ''Stop being such a jerk!''


    ''Alright, already.'' Reluctantly, he twitches his shoulders at me. ''S''ok. I''m being a dick. Sorry.''


    ''Finally!'' Sammi throws her arms up.


    ''You''re sorry? Really?''


    Kass scowls. ''God, you''re so annoying. Why do you have to be so sincere all the time?''


    ''I can''t help it.''


    ''Well, stop. It''s annoying.''


    ''I''ll try not to be annoying.''


    ''Ugh, you''re doing it again.''


    ''Sorry.''


    Kass sigh. ''I guess I just assumed, you know, that you''re Futurist too. But I guess that''s not fair. Just ''cause you''re Singaverean, doesn''t mean you''re with FUTURE.''


    I blink. ''But, I am. Singaverean and Futurist, I mean. I''m proud of it.''


    ''You''re proud to be part of a murdering cult?'' Kass'' eyes flash, dark and dangerous. ''FUTURE murdered everybody I loved. And you''re saying you''re proud to be part of that?''


    ''No!''


    ''I think maybe you should shut up now, Rai,'' Sammi says, quietly.


    ''No.'' I look down and bite my lip. A sheath of water slithers over my hands before I even realise what I''m doing, like my powers are instinctively trying to protect me. Before the others notice, I retract it, soaking it back into my skin. Dr Keller can''t find out.


    ''But you just said ¨C,''


    ''I know what I said,'' I mumble. ''But you don''t understand. Not all Futurists are bad, okay? The best people I know are Futurist; Dove, my Guild-Master, Auden, Quail. They''re kind, and hard-working, and they wouldn''t hurt anyone. You''re just seeing the worst and judging us all by their crappy standards. I believe in FUTURE. I believe there''s a better life ahead of us than the one we''ve left behind. If that means relocating, why''s that so wrong?''


    ''Don''t you want us to succeed?'' Sammi''s fingers tentatively coil around my wrist, but I pull back, wiping my eyes with my sleeve.


    ''I don''t know. I want. . . I want everybody to be relocated, not just the rich. If that means fighting for that future for everyone. . . then I guess I''m on board? But, don''t tell me I''m bad for being Futurist. I''m bad for many reasons, but that isn''t one.''


    Kass and Sammi exchange a look, full of silent words. That I''ll never be a part of.


    ''You know of anywhere we can stay tonight?'' Kass turns back to the woman, who''s been hovering beside us, wringing her hands.


    ''I do.'' Her voice quivers ¨C we''ve probably confused the hell out of her. ''There''s an inn near my pod. Want me to take you there?''


    ''Please.''


    They start pushing their way through the crowd after the woman.


    ''You coming?''


    Kass is staring at me ¨C I''ve remained rooted to the spot.


    ''Yeah,'' I whisper. But I''m careful to keep my distance.


    I know when I''m not wanted.


    *


    The Arenyan sunrise is harsh and deep, burning our eyes as we trek through the wreckage of the night''s quake. The damage is insane, the roads covered in boulders and debris. If the market had still been here, it would be in ruins. Now, all that''s left are rotten cores and bones, clusters of flies scavenging what little remains.


    It doesn''t take long to reach Coral-Bay. The others wanted to get out of Arenya''s stench as fast as possible. As for me, well, I can fly as fast as I want on Henry''s back, free from all the destruction below, drifting through amber sky and violet clouds.


    Coral-Bay is nothing more than a dumping ground. A craggy hillside over looking the coast, littered with junk: overturned vans and battered hunks of machinery decades out of date. A lone building nestles into the cliff. I shout down to the others below, warning them to be cautious.


    We didn''t know they''d be waiting for us.


    ''Hey, you there!''


    A young man is waving at us from a balcony. His legs dangle over the ledge as he clings on with one hand.


    ''Hey, can you hear me? You shouldn''t be here, it''s dangerous.''


    I bring Henry to a stop, pausing in mid-air. I have a great view of the building now; it''s a barracks. Its sandy-grey walls rise lazily to a point, giving it the look of a sunken pyramid. Cables run down from the tip over multiple layers of balconies all the way to the ground, where they''re tethered in place.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The man lets go of the balcony altogether, swings like a monkey onto one of the cables and slides down, landing with an elegant roll by Kass and Sammi''s feet. I fly down to join them. The man gets to his feet, dusts himself off, and flicks his hair out of his eyes with a grin.


    ''You three are Absolute. Certifiable. Prats.''


    Sammi doesn''t look impressed. ''And you must be Labelle''s brother.''


    ''That''s me, Andr¨¦ ¨C and aren''t you lucky I am. Strolling up like that ¨C what if someone else had seen you?''


    Kass frowns. ''But Eldred said you''d meet us here.''


    Andr¨¦ snorts. ''That''s all very well, but the Futurists are expecting to meet professional traders from the Ra district of Singavere.''


    ''What?''


    ''Did Eldred forget to mention that part? Typical.'' Andr¨¦ sniggers, his blonde hair twinkling in the amber haze. ''Trust Eldred to skim the details. This is a Futurist barrack, kids. Protectors of the alpha-cap, no less.'' Andr¨¦ props a hand on his hip. ''There are resisturd spies everywhere, you can''t be too careful. Especially when three randoms stroll up without a care in the world. . .''


    ''Okay, we get it, we were careless,'' Kass grumbles. ''So, what, you''ve infiltrated the base?''


    ''Commander Trojan!''


    Andr¨¦ suddenly springs into a bow; three officers, dressed in matching royal-blue uniform, are marching towards us from the barracks. He yanks Kass'' cloak, forcing Kass down until his nose is inches from the ground. After a hesitant glance with Sammi, we bend our necks too.


    ''Good timing, Commander, I was just greeting our guests.''


    ''They''re younger than I expected.'' Commander Trojan is a formidable figure. Her strong nose, angular cheekbones and jagged chin make her look pretty severe; her hair glows a radiant shade of emerald, and when she speaks, I spot taste-sensor studs on her tongue.


    ''Traders get younger and younger these days,'' Andr¨¦ shrugs with an easy smile, pulling Kass upright and throwing an arm around him. ''What will it take to get someone experienced?''


    ''You been in the game long?'' The studs flash against Trojan''s teeth, giving her a slight lisp.


    ''Uh,'' Sammi stutters.


    ''Sure,'' I interrupt. Let''s be honest, I can''t leave this to Sammi and Kass. Our cover will be blown instantly.


    ''Who do you think is better? Ling or Dusk?''


    My eyes light up ¨C of course.


    ''Oh, Ling, for sure, but hey, I''m from Ra district so maybe I''m biased. Hey, Henry.'' I give a shrill whistle between my teeth ¨C Henry bursts down through the clouds, scooting to a stop in a flurry of beeps and lights. To my surprise, Trojan smiles.


    ''He''s beautiful.''


    ''Thanks! I made him myself.''


    Trojan''s eyebrows rise. ''You made him?''


    ''Yeah. I trained as a mechanic in the Engineering Guild ¨C,''


    ''Yeah, he''s quite a pro ¨C hence he made the transition to dealing, right, Star?'' Andr¨¦ is grinning at me far too widely ¨C my cheeks flush as I realise. I''m enjoying the truth too much.


    ''Uh, exactly. Anyway, Ling is definitely the motor for you ¨C have you tried the Ling-CHcoil5000?''


    Trojan stares at me. ''No. Should we?''


    ''Definitely. It''s the best.''


    ''What, better than Dusk-HybridCHcoil10?''


    ''Yep. Dusks may seem fancy, but it''s all smoke and mirrors. No, you want something light and fast, but that can withstand a heavyweight. The Ling''s your model.''


    ''Hmm.'' Trojan purses her lips and folds her arms. ''Funny, that''s what the Dusk trader from last week said too.''


    ''Yeah but could he back it up?'' I jump onto Henry''s back, and do a quick whiz around the barracks. ''See? This is a racing model, I built him for speed. So, I''d recommend the CHcoil5000 for your carriers, and even for your fighters unless you want a bit more speed to them, in which case, you could try a coil5500 like my drone here.''


    Trojan nods, scratching her chin. ''Andr¨¦, your kid knows his stuff.''


    ''I told you he would.'' Andr¨¦ waggles his eyebrows at her in a creepy kind of way.


    Trojan sighs. ''Enough, Labelle. Get them signed in, it''s not safe for you to be lingering out here, we''re due a quake tonight and it''s already rumbling. Go on, move.''


    Laughing, Andr¨¦ takes me by the arm and pins it painfully to my back, shoving me forwards. ''Just keep smiling, kid,'' he mutters, as Sammi and Kass hurry to catch up. ''You did really good job back there. Remember, you''re a specialist, and we need a tonne of new motors.''


    ''Good thing I really am a drone specialist; what would you have done if I wasn''t?'' I hiss back, grinning weakly as Andr¨¦ marches us closer to the barracks, Trojan and her officers bringing up the rear. ''You got seriously lucky, you know that?''


    ''There''s no such thing as luck.''


    Henry is beeping anxiously after his display, so I tuck him under my arm for safe keeping. A gaggle of soldiers are hanging out by the entrance, hanging over the railings, watching us as we approach.


    ''Alright, Labelle? Who''ve you got there?'' one of them calls out, knocking back a bottle of smouldering orange liquid.


    ''Just motor-traders. No one that''d interest you.'' Andr¨¦ pushes me firmly in the back, and I stumble forwards, trying not to catch the soldiers'' eyes. They look just like my friends back home, they could easily have worked in the guild with me. Clearly off duty, they''re lounging around, drinking and chatting under the shelters, keeping their multi-coloured heads dry.


    ''Aw, you''re mean. You always hog visitors.'' The largest guy straightens up, blocking Andr¨¦ from passing. ''Give us a turn, huh, Labelle? Stop being so greedy.''


    ''Yeah? What can I say, Hans, I have an appetite for newbies.''


    Andr¨¦ and Hans square off against each other, the larger man''s muscles bulging and his eyes popping. A vein pulses across his forehead. Just as I can''t take the tension anymore ¨C they burst into peals of laughter.


    ''Ach, get on with you,'' Hans claps Andr¨¦ on the shoulder, sending him flying. ''We''ll get our turn over dinner, yes?''


    ''I''ll serve them up to you myself.'' With a flamboyant bow, Andr¨¦ leads us from his comrades, their howls of laughter ringing in our ears, down a corridor to the centre of the building.


    ''Sorry about that, we don''t get out much.'' Andr¨¦ beckons us over to the signing-in desk, across which a guard is slumped, her head draped across the computer keyboard. ''Viktoria?'' Andr¨¦ prods the figure, but it doesn''t budge. ''Oh, come on, Vik ¨C WAKE UP.''


    Viktoria''s head snaps up, her neck twisting with a horrible crunch. Her jaw drops open in a yawn and I grin; it''s full of coils and springs. ''Y-y-y-yeeeoooooo.''


    ''Oh, for god''s sake.'' Andr¨¦ gives Viktoria an almighty wallop with the flat of his hand. ''Big night, last night, was it?''


    ''S-s-s-so big.'' The droid finally slumps upright in her chair, her eyes clicking as they flick between us. ''I''m not in the mood for your nonsense.''


    ''Oh yeah,'' Andr¨¦ rolls his eyes. ''A hungover droid, and I''m the one with nonsense. Sign in three traders please.''


    ''Alright.'' Viktoria stares at us. ''Under whose association do they trade with?''


    ''Ling''s,'' Andr¨¦ lies smoothly, and it''s Viktoria''s turn to roll her eyes.


    ''Try again.''


    ''Er.'' Andr¨¦ looks stumped. ''Frost''s?''


    ''Again.''


    ''Hang on. Dusk''s.''


    ''Wrong.''


    ''It''s Lingtech''s Robotics, actually,'' I pipe up, poking my head around Andr¨¦''s back. ''Here, I have a prototype.'' I place Henry on her desk, ignoring his reproachful flashing lights. Viktoria switches her stare to me.


    ''Thank you, smartass. Ruining my fun.'' Her hand lurches up and stamps me right in the middle of my forehead. ''Enjoy your stay, Rai from LingTech''s Robotics.''


    ''How do you know my name?'' I ask, ruefully rubbing my forehead as Kass and Sammi dutifully hold out their hands. The droid blinks.


    ''I scanned your reti-chip. Not such a smartass, after all.''


    ''Oh.'' Damn. If she can read my chip. . . I glance up at Andr¨¦. He''s frozen, lanyards swinging from his hand.


    ''So. . .'' He hesitates, draping a lanyard around Kass'' neck. ''Are we free to go?''


    ''I don''t ask questions, you know that.'' Viktoria slumps back down against the table-top. ''Droids don''t take sides. As long as no one asks anything, what do I care.''


    Andr¨¦ pauses, then grins. ''Thanks, Vik. Come on, you lot, let''s get you upstairs, we''ve got a lot to talk about.''


    ''Careful, Andr¨¦,'' Viktoria calls out as Andr¨¦ leads us to the lift. ''If I''m asked, I won''t lie, either.''


    ''Got it,'' Andr¨¦ mutters under his breath as the lift opens with a ping, pushing us all in together. ''Droids are tricky bastards, you have to watch your step. Anyway, I don''t have much time to explain things, so let''s stay in here until you think you understand.'' He prods all the buttons and we start to rise.


    ''What,'' Kass frowns. ''Just going up and down in the lift?''


    ''Nowhere else is exactly private.'' We''ve apparently left jokey Andr¨¦ back in the lobby ¨C this Andr¨¦ is biting his lip, a hand scratching through his hair. ''Right. The hotspot triggers every evening after curfew; we won''t have a chance of getting there before sundown, it''s too heavily guarded. But once it''s triggered, the guards duck down into an underground bunker for their own safety. It wouldn''t even occur to them that anyone would attack the capsule during the tremors. So, once they''ve clocked off, that will be our chance.''


    ''Our chance?'' Sammi says. ''But won''t that blow your cover?''


    Andr¨¦ chuckles. ''I won''t need to be here after this Mission, success or failure. If we fail, they''ll shoot me on the spot. If we succeed, we''re heading back to base. It would be great to see Fabien again, I''ve really missed him.''


    ''Fabien?''


    ''My brother. Anyway. The hotspot is about half a mile away from here, with the guard post about half-way. Once we pass the bunker, we''ll set off their alarm system, and they''ll do two things. First, they''ll send armed officers, trained for this type of thing, after us. Luckily for us, whilst they are well-trained, they''ve never actually dealt with any confrontations before, let alone anyone with your abilities. That, plus the weather, will work in our favour.


    ''Second ¨C they''ll call here for backup. As many as fifty soldiers will come after you, with only me standing between you. But you don''t need to worry about any of that ¨C your objective is simply to find the capsule and destroy it. Then we''ll use this.'' Andr¨¦ withdraws a small orb, barely bigger than a marble, from his pocket.


    ''What is it?'' Sammi asks.


    ''A temporary wormhole.''


    ''Woah.'' I peer closer ¨C I''ve heard of these, but they''re super rare, and super dangerous. ''How the hell did you get hold of one of those?''


    ''Fabien made it. You''ll get one per mission, which you''ll use to escape. I''ll keep a hold of it for now, though, tricky little bugger.''


    I stare at it, a little awe-struck. Wormholes literally tear through space and time ¨C they aren''t something you mess around with. Temporary wormholes are incredibly unstable, and people have been known to disappear through them and never return. They''re extremely strictly monitored; in fact, the one Andr¨¦''s holding must be highly illegal. But ¨C what am I saying ¨C this whole operation is highly illegal. We''re about to commit treason.


    Kass is twisting his hands together. ''So, what do we do if the guards catch us?''


    ''Just focus on the capsule, I''ll worry about the guards.''


    Just then, someone starts hammering on the lift door. ''Whoever keeps going up and down in there, will you get the hell out already? I''m dying for a piss here!''


    Andr¨¦ chuckles. ''Oh yeah, forgot to mention ¨C half the toilets here are bust. Sorry, Maxwell.'' He presses a button and the lift pings open onto the third floor where a guy is hopping from foot to foot.


    ''Move it!''


    The soldier shoves us out of the way and dives into the lift. Andr¨¦ sniggers to himself. But I can''t see the joke. Neither can Sammi or Kass, their faces pale and tense mirror-images of each other.


    I wonder if that''s how I look too.


    *


    Andr¨¦ shuts us away in his room and disappears for hours, leaving us with only the vague explanation of he''s ''sorting stuff''. It''s impossible to relax, just sitting here. With no idea what to expect.


    Sammi sits Andr¨¦''s bed, swinging her legs as she watches Kass pace around the room like a moody cat stalking invisible prey. ''Well, at least we know we''re dealing with a quake and a tsunami ¨C the two of you should be able to deal with those, right?''


    ''How?'' Kass demands, as he trudges back and forth, back and forth. ''This is bloody ridiculous ¨C most I''ve done is punch a wall and break some ice. How the hell am I supposed to stop a bloody earthquake? We should have had time to practise, dammit.''


    ''I mean, yeah it will be hard, but your instincts should just take over,'' I say, wincing under the furious glare Kass throws me. ''I can use Henry to fly above the waves; if I raise them, or split them, maybe I can give you a chance to get to the capsule, Sammi.''


    ''Yeah, I guess.'' Sammi fiddles with the ends of her hair, avoiding our eyes.


    ''But once the guards attack us, we won''t stand a chance!'' Kass says. Sammi''s eyes narrow.


    ''Not if you think like that, no.''


    ''Well, how am I supposed to think?! Andr¨¦ reckons he can take on the whole bloody squad single handed!''


    ''Well, he''s the one that knows this place, if anyone can do it, he can.''


    ''Oh yeah, sure, you''re so bloody na?ve ¨C,''


    Their bickering rages back and forth endlessly; I lie down on Andr¨¦''s bunk-mate''s bed, staring up at the ceiling. Henry settles on my chest, and the whirr of his motor soothes my heart, a gentle purr; I give myself up to my headphones, letting the music take me away.


    What would you like to listen to? My headphones trill in my ear.


    Surprise me, I think back.


    . . . The lake is cold, and the moon, it is crying, crying. . . The trees, they glare, down at my reflection as they. . .


    ''Rai?''


    Stare, that''s my face, my disgrace there in the water''s border ¨C


    ''Rai. . .''


    I see every line, every sign, of what I try to hide. . .


    ''RAI!''


    I jump ¨C Kass is kneeling on the bed bent over me, half quizzical, half-annoyed.


    ''What?'' I blink up at him.


    ''You''re ignoring us.''


    ''Oh, sorry. I couldn''t hear you.'' I gesture to the chip on my tragus, and sit up. ''It''s my headphone, see? I was listening to music.''


    ''At a time like this?'' Kass wears his disapproval all over his face.


    ''Sure. There''s music for every time.''


    ''Not Futurist music there isn''t.'' Sammi joins us on the bed with a half-smile. She looks exhausted, and so does Kass ¨C I guess their argument finally ran out of steam. ''Boom, crash, el-ect-tronic noiiiiiseeee ¨C,''


    ''Yeah, but I listen to old stuff, real music,'' I grin, plucking the chip from my ear. ''Want to listen?''


    ''Okay.'' She sighs, letting me tuck her hair behind her ear and fit it in for her. ''It''s not like we''re about to try and save the world, or anything. What better time to try out headphones ¨C ohh.''


    Her whole face lights up. ''It''s ¨C it''s ¨C,''


    ''Great, huh?'' I smile, sitting back on my haunches next to Kass. He watches us, a peculiar expression on his face. ''You want to try too?'' I ask him.


    ''No.'' He shakes his head, but continues to watch at me. He seems to be wrestling with some sort of internal conflict. Eventually, he can''t hold it in any longer. ''Sorry, but what are those things on the back of your neck? I''ve been meaning to ask, but it never seemed a good time. . .''


    ''What, these?'' I finger the two flat, circular pads attached to the back of my neck. ''They''re emotion-filters. They regulate your emotions for you.''


    ''They what?''


    ''Er, yeah, what I said really.'' I shuffle, feeling uncomfortable, struggling to suppress the urge to use the pads here and now. ''Everyone my age has them, we get them inserted as kids. You activate them by shaking your head.'' I demonstrate as Kass'' eyes bulge, shaking my head hard and feeling the immediate rush of calmness and peace that I''ve come to expect. ''They release hormones into your blood stream, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, that sort of thing ¨C,''


    ''That''s crazy.'' Kass peers around at the back of my neck, and I can feel it flushing hot. ''What, so Futurists all go around in a daze then? How do you ever feel stuff?''


    ''Well, that''s the point. It''s to stop you feeling stuff you don''t want to feel. But your body adjusts to it over time, so you have to keep raising your dose. I should probably upgrade soon.''


    ''Damn.''


    ''You wanna try it?''


    Kass blinks, curling his legs up underneath him and twiddling his fingers, like when a kid knows something is wrong but wants to do it anyway. ''How?''


    ''Come here.'' I beckon him forwards, and he shuffles closer, so close that I could count his freckles. I mean, if I wanted to. Slowly, my fingers shaking ¨C should I be doing this? ¨C I reach for the pads on the back of my neck and pull.


    They peel off in one gentle tug ¨C without giving Kass the opportunity to hesitate, I stick them to the back of his neck and press down hard. They sucker into place.


    ''Feel anything?''


    Kass'' eyes widen instantly ¨C his usual jagged wheeze quickening ¨C and then ¨C it''s like someone switched on the light.


    ''Oh. . . my. . . GOD.''


    Kass slips on the bed-sheets as he scrambles to his feet. ''Sammi, you HAVE to try this, this is insane!'' He begins to laugh, throwing his head back in the most un-Kass-like manner.


    ''Kass? What are you doing?'' Sammi removes the headphone from her ear and her jaw drops. Kass is now literally howling in front of her, beating his fist on the floor in hysterics. ''Woah, what''s going on?''


    ''I''VE NEVER FELT SO GODDAMN GOOD BEFORE!''


    ''Rai? Rai?''


    Something is wrong. My fingers tremble ¨C the room starts to spin ¨C


    Thud. . . My heart pounds in my ears. . .


    Someone is shaking me. Sammi ¨C


    ''SAMMI YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS IT''S THE BEST FEELING IN THE GODDAMN WORLD ¨C,''


    ''Kass, shut up. Something''s wrong with Rai ¨C,''


    Something''s wrong with me? I look at her, and I look at Kass ¨C


    Then I crumple to the floor.

 Chapter 14 - Kass

    Everything. . . Everything is WONDERFUL. COLOURS are BRIGHTER, and Sammi looks kinda pretty ¨C why is she running around ¨C and Rai is on the floor ¨C why is he on the floor?


    ''What''s going on?''


    Sammi struggles to prop Rai up, weird Rai, crazy Rai. ''Kass, oh my god will you please shut up and help me!'' She smooths Rai''s sweaty hair back from his face, with that bright-eyed look of someone about to cry. No, you can''t be sad right now, not when everything''s so great, so frikkin'' great ¨C


    So, I do as I''m told and crouch down beside her. An alarm starts going off, it hurts my head ¨C Sammi begins rubbing Rai''s back, but his mouth is still opening and closing, no breaths coming out. Hehe. He looks like a fish. Something occurs to me.


    ''WHY IS YOUR HAIR BLUE?''


    ''Kass!''


    ''But, Sammi, can''t you see? His hair is so blue ¨C,''


    ''Aaargh! Rai, come on, breathe dammit! Come on!'' She bangs his chest hard, blows on his face, but nothing makes a difference. Rai just continues to gape at us, his hands scrabbling at his throat, his chest ¨C jeez, is he panicking or what.


    ''ARE YOU OKAY?'' I take Rai''s face in my hands and peer deep into his eyes ¨C ha, the tips of our noses touch. ''Hey, are you crying?''


    Rai squirms, trying to wriggle free. ''It ¨C it hurts, oh god, please, give it back, give it back ¨C,''


    ''Guys?''


    Andr¨¦ appears in the doorway. His eyes bulge.


    ''What the hell is going on?''


    He dives to the floor beside Rai, shoving me and Sammi out the way, and takes over rubbing Rai''s back, his voice shaking as he hisses:


    ''You guys were supposed to be ready. We need to go!''


    ''I ¨C I''m okay,'' Rai gasps, a deep, shuddering breath ¨C and inspiration hits me in a wave of genius. I ram my inhaler into his mouth.


    ''Use this, Rai! It won''t hurt you, it just helps you breathe ¨C,''


    ''He shouldn''t use your medication, Kass,'' Sammi moans, but she helps Rai press the puffer down all the same.


    ''We haven''t got time for this.'' Andr¨¦ leaps to his feet; he seems to have surpassed fury, his face turning blotchy; you can practically see steam coming out of his ears. ''Didn''t you hear the curfew alarm? We have exactly twenty minutes to get to the back door before it automatically locks and we get stuck here. If we miss this chance, we''ve had it.''


    Throwing my inhaler back at me, Sammi helps Rai up; he sways, grey and gaunt, a hand still scrabbling at the back of his neck where the pads had been.


    ''Please.'' He grabs me by the wrist, and I pause, finally meeting his eyes. Woah, they''re so blue. So blue. And I thought Sammi was pretty. But Rai ¨C I could swim in his eyes. Deep blue, velvet blue, sapphires, ancient skies and rivers-of-old blue ¨C


    Hang on. Is he sad right now?


    What''s ''sad'' like again?


    ''Please give them back,'' Rai whispers. His voice cracks, full of ghosts none of us can see. ''I ¨C I didn''t know it would be like this. I need them, it hurts so much ¨C,''


    ''Come on,'' Andr¨¦ barks and I jump. Oh yeah. The mission. Right.


    Didn''t the mission scare me? Before? I''m too useless.


    Hell. I''m not useless. I CAN DO ANYTHING.


    ''Lead the way, Andr¨¦. Let''s do this,'' I grin, yanking my cloak around my shoulders. ''I''m ready.''


    ''Will you stop shouting?'' Andr¨¦ shoots me a funny look, then puts his steadying hands on Rai''s shoulders. ''Rai, whatever''s going on with you ¨C are you okay? Should we ¨C goddammit¨C should we leave you behind? No.'' He curses, nursing his forehead in his fingers. ''We can''t even do that. Of all the times ¨C,''


    ''I''m okay.'' Rai''s face, though pale, is set. ''Sorry, I just. . . No. Let''s go.''


    ''Well come on then.'' Grabbing Sammi by the wrist, Andr¨¦ races to the door. I''m left alone for a moment with Rai ¨C a silent moment, that makes me feel all mixed-up inside ¨C but then, I hurry after them. It''s time to take the bastards down.


    *


    Getting out of the barracks is a blur. I don''t know how long it takes, or remember exactly where we''re going. I''m just running in a haze of noises, loud and intense. Andr¨¦''s voice booming at his comrades, the laughter and hidden notes of hysteria: ''good evening!'', ''see you in five for dinner, Mal'', echoing around my brain. Too sharp. Rai''s footsteps pound alongside mine, his drone flying above us, but his colours, Rai''s I mean, and Henry''s too I guess, are giving me a headache. They are so vivid, it''s hard to concentrate.


    I don''t even remember how we get out the building; suddenly we''re just running down a hill towards the coast. The smell of salt in the air reminds me vividly of fish and chips, and the sand underfoot is starting to shudder, like it''s scared. I don''t want it to be scared.


    ''Not so perfect now, are you?'' I say instead to Rai, patting him on the back as he puffs along beside me, sweat dripping down the side of his face. But, woah, out of nowhere, his drone takes a goddamn lunge at me. I whip my hand back, as a something starts to creep into my belly.


    Remembering what Rai said, I shake my head ¨C whoosh. A glow spreads through me all the way to my fingertips, and a fog descends. It''s such a relief to not have to feel.


    ''Easy, Henry,'' Rai mutters. ''He''s not worth it.''


    ''Hey, you mean me? WHAT''VE I DONE?''


    ''Kass, if you don''t stop shouting I''m going to skin you alive.'' Andr¨¦ beckons for us to follow him over the cliff side and down the rocky ledge, which disintegrates underfoot as we stumble. From there, I look up ¨C and finally see it.


    ''Woah.''


    The sea. The coastline, the hotspot. It''s - it''s something else. Something I don''t have words for. My brain overflows with clashes of colour and sounds and smells, my brain full to bursting ¨C but I want to see this.


    I want to watch the sea forever.


    Riddled along the coastline are cracked, crumbling walls that look so ancient, a vestige of a time so long forgotten, they could be a skeleton. The very bones of Tellus. Nestled between grooves of stone are enormous cannons, coated in a rust-coloured crust and tentacles of mist that slide between them. Beneath the cannons, the coastline drops in a sharp slope downwards towards the shore ¨C into the heaving, glittering sea.


    Waves crash against the rocks, throwing scatters of rubies up, up, up ¨C for the sea is not blue.


    It''s red, just like the sky.


    Scarlet, as blood.


    As fire.


    As lava.


    ''I never knew the sea looked like this. . .'' My voice echoes in the wind. Another wave sweeps across the beach, licking the sand towards our feet and we jump back, shielding our faces from the putrid spray.


    ''I don''t think all seas do. Just this one,'' Andr¨¦ yells, his steadying hand on my shoulder. ''This place used to be a fort of Amariland''s famous Major Briggs, back during the Nuclear wars; he installed them all over Coral Bay and somehow, they''ve survived. They make a pretty dramatic spot for a capsule, don''t you think?'' He ducks out of the way as a burst of water hurls itself over the wall right where he was standing. ''You know the Futurists. They love a bit of drama.''


    ''So, where is it?'' Sammi shouts, her voice lost amongst the tumbling winds and spray. The tremors in the ground are getting worse; a great judder throws me to my knees. I stroke the earth under my fingertips.


    ''Easy,'' I murmur. ''Easy.''


    ''This is nothing.'' Andr¨¦ swings his rucksack off his back and rummages through it, his movements urgent. ''Right, we need to move quickly now. You see that flag, in the water over there?'' He points to a spot in the sea in the distance: a blue flag perched on what looks like a weathered rock. ''Beneath that flag is the capsule.'' He wrenches three clear nozzles out of the bag and throws one to each of us; I turn the odd, plastic device over in my hand. It looks like a small bowl. ''Put those over your mouth and nose, hurry.''The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I shove mine on, feeling it sucker neatly into place. Air floods my sinuses, and I inhale sharply, surprised. It''s like having my inhaler stuck to my face.


    ''What are these for?'' Sammi asks, pulling hers down.


    ''To allow you to breathe underwater.''


    ''Underwater?!''


    A jolt, the biggest so far, rips through the earth. The ground beneath my feet buckles, then gives a violent shudder, launching us all into the air and crashing back down.


    ''The hotspot''s been fully triggered; we''re out of time!'' Andr¨¦ shouts as he scrambled to his feet. ''Go, go, go!''


    ''What about the backup team?'' Sammi screams, as the ground shudders again, the sea writhing and thrashing up the shore with increasing earnest.


    ''I am your backup team. Now go!''


    It''s impossible to stand, impossible to see ¨C one minute, Andr¨¦''s next to us, and the next, he''s stumbling back towards the ancient forts.


    I stagger along the shore, my feet sinking into wet sand that clings to my ankles, a shackling grip, and the scalding sting of spray splatters my cheeks. Sammi is behind me, dragging Rai along on his knees. But the ground is too broken; within seconds, we collapse again.


    ''Kass, please!'' Sammi yell. ''Deal with the ground, we can barely move!'' She crawls towards me; the tide is rising, submerging us up to our elbows. Through the haze, I can feel a burning. Almost like pain. ''And Rai, you need to calm the waves! C''mon, you can do this! Please, hurry!''


    Then she cries out; I look up, and see.


    The wave, riding towards us, a knight on a chariot. Growing bigger and bigger with every passing breath.


    The wave rears its legs and gallops over my head, crashing down on top of me ¨C everything grows silent. And blood-red. I thrash, engulfed in this bubble, my lungs screaming ¨C but then as quickly as it arrived, the wave shrinks back. It drags me with it, rolling me across the beach until finally leaving me behind in favour of the body of the sea and I emerge, spluttering and coughing, the skin of my arms and legs prickling.


    Shivering, I dig my hands and knees deep into the sand. It''s like Sammi said, I tell myself. I can do this. The corners of my mouth curl into a grin; warmth spreads to my fingertips as they bury themselves further, grains scratching beneath my fingernails. I can tame you. I can beat you!


    ''I can''t!''


    Jerked out of my reverie, I turn to see Rai several metres back up the beach, weeping, weeping into the crook of his arm. His sodden hair black as night. ''N-n-not like this, I-I-I c-c-can''t do it.''


    ''Get over yourself,'' I yell. ''You''ve got no choice!''


    The ground mirrors my frustration. As soon as the words leave my lips, the earth gives an almighty heave, launching us into the air like balls from a canon. I''m the furthest forwards, and the force sends me flying headfirst back into the sea ¨C


    There''s a splash, a thousand times louder than it should be, as I plunge into the water, like someone''s socked me in the head with a hammer. I see stars, then darkness. Everything suddenly mutes, leaving behind a suffocating, rushing pulse.


    I don''t know how long I black out for. But, when I came to, I wish that I hadn''t. My body is no longer mine ¨C the sea, that dark abyss, flings and tosses me around, just a toy for it to torture. I never learnt how to swim.


    I close my eyes. Why do I feel so calm?  Suddenly, my flailing hand connects with something; I cling to it, for dear life.


    My eyes open.


    Rai''s face swims before me. His eyes find mine and god, they carve a hole right into my soul. I hold onto him, as my feet touch with the sea-bed, scrabbling, kicking up dust, desperate to push us back up to the surface.


    ''GIVE THEM BACK.''


    His shrieks are faint through his nozzle, but still, they tear my insides. The warmth from the filters is starting to fade. . . I dig my nails deeper into his flesh. If Rai is here, I have to hold on. Where is Sammi?


    Sharp, desperate fingers fumble at my neck ¨C


    Something. . . is ripped off me. I can''t see, I can''t breathe ¨C


    The warmth disappears. In its place, a deep, chilling agony, a dagger of ice in my heart. Things, names, feelings I''d forgotten ¨C Kitty, Mum, Dad, Niven ¨C all come flooding back ¨C they''re dead, they''re all dead ¨C


    Rai''s arms wrap around me ¨C the water is moving ¨C


    Our heads break the surface, and I choke, my chest on fire, my nozzle dangling pointlessly around my ears. I ram it back over my mouth, gasping for breath. Panic is all consuming, as the sea buffets us from side to side; I twist wildly, struggling to keep my head above water. My throat crackles, blisters, and I shake my hair out of my eyes, looking up as Rai''s arm tightens around my waist.


    Holy crap.


    Another wave, even larger than before ¨C enormous, town-engulfing ¨C thunders towards us.


    Rai throws out his arm with a yell ¨C


    It stops. Curved in an arch over our heads. Frozen in time.


    We sink, disappearing once more beneath the surface of the water. Bubbles of panic are still popping inside me, but Rai''s grip around my waist never falters. Neither does his arm outstretched towards the wave ¨C and somehow, the sea starts flowing upwards into the arch. It swells, growing taller with every passing breath. As the tips of my feet brush the sand below, the last drops of water retreat into the arch, delivering us safely, gently, onto the ocean floor.


    I pant, staring at Rai, lost for words. His face, streaked with tears only moments before, now fiercer than I''ve ever seen it. He releases me, using both hands now to fend off the wave, his shoulders scrunched in ferocious effort.


    ''Kass, move.'' Water sprays from his lips as he steps towards the flag, inching the wave backwards with every step. ''Find Sammi, I don''t know how long I can hold this. Henry?'' he cries. ''I need you!''


    Henry bursts through the wave like an arrow; Rai leaps onto his back and soars into the air, lifting the wave up with him with a sweep of his hand, circling higher and higher. Without him, I sink to my knees. Every inch of me numb.


    ''Kass!''


    Sammi sprints down from the beach towards me; then, I''m in her arms and pain and panic floods through me, almost too much to bear.


    Did I really think I could do this?


    ''Are you okay?''


    Her face is peppered in scratches and scrapes; instead of answering, she collapses against my shoulder. Holding her at arm''s length, I shake her, unable to speak for fear ¨C  her eyes flicker.


    ''Kass ¨C,''


    But the ground gives another almighty lurch and we''re thrown apart, her head snapping backwards as she''s flung away from me. I roll across the seabed, my arms burrowing into trembling sand, shells and dirt.


    The quake rocks the earth.


    And I can feel it screaming.


    The torture ¨C every rip, tear, and jolt ¨C sends the earth howling, writhing in turmoil, a blind rage. I don''t blame it. Instead, I close my eyes and let its pain engulf me. Desperation swelled, it''s choking claw around my throat ¨C I don''t want to die here ¨C  almost burying me completely in the sand.


    ''I WILL CALM YOU.''


    A splash of water escapes Rai''s arch, plummeting down on top of me; I scream until I taste blood. Rocks, debris, water; everything slams into me from all directions but I remain rooted in the earth. For we were one, she and I, and hell ¨C for once ¨C I won''t let go.


    Please, I beg, clenching my fists in the dirt as I fight with everything I have to spread my power down to my fingers. I know you''re nothing compared to Rai''s and Sammi''s. But please, if you''re there. . . Just do something. Please.


    The earth battles against me, pummelling me, sobbing beneath my touch.


    I''m broken. . . Let me be. . . You cannot fix me. . .


    A hot, white streak of energy bursts through me, rippling into the dirt. I gasp as I feel it spread like fire, the earth cringing away ¨C


    HELP ME ¨C


    And with a roar of exertion, I shackle the ground to my chest. It''s as though an invisible chain is tethering the both of us together.


    The ground inhales, swelling, ready to explode ¨C but then ¨C


    It pauses. Totally still.


    Holding its breath.


    The ¨C the effort. It''s unimaginable. The ground quivers slightly, scared and fragile ¨C I''m buried elbows and knees deep, too terrified to move, to even open my eyes.


    But I finally do. And what I see takes my breath away.


    The arch above me is gone. Instead, the sea has split and risen into two towering scarlet walls, leaving a path cleaved between them. In the sharp, dazzling glow of moonlight, they blaze. At the end of the path is the flag, towards which Sammi now runs, sand clouds billowing behind her.


    I try to stand, but the force of the chains binding me to the ground is. . . tremendous. I don''t know if I can stretch them. The earth twitches, longing to be free. I clench tighter together, trapped beneath the weight baring down on my shoulders.


    ''Hey!''


    I look up, and cry out in relief. Above me, hovers Rai. He jumps from Henry''s back landing in a crouch beside me, one arm still aloft, holding the sea apart. His face bathed in sweat.


    ''Come on,'' he yells. Every part of his skin is red-raw, hissing as steam rises from his back. ''We need to get to the capsule.''


    ''I c-can''t. If I let go ¨C,''


    ''It''s okay, you can let go now. Sammi''s nearly at the flag, but she can''t do this on her own. She needs us by her side.''


    Part of the wall breaks free and Rai''s knees buckle; with another sweep of his arm he tosses the torrent of water aside, his arm trembling as much as my own.


    ''Rai ¨C!''


    ''I''m okay, I''m okay. Come on, come with me. I''ll fly us there, but we have to hurry. I don''t know how much longer I can hold the sea apart.''


    ''I can''t!''


    ''You can! Trust me.''


    ''But if I let go, the quake will start again ¨C,''


    ''Trust yourself. You''re strong enough, I know you are.''


    ''I''m ¨C I''m not strong.'' The pain, the blazing whip of pain, streaks through me once again and I realise I''m crying too, just like the earth. Its pain, my pain. . .


    ''You are strong.'' Rai''s words are soft; I glance up to see him beside me, his free hand on my shoulder. ''Strength isn''t just being good at everything first try. Or about winning, or being tough.'' A chink in my control sends a jolt through the earth, and Rai grips my shoulder tighter than ever.


    ''Sometimes being strong is just being able to get up in the morning and weather the pain. I''ve watched you do that every day. Kass ¨C you''re the strongest person I''ve ever known.''


    ''What?''


    A hand clenches my heart. . . My chest so tight. . .


    He thinks I''m strong?


    ''But you have to hurry now, Kass. You can hold it together, I know you can, but we have to go.''


    He offers me his hand. My shoulders shake, the weight too much. I look up with every ounce of strength I can muster ¨C


    His eyes are so blue. . .


    With one final roar, I rip my arms from the earth and seize Rai''s hand.


    *


    Clinging on to Rai''s back, we fly through the crimson walls of water towards Sammi, as she staggers towards the flag.


    Holding the quakes at bay. . . Rai''s right, it is possible, even from afar. But my shoulders. . . I cry out, burying my head in the back of Rai''s neck. It''s like my whole body is tangled in the chains that tether me to the ground, as I tug them, wrench them together.


    But how long can one boy hold the earth together?


    ''Rai ¨C I ¨C I can''t hold on much longer ¨C,''


    ''HOLD ON!''


    Rai kicks Henry''s lower handles and Henry nose-dived towards Sammi. She raises her head, blood-smeared and bruised, and gasps as she sees us plummet towards her. She rips the nozzle from her mouth, letting it hang by her chin.


    ''You''re here!''


    ''Look out!''


    She screams as Henry makes no effort to slow down ¨C


    ''Rai ¨C!''


    ''Grab my hand!''


    Rai reaches towards Sammi ¨C her eyes widening as we career towards her ¨C at the last second, Rai grabs her wrist and we zoom past, wrenching Sammi along by our side, lifting her clean off the ground.


    ''Rai?!''


    ''Aaaargh!''


    I can''t take it any longer. The weight on my back breaks ¨C the chains inside me finally snap.


    A huge crack spreads through the ground and tears apart, sending Sammi flying.


    ''Catch her, Kass!'' Rai screams, as their hands are ripped apart.


    But I''m ready. And we''re so close. There, in front of us, is the little blue flag, and beneath it, something immense, dark and grey.


    I catch Sammi round the waist but it''s too much for Henry ¨C he drops, smacking into the sea bed and we''re thrown from his back, Henry zigzagging away into one of the walls of water.


    Together, we land in a huddle at the base of the flag. We cling to each other as it flickers, mocking us, mocking the whole world around it.


    And as we stare up at it, my mouth drops in horror.


    For the flag is mounted on top of a giant rock, taller than I.


    And trapped inside the rock ¨C


    Is a person.


    Its mouth open in a scream.

 Chapter 15 - Sammi

    ''W-where''s the capsule?'' Kass stammers.


    ''This can''t be right.'' Rai shivers from head to foot, his face screwed up with the strain of holding the sea apart. ''It can''t be.''


    I can''t. . . even speak. All I can do is stare up at the flag, mounted on the towering rock that is supposed to contain the capsule.


    But instead. . .


    Buried inside is a person. Man or woman, I can''t tell; they''re completely encased in the rock, other than a few exposed body parts where the rock has been weathered away. Their face, mouth fixed open in a scream. Outstretched fingers, reaching for something we''ll never know. One leg moulded forever into a run. All mottled with dark-grey scales that''s spread across their complexion like a disease. One eye-socket is completely submerged, leaving the eyeball dead and bulging outwards.


    A scream bubbles up inside me. I clutch my throat, desperate to force it down. Musa springs to mind and I can''t help letting out a gargled choke ¨C will I ever see him again?


    ''Who are you?'' Kass yells, as he crawls towards the rock. ''What happened to you? Tell us how to help you!''


    ''I don''t think you can save them,'' Rai whispers.


    I nod, wanting to gag. This person wears a cloak of the cold reek of death. ''Whoever it is, I think they''re long gone.''


    ''But ¨C but what are they doing here?''


    ''This must be it.'' Rai''s voice cracks; I figure he''s trying to convince himself at the same time. ''This must be the capsule. The ¨C the visinium capsule.''


    ''What are you talking about?''


    ''Look.'' Rai points at the ground; I lower my head, still crouched on all fours, trying to steady myself. Then, I see. Radiating from the rock are thousands of tiny strands, so fine they''re almost invisible, snaking through the earth under our hands in a swarm that tethers the person in the rock to the very ground itself.


    ''It-it''s like Cotton said.'' My eyes follow the cables up the sea bed into the prisoner''s very skin. A thousand silver leeches, collecting at the points where the skin is darkest grey. ''Remember? She told us that cables connect the hotspots to the capsules. These must be them.''


    I want to weep.


    ''This is the capsule? This thing?'' The ground mimics Kass'' horror, writhing angrily. Rai is also struggling; the ocean walls on either side of us are starting to seal, leaving us penned in a clearing with the capsule at the centre. The clearing growing smaller by the second. Panting heavily, Rai lets out a moan.


    ''Guys ¨C I can''t keep this up much longer. We have to hurry.''


    Kass stares at him. ''But what are we meant to do? It''s a person.''


    ''Aargh.'' An invisible force knocks Rai to the ground, as part of the towering walls begins to topple down. He flips over onto his back, catching the water before it splashes down on top of us. ''QUICK,'' he cries. ''Please.''


    ''I don''t know what to do!'' My vision blurs as panic overwhelms me. How can I destroy it now? It''s a person! But I have to ¨C for Nura. For everyone I love. But, I realise, even if I want to, we don''t know how. And yet. On autopilot, I drag myself forwards onto the rock, staggering to my feet at the base. I may not know what to do, but something inside me does.


    ''We can''t destroy it. We can''t, Sammi.'' Kass'' face is streaked with dust and blood, sweat and something white, exposed on his cheekbone under the blood. My stomach lurches.


    ''We can''t,'' he insists, but my hand grabs the person''s foot. I look up into its face and my gut twists.


    It''s alive. Its face full of despair.


    The eyes swivel downwards and meet my own.


    Please, they seem to beg. Help me.


    I heave myself upright, clutching the rock, reaching for their face. My fingers brush their cheek ¨C


    Its cold as ice. Hard as metal.


    My other hand cups their other cheek, feeling the soft fuzz of skin, the finest velvet, and a tear trickles down onto my palm from their one good, remaining eye.


    ''SAMMI!'' Rai screams.


    ''Sammi, no!'' Kass roars.


    But I know. I know in my heart what I have to do.


    As I look up at into this person''s face one last time ¨C it isn''t their face I see at all.


    It''s Nura''s. My Nura. She''s at home right now, her body plugged full of wires just like the person in the rock. Her hair swathed over her pillow, pipes carrying liquid into her arms, her legs, her stomach, everywhere, keeping her alive, keeping her with us.


    Is she in pain? I suddenly wonder. Is Nura in pain right now?


    As gently as I can, I focus every ounce of my strength, all the energy of my power, to flood through my fingers. And then ¨C instead of warm skin, or biting metal ¨C I feel the capsule. Not the person. Something else. Something alive inside the corrupted skin, like nothing I''ve ever felt before. Not solid, or liquid, or even a gas ¨C it''s like everything, and nothing, all at once. I feel its structure, just like Keller predicted ¨C but it''s no element I recognise. It''s erratic, ever changing; some bonds weak, some strong. The strong ones, I can''t touch, I''m no physical Elementalist ¨C but the weakest ones, I can. They quiver, sensing my presence. And I''m drawn towards them.


    No. Not towards them.


    I remember in Keller''s lab. The feeling of prising particles apart. How each one felt different. How each one succumbed. To me.


    The capsule should have been different, but it''s exactly the same. No, I''m not drawn towards them ¨C I command them. I can blow them apart.


    It''s not until I taste salt on my lips that I realise I''m crying. ''I''m sorry. I''m so, so sorry. . .''


    I close my eyes, and push.


    *


    It takes a few moments for the capsule to react.


    The force of my blow ¨C I feel the chain reaction flooding through, the snap snap snap of a thousand bonds breaking all at once.


    I make to back off, but something stops me; I look down in horror to see the person''s outstretched hand now clinging to my shirt. I try to prise it off, but the hand lets go instantly, seizing my hand instead. It squeezes, a quick, sharp movement. Thank you.


    Something cold is pressed into my hand; then it lets go. I fall to the ground.


    ''Sammi.'' Kass catches me. ''What have you done?''


    But we don''t have time. ''Quick, we need to run!''


    Speechless, Kass allows me to drag him away as I stumble as fast as I can away from the rock, away from the thing.


    ''Rai?''


    Rai''s still flat on his back, trying to hold the sea apart for us.


    ''Come on!''


    It''s the push he needs; he wrenches himself to his knees and together we thunder across the tumultuous sea bed, Rai moving our small clearing through the red waves with us, leaving the capsule to be submerged once more.


    ''Henry!'' Rai bellows. The sea thrashes with increasing urgency over our heads, threatening with our every step to hurl itself on top of us. ''Where are you?''


    The ground lurches again, even more violently than before, and Rai finally loses control. The clearing buckles, and the waves explode down, down, over our heads.


    Bursts of sound as my ears break the surface.


    Silence as I''m drawn back under.


    Pain from all directions as I''m flung like a rag doll.


    Swim, stupid. I push my arms and legs as hard as I can, and my head bursts through the surface.


    ''There, look!''


    Spitting out water, gasping, desperately paddling, I turn to where Rai''s pointing ¨C finally, we can see Andr¨¦ back on the shore. We must be close. With strong, confident strokes, Rai catches me around the wrist, Kass clinging to his back. And together, we tread water. And watch.


    Andr¨¦ Labelle on his knees in the sand, arms held high above his head. Surrounding him, the very same guards that laughed with him, stayed up all night playing cards with him, shared his room, his food, his life with him. Guns pointed at his head, and shouting, all of them shouting, Commander Trojan at the head of the circle. Barrel of her gun in Andr¨¦''s face. There are bodies, Futurist soldiers, who clearly tried to follow us into the water, but now lie, face down, being tossed and turned by the water near the shore. They hadn''t made it far.


    Andr¨¦ had rigged a trap in the fort. Smoke seeps from the wall cannons, and deep grooves have been blasted in the rocks. A thick, black fog coats the ground. And the bodies.


    The sea thrashes over us one last time, and I feel the last of Rai''s strength slipping away as his grip on my arm loosens, the waves about to tear us apart.


    ''Henry!''


    Rai''s scream, his last scream before we''re submerged, rips out into the night''s sky, and all the soldiers turn our way.


    Andr¨¦''s face lights up at the sight of us, and I swear I see him wink. His arm retracts, and he throws something.


    ''Quick!'' Trojan shouts, but that''s the last thing I see before I''m swallowed up by the waves. It''s all I can do to cling on to Rai, and pray he has a good hold of Kass.


    Then, everything happens very quickly.


    An explosion ripples through the sea from behind us ¨C


    Something white - Henry? - plunges into the water towards us ¨C


    Henry drops something, and Rai catches it before it sinks into the deep ¨C


    A chasm blossoms in the sea, a glittering void dispelling all light, all space, all time even ¨C


    ¨C a Wormhole ¨C?


    ¨C  I''m pulled inside, and everything goes black.


    *


    We burst out of the wormhole and roll onto the ground. The safe, motionless, ground. Water pours through the Wormhole after us, but in a flash of swirling black matter, the Wormhole disappeared.


    And the world grows silent.


    I lie on my back, chest heaving up and down. Up and down. Although I know I''m still, it still feels like I''m being tossed by the waves. Water sizzles from my body, rising in a hiss of amber mist.


    ''W-where are we? What happened?'' Kass lies next to me, his eyes closed. ''W-where''s Andr¨¦?''


    ''I don''t know.'' I try to reach out towards him, but my body hurts too much. Everything hurts. Every inch of my skin, every muscle, every bone. Instead, I blink water out of my eyes, turning my head weakly to take Kass and Rai in properly. No. . . Kass'' skin is a mess of blood and blisters, and whilst Rai is only flushed, he seems to have passed out. Under the crook of his arm, nestles a wrecked, sizzling Henry.


    ''Henry, and Andr¨¦. Th-they saved us.'' Or, maybe not passed out ¨C Rai hides his face with his arm, but I still hear the choking sounds of his tears. ''Andr¨¦ threw the temporary wormhole ¨C remember? ¨C to Henry, who brought it to us in the sea. H-h-he sacrificed himself for us. Th-the capsule ¨C,''


    ''It exploded.'' Kass interrupts, his voice flat. ''I guess Sammi did it. Did it kill them? Are they all dead?''


    ''No,'' Rai says, high-pitched with emotion. ''The explosion was only small. I saw before I triggered the wormhole, it didn''t even reach the shore. B-b-but the Futurists. . . They opened fire. . .''


    He stops, and doesn''t carry on. My own sobs shudder in my chest, as I picture Andr¨¦, stranded on the rocks, surrounded by his enemies, who were once his friends ¨C


    Who killed him.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ''. . . Where are we?'' Eventually, Kass sits up, and out of the corner of my eye I see him sway. I reach out just in time to catch him, and with difficulty, prop him upright, his head lolling dangerously. He grits his teeth.


    ''I don''t know,'' Rai whispers, pulling himself upright too. He shivers, pressing his lips onto Henry''s crackling body. ''I don''t know if there''s a way to tell where temporary wormholes go.''


    ''Great. What do we do now?''


    ''I know.'' Something occurs to me. I start searching, but then realise my hand is still clenched around something hard and cold. Oh yeah. The person in the capsule gave me something. No time to look now ¨C I stuff it into one pocket, then rummage through the others. ''Oh god. . . Not now. It can''t be lost. . .''


    ''What?'' Rai''s shivering harder than ever ¨C at least it''s not raining. Except; hang on. Nowhere doesn''t rain at night. Except Singavere. Which means ¨C we''re in incredible danger. I out-turn my pockets in even greater desperation, cursing myself for not having put it somewhere safer. . .


    ''My button! Eldred''s button, the one that led him to me in the first place. If I had it, we could call him! He could come and find us!''


    ''Use mine.'' Kass'' voice is so faint; I reach back for him and he collapses into my arms. His eyes flicker; he''s barely conscious. ''In my shoe. Take it. . .''


    Rai''s there instantly, easing off Kass'' boot with such tenderness as I cradle Kass'' head in my lap. He tips the murky-brown button from Kass'' boot into his hand, closes his eyes for a moment, then presses down hard.


    We wait in the eerie silence.


    Then comes a voice. A voice that sounds like safety ¨C


    ''Bloody hell, kids. You''ve got yourselves into quite the pickle. Let''s wrap this up and take you home, hmm?''


    ''Eldred,'' I sigh, as the raggedy beard and grandpa hat loom over me, face cracking into that wrinkled smile I''d recognise anywhere.


    ''It''s okay, Sammi. Rai. Puffin. I''ve got you now. I''ve got you.''


    *


    I turn over, sighing gently, relishing the soft, warm pillow under my head, the snuggly-white blanket pulled up to my chin. There''s a smell of home that I haven''t bathed in for what feels like so long. . .


    It''s so good. Like coffee-granules, and home-made honeycomb shampoo. The smoky scent I associate with the mists of Abhor.


    ''M-Musa?''


    I don''t dare open my eyes, in case it isn''t true, it isn''t him. But my hand is warmer than the rest of me, held in something equally soft, equally warm. I feel calluses over the palms, rough and familiar. I''d never need a map to track these hands. Something wet and hot spots my cheeks, and a deep throaty chuckle in the voice I love most warms me all the way through, to where I need it most.


    ''I''m here.''


    My eyes open. And there''s Musa, sat beside me, his expression so fierce it makes my burning heart pound. He gasps, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing and red-raw eyes squeezing shut for a moment. Then he leans over me, stroking my hair, my cheeks, my nose, my lips, everywhere his fingers can find.


    ''I ¨C I thought ¨C'' He shakes his head, and rubs his eyes with his sleeve with a shaky laugh. ''I thought I''d lost you.''


    I can''t speak. Sometimes, no words are enough to explain how you feel. My hands reach up of their own accord, one nestling into his hair, that silk, the other cupping his cheek, my fingers tracing the shadows under his eye. Musa chokes out a sound - of pain or pleasure? - as I touch him; he covers my hand with his own, pressing it harder into his cheek. I want to keep it there forever.


    ''Sammi ¨C,''


    ''Shh.'' I place a finger to his lips, and then wriggle aside, making space in the bed for him. He tries to speak again but I just shake my head, not wanting to hear, not wanting to know anything other than the safety of him, the feel of him. He looks down at me, his eyes so wide, almost frightened, but when I tug his hand, he slithers into bed beside me, and wraps his arms around me.


    I lie, encased in his arms, trembling as I remember. How the waves engulfed me, how the earth flung me from one side to the other. The prisoner, whose eyes burned my soul, yearning to be free. Andr¨¦''s face as he turned towards us upon Rai''s scream, the utter elation and pride as he realised we''d ¨C


    Musa holds me as I weep, as I scream, as the memories tear me apart from within. But as long as I have him by my side, I''ll be okay. I''ll always be okay.


    I have to be.


    *


    It takes a few days for me to fully recover. But I don''t mind; I''ve been assigned my own room in the medical facility, and as long as Musa''s with me, I''m content to hide away as long as I can. Apart from when I go to the bathroom, Musa never leaves my side, helping me eat, get up to shower, then easing me back to bed.


    The sea, obviously, burnt me. Not just outside, but inside too; despite the oxygen nozzle Andr¨¦ gave me, I still managed to inhale enough water, scalding my oesophagus and stomach. Dr Keller said it could have been worse. I''d not been submerged for as long as Kass had, but it was, as Keller said, ''bad enough to be getting on with.''


    Luckily, Dr Keller smeared this icy goo over my burns that made them tingle, and he made me drink this milky stuff that made my insides feel the same.


    ''It''s helping,'' he assured me. ''You might not even scar too much.''


    ''So what if she does? She''ll still be beautiful,'' Musa snapped, making me blush horribly. Keller muttered something awkward and incoherent, before retreating from the room, mumbling about needing to see Kass.


    I didn''t mind. The more time just me and Musa, the better.


    But a few days later, other people start visiting. The best visitor is Rai; he pokes his head around the door one morning looking sheepish, tapping cautiously.


    ''Rai!''


    ''Oh! You''re happy to see me.'' His face relaxes, and he joins me on my bed, glancing at Musa every now and again who stays in his chair, arms folded, eyebrows slanted down.


    ''Of course, I am,'' I smile. His skin has a pinkish to it, but apart from that, he seems pretty much unscathed. ''You look well, considering.''


    He nods, still looking glum. ''Yeah. Keller''s pissed with me though. I did that thing he hates to protect myself from the sea and got dehydrated again.''


    ''Better than being burnt, though?''


    He sighs, rubbing his eyes. ''It''s all my fault.''


    ''How do you figure that?''


    ''If I hadn''t given Kass my emotion-filters, I wouldn''t have been so crap at the start. I''d have been able to stop the water hurting you. And Kass.'' His eyes well, and my heart plummets.


    ''Is Kass really bad?''


    ''Yeah,'' Rai sniffs. ''I should have been able to protect him.''


    ''That''s not your fault! Look, I don''t really understand what happened with you guys, but it''s not your job to protect us, Rai. Kass should have just given them back.''


    But Rai''s shaking his head. ''No, that''s not his fault. He wasn''t in control. Wearing the filters for the first time was probably the best he''d felt in months. It must have taken all the pain of losing his family away, and then some. It''s always strongest at first, before you acclimatise. He wasn''t doing it out of malice. I see that now.''


    He swallows. ''I should have known better than to take them off. If I hadn''t, I would have been able to protect you guys. Maybe even save ¨C,''


    ''Don''t say it.'' We both fall silent, as I try not to let any thoughts of Andr¨¦ enter my mind. ''There was nothing any of us could have done.''


    ''Maybe with better planning ¨C,''


    ''Yeah, maybe, but we can''t change that now. They should have told us more in the first place.'' A shot of anger sparks in my chest. ''Them keeping us half-way in the dark put us in danger. Even more danger than we needed to be in.''


    ''There''s a lot more going on with RESIST than we know,'' Musa mutters, and we spin around to face him. ''I have a feeling we''re only scratching the surface.''


    ''Well, that''s not right!'' I say, clenching my fists under the covers. ''We''re the ones risking our necks, how can they keep things from us?''


    ''Maybe they don''t completely trust us,'' Rai shrugs, and I lie back, chewing the ends of my hair. Not trusting us? After what we just did for them? ''But you''re right. We should have been told more.''


    But a week stretches by, and nobody comes to tell us anything. Whilst some of the lower-ranking friends we''ve made come to visit, no one of a higher rank than Keller bothers themselves. Rai takes to mending Henry on my floor with the toolkit that one of the engineers, Tanner, has given him. Musa silently resents his presence, shooting him filthy looks and barbed comments, which in typical Rai-fashion, go blissfully ignored.


    We haven''t even seen Eldred since he saved us. And this hurts, more than I thought it would.


    But on day ten of recovery, he finally comes.


    ''You''re looking better now, sweetheart,'' he grins, his shaggy beard preceding him through the door.


    ''Hi, Eldred,'' I say stiffly, as Rai stumbles up from his mess of wires and tools. Musa, who is sat behind me, wraps me up in his arms and glares at Eldred on my behalf.


    ''You took your time.''


    ''Ha! Well hello, Musa, it''s been a while, hasn''t it? Did you have fun at training?'' Eldred winks, cocking his hat at us; I swivelled around to Musa, whose face has turned scarlet.


    ''Training? What training? Is that where you were?''


    ''Stop trying to change the subject, Eldred,'' Musa hisses at Eldred instead. ''Sammi nearly died destroying one of your capsules, and no one''s even bothered to come and say thank you.''


    ''Oh, sorry.'' Eldred raises an eyebrow, and strokes through his beard thoughtfully. ''I didn''t realise you were expecting an applause, Sammi. Were you also, Rai?''


    ''N-no,'' Rai stammers, as I blink, stunned. ''But some acknowledgement would be nice.''


    ''Yes, well, all in good time. We''ve had rather a lot to deal with, you know, what with saving you, fixing up Kass, breaking the news to Fabien. . . It''s been difficult.''


    Oh. . . Of course. I stare my hands in dismay. Andr¨¦ was this Labelle''s ¨C Fabien Labelle''s ¨C younger brother.


    ''How did he take it?'' I dare to glance at Eldred, and am relieved to see that his eyes ¨C whilst sad ¨C are soft as they meet mine.


    ''Not well, as I''m sure you can understand. Now, Cotton is waiting for us in Kass'' room. She''d rather speak to you all at the same time, so as not to repeat herself, but he''s still not quite well enough to go to her office. Fancy a trip?'' He gestures to a wheelchair in the corner of the room, and with deep breath, I agree.


    ''Wheel me, Musa?''


    Musa says nothing, just wriggles free and pecks me on the forehead. Gingerly, with his help, I hobble over to the chair, Eldred nodding in satisfaction.


    ''Good girl. Now, follow me.''


    When we get to Kass'' room, Rai hangs back, a reluctant, almost frightened look on his face.


    ''What''s wrong?'' I ask, as Eldred pokes his head in the door to ask if they''re ready.


    Rai flushes, one hand rumpling his hair. ''W-what if he blames me? And thinks it''s all my fault?''


    I reach for Rai''s hand, and after a hesitant glance at Musa, he takes it. ''Don''t be ridiculous,'' I say, squeezing. ''There''s no way Kass will blame you. He''s an idiot, but not that much of an idiot.''


    Rai chuckles weakly.


    Eldred leads us in.


    *


    Kass'' room is even whiter than mine, and stinks of sterile, purifying hand gel. Keller fusses around the bed where Kass is awake and sitting up, straightening pillows and tinkering with his drip. Kass'' arms and face are swathed in bandages.


    ''Hey, Kass,'' I whisper. ''We''ve missed you.''


    ''Oh, yeah, sure you have.'' A muffled, but ever sarcastic, voice emerges from underneath the bandages. ''As if you haven''t just loved spending the whole time in bed with Musa.''


    ''Dude!''


    ''Hah!'' Eldred pounds his legs with his fist as he laughs, and Keller sniggers too, with a guilty smile at me and the puce-faced Musa.


    ''This is hardly appropriate.'' Cotton''s voice comes from the corner of the room, and we all turn, sheepish, to face her. ''Please, take a seat. I haven''t got long, and from what Kass has been telling me, we have a lot to discuss. So ¨C from the beginning. Tell me what happened on your mission, spare no details. Everything could be important.''


    Cotton listens in silence as Rai and I tell her everything since Eldred left us in Arenya. Kass occasionally joins in but mainly leaves it to us. It''s clear it hurts him to talk.


    The only time anyone interrupts is when we get to the part about the capsule.


    ''Let me get this straight,'' Cotton says, frowning deeply with her chin in her hand. ''The capsule was a person? Encased in the rock?''


    ''Yeah,'' I nod. ''It was awful. All the cables were there like you said, running from the ground all the way up into ¨C into the person.''


    ''How?'' Rai bursts out. ''How could the capsule be a person?''


    ''Hmm.'' Cotton covers her eyes, massaging her temple with her fingers. ''Every time we think we understand. . . What do you think, Eldred?''


    ''Well, I suppose it is possible. We know so little about visinium, as it''s a substance uniquely found on Ra, so we have no way of studying it. I doubt even the Futurists know much about it, other than maybe Jinaka. Perhaps. . .'' Eldred takes off his hat and wrings it between his hands. ''Perhaps it only exists in a stable form inside humans?''


    ''What?''


    ''Is that possible?'' Cotton asks.


    ''Probably. Our bodies are a collage of different substances, even poisons like mercury and arsenic, albeit in minuscule amounts. Why would it be surprising that the body could host one more?''


    ''But that doesn''t answer the question,'' Rai muses. ''If it were only stable inside the body, what about the cables? How would they work, then?''


    ''Well.'' Eldred coughs, pulling his hat back onto his head. ''It was only a theory. It''s impossible to know for sure on so little information.''


    I suddenly remember something. ''The person gave me something.''


    All eyes turn to me. I grab Musa''s arm urgently.


    ''Musa, where are the trousers I was wearing? The person in the capsule gave me something, and I put it in my pocket. Where are they?''


    ''It''s okay.'' Musa puts his arm around me as I start to spiral. ''I''ve got it.'' To my surprise, he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out something with jagged edges. ''I found it when I washed your clothes. Here.'' He hands it to me, and I clutch it tightly.


    ''What is it?'' Cotton comes to look, her breath tickling the side of my neck. Slowly, I turn it over in my hands. It''s acidic yellow and curiously shaped, a shield with sharp corners and a pin at the back. The edges bear green and black embellishments.


    ''It''s a badge.''


    ''Yes. And those are Amarish colours,'' Cotton frowns, squinting even harder at it.


    ''The person must have come from Amariland,'' Eldred says, thoughtfully. ''But those colours haven''t been used since the Kingdom of Amariland fell after the nuclear wars.''


    ''It''s got writing on it.'' I lift it up to the light. ''M-major? Uh ¨C,''


    ''Give it to me.'' Cotton snatches it, her face growing pale. ''No. Surely not.''


    ''What?'' Eldred asks.


    She turns to him, looking troubled. ''Major Herman Briggs.''


    ''That name rings a bell,'' I say.


    Rai nods. ''Andr¨¦ mentioned him. He made the fort on Coral beach.'' He swallows. ''Surely the person in the capsule wasn''t him?''


    ''It couldn''t be,'' Eldred says slowly. ''Briggs died a war hero nearly thirty years ago.''


    There''s a pause.


    At last, Musa breaks the silence. ''So, what are they supposed to do now?'' His arms coil over my shoulders, hands searching for mine. ''You can''t expose Sammi to a situation like that again.''


    ''Well, next time we''ll know what to expect.'' Cotton gets to her feet and starts pacing. ''The main problem is that FUTURE will now be on high alert. You had it easy, this time; no one was expecting an attack. Now they''ll know you''re targeting capsules, they''re bound to increase protection to maximum security. We won''t get away with having such a small team to defend you.''


    ''If we''d had a proper team in the first place, Andr¨¦ might not have died.''


    Kass'' words are bitter; they sting. He turns his mummified face towards Cotton, eyes smouldering.


    Cotton regards him. ''A bigger team wouldn''t have been able to infiltrate the base and grant you access to the facility. Believe me; you had it easy this time. Next time ¨C''


    ''Next time? These capsules are people! You saw the badge, that was Major Briggs. You can''t seriously expect us to destroy people?''


    Cotton scowls at Kass, her usually calm features twisting with impatience. ''What else can we do? Stop resisting because FUTURE fights dirty? That''s playing right into their hands! There''s no real proof it was Briggs, and anyway, it''s like Sammi said. It''s kinder to put them out of their misery.''


    ''That''s not what I said,'' I mutter.


    ''Same difference. This is a war. You can''t play nice in war, you have to meet fire with fire. We have to destroy the capsules, there''s no doubt about that. If we don''t ¨C,'' Cotton lets out a grunt of frustration, and resumes her pacing, sharper, angrier than before. ''If we don''t destroy the capsules, we can''t change a thing! We''ll just be sat around like cattle, waiting for the Futurists to be relocated, and for us all to die. Is that what you want, Kass?''


    Kass says nothing, just turns away.


    ''I said, is that what you want?'' Cotton shouts, a bead of spittle flying from her mouth onto Kass'' bandages. Dr Keller winces in the background.


    ''No.''


    ''I thought not.'' Cotton straightens up, smooths down her jacket, and clears her throat. ''Our next meeting will be in two days'' time. Make the most of your free time until then, because after that, things step up a notch.'' And she marches from the room.


    *


    The night is cold, even under all my blankets, and I shiver, trying to warm my feet on any part of Musa they can find.


    ''I know what you''re doing,'' he grins through the darkness, grabbing hold of my wrists in one hand and tickling me with the other. ''Stop it. How do feet even get so cold?''


    ''S-s-stop!'' I giggle, unable to breathe or quench my own laughter, until we end up tangled in each other''s arms, heads squished onto the same plump pillow.


    I can feel his breath, soft, on my face. It tickles my nose, and when I look up, his eyes are only inches from mine. Eyes I''ve known my whole life, and for a moment I think of that day by the pool. He gave me my bracelet, those eyes full of self-doubt, and fear. And hope.


    ''I''m going to miss this,'' he whispers, his eyes filling with that same fear, that same self-doubt. ''I just want to keep you here, with me, forever. I don''t want you to risk your life again. You can''t.''


    ''I have to.'' My fingers stroke the delicate lines of his cheekbones, smoothing his hair out of his eyes, where it pools like ink across the pillow. ''You know that. It''s what I was born to do.''


    ''So? We can still run.''


    ''What?''


    ''Think about it.'' His hands tighten around my wrists, and his face brightens, startlingly beautiful, but terrifying at the same time. ''You and me. We can get away from all this ¨C you just say the word. We''ll run away ¨C,''


    I think about it. I really do. I imagine the two of us, alone and safe, hiding in a forest somewhere, catching fish in the river, warming ourselves by the fire at night ¨C


    And then I remember. There''s no river of fish. There''s no forest to hide in. The rains would snuff out any fire we make.


    But most of all?


    Nowhere is safe for us. For me. For anyone.


    I don''t have to say the words. My expression is enough ¨C Musa''s tears fall silently onto the pillow as I cup his face in my hands, and bring it slowly, slowly towards my own . . .


    ¨C my heart fluttering like frightened wings ¨C


    And it isn''t spoken about again all night.

 Chapter 16 - Rai

    I can barely look at myself.


    Because of my stupidity, Andr¨¦ is dead. Because of my weakness, Kass got hurt. And because of me, someone was blown to bits because I told Sammi to do it.


    I couldn''t save them. I didn''t even try. I''m pathetic. A Futurist, right to the core.


    The more I think about it, and believe me, that''s all I''m doing ¨C none of it makes sense. The visinium capsule is a person. Maybe, possibly, this Major Briggs, whoever he is. Was. But how? Whether it''s him or not, how had they turned into. . . whatever the hell that was? Are the other capsules people too? And if Ra provided the visinium. . . What''s their part in all this?


    Questions tumble around my mind, and now, no matter how hard I shake, the feelings aren''t going away.


    Instead, nausea swirls in my stomach, threatening to bubble up at any moment.


    And there''s something else, another question gnawing away at me. We''re supposed to be the Elementalists, the four Elementalists. Two physical, two ethereal.


    But we aren''t, are we?


    We''re two physical, and one ethereal. . . so where is the last Elementalist? And why do I get the feeling they don''t want us to know? Dr Keller brought it up, once. And Eldred changed the subject.


    Why?


    As days pass, I try to focus on fixing Henry. Something tangible, something I can fix. Too much time in the toxic water fried his motor, and without him buzzing around me, the silence is overwhelming.


    Unbearable.


    Meanwhile, Cotton and her lead tactician, V?n, hide away, plotting. Their secrecy seeps through every part of HQ, clandestine meetings quick becoming the norm, not just with the senior staff. Soldiers, medics, engineers ¨C everyone seems to be hiding something. Or am I just being paranoid? All I notice these days are hushed whispers in empty corridors, meaningful glances following Sammi and I wherever we go, and worst of all, the cheerful claps-on-the-back from Labelle whenever our paths cross.


    Like, come on. I''m a Futurist. I can tell a fake smile from a real smile any day of the week.


    His eyes are windows to his shattered heart. The pain behind the glass makes me want to curl  into a ball and howl. The pretence just makes it worse. A thousand times worse.


    Is this how people see me? These people, real people, who walk around with emotions hanging from their sleeves. People like Kass, so giving with their feelings, hurling them around like hand grenades. Is this how he sees me?


    A fake?


    I shake my head with a small derisive snort; all eyes turn towards me and I flush.


    Damn. I forgot I''m in a meeting.


    We''ve finally been invited to one, and by the looks of it, it''s big. All the important Resisters are here: Cotton, V?n, Eldred, Labelle, Brie and Dr Keller. Sammi sits next to me with Musa behind her, his arms stretching down so his hands intertwine with hers in her lap. His protectiveness is almost threatening, as he glowers at anyone who dares catch his eye.


    Kass to her other side is. . . different. The ache in my chest that''s plagued me since I removed my filters intensifies. The bandages around his mouth and chin have been removed, the newly exposed skin dark pink and sore, scarred by the blisters. But from the nose up, he''s still bandaged; his sharp eyes pierce the room through gaps in the fabric, looking everywhere. . . but at me.


    ''We should have had more backup!'' Sammi bangs her fist down on Cotton''s repaired holographic table. The world map, with its complex web of hotspots, jolts in and out of focus, making my head hurt.


    Cotton rolls her eyes. ''We''ve been through this. We don''t have lives to just throw away, you know. You had as much as necessary, but now you''ve been exposed, obviously you will have a bigger team.''


    ''Oh, well that''s a relief,'' Sammi snorts. ''I''m sure that''s a big comfort for Labelle.''


    Labelle flinches, but quickly covers it up with a smile. Long gone are his perfectly coiffed locks; now, his hair hangs lank into his eyes, greasy and unkempt. He opens his mouth, but a cautionary hand on his shoulder from Dr Keller sees him close it again.


    Cotton sighs. ''Andr¨¦ understood the task ahead of him. He didn''t go into the mission blind to the dangers.''


    ''Like we did.''


    ''Oh, please,'' Brie scoffs, kicking her filthy boots up on the table and lounging back as if she owns the place. ''Your role is so easy any idiot could do it. Go in, use powers, kaboom, bye bye capsule. Leave the real work, you know, all the complex strategies and stuff, to the grown-ups, ''kay?''


    ''If any idiot can do it, why don''t you?'' The words tumble from my mouth before I can stop them; a muffled snigger from Kass makes them worth it. Almost.


    Brie narrows her eyes at me. ''Careful now. If I didn''t know you better, I''d think you were being rude.'' She smirks. ''Good thing I do know you better, eh?''


    My cheeks burns.


    Her eyes lock with mine and I want to object, but. . . my mind is totally blank. Instead, I shake my head. Nothing happens. Damn these filters. Has Kass broken them or something?


    I turn away, and her smile widens. Rai, nil. Brie, one.


    ''Our next target is Zlansk, Slavskanistan.'' V?n changes the subject, glancing disapprovingly at Brie''s boots as he lifts up a visual of all the hotspots in Slavskanistan from the table. ''It usually triggers hurricanes, so we''ll need to prepare for those accordingly. In addition, sources have informed me that the base has upped security to maximum protection around the capsule.'' He frowns, scratching his chin with the wrong end of his stylus. ''But information regarding the capsule specifically is limited. The Futurists seem to know little more than we do, which is odd. Understandable with the alpha-cap, as it was underwater, but the beta-cap is in the ground of the Zlansk base. Jinaka must be hiding the truth about the capsules from his army.''


    ''In what terms do you mean?'' Keller interrupts, folding his arms behind his head. ''You think they don''t know the capsule are people?''


    V?n purses his lips. ''Andr¨¦ certainly didn''t know. Unless, of course, his loyalty had changed.''


    ''Andr¨¦ would never ¨C,'' Labelle snaps, his composure wobbling. He stops, takes a deep breath, then carries on with his eyes closed. ''If he knew anything, he''d have told us. He was loyal to RESIST. Always.''


    ''We know that, Fabien, it''s alright,'' Cotton says, and Labelle shoots her a grateful look. ''It''s V?n''s job to be suspicious ¨C we need to cover all bases.''


    ''Indeed,'' V?n continues. ''I propose we dispatch squad three to accompany the Elementalists to Zlansk, alongside Brie''s rescue mission. If we time them to coincide perfectly, then one can act as a distraction from the other.''


    ''What''s Brie''s rescue mission?'' Sammi pipes up, earning a dirty look from Cotton.


    ''One that doesn''t concern you.''


    I hesitate, remembering Keller and Eldred''s conversation from weeks ago. There''s still one missing. Three out of four ''aint bad, you know.


    ''Is it to rescue the last Elementalist?''


    Cotton, V?n and Brie turn to me, looking shocked, annoyed and amused, respectively.


    ''Why would you think that?'' Cotton demands.


    I shrug. ''Educated guess.''


    She gives a huff of frustration, glancing at Brie before shaking her head. ''It''s none of your business. We need the three of you focussed entirely on the Zlansk mission. You''ll need to attend training with squadron three; their commanding officer is Captain Paolera, one of Labelle''s finest officers. They begin at 0600 in the training yard, so you best make sure you get an early night. I expect you there tomorrow.'' Cotton gets to her feet, dusts off her trousers and turns her back on us. ''Dismissed.''


    I rise, not quite believing that she''s finished with us already. But yes ¨C everybody is gathering papers and muttering to each other in low voices. Dr Keller and Labelle in particular are huddled together, heads down, their conversation intense. The only person who hasn''t moved is Brie. She remains where she is, boots on the table. When she catches my eye, she winks.


    I bolt from the room as fast as I can.


    *


    I make sure I get to the yard before Kass and Sammi, taking the opportunity to test out Henry''s new motor. It''s not really a yard, just a cave within the underground headquarters. I say ''just''; it''s large enough to fit an entire squadron. A few laps are enough to prove that my repair job is impeccable as ever; Guild-Master Song would have accepted nothing less. Henry certainly seems happy with it, practically purring as he shows off his new sparkling emerald lights. Having him back by my side makes me feel that little bit safer.


    But as six am draws closer, soldiers of squadron three start to trickle into the yard, and eventually, so do Kass and Sammi. I keep my head down, hiding amongst the soldiers, trying to be inconspicuous. I don''t want them to notice me.


    I''ve never been very good at being inconspicuous. The hum of chatter amongst the soldiers dies the moment their Captain, Paolera, enters the yard; they part seamlessly as she strides through their midst, coming to an abrupt halt in front of me.


    ''You.'' Her nose wrinkles in distaste as she stares down at me. ''What business does a Futurist have in my yard?''


    I hesitate. Her bark sounds more like a statement, than a question. ''I''m an Elementalist.''


    ''Not a Futurist?''


    ''Uh,'' I frown. ''I guess I''m both. That a problem?''


    Paolera scowls. ''Let''s hope not.'' She eyes me for a few moments longer, then sighs, cuffing me over the head. ''Relax, kid. It''s not my job to judge you. Just train you.'' She pauses. ''Although if you betray us, I will kill you.''


    ''He won''t.''


    I turn around; Sammi has appeared by my side.


    ''Yeah.'' And there''s Kass on my other side, eyes narrowed into slits at Paolera. ''He''s one of us.''


    Paolera grunts but seems placated, for the moment at least. I swallow, wanting to escape, wishing that everyone would stop staring at me, especially Kass. And Sammi. But then Paolera blows her whistle and the morning''s session begins; I take the opportunity to jog behind an enormous soldier called Dimitrov, his bulk blocking me from view. As we alternate between jogging and stretches, I think we''ve got off lightly. Surely this can''t be so different to my training with Lares Youth.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Oh, but it is.


    My years of racing count for little. The pace of Paolera''s training is relentless and unforgiving. We leave each session sweating and staggering, clutching our stomachs as each meal threatens to resurface. Kass finds it especially difficult. I nearly trip over him countless times, as he lies coughing and wheezing spread-eagled on the ground. But Paolera has no patience for excuses. Withstanding hurricane conditions, she tells us, requires the strength of iron and a will of steel, and only the most gruelling of regimes can prepare us.


    And yet, the soldiers love her. They obey every command not just out of duty, but with respect bordering on reverence, and no matter how exhausted they are, not one of them ever collapses or even falters. They push themselves until the bitter end, day after day, and to them, it''s worth it when she claps on the back, or throws them a smile, or a wink. Her favour meaning everything.


    Not, though, to Kass. Despite my efforts to avoid him, he seeks me out one lunchtime, out of breath from our latest run. His bandages finally, and noticeably, off; my insides cringe as he drops his tray down next to me with a clatter.


    ''What a joke,'' he grumbles, thumping down beside me and taking a huge bite of sandwich. He winces, rubbing his jaw. ''Training my ass. More like torture.''


    ''Hmm,'' I mumble into my lap.


    ''And anyway.'' Kass holds out his water to me. ''It''s a waste of time for you. You''ll just be flying around on Henry, right?''


    I shrug, accepting the water and taking an awkward slug. Kass is still watching me. Heat begins to rise in the back of my neck, and self-conscious, I rub a hand over it, cursing inwardly.


    ''Am I that hideous now?''


    I start, glancing up at him for the first time. He''s smiling, but obviously isn''t happy; his face is too honest, too open. His scarred, burnt-up face. Along his cheekbone tracks a long, jagged scar, where he was scalded down to the bone, and although the surrounding skin has almost completely healed, it''s still shiny and pink. But ¨C and the ache inside eases slightly ¨C his familiar freckles, that make him Kass, still speckle his face. Like fallen autumn leaves.


    ''W-why would you say that?''


    ''You won''t even look at me,'' Kass says, frowning down at his fingers as he twists them together. ''Good thing I''m not vain, or you''d be wrecking my self-esteem.''


    ''You''re not hideous!''


    Kass blinks; I''ve accidentally shouted in his face. ''Wow, okay. So, what''s the problem?''


    ''Sorry.'' Oh god. My face must be puce. Kill me now. ''I just. . . I don''t know how to. . . I''m just. . .''


    ''Yeah?''


    ''Sorry.''


    Kass curls his feet up onto his chair, looking caught between amusement and confusion. ''What the hell are you sorry for?''


    ''For screwing up the mission. For letting you get hurt.''


    ''What?'' Kass tugs my sleeve but I wrench it free as the guilt washes over me, impossible to choke down. ''What are you talking about?''


    ''It''s my fault you got hurt. If I hadn''t given you my filters ¨C,''


    ''Rai, what the hell? Listen to me ¨C,''


    ''No ¨C,''


    ''Listen!'' Suddenly, Kass grabs me by the shoulders and pulls me towards him, so close, I can feel the rasp of him breathing on my cheek and hear the shuddering wheezes from his chest.


    ''Listen,'' he repeats, softer this time. ''That wasn''t your fault. It was mine, I should have given them back. But hell, I totally get now why you act the way you do. Dude, how can you wear those things?''


    I swallow. ''What do you mean?''


    ''They''re dangerous! Sure, it''s great not feeling things for a bit, but they made me forget everything. Reality, my limitations ¨C even my family. My mum, dad, Kitty. . . My motivations for being here.'' He sighs, rumpling his hair. ''I don''t want to forget them. If feeling crap means I remember them, then I want to feel crap. I need this pain. Does that make sense?''


    I nod, squeezing my eyes shut against the swell of emotion rising inside. All of my instincts scream at me to shake them away. . . But in front of Kass, it feels wrong. Maybe he''s right. Maybe I deserve this pain.


    ''You should take them off,'' Kass says, and I feel his fingers creeping around the back of my neck to where my filters are stuck. He hesitates, conker-brown eyes fixed on mine. ''Can I?''


    I flinch, wriggling my chair away from him, and his hand falls to his lap. He stares at it, clearly disappointed.


    ''RIGHT, lunch''s over, you slackers. Assume your positions, move, move, move,''  Paolera bellowed.


    I jump and Kass laughs; just like that, the tension between us breaks.


    ''Shall we?'' I raise my eyebrows questioningly at Kass, and to my relief, he nods, pushing himself to his feet.


    ''Let''s get this over with.'' We dump our trays then make our way to where the squad has formed a huddle around Paolera. ''But just so you know ¨C,'' Kass adds, shooting me a sideways glance. ''I''m not going to stop bugging you about those things. You know that, right?''


    ''Why?'' I mumble, as we crouch down at the back of the huddle; I can spot Sammi shoving her way towards us. ''Why do you care?''


    ''Because whoever''s made you too scared to feel stuff ¨C they need to pay for what they''ve done.''


    Kass looks positively impassive as he watches Paolera, who''s already shouting orders again. But when he turns to me, there''s fury in his eyes.


    ''You get that, Rai? We need to make them pay.''


    *


    Settling into a routine with Squadron Three is surprisingly easy; they''re a cheerful bunch, maybe ranging from mid-twenties to early-thirties, who take their role of mentoring us very seriously. They particularly love Henry, all desperate to fly him with me ¨C none of them have ever seen a racer before, only fighters and carriers. I try to make sure everyone gets a turn, but my favourite soldier to fly with is definitely Private Eva Hughes. She screams the loudest, and is the only one brave enough to let me flip upside-down. She loves the thrill, she says.


    But finding time for flying grows more difficult as the month goes on. Our training regime leaves us little free time, waking us up at five for cardio, then breakfast at six, strategy with V?n from six-fifteen until nine, then more training with Paolera until lunch. Then we spend the afternoon with Dr Keller, practising our powers. I initially doubted whether there was anything Keller could teach me, I soon find myself savouring these afternoons with Kass and Sammi, where I can surround myself in my powers and completely let go. Where I get to be me.


    Keller has a lot of theories. He thinks that perhaps our powers can cross over, especially between two physical, or two ethereal, Elementalists. That I might be able to manipulate not just water, but any liquid, and even cause solids like ice to melt into liquid.


    ''In the same way, Kass should be able to do the opposite,'' Keller muses. ''Solidifying a liquid into its solid form, like water into ice. And Sammi, you should be able to do it too between ethereal states of matter. With practise, you might be able to convert a plasma back into a gaseous form.''


    ''A plasma?'' Sammi wrinkles her nose. ''Like what?''


    ''Well, plasma is just ionised gas, but it''s not naturally found much on Tellus,'' Keller explains. ''There''s lots, I believe, on planets like Ra and Lares. But the plasma we do have is extraordinary. Lightening, auroras. Certain flames, the stars. Beautiful, but dangerous.''


    ''So the missing Elementalist. . . Is that what they control? Plasma?'' I ask.


    Keller hesitates, then nods. Kass blows out his cheeks and whistles, and I raise my eyebrows.


    ''Woah.''


    Keller seems agitated, hastily changing the subject. ''Another theory I have is that you could combine your powers, somehow. I call it: the theory of elemental symbiosis.''


    Melting ice into water proves incredibly difficult. I need a source of heat, but Keller refuses to let me use my body''s.


    ''Your body isn''t a toolkit,'' he scolds, wagging his finger in my face. ''You aren''t free to add and remove bits as you please. For pity''s sake, you need your body-heat to live! Stupid boy.'' Instead, he gives me a flame-switch, a device that can produce flames of any size and strength. But, perhaps he isn''t teaching me right, or it just isn''t possible ¨C I can''t seem to do it.


    Elemental symbiosis, however, is easy.


    ''Go away,'' Kass says crossly, when I nag him to practise. ''I can barely use my own powers, let alone worry about yours.'' He''s bent over a block of concrete, his face scrunched in concentration. A sheen of sweat speckles his forehead, the muscles in his arms trembling as he grips the slab. A reluctant crack appears under his fingertips.


    I laugh. ''Suit yourself. Watch us!''


    Kass wipes his forehead on his sleeve as I bound over to Sammi, who gives me one of those condescending smiles you might give an over-excited puppy. She holds out her hand and with a grin, I take it.


    ''Ready?''


    My grin widens. ''Let''s go!''


    Sammi twirls her free hand through the air above our heads, gently teasing the particles apart, twisting them around her fingers until an opalescent wisp appears. She moulds it, sculpting it until it''s almost as large as my head.


    ''Is that a cloud?'' Kass asks, as he and Keller tip their heads back to watch.


    I bounce on the balls of my feet. ''Yep. And what comes from clouds?''


    ''Uh ¨C''


    ''Rain!''


    Before Kass can even blink, I plunge a hand into the cloud and squirt water right into his face.


    ''Aargh!''


    Keller and Sammi burst out laughing as Kass hops from foot to foot, trying to shield himself with his arms from the onslaught of water.


    ''Sucker!''


    ''¨C Rai? ¨C!''


    I remove my hand and wipe tears from my cheeks. Kass furiously scrubs his face with his t-shirt.


    ''YOU ¨C,''


    ''Shh!'' At my nod, Sammi flings her cloud above Kass'' head and I run behind him, ignoring his protests as I reach up over his shoulder towards the cloud. And whisper into his ear. ''Watch.''


    Sammi twists her hands and I rise onto my tiptoes, one arm wrapped around Kass, the other still outstretched towards the cloud.


    Come on. Come to me. . .


    And one by one, drops of rain begin to fall, round and plump, plopping down onto our faces, and soon our hair is soaked through. Kass tips his scarred face back and closes his eyes, finally breaking into a smile. I smile too, just watching him, how the water sparkles on his eyelashes. Sammi lets out a sigh and puts her arms around us, and the three of us stand in the rain, ignoring Keller as he scurries around with mops and buckets.


    Together, we simply gaze up.


    *


    I wish all our time could be as happy as in Keller''s lab. But, the inevitable second mission lurks in the back of our minds. The elephant in the corner none of us wants to confront. Everyone skirts around the subject, talking about ''hurricane conditions'' as though they''re the worst we''ll have to face. V?n''s strategy sessions focus on complex military tactics which I can only vaguely follow ¨C but no one seems willing to sit down and have a conversation with us about what we''ll do after we''ve weathered the hurricanes and got passed the guards.


    When we''ll have to face the second capsule.


    Kass is in deep denial, insisting we can''t simply murder another person. I''m here to stop what happened to my family happening again, he growls, whenever I mention it. I won''t blow people up. We''ll find another way. Sammi refuses to discuss it altogether ¨C maybe because she did it the first time and Kass makes her feel uncomfortable. Paolera claims it''s not her area of expertise to discuss, and Keller just goes into the science of it all, wandering off-topic.


    But at least this time we have some sort of plan. V?n claims it''s simple, but it seems pretty damn complicated to me. The beta-capsule in Zlansk is hidden inside FUTURE''s largest base outside  Singavere underneath a state-of-the-art research facility. According to Cotton, Jinaka himself might be there. I''m not sure how I feel about that.


    We''ll launch a multipronged attack on the base. Squadron Two attacking the front gate, where V?n is certain security will be greatest. At the same time, Squadron Four will flank in an air-assault, targeting the monolithic-domed roofs of the buildings with fighter drones. However, both of these attacks will be distractions. From us, obviously.


    We''re going to wormhole our way into the base.


    Paolera and her squad are all trained under Labelle to use temporary wormholes; they''ll split into teams that will wormhole into separate locations inside the base. Hopefully, between all these distractions, we will be able to wormhole in and gradually sneak our way to the capsule.


    Brie''s elite squad will also use this opportunity to break into the research facility, where Eldred suspects the missing Elementalist is being held. No one will tell us more than that, though ¨C every time the mission is brought up, someone cocks their head towards us and everyone falls silent. The fact that they don''t want us knowing anything about the missing Elementalist makes us want to know all the more.


    After all. He, or she, is one of us.


    At last, after a month of training, Cotton is satisfied that we''re ready. Kass has been signed off by Dr Keller; Paolera has declared Squadron Three ''fit to battle''; the fighter drones are charged and ready to fly; and everybody''s temporary wormholes serviced and programmed with their specific coordinates. Keller and Labelle have come up with a simple idea to help me use my powers in an emergency; I now carry a set of lightweight canisters strapped to my back, all full of water. Keller doesn''t trust me to not use my body as a source ¨C this is his little way of reassuring himself. I''m not complaining. It''s a good idea. One I''m surprised Titus never thought of.


    Musa isn''t coming with us; Private Tanner, one of our designated wormhole engineers, told Kass and I that he''s been enlisted into Squadron Five. Apparently, he even had his induction whilst we were on our first mission, but Tanner refuses to tell us what Squad Five actually do. It''s ''strictly classified.''


    We decide against telling Sammi. If Musa wanted her to know, he''d tell her himself.


    Still, it''s with suspicious eyes that I watch him as we leave for Zlansk. He holds Sammi for a long time in the midst of the dying forest. He whispers in her ear and she nods, wiping her eyes. There''s a strange finality in the way they cling to each other, stroke each other, like they''re scared it''s for the last time. It hurts to watch; I glance to Kass instead, trying to shake away the unbearable loneliness rising inside me. I wonder if Kass feels the same; he''s watching them too. But if anything, he looks angry ¨C Eldred has a hand on his shoulder, though if it''s for comfort or restraint, I can''t tell.


    With another swift jerk of my neck, my filters kick in. The feelings vanish. I swing myself up onto Henry''s back and fly up and over the blackened branches with a laugh: with Henry, I''m never alone. Then, Captain Paolera leads us away through the trees towards the Wormhole that will take us towards Zlansk.


    Towards the second visinium capsule.


    We will find out soon enough whether this capsule is a person, just like the last. Although, deep down, I think I already know the answer.


    And though it makes me sick to my stomach, I''m afraid that either way, we''ll have no choice.


    We''ll have to destroy it.

 Chapter 17 - Kass

    Leaving for the Zlansk mission feels different than when we left for Coral-Bay. I mean, for starters, half my face wasn''t missing back then. The scar along my left cheekbone aches constantly, from just under my eye down to the corner of my mouth. I guess it makes me a little tetchy. I''m definitely doing Paolera''s head in, but I can''t help it, and besides. Everyone''s so damn compliant all the time; I reckon it doesn''t hurt to give her a challenge.


    Squad Three also slow us down a lot. There''s just so many of us, and food and resources. Half the squad have guns strapped to their backs, leaving the rest of us to carry double food and kit. Droids clunk along behind us, reminding me of creepy Viktoria, carrying the charging equipment, ammo and technical gear we can''t manage ourselves. They complain the loudest.


    And then there''s us. Sammi, Rai and I. Last time, we were strangers. Forced together. Sure, we were ''The Elementalist'', but it wasn''t like I felt connected with  them, or like I trusted them. I don''t know when things started to change. When my village was destroyed, I lost everything. My home, my identity. My family. A lost, lonely seed in a desert. But now, as we march together, Sammi to my right, Rai flying above me to my left, I feel like we''re more than just our title.


    This time, our team means something.


    Every now and then, Sammi''s taken to holding my hand.


    ''Are you okay?'' The first time she did it, I wasn''t quite sure what to do with myself. I mean, if Musa was here, he''d kill me. Violently.


    ''Mmhmm.'' Sammi nodded. She had a vague look in her eyes, like in her head, she was somewhere else. With someone else. ''I just miss him, you know. D''you mind?''


    I shook my head. What was I supposed to say? If she needed a hand to pretend was his ¨C hell. Who am I to take that away from her?


    But I think - maybe? - it''s annoying Rai. To be fair, it''s pretty hard to tell; he always seems so goddamn happy. But I think, slowly, I''m learning. The more he shakes his head and the wider he smiles, the more he''s trying to hide. He watches us with that quizzical, curious expression of his, and when he realises I''ve caught him staring, he smiles and goes red, speeding up to talk to someone else. Which is fine by me. I don''t really know what to do with his intensity anyway.


    When he shouted in my face: you''re not hideous! It was like when he whispered in the water: you''re the strongest person I know. The force of his gaze, so damn sincere. . . There''s still way too much about that boy I don''t understand. But one thing''s for sure: I don''t hate him anymore. I''m not sure how I ever could have. Through hate, or friendship, or whatever. . . I dunno. He''s under my skin.


    It''s a three days trek through the black forest to the Slavskani Wormhole; even then, we have to change in the south for the more central Brinsk. There''s no direct Wormhole to Zlansk, which lurks on the fringes of the Wastelands, and as we can''t exactly just stroll there on foot, we''ll need to teleport in with the Temporary Wormholes. Paolera insists we prepare as much as possible in Brinsk before. .  . before.


    Everybody''s tense and anxious as we make camp. Slavskanistan is, I''d guess, the poorest country in the world, but Brinsk breaks the rule. It''s the biggest city in Tellus after Singavere mainly because it''s home to Paradise Park. It used to be a famous theme park, but got completely wrecked in the nuclear wars. Now, it''s a twisted horror-show that bizarrely attracts as much attention as it did in its heyday. Call it morbid fascination or whatever, but people goddamn love it. It''s basically a giant haunted house. A tourist ghost town, with looping roller-coaster tracks that end in mid-air, tumbling waterfalls with log plumes poised at the top, tipping, tipping. . . But never falling. It''s never been restored; firstly, ''cause er, waste of money, and secondly, ''cause when you can do it all in VR, what''s the point, right? Futurists like Rai just ride around on drones, anyway.


    At night, it''s deserted. I know it''s a great place for us to camp, but. . . it just reminds me. I''d been so sure it was what Kitty, my Kittykat, had planned for my birthday. I was so sure. . .


    ''There you are.''


    Rai and Sammi poke their heads around the door-frame of my  hiding place: a half-collapsed souvenir shop littered with stuffed toys of ancient cartoon characters. We''re supposed to be setting up our kits, but I sneaked away ¨C Tanner and half the soldiers are preoccupied up to their armpits in engine-oil servicing droids, whilst the other half are with Paolera doing the final tests to the Temporary Wormholes. My chin rests on a dust-covered fluffy cat as Rai and Sammi duck and squeeze their way inside, Henry tucked cosily under Rai''s arm.


    ''How''d you find me?''


    Rai glances up from the holographic sign he''d started reading (about how old-fashioned cash machines used to work) with a sheepish smile. ''Henry followed you,'' he admits, giving the sign one last puzzled look before squatting down beside me. ''You just wandered off. . .''


    ''Are you worried about the Mission?'' Sammi joins us on the floor, sweeping aside my creepy dolls companions. ''I wouldn''t blame you. I''m not sure how I feel about it either.''


    I flick specks of dust from the cat''s fur. Frowning. ''We were supposed to come here on my birthday. We never made it.''


    Neither of them say anything, but Henry wriggles out of Rai''s arms and scoots onto my lap, nudging the soft-toy aside. I glance at Rai, unsure what to do. He usually seems pretty reluctant for the other soldiers to touch Henry. But Rai just grins.


    ''He doesn''t bite.''


    My hand hovers above Henry, tentative, before stroking his sleek frame, soft, with one finger. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Rai''s shoulders twitch. But Henry seems to like it; he tilts to the side, lights flashing like twinkling eyes.


    Rai starts to pet Henry too. ''Well, I''m worried.'' He leans forwards to peer around Sammi, checking we''re definitely alone. ''This mission. Something doesn''t feel right.''


    Sammi frowns. ''Like what?''


    Rai bites his lip. ''Don''t you think it''s weird? That no one had a clue  the capsule was. . . you know. A person. With all their information, not one person knew? I don''t buy it! And like, I know that this time we have a plan and backup, but no one''s really telling us anything important. I mean, let''s take the missing Elementalist. Haven''t you noticed? No one will even talk about them in front of us.''


    Sammi squirms, looking uncomfortable. ''Is now really the time to be asking all these questions?''


    ''We''re about to break into a Futurist base to try and destroy another capsule. Aka, potentially kill another person. This is exactly the time to ask questions!''


    I grind my teeth; my jaw clicks. ''You were happy enough to kill off the last capsule. Why would this one be any different?''


    Rai gasps; half incredulous, and half because Henry''s just bulldozed out of my arms into his stomach, buzzing furiously at me. ''Y-You think I''m proud of that?!''


    ''No.'' I rub my eyes between my thumb and index finger ¨C what am I doing?  ''Sorry. I don''t blame you. It''s not what any of us wanted.''


    ''This is exactly why we need to talk about all this, before we do anything else we regret!''


    ''Regret?'' Sammi''s voice is very quiet. ''Who says I regret it?'' She wraps her arms around each of our necks, pulling us so close together, our foreheads touch. ''You can''t think like this, guys, it''s what the Futurists want. If they think trapping people inside capsules will spook us, they''re wrong. We can''t let them win. Not again.''


    ''How can you say that?'' Rai tries to pull away, but she''s pinning us tight. ''That''s so cold.''


    ''That''s not fair. It wasn''t you who had to do it.'' Sammi''s eyes are so dark. Bottomless pits. I wonder if they''ll ever end. ''I did. You didn''t see their pain. You didn''t have to.


    ''I''ve got to put my sister''s life first. I''ve still got people left to fight for.''


    Wow. I don''t even - wow.


    Rai finally manages to pull away. Still intent on arguing. ''Fine. Say we destroy all the capsules. Then what? FUTURE disappears in a puff of smoke? Admits defeat and crawls away under a rock? As a Futurist, I can tell you this for nothing: that won''t happen. There''ll be another war, Cotton''s already said so.'' He covers his face with his hands.


    I shuffle towards him. ''Rai ¨C?''


    ''I ¨C I d-don''t want to be used!'' His voice is muffled by his fingers. Gently, I place a hand on his shoulder; he shudders under my touch. ''Not anymore. All my life. . . I''m - I''m just a pawn in someone else''s game. . . Titus''s for so long. Now, Cotton''s. . . Shit. I don''t want to blindly do as I''m told anymore! I want to do things because I believe in them ¨C''


    ''How can you not believe in this?'' Sammi shouts, far too loud for this tiny space. ''Look at everything these bastards have done! Kids are dying! Kass'' village wiped out because they got in the way. Your precious Futurists. . . How can you defend them?''


    ''I''m not! I just ¨C I just. . .'' He finally removes his hands, wiping his eyes with fierce, angry strokes, as though his tears are to blame. ''I just don''t understand how any of this helps! How does destroying the capsules save your sister? How will starting a war save lives?'' He shakes his head, looking more confused than ever. ''And Brie''s rescue. How can they not tell us what''s going on? This Elementalist is one of us. It could have been us that got captured, any of us, who knows what''s being done to them? We deserve to know. There''s must be some way we can help!''


    ''Goodness, Rai, so many questions. I never took you for a deep thinker! Shows what I know, eh? Do you want your answers separately, or will one answer for all suffice?''


    We spin around.


    A figure, illuminated by his own torchlight, leans in the doorway, elbow perched on the shoulder of a charred card-board cut-out. Eldred. He mimics the pose of the cartoon cut-out, chuckling to himself when none of us laughs.


    ''Sorry to interrupt your little mothers'' meeting.''


    ''It''s not funny, Eldred,'' I snap. ''This is serious. Rai''s right ¨C there are too many unanswered questions. You can''t expect us to just put our lives on the line no questions asked ¨C'' Something from my mum''s letter springs to mind. I clear my throat, my chest tightening painfully. ''¨C We''re not weapons, you know. You can''t just use us.''This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ''Oh, I disagree.'' Eldred slides down beside us, his gnarled features more serious than I''ve ever seen them. ''Of course you''re weapons. We all are. That''s what being a soldier is all about. Putting your life on the line for something greater than yourself, not necessarily because you understand every bit of it, but because you know it''s right. To fight for what you believe in. To defend those who cannot defend themselves, like your family, Kass. Like your sister, Samma. Like our world, our old way of life, our values as human beings, our dignity to die for the planet, the home, that we love. . .


    ''Destroying the capsules will bring about change. That''s what might save Sammi''s sister; the chance of change. Of hope.'' Eldred ruffles Rai''s hair and sighs deeply. ''Everybody in this world deserves to live. Not just those who can afford a relocation far away from this place. We have to stop them ¨C and not just for your sister, Samma, but the billions of children yet to be born. Maybe if we take down FUTURE, we can immunise children from birth. But we''ve told you all this before, Rai. What''s this really about?''


    Rai blinks up at Eldred, his tear-stained cheeks glistening in Eldred''s torchlight. ''W-what do you mean?''


    ''Are you scared your loved ones will think you''ve betrayed them?''


    Rai''s face flushes, and he knocks into a shelf of merchandise in his haste to stand; figurines tumble to the floor. Henry swerves out of the way, beeping crossly. ''B-betrayed them?''


    ''Well, you have! By fighting with us, you''re betraying everyone you''ve ever known: Titus, your friends, your Guild-Master, your boyfriend. . .''


    ''Alright, Eldred, knock it off. You don''t need to rub it in.'' I struggle to my feet, kicking figurines out the way until I''m right at Rai''s side. ''You talk a good talk, Eldred, but you still owe us an explanation about the missing Elementalist. If I were them, I''d be pretty pissed right now. How long have you known where they are? Why create four of us if you don''t care enough to protect us all?''


    Eldred scratches a filthy nail under his hat and into his hair. It makes me feel a bit sick. ''There has to be four. Four states of matter form the elements of our world: solids, liquids, gases, and of course, plasma. Take one away. . . the world would die. That''s why we need all of you. To control the uncontrollable. To rebuild the irreparable. And ¨C despite what you think ¨C we did try and protect all of you. But sometimes ¨C,'' Eldred hangs his head, having the grace to look ashamed. ''¨C things don''t always work out. We''ve been stretched to our absolute limit ¨C,''


    ''So, let us help! We can help rescue them!''


    ''No,'' Eldred growls. ''You must destroy the capsule. Leave the Elementalist to us; Brie has everything under control.''


    ''But you just said ¨C!''


    ''Do as you are told.''


    I blink, totally taken aback. In one fluid motion, Eldred''s risen, towering over me, his usually calm and collected features mottled under his beard. His eyes flash as he turns on his heels and flicks off his torchlight, casting us into darkness. ''I expect you back at camp in twenty minutes for your final briefing. It''s time you learnt your place.''


    We wait in silence, listening to Eldred crunch over the figurines as he ducks under the cardboard cut-out and disappears from view; we hold our breath until finally, he''s gone. Pulling my cloak around my shoulders, I sink against Sammi and dig out my inhaler, taking eight deep measured puffs. My chest expands. My head swims.


    ''It''s time we learnt our place?'' Sammi whispers. Her fingers slip through mine, and I squeeze ¨C she reaches out to Rai, offering him a hand too. Slowly, he takes it, joining us again on the floor. ''Is ¨C is that. . . Is that how this is?''


    ''It''s like he said.'' I can''t keep the bitterness from my voice. ''You were right, Rai. We''re nothing but weapons, just pawns in their game.''


    ''We have to stop this,'' Rai croaks. ''Kass. . . Sammi. We can''t let them turn us into ¨C''


    ''But what choice do we have?'' Sammi cries. ''I want to help. I want to defeat FUTURE. . . I want to save my sister. Maybe the only way we can do that is to. . .'' She grimaces, as though even the words taste nasty. ''Do as we''re told.''


    ''No.'' I place a hand on the ground, feeling it tremble under my touch. I feel. . . so much power. More power than RESIST. More than I will ever control. But even if I can''t, not yet. . . It''s still mine. To do with as I see fit.


    ''No,'' I repeat. ''I''m no one''s puppet. I didn''t watch my family die to sit around and let more people die, capsule or not. Especially not by my hands. I say we ditch this mission and go after the missing Elementalist ourselves.''


    ''What?!'' Sammi and Rai goggle at me with open mouths.


    But mine twists into a smile.


    ''Don''t you see? If we rescue the plasma Elementalist on our terms, then we gain back control. Without us, RESIST have nothing.''


    ''But. . .'' Rai''s face has turned very pale. ''How do we do that?''


    ''We just need Brie to let us tag along. As long as we find out where the Elementalist is, we can give Brie the slip and rescue them ourselves. Then, we give the Resisters an ultimatum: tell us everything, or we walk.'' An iron-cold fist clamps around my heart, and I let out a hiss. ''If they won''t even tell us the truth. . . then I refuse to be a murderer. Not even to a goddamn capsule.''


    ''No.'' Rai rips his hand out from Sammi''s and turns his back on us. ''I won''t work with Cadence.''


    ''What?''  Is he. . . Is he serious right now? Of all the stupid, petty things to object to. . . ''Seriously? Get a grip! We don''t have the luxury of working with people we like. What''s the alternative, Rai? We all become pawns? Like you?''


    Sammi tuts, throwing me a filthy look. She rises and wraps her arms around Rai, as his shoulders start to shake. ''Sometimes, Kass, you can be such a dick.''


    I ignore her. Instead, I tug Rai away from her and twist him around to face me. ''Well?''


    Rai shakes his head, rubbing his cheeks with his sleeve. ''She won''t say yes. She won''t help us. . .''


    A sceptical laugh escapes, earning me two sharp looks. I clear my throat and let my face split into a grin. ''Who says I''ll be giving her a choice?''


    *


    ''Hey, Brie.''


    It''s almost sunrise, and the camp''s getting ready to leave. A thin dusting of snow settled over our kits whilst we slept, so drying the delicate machinery became the top priority. I leave Rai and Sammi being grilled for the umpteenth time by Private Tanner on how to correctly activate and deactivate our wormholes, slipping off for a surreptitious ''toilet break''.


    ''Just take a whizz anywhere, nobody cares,'' Tanner rolls his eyes at my retreating back.


    ''Pee-fright.'' I hold my hands up as if to say what-can-ya-do?, before shoving them into my pockets as I saunter away. It takes a little while to find Brie but eventually I spot her, knee-deep in oil polishing silvery-black globes with a frenzied vigour. The spikes of her hair fall into her eyes as she scrubs.


    ''What do you want?'' She doesn''t look up, just keeps feverishly scrubbing wormholes, despite not a single speck of snow having survived.


    ''Didn''t have you down for a clean-freak.'' I hunch down, peering over her shoulder until she jerks it at me in annoyance. ''What are you trying to do, erase them from existence?''


    ''Shut up.'' She tosses the temporary wormhole into a box by her feet then plucks a new one from the pile. ''I''m not cleaning them, idiot. I''m charging them. You''d know that if you weren''t such a damn nuisance.''


    ''Ouch.'' I nudge the box of wormholes with my foot. ''You don''t like us Elementalists much, do you.''


    ''Not particularly.''


    ''So why go through all the hassle of rescuing another one?''


    She looks at me like I''m stupid. ''Those are my orders.'' She scrunches her face, rubbing the wormhole harder and harder. ''I''m a soldier. That''s what soldiers do. Follow orders.''


    ''Oh yeah, ''cause you''re so obedient.''


    ''What''s that supposed to mean?'' She pauses, her hand hovering above the wormhole. A sudden spark of static shoots from the orb to her palm and she flinches, glowering at me as though it''s my fault.


    I shrug. ''Oh, you know. Seems to me like you''re a bit of a rebel. Like you make your own decisions.''


    After pursing her lips in a moment in apparent consideration, Brie goes back to scrubbing. ''I guess that''s fair to say.''


    ''I, uh, I wanted to ask you something.''


    She huffs. ''What?''


    ''Well.'' I shuffle my feet, trying to look as innocent as I possibly can. ''I guess I''m more telling, than asking. But, you know.''


    She raises an eyebrow at me with an amused smile. ''Oh yeah? Go on then, have a go. Try telling me what to do.''


    ''Fine, I will. You''re going to take us with you on your rescue mission. Me, Sammi and Rai.''


    Brie laughs. ''Yeah, sure. I''m really going to do that.''


    ''Oh, like I said, I''m not asking. We''re coming, and you''re not going to tell Paolera. We''ll stay with her until the last minute, then when you split off, we''ll join you.''


    ''No.'' Brie finally stands, flicks her wrists out with a series of clicks, and picks up the box of wormholes. ''No discussion, no crying oh but why, that''s so unfaaaair. Just no. Scram.''


    ''Yes.''


    ''NO.''


    ''Yes!''


    She throws her arms up in annoyance. ''God, really? Why the actual hell would I want you tagging along?''


    It''s my turn now to laugh. ''Oh, you probably don''t. But I don''t care what you want. Just like you don''t care about what we want.''


    ''Oh yeah?'' Her eyes narrow. ''Look, kid. We clearly don''t like each other, although what your problem is, I have no idea. But I''m going to give you one last chance. Beat it, before I report you to Paolera.''


    ''No. This is your last chance.'' I put my hands on my knees and lean forwards, until I''m right up in Brie''s face. That smug sneer, upper-lip wrinkling in contempt as she scowls at me like I''m a piece of crap. A shiver of hatred darts up my spine as I stare into those sharp, conceited eyes.


    ''My last chance?'' she hisses. ''You arrogant little ¨C,''


    ''¨C before I go to Cotton and tell her exactly what you did to Rai.''


    ''What?'' She steps back, eyes widening; clearly, that was the last thing she expected. ''What I ¨C? What are you talking about?''


    ''Don''t play dumb with me.''


    ''I''m not. . .'' She drops the box of wormholes; the sudden noise makes me jump. ''Fine. Do what you want. Go to Cotton. You''ve got nothing on me, kid.''


    ''You''re bluffing, I''m not thick. I''ve got to know Rai pretty well. He''s terrified of you. He hates people touching him. . . He shudders when he looks at you.''


    She snorts. ''Not my fault he''s a wuss.''


    Anger flares in my fists, hot and white. ''Shut up. You ¨C you''ve got no right. You had no right to ¨C''


    ''To what?'' Brie demands.


    I hesitate. ''To hurt him.''


    Brie smirks. ''Rai was a service provider. I hired him. So what?'' She folds her arms across her chest, her expression, although guarded, calm and collected all of a sudden. ''Cotton ordered me to find him, and that''s exactly what I did.''


    ''Oh, pull the other one.''


    ''What are you suggesting, Kass?'' Brie grins in obvious delight. ''Is sweet little Rai not quite the darling he appears?''


    I turn away, unable to look at her a second longer. Instead, I glare at the ground. It trembles beneath my feet. Fury sweeps through me, prickling pins and needles so sharp, they make me wince. Guilt pangs my chest at the same time ¨C should I really be doing this? Saying these things? What if. . . What if I''m wrong? Will I be able to look Rai in the eyes after this?


    ''I know you hurt him. . .'' I whisper. ''Why? Did it make you feel powerful or something?''


    Brie rolls her eyes. ''I didn''t do anything that hadn''t been done before.''


    I can''t believe what I''m hearing. ''That ¨C that doesn''t ¨C!''


    I can''t even finish my sentence. Neither of us speak. I feel sick, wanting nothing more than to cover my ears and hum loudly. . . to stop hearing the thoughts scratching inside my head. But then ¨C Brie laughs. She throws back her head, laughing until tears streak down her cheeks. I stare at her, loathing her. So hard I''m literally shaking.


    She wipes her eyes, chuckling weakly. ''Oh, you and Rai. Both so pathetic.''


    My control breaks.


    In its place ¨C rage.


    I lunge onto all fours, sinking my hands into the ground. Cracks spiral out from my fingertips in a stampede towards Brie ¨C she barely has time to skip out of the way ¨C when the earth under her feet explodes. She''s flung backwards with a shriek and a shower of dirt and mud, wormholes flying everywhere ¨C


    She lands flat on her back. I''m on top of her instantly, my fist flying towards her and she screams ¨C


    I plunge it into the earth. A crater blown right next to her head.


    Fear and shock flashes through those arrogant eyes, and I see my own reflected back at me.


    So full of hate. . .


    My arm has sunk all the way to my elbow. I lift it out of the ground, slow as though waking from a dream, and roll off her. What am I doing? I hug my knees to my chest by Brie''s side, as her breathing gradually slows. Then, she bolts upright, trying to make a break for it ¨C not fast enough.


    On reflex, I grab her by her collar, yanking her back towards me.


    ''This is your first, and final warning, Brie. I will go to Cotton. And if she doesn''t care, then I''ll tell Eldred, Labelle, Keller, and everyone else if I have to. Someone must give a damn. But I reckon Cotton will. She''d never have told you to. . . Maybe she did want you to check out his powers, but if that was all you did, Rai wouldn''t be so scared. You, being you. . .''


    ''Okay, okay. I get it.'' She shoves me in the chest, firm and fierce. I drop her and she scrambles away, rearranging her clothes with a filthy expression. ''I''ll let you come along. But don''t get in my way.''


    ''We won''t.''


    Her mouth twitches, like she''s longing to say something but doesn''t quite dare. Then, with a growl, she gathers up three of the wormholes, now scattered all around us, and tosses them to me one by one. I catch them, fumbling with the last, before tucking them into the deep pockets of my mohair. ''Our specific wormholes,'' she says through gritted teeth. ''You''ll each need one.''


    ''Got it.''


    We both hesitate, not quite sure what we''re supposed to do next. I''ve never blackmailed anyone before. She''s probably never been on the receiving end before. I stay quiet a second longer though.


    ''See you on the battlefield, kid.'' Brie turns her back on me before I can even open my mouth, and stoops to gather up the wormholes, chucking them back into their box with renewed vigour. ''Try not to die.''


    ''Like I''d give you the satisfaction.'' Whether or not she turns back to watch me leave, I''ll never know.


    I walk back to my own side of camp without giving her a backwards glance.

 Chapter 18 - Sammi

    It''s time.


    The three Elementalists, Kass, Rai and I, stand beside Eldred at the edge of camp, where Squadron Three are preparing to go. Rows of soldiers stand, eyes sharp and shoulders determined, whilst Paolera paces each line, barking orders so fast it makes my head spin.


    ''Once Squadron Two reach the gate, we''re on stand-by and must be ready at a moment''s notice ¨C,''


    ''As soon as we receive signal from Sergeant Allen of Squadron Four ¨C,''


    ''Everyone carry out your final checks ¨C all wormhole''s must be in complete working order. Any signs of malfunction should be reported immediately ¨C,''


    ''The hurricanes will be active when we teleport in ¨C remember your training. Staying focused on the Futurists despite the winds is more important than anything else ¨C,''


    The longer it goes on, more beads of sweat slowly trickle down the soldiers'' brows, freezing on their eyebrows, mingling with snowflakes. Tanner told us they''ve never been on such a big a mission before. His eyes are unusually bright; if I didn''t know better, I''d say he''s scared.


    Kass stares sternly ahead, his scars making his face stiffer and fiercer than ever. Rai, meanwhile, fiddles absent-mindedly with the filters on his neck as he watches Paolera, Henry perched on his shoulder. A swell of protectiveness floods through me as I look at my boys, both by my side, and on instinct, I grab their hands tight in my own. They turn to me, but I don''t look back.


    How can I. All I can think of is how glad I am that Musa isn''t here too. He''s my only boy I''ve really kept safe.


    ''A word, please?''


    None of us reply. Eldred hovers to our right; I don''t know about the boys, but I can''t even bare to look at him. It''s time we learnt our place. Really, Eldred? Well, if we didn''t before, we sure do now.


    Eldred huffs. ''You''re still annoyed at me? Oh, come on! Look, I never claimed to be good with kids, I said that from the start, didn''t I, Puffin?''


    Kass snorts, but doesn''t answer.


    Eldred tuts. ''Well, what can you do. All I''ve ever done is try and help you, and this is the thanks I get.'' He sighs, thoroughly milking his part of playing the martyr. ''It''s fine. In time, I''m sure you''ll come to understand. Maybe I should feel flattered; it''s not like any of you have family to take your tempers out on. If I have to bear the brunt, so be it.''


    I swing around, unable to contain myself a second longer. ''Family? You ¨C you think you''re our family?''


    He smiles his crooked, roguish smile. ''Well, of course. We are a family, aren''t we? It takes more than blood to make a family, you know. Lies, secrets, a strong will to protect, loyalty. . . All markers of a pretty normal family, wouldn''t you say?''


    ''What do you want, Eldred?'' Kass says flatly. ''We''re done talking about family.''


    ''I came to give you these.'' Eldred digs deep in his pockets and withdraws three small, shimmering orbs, similar to the ones Paolera has given us to get to Zlansk. As the only one facing him, I let him tip them into my hands.


    ''More wormholes?''


    ''Yes,'' Eldred nods. ''You''ll need one each. They''ll take you to the third capsule, the gamma-cap.''


    ''Why are you giving us them now?'' Rai sets Henry loose and swings from his lower handlebars, so his heels skim the ground. Eldred watches him with an amused expression.


    ''Just in case. I''ve got a feeling that things are going to get a little hectic.''


    ''We don''t even know where the third capsule is,'' I say.


    ''It''s at the top of Mount Terrebon in Singwari, one of the Counties of Hu?.''


    So close to Singavere. . . ''Okay, but why do we need them now?''


    ''Because there may not be a later.'' Eldred''s eyes twinkle. ''I suspect that this battle may go a tad awry, and if it does, I''m not quite sure that even Cotton fully understands what the consequences will be. It may not be possible afterwards for us to simply stroll back to Headquarters and retrieve these wormholes. If something happens to me ¨C,'' He pauses, chuckling as I gasp. ''Oh, come now, Samma. I thought you were mad at me? If something happens to me, I''ll feel much happier knowing that I''ve given you the tools you''ll need to succeed. Take the wormholes, and keep them safe.''


    Stunned, I turn to Kass, holding out an orb to him. Although his shoulders tighten, he takes it and shoves it inside his mohair cloak. I pocket one and turn back to Eldred ¨C


    But he''s gone.


    *


    ''Right, this is it, Squad Three.'' Paolera finally stops pacing, coming to a halt facing the rows of soldiers. We''ve finished stretching ¨C our chrome armour worn over our black bullet-suits is thin and flexible, allowing plenty of movement. On our backs blaze the RESIST emblem, the bright red ''R'' set under a grey ''3'', our squad number, and we have charcoal-grey balaclavas ready to pull over our faces. Grey and red. The colours of RESIST.


    We''ve each been assigned a soldier for our protection. Mine is Tanner, thank goodness ¨C I like the lean, bespectacled Private. Kass isn''t so lucky; he has Marko Dimitrov, well-known in the squad for his bulging muscles, bad temper and dark-grey birthmark on the side of his neck. Rai''s got the rather wild Eva Hughes. They stand behind us, a hand on each of our shoulders ¨C whether to be comforting or to stop us escaping, I don''t know. We''ll teleport with our guards in and out of the fray, slip through the battle and make our way towards the capsule. Hopefully.


    All the soldiers have the same expression. Brows set, lips pursed and eyes bright; every fist raised and pressed to their foreheads in a solemn salute, which I''ve learnt is the RESIST way.


    Paolera is the fiercest of all. She emanates power, the will to fight, survive and win. When she brings her fist to her forehead, the chests of her soldiers swell.


    ''Today, we FIGHT.''


    ''FOR TELLUS.'' The soldiers cry as one, slamming their fists against their foreheads twice.


    ''Today, we WIN.''


    ''FOR TELLUS.''


    ''Today, we show our oppressors that we will be silenced no more, that we will be down-trodden NO MORE. Today, we send a message ¨C that we are coming for you, Futurists, and we are coming for our world. Today, we fight with HONOUR.''


    ''FOR TELLUS.''


    ''With DIGNITY.''


    ''FOR TELLUS.''


    ''AND ¨C,'' Paolera closes her eyes, as though savouring the moment, savouring her words. ''¨C without mercy. An honest victory ¨C no prisoners, no torture ¨C just clean, honest death, and an honest victory.''


    ''FOR TELLUS!''


    There''s a minute''s silence. Just the rustling of the mist swirling around our ankles. The squad stands, rigid as statues, eyes closed and fists clenched to their brows. Their calm composure makes me feel worse. I''m not ready.


    My heart beats its wings against my rib-cage in the desperate hope of escape. But of course, there''s no escape. This is coming, whether I like it or not.


    I think I''ve always known that I''m meant for something big. Musa knew, from the day I threw the mist for him to catch to the day he took me to the pool. He''s always known. Has always been on my side. But knowing, and being ready, are such different things. But maybe ''being ready'' is just a myth. Without knowing the future, how can you really be ready for anything?


    Maybe, my courage might have broken. Maybe, I''d try to run for it ¨C if it weren''t for the hands I hold in my own, Kass'' in my left, Rai''s in my right. I squeeze them, a gesture greater than words. That whatever we face, we face together.


    Paolera clears her throat. ''It''s time. Balaclavas on, and take out your wormholes.'' Her grave eyes sail the sea of hands that pull fabric over faces, unzip straps on their arm and pluck out small silvery orbs that sparkle in the burnt-amber sunrise. I drop Rai''s hand to fumble my own wormhole, which slides through my fingers, slick with sweat ¨C but his shoulder bumps, reassuring, against mine as he shuffles closer. The balaclava muffles my breathing, scratching my skin with every blink.


    Everybody''s eyes fall to Paolera, and she thrusts her wormhole into the air; the soldiers cheer. The hopes of Resisters everywhere clutched in our hands.


    ''Prepare to teleport,'' Paolera cries. ''In three. . . two. . . one. . . NOW.''


    *


    We each have our own, slightly different, coordinates. I pinch the orb, and it seems to melt away ¨C but in reality, it expands, the dark matter inside blooming outwards, ready to consume. I jumped inside, and emerge immediately somewhere new.


    The Zlansk base.


    The moment my feet touch the ground, I''m buffeted sideways ¨C the winds of the hurricane catching me by surprise. I skid, feet scrabbling against the ground to keep me upright.


    Is this really wind? If so, then wind is a beast; it howls as it tears my ears, the screaming, blistering cold biting my cheeks, threatening to rip my skin from my bones. I feel like I''m being stretched to breaking point, trapped inside a swirling kaleidoscope of pinks, purples and greys of every shade. Amethyst, coral, charcoal, lilac, smoke and rose and peach. . .


    In a hailstorm of bullets.


    Paolera''s training kicks in ¨C what to do the second you arrive ¨C and I dive to the ground, shielding my head with my arms. For all the good it will do. . .


    ''Sammi?''


    Squinting through the haze, I just about make out a shadowed figure, crawling towards me on their stomach.


    ''Kass?!''


    ''It''s Tanner.'' Of course. Tanner inches towards me on his elbows. ''The boys are okay, they''re at the first shelter point but you got blown off course. I came to get you.''


    ''How are we doing?''


    ''Not good ¨C but we surprised them, drawing them off squad two for the moment. I need to get you out of here.''


    His rough, calloused hands close around my wrists, pulling me towards him. I scramble to my knees as we slither across the battlefield, Tanner using his body to shield me.


    ''This is crazy,'' I gasp; every inch we push forwards, we''re fought against by the wind, blown backwards. ''How are we meant to even stay on our feet?''


    ''Don''t worry, our boots are designed to weigh us down.''


    I was only blown a few feet off track; once I''ve staggered to my feet, Tanner drags me towards the wreckage of an enormous Futurist fighter drone ¨C four times the size of our little Fighters ¨C that lies in a smoking, crumbling heap. We crawl underneath, where, to my relief, a huddle of squad three soldiers are squatting low, arms raised to fend off the winds.


    Bullets pelt the fighter drone from all sides until its entire frame shakes . A spark blows above our heads and we duck, covering our heads.


    ''. . . Tanner?'' I whisper.


    ''EVERYBODY DOWN!''


    I flatten myself against the ground as Paolera roars above the racket ¨C Tanner''s hand presses my head down into the dirt as he leans over me, firing his gun so fast that with each blast, my body shudders.


    My nose to the gravel, I taste snow. And mud.


    Then, something hits the metal frame above us ¨C sending the drone blasting into the air in a shower of flames and chunks of debris. A second Fighter, even bigger than our shelter, skids to a halt in front of us, two Futurist soldiers piloting from its back. The mist lights up with flares and sparks as they open fire ¨C bullets ricochet from helmets, debris, the ground ¨C and I freeze, too scared to even blink.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Then Tanner''s arm slips underneath me, wrenches me upright and pulls me along as he runs ¨C I cling to his arm even though it feels wet, so wet. I glance at my hand and my stomach lurches ¨C it''s covered in something glistening and red ¨C


    ''You''re hurt!''


    ''Keep moving,'' Tanner grunts, bulldozing someone out of the way with his shoulder and raising his gun once more, another stream of bullets spluttering in front of us. All the while, he''s shouting into his ear-piece: ''Paolera, is it time?''


    The enemy Fighter crawls forwards, the Futurists on its back rushing back and forth reloading the front blaster, which has begun to glow. A brilliant blue ball of light grows inside it, ready to burst free ¨C


    Paolera''s voice echoes through Tanner''s ear-piece.


    ''Wormholes ready in three, two, one ¨C,''


    For a moment, in my panic, I go blank. My training disappears ¨C but at the last second, my fingers pinch the wormhole of their own accord.


    ''NOW.''


    The blue light blossoms from the blaster towards us ¨C Tanner and I jump into the wormhole ¨C and stagger into a place of silence as the wormhole spins shut behind us. The shadow of an explosion ringing in our ears.


    Tanner drops me and I stumble; he leans forwards, hands on his thighs, panting heavily. ''You okay?''


    My knees collapse and I sink to the ground. I can hear Tanner calling Paolera ¨C but I cover my eyes, blocking out the world.


    Kass and Rai are out there still. And you''re cowering? Come on, Samma, get a grip.


    My eyes flicker open; Paolera''s face swims before me, streaked with dark, rust-coloured smut. She nods, satisfied my eyes are open, and turns to the surrounding soldiers.


    ''Gather round. Phase one may be complete, but we suffered more casualties than we hoped for. We took out the fighter drone, but squad two are really struggling. We have to help them out; everyone under Lieutenant Frost, I''m releasing you to back them up. Please report to him for new instructions.''


    I sit up; I''ve got absolutely no idea where we are. It''s dark, raining full pelt ¨C there''s no way we''re still in Zlansk, it''s too warm.


    ''Kass? Rai?''


    Tanner''s beside me in an instant, trying to calm me down, but it''s no use. All I can think of is the boys, where they are, if they''re alright.


    Soldiers are crouched all around me in units, wrapping thick black tape around bullet wounds and bandages around faces. All I can do is desperately try and peer between the flurry of limbs ¨C surely, surely, they''re here somewhere.


    ''Hey!''


    I''ve been searching wrong. I''ve been looking to the ground. I should have searched the skies.


    ''Henry!''


    A white ball zooms over the crowd towards me, two figures clinging to its back ¨C I cry out in relief as Rai yanks Henry to a stop and jumps down, tearing off his balaclava. Hughes tumbles from Henry''s back, groaning.


    ''Oh my god, oh my god.'' I cling to Rai''s wrists. ''I thought ¨C I thought ¨C,''


    ''It''s okay.'' He pulls me into a hug, then peels off my balaclava. ''Hey, what happened to your face?''


    ''My face?''


    ''You''re covered in blood!''


    ''Oh!'' I touch my cheek; it''s wet, but it doesn''t hurt. ''It''s not mine. Tanner?''


    ''I''m here.'' Tanner''s slumped beside me, as Private Hughes starts dabbing a strong-smelling liquid on his arm. Somewhere along the lines, he''s removed his own balaclava and lost his glasses. He looks strangely naked, and horribly young, without them.


    ''There you are.'' A huge soldier, whose rippling muscles seem to burst through his suit, shoves his way to join us, someone squirming under his arm ¨C


    ''Kass!'' Rai bursts out, as Dimitrov dumps Kass unceremoniously by our feet. ''Are you alright?''


    ''Yeah,'' Kass grimaces. Dimitrov tuts, ripping open the sleeve of Kass'' suit.


    ''Idiot got shot,'' he grunts in his thick Slavskani accent.


    ''WHAT?''


    Kass shakes his head. ''It was my fault.'' He winces as Dimitrov ripped off some black tape with his teeth and begins winding it around Kass'' wound, pulling it tight. ''I''m slow and wheezy ¨C bound to happen.''


    ''It''s not deep,'' Dimitrov says, zipping Kass'' sleeve back up and balancing him between his knees. ''The suit took most of the impact.''


    ''We go again in five minutes.'' Tanner says, glancing nervously at Dimitrov and Hughes. ''This time, we teleport deeper into the heart of the base. Squad four have located the source of the hurricanes, the Futurists are calling it the ''eye''. It''s a group of hotspots on the west side, the closest block to the research facility, and obviously, that''s where their defences are strongest. Squad two are going to try and draw them east, and then on Paolera''s command, we''ll teleport to the eye and search for the capsule. It must be around there somewhere.''


    ''We can''t teleport directly to the capsule?'' I say, hating the fear that seeps into my voice.


    ''You know we can''t,'' Tanner sighs. ''Without the exact coordinates, the wormholes might malfunction. Just be grateful Squad Four got us coordinates for the eye, it''s close enough.''


    ''Wishful thinking.''


    ''Dimi, Hughes and I will be with you every step of the way,'' Tanner continues. ''Paolera will join us too, whilst the rest of the squad cover for us. Whilst we find the capsule, it''s their job to stop any of the Futurists reaching you. Brie''s team will be with us too but just ignore them. They''ll soon teleport away on their own mission.''


    ''Got it,'' Kass mutters. He shoots Rai and I a meaningful look; as soon as Tanner''s back is turned, he burrows into his pockets and pulls out two more silvery orbs, shoving them into our hands. ''Hide these, quick.''


    ''What''s this?'' I slip mine into the wormhole pouch on my arm. ''Another wormhole?''


    ''For Brie''s mission.''


    We blanch. ''She ¨C she agreed!?'' Rai stammers.


    ''Yup.''


    Rai frowns. ''How did you get her to say yes?''


    Kass bites his lip; I guess he really is in pain. ''Oh, you know. Asked nicely. Hey, Dimitrov, any chance of some pain relief?''


    ''No, sorry.'' Dimitrov is deep in conversation with Tanner and Hughes, and waves his hand vaguely in dismissal. ''Just tough it out. The tape will hold it closed.''


    ''Great.''


    ''SOLDIERS?''


    Paolera''s voice slices the hum of voices like a dagger.


    ''CAPTAIN,'' Tanner, Dimitrov and Hughes bark, pounding their foreheads with their fists.


    ''Listen to us, and you won''t get killed. Capiche?'' Dimitrov adds in a growl, grabbing Kass by the shoulder.


    We nod.


    ''Sammi, with me.'' Tanner takes my hand.


    ''TELEPORTATION ON THREE. . . TWO. . . ONE. . .


    Tanner and I lock eyes, and I pull my balaclava back on.


    ''NOW.''


    We squeeze our wormholes and leap back into the fray.


    *


    The west side heaves with bodies ¨C


    ''MOVE, MOVE, MOVE.''


    The moment we land, I''m swept aside by a swarm of squad two soldiers ¨C but this time, Tanner keeps hold of my wrist.


    ''GUN, SAMMA.''


    Three Futurist soldiers drop down from the mist above us, and Tanner dives in front of me, both arms raised and bullets flying. I scrabble in my holster for my gun, but everything''s happening too quickly. The guns these Futurists point at us aren''t normal ¨C what blasts from the barrel is something like light or heat, and smells like burning.


    The Futurists'' heads are shielded inside a helmet of blue mesh, their movements easy and fluid even within the storm. One of Tanner''s gunshots hits a blue soldier in the face ¨C it ricochets off the mesh, not even causing a dent.


    ''Nice try,'' the Futurist grins. ''Think your balaclava will do the same?''


    Tanner ducks, dragging me to the ground and throwing himself over me; I feel the swell of his ribs as he gasps. I don''t know why it strikes me now, here, with three enemy soldiers towering over us, weapons at our heads. . . just how young Tanner is. He can''t be that much older than me. And here he is, laying down his life to protect me, a girl he hardly knows. Just because he believes. He''s ready to die. .  . because he believes in me.


    My fingers flash white-hot. A tingling sensation streaks through me, and all at once, I become aware of every bone, muscle, tissue and fibre not only my own body but in Tanner''s too. The howling winds that heave against us, dragging us slowly into its grasp, aren''t just a haze of colour anymore. They''re mist, the mist I know better than anything else. An almighty sea of infinite, infinitesimal particles, spinning wildly out of control, that need to be tamed. That need me.


    ''Tanner?''  We can hear Dimitrov calling ¨C but his voice is too far away, he''ll never make it in time.


    And then I hear: three click ¨C click ¨C clicks. The Futurists fire and bullets hurtle towards us. First, they''ll hit Tanner. Then, they''ll hit me. . .


    I scream.


    Louder than I''ve ever screamed before ¨C a scream that rips my chest, my mouth ¨C I look up and raise a hand, and all of a sudden, my scream turns to laughter.


    They think they can kill me? In wind?


    Hell. I AM THE WIND.


    Before the bullets can hit us, I swish my hand through the air and rip out the winds - I siphon them, drawing them in, sucking them into my outstretched hand like a giant whirlpool. Every particle belongs to me - I spin, twirling the air around us until we''re completely surrounded by a white, opalescent mass. The bullets strike the mass, and my hand twists - I clench the particles together and the winds resist. As though hardening. The bullets scatter, unable to break through, falling clink, clink, clink to the ground.


    The winds around Tanner and I shiver, pulsing as they wrap tighter around us, cocooning us, as though breathing. As though alive.


    I feel them rush through me - part of me - then blast them outwards as hard as I can.


    The cocoon explodes, sending a wave rushing towards the Futurists ¨C they shriek as they''re flung into the air. I raise my head, to watch as my outstretched arm pushes the wave forwards, to see the Futurists struggle against me as they''re forced further and further away. They can''t fight. I''m in control now.


    Tanner makes a small, choking sound. ''Sammi, that was. . .''


    ''Let''s move.'' I help him to his feet. ''What next?''


    ''I ¨C I can hear Paolera,'' he stammers, gesturing to his earpiece. He swallows, working hard to keep composure. ''She says we''ve drawn a huge proportion of their forces away from the west side; Frost''s soldiers have bolstered squad two, but we''re still taking huge casualties. We don''t teleport again for five minutes.''


    ''We have to survive this for five more minutes?''


    ''The closer to the eye we get, the worse it will be,'' Tanner murmurs. ''We still need to find the capsule. Sammi, do you think you can hold this ¨C uh ¨C air thing around us?''


    ''No problem.'' My face sets and fists clench. Closing my eyes, I breathe in deeply and raise my hands higher, sucking the winds back towards us. The air constricts and I wrap the particles tight back around us, making it harder, thicker, difficult to penetrate.


    We walk. And my wind cocoon moves with us.


    ''The capsule should be around here somewhere. If only we could see better ¨C''


    The cocoon shields, a giant, translucent bubble. But it''s so thick, we can only vaguely make out shapes outside, everything merging into a blur of evil shadows. Noises sound sluggish, like when you''re underwater, but we can just about hear the Futurists shouting:


    ''Captain, we need backup, we think we found an Elementalist.''


    ''It''s manipulating the hurricane to its advantage ¨C''


    ''Two people are trapped inside ¨C''


    ''If we can blast it open ¨C get the Fighters, NOW ¨C''


    ''It''s okay, Sammi,'' Tanner growls, slamming more ammo into his gun. ''I won''t let them hurt you. You''re too important, I ¨C I''ll die to protect you. I swear.''


    ''No one''s going to die, Tanner,'' I say, wanting to sound strong. It comes out as a whisper.


    ''We just need to keep looking a little bit longer.''


    ''It''s fine, I can do this ¨C,''


    ''FIRE!''


    An enormous flash of blinding light hurtles towards us and smashes into my cocoon. The impact flings me backwards, my head smacking into something sharp.


    There''s blackness - then Tanner''s by side, propping me up by the shoulders. ''Sammi?''


    ''Wh-what was that?!''


    ''FIRE!''


    Another flash of light slams into my cocoon; I cry out, feeling the particles I''ve locked together shudder. Using Tanner''s arm, I struggle to my feet, running to touch the front of my cocoon. My fingers stroke along a crack.


    ''No.''


    ''What''s wrong?'' Tanner''s eyes widen as chunks of the cocoon starts to disintegrate, dissolving into the air as though they never existed.


    ''They''re breaking it. The weapon they''re using ¨C it''s so strong.''


    I clench my fists, squeezing the winds even tighter around us, feeling like I''m going to burst from the strain. Another beam of light is growing outside ¨C for a fraction of a second, I panic ¨C


    ''FIRE.''


    My wind cocoon breaks.


    Tanner and I are instantly hit by the full force of the hurricane and blasted backwards. The winds no longer mine, and this time, they hurl us along the ground, from side to side. I squint through my balaclava; we''re surrounded by a royal-blue swarm, a Fighter looming over us. Inside which another ball of light ¨C like a laser ¨C blossoms, the air around it shivering as it prepares to blow.


    ''NOW!''


    Paolera''s voice screams through Tanner''s earpiece; Tanner throws his arms around me and squeezes the wormhole. We roll through just as the light erupts and disappears, engulfed by the darkness.


    We reappear, lying on the cool ground, our chests heaving. Tanner closes his eyes.


    ''Thank bloody ¨C. Captain, you have no idea how close that was.''


    Legs appear between us; I glance up at Paolera, who smiles grimly.


    ''My timing is impeccable.''


    ''You have no idea. . .''


    I stay on the ground, even as Tanner rises with a groan. Every part of my body feels heavy ¨C so, so tired ¨C but then, someone shakes my shoulders.


    ''Get up, lazy. We found the capsule. Come on, Sam, move your ass. You think you had it bad? Try being shot.''


    ''Kass. . .'' I mumble, forcing myself upright and cradling my head. ''You. . . are. . . such a dick.''


    Kass smirks, wrapping an arm around me. I sigh into his chest, as Rai slumps down beside us and lays his head on my shoulder.


    *


    We''re back wherever we teleported the first time; the darkness is oddly comforting. But we aren''t pausing for long. There are so few of us now that I could count us. I don''t know if the rest of the squad are dead, or if they''ve deliberately stayed behind to keep fighting. Honestly, I almost can''t bear to know. Kass, Rai and I huddle by a tree stump whilst Tanner, Dimitrov and Hughes put their heads together, whispering furiously. By the sounds of it, we each put our guards through the ringer.


    ''Henry took me and Hughes for a bit of a rough ride,'' Rai said. He''s trying to unclip some of the empty water canisters from his back but it doesn''t look easy; Henry keeps huddling under Rai''s arm, forcing Rai to lean over him at an odd angle. Rai gives up and pats the trembling body sadly, showing us new bullet holes. ''He''s pretty traumatised.''


    ''Hughes must be too. Though, that''s what she gets for encouraging you to fly like a maniac,'' Kass says. Kass tried to defend himself and Dimitrov with his powers too, but it hadn''t gone well. He accidentally smashed a hole in the ground, and although plenty of Futurists fell in, lots of our soldiers did too. He''s sweating profusely under his balaclava; he rips it off and flings it aside.


    Rai glances at him, looking nervous. Then, to my surprise, he nudges Kass in the ribs. ''Hey. Racer, not a maniac. Racer.'' He grins. ''When this is over, I''ll take you for a ride. You won''t think I''m a maniac then.''


    Kass raises an eyebrow. Then, despite himself, cracks a smile. ''Maybe you should.''


    ''Maybe I will.''


    ''Ready, you lot? This is our last teleport.'' Paolera approaches and claps Dimitrov on the back, who has a distinctly haunted look in his eyes. Together with Tanner and Hughes, they form a circle around us, their hands clasped tightly together. ''Well done for staying alive, you three.'' I can''t believe how hard her voice sounds, no trace of fear, no emotion other than determination. Reaching under Hughes''s arm, she yanks me to my feet with a grip of steel. The boys rise too.


    ''Even though I messed up?'' Kass whispers.


    Paolera sighs. ''War is war, Kass. We needed you alive; you stayed alive. That''s all that matters right now.''


    He scuffs the rocks on the ground with his feet. I think I hear him mumble something about ''collateral''.


    ''This is it. This teleport will take us directly into the eye. We''ve managed to narrow down the capsule to one of three locations. I''ve split the troops into three groups, who will each teleport to different coordinates three seconds before us. Whichever group lands at the right location will radio and we''ll join at their coordinates. We''ll all have to take the same wormhole, so on my command, we need to jump together. They''ll be no three, two, one for us, there''s no time. You''ll have to jump when I shout now. Understand?''


    ''Yes, Captain,'' we say in unison.


    Three more soldiers gather at the edge of the circle. One of them removes her balaclava ¨C it''s Brie.


    ''Room for a few more?''


    ''Quickly, we''re almost out of time.''


    Brie and her two soldiers duck into the circle too; it''s now extremely cramped. Mine and Kass'' foreheads are practically touching.


    ''Ready?'' Paolera calls to the rest of the troops.


    ''Yes, Captain.''


    ''LIEUTENANTS SIDANA, SCHNEIDER AND TONG. READY ON MY COMMAND. TELEPORT IN THREE. . . TWO. . . ONE. . .


    ''NOW.''


    There are three flashes of darkness, and suddenly, we''re the only group left. The rest of the soldiers have disappeared with their lieutenants ¨C we now only have three seconds.


    Three seconds. . .


    Two seconds. . .


    One second. . .


    ''Captain!''


    Lieutenant Schneider''s voice howls through Paolera''s earpiece.


    ''NOW.''


    And as one, we jump.

 Chapter 19 - Kass

    My feet hit the ground, jarring my arm ¨C pain shoots up to my shoulder, but it will have to wait. We''ve teleported into a square courtyard set between the dull, domed building, where a little blue flag flickers innocently by the door of what looks like a small warehouse.


    The capsule must be inside. It has to be.


    The strength of the hurricane is incredible, unimaginable ¨C our group is instantly blown apart. I fly backwards, my specially-designed boots no match for these winds, and smack into the front of the warehouse. The winds slam against me, trying to force me even further back, but with the warehouse in the way, I''ve got nowhere to go.


    My breath is forced out in wheezing bursts as I''m crushed - I press my hands against the warehouse wall, concentrating as hard as I can.


    White-heat flares through my fingers and a crack splinters the concrete. With a crunch, the concrete moulds around my wrist, sealing itself around me, holding me in place.


    I look around wildly for Dimitrov. ''Dimi, grab on!''


    Dimitrov''s had time to learn this trick of mine. The enormous man skids past me, struggling to stay upright; I reach out with my other hand and he grabs hold, clambering over me like I''m a climbing frame and clinging on around my waist.


    ''God help us, Kass ¨C,''


    We''re surrounded by Futurist soldiers. Somehow, they''re staying upright ¨C and each one points a gun at us. Schneider''s body lies lifeless on the ground, rolling over in the wind, blood staining his path, the bodies of his soldiers similarly scattered.


    The Futurist commander, recognisable in his lurid blue armour, raises a fist into the air.


    ''FIRE!''


    Sammi steps forwards. And the air explodes.


    *


    I don''t know what the hell is happening. The winds around Sammi are twisting, or constricting, and all of a sudden this huge mass of what looks like thickened air  wraps itself around us. Sammi''s balaclava has been blown off; her hair streaks freely in wild tendrils, standing on end ¨C the wind its extension, spinning so fast, it makes my eyes water. It seems so solid ¨C I let my concrete grip crumble, and find that I can move again. Inside the wind cocoon, the hurricanes can''t touch us.


    I stroke the side of the cocoon, and my hand slips through. I withdraw it quick as bullets hit and trickle down the sides; even though it''s not really solid, the wind bubble is so dense that the bullets just bounce off like rain.


    A hellish rain, but rain nonetheless.


    ''GO!'' Sammi screams as another shower of bullets ricochets off the sides. She glances over her shoulder at us, her expression so fierce, so intense, I''m momentarily stunned. Stunned by her power. ''I don''t know how long I can hold them for!''


    ''Go, go, go.''  Paolera, with the true instincts of a captain, springs into action. Dimitrov lets go of me and we all pelt for the warehouse door. Rai reaches it first, and it clanks as he pushes.


    ''It''s locked.''


    Dimitrov swears, banging his huge fist against it.


    ''Oh, move out the way.'' Brie shoulders Rai aside and inserts something long and thin into the lock. A spark, then a burst of flame ¨C the inside of the lock blows. Brie kicks the door open with a smirk.


    ''Get in!'' Paolera bellows as Brie and her team hurry inside ¨C but I stay by the door, my fingers tightening around Rai''s wrist. He hesitates too.


    ''But,'' I say slowly. ''What about Sammi?''


    She''s still holding the wind cocoon around us, staggering as bullets hail down on her from all directions. Her knees buckle and she crashes to her knees; but still, the wind bubble holds.


    Her cries ring in my ears.


    ''GO!'' she shrieks.


    Paolera curses, exchanging the quickest glance with Tanner.


    ''It''s alright, I''ll cover her.'' Tanner sets his jaw, lifting his fist to his forehead. ''You can count on me, Captain. The rest of you, go.''


    ''But ¨C Tanner ¨C,''


    ''GO.'' Tanner rushes to Sammi and lifts her up under the armpits. He wraps one of her arms around his neck and squares his shoulders, his back to us.


    Paolera gives a short, curt nod. ''Fine. Kass, Rai, inside now, or I''ll shoot your kneecaps and drag you in.''


    Maybe this is what makes her so good in a crisis. But, I can''t be so cold.


    I''ve made my decision. ''I won''t leave her.''


    ''Me either.'' Rai shakes his head, then grins. ''We''re a team. We stay together.''


    ''Fine. You asked for it.'' Paolera''s finger twitches, and then Rai does the weirdest thing ¨C he steps in front of me, his arms spread wide.


    ''Please, Paolera, just wait!''


    ''Dude, what the hell?'' I try to shove him out the way. I don''t need his protection ¨C an idea, something brilliant, has occurred to me. ''Paolera, please. I have an idea. Don''t shoot ¨C RAI?''


    Paolera''s gun goes off and Rai cries out ¨C a white streak darts in front of him. There''s a sickening crunch, and Henry crashes into Rai''s stomach.


    Rai staggers, winded. ''Henry?'' He holds up Henry''s body, a bullet-hole sizzling through the middle.


    ''What the hell, Paolera?'' I roar. ''Just listen!''


    ''No. It''s my job ¨C,''


    ''SAMMI? Get here, NOW.''


    I duck past Paolera and lunge at Sammi, who turns to me in Tanner''s arms, her cheeks streaked with tears.


    ''Kass? W-what are you d-d-doing?''


    ''OI'' Dimitrov yells. ''Get back here!'' His arms seize me from behind, dragging me backwards, my feet scrabbling uselessly against the ground ¨C


    ''Trust me, Sam! Step back until you reach the door, then I''ll use my powers to barricade us in. Trust me, dammit. Please?''


    Our eyes meet. She nods.


    Dimitrov strikes me over the head and drags me back through the warehouse door. Tanner and Sammi are arguing, shouting, Rai''s been forced inside by Paolera and Hughes too ¨C


    In all the confusion, Sammi trips. Tanner''s trying to restrain her but she fights back, stronger somehow, struggling to reach the door. Somehow, in the scuffle, she topples backwards through the doorway and crashes down the stone steps.


    With each thud, the wind cocoon cracks - and starts to collapse.


    ''IF YOU DON''T LET ME GO, DIMITROV, WE''RE ALL GOING TO DIE,'' I roar.


    The hands holding me disappear. Everyone''s inside now except Tanner ¨C he dives in as I sprint back up the stairs, just as the wind cocoon dissolved completely and is whipped away into the hurricane.


    The Futurists are revealed. Bold and blue. They open fire.


    My hands sink into the concrete floor by the doorway.


    And the ground explodes upwards, rising and hitting the ceiling with an almighty crash. Dust sprinkles down from the ceiling.


    A hundred bullets hit the door.


    But we''re safe. The doorway sealed shut.


    *


    ''I told you to trust me,'' I mutter, as we wander along a dimly-lit corridor. It''s cold and I shiver; dull lanterns light up the tunnel, revealing faded tapestries that sprawl the lengths of the walls.


    ''Well, forgive me for being sceptical after your last performance,'' Dimitrov snaps.


    ''Asshole.''


    ''Shh,'' Paolera hisses. ''We have to tread carefully now. No more stunts, McKenzie ¨C you''re lucky that worked. One wrong move, and we could all die. You have to listen to me. Understand?''


    ''Right,'' I mumble, heat rising up the back of my neck. I risk a glance at Brie; she''s watching me, eyebrows raised. I raise my own back, and she scowls. Then, nods. Good, I grit my teeth. The plan is still on. We''ll be teleporting with Brie any moment now.


    But. . . Guilt is starting to churn my stomach. Dimitrov, Paolera, Tanner, Hughes. . . and all the other soldiers risking their lives to protect us. And we''re about to stab them in the back?


    No. They''re risking their lives for the capsule. Not for us.


    We''re just weapons, remember? Just tools of war.


    I stiffen my resolve and follow Paolera in silence, pretending to be fascinated by the tapestries. I can sense Rai''s and Sammi''s eyes on me, questioning, probably wanting to know if we''re still going ahead. . .


    But I can''t risk trying to signal to them. Dimitrov is watching me too closely. I catch his eye and look down; jeez. The guy''s like a scolding school teacher.


    The tunnel is quiet. Almost too quiet. Our footsteps echo as we trudge onward, and I''m starting to wonder how much longer we''ll have to keep up this charade. Brie seems totally at ease, a small smile playing on her lips as she appraises the tapestries.


    ''Odd, these, aren''t they?'' she smirks at us. ''I reckon they''re the history of the Nuclear Wars. Look.'' She points at a figure held down in chains. It''s a particularly grizzly scene; the figure appears to be being tortured. ''I wonder if that''s General Polinsky. She led the Slavskanistan army, you know. Lots of gruesome theories about what happened to her.''


    ''Hmm,'' Paolera grunts, rolling her eyes as soon as Brie''s back is turned. I get the distinct impression she didn''t much like Brie.


    I run my fingers along the tunnel walls under the tapestries as we walk. It''s funny; before, I never really noticed what stuff is made out of. But now, I feel all the different textures: clay, sand, and all the metals intertwined. They react to me differently, too: the clay and sand almost reach out towards me, with a sort of willingness. The metals are different, harder, more resistant. As though they want nothing to do with me.


    There''s a crash in the distance. An enormous, invisible weight slams into my back.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ''Ugh!''


    Rai stops in his tracks. ''Kass?'' He turns and cries out ¨C I''m almost bent double, the weights forcing me down. He rushes over to help, hauling me up by my arms. I pant, trying to shrug him off ¨C but then, my breath catches in my chest.


    Seriously? Oh, come on. Wheezing, I take a puff from my inhaler, wincing as I feel the concrete blocking the doorway take another hit. Rai reaches out again but I bat his hand away.


    ''Rai. Stop it. You''re creeping me out,'' I croak, wiping my mouth with my sleeve. It comes out snappier than I intend, and I feel a pang of regret as Rai sighs, dropping his hand and going red.


    ''Sorry.''


    ''Is the door breaking?'' Sammi asks, dark circles shadowing her eyes. She looks exhausted.


    I nod. ''I don''t think it will hold much longer.'' I glare at Brie. When are we teleporting out of here? We should be long gone by now. It''s like she''s forgotten her own mission.


    Eventually, the tapestries end and the passageway narrows; nobody speaks. The soldiers communicate in anxious glances instead. We turn a corner and there, at last, is another door, with one last tapestry draped over it. It''s the figure Brie pointed out earlier, Polinsky. Except this time, not being tortured. Here, she''s smiling. Paolera takes a breath, her fist tightening on the handle.


    ''Ready?''


    A splinter flutters from the ceiling onto her shoulder. Paolera brushes it off and we stare, watching it gently float to the ground. Together, we look up.


    A crack spreads through the ceiling. Then ¨C


    It bursts open. Futurists pour down on top of us.


    *


    Everything''s happening so fast. We dive to the ground as bullets rocket from above, flying everywhere, bouncing off the walls. Blood splatters my feet as one of our soldiers collapses.


    Rough arms pick me up from behind.


    ''Dammit, Dimitrov, stop carrying me!''


    Dimitrov storms through the Futurists like a bull, scattering them like bowling pins; he hurls me through the door behind the tapestry and I roll over. Rai lands next to me and the door is slammed closed.


    ''SEAL IT, KASS, SEAL IT!'' Paolera screams.


    I don''t think ¨C there isn''t time. Sinking my arms deep into the stone floor, I send another barricade soaring up to the ceiling, trapping us inside. Screams echo from the other side of the door.


    I haven''t just trapped us inside. With us, is a small group of Futurists. They stare at me for half a second. Then, the fight continues.


    Dimitrov attacks like a man possessed: one minute, shooting back to back with Paolera, the next, weaving in and out of the fray, dodging each and every Futurist attack. Brie and Hughes fight too, but the Futurists'' armour is so strong; Hughes cries out and hits the floor, two Futurist soldiers bearing down to finish her off.


    Next to me, Rai yells. I swivel around in time to see a great sheath of water burst from his hands across the floor, sending the Futurists slipping and sprawling to their knees. Then Brie is on top of them, her dagger slicing through the soft exposed flesh of their necks below their mesh helmets. Bright red blood spews out over the fresh aqua blue of their uniform.


    Dimitrov takes up more space than all the soldiers put together, and merely roars with rage when a bullet burrows into his side. He dives at the Futurist responsible, pinning him up against the nearest wall, slamming him against it again, and again, until the soldier flops, limp, in his arms.


    Spots start to dance in front of my eyes, and it suddenly occurs to me that I haven''t taken a breath ¨C in ages. I try to inhale but it''s impossible, like sucking air through a brick wall. I bang my chest, knowing it wont help ¨C oh god ¨C this is worse than being useless, this is helpless. Rai''s still beside me but he''s not paying attention, he''s got a half-empty canister in one hand and is too busy shooting water across the floor.


    Behind him, a Futurist soldier staggers to her feet. Her eyes blaze with hatred behind her mesh helmet. She raises her gun, cocks her head, and pulls the trigger.


    Henry''s lights flash helplessly, his broken body spinning by Rai''s feet.


    Rai turns, horror dawning in his sapphire eyes.


    And as everything starts to fade, I lunge and smack into Rai from the side, forcing him to the floor. The ground rises up to meet me, folding over us like it''s tucking us into bed. I flinch as the bullets dance off the stone.


    My cheek rests against Rai''s chest, and finally, finally, I take a ragged breath.


    Before everything dissolves into darkness.


    *


    It must have only been for a few minutes. Strong arms tug me upright, propping me against a wall; my neck jerks. My lungs are itchy. The breath I tried so hard to suck in is now fighting for a way out. On instinct, I reach for my inhaler, and the belt across my chest slowly starts to relaxed. With every breath, things come back to me.


    The ceiling.


    The Futurists.


    Bullets everywhere ¨C Dimi, horrifyingly fast ¨C


    The soldier behind Rai. . .


    ''Rai?'' My voice scratches. Clearing my throat, I bring a shaking hand to my eyes.


    What will I do if he''s dead?


    ''Yeah?''


    I can hear him. I can even feel him. But I can''t look. Just in case. Kitty, my parents, Niven ¨C it''s all still too much. Tears prick my eyes. I can''t lose you too.


    Arms tuck themselves around me. Not rough, jolting arms like Dimi''s. Gentle. Safe. I rest my head on his shoulder, letting him hold me, if only for a moment. Then, I pull away. And open my eyes.


    As though nothing happened, Rai flops beside me and nudges me with his shoulder. ''Thanks, Kass. You saved my ass.'' His cheeks are very pink.


    ''Nah. Just my own. You got in the way.''


    ''Not now.'' We glance up as Paolera kneels down in front of us. She looks as though she''s aged thirty years. Dirt and sweat streak her cheeks, and blood is smeared all across her torso. But it''s her eyes that look the worst. She''s lost so many troops; I suddenly understood why she acts so hard all the time. It''s better than giving in to the ghosts.


    ''Look around you,'' she continues. ''We don''t have much time.''


    CRAP.


    More pieces of the puzzle flood back.


    The capsule. Brie''s rescue mission.


    The screaming from the other side of the door.


    ''Holy crap,'' I whisper. The scene around me. . . Bodies are strewn across the floor. Hughes is kneeling, panting heavily, clutching her bleeding stomach. Brie leans against my concrete barricade covering the doorway, frowning as she flicks blood from her dagger to the floor. Dimitrov hovers behind Paolera, fiddling with his temporary wormhole, shaking it and calling: ''Tanner, Tanner, can you hear me? Hello?''


    ''Where''s Sammi?'' My voice comes out strangled. ''Where is she?''


    Brie cocks her head at the door. And I realise ¨C I must have shut her out. Shut her on the other side. I let out a moan and sink my head into my hands.


    No more noises filter through from outside the door. Perhaps this room is sound-proof? Otherwise, it must mean their fight is over too. And if it is over. . . Then the Futurists must have finished it off. They would have had unlimited backup through that hole in the ceiling. Sammi. I''m so. . . I didn''t mean. . .


    This room is a prison. It feels small. It isn''t; in reality, it''s actually quite large, but it has all the claustrophobic traits that make small rooms hostile. The walls close in on you; it''s dark, no ventilation, trapping in the musty, stale stench. The air tastes thick, a sharp metallic twang against my tongue. A knot of chunky silver cables run under our feet, making the floor bumpy. They congregate in the centre of the room, coiling around to form a pillar that looks a bit like a tree-stump. No one willing to go anywhere near it.


    For inside the mass of coiled cables is a figure.


    A person.


    ''The capsule,'' Paolera breathes.


    My head spins. Not again. Not again. Unlike the first capsule, this person is awake; they raise their head and open their eyes, staring at us. Demure and silent inside the coil.


    It''s definitely a she. And not just any she ¨C I recognise her at once. It''s the woman from the tapestry, the Slavskani General whose portrait hung over the door. But in real life, her skin is mottled, dark grey visinium having spread through most of her body. Only a few patches of skin are still visible: her left cheekbone, under her right ear. Her hair is long and scraped away from her face, but each strand is stiff, dark and set, a marble statue. The whites of her eyes are grey, her irises, grey.


    Deep, dark grey. Blank, unseeing grey.


    ''No.'' I bury my head in my knees. ''It''s not fair. It''s not fair.''


    ''Life isn''t fair, McKenzie.'' Paolera seizes the front of my suit and drags me to my feet. ''You think we wanted to kill those Futurists? Of course, we didn''t. This is just what you have to do in war!''


    ''That can''t be true.'' Rai drops one of his empty canisters; the clang as it hits the stone floor reverberates around the room, too loud. ''No one has to be a killer. I can''t. . . I can''t accept that.''


    ''Exactly,'' I say, trying to shove Paolera away. ''This is bullshit.''


    ''What ¨C? This is the job you came here to do! What on earth were you expecting, a day out at the seaside?'' Dimitrov bellows. He snatches me from Paolera, shaking me until my neck snaps.


    ''Get off.'' I struggle uselessly in his arms. Furious, I turn to Brie, still slouched against my barricade picking dirt from underneath her nails. ''What the hell, Brie? We shouldn''t even be here!''


    ''Ah, yes.'' Brie''s eyebrows stay locked in a frown. But her small, mocking smile is back. Mocking me. ''Your charming little blackmail plan. What did you want again? To tag along with me instead of doing your own mission?''


    Dimitrov slams me against the wall, his face contorting with rage.


    ''What? You ¨C were ¨C what?'' Each word an accusation. Punctuated with betrayal.


    ''Nice try, little boy.'' Brie kicks off against the barricade, and a rock crumbles down; she ducks out of its way and walks over to Rai. Her smile grows into a grin as she swings a lazy arm over his shoulder, chuckling as he flinches violently away. ''You really thought I could be blackmailed so easily? Please. I rule the black market. You think I haven''t seen every trick in the book?''


    ''Blackmail? But. . . I thought. . .'' Rai peters out and turns to me in confusion, his eyes searching, disbelieving. Dimitrov drops me and I slump down the wall. I can''t even look at Rai. Not now. . .


    ''Obviously I alerted Paolera right away and postponed my mission. So well done, little boy ¨C all you succeeded in doing was delaying the recovery of your fellow misfit. Nice job, good going.''


    I glare up at her through hooded eyes. Hate pools in my fists, clouding my thoughts, clouding everything. ''Damn it. . . Damn you. . .''


    ''Enough.'' Paolera clunks the handle of her gun onto Brie''s back; Brie yelped and backed away, rubbing her shoulder and muttering.


    ''Enough,'' Paolera repeats, staring down at me sternly. Another chunk of rock broke off my barricade and smashes to the floor. I feel it, as though it''s me weakening, as though it''s my bones being chipped away. ''You need to destroy the capsule, and you need to do it now. Or none of us will make it out of here alive.''


    ''No.''


    I know Rai thinks I''m in denial. And maybe I am, but it''s more than that. The thought of looking someone in the eye and ending their life. . . Even if it''s justice. Even if it''s revenge. It still scares me in a way I can''t even describe.


    I guess I''m just weak.


    ''Can''t we at least try to find another way? Surely killing can''t be the only answer. Can''t we, I dunno, try to cut her out or something ¨C?''


    Hughes cries out and slumps to the floor. Dimitrov rushes over to her. ''Dammit, Kass,'' he thunders. ''Stop being such a child and let us get out of here!''


    ''He can''t,'' Brie snorts, tossing her dagger from hand to hand. ''He can''t help it ¨C he''s just a pathetic little boy who can''t even be a weapon. Well, what about you, Rai?''


    Rai looks at me. A muscle tenses in his jaw.


    ''Don''t do it, Rai.'' I speak quietly. Our eyes lock. He bites his lip, then slowly shakes his head.


    ''I can''t,'' he whispers.


    Brie shrugs. ''That''s okay. Like a little brat once told me ¨C,'' she winks at me. ''I guess I''m more telling, than asking.''


    Rai tries to bolt but she''s too fast; before I can blink, she''s on top of him, wrestling him flat against her body, pinning his arms behind his back. I lunge for her legs but am floored by a kick to the gut ¨C then Dimitrov''s fist smashes into my face. I lie on my back, gasping.


    ''No ¨C get off me ¨C,''


    Brie''s control of Rai is so well-practised; I wonder just how many people she''s threatened, pinned-down. The water canisters on Rai''s back are empty and useless; he struggles in her arms, just as useless.


    ''You''ll do whatever I want,'' she hisses in his ear.


    Pain flashes across his face, and something inside me snaps.


    ''IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON HIM ¨C,''


    Click. The barrel of Paolera''s gun locks against my temple. I stared forwards, as Brie forces Rai towards the capsule. Her dagger is wedged against his side; he stumbles, and Brie''s wrist flicks ¨C a damp circle appears on his suit. Henry thrashes about on the floor, spinning pointlessly in a circle.


    ''Well, this turned nasty pretty quick, didn''t it,'' I spit. ''Didn''t take much for you to turn on us.''


    ''We haven''t turned on you, idiot. We''re just doing our jobs, and making sure you do yours,'' Paolera hisses. I watch, pinned down by Dimitrov, only too aware of the coldness of Paolera''s gun against my forehead. Bile rises in my stomach as Brie pushes Rai over the coils at the foot of the pillar.


    ''So, how do we blow this bitch up, exactly ¨C aaargh!''


    She screams and sinks to her knees, dragging Rai down on top of her. He scrambles out of her grasp as she staggers back to her feet, panting.


    ''Dammit!'' She spits, wiping her forehead. Sweat pours down her brow, her breathing laboured. ''What the hell?''


    Grabbing Rai by the upper arm, she tries to drag him forwards again but this time, the effect is instantaneous; she gives another shriek of pain as she collapses, shivering violently over of the knot of cables.


    ''Get back, Brie,'' Paolera shouts. ''The capsule will make you sick. Only the Elementalists can get that close, remember? What''s wrong with you?''


    Brie roars in frustration, but slithers backwards, covering her head with her arms.


    ''Kass or Rai will do it,'' Paolera breaths. ''They have to. We''re relying on them. They have to.''


    ''Or what?'' Rai pants, leaning his head against the grey pillar.


    ''I''ll shoot.'' Her face sets, and she shoves the gun hard against my temple. ''I''m sorry, Rai, but this is it. Do it, or I will shoot him.''


    ''So, it really does have to be us,'' Rai says softly. His shoulders sags as he lets out a long, weary sigh. ''Fine. I''ll do it.''


    ''No!'' I yell, but Dimitrov slams his palm over my mouth; I try to punch him, kick him, anything ¨C but it''s pointless, like trying to move a mountain. Another chunk, even bigger than the last, breaks off the barricade.


    I bite down hard on Dimitrov''s hand, ignoring his scream. ''She''s bluffing! They''d never shoot me!''


    ''It''s okay, Kass.'' Rai steps back, tilting his head up so he can see the capsule better. ''This person deserves better. She deserves more than living in hell like this.''


    ''TRAITOR!''


    Dimitrov''s arms tighten around me as I writhe and thrash, reduced to watching, helpless, as Rai raises his hand up to the capsule.


    It blinks, its huge, blind eyes searching for us.


    ''You''re the traitor,'' Brie hisses, her voice slicing the tension like her dagger. ''Using Rai''s dirty little secrets to blackmail me. Like I care. I''m not in this business to be liked.''


    ''You ¨C you did what?'' Rai spins round, his hand inches from the capsule. The last of the colour drains from his face. He stares at the floor, clenched fists trembling.


    ''That doesn''t matter now!'' I scream. ''Rai, don''t do this. Remember what you said ¨C you told us you don''t want to be used! You don''t want to be a pawn anymore!''


    ''I guess this is just who I am,'' he shrugs, his voice dull and lifeless. ''A pawn. A weapon. Maybe there''s no escape, no getting past it. I am who I am. What I am.''


    Then he looks at me with fire in his eyes.


    ''And if being a pawn means you don''t get shot? Well, so be it ¨C I guess that makes me RESIST''s latest pawn.''


    He slams his hand down onto the capsule''s heart ¨C and all I see next is the blast.

 Chapter 20 - Rai

    It''s funny. Sometimes you have the weirdest conversations at the weirdest times. You know?


    Like me and my headphones. It''s been so long since I''ve used them, I''ve almost forgotten about them. But they''re always here when I need them, like an old friend.


    I could really, really do with a friend.


    *


    I hear the capsule speak. I press my hand to her heart, and the woman speaks to me. In my head.


    ''Thank you,'' she whispers. ''Thank you.''


    Sammi was right. The capsule really does feel like everything, and nothing. I can feel its loose, flowing bonds, the ones that glide smoothly together, elegantly rolling over each other, like a river. Although the capsule is rigid on the outside, inside, it''s alive ¨C a living, breathing organism. Power floods to my fingertips. I focus all my efforts into grasping each and every particle that I possibly can.


    ''Please ¨C do it quickly. One good, strong burst. That will be enough. Please. Do it now.''


    And so, I do.


    *


    The blast tears through the cables, sparks fly, and in an explosion of grey, she bursts apart. Chunks spatter in every direction; one hits me in the chest and I topple backwards, landing painfully on my back. A collective gasp ripples around the group. Kass'' face crumples, and his barricade disintegrates.


    Futurists pour in through the newly-uncovered door, but the pain in my chest ¨C in my heart ¨C is consuming. Overwhelming. So much so, I barely even see them. I shake my head, over and over, as chaos erupts around me, but inside me, nothing happens.


    Why? I ask myself. My reti-chip springs into diagnostic action, feeding me information through my headphones as a Futurist grabs me by my arms and wrenches me backwards. . .


    Our sensors detect a blockage, they say. Twist your finger into the suction pad to clear it. You are also due for a dosage raise ¨C please report to your local medical facility.


    Great. I reach up and poke my finger inside the hole between the pads on the back of my neck.


    Ahh.


    ''No, you don''t!'' The Futurist yanks my arm back down to my side, but I''ve done it; something internal shifts, and I shake my head again.


    A huge, calming wave sweeps through me, and I close my eyes, sighing with relief as the weight on my heart lifts. I feel light, light as air. I can still hear the shouting, the screaming, but it floats over me, not bothering me at all. I blink lazily at the Futurists as they rip the canisters from my back, stripping me of my empty weapons. At Dimitrov, as they knock him to his knees; at Kass, whose feet kick the air as he''s flung over a Futurist''s shoulder ¨C


    I guess I never really believed that we''d rescue the missing Elementalist anyway. I guess I''ve always known that I''m meant to be used.


    *


    A great, white pad drifts down through the hole in the ceiling, and with grunts of effort, the Futurists pile us on. By now, we''re all bound and gagged except for Hughes, who lies weakly on her side bleeding onto the snow-white surface. Slowly, the pad begins to rise.


    I regard Hughes, silently, wondering if she''s going to die. I remember how she clung to my waist as Henry darted through the storm of bullets. The most daring soldier I''ve ever flown with. Hmm. I don''t want - it would really suck if she dies.


    Then, it occurs to me that the Futurists haven''t killed any of us yet. They''re allowing us to live ¨C but for how long? Nine of them are cramped onto this lift-pad with us ¨C I''ve counted ¨C their blue mesh helmets knocking together as they bicker about where to take us.


    ''Straight to the General?''


    ''Will he want to be disturbed?''


    ''Of course he''ll want to be disturbed ¨C,''


    ''What about the situation outside ¨C?''


    ''How do we tell him about the capsule?''


    The pad floats up into a bright white FUTURE laboratory. The cleanliness shocks me; it''s so bright, I have to scrunch up my eyes. I''ve almost forgotten what clean looks like, everything is so dank and dingy in RESIST. Even Keller''s hospital can''t compare; I smile despite myself. He would love this place.


    Scores of scientists stop in their tracks, peering at us open mouthed ¨C someone drops a test tube and it smashes over the vinyl floor in a violet puddle. Soldiers barge through the crowd to surround the hole through which we emerge, shouting at the scientists to stay back, the barrels of their guns following our ascent.


    What do they think we''re going to do? Roll off and throttle them with our bound wrists?


    The pad drifts along a corridor, people diving out of the way in their haste to not get squished. I stare as we sail past. Droids lean against polished walls, carefully oiling each other''s joints; drones whizz past with ammo; and there, out of the corner of my eye, I spot an AI-vending machine with some of Dove''s favourite choco-pod snacks inside. Through the haze of my dampened emotions, I sense a dull ache. This place. . . was me. This was my life. . . How have I become a prisoner in my own world? Then I glance at Kass, his hate-filled eyes; at Dimi and Paolera, chained together ¨C Dimi sporting a wound to the head; Hughes, pale and lifeless in a pool of blood. . .


    Is this what it means to be Futurist? Shiny and clean while the rest of us go to hell?


    I wonder if Kass will ever speak to me again.


    Then I wonder if I want him to. My stomach prickles ¨C me, traitor? Please. It takes one to know one.


    At the end of the passage is a white, steel door, decorated lavishly in a thousand tiny lights. One of the Futurists aboard the pad leans in close, letting the lights shine in a pattern into his right eye: yellow, blue, green, red, blue. . . In one swift motion, the door opens.


    The pad draws to an abrupt stop in mid-air, hovering soft and gentle as a breeze.


    In our way stands General Jinaka.


    He''s smaller than I remember, and rounder, his forehead puckered with beads of sweat. With one hand, he picks at his tufty moustache, whilst the other tosses a pearly-white orb up and down. His eyes pop in surprise.


    ''S-Sir!'' The Futurists jump to their feet and give a short, curt bow. Then, one with a lieutenant''s lapel steps forwards.


    ''We''ve captured some of the rebel Resisters, Sir. We estimate several dozen survivors in medical, not including the ones you see here. Sir, we have reason to suspect that three of the captives are Elementalists. Sir ¨C they ¨C they got to the capsule, and the damage, it''s serious. . . We''re so sorry, Sir ¨C,''


    ''Alright, alright, Charlie.'' Jinaka waves his hand irritably, pocketing the orb and massaging his temple instead. ''What do you think I''ve been doing all day, playing checkers? I''ve just got back from medical. Do you realise how many of my soldiers those buggers have gone and murdered?''


    Paolera makes a furious noise behind her gag and starts struggling; Jinaka glances at her with interest.


    ''What. You object to my use of the term ''murder''? What would you call it?'' He rolls his eyes at the Lieutenant. ''Charlie, how is she meant to answer with that abomination over her mouth?''


    Charlie purses his lips, but nonetheless pulls the gag down from Paolera''s mouth. She spits, glowering up at Jinaka.


    ''I call it fighting to protect what we love.''


    ''Ha!'' Jinaka laughs. It''s a bitter sound. ''Take them to medical, Charlie, apart from the one who''s making a god-awful mess all over my hover pad. She needs a surgeon, quick now, or we''ll lose her.''


    ''What are you going to do to us?'' Paolera snarls, as two soldiers haul Hughes off the pad and sidestep Jinaka, who inspects her with vague curiosity as they carry her past him through the flashing door. He turns back to Paolera and sighs.


    ''Right now? Not a lot. I''ve got to organise the clean-up of hundreds of bodies, assess the current damage, along with the situation on the ground. I''m sure you''ll agree, those all take precedence over you. You''ll stay in medical until I''m ready.''


    ''Like hell I will.'' She struggles, tugging on her binds; Jinaka tuts, ducks under the hover pad, and strolls away from us down the passageway, still chanting orders.


    ''Gem, take the soldiers away, and Charlie, get the Elementalists to Fina''s lab. Make them comfortable somewhere for the time being; I know a certain doctor who will be dying to see them when he has a moment.''


    ''Don''t you touch them ¨C Kass, Rai!'' Paolera''s gag is yanked back over her mouth as we''re separated; Charlie slings me over his shoulder beside his gun. All I can do is stare at the back of his uniform, at the vibrant blue crest, as I''m bumped along. I can hear Kass grunting and kicking in the background, the Futurist carrying him grumbling.


    They take us through a room that, in stark contrast to the rest of the building, is badly lit, one lonely bulb flickering from an old-fashioned lamp propped up on a rickety wooden desk. Beside it lies a plush velvet chair, plump with padding, tipped over on its side. Perhaps knocked over in its occupant''s haste. Stacked across the floor are piles of papers, some so tall they almost scrape the ceiling, covered in scrawled handwriting that I recognise from signings. Is this Jinaka''s office? It''s so old-fashioned. . .


    Beyond the office is a steep staircase; we snake along so many winding corridors that I lose track, until I''m dumped, unceremoniously, on the floor of a small room. It has a bed, a clean, porcelain toilet, and a simple plastic desk with a chair. There''s even a window, light peeking in from outside.


    The soldier carrying Kass throws him onto the bed. Charlie kneels down to fumble with my chains.


    ''If you stop wiggling, I''ll untie you!'' the Futurist says to Kass, sounding exasperated. ''You''re going to make your injury worse.'' But Kass, being Kass, continues to thrash on the soft covers, his yells muffled by his gag. Charlie unties mine, and I stretch my jaw out, touching it hesitantly.


    ''It''s alright. We''re not going to hurt you,'' Charlie says, turning to my hands and clicking open the shackles. He glances at Kass, then up at the other soldier.


    ''Don''t worry about him,'' I mutter, rubbing the marks on my wrists. ''I''ll untie him when he calms down.''


    ''Fair enough.'' Charlie beckons to his colleague, who gives up on Kass with a shrug. ''Don''t try and escape, it''s not going to happen. Just keep him calm until Jinaka gets here. He''ll want to talk to you.''


    ''I''ll bet.''


    Charlie tosses me the key to Kass'' cuffs and leaves the room with his fellow soldier, shutting the door behind him. I listen to the click of the lock and their footsteps retreating along the corridor. Kass lies on the bed, red-faced and panting heavily.


    ''Are you finished now?'' I inch along the floor until I''m close enough to prop my arms up next to him on the bed, resting my chin on my hands. ''Or are you just going to carry on with whatever this tantrum is?''


    Then something clicks.


    ''Where''s your inhaler?''


    Kass shakes his head; I tug the gag off his mouth, unleashing an explosion of coughs and splutters. There''s a blue tint to his lips, and I have to shake my head again to dispel the creeping panic.


    ''Lost ¨C m-my ¨C c-c-cloak ¨C,''


    ''It''s okay.'' Heaving myself up, I settle on the bed next to Kass, lifting him upright against my body. I rub my hand in a wide circle over his back, feeling his shoulders tense under my touch. ''Relax, for god''s sake. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Again. Again.''


    ''I ¨C h-h-hate ¨C you.''


    ''Yeah, well. I don''t particularly like you right now, either.''


    ''Ass-s-s h-h-ole.''


    ''Just shut up and breathe.''


    It takes a while before Kass feels well enough to shrug me off. With a look of deep reluctance, he shoves his bound wrists in my direction. ''Get these pieces of crap off me.''


    My fingers fumble with the chains; they''re streaked with dark red blood that has dripped down from his shoulder.


    ''Ahh.'' He waves his hands to get the feeling back, and for one delusional moment, I think he''s going to thank me. But no; his face settles into his standard scowl. ''I can''t believe you did that. How could you?''


    ''What?'' I shake away a bubble of my own anger. ''Do what we were meant to do in the first place? Get off your high horse. You think the capsules want to be stuck like that? You don''t know ¨C you didn''t have to look her in the eye and end it. I did.''


    ''And what?'' Kass snarls. ''You think she was thanking you?''


    I look down, feeling the back of my neck flush. ''I dunno. Yeah, maybe.''


    ''Don''t kid yourself.''


    ''Oh, and what about you?'' I flare back. ''Using me to blackmail Cadence? You''re just like everybody else, using me to get what you want.''


    Kass blinks. ''It wasn''t like that ¨C,''


    ''It never is.'' I turn away. ''Look at me. . . It''s all anyone''s ever going to see, isn''t it. A black-market bitch, just like Brie said.''


    ''Rai ¨C I ¨C,''


    But I don''t want to hear it. Not anymore. Careful not to jar him, I slide off the bed onto the floor. It''s better than looking at Kass, that''s for sure.


    *


    Countless hours pass, until the light streaming through the window fades into complete darkness. There aren''t any other lights in our cell, no other ways to combat the blackness. I must have fallen asleep ''cause when the door finally opens, I get the shock of my life, jerking awake and cricking my neck. Kass must have fallen asleep too; his hair is even more dishevelled.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Someone slips inside, muttering rebuttals to someone outside the door.


    ''No, no, stop fussing. I don''t need a bodyguard.''


    ''But Sir, they''re Elementalists, you''ve seen what they can do ¨C,''


    ''They won''t hurt me.'' There''s a click, and a light flickers on ¨C Jinaka is leaning against the door, puffing out his chest like he''s out of breath. He holds up a twinkling prism, and my first idiotic thought is that it looks like a star. He lets it go and it sails above his head, casting an eerie glow around the room.


    We stare at Jinaka. The FUTURE general. He has a slightly frazzled air about him and is sweating profusely; he wipes his face with a handkerchief.


    ''Phew!'' He pockets it. ''What a night, boys. Budge up.'' He waddles over to the bed and plonks himself down next to Kass, who scoots out of the way with a horrified expression.


    ''Get away from me!''


    ''I rather think it should be me saying that, not you.'' Jinaka raises a somewhat stern eyebrow. ''My bodyguards are wetting themselves with anxiety at the thought of me being alone in here with you two. Assisting in the slaughter of hundreds of soldiers; destroying one, no, two of the world''s energy supplies; thank goodness the Singwari capsule is still up and running or we''d be up shit-creek without a paddle. You two are some serious criminals, you know.''


    Our mouths fall open.


    ''You ¨C what ¨C we aren''t criminals!'' Kass stammers. ''You''re the criminal.''


    ''I''m sure we could back and forth over the issue all day long, but then, who has the time?''


    ''You killed my family!'' Kass scrambles backwards in such haste he becomes tangled in the sheets. Jinaka watches as Kass flails, growing redder and redder before landing in a heap beside me on the floor. He sits up, panting furiously. ''You ¨C you have the nerve to sit there, all smug ¨C you condemn everyone who isn''t rich to be left behind in this pit. What kind of a leader are you?''


    ''A very confused one.'' Jinaka frowns down at Kass, his head cocked to one side. ''I''ve heard the RESIST rhetoric before ¨C that''s nothing new ¨C but killing your family? I don''t know you or your family. How could I have killed them?''


    ''Maybe n-not you personally.'' Kass begins to shiver, and I almost forget; the naked hurt in his voice just makes me want to hold him and protect him forever. ''But it was on your orders that they were murdered. They wouldn''t hand me over, so they deserved to die. What kind of leader does that to his people?''


    ''A very poor one.'' Jinaka''s frown deepens so much his eyebrows practically knit together. ''Look, boy, I don''t know what these people you''ve been consorting with have told you, but let me set a few things straight ¨C,''


    ''My whole village died to protect me from you. So, it''s my job ¨C our job ¨C to stop anything like that from happening again, to people you refuse to relocate. To trash you murder like they mean nothing. I''m not here to hurt people. I''m here to protect them.''


    ''Oh really?'' Jinaka rolls his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ''How noble of you, how brave. How many people have you protected so far?''


    Kass says nothing.


    Jinaka sniffs. ''As I thought.'' He turns to me. ''And what about you? Do I. . . know you from somewhere?''


    ''Um,'' I swallow. ''I raced with the Lares Youth team. . ?''


    ''Oh, yes! Didn''t I sign an autograph for you a couple of years ago?''


    How on earth does he remember? ''Yeah. . .''


    ''What the hell?'' Kass punches me in the arm. ''Stop chatting with him!''


    Jinaka gets up from the bed and squats in front of us. He cuffs Kass around the head, but before Kass can retaliate, he grabs Kass'' fist and twists. Kass lets out a yelp. ''I''m trying to show you that contrary to what you think, I care deeply about my citizens. I remember the faces of everyone I meet, whoever they are, whatever their value. I would never have commanded the deaths of your family. Never in a million years.''


    ''Liar! I saw them! Blue tanks, blue-armoured soldiers ¨C g-gunning them d-down ¨C.'' Tears streak down Kass'' cheeks as he lunges at Jinaka with his other fist.


    Jinaka blocks Kass easily. ''Well then, I assure you I will launch a full investigation. But, I must admit that we have been searching for you. All of you. It was crucial RESIST didn''t get their claws into you for exactly this reason. We knew this was what they wanted. We just had no idea they''d found so many of you.'' He plucks at his moustache again. ''Our informant said they only had one. The liquid one.''


    I feel hot all of a sudden. ''How could you only know about me?''


    ''It''s not easy to find four random children with no leads, you know.'' Jinaka looks tired. ''It''s a big world. We had various suspects, but it''s not like you let off any signs or anything.''


    Kass makes a noise, and Jinaka raises an eyebrow at him expectantly. Kass clears his throat. ''You mean, not until our sixteenth birthday. Then, once our blockers ran out, you could track us and gun us down all you wanted. . .''


    Jinaka is giving him a very odd look. ''Blockers? What are you -? Look, without any tip-offs, we just had to wait for you to show yourselves, or someone to turn you in. We only discovered you when you fought with bandits in the Slavskani wastelands. Our officers captured them and they linked you to Titus, the devious snake. That gave us something to work with, and actually allowed us to finish making this.'' From out of his pocket, Jinaka removes the cloudy orb he''d been playing with when we first met him. It shimmers in the light, reflecting Jinaka''s proud, smug smile.


    I bite my lip. ''What is it?''


    ''It''s a Wormhole. Not so dissimilar to your temporary wormholes; they''re a nice bit a of tech, those, your engineers should be proud. But, ours are better. This is the first of its kind, a prototype we''re calling the Ultimate Wormhole. It doesn''t need pre-programming, and works in two different ways. It can locate any reti-chip worldwide and teleport you to that spot. Or, it can teleport you to any known location in the wormhole database. Pretty nice, right?'' Jinaka grins, a ghoulish display of teeth from a predator to its prey. ''We were just making the final adjustments before using it to find you. But then you decided to drop by and spare us the trouble.''


    The wormhole seems so innocent, glittering in Jinaka''s hand. If they''d used it to track me only days earlier, they''d have found RESIST headquarters. They''d have found everyone. . .


    ''What about the fourth Elementalist?'' Kass grunts, and I snap back to reality.


    ''Yeah. What about her?''


    ''Oh, well.'' Jinaka slides the wormhole back into his jacket pocket in a swift, business-like manner. ''We caught her years ago.''


    ''Years?''


    ''Yes. Her powers were by far the easiest to detect. An ethereal Elementalist with an affinity towards plasma. . . considering the rarity of plasma compared to solids, liquids and gases, we were surprised. But it soon made sense. She had, er, sparked a fair bit of attention.''


    ''So, where is she?'' Kass says. ''What have you done to her?''


    Jinaka smiles. ''This is one of her rooms. I can take you to meet her if you like.''


    ''Stop treating us like we''re your friends!''


    ''Oh.'' Jinaka leans towards Kass, and suddenly I don''t see a sweating, balding old man anymore. I see venom. I see fire. ''You are no friend of mine, Elementalist. I don''t befriend guerrillas.''


    ''Guerrillas?''


    ''What would you call yourselves? Freedom fighters?'' Jinaka stands and turns his back on us, rubbing his face with his hands. ''You''re too young to remember the desperation and desolation left behind after the wars. For fifty years Telluns killed and maimed each other over ridiculous things like religion, colour, sexuality.'' He sighs. ''Is it human nature? To strive for similarity rather than embracing our differences?''


    ''What are you on about?''


    ''I single-handedly picked up the pieces of the ruin that remained. Do you know who FUTURE really is? We are the refugees, the orphans and children, of a world left starving and dying whilst their governments bombed each other to smithereens. When the war was exhausted, I stepped in and said no more. I created Singavere, a haven for all the victims, and yeah, you know what? I did a bad thing. I left the bastards who tore apart our world on the outside, the bastards who went on to form RESIST.'' His teeth glow savage yellow as dawn peers through the window. ''And when Ra offered us help? Promising us a future away from this hell-hole? I accepted for the good of all the people who suffered.''


    ''But people like me and Sammi didn''t do anything wrong,'' Kass yells. ''You''re punishing people for their parents, their grandparent''s, crimes! How is that any better?''


    ''It''s not,'' Jinaka sighs. ''I realise this now. Anger does terrible things to a person, especially when it turns into revenge. I was determined that my Singavereans would live a better life than they''d suffered, so I joined the Republic of Extra-terrestrials and gave Singavere everything Ra sent us. But once my anger died down, I set up the rations system and split everything we made on Tellus amongst the rest of the population. But the damage to the atmosphere is so severe ¨C everyone kept dying. Ra offered us vaccine, but only a limited supply, and at such a hefty cost. I ¨C'' Jinaka''s voice breaks. ''I had to be sparing with it. Only the strongest people, those most likely to survive. . .''


    ''Those who made it to sixteen,'' I whisper.


    ''Yes. And in return for the vaccines, we had to turn huge regions of the planet into energy farms for Ra. Their planet is so overpopulated, they can''t generate enough energy to keep up ¨C for them, this is the perfect solution.'' He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. ''We are completely at their mercy. They have given us everything ¨C a way to survive. But we can''t survive this way forever. We must relocate.''


    ''But why not everyone? Why does it have to be a choice?''


    Jinaka stares at me. ''It''s not a choice. We are relocating as many people as we can, but it takes time, and money, and we don''t have much of either. People die faster than we can relocate. That''s all.''


    Kass snorts. ''Maybe if you didn''t waste all our money on Futurist luxuries ¨C,''


    ''ENOUGH.'' Jinaka swings around and seizes Kass by the scruff of his shirt, hauling him up from the floor. His round face has turned white, and a vein pops on his temple. ''You, a boy made by my enemies to destroy everything I''ve built, dare to tell me how to govern my world?'' He throws Kass at his feet and lets out another bitter laugh. ''You don''t know how childish you sound.''


    ''I don''t care.'' Kass curls into a ball, hugging his knees to his chest. ''I used to believe in you. I believed all the FUTURE propaganda, all the lies. I had posters of you on my goddamn wall. And what did you do? You blew it all to pieces ¨C,''


    ''Stop.'' Jinaka covers his eyes with a weary hand. ''I''ve fought too long and too hard to need to plead my innocence to the likes of you.''


    ''Why did you do it?'' Kass is weeping now, his shoulders shuddering and I inch closer to comfort him. But he jerks away from me, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. ''They did nothing, they wouldn''t have hurt anyone. . . We''re just collateral to you, aren''t we. Kids, Resisters, anybody who isn''t you. And you wonder why people can''t embrace their differences. You can''t even see your own hypocrisy.''


    Jinaka snorts in contempt. ''Collateral? Resisters can play the victim all they want, but the fact is that they destroyed themselves. They crave control, and resent us for taking over. They''d have you believe that this world can be fixed because they treat Tellus like a putty that can be moulded and reformed. Their creation of you only further proves that fact. In reality, our world is finite, delicate, and far beyond our repair. The hundreds of years it would take ¨C I doubt there''ll be anyone left to live in it by then! The only way to survive is the vaccine, and we can only get the vaccine by energy farming. It''s as simple as that.''


    ''But ¨C,''


    ''Enough.'' Jinaka stretches out his back until it crunches. ''I''m tired of you, and it''s been a god-awful day. I''ve got meetings with the Overlord of Ra all afternoon to explain the damaged capsule and will be visiting the wounded all evening. So, you''ve only got me for another ten minutes. Would you like to meet Fina or not?''


    *


    Jinaka marches us through a labyrinth of laboratories, greeting everybody we pass by their first name. We stop countless times for him to console soldiers, field-off questions from second, third and fourth-in-commands, and bark orders at every technician we bump into. He treats them like family, asking personal questions about relatives, wiping tears off cheeks, and even bowing to those older than himself ¨C and in return, they adore him.


    The funny thing is, this seems totally normal to me. It''s exactly what I''ve been brought up to expect from him.


    The Futurists aren''t so happy to see us, though. They regard us with disapproving, suspicious glances, nudging each other and whispering ¨C we slink behind Jinaka and for some reason, I find myself feeling ashamed.


    Jinaka flings open the door of a final laboratory. A scientist in a long white coat is turning slowly on his chair, chewing the top of his pen, deep in thought. He jumps out of his skin as the door hits the wall, glasses toppling from his nose.


    ''Your Excellency!'' He adjusts his glasses and they flash, a strange golden glint. ''I''ve just been checking my notes. . . to see if there''s a way I can maximise the medications I have available. . . The Resisters attacked, you know?''


    ''Yes, Zhal''n.'' Jinaka pats him on the back with a sardonic smile. ''Where do you think I''ve been all day? Vesta?''


    ''If only, your Excellency. By my life-spirit, I pray each day. . .''


    ''Not now, Zhal.''


    ''Sorry, your Excellency. I''m feeling a tad anxious. Nasty memories. . .''


    ''It''s alright. We''ll sort this.'' Jinaka pauses, and frowns. ''We always do. Zhal''n, there''s two boys I''d like you to meet.'' He turns to Kass and I with his hands on his hip, surprise suddenly dawning on his features. ''Hang on. I don''t know your names!''


    ''I''m Rai, and this is Kass.'' I glance warily at Zhal''n. This man is not Tellun. He squints at us through magnified-eyes, rapping skeletal fingers on his desk in an incessant tapping noise. He seems to breathe quicker than most people. It makes what is probably nothing more than curiosity seem far more threatening. More like hunger.


    ''Hmm. . .'' The doctor brings a curved talon to his lips. ''Your excellency, word from the soldiers is that the Elementalists are here. Are these. . ?''


    ''Two of them.'' Jinaka plonks himself on the doctor''s desk, knocking a collection of mugs and papers to the floor. ''Oops, sorry. There''s a third in medical. She got hurt in the fight.''


    ''Is she okay?'' Kass bursts out, but Jinaka just tuts.


    ''Now, you ask? Yes, she''ll live. Now, Zhal, these boys have been completely ¨C''


    ''And what of their magic?'' Zhal''n interrupts, leaning towards us.


    His eyes are so intense, my heart starts to hammer. ''Magic?'' I whisper. ''We''re not magic. Our powers are science. . .''


    Zhal''n recoils, sitting back in his chair and pressing his long fingers together. ''You call it science. We from Vesta call it magic.''


    I knew it. I knew he wasn''t from Tellus. . .


    Jinaka coughs pointedly, and Zhal''n bows his head. ''Sorry, your Excellency. Please continue. . .''


    ''These boys have been completely brainwashed by RESIST, as we suspected. A chat with Fina would do them good, don''t you think?''


    ''Well, yes, but. . .'' The doctor has a habit of leaving his sentences dangling, like he can''t quite be bothered to finish them.


    ''But what?'' There''s a dangerous edge to Jinaka''s voice. Zhal''n removes his glasses, polishes them on his lab-coat, then glances up.


    His eyes are a startling shade of gold.


    Calmly, he slots the glasses back onto his nose. ''She''s not here. . .''


    ''WHAT?''


    I jump backwards into a bookshelf, sending several works tumbling down. Zhal''n merely blinks, and folds one long leg, like a spider''s, over the other.


    ''Your Excellency, it is quite the quandary. . . Captain Hayden had a signed note from one of the Lord Protectors of Ra, and you know how fond our lady Fina is of Captain Hayden. He took her from the lab whilst I was tending to the wounded, and. . .''


    ''AND WHAT?''


    ''Well, that''s it.'' Zhal''n rises out of his chair to stand beside Jinaka. Naturally, he towers over him, but he seems to be making an effort to stoop. He pats Jinaka on the shoulder. ''They''ve just. . . gone.''


    ''GONE WHERE?''


    ''I don''t know. . .''


    With the bellow of a wounded bull, Jinaka charges past Zhal''n to kick the open door at the other end of the room open.


    ''FINA?''


    ''She''s not there,'' Zhal''n smiles. ''I''ve searched the place thoroughly. There''s no sign.''


    ''But ¨C but how?'' By now, Jinaka''s disappeared into the back room, amidst crashes and thundering of what sounds like furniture being overturned.


    ''I cannot be certain. But I imagine that the chaos of RESIST''s attack provided many a good opportunity. We were a little distracted. . .''


    ''A LITTLE DISTRACTED?''


    ''My deepest apologies. . .'' Zhal''n bows as Jinaka storms back, his jowls quivering with rage.


    ''What was Hayden thinking?''


    ''I cannot be certain.''


    ''Sir!''


    We turn to the door. Charlie, the lieutenant from earlier, is hovering, his face pale and strained. Jinaka places a balled fist to his forehead, and takes a deep, measure breath.


    ''What now, Charlie?''


    ''We''ve got a problem.''


    *


    ''Where are we going?'' Kass fumes.


    We''re back on the hover-pad, handcuffed once again, although this time, Jinaka sails along beside us, massaging his temple throughout the flight. The pad takes us a different route, one that shows off the extent of the damage from our attack.


    A hole has been blasted right through one of corridors into the adjoining lab, where a group of terrified scientists are desperately attempting to stop a noxious-smelling chemical seeping into the rest of the building. Clusters of soldiers lie gasping on the floor surrounded by medics and carrier-drones, whilst officials bark instructions so loudly that I can''t differentiate them all. Rather than stopping, the hover-pad drifts over them all, so high that the tips of Kass'' hair stroke the ceiling. It winds along various passageways, then down a long flight of stairs into an underground basement, where it grinds to a halt.


    ''Come on.'' Charlie drags me off, pushing me through the basement door. ''This way.''


    Inside is a medical facility. Droids scurry around carrying bed-pans and bandages, and my stomach lurches as I see one hurry past me with what looks like a human arm. Rows of beds line the walls, and a huge television covers one of the walls almost entirely; the Tellus News is on. It''s so distracting, I almost don''t notice one of the beds. It''s so surrounded by soldiers that at first, I can''t make out who''s inside. Then I see a familiar dark halo of hair across the pillow.


    ''Sammi?''


    Sammi''s hands leap to her mouth. Her face is bruised all down one side, blood collecting in a reddish-purple pool on her jaw. Stitches decorate her left eyebrow, and a swathe of bandages cover her ribs.


    ''R-Rai?'' She''s half-choking, half-sobbing; she reaches towards us, but one of the surrounding soldiers pins her back. ''Kass? I thought ¨C I thought ¨C.''


    I try to shrug Charlie off, but his grip is like iron. To my surprise, he heaves me through the crowd of soldiers, barging them out of the way before flinging me down at the end of her bed, Kass dumped beside me. Sammi struggles to sit up, but once again, she''s pushed back against the pillow.


    ''Stay back, Elementalist.''


    Sammi ignores the soldier holding her down. ''I''m so glad to see you,'' she weeps, hiding her face beneath a curtain of hair. ''W-where have you been?''


    ''This isn''t a cosy reunion.'' The soldier holding her down raises his hand, threatening to strike. She flinches on instinct, and despite my filters, I feel a sharp surge of anguish ¨C but then, Jinaka''s hand whips out and grabs the soldier by the wrist.


    ''Not in my establishment,'' he hisses. ''That is not how we treat our prisoners. Go become a Resister if that''s how you want to behave.''


    ''S-sorry, Sir. I''m so sorry.'' The soldier flushes, withdrawing his hand instantly. Sammi glances at Jinaka with wide, suspicious eyes as he collapses into the seat next to her.


    ''So, what''s this all about, Charlie?'' He rubs his eyes, before staring bleakly up at his lieutenant, who''s pacing in front of the TV screen.


    ''Just watch.''


    We all turned to where Charlie points. A horribly familiar place floods the screen.


    A reporter runs for cover as Fighters rain rockets down from the sky.


    ''No.''


    Children, on their way home from school, scream as trees along the sidewalk burst into flame.


    ''No, please no.''


    The Guilds of Medicine and Engineering, the shining stars of the city-centre, crumble as bombs strike.


    A red, blazing ''R'' adorns the backs of a thousand soldiers, who swarm through the streets of the home I love.


    Singavere is on fire.

 Chapter 21 - Sammi

    ''No!''


    Howling like a wounded animal, Rai writhes and thrashes against the guard wrestling him down. ''That ¨C that''s my home! W-what are they doing?''


    ''RESIST has attacked? Again?'' Jinaka''s face has turned a deathly white. ''Then, why the hell are we here, Charlie? I need to get moving ¨C Xu-May, get all the commanding officers ready for teleportation, now; Charlie, we need to get protocol-259 into action ¨C,''


    ''Just a moment, Sir.'' The Lieutenant, Charlie, nods at me, looking incredibly anxious. ''This girl claims to know one of the attackers. She identified one of them the moment we switched on the screen.''


    ''How does that help us now?'' Jinaka pounds his fist against the wall, his knuckles coming back spotted with blood. ''I need to be out there, helping my people, not stuck down here with these monsters!''Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ''Because maybe she can stop them!''


    Jinaka turns to me, his face puckered in anguish. I can barely speak. This man is the ruler of our entire planet. All my life I''ve seen his face: on posters adorning our walls, on our television screens, in our school textbooks. On the front of our protest placards. . .


    I remember Musa''s cheeks, flushed with passion, as he stormed through the streets with Jinaka''s face held high over his head ¨C end the Futurists today, we will make Jinaka pay ¨C


    In my eyes, this is the face of evil. The face of a tyrant. Condemning the people I love to die.


    But right here? Right now? This is the face of a broken man.


    My tears are blinding, so heavy I can''t stop them, my heart splintering, pulled in so many directions. I don''t know how much longer I can hold it together. . .


    ''Sammi?'' I feel Kass'' fingers, bound and tied, flutter against the back of my hand. ''Who was it? Who did you see?''


    I saw rage. And in that rage, I saw myself. I saw Auntie. I saw Nura, and Mum, and Dad, and every other Resister I''d ever grown up with ¨C


    ''Musa.'' I whisper. ''I saw Musa.''

 Chapter 22 - Rai

    Singavere is on fire. Singavere is on fire.


    Something breaks. Deep inside me. It ¨C has ¨C


    Kass holds me as I scream, as I shake my neck so hard it might snap ¨C


    But no feelings of warmth flood through me. Nothing calms the tide within me, nothing douses the scorching agony inside my chest ¨C


    ''Here, take this.''


    The cuffs on my wrists fall away. Kass'' arms tighten around me ¨C is he trying to hold me together? ¨C and in the midst of the chaos, General Jinaka seizes me by the shoulders. Our eyes meet. Our pain is the same.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''Take it.'' His voice is a sinking ship. He presses something smooth and round into my hands. ''Use it. Find Fina. Please, you must listen to her, you must understand. If you don''t, and RESIST takes over. . . Just find her. Bring her home.''


    Charlie baulks. ''But ¨C but Sir! Th-that''s the ¨C,''


    ''The Ultimate Wormhole. I know.''


    ''Y-you can''t give that to the enemy! What are you thinking?''


    ''I''m thinking we need every soldier at our disposal dispatched to Singavere. I''m thinking that if these kids continue to fight for RESIST, we''re doomed. The wars will come again, just like last time. Oh, and also? I''m thinking that these two boys wouldn''t dream of betraying us. Because we''ll still hold the air Elementalist captive.


    ''So, you best bring Fina back, boys. Or you''ll never see your friend again.''

 Chapter 23 - Sammi

    I''m so sure it was him.


    A thousand soldiers smashed through the artificial atmosphere, the bubble that kept the Singavereans safe. Reports became wild and random. Shots burst onto the screen: buildings collapsed, armed warriors pounded through the streets, people dragged from homes that were bursting into flames. . .


    One camera zoomed in and caught him in a short, staccato shot.


    A Futurist screaming in his arms. His balaclava ¨C emblazoned with that red ''R'', the circle around his left eye, and lines slashing down his nose and across his left cheek ¨C ripped from his head, revealing a face. Only for a moment.


    It was a young face. Of a man barely older than a boy. Soot dusted the light-brown skin of his cheeks, cheeks I had stroked, cheeks I had kissed. Angry dark eyes flashed in the sunlight, his hair, glossy and black as ink, pooling over his forehead, messier than I''d ever seen. And I''d seen it emerging from sleep on a winter''s morning ¨C


    There could be no doubt.


    It was Musa.


    My Musa.


    Oh, Musa. What are you doing?


    *


    Jinaka thrusts a small, cloudy orb into Rai''s hand, and in that instant, Rai''s screams die. We all stare up at the Futurist General.


    ''What will you do to Sammi if we don''t bring Fina back?''


    ''Just do it, and you''ll never need to find out.''


    ''But how the hell are we supposed to find her?'' Kass pulls Rai up with him, snatching the wormhole from Rai''s hands. ''I swear to god, Jinaka, if you lay a finger on Sammi ¨C,''


    ''Then what will you do?'' Jinaka''s face twists, and he collapses into a chair, the Futurists flocking around him. ''Haven''t you done enough?''


    Even Kass doesn''t know what to say.


    ''Find Fina,'' he eventually whispers, placing his lips to the orb''s surface. Nothing happens.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ''No.'' Charlie shakes his head, a muscle in his jaw twitching. He glances at Jinaka, then places a hand on his shoulder. ''Sir, should I tell them?''


    Jinaka says nothing.


    Charlie grits his teeth, then plops down on my bed beside Kass. ''Fina hasn''t got a reti-chip. So, you can''t track her directly. But Captain Locke does, Hayden, her guard.'' He clears his throat, and speaks into the wormhole. ''Find Hayden of order 237, rank nine, chip number 479b.''


    The orb lights up, suddenly opalescent, its swirling innards reminding me of the mists back home. . .


    A crystal-clear voice echoes from the wormhole.


    ''Identifying chip 479b, Captain Hayden Locke, in the Living Caves of the Mist Archipelago. Teleport to this location?''


    We look to General Jinaka. He closes his eyes and nods.


    ''Yes.'' Kass swallows, squeezing Rai''s hand so tight, I see the bones on the back of his hand stretch taut. Rai buries his face in the crook of his arm.


    ''Y-y-yes.''


    White light bursts out, so bright I shield my eyes. When I''m finally able to lower them. . .


    Kass and Rai are gone.


    ''What are you going to do to me?'' My voice wavers, betraying me. I''m surrounded by enemies: Futurists soldiers in aquamarine armour, and their General, Jinaka, slumped beside me. A thought crosses my mind ¨C in this moment, he''s fragile. So weak. The familiar heat of my powers trickle through my veins, collecting in my fingers. Growing. I could hurt him. I could end this myself. They''d kill me for it. . . But maybe, it would be worth it. . .


    But then, in the bed next to mine, I notice Tanner. Dylan Tanner. He''s watching me with wide, frightened eyes.


    He''s risked everything to protect me. Just a lowly Private, tasked with the most hideous of roles. To protect the most dangerous weapon that RESIST has: me.


    If I die now, everything he''s done for me will be a waste.


    And anyway. . . I meet Tanner''s eyes, and he flashes me the smallest, saddest smile. He believes in me. That I''m a good person. If I murder Jinaka in cold blood. . . Will I still be worthy of his belief?


    And wouldn''t that be admitting that I am just a weapon, after all?


    ''What am I going to do to you?'' Jinaka is no longer silent. He no longer looks weak. He stands, and I''m now bathed in his shadow; one of his hands rests on the headboard of my bed.


    ''I''m not going to do anything,'' he smiles. ''It''s what you are going to do that matters now.''


    ''What do you mean?''


    His smile widens, but not in mirth. No. Nothing like mirth. ''You are going to stop this attack.''


    ''How am I supposed to do that?'' Tears spill down my cheeks, all the power I felt a moment ago dissolving to dust. ''It''s not like Musa is important. . .''


    ''No, but you are. RESIST may have caught us by surprise, but do you really think we''ll let those cowards destroy our city? Like hell. We''ll wipe out every last Resister on this planet if it means protecting our citizens. Is that what you want?''


    Musa. Musa. . .


    ''Is that what you want?''


    ''No.''


    ''Right then.'' Jinaka''s features set. His wobbling, ruddy cheeks and puffy moustache; his small, watery eyes. Feeble features that should look comical. But they don''t. They really don''t. ''Let''s go put an end to this, once and for all.''

 Chapter 24 - Kass

    We hit the dark, dusty ground and roll over, the wormhole still clutched in my fist.


    My head strains fit to burst, my heart pounding furious beats against my rib-cage. I rest my cheek on the cool earth, feeling the tickle as dust flutters up my nose. Rai lies quite still beside me. His eyes clenched shut.


    ''Rai?''


    He doesn''t reply. With a sigh, I wrench myself to my knees and claw my way towards him. The air stinks; I''ve never been to the Mist Archipelago before. It never exactly came highly recommended. But turns out it''s achingly similar to Quillin, to home, more than anywhere else we''ve been so far. There''s a familiar loneliness about the place. These hills could easily be the hills I wandered, alone, acrid wind and spots of rain peppering my cheeks and mud-stained boots.


    But of course, we''re nowhere near home. The open sky stretches its arms above cliffs that yawn over acres of lifeless trees and barren rock. Caves nuzzle into the cliff face like holes in cheese. The mists here are thicker than I''ve ever seen; lying down, I''m completely submerged in them. But despite their density, they seem clean somehow, like a cloud someone''s teased apart.


    And yet for a place called the Living Caves. . . I can''t see any signs of life. Anywhere.


    ''Sit up.'' I struggle to lift Rai, but he''s having none of it; he dead-weights against me and I drop him with a huff. His hair falls into his eyes, and I have the sudden urge to smooth it back.


    What the hell am I thinking?!


    ''Get up! What the hell are you doing? You can''t just go to pieces like this.''


    ''OH YEAH? Said by you.''


    ''Wow. Okay, I deserve that, but seriously, come on. Fina and Hayden can''t be far away.''


    ''I don''t care anymore.''


    I watch Rai''s tears speckle the ground, darkening the already damp soil.


    ''Yes, you do. Snap out of it. I need you.''


    ''You don''t need me. I''m poison, everything I touch goes to shit.''


    ''You''re wrong.'' With another grunt of effort, I heave Rai upright. My shoulder screams, and I can''t help wincing.


    ''See?'' Rai wriggles out of my arms. ''I''m hurting you.''


    ''Uugh.'' I can''t help rolling my eyes. ''Really?''


    Rai frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. ''My filters are blocked,'' he mutters.


    ''So, unblock them! Jeez.''


    His beautiful almond eyes swim, the bluest things I''ve ever seen in my whole goddamn life. Then he pokes his finger into the gap between the pads ¨C I try hard not to pull a face ¨C and shakes his head, swift and violently. A dog shaking away fleas. Colour floods back to his face.


    ''Better?''


    He shoots me a small, sheepish smile. ''Yeah. Shall we find her?''


    I hesitate. All I want is to find Fina and get back to Jinaka. The thought of Sammi left with those people. . . And nagging doubts are twisting like a dagger in my spine: why the hell are they attacking civilians in Singavere?


    ''In a minute. Don''t you need to send a message, first?''


    Rai blinks. ''A message?''


    ''Can''t you do that? With your reti-chip thing?''


    ''But who. . .''


    ''You''re worrying about your family. So, call them.''


    ''I don''t have a family.''


    ''Yes, you do. The kids you grew up with, Dove and Buffalo, Kareen. . . Right?''


    Rai, for a moment, looks stunned. Then, his face lights up. He closes his eyes, mumbling under his breath: ''Chip, send a message to Dove. Are you safe?''


    We wait in silence. I have no idea how long these things usually take. But then, Rai grins ¨C he grabs my hand, his cheeks flushing pink.


    ''They''re okay! Kass, they''re okay, Dove replied!''


    ''What did she say?''


    ''That they''re fine, the Futurists are evacuating. They''re being taken to a bunker under the Great Hall, they''re waiting to go in now.'' He gives a shaky laugh and runs a hand through his hair. ''I can''t believe I didn''t think of that. Kass, thank you. . .''


    ''Don''t mention it.'' I scrunch up my nose, suddenly feeling awkward. ''Can we go find Fina now?''


    Rai nods. ''Yeah. I''m ready.''


    *


    We clamber up a rocky ledge, our fingers slipping, then peer back over the side. You can see for miles; a storm is coming. Dark, billowing clouds tumble from the west, staining the purple-orange sunset, smearing darkness across the sky. A flash of lightening slices through, and the rains pour with earnest. It seems oddly appropriate that somewhere, beneath this blazing sky, the final Elementalist is hiding.


    ''Where do you suppose she is?'' Rai shuffles back from the ledge into a puddle; he groans, shaking a sodden foot. The mist is so impenetrable, it''s impossible to see where to tread.


    ''She can''t be far, or the wormhole wouldn''t have dropped us here. Hey, FINA? Come out and show yourself, will you?''


    ''Shh! What are you playing at?''


    ''Oh, who''s going to hear me? That rock? That clump of dead trees? It''s deserted. The only people here are us and them. OI!'' I bellow, shivering as mist wraps itself around my shoulders. I think longingly of my mohair cloak. . . the only thing from home I''ve got left. ''COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE, FINA.''


    ''I mean.'' Rai scuffs the ground with his foot. ''If some random dude started screaming my name, I wouldn''t come out.''


    ''Good thing they''re not you.'' I point across the cliff face. A head pokes out from one of the caves furthest away from us ¨C it''s pure luck that I spot it. The figure must see me pointing because it disappears instantly, with a cry of shock whipped away by the wind.


    We run towards the cave, leaping over uneven terrain, climbing over the boulders blocking our path. It''s like nature itself is trying to protect the entrance to the caves; the closer we get, the more jagged and difficult it becomes. We come to a stop outside the cave, me panting with my hands on my knees. I need a moment. To catch my breath.


    A light, far brighter than a normal camp-fire, flickers from inside.


    We communicate silently, no words needed. A short, sharp nod, and it''s decided. Ducking our heads, we creep inside.


    The ceiling is so low, I have to crouch; liquid drips down into murky-pink puddles on the ground. It''s eerily quiet. Then, the cave opens out into a wide chamber, and I gasp.


    The cave is no simple, concave hollow. Columns run from floor to ceiling, thick as tree-trunks, where stalagmites and stalactites have fused together, and mist swirls between and around them in a shimmering haze. A fire crackles in the centre, but that''s not what illuminates the cave so brightly. Buried inside the cave walls and columns, inside the very rocks themselves, are a thousand twinkling gold lights.


    ''Woah,'' Rai breathes, his hand hovering close to the wall. The lights are completely embedded into the rocks as though someone''s carved neat grooves for them. His fingers brush one of the golden lights, and he yelps, springing his hand back. ''It burnt me!''


    ''Well, of course it did.'' A voice, with the soft, melodic lilt of a lullaby, floats from behind us. We spin around.


    There''s no one there. I glance at Rai with unease, and turn from the lights to the mess around the fire. A rucksack lies on its side, leaking bread and a few apples into the mist; two flasks are propped up on a rock; and a blue cloak, emblazoned with a golden ''F'', adorns the floor like a rug.


    ''Stop where you are.''


    A second voice; harsher, deeper. I''ve stooped to inspect the bag; I straighten up sharply and smack my head on a jagged stalactite, causing a hailstorm of stones.


    A young man, dark-skinned with a neat, trimmed goatee and a row of piercings down his chin steps out from behind a column. A gun in his hand. Pointed at us.


    ''Captain Locke?'' I rub my head with a grimace. ''Is that you?''


    ''How did you find me?'' The man steps closer. Beads of sweat glisten on his brow and his hand is shaking so much, I doubt he''ll be able to shoot us even if he wants to.


    ''Your reti-chip.'' Rai says. ''We used Jinaka''s Ultimate Wormhole to track you.''


    The man curses, his free hand clutching his hair. ''This can''t be happening.'' There''s a manic gleam in his eyes. ''This can''t be happening.''


    ''Where''s Fina?'' I say, my voice stronger this time. ''Tell us where she is.''


    ''Are you from Jinaka? Or from him?'' The man suddenly darts around us, waving his gun in the air and yelling at the cave entrance: ''I''LL KILL YOU, ARES. I''LL KILL YOU!''


    The man''s clearly mad.


    ''We''re not going to hurt her.'' Rai holds his hands up in a passive gesture. ''My name''s Rai, and this is Kass. We''re Elementalists too.''


    ''I don''t believe you.'' Locke spins back round, his eyes flicking, skittish, from side to side. ''You''re one of them, aren''t you. You can''t have her! I won''t let you do this to her!''


    ''We don''t want to do anything.'' I force myself to stay calm and measured; I''ve dealt with goats like this in the past. One wrong move and you get a kick in the head. ''But if you don''t come back to Jinaka with us, he''s going to hurt our friend. Please. You have to come back.''


    ''Never!'' Locke lunges at us, brandishing his gun at us like he''s forgotten how it works. We jump out of the way. I want to shout back, my patience starting to crack, but Rai pokes me in the arm, nodding at a point behind Locke.


    ''Look.''


    A pair of hazel eyes peep around a column. They blink, and it almost looks like the golden lights blink in unison with them. Then they shoot back behind the pillar. Locke cries out in dismay.


    ''Fina? What are you doing? I told you to stay hidden!''


    The sing-song voice returns. ''But they said they''re Elementalists. What if they''re like me?''


    ''It''s a trick, Fina, you have to run. I''ll hold them off ¨C,''


    I run forwards, rushing at the column before Locke can react. Without thinking, I push ¨C it blows apart in an explosion of rocks.


    ''FINA?'' Locke bellows, charging at the girl, but she shielded herself with her arms just in time.


    ''You are an Elementalist.'' Fina pushes Locke out of the way, and takes a careful step through the rubble towards me. ''Physical?''


    ''Mainly rocks,'' I mutter. ''Earth.''


    ''Solids,'' she nods. ''Natural and artificial?''


    ''I don''t know. I find natural easier, maybe.''


    ''Hmm.''


    Fina is tall and lithe, a willow-branch waving in the wind. She''s painfully thin, her bones jutting from skin so transparent, her veins cast a sickly blue hue over her body. My first thought is that she must be ill. But then I''m not so sure. It''s more like all her colour and volume has been funnelled into her hair. It''s a creature alive; great cascading waves of amber, molten lava, that crashes over her shoulders, tendrils flying like a flock of birds in each and every direction, trying to escape.


    She chuckles shyly, tipping her head down so her face is almost completely masked by a sheet of hair. ''I''m ethereal.''


    ''Like Sammi.'' Rai inches forwards. ''We heard you control plasma.''


    She nods again. ''Plasma is freedom beyond power. Power beyond a god.''


    ''Fina,'' Hayden hisses.


    I glance at Rai. Neither of us know what to say to that.


    ''How did you find us?'' she whispers.


    ''Captain Locke''s reti-chip.''Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ''Ahh!'' She sighs, almost a moan, turning to Locke. ''Hayden, how could we be so stupid?''


    ''I''m sorry.'' His face crumples. ''It''s all my fault. But don''t worry, I won''t let them take you.''


    ''Why?'' I ask, with increasing urgency. ''What did FUTURE do to you?''


    ''Oh.'' Fina says. ''FUTURE? Nothing. Futurists have always been perfectly lovely to me.'' She throws Locke a soft, sweet smile. ''Especially Hayden. He''s looked after me ever since I was captured. It''s funny,'' she giggles. ''Most of the time, I forget I''m even a captive. It''s like being in a hotel where people experiment on you.''


    ''Experiment on you?'' Rai looks incredulous. ''And that''s your idea of perfectly lovely?''


    Fina smiles. ''The Futurists never did anything bad. In fact, that''s probably why Jinaka sent you to find me ¨C he knew I''d have nothing bad to say about them.'' She tips her head back and closes her eyes, spreading her arms towards the golden lights. ''I love it here. It''s so beautiful, don''t you think?'' She spins slowly on the spot, with a laugh like a tinkling bell. ''It reminds me of Zhal''n. Oh, Zhal. I miss him already.''


    ''The scientist?'' I watch her, warily.


    ''Yes. He''s a native Vestian, you know, the people who invented wormhole travel. He''s helped me so much, sweet Zhal''n; you see, on Vesta, plasma is more common than water. And he was the one who helped us escape, suggesting that we hide here. These lights ¨C,'' She spins around again. ''They''re not lights. They''re living eyes. The life-spirits of ancient Vestians who died fleeing their world ¨C,''


    ''Um,'' I interrupt. I''m not interested in a history lesson. ''So if you''re not scared of FUTURE, who are you scared of?''


    ''Who am I scared of?'' Her eyes grow wide, as though she can''t believe what a stupid question I''ve asked. ''The Ra, of course.''


    Rai and I turn to each other. Then back to Fina.


    ''The Ra?''


    ''Yes.'' Fina''s lips are white. ''They''re the reason we ran away. We had to escape the Ra.''


    *


    It''s like sitting in space. Black and golden stars. We huddle around the roaring fire: Rai, Fina, Hayden and me. Fina and Hayden insist on sharing what little food they have with us, but we aren''t hungry. I toss an apple between my hands, listening to Fina''s story as sickness churns my stomach.


    ''I grew up in Outris, a small town at the tip of North Amariland. My adoptive parents were poor, and we never had enough food. Most people in the area either died out or left; there was nothing there except darkness, dust, and snow. When I was eight, weird things started to happen. I went out in a storm one night. My parents thought I was crazy, but I loved the feel of the rain. The more it stung me, the more I''d laugh. And that night ¨C as the rain poured and the thunder roared ¨C I caught my first bolt of lightning.''


    Her pale eyes flash in the firelight, and I shiver.


    ''I kept it in a jar by my bed. And when I dreamed, it came alive. I''d wake up surrounded by flames, my poor mother and father desperately shovelling buckets of snow over me to try and put them out.


    ''In the end, when I was thirteen, FUTURE found me. They explained that I was an Elementalist, one of four RESIST weapons created to stop us leaving this world and being relocated to another. Scared, my parents handed me over, and in return, they were relocated. . . To Ra, I believe.'' Fina looks down, and Hayden puts a hand on her knee. Is it cautionary? I wonder. To control her? But then I see. When he looks at her, there are so many emotions. Fear, pity, sorrow. But mostly, I just see love.


    ''At first, I thought FUTURE were going to kill me. But instead, they took me to Zhal''n. He taught me how to use my powers, deliberately and controlled, rather than by accident. He taught me to ionise gases into plasma, to coax them from flames and form electrical sparks. To burst neon lights, to recreate stars, to grow lightening in the palm of my hand.


    ''And Jinaka would come and watch. Together, we discovered many things about how we elementalists were born, and he promised that one day, he''d help me find my real family.''


    ''Real family?'' Rai interrupts. ''What do you mean?''


    ''Our parents,'' Fina says. ''The people who gave us life.''


    My scars, barely healed, burn inside. ''My real family are dead.''


    There''s an awkward pause where Fina meets my eyes. There''s something oddly cold in them. She carries on as though I haven''t said a word.


    ''Life was the best it had ever been. Until, when I was fifteen, he came.''


    The casual way she continues her story irks me. ''Who?''


    ''Him.'' She exchanges a dark look with Hayden. ''The Lord Protector Ares of Ra. He governs the northern colonies of Ra and is one of the most important members of their council. He''d been dealing with Jinaka for decades, so when he told Jinaka he''d heard rumours of Elementalists, and asked to see me. . . Jinaka said yes.''


    She shudders, hands balling into fists. Her slender fingers look as though they might snap. ''At first, all he did was ask questions. But then, the experiments began. I ended up learning all about him and his precious visinium.''


    ''Visinium. . . The element that capsules are made from?'' Rai asks.


    ''It''s not an element. It might look like metal, but it''s actually a living creature: thousands of microscopic parasites that thrive inside human cells. No one knows how they evolved, but what they do is amazing. Horrible, but amazing. They trap huge amounts of energy, from the sun, seismic movements in the ground, anything ¨C then release it, slowly or quickly, when triggered. At first, the parasites give multiple benefits to their hosts, like resistance to diseases and heightened immune systems. Hosts become stronger and healthier. But eventually, the parasites completely take over, turning their hosts into stiff, statue-like beings trapped immobile in a cage of parasites who are inadvertently still keeping their hosts alive.''


    ''Oh my god. . .'' I say in a hushed voice. ''Is that. . . what the capsules are?''


    Fina nods, her face grave. ''Yes. The Ra saw the huge potential in these parasites, but obviously didn''t want to condemn their own people to such horrible fates. They noticed the atrocities happening on Tellus and infiltrated the wars, capturing who they considered to be the four most dangerous human beings alive. Once the captives were fully contaminated, they were gifted back to Tellus as capsules, putting us completely in the Ra''s debt.


    ''The Ra took complete care of installation, and the only Futurists involved were infiltrated Ra. No one on Tellus ever realised what, or who, the capsules really were.


    ''The capsules release a burst of energy that triggers all its connected hotspots ¨C volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, whatever ¨C and the capsules then soak all the energy generated back up again. It''s an uneven exchange: it''s like, they give away one apple, to receive ten back. Most of the energy goes back to Ra, some is kept for Singavere, and the rest used to ship the Tellus people to safer planets. . .'' Fina takes a deep breath, then continues, bitterness dripping off her tongue. ''Ra is, funnily enough, the most generous at taking in Tellun refugees. They also happen to provide us with the vaccines people need to survive.''


    Something shifts in my brain. Oh god. . .


    ''What are the vaccines made from?'' I whisper.


    ''Visinium,'' Fina whispers back. ''It helps its hosts to survive. It''s a tiny dose, but that''s all it takes to contaminate. The hosts then get shipped off to Ra. . .


    ''Creating an enormous, human, capsule farm.''


    *


    ''No.''


    My brain can''t handle it. Nothing makes sense. I don''t want it to make sense.


    Rai shakes his head, hard. ''So, all the people that have been relocated. . . turn into capsules? For Ra?''


    ''Not all of them.'' Fina hangs her head. ''Some are sent elsewhere, otherwise Jinaka would have got suspicious. But relations with other planets aren''t great ¨C Vesta refuse refugees, and Lares only take a handful a year. Other planets take so long to get to, who knows how many survive. We''re fed stories of our refugees'' wealth and prosperity on Ra ¨C but in reality, I doubt any of them last a year. Ra''s atmosphere amplifies contamination; they probably don''t even realise what''s happening.''


    ''I don''t believe you.'' Rai''s digging his nails into the back of his hand so hard , he''s drawn blood. ''Jinaka wouldn''t ¨C be so stupid ¨C surely someone ¨C and anyway, how do you even know all this? Surely this Ares wouldn''t have just told you all his secrets.''


    ''Denial won''t help you,'' Hayden frowns. ''Fina''s telling the truth.''


    ''It''s okay.'' Fina puts a conciliatory hand on Hayden''s arm. ''It''s a lot to take in.'' She sighs, hugging her knees to her chest. ''It was Hayden who first got suspicious. When Ares began to experiment on me ¨C he told Jinaka it was just diagnostics, routine checks etc. ¨C Hayden got nervous. He knew enough from Zhal''n to recognise a diagnostic, and he could tell what Ares was doing was different.''


    ''What was Ares doing?'' Although I ask, I''m not sure I want to know.


    Fina screws up her face. ''Do you know how we were made?''


    ''Who?''


    ''Us. The Elementalists.''


    ''No. Why?''


    ''''Cause it''s relevant. It''s a rather sad story. It all started when a Ra scientist and his wife took in a young refugee from Tellus, giving the boy one of the first vaccines to survive. The boy grew up in the world of visinium, and soon realised he was destined for a fate worse than death. The scientist had begun experimenting to see what would happen if parasitic DNA was inserted into a human embryo. I don''t know any more details but I know the facts: the boy stole the embryos. He escaped from Ra. He came back to Tellus and sold them to RESIST.


    ''Or rather, sold us to RESIST.''


    Rai stands sharply, his blood-smeared hands pressed to his cheeks. I stay still, too stunned to even think.


    ''So, we''re contaminated too?''


    ''No.'' Fina purses her lips. ''The visinium is incorporated into our DNA. We''re not corrupted, we''re immune. That''s why the vaccine doesn''t affect us. It''s not foreign to our systems. Instead we got abilities, our physical or ethereal powers. We use energy to manipulate the matter around us.


    ''But the scientist did his job too well. Ares needs to reverse a job too well done. When he realised that we can''t now be contaminated. . . that left him with a problem. If we''re immune, how does he control us?''


    Bile rises. I fight the urge to retch. ''And he wants to control us. . ?''


    ''Of course.'' Fina makes a noise of disgust. ''We belong to him. He wants us back. He believes, with some tweaks, he can turn us into gods.''


    Liquid drips from the ceiling. Each plop, a second ticking. And each second that ticks hammers her words home.


    ''Both Hayden and I did a lot of digging. But in the end, when I confronted him, Ares was quite open about the whole thing. Told me I was one of them, and that soon, he''d bring me home.


    ''Obviously, I told Hayden. He didn''t know what to do. He tried telling his superiors, but when Ares found out, he threatened us. He said if I told anyone else, then he would kill Hayden. And if Hayden told anyone, he''d kill his entire family ¨C his entire village, even.''


    His entire village, even.


    Something ¨C in my mind ¨C jars.


    ''He said ¨C he''d kill ¨C Hayden''s village?'' Something is nagging at me, twitching at the back of my mind. I don''t know why, but white heat is spreading through my body. My fingers shiver. They want to break. My arms trembles with the effort of maintaining control.


    Rai looks at me, bewildered. Places his hand on mine.


    ''Kass?''


    ''Yeah,'' Fina''s brow crinkles at me. Hayden, by now, is on his feet, pacing behind her. ''We didn''t know what to do ¨C,''


    ''¨C and you were getting sicker and sicker,'' Hayden murmurs.


    ''¨C so, in the confusion of the attack, we escaped. Zhal''n smuggled us out in a fighter drone. We flew to the nearest wormhole and spent the rest of the day travelling. And now, here we are.'' Fina hangs her head, a mass of curls falling over her face. ''Fugitives. And who knows what Ares will do to Hayden''s family.''


    ''You''re my family too.'' Hayden stops pacing, and comes to sit behind her. He wraps her in his arms with such tenderness, and kisses the back of her head. ''Fina. . .''


    ''I know.'' She cups his hands in hers, and raises them to her lips. ''I know.''


    We lapse into silence, watching the campfire spit flames into the air.


    ''So, what do we do now?'' Rai says. He keeps shaking his head, and by now, I know him well enough to know that this is him struggling. ''We can''t take her back to FUTURE. Not now, Kass.''


    Hayden snorts. ''Like I''d let you.''


    ''I know,'' I mumble, biting my lip. But what about Sammi? The thought of abandoning her to the Futurists. . . We can''t. But, then again, are FUTURE even the real enemy. . ?


    Words tumble from my mouth before I even have a chance to consider them. ''We need to call Eldred. He''ll know what to do.''


    For as much as it pains me to admit. . .


    When my life fell apart and I was all alone ¨C Eldred was there.


    When Sammi turned her back on everything she''d ever known ¨C Eldred was there.


    When Rai was abandoned by the one person he thought loved him ¨C Eldred was there.


    He took us all in. He cared for us. He saved us all. And, okay, I''ll admit ¨C I don''t know what else to do.


    ''We need him.'' I whisper, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand. ''"Puffin", he''ll say. "What the heck have you gone and done now?"''


    ''Who''s Eldred?'' Hayden narrows his eyes.


    ''The closest thing the Resisters have to an Elementalist expert,'' I say. ''He''s the one who hid us when we were babies, and found us again when we turned sixteen. He''s ¨C he''s the closest thing we''ve got to someone looking out for us. I don''t know what else to do, Hayden. Let me call him.''


    ''But how?'' Rai shuffles his feet, strangely nervous. ''Maybe the best thing for them to do is to keep running. . .''


    ''Not with me.'' Hayden buries his head in his arms, his chest heaving; Fina strokes his hair as she stares into the distance. ''Fina, you have to go without me. If they catch you because of me ¨C,''


    ''I''ll never leave you,'' Fina says simply. She turns to me. ''Do you think RESIST can protect us?''


    ''That''s kind of Eldred''s job.'' I dig inside my boot and, with difficulty, prise out the button Eldred gave me so long ago. It''s hot, and sticky.


    ''Are you ready?'' I ask. Fina and Hayden exchange a weary, tired glance.


    ''I just want Fina to be safe,'' Hayden says. ''If this Eldred can help. . . Then I guess it''s worth a try.''


    ''Okay.'' In one hand, I clutch the button tight; I catch Rai''s eye, and on instinct, offer him my other hand. ''Are you with me?''


    Rai stares at my hand. ''Try getting rid of me.'' He takes it and squeezes ¨C I close my eyes, and press the button.


    Then, we sit around the campfire. All we can do now is wait.


    *


    I expect it to be only moments before he arrives. But minutes pass, and no one comes.


    We wait. And wait.


    ''He''ll come,'' I say through gritted teeth, answering the question nobody''s yet put into words. ''He always does.''


    ''Kass.'' Rai tugs on my sleeve, and with a questioning frown, I let him pull me to my feet. ''Let''s go outside. I need some air.''


    ''Sure. . .'' I shrug, turning back to Fina and Hayden. ''Is that okay? We won''t go far.''


    ''Whatever.'' Hayden throws an apple core into the fire. ''But if he doesn''t show in the next ten minutes. . .''


    Rai drags me outside before I can hear the rest of Hayden''s sentence. He drops my arm the moment we emerge from the cave, walking to stand by the cliff face, staring into the distance. I feel oddly disorientated; I didn''t realise how claustrophobic it was in there. The heat from the fire and the lights enough on their own. But when you added in Fina''s intensity. . . I slap my cheeks, grateful now for the crisp night air. It feels like I''m waking from a dream.


    I walk to stand beside Rai, listening to the rumble of the storm, watching the clouds gallop across the sky. The rain falls thick and fast, and I hold out my hand, wincing as the drops prick my fingers.


    ''I''m sending a message to Sammi,'' Rai says quietly. It''s a struggle to hear him over the rain. ''She deserves to know.'' He gives the cave behind us an anxious glance. ''This feels too important. She might be in danger.''


    ''I agree, but how?''


    ''I sent out messages through my reti-chip to Jinaka, Charlie, Zhal''n, all the Futurists whose names I could remember. Surely one of them will reply. . .''


    ''What did you say?''


    ''I just said I had an urgent message for Sammi.''


    ''It''s worth a try. Do you think Eldred''s coming?''


    ''He''ll come. When has he ever not?'' Rai reaches out again and takes my hand. The first time, it was so spontaneous, I never had a chance to think about it. This time, I''m acutely aware of everything. The warmth of his palm, the softness of his skin, the thin scar on his thumb. The tingle that spreads up my arm. I want so badly to pull away, whilst at the same time, never let go.


    He glances up, reacting to something I can''t see. ''Charlie replied.'' Then, he begins to mutter: ''Send message to Charlie: Sammi, everything we knew was a lie. The Resisters, the Futurists, they''re all just pawns. The Ra are the real enemy, it''s too confusing to explain now. Just trust us ¨C it''s the Ra who are going to kill us all. Stay safe ¨C we''ll come back for you.''


    ''You Futurists sure love to be dramatic.'' I raise my eyebrow at him as he ends the message. Rai looks at me oddly.


    ''You think I was too dramatic?''


    Hmm. ''I guess not.''


    He takes a sharp intake of breath, lifting his head to the wind. ''Do you hear something?''


    I listen. After the quietness of the cave, noises outside seems amplified; I can hardly hear Rai over the thundering winds. ''I''m not sure.''


    ''I dunno. . .'' Rai stiffens. Withdrawing his hand from mine, he grabs my arm instead and pulls me over to the side of the cave, crouching down beside it. He places his ear to the rocky wall and presses a finger to his lips.


    ''Something''s wrong. Something''s in there.''


    Now I''m closer, I can hear it too. A whooshing noise over the crackling of flames, like air swishing through trees, or a wormhole materialising from thin air. I''m about to mouth something when I hear Hayden:


    ''Hey, Fina. Can you hear something?''


    Then, another whoosh. This time louder than all the rain, wind and fire put together, and then ¨C footsteps.


    ''YOU.''


    Hayden''s voice echoes through the caves and back out to us. You, you, you. . .


    Rai''s grip on my elbow tightens. Together, we peer around the edge of the cave.


    Hayden and Fina are on their feet. A strange figure, half-stooped, hidden in shadow, stands opposite them on the other side of the fire.


    Then the figure shifts and the firelight sweeps across his features.


    I almost cry out.


    ''E¨C!''


    But Rai clamps a hand over my mouth, his eyes wide and terrified. His chest presses against my back, and I can feel his heart drumming a frantic thud, thud, thud.


    ''Well, well, well.'' Eldred raises an eyebrow, his typical wry expression. He''s twirling his hat on one finger, a grin on his face. ''What do we have here ¨C have I really found the last Elementalist?''


    ''Get away ¨C get away from us ¨C'' Hayden is struggling, trying to pull Fina behind him, both of their faces stricken with panic.


    ''But why? I''ve come to bring you home.'' Eldred reaches out a hand, his eyes crinkling with the same kindness he showed me the day my family died.


    ''You''ll never take us anywhere again ¨C,''


    ''Oh.'' Eldred blinks in surprise. ''My apologies, you misunderstand. I was talking to Fina. Not you. I have no desire to take you anywhere.''


    And Eldred drops his hat, revealing a gun that he raises high into the air ¨C


    And shoots Hayden square between the eyes.

 Chapter 25 - Rai

    Time freezes.


    Every thought in my head dissolves into dust.


    Eldred. Eldred.


    How ¨C could ¨C he ¨C?


    ''ELDRED?''


    Kass screams Eldred''s name before I can do a thing to stop him. His emotions displayed for the world to see. Shock. Hurt. Betrayal.


    For him to see.


    Eldred swivels on the spot, his mouth opening a fraction. The moment he spots us, his eyebrows rise so high they disappear into his grizzled hair.


    ''Damn.''


    Meanwhile, Fina stares. At the body of her lover, her protector, as he bleeds at her feet. A hole blinking like a third eye through his brain.


    Then ¨C a noise erupts from her lips. A sound I won''t forget till the day I die. It''s all the agony and horror of the world condensed into one throat-shredding shriek that sears a wound in my memory forever.


    The golden lights flicker and die. The fire snuffed out in one chilling breath. Leaving behind nothing but darkness.


    ''I''ll kill you for this.''


    There''s a crack. And a spark. Through the black, a sizzling, pulsating sphere illuminates Fina''s face. It grows between her hands, white at first, then deepening to a rich, electric yellow. The surface is fluid, moving and flowing ¨C orange tendrils fizz out in all directions, until the sphere bursts into two expanding orbs, currents crackling on her fingertips.


    ''Oh hell.'' Eldred dives to the ground.


    And suddenly, light is everywhere. The plasma spheres explode, showering the cave in sparks that bounce off the walls and burst into flames. Fina steps forwards and the spheres flow with her, ravenous beasts intent on engulfing everything in their path. She glows, hair standing on end ¨C it''s impossible to tell where her hair ends and the sparks begin ¨C and with a simple click, a bolt shoots from her index finger into a stalactite above Eldred''s head.


    It collapses in an avalanche of rocks, missing Eldred by inches.


    The plasma is Fina''s fury come to life. It knows no bounds, and the louder she screams, the brighter and stronger it flares, consuming everything. . . I watch as Hayden catches alight, his black curls sparking instantly. Together, for the last time, they blaze.


    A sob escapes my lips. My hands are shaking, and with a jolt, I realise that Kass is trying to pull away from me. I lock my arms around his chest, fighting, tugging him as hard as I can away from the cave, tripping over his feet in my desperation to escape.


    He''s yelling at the top of his voice, but my ears are numb. It doesn''t make sense. None of it.


    ''Do you want to get burnt to death?'' I roar instead.


    ''I DON''T CARE,'' he screams back.


    I shake him, and he shouts louder. But I keep shaking, and shaking, locked in this useless battle until finally his body sags against mine, his forehead drooping onto my shoulder.


    ''I don''t care,'' he repeats, but this time, in a broken whisper. ''We have to help her. We have to.''


    Inside the cave, Fina prowls. There''s an almighty flash of light and we turn back, glued to the spot in terror.


    ''FACE ME, YOU COWARD,'' she shrieks, blasting another pillar to ashes. ''You can''t dodge me forever.''


    ''You think I''m hiding from you, child?'' Eldred''s voice, followed by a laugh, echoes from wall to wall. ''You can''t hurt me. You are mine, remember.''


    He swoops out of the flames behind Fina.


    ''FINA!'' Kass and I scream as one.


    Eldred isn''t on fire. He isn''t alight. He''s not burning, he''s not blistering, there''s not a single mark on him.


    His eyes narrow to slits through the flames.


    ''Oh, come now,'' he sneers. ''You really think that after years of toying with you, I''d actually be scared of you? Oh, come ON.'' He throws back his head, laughing even harder. ''Fina, my dear! You have to do a lot better than this!''


    ''YOU SON OF A ¨C,''


    Fina swings around and seizes Eldred by the throat. The plasma sphere surround them, glowing hotter and whiter until I''m blinded ¨C


    ''I''LL KILL YOU!'' Fina shrieks, but Eldred just laughs, and laughs, with every squeeze of her hands around his neck ¨C


    ''And you will be mine.''


    With his free hands, Eldred plunges a syringe deep into her neck, and pushes. In an instant, every speck of light dies. And Fina collapses to the ground.


    *


    ''You can come in now, Puffin. Rai. I know you''re out there.''


    We''ve sank to the ground outside the cave, Kass slumped in my arms. Rain streams from my hair into my eyes, washing away any sense of hope I have left. I bury my face in Kass'' hair, scrunching my eyes.


    Whatever you do, just don''t look.


    But it doesn''t matter. I can see it anyway. Fina, lying by Eldred''s feet, face down in a pool of Hayden''s blood. . .


    ''She''s okay, you know. I wouldn''t harm a hair on her head. Why don''t you both come in and see for yourselves?'' His voice is velvet. Enticing silk. Warm hot chocolate on a stormy night.


    It doesn''t match the horrors in my head.


    ''M-m-murderer,'' Kass chokes out, struggling to breathe.


    ''Oh, Puffin. You never could see beyond black and white. That''s why you''ll never understand the universe''s complexities, you know. How about you, Rai? Do you think I''m a murderer?''


    His voice is so close. He must be just on the other side of the cave wall.


    ''I saw you. You killed Hayden. You murdered him.''


    ''But don''t you want to ask me why?''


    ''No.'' I shake my head. Kass'' hair tickles my nose, but in a strange way, it''s comforting. ''I don''t want to hear any more of your lies.''


    ''Fair enough. I respect that. I can respect that,'' Eldred mutters. ''But don''t you even want to see if Fina''s alright?''


    Kass wriggles and I sit up, allowing him to worm his way out of my grasp. His eyes are bloodshot and his lips a little blue.


    ''I do,'' he growls, struggling to his feet. ''I need some answers, asshole.''


    ''That''s more like it,'' Eldred chuckles.


    ''No,'' I plead in a hushed voice, tugging on his sleeve. ''Let''s get out of here, we''ve got Jinaka''s wormhole. Please. I can''t take any more.''


    ''Fine.'' Kass tosses the wormhole to me, and I catch it, fumbling it between my trembling fingers. ''Go then. But I''m staying. If I don''t try to help her, no one will.''


    A booming laugh erupts from the cave. ''Bravo, that''s my boy!''This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ''Why do you have to be so stubborn?'' I whisper, my voice catching in my throat. Kass frowns at me, his eyes sharp; but as they meet mine, they soften.


    ''Don''t pretend you''d want me any other way.''


    He turns and walks into the cave.


    ''Oh god. . .'' I twist the wormhole around, paralysed with indecision. Then, I curse. As if I can leave him to go in alone.


    I catch up with Kass in the opening to the cave, where he stands facing Eldred. Fina is still lying motionless in the chamber. The hate in my heart flashes hot when I see her.


    ''What have you done to her?''


    ''So nice of you to join us, sweet Rai,'' Eldred smiles, beckoning for me to come closer. When I don''t, he sighs, re-positioning his hat on his head. ''I simply administered her last dose. It''s why they ran away, you see. Our experiments were, at long last, almost complete and she was ready for the final stage.''


    ''Of what?'' Kass spits. ''Contamination?''


    ''Oh! So, you think you understand, do you?''


    ''Who are you really, Eldred?'' Maybe I do have some questions, after all. ''A Resister, or a Futurist? Are you even from Tellus? Who the hell are you?''


    Eldred regards me, pinching his lips in a look of appraisal.


    ''I am the Lord Protector Ares Eldred of Ra. I am a professor, and a spy. I infiltrated both the FUTURE and RESIST, and you, my Elementalists, are the children of my dreams. You are mine, and mine alone. Dr Keller, that fool, thinks that he completed your creation, but all he did was follow my instructions. You were born from my sweat, blood and lifelong-work, shielded from harm by me, and brought back by my ingenuity. You see this?'' He holds up Kass'' button, burnt and black in his hand. ''My invention. Linked to my ultimate wormhole, so I could find you again. The wormhole you hold in your hand? Another one of mine. This world is my battery, my farmyard, my stage, its inhabitants all mere puppets in my show.


    ''The real world, the one to which you all belong, is further away than you can even imagine. It is my duty to bring you home, and that will remain my duty until I the day I die. I will bring you back home to Ra.''


    ''Ra isn''t our home!'' Kass slams his fist into the wall. ''I''LL DIE BEFORE I GO ANYWHERE WITH YOU.''


    ''Oh, shouty pouty, little Kassius McBoohoo. Cry a little more, will you? I don''t think enough people have heard you yet.''


    ''SHUT UP.''


    ''Or what? What will you do? Did you not just see? Fina couldn''t hurt me. You can''t hurt me.''


    ''How?'' I croak. ''How did you not get burnt?''


    A smile plays on Eldred''s lips. ''I am the Master of visinium.''


    ''You''re evil,'' Kass hisses. ''You''re just an evil piece of scum.''


    ''I mean, really,'' Eldred huffs. ''It''s not even like you''ve worked out the worst of it. You''re unbelievably slow at joining all the dots. Let me give you a little bit of help.'' His voice adopts a sing-song tone. ''Why did the Lord Protector of Ra blow up Kass'' village? Because they wouldn''t give me what I wanted.''


    Realisation dawns on Kass. You can see it in his eyes; they widen, but at the same time, shutters come down, casting them into shadow. His mouth opens, but no words come out. He stares at Eldred ¨C beyond Eldred ¨C locked in memories that I can''t save him from.


    Hate spills over the edges of my heart. Water springs to the surface of my skin, always dormant, patiently-waiting, enveloping my fists. The temptation to strike is so strong, but yet. . . it''s not time. We need answers. Kass needs answers.


    And if he can''t speak, I''ll speak for him.


    ''It was you?''


    Eldred seems delighted by the venom in my voice. ''It was me!''


    ''Why?''


    He shrugs. ''Why not? Kass was far too well-adjusted ¨C I had to do something. Broken people are far easier to manipulate, you know. Take you, for instance. Much as I despise Titus, breaking you was the best thing he ever did. I''d congratulate him for it myself, but alas, if we ever come face to face again, I don''t think he''ll survive long enough for a conversation.''


    He''s trying to hurt me. To bait me. I can''t give him the satisfaction.


    I shake my head to control the pain, and give a worried glance at Kass. He''s still staring, eyes popping, at Eldred.


    ''But, I thought the Futurists found Kass because his blocker ran out. . .''


    ''Oh please. A blocker that just so happens to run out on your birthdays? How cute. Elementalists don''t leak out subconscious bursts of energy. . .'' Eldred chuckles to himself. ''If you did, you''d all have been found!


    ''No, that''s just what I told your guardians to make sure they returned you to me; a deadline, if you will. It didn''t matter when they returned you, visinium does unpredictable things to children under sixteen anyway. I''d rather hoped it would be sooner, but what can you do? Telluns always were greedy - I should have known your guardians might want to keep you. Kass'' mother only summoned me in the end because she thought FUTURE would kill Kass if she didn''t. That''s how I knew where to find Kass. It was that simple.''


    ''My mum didn''t summon you. I did,'' Kass whispers, still rooted to the spot.


    ''No, silly boy. She pressed your button before you, the night before your birthday, hoping I would come to take you away before the Futurists arrived. . . Poor love. She really did believe they were coming for you.''


    So many lies.


    ''But.'' I grit my teeth. ''If you''re from Ra, why have you been helping us destroy the capsules?''


    ''Ah,'' Eldred nods, closing his eyes in satisfaction. ''Excellent question. Let us consider. Have I? If you think about it, I actually made it rather difficult. Well, as much as I could, that is, without making the Resisters suspicious. It was a very tricky balance to maintain, you know. But, honestly. Who would have thought you''d destroy the first capsule with just one measly soldier for support? You had no idea what you were doing, and practically no training! And really, the fact that you destroyed the second capsule was pure incompetence on FUTURE''s part. How useless are they? It''s been incredibly frustrating to watch.''


    ''Except you don''t seem all that frustrated.''


    Eldred smirks. ''Yes, well. . . It''s all about priorities. Capsules can be replaced. I have to think about the long game too ¨C having RESIST and FUTURE under my thumb is much more useful to me in the long run.''


    There''s another wormhole in my pocket, one he gave us ¨C god, only two days ago? ¨C for the third capsule. I feel acutely aware of it, all of a sudden. ''So, that''s why you gave us the third capsule''s wormhole. Because you don''t care if we destroy it?''


    He wavers for a moment. ''Now, I wouldn''t go as far as to say I don''t care. I''d much rather you didn''t. But please, do try the wormhole. You''ll like what you find.''


    Kass snaps out of his stupor with a sharp intake of breath. ''It''s a trap. You wanted to do to us what you did to Fina.''


    Eldred sighs. ''Ah, Kass. My poor old Puffin. What can I say?''


    Fina begins to stir, and Eldred bends his crooked, arthritic knees, lowering himself gently to the ground.


    ''Fina? Wake up, sweetheart. We''ve got work to do.''


    ''Wha¨C?'' Fina groans. A shaking hand rises to her mop of rusty curls. ''My head. . .''


    ''How do you feel?'' Eldred breaths. The excitement in his voice is palpable. Electric.


    ''I feel. . . weird. . .''


    ''That''s okay. . . That''s just the visinium working its way through your body, making you stronger, more powerful than ever. . .''


    ''Yes.'' A grin unfurls across her ghostly-white features, and her eyes snap open. ''I feel it.'' Gone is the gentle, forest hazel of before. Now, her eyes are grey. Cold. Stone. Metallic. Grey.


    They flash through the darkness, like light falling across a steel blade.


    ''Run.'' Kass pulls on my arm. ''RUN, RAI, RUN.''


    There''s a hunger in Eldred''s eyes as he leers up at us. The time for talking is dead.


    We turn on our heels and sprint out of the cave into the night, our feet pounding through puddles, water splashing over our ankles. I stumble over rocks as the wind sweeps across my cheeks ¨C but I don''t care. There''s nothing we can do now but run.


    ''You can''t run from me, boys.'' There''s a bite of annoyance in Eldred''s voice. ''You can''t escape or stop me. I will find you. I will always find you. Better to give in now than waste any more time. Come back, boys.''


    Far sooner than humanly possible, we hear his footsteps, calm and steady, squelching through the puddles behind us.


    ''Just keep going,'' Kass gasps, clutching his chest as he runs, wheezing with every step. ''I''ve got an idea.''


    We''re fast approaching the edge of the cliff.


    ''I really hope so,'' I pant, overtaking him and tugging on his elbow to help him catch up. ''He''s gaining on us!''


    ''I know. Just keep going.''


    ''But where?! There''s no way down!'' We skid to a halt in front of the cliff face that suddenly drops a thousand feet. My stomach lurches as bits of rocks skitter over the edge. I turn to Kass, unable to stop the tears streaming unbidden down my cheeks.


    I don''t want to die.


    But no. More than that. I don''t want you to die.


    A whimper escapes. ''I don''t ¨C I don''t ¨C,''


    ''I know.'' Kass pulls me into a hug, holding me close. I feel every part of his body against me ¨C his grip tightens so much it hurts. The best kind of hurt. Even though we''re inches from falling to our deaths, moments from being caught by a psychopathic murderer, for a split second, I feel safe. Safer than safe. Kass'' arms are the safest I''ve ever known.


    ''It''s okay,'' he mumbles into my ear. ''I don''t want to die either.''


    You idiot, I can''t help thinking. You idiot.


    ''You''ve got to trust me,'' he continues, breaking away. But he takes my hands instead, and I look into his eyes, knowing I''ll trust him whatever he asks me to do. ''Please. You have to trust me.''


    ''I do.''


    ''There you are.'' From the darkness behind us, a light shines. Fina. And in her glow, Eldred steps into view. ''I told you. There''s nowhere left to run.''


    The sky reacts to Fina''s presence. Thunder crashes over our heads, the clouds rolling closer, like they''re drawn towards her. Lightening slashes through the deepest purple night, and Fina raises her hands, sucking them in.


    I remember what she told us. "When I was eight. . . I caught my first bolt of lightening."


    This girl is more dangerous than I can even begin to understand.


    Kass ignores Eldred, still facing the drop. He sighs, so deeply I hear his chest rattle. ''There''s always somewhere left to run. But you wouldn''t understand that.''


    Eldred laughs again, but this time, with no trace of humour. ''I''ve run out of patience with you now, boy. I''ve never liked kids, bratty little creatures; I told you that the first time we ever met. Now, let''s review your choices. One: you turn around, surrender yourselves to me and live; or two, you plunge headfirst off that cliff and die in mess of brains and blood ¨C,''


    ''Then we choose two. You see? Like I said, there''s always somewhere left to run. I''d rather run to my death than live a life controlled by you. Ready, Rai?''


    People have used me, abused me, all my life. Stolen my childhood, locked me inside my head. Forced me to become someone I never wanted to be.


    But you see me differently. With you. . . I''ll follow you to the end of the earth if you ask me to.


    I''m ready, Kass. Kass. . .


    Without waiting for an answer, Kass yanks me by the hand. And together, we pitch off the edge of the world.


    Eldred''s screams die in our ears, swallowed by the rush of the wind that pulls us down. . . down. . . down. . .

 Chapter 26 - Sammi

    The Futurists are arranged in a perfect formation along the platform. Jinaka stands beside me, hands on his hips, waiting for the last few soldiers to straighten up. His expression terse.


    Singavere Station. The last time we came, we were searching for Rai. I was so awestruck ¨C the holograms, the neon-lights, the robots. And not only that ¨C the bustle, the business of it. It was so vibrant, so alive.


    Now?


    It''s a ghost-town. Sweet-wrappers drift across the tiles, a lonely droid sweeping them underneath AI vendors, whose mouths are turned staunchly down. Instead of mist, the platform is full of smoke ¨C a couple of soldiers clear their throats, obviously repressing coughs.


    I shiver. Not from cold, it''s the opposite of cold. Besides, I''m tucked up in Kass'' cloak. No. I''m not cold.


    Not on the outside, anyway.


    The look on Tanner''s face haunts me. The way he watched me be dragged from my hospital bed, kicking and screaming ¨C and it wasn''t just him. Dimitrov, Paolera, Hughes ¨C all of them with me in the medical facility. Hughes covered her face, but I still heard her crying. Dimitrov ranted and thrashed, straining on the chains that bound him to his bed.


    ''DON''T GO WITH THEM, SAMMA. SPIT IN THEIR EYES. MAKE THEM REGRET THEY WERE EVER ¨C,''


    But Tanner got to me the most.


    ''Bring me too,'' he pleaded with Lieutenant Charlie. ''I need to protect her. I made an oath ¨C on my honour ¨C to protect her. Please. I won''t be any trouble ¨C just let me come with.'' But Charlie didn''t, of course. I don''t think Tanner''s honour was of much concern to him.


    As Charlie pulled me from the hospital room, another soldier approached. With someone familiar.


    ''Brie,'' I hissed. Like my friends in Squad Three, her wrists clinked from the weight of chains. But I didn''t care about that ¨C I''d spotted the quivering ball tucked under her arm, and the thick sheet of fabric slung over her shoulder. A Futurist soldier guided her by the elbow; he didn''t look happy about it. Neither, particularly, did she.


    A flare of rage flashed through my chest. She tricked us. I glowered at her, daring her to look at me, but she didn''t have the guts. She just frowned and turned away.


    ''We found this one with these.'' The Futurist jabbed his head at Brie''s possessions, and Charlie scrunched his nose in distaste.


    ''A broken racer, and a filthy cloak. They''re just junk. Chuck them.''


    ''No,'' I burst out. Brie blinked, and Charlie frowned at me in annoyance.


    ''What?''


    ''They''re not junk. That''s Rai''s drone and Kass'' cloak. They need them. I need them.''


    Charlie pursed his lips, exchanging a glance with the other Futurist officer. ''Why should we care about your needs?''


    My cheeks flushed. ''Do you want me to help you or not?''


    ''You don''t have a choice,'' he flared back. But then, he relented, rolling his eyes. ''Oh whatever. Nick, just give her the damn crap.''


    Within seconds, I''d flung Kass'' cloak around my shoulders, breathing in its familiar scent of damp earth and fresh hay. Henry shuddered in my arms, letting out mournful string of beeps. I sighed.


    ''I know, Henry. I miss them too.''


    But then Charlie pushed me forwards, leaving my friends and Brie staring at my retreating back. There was no time to waste on anything as foolish as my lonely, breaking heart.


    Jinaka activated the Singaverean military within minutes of the initial attack. They began evacuating citizens into underground bunkers, but Jinaka was in no hurry to evacuate himself. He intended to lead the counter-strike.


    But this was clearly what the other RESIST squadrons had been training for. I recognised the uniforms I saw on the TV. I''d eaten dinner beside Squad One, played a fierce game of pool with members of Squad Five, and trained with Squad Six loads of times. I''d befriended one of the women who was almost as unfit as me. We''d giggled together, hiding from our captains, seeing who could go the longest without being discovered. Now, she was out there somewhere, destroying homes. Destroying lives.


    People can be monsters, but I guess monsters can be people too.


    There''s only a small team with us now. The rest of Charlie''s battalion has been split between the Fighters above the artificial atmosphere, and being positioned strategically around the city. Everyone''s just waiting, preparing to strike at Jinaka''s command.


    ''Charlie.'' Jinaka nudges me aside, pushes past his bodyguards, and puts a hand on his lieutenant''s shoulder. ''All you have to do is ensure Miss Fazil''s safety. Stick to the plan, and keep her safe. By tonight, I want all four Elementalists in Zhal''s lab. In our custody. Understood?''


    Charlie is very white under his mesh helmet. He keeps shaking his head, just like Rai. ''You can count on me, Sir.''


    ''Of that, I have no doubt.'' Jinaka pats him on the back, then beckons to his bodyguards. ''Right, it''s time. Samma, you have one hour to try diplomacy. Find your friend, tell him to take you to his commanding officer, and get them to stop this attack.


    ''If you don''t, I will be forced to raise the signal. Our Fighters and soldiers will attack your Resisters ¨C and we will win. You know that. Your forces are no match for our fighter drones.''


    I swallow, feeling Henry tremble against my chest.


    ''Then, I will begin the inquisition. Officers will be dispatched throughout the planet to purge RESIST supporters from every town, city and village. We will cut off their supply chains, cut their rations, hold vaccines back if we have to. . . Until we put an end to this Resister rebellion once and for all. So, you see, Miss Fazil, there''s a lot riding on you. Stop this, or we will.''


    If FUTURE attacks to defend the city. . . The Resisters will die. ALL Resisters will die. My family. Musa. . .


    ''You have one hour.''


    The army of soldiers troop one by one into the blossoming wormhole. Jinaka takes one last look at me, and to my surprise, holds out his hand. I stare at it, nonplussed.


    ''Good luck.''


    He doesn''t seem offended when I don''t shake his hand. Just determined, and a little sad.


    Then he disappears into the void.


    *


    Our instructions are simple. Find Musa and stop the attack. But the reality is far from simple.


    If we''re lucky enough to even find Musa, we then need to find Colonel V?n, who I suspect is leading the attack. Then, somehow, I have to persuade him to stop. Simple, my ass.


    Charlie and I run towards the entrance to the station, jumping the ticket barrier and ignoring the droid that offers us a sweet-wrapper with a miserable air. The double-doors at the entrance sense us coming and ping open as we approach.


    ''Holy. . .''


    A waft of mist billows into our faces. It''s not normal mist though; I know the mist better than most. I know its texture, its taste even. This is no simple mist. It''s mist that has gobbled up all the smoke and ash from battle, using it to grow stronger, more potent; I stagger back, coughing and spluttering. Charlie guides me by the elbow, but seems at a loss for where to go ¨C we can''t see a thing through the smut.


    ''What the hell? How did the mist get in?'' I squint, covering my mouth.


    ''Bloody Resisters broke the artificial atmosphere,'' Charlie chokes out. ''It must have seeped through.''


    Perhaps the mist realises it''s in a forbidden place, somewhere it hasn''t been in a long, long time. It rushes and twirls in all directions, barely able to contain its excitement, oozing its way over everything; trying to see is like wading through mud. As we step out of the station, I clench my jaw and concentrate on cleaving a pathway for us, sweeping aside the particles with my hands like I''m paddling a boat. Charlie creeps behind me as close as possible, his gun raised high over my shoulder.


    ''Just in case,'' he whispers.


    The streets are as desolate as the station. Last time we came, I''d marvelled at the magnificent houses that lined the roads. Real houses, I mean, with tiled roofs and ivy creeping up the brickwork, not the plastic pods the rest of us lived in. Now, many of these houses were reduced to rubble; others were peppered with bullet holes, or had chunks blasted away. In the middle of the road lies a droid, scattered in pieces. Its hand still clutches a lollipop-sign, its head rolling through the mist occasionally bleating: "Stop. Look left. Look right. Now, children, it''s safe to cross!''


    A fire blazes at the end of the road. It spits ash into the air ¨C here, the mist has almost congealed into an evil fungus-grey sludge. As we get closer, we see the remains of a market. A neon-flashing sign crunches under my boots; I lift a foot to read ''DUSK-MOTORS, PROMOTIONAL SALE NOW 10% OFF SELECTED MODELS''. Mangled chunks of blackened metal lie strewn across the pavement, and I kick them aside as we pick our way through.


    My heart aches at the waste of it all. A fountain has crumbled, leaking water all over the road. Ostentatious as it is ¨C nobody really needs a statue of Jinaka, do they? ¨C back home, the puddles alone on the ground would have sustained us for a week. I splash through them, cursing them with my every step. Knowing they''ll just evaporate, or be guzzled into the ground.


    Such a waste.


    ''So, where are the Resisters, then?'' I hiss, as Charlie leads us behind the Artistry Guild. I imagine it was once enchanting. Technicolour brought the Gothic architecture to life: pillars swirl with magenta, indigo and saffron; archways are embossed with peacock-feather patterns; and towering spokes catch the sunlight and send rainbows of sparkles cascading down.


    Now, it lies in ruins. Coloured debris rains down from the crater-size hole in its central dome, dusting the pavement with glitter.


    A fuchsia pillar stretches across our path; we crouch down beside it, peering over the top. Vomit rises in my throat. A trail of bodies runs all the way into the belly of the building, and there''s a stench of burning flesh.


    Charlie raises the mesh part of his helmet so he can cup a hand around his mouth and nose. ''I don''t know.'' He taps his ear-piece with his free hand, a muscle in his jaw popping. ''But we only have forty-five minutes left to go.''


    ''Okay, well let''s think. Where else have they attacked so far?''


    ''The University, the Dennydome, the Research Centre and the bridge connecting the Lares district of the city to the Ra district.'' Charlie counts them off on his fingers. ''At this rate, we''ll be ruined. Pieces of ¨C,''


    ''Okay, so what could be the next logical target?''


    Charlie frowns. ''Hmm. Singavere Central Station would have been my first bet, but we''ve just come from there and seen no one. There''s the Grand Hall, where Jinaka hosts rulers from other planets. Or, uh, the Space Port, where the shuttles off-planet are based.'' He slams the mesh of his helmet shut again, coughing and shaking his head. ''But the Space Port''s attached to the station, so, again I think we can rule that out. The Grand Hall isn''t far from the bridge though, and that was the last place they attacked. Let''s head to the Hall, and if there''s nothing, back to the Space Port. It''s a long shot, but it''s all we have.''Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ''Lead the way.''


    We make our way across the city, me carefully cleaving a pathway for us, and Charlie sweeping his gun left and right, always ''just in case''. . . But after only a few minutes, a buzzing sound makes Charlie jump out of his skin.


    ''I''ve got a message from a new contact.'' Charlie taps his headphone, frowning. ''Who the heck would. . . what?''


    He mutters something then offers a headphone to me, his expression flat. ''It''s for you.''


    ''For me?''


    ''Your Elementalist friend. Rai. Clock''s ticking, Samma. Better prioritise.''


    I snatch the headphone and stuff it into my ear, just like Rai showed me all those months ago. If he was messaging me now, it had to be important.


    ''What do I do?''


    Charlie rolls his eyes. ''Play message,'' he says.


    "Sammi, everything we knew was a lie. The Resisters, the Futurists, they''re all just pawns. The Ra are the real enemy, it''s too confusing to explain now. Just trust us ¨C it''s the Ra who are going to kill us all. Stay safe ¨C we''ll come back for you."


    I stare at Charlie. Henry''s feeble beeping inside Charlie''s rucksack in response to Rai''s voice stutters to a stop.


    What on earth has happened?


    Charlie looks equally troubled. ''What does he mean, we''re the ones who are pawns? And why on earth would he say that about that Ra?''


    ''I don''t know.''


    The Ra are the real enemy. The Ra...?


    Then my thoughts stop churning, and I take a deep breath. All I can do is focus on what I do know. And if what Rai said is true. . .


    It''s even more important that I find Musa quickly. I have to stop this fight.


    Before everyone does something too terrible to forgive.


    *


    We make our way from the Ceres district to the Lares, the destruction growing steadily worse. Twice, Charlie has to wrench me out of the way as buildings collapse in front of us, and when a drone explodes over our heads, I use my powers instinctively. Luckily, the surrounding mist is only too easy to control ¨C I send a wave sweeping outwards, repelling the debris from the blast safely away from us. Charlie wipes his brow, and gives me a strange, sideways glance.


    ''Thanks.''


    ''No problem.''


    Henry starts beeping again, his antennae poking out of Charlie''s bag. I reach inside to soothe him, wondering if he recognises this place or if it just reminds him of Rai. Everything reminds me of Rai. Had he shopped in this street, or studied in that school? Had he walked across that bridge with his friends? Was that body someone he knew?


    It''s all just so desolate. But the closer we get to the Ra district, sounds begin to drift through the mist towards us. Sounds that make my stomach clench.


    ''Listen.'' I pull on Charlie''s sleeve.


    Charlie swallows, raising his gun onto his shoulder again. ''Yes. I hear it too.''


    The pounding of steel-capped boots against tarmac. The blasts of bullets ricocheting off brick and bone.


    Charlie checks his ear-piece. ''Only twenty-five minutes left.''


    My heart screams, banging against my rib-cage. ''We''re not going to make it.''


    Charlie''s jaw sets. ''We are. Look.'' He points east. There, behind the wreckage of a smouldering bridge, is the Grand Hall. It''s easily the most recognisable building in the city. Like a multi-tiered cake, it rises in layers, each circular level panelled with blue and purple opalescent glass, with a cylindrical lift that runs up through the centre. It gives the rather dangerous impression that the levels are being held up by the lift itself ¨C like it''s acting as a podium. I wonder, for a ridiculous second, how they are balancing.


    But aerodynamics are the least of our concerns. The Futurists, so far, retain control, and soldiers hang out of windows throughout each of the layers, barely visible against the coloured glass. Many of the panels have been smashed to create more windows to shoot from. Smoke circles above, like the ghosts of vultures.


    ''They''re evacuating,'' Charlie whispers, his head cocked as he listens intently to his earpiece. ''I''ve managed to contact one of the guards. They''ve got thousands of civilians on the ground floor, and thousands more filtering into bunkers below.''


    ''Underground?''


    ''Yes. Jinaka installed bunkers into all our major buildings, just in case anything like the wars ever happened again. As long as everyone manages to get down there, they should be fine. But there''s still so many waiting to go in ¨C and look. There are the Resisters.''


    I choke down bile. I don''t know how I didn''t spot them earlier. But now ¨C as Charlie points them out ¨C I see RESIST troops hiding in every crevice, around every corner. They crawl out from underneath cars, slide into view behind surrounding shops. Soldiers from squad six shimmy along the domed roof itself, clinging to metallic ropes; the Futurists aim their fire up at them, and for now, at least, they seem to be holding squad six''s attack at bay.


    Then Charlie lets out a growl. I follow his finger ¨C he''s pointing to the bridge. I squint harder. A chunk of the bridge is missing, and squatting in the hole are dozens of squad five soldiers, their tell-tale bullet-proof vests catching the light.


    Musa was wearing a bullet-proof vest in the news footage. . . He must be part of Squadron five.


    ''Quick, hurry!'' I yank on Charlie''s hand and together we run towards the bridge, ducking as a Futurist bullet glances off the stone above our heads. ''I think Musa''s in there.'' Then something occurs to me, and I baulk.


    ''What is it?''


    ''You can''t come with me! The Resisters will take one look at you and ¨C!''


    ''Well, you can''t go in alone.'' He folds his arms, a picture of stubbornness; I stamp my foot, losing it completely in my panic.


    ''Well what the hell do you want me to do?''


    Charlie shakes his head, and then does the last thing I''d ever expect. He starts to strip.


    ''What are you doing?''


    ''Looking less like a Futurist,'' he hisses, tugging off his boots and ripping layers of mesh-like armour from his body. ''See that body over there? Get me his boots and vest, now.''


    I sprint to where the body of a Resister lies splayed in a pool of his own blood. ''I''m sorry,'' I stammer, trying not to look as I pull the boots off his feet and try to ease the scarlet vest from his back. ''I''m so sorry.''


    When we''re finished, Charlie still doesn''t look exactly like a Resister. If you look closely, you can still see his emotion filters, and the row of gadgets sparkling in his ears. But once he''s pulled the RESIST balaclava over his face, no one could easily guess.


    ''Come on.''


    Two Resisters, panting by the edge of the bridge, notice us sooner than we expect. ''There!'' One of them shouts, aiming his weapon at us as we hurry towards them, still crouched low. ''Should we shoot?''


    ''No, they''re red, see?'' His friend stumbles to his feet, beckoning to us. ''Hurry, hurry! Before the whole thing blows!''


    ''Good lord.'' The first Resister lowers his weapon as we stagger closer; he and his friend heave us under the bridge by our elbows, and he points at me in agitation. ''You''re ¨C you''re. . . Sammi?''


    The soldiers here are a mess. Half of them are stretched out, either seriously wounded or dead, whilst the other half scurry around hurriedly strapping up limbs and wounds with black tape. But when they hear my name, the medics stop. The wounded sit up.


    ''Sammi?''


    ''The Sammi?


    ''The Elementalist?''


    Many of them start rising to greet us, trying to touch my arms, face, hair, any part of me they can reach. Like they''re checking I''m real.


    ''Are you really here?''


    Some peer over my shoulder at Charlie, who''s looking increasingly uncomfortable. ''Rai, is that you?''


    ''It''s Kass, you idiot, Rai''s not so tall.''


    One of them rips off her balaclava revealing a face streaked with dirt, blood and tears that she makes no attempt to quell. ''I can''t believe you''re here. . . You don''t know how much this means to us.'' Her voice cracks as she grabs my shoulders. ''Without you, we would never have achieved any of this. And now you''re here to support us. . . Someone go get Musa!''


    One of the soldiers hurries off, and even though I know it''s wrong ¨C my heart flutters.


    ''Musa''s here?''


    Here, with the wounded? Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Charlie twitch. Did he sense the alarm in my voice?


    ''Yes,'' one of the soldiers says eagerly, removing his balaclava too. Hell. He looks even younger than me. ''He''s won''t believe it ¨C''


    ''Sammi?''


    Finally, that voice.


    I turn slowly on the spot. A blood-soaked figure in a vest and balaclava races into view and suddenly I''m lifted off my feet ¨C strong arms I''ve known all my life envelop me, they swallow me up, and I feel his heart beating against my chest in time with my own.


    ''Sammi,'' Musa whispers like a mantra. ''Sammi, Sammi, Sammi, Sammi. . .''


    ''Fifteen minutes,'' Charlie mutters.


    And my warm glow freezes.


    I push Musa away, holding him at arms-length. Scared that if I don''t, I''ll lose my resolve.


    ''We need to talk.''


    His Adam''s apple bobs as he swallows and something in his eyes sets. He nods and leads me by the hand through the crowd, the other soldiers melting away from us without needing to be asked, until we reach a secluded part of the bridge. Charlie follows behind with silent footsteps.


    Once alone, Musa sinks down into the rubble, wrenching off his balaclava. He holds a hand out to me. With one small choke, I fall into his arms.


    ''No.''


    Musa''s face is covered in blood. It''s crusted in his hair, dripping in streaks over his eyes and nose.


    ''It''s okay, it''s okay!'' Musa wrestles my hands away from his face. I realise the sounds incoherently spilling from my mouth aren''t even words ¨C they''re just that. Sounds.


    ''Don''t panic, it looks worse that it is. You don''t exactly look great yourself.'' His eyes snap towards Charlie, as though he''s only just noticed him. ''Hey, you. Get lost.''


    Charlie''s shoulders tense and I grab Musa''s chin, turning it towards me. ''Musa, don''t fly off the handle. This is Charlie. He''s a Futurist soldier ¨C no, wait,'' I gabble, as Musa makes to spring to his feet, his wide eyes furious. ''He''s helping me; if it weren''t for him, I''d never have found you.''


    ''What are you even doing here?'' Musa hisses, without taking his eyes off Charlie. ''Why would a Futurist bring you here, unless. . .'' He flings my hands off him and lunges at Charlie, seizing him by the vest. ''Is this a threat? Are you using her to threaten us?''


    ''Musa, no!''


    ''Just let the girl speak, will you?'' Charlie shrugs Musa off, then rips off his balaclava, tossing it to the ground as I wrestle Musa backwards. ''You''ve only got ten minutes, Sammi.''


    ''Musa, you have to listen to me.'' My voice hiccups with tears, but I have to quench them, there just isn''t time. ''You have to call off this attack. Please.''


    ''Why?'' Musa cups my face in both hands, locking my eyes with such intensity, I think he''s trying to absorb me into his soul. ''I swear to god, if they''ve hurt you I''ll kill them all ¨C,''


    ''Musa, for once in your life, shut up. After we destroyed the beta-cap, we got captured by Jinaka ¨C,''


    ''I know. Why do you think we''re doing this? We gave Jinaka a direct warning: return you, Kass and Rai before nightfall or there will be consequences ¨C,''


    ''Liar.'' Charlie''s face burns bright red in outrage. ''Nobody made any such warning. This attack was too well timed to be any kind of response. You knew exactly what you were doing.''


    ''What did you call me ¨C?''


    ''Musa! Seriously, my god, just listen! You have to call off this attack!''


    There''s a pause, and Musa recoils. He blinks, his confusion evident and terrible on his face. Like I''m a traitor.


    ''But ¨C why? It''s going so well. I know we''ve had some casualties, but, overall ¨C,''


    ''Well? Musa, do you realise how many innocent people have been killed in this attack? It''s hundreds, maybe more!''


    Musa shrugs. One simple movement that slices my heart in two.


    ''Is that all you can do? Shrug?''


    Musa''s expression darkens. ''What do you want me to say? Yeah, okay, some civilians got caught in the cross-fire, but come on. What have they ever done for us? They''re Singavereans ¨C they''d spit on us if they saw us in the streets! Have you forgotten everything they''ve done to us? We''ve been trodden in the dirt our whole lives, starving, diseased, dying, whilst they''ve just lounged around in their bubble, lording over us in this perfect world pretending everything''s fine.''


    Musa''s voice catches in his throat. ''It''s not fine, Sammi. They can''t get away with it, not any more. At some point, we had to make a stand. And yeah, okay, it sucks that innocent people have paid the price, but maybe Jinaka shouldn''t hide behind civilians if he doesn''t want them to get hurt ¨C,''


    ''Hiding behind his civilians? Jinaka is going to be out on the battlefield, pounding your worthless hide.'' Charlie loses his temper. ''Sammi, you''ve got five minutes left. Then, these scumbags are going to get everything they deserve.''


    ''Charlie, please. Musa!'' I tug at Musa''s shirt, shaking him, unable to look away from his terrible, terrible eyes.


    Have they always been so angry?


    So full of hate?


    How have I never seen it before? When we went for walks hand-in-hand when we were small ¨C were they so dark then? When we played together in the pool, trying not to splash each other ¨C had they been so cold?


    When he wrapped his chain around my wrist on my birthday, his fingers trembled and I felt the most loved I''d ever felt in my whole life. Had those been the fingers of a cold-blooded killer?


    The night he kissed me. . . When he took me in his arms and held me close ¨C


    No. My mind rejected it. No.


    They did this to him. Cotton ¨C V?n. They turned him into. . . this. This boy of anger and hate, this stranger I don''t know.


    ''You have to stop this. Now, Musa. Take me to V?n, I need to tell him what will happen if you don''t stop this now. FUTURE may not even be as much to blame as we think ¨C Rai says that it''s actually the Ra ¨C''


    ''What are you talking about?'' Musa''s lip curls. ''The Ra? That''s ridiculous. As for any Futurist threats. . .''


    ''But Rai said it''s all them, I need to warn V?n ¨C,''


    ''There''s no point.'' Musa interrupts, his voice flat. ''It''s too late. He won''t listen. None of them will. The Futurists need to pay for what they''ve done.''


    ''Oh, trust me, boy,'' Charlie spits. ''It will be you that pays, ten times over, if you don''t get your boss to call this off now. Trust me. I know what''s coming.''


    My mind flashes to the fighter drones, hovering above our heads.


    ''I can''t ¨C.'' My words die on my lips. ''I can''t lose you too.''


    A crack appears in Musa''s hard expression, and he hesitates. ''Sammi, what ¨C why are you doing this? It''s like you''ve forgotten everything. What about Nura? She''s why we''re here, remember? If you don''t want to lose us, go and destroy the third capsule like you''re supposed to. Without it, FUTURE won''t have the power to do anything to hurt us ever again ¨C''


    Suddenly, the air in front of us twists.


    ''What the ¨C''


    Musa and I leap back as, from out of nowhere, a black void opens in the air and two figures, one with shaggy brown hair, one with midnight-blue, tumble out almost on top of Charlie''s head.


    ''Kass? Rai?''


    Charlie dives out of the way and they land in a heap on the ground. His rucksack bursts open, and Henry bulldozes into Rai''s arms.


    Rai and Kass stir, groaning. I collapse beside them, clutching their shaking bodies like they''re a lifeline, unable to believe that they''re here, that they actually came back for me ¨C


    ''It was him.'' Rai hugs Henry''s body, sobbing so hard it''s almost impossible to understand him. ''Eldred. It was all him.''


    ''One more minute!'' Charlie''s voice booms in my ear. ''Where''s Fina?''


    ''No.'' Musa''s voice is as cold as ice. ''No more minutes. Time''s up.''


    The Great Hall explodes.


    *


    There''s a shrill ringing in my ears. . .


    Hot air scalds my skin.


    A mushroom-shaped cloud erupts from the ground ¨C


    My head smacks into something hard ¨C


    And there are screams.


    Futurists''. Resisters''. Mine.

 Chapter 27 - Rai

    We''re falling.


    My heart in my mouth, wind scraping at my eyes, my skin. . .


    Lightening flashes through the night towards us, chasing us through the sky. I see Fina in my mind''s eye, hear her laughter as thunder bellows in my ears. . .


    Then Kass reaches for my other hand too. We''re still falling, but now, we fall together, connected, our bodies splayed out like the wings of a bird. But no ¨C he''s not reaching for me ¨C something is being ripped out of my fingers, Kass'' nails scratching at my skin.


    The Ultimate Wormhole.


    Kass gouges it from my hand, and screams Charlie''s name. In mid-air, a familiar void of sparkling stars and darkness and nothingness opens up and we tumble inside ¨C


    And hit the ground by Charlie''s feet.


    *


    It''s not night anymore. We''re in Singavere. From out of nowhere, Henry is in my arms ¨C


    ''It was him.'' The words splurge from my mouth. ''Eldred. It was all him.''


    Sammi''s here, and Musa, I see his lips open as he starts to speak but then. . .


    The Great Hall explodes.


    Dove and I sat on the hills overlooking the Great Hall, dreaming about the day we would gaze out of those periwinkle windows. When we would sit by Jinaka''s side, opposite the Emperor of Lares, Vesta''s King and the Countess of Ceres as equals, rulers of our own planet, one designed just for us. . .


    Glass shatters, showering the sky with diamonds that glint, an iridescent oil-slick in the sunlight. All the magic and dreams of Singavere tossed into the wind like a child throwing glitter into the air.


    In a blaze of fire and smoke, the building crumbles to the ground.


    I''d pass Quail every Thursday as he crossed the Visinium bridge for training. Only the Ra Youth were allowed to fly in the courtyard behind the Great Hall ¨C I was jealous. I''d hum to myself, pretending to be listening to music as he''d pass. But I wasn''t. And he''d glance at me out of the corner of his eye. And flash me a smile ¨C he knew I''d be there. That I''d always be there.


    Light, and heat, are blinding. I roll over, and over ¨C


    . . . then there''s another flash of darkness. . .


    And the light and the heat ¨C and even Singavere itself ¨C are gone.


    *


    ''Rai? Rai. . .''


    Someone''s shaking me. My eyelids flicker.


    I don''t want to wake up. No thank you. Go away. Please go away. . .


    ''Rai, come on. Wake up. . .''


    But I like that voice. I love that voice. I open my eyes, the sting of the air making me want to close them again immediately. But how can I ¨C it''s Kass. And Sammi. Their heads bow together, leaning over me with the same tortured expressions. The back of Sammi''s head is bleeding all down her neck, and Kass is covered in soot, clean tracks streaked down his cheeks.


    ''Dove was in there.''


    My lips are moving, but, it doesn''t really feel like me talking.


    Kass bites his lip. ''I know.''


    ''My. . . everyone was in there.''


    ''I know.'' His hands ease me upright, and I sit facing him, feeling nothing.


    Sweet, glorious nothing.


    ''They might have got down to the bunker in time. Charlie said lots of them had,'' Sammi babbles, twisting her hands together.


    I bang my fist on the back of my neck, just to check, just to make sure. But no. It''s okay. Still just numbness, nothingness, no feelings, nothing at all. . .


    ''No, don''t you do that. Don''t you dare.'' Kass'' ghostly-white pallor, striking under the soot, mottles as his chest puffs out in outrage. Puffed up. . . Puffin. Oh. I get it now.


    He shakes me.


    ''Leave him alone!'' Sammi tries to push Kass off, but he clings on; I can feel his fingernails digging into my shoulders. ''What''s wrong with you?''


    ''Do you hear me, Rai? Don''t you even dare.''


    ''Let him deal with things the way he wants ¨C,''


    ''No. He needs to feel this. They need him to feel this! You don''t understand, Sammi, but I know how it feels. I''m still goddamn feeling it ¨C you think it ever goes away? It doesn''t, not ever. But the feelings remind you that they were, you know? They were there, in your guts, in your soul, part of you, and you can''t ignore that, you can''t ignore them ¨C,''


    ''Yes. I can.''


    My voice sounds calm, even to my own ears. My numb ears. Can ears be numb? Ears can be numb. . .


    Kass'' eyes flash. ''I won''t let you.''


    ''Well, you don''t get to control my feelings. They''re mine. Deal with it.'' I get to my feet, taking a deep steadying breath. ''Where are we?''


    ''I ¨C I don''t know,'' Sammi stammers, rising with me too. For a second, she stares at me, her eyes swimming, then she flings her arms around my neck in a stranglehold. I can''t breathe.


    I flinch away from her, feeling my skin crawl. I don''t want to be touched.


    By anyone.


    She swallows and begins plaiting her ponytail, as though at a loss for what else to do with her hands. ''Kass used the wormhole to get us out of there.''


    ''Oh.'' That makes sense, I guess. ''So, where are we?''


    ''I don''t know.'' She chews the ends of the plait, sniffing fiercely before turning to Kass. ''Kass?''


    But Kass has turned away, his shoulders hunched.


    ''For heaven''s sake!'' Sammi yells, tossing her plait behind her shoulders. ''You think any of us are enjoying this? Grow up! The person I love more than anyone in the whole world just turned out to be a brain-washed killer ¨C how do you think that makes me feel? And the Futurists are probably going to blast him and every other Resister alive to smithereens in retribution now, I don''t know. But the craziest thing? The thought of anything happening to him still makes me feel ¨C,''


    ''Singwari.''


    Sammi pauses. ''What?''


    ''Singwari,'' Kass repeats in a grunt. ''Look.'' He tosses the silvery orb ¨C the ultimate wormhole ¨C to Sammi, who stares at in, lifting it up to the light to see it better.


    ''Is that a map in there?'' She peers inside.


    ''Yeah. It''s like the wormhole control panel is inside the orb.''


    ''Oh. . . So why here?''


    I look around. It''s hot ¨C too hot. The kind of insane hot where your skin feels like its melting from your bones and you can feel yourself being slowly roasted in your own sweat. I lick my lips, suddenly aware of how dry they are. We''re on yet another mountain side, I''m so sick of mountains, with clouds clumped around us in angry bundles. Like even they are sticking together, in an irritable, clammy mess.


    It shouldn''t be so hot. Not at this altitude. The air is thick with mist and sticky, mulch-y rain that stings in a thousand pinpricks. A fiery amber swirl shoots through the clouds as they congeal with the mist.


    It''s oppressive. It weighs you down, sits on your chest and wraps its fingers around your throat.


    It shouldn''t be this hot.


    ''Yeah, Kass.'' I swallow. It''s hard to swallow. ''Why did you bring us here?''


    He sighs. ''We''re on Mount Terrebon. Where the third capsule is. I guess that''s why it''s so hot. It''s an active volcano.''


    Bloody hell.


    ''Is it. . . Going to erupt?''


    Kass snorts. ''I assume so. That''s the general idea.''


    ''But why ¨C,''


    ''I couldn''t think of anywhere else to go, okay? I had a split second to decide, and this was the first place that popped into my head. Probably ''cause Fina had just told us about it. And probably because I can''t see any other way of stopping this mess. The Futurists, the Resisters. . . They''re just going to blindly fight whatever we say, whatever we do, and the Ra will get away with it. Eldred will get away with it.'' He spits Eldred''s name, like it left a foul taste in his mouth. ''Who knows what he''s done to Fina. But we have to stop him. We have to do something.''


    I can''t help it. Watching Kass'' face underneath the sweat and the scowls: his passion, his loyalty. . . It makes me want to feel. Maybe the pain will be worth it if I can let myself feel ¨C whatever it is ¨C that I feel for him, too.


    ''What?'' Kass says.


    ''I think you''re right. We need to destroy the capsule.'' I glance at Sammi, my face flushing, and hold out my hand towards her. ''The Ra have to be stopped.''


    She takes it, her expression grim. ''I agree. And this way, Jinaka won''t be able to retaliate. At this point, they''re both as bad as each other. We just need to stop anyone else getting hurt in the crossfire.''


    ''And maybe Musa will be okay too, whether he deserves it or not.''


    Sammi blinks, squeezing my hand. ''Thank you,'' she whispers. ''So, how do we do this? It''s a volcano, right? Of all us Elementalists. . . Who is best?''


    Kass snorts. ''Well, honestly? Probably Fina, but seeing as she''s currently running around as a bat-shit crazy Eldred puppet, let''s assume she''s unavailable.'' He suddenly grabs Sammi''s sleeve. ''Hey. Is this my cloak?''


    ''Oh!'' Sammi blushes and hurriedly takes it off, handing it to him. ''Yeah. Sorry.''


    ''It''s okay.'' He strokes the fabric with his fingers. Then, he starts rummaging through the pockets, muttering to himself.


    ''What are you looking for?'' I ask.


    ''This.'' He brings out another orb, a black one this time. I instantly remember Eldred giving it to us, the one meant to take us here, to the third capsule. Kass whips back his arm and lobs it as far as he can. It sails over the cliff-side into one of the clouds, disappearing into the mist.


    ''Why did you do that?''


    Kass sighs. ''I want that thing as far away from us as possible. Eldred laid us a trap, remember? He gave us that wormhole, saying it would take us to the third capsule. Where do you reckon it really goes?''


    I think about it and shudder. ''Not sure I want to know.''


    ''Well, exactly. I don''t want it anywhere near us in case Eldred can track it.''


    ''Good idea,'' Sammi nods. ''Now, the volcano. We know the capsule will be marked by a flag, so Rai, use Henry to scout the area to find it. Kass, when we get near, you''re going to have to deal with the ground. Maybe you can calm it down, or delay the eruption somehow. I guess I''ll have to deal with the gases it releases ¨C they''ll be hot, right?''Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ''Yeah,'' I mutter. ''And toxic. They''re probably as dangerous as the lava.''


    ''Hmm. Fun. So, whilst Kass and I are busy that leaves you, Rai, to blow up the capsule. Think you can do it again?''


    ''Uh-huh.''


    ''Shall we climb?''


    We look at each other and nod. Then, Kass does something unexpected: he pounds his forehead with his fist, and before I know it, Sammi and I have returned the gesture. For some reason, the RESIST salute seems oddly fitting. I climb on Henry''s back, grateful to be able to fly. My legs have turned to jelly.


    ''You ready for this, buddy?''


    Henry''s lights flicker, dimmer than I''d like.


    ''Good. Let''s go.''


    *


    The climb allows Kass to fill Sammi in on everything that happened with Fina and Eldred in the Living Caves. I leave them to it, kicking off from the rocks and Henry darts into the air like a bottle from a cork. Something is definitely wrong; his insides are making curious crunching noises and he keeps jerking to the left, beeping balefully at me. But there''s nothing I can do about it.


    ''Just a bit further, that''s it.'' I pat his side and lean forwards, trying to be as streamlined as possible as we swerve through the mist, and up towards the summit.


    I bet Mount Terrebon was once beautiful. Even at such high altitude, it''s still scattered with ancient tree-trunks that a hundred years ago must have looked incredible. I imagine, for a moment, lush green leaves and pink blossoms, the ground covered with soft, feathery moss and blades of tickling grass, the odd trumpet of steam escaping through cracks in the rocks.


    But if any of that ever existed, it was a long time ago. There''s no life in the magnificent beast now; it''s been abused, overworked, for far too long. I feel a stab of sympathy for it before I shake my head, banishing the feeling back to the underworld of wherever exiled feelings go.


    Terrebon rumbles, a deep furious drum beat below the earth. It''s a monster beating its chest, growling and snarling at us to get away, right now. Pebbles and stones skitter across the surface as the ground quivers, like the rocks are shaking their fists at Henry and I. Henry''s lights fade.


    The higher we fly, the more concentrated the mist becomes; I cough, shielding my face with my arm as a cloud of scalding ash and smoke spurts from a crevice. Henry swerves to avoid it; I cling on with my knees and hold my breath, my hair sticking to my cheeks.


    Maybe I won''t find the flag? The rumbling is getting worse, with more bursts of boiling ash spraying from the rocks with every passing minute. I can barely see through the smoke. Even with our powers, I realise, there''s no way we can stop a full-blown eruption. We just aren''t powerful enough. Maybe, if Fina was with us. But the three of us don''t stand a chance.


    But just as I''m starting to lose hope - there. Near the top, nestled between steep rocky peaks is a crater; I duck down, steering Henry lower so that I can see over the rim and find out what''s inside. My heart leaps - it''s a lake. I''ve never been so glad to see water before. And next to it is an enormous silver block, a giant boulder, topped with a blue flag. It shines as the light hits it, but for all it masquerades as metal, I know what it really is.


    The last visinium capsule.


    I fly back down to Kass and Sammi, who are still struggling up on foot. ''It''s up there! There''s a lake and the capsule''s behind it!''


    Kass is already panting and coughing. If he''s this bad already, I dread to think what he''ll be like at the summit.


    ''Great,'' he wheezes. ''Fancy giving us a lift?''


    ''I''m not sure Kass will make it, otherwise,'' Sammi says, wiping sweat off her forehead as I land beside her.


    I fly Sammi up first, leaving her by the lake to go back down for Kass. I know she can take care of herself, but I still feel uneasy leaving her up there all alone.


    ''What if it blows before we get there?'' I shout into the wind. Kass makes a much worse flying partner than Sammi - he clings on far too tight around my waist, grumbling into my neck.


    ''Then we''re all dead. Sammi will just be dead first,'' is his helpful reply.


    Luckily, it doesn''t. But still, we have to hurry. I let Kass jump down from Henry''s back, landing with a relieved huff beside Sammi, who''s exactly where I left her, perched on the edge of the lake. A crack appears by her feet, and a sudden burst of steam erupts from the gap - they leap aside, Sammi pushing Kass backwards out of the way. Henry swerves to avoid it and I feel the hiss of my hair being singed.


    ''Holy crap,'' Kass whispers. ''We''re going to be boiled alive up here.''


    ''Don''t say that,'' Sammi snaps, as the crack begins to rumble. ''We''ll be quick. Maybe we won''t even need to do anything. Let''s just blow the stupid thing up before the mountain can -,''


    Boom.


    With an almighty blast, the crack in the earth bursts apart. A catapult of scalding-hot gas explodes from inside, hurling us aside. I''m thrown from Henry, landing heavily on my back but I can''t see - another spurt of charcoal-grey plumes erupts from the gap, plunging us into thick, dark smoke.


    So hot -


    I cough, rubbing my eyes. ''Sammi?'' I push myself to my feet, the force of my own chokes starting to scare me. Is this how Kass feels all the time? I don''t know what''s worse. The choking, or the blindness. ''Kass?''


    Then I feel another force, just as strong but approaching from the side. The smoke is being repelled in a violent sweeping wave, and when I raise my head, shielding my eyes, I see her.


    Sammi.


    She''s on her feet, hair whipped back from her face, arms outstretched warding the gas away. Her wave evolves, folding in on itself; rather than forcing the smoke away, Sammi seems to now be twisting it into a spiral around herself. A dark whirlpool of smoke, with her at the centre.


    ''We''re lucky the blast was small!'' she shouts; I can barely hear her over the roars echoing from Terrebon''s belly.


    I hobble forwards, aiming for the lake. Just knowing water is nearby is comforting, even in this hell. But then I glance over my shoulder.


    ''Kass!''


    He''s crouched on all fours a little way behind Sammi. At first, I think he''s choking. I take one last desperate look at the lake, then run in the opposite direction.


    ''I''m here.'' I sink down beside him with a hand on his back. ''Can you -,''


    But Kass completely ignores me. And then I realise. He''s talking to the earth.


    ''It''s okay,'' he wheezes, digging his nails deeper into the dirt. ''Calm down, it''s okay -,''


    He shudders as shocks from the earth spasm through his body. More cracks start to appear in the ground.


    ''Kass?''


    ''Being a volcano,'' he says through gritted teeth. ''Feels like crap.''


    ''Are you okay?''


    ''Uungh,'' he grunts, scrunching up his eyes, his arms burrowing into the rock almost down to his elbows. ''CALM DOWN.''


    But it''s not working. At least, not well enough - a small viscous stream of lava splutters from one of the holes. It oozes towards us, a great, pulsating slug of the deepest, brightest orange.


    ''Crap, crap, crap.''


    Now, all around us, the cracks are belching out great bulbous splurges of lava - they''re gathering speed, but not particularly quickly. I dodge them easily, then try to pull Kass out of the way; but he''s lodged in so deep he doesn''t budge.


    I act without thinking.


    ''STOP.''


    My hand rises, like I''m summoning water - the lava streams hesitate.


    They don''t quite stop. Nor do they rise up, like water would.


    But, they do slow down, gurgling and bubbling as though blocked by an invisible barrier, popping in splatters that sizzle on the rotten tree-trunks, giving Kass time to extricate himself from the rocks and wriggle out of their way. I can feel them fighting against me, straining from my control in a way water never does. They are liquid, I can sense the fluidity of the particles, flowing against each other with familiar irregularity, but there''s a heaviness, a lethargy to their movements that I''m not used to. And the heat - I''m used to the warmth of my powers, but never from the liquid itself. I instinctively cover my hands with my protective sheath.


    For now, it''s enough that the lava slows. Because I can''t stop more spurting out. All I can do is bide us some more time.


    Kass frees himself and collapses, panting on all fours. ''That was close.'' He coughs, wiping his lips on his arm. ''I forgot you could -'' He pauses. His face drains of colour. ''GET ON HENRY, NOW.''


    I don''t pause to consider. Henry''s by my side in an instant; abandoning the lava, I jump aboard and zoom away as the mountain heaves.


    ''NO!''


    The ground under Kass'' feet rips in two; he straddles them, a hand and foot on each, straining to literally push the halves back together. I fly over his head, trying to catch the lava flows again and divert them away from him, but it''s like trying to catch a hundred flies in one net all at the same time - impossible.


    By the time I''ve slowed one flow, another''s almost trickles onto him. I looped around Kass, bearing lower. I can hear his strangled cries above the crashes and bursts and bellows, turning to tears as I start to descend. I see him lose his grip and slip, scrambling in his haste to get out of the way -


    More lava rises from the gap.


    ''Hold on!'' I swoop down, lowering my arms towards him. He reaches up and grabs my hand, but it''s too slick with sweat. Henry shoots off from momentum and swings us back round.


    ''Please,'' I beg, barely able to see through the haze of hair and sweat dripping into my eyes. ''Please.'' I dry my hand hastily on my trousers as this time, I can''t miss - I can''t let anything happen to him -


    But with an almighty roar, Kass swings his legs out from inside the hole and slams the edges of the rocks together; they reverberate, pebbles flying through the air.


    ''Stay closed, you piece of crap -,''


    His voice is drowned out by another loud bang. This time, it''s Sammi I have to worry about - I''d almost forgotten her in the chaos. A fountain of gas just spurted a hundred feet into the air by Sammi''s whirlwind; she staggers, trying to force it away from us as hard as she can, her feet scrabbling at the ground.


    ''Hurry!'' she screams.


    Then Kass cries out, and again my attention is torn away. His arms are wrenched apart as the gap blasts from the gap he was trying to hold together, spewing ash and globules of lava. Kass is blown aside in a storm of debris.


    I hesitate, torn between who to help. My hand reaches out to him - but then out of nowhere, something hits me in the head and I''m flung from Henry''s back.


    Stars swim in front of my eyes.


    I wake up on the ground, flat on my back inches from the lava. For a moment, I just lie, stunned. Then, my body begins to roll down the rocky ledge away from the summit.


    Whether it''s the wound on my head, or the thickness of the air - everything becomes a blur. I don''t know - I can''t see.


    But Kass is calling me.


    So, I have to go.


    ''Where are you?''


    ''Over - uhuh - over here.''


    Raising up onto my elbows, I drag myself towards Kass'' voice, ducking under my arms to shield myself from further falling rubble. Then, tucked behind a boulder, I finally find Kass cowering in a ball with his head in his knees.


    Grabbing his shoulders, I wrench myself upright. ''What are you doing?''


    ''It''s over.'' His voice is muffled. I reach towards him, but he flinches away. ''I''m useless. You may as well not have me here. We can''t do this. I can''t do this.''


    ''You can.'' I force Kass'' arms away from his face and cup his chin, tilting it up so I can see into his eyes. ''You can do this.''


    ''I''m not like you and Sammi. Your powers come so easy, they''re like breathing to you. But even breathing is hard for me - everything is so goddamn hard for me -,''


    ''No. You''re thinking about your powers all wrong. You and RESIST, you think our powers are all about anger and grief. They think of earthquakes and hurricanes and assume we''re the same, just forces of revenge and destruction. But we''re not. You''re not. You''re about life.''


    My fingers nestle in his hair as he blinks up at me. ''Titus always said that my powers were my reflection. Water''s always so strong - you can''t hurt it, or break it, it just flows around, finding a new way. When I use my powers, I feel strong too - I feel free.


    ''And yours reflect who you are, too. You''re the Elementalist of solids. Of the ground itself. So, fix it. It''s not a battle, so don''t fight. Your job is to heal, to be solid and dependable. You can do this, Kass. Trust me.''


    ''How do you know?'' His voice is so small.


    Lava trickles past us, and the earth judders and roars. I look around for anything to help. There - a withered tree root, nestled between the rocks. I grab Kass'' hand and yank him forwards, pressing it onto the root, my hand cupped over his.


    ''What are you -?''


    ''Elemental symbiosis.'' I concentrate, scrunching up my face, willing the water inside me to flow through Kass'' hand and into the root. ''Look.''


    Gently, I lift up Kass'' hand. Underneath, lies the tiniest, sweetest, green leaf.


    Kass stares at it, back to his hand, then back to the leaf. His face a picture of shock. ''But, how -?''


    ''I told you. Life.'' And even though it''s last thing I want to do, I let him go. My fingers slip away, and I whip around to face Henry. ''How do you feel about one last ride, buddy? We need to get to the capsule now.''


    ''Beep boop,'' Henry sighs, his anterior lights flashing.


    Kass'' eyes widen as I leap back on Henry. ''Don''t -,''


    ''You can do this. I promise.'' My voice is lost as I soar back over the edge towards the crater.


    I just hope I can.


    I have to stop trying to protect them. I just have to trust them. So I can finally do the job we came here to do.


    We fly past Sammi, locked in a fierce dance with the mists. Torrents of gas pour from beneath her feet, and she hops and skips between them, her hands guiding the air in a series of loops around her head. Then she flings her arms out - the mist spirals out from her fingertips, in a wave that spreads across the crater. It''s so fast, so intense, it sweeps up everything in its path; rocks hurtle through the air, and I duck and weave through them. The water in the lake is blown out over the side of the crater -


    Wait. What?


    The water. Of course.


    But how to catch it. . .


    ''Go, Rai! The capsule!'' Sammi shrieks.


    I have to hurry. Henry dives and I realise: this is just another race, another track for me to conquer. Except this time? I can use my powers.


    A tingle spreads through my body, all the way to my fingertips, to my toes. I let the feeling of blissful emptiness, of nothingness, of fluidity, take me away, away from everything. . .


    And then, I dance.


    The water heaving inside the crater, disturbed by Sammi''s whirlwind, hears my silent call. And it answers.


    Every drop, every splash, stops in its tracks then twirls towards me, surrounding Henry and I in a halo of shimmering waves. The volcano shudders, lava spurting out in a fountain. With a wave of my hand, I send a stream of water to greet it - they collide and embrace with a satisfying hiss.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I can just about make out Kass heaving himself up over the rocks. My heart soars - I knew he could do it - as he sinks his arms into the earth once more, his eyes closed, and it almost sounds like he''s singing, begging it to be still, to be silent.


    Maybe, I think, the three of us can actually do this. Maybe, together, there''s nothing we can''t control.


    Encased in my shimmering sphere of water, Henry and I spin over the crater and down towards the flag; I jump from Henry''s back and let the wave wash me over to the huge, metallic-grey stone.


    It''s dazzling. Lava splatters down on top of me, a rain of fire, but I''m fine, wrapped in my bubble. It sizzles, and for a moment my heart wavers as the unimaginable, oppressive heat boils through the water around me. . .


    But then the lava cools. And blackens. Disintegrating into ash that''s immediately swept away.


    Now, I finally have a chance to look, to really look, at the capsule.


    And time, fire, water, my friends - everything fades away.


    The gamma-cap is no different from the others. The person trapped inside - of course, there''s a person - must have been watching us this entire time. I wonder if they''re impressed with what they''ve seen. If they''ve been scared. I wonder what it''s like to be frozen, stuck, watching this nightmare all day, every day. Without respite, without end.


    There''s hardly anything left. Of him, or her. Just a ghostly pair of eyes, a dusting of eyelashes, the tip of a nose, and some reaching, grasping fingertips. The rest of the poor soul''s body has been completely engulfed in the visinium parasites.


    An inscription has been carved into the base of the column. I look down, and read aloud: ''I love you, Adita. Come home to me.''


    The stone-grey eyes flood, and overflow.


    I don''t hesitate. I don''t even think.


    I place my hand to the front of the capsule, and remind myself that no one in this world can escape death forever. And whilst for me, death means fear, for this soul? It means freedom.


    And suddenly, a longing, a deep innate craving swells in my heart. It''s so fierce and unexpected, I nearly choke. I want to feel this.


    Kass is right; this person deserves for me to feel their death.


    And Dove deserves me to feel hers too.


    And Cherry, and Quail, and Buffalo, and Titus, and every other person I''ve lost in my life.


    Maybe the child I never got to be deserves it too.


    I take a deep breath, and let my other hand creep up to the filters on my neck. The pads that have sucked the life and heart out of me for as long as I can remember.


    And for some reason, the strangest of Kass'' words come to me before the end.


    ''Don''t you dare. Don''t you even dare.''


    But Kass, don''t you see? For you, I do dare. You make me dare. You make me realise that even though this person, this capsule, is dead, I''m alive, and I deserve to be -


    And I rip the emotion filters from my neck, whilst blasting the particles in the capsule apart with all the strength I can muster.


    ''Henry!''


    My knees buckle - Henry scoops me up and flies me away, as pain - searing, soul-destroying, gut-wrenching agony - swells up inside me consuming everything.


    Everything -


    The capsule bursts into a thousand pieces.

 Chapter 28 - Kass

    I look up, calling, screaming Rai''s name. The sun sets over the capsule as it bursts apart; a bonfire in the sky.


    The explosion sends a shock through the ground. I feel every inch, every speck of dust and chunk of rock shrieking as it slashes through them right to the core. A pain more than anyone, anything, can bear.


    ''It''s okay,'' I cringe, their pain my pain too. ''Please, please ¨C,''


    I can''t fix this. Rai was wrong. He really was wrong about a lot of things.


    No more, the earth sobs. No more, no more, can''t take any MORE¨C


    ''I want to go home.''


    Glancing over my shoulder, almost blinded by tears, I see Sammi collapse beside me, her shoulders heavy with exhaustion.


    ''Please, Kass,'' she whispers, sinking onto her hands and knees. ''Please. Take us home.''


    And with a jolt in my heart, I realise, it''s over. The capsule''s gone ¨C pieces scattered in the wind. We can go home.


    I sit up, easing my arms out of the ground, ignoring the screams of every rock I pass ¨C don''t leave us, please, don''t leave . . .


    Pockets, pockets. . . I dig deep into my cloak, desperate, quick, where''s the wormhole, we need to go home ¨C


    Wait, my heart says, with a slow, solemn frown. Home? Where is home?


    My fingers close around the wormhole as I blink at Sammi. Rai crashes to a halt beside us.


    NO MORE, the ground screams. CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE ¨C


    And I realise, with terrifying clarity, that everything we''ve experienced up on the mountain so far was just a taster. A starter.


    My hands shoot back to the ground but too late ¨C the mountain had given us our final warning. I barely have time to raise my head and look into my friends'' eyes, before ¨C


    BOOM.


    *


    Flames. Smoke. Everything, so hot. . .


    Burning. . . My mouth is so dry. . .


    A light, bright, too bright, above me ¨C


    No. . . Someone''s shaking me ¨C no. I just want to sleep. . .


    A sound. What is that sound? It''s. . . weird.


    Singing?


    I can hear singing?


    Oh god. Am I dead?


    Is this what death feels like? There are arms around me, holding me.


    I open my eyes.


    No. I''m not dead.


    Or at least, if I am ¨C


    It''s hell.


    *


    Everything around me is wet.


    I''m wet too, my clothes sodden, my hair dripping something salty into my eyes, my nose, onto my lips ¨C


    The arms tighten around me.


    Oh god, no. No no no no ¨C


    We haven''t left the mountain. We''re still there. And it''s definitely erupted, a real eruption this time. I''m surrounded by a sea of lava and smoke, amber and charcoal, swirled together ¨C


    But we can''t be. How can we still be on the volcano?


    And still be alive?


    My brain is slow, still aching, not quite ready to catch up with me yet. There''s an ache, something pressing against my forehead. It''s making it impossible to think. I give up on the outside, and focus inside instead. There''s something dark and soft across my chest. I sift my fingers through it. Soft, like feathers, and it smells sweet. Honey ¨C?


    Sammi. My hand freeze as I realise it''s her hair.


    ''Sammi?'' I croak. I try to reach for her, but a heaviness is stopping me raising my arms. Why can''t I lift my arms? Huge, choking sobs start to build in my chest ¨C I realise I''m shaking, so hard I can''t control myself. Everything is warm and I don''t understand ¨C


    Then I notice something. The lava surrounding us seems far away. There''s some kind of screen, transparent and fluid, between us.


    I want to lift my hand to touch it, but I can''t ¨C but even as I think about it, the ''screen'' ripples, bubbles flowing though it like a stream.


    Water.


    Somehow, we''re wrapped in a bubble of water.


    And then I realise something else ¨C the reason I can''t move my arms?


    Is because someone''s holding them down.


    ''Rai?''


    His name splutters out my mouth ¨C the pressure on my forehead is his forehead. The arms around me ¨C his arms. The weight is him too, squeezing me so hard my vision blurs.


    ''Kass?'' Sammi stirs underneath Rai''s body. ''S-s-stop him.''


    ''Wha¨C?''


    And then my ears catch up too. The singing ¨C it''s Rai. But he''s not singing. He''s screaming. Like every inch of his soul is alight. I wrench my arms free and force his face away from mine. Tears are flooding from his eyes, I had no idea a person could hold so many tears inside them.


    His skin is so perfect, so alabaster and smooth, the pain can''t be coming from the outside. It must be on the inside.


    His lips move.


    ''Rai? What are you saying?''


    But I can''t hear, I don''t understand. Each word is a sob; every movement, a scream.


    ''Kass, get us out of here.'' Sammi is weeping now too, but unlike Rai, she''s blackened with soot and ash, great folds of her skin a sickening pink with blistering yellow.


    The wormhole. Of course.


    I clearly didn''t get to the wormhole in time. Rai must have protected us with this water-shield thing when the volcano erupted. But how is he this strong?


    The wormhole had fallen to the ground. With trembling fingers, I pluck it through the liquid bubble that sloshes as I move my hand through it. I hold the wormhole to my lips and say the first thing that comes into my head:


    ''Take us home.''


    A blinding flash of darkness consumes us ¨C and we''re gone.


    *


    Quillin. Of course. For there never was any other home for me.


    We land with a crash on top of my old kitchen table, which collapses under our weight. It''s pitch black. My knees are shaking so much I can barely stand, but still I wade through the mess towards the light switch, praying there''s still a trace of electricity left from before the massacre.


    A dull lamp flickers into life, casting me all the way back to my sixteenth birthday. Nearly a year ago now. There''s nothing left of the home I once loved; no smell of porridge cooking on the stove. No cackle of laughter from Kitty as she chases after Dad; no Mum reading at the table, her glasses slipping down her nose as she frowns at the words, so difficult for her to read.


    No. All that''s left is broken. Including the teenager slumped in a pool of water.


    A pool of ¨C?


    ''No!''


    The bubble that saved us is gone. The lake that protected us abandoned, thousands of miles away. But somehow, somehow, water still seeps from Rai''s body, encasing him and everything around him, like his body is subconsciously trying to form a new bubble. I run back to where Sammi is cradling Rai in her arms, struggling to keep his head above the water.


    ''Stop, stop,'' she cries, over and over again. I sink to my knees beside them, shrugging her out of the way. Tears trickle from Rai''s eyes, endless rivers into the surrounding pool.


    ''Rai, stop. You saved us! Come on, Rai, please.'' But water keeps leaking out of him, slipping over his body, his arms, his legs. I clutch him to my chest, shaking him. ''Stop crying, please, stop crying!''


    But he doesn''t. His hands scrabble at my wrists and to my horror, water starts to creep over my hands too. I squeeze Rai tighter, unable to deal with the thought of anyone else I love dying in this house ¨C


    ''Where''s the water coming from?'' Sammi is crying too; there''s terror in her eyes, and I just want it to be over ¨C


    ''We left the lake behind. So, it must be coming from Rai.''


    Sammi stares at me. ''But then ¨C,''


    We watch the tears drip weakly from underneath his lashes. And I remember that day in Keller''s lab when Rai showed us how he abused his powers to protect himself.


    ''Stop it, Rai. DON''T YOU DARE.''


    I won''t let you. I won''t let you do this ¨C


    ''If he loses too much water he''ll die ¨C,''


    ''I know, Sammi. What the hell do you want me to do?''


    ''I don''t know.'' She curls into a ball and tucks her head under her arms. ''I don''t know.''


    ''Don''t you do this to me, Rai.'' I turn back to him, searching the back of his neck for his emotion sensors. My fingers only find smooth skin. My blood runs cold.


    They''re gone.


    Oh god. . . Why are they gone?


    ''Please. . .'' Tears of my own race down my cheeks. ''Please wake up. I need you. I need you. . .''


    And I drag his body out the water and hold him against my heart until finally, finally, his tears stop.


    *


    ''Come on, Kass. We have to go.''


    It feels like hours have past, but who knows how long it''s really been. I open my eyes, peel my cheek away from Rai''s hair, breathing in his fresh, salty smell until my lungs are full of it, full of him. The water has slid from his skin to the floor where Sammi now sits, hands folded neatly in her lap. Looking like a cat in a puddle. Her face so calm, solemn, watching me. For some reason, it makes a hot rage flash through my chest.


    ''Where the hell are we meant to go?''


    She sighs. ''You need to tell Cotton about Eldred. We have to warn them. I have to. . .'' Her words fizzle out, but the meaning is clear, even though she never said it. She wants to see Musa. She wants to know if he''s okay.


    Part of me wants to scream at her, scream about how selfish that is, how selfish she is.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    But I can''t do it.


    ''Maybe they can do something. . .'' She bites her lip. ''Maybe Dr Keller can help him.'' I glance down at Rai''s body in my arms. He''s so pale. Like death. He looks like death.


    ''I think it''s a bit late for that now.''


    ''No.'' Sammi leans forwards, her expression blazing. ''Don''t do that. Don''t be that person, just ''cause you''re scared. You can''t give up on him now. I''d never give up on Musa.''


    I bring a balled, shaking fist to my forehead. ''I can''t. . . change what is, can I? Keller can''t either.''


    ''No.'' Her eyes soften, and she stretches a hand towards me. I think, at first, she''s going to touch me, stroke my face or something. But instead, her hand slips underneath Rai''s chin and presses the side of his neck.


    ''What are you ¨C?''


    ''There''s a pulse.'' A smile, tiny, but there nonetheless, spreads across her lips. ''Kass, I can feel it. There''s a pulse. It''s not too late.''


    My heart stops. Just for a second. Wild thoughts flash through my mind ¨C had I ever thought to check my mum''s pulse? Niven''s pulse? Maybe, maybe everyone I thought was dead was alive too, maybe I''d given up on them too soon too, maybe ¨C


    No. I wipe my eyes on the back of my hand, then stroke Rai''s hair, his freaky, blue hair. No. I can''t ¨C think ¨C like that. At least Rai, for now, hasn''t been taken. Not yet.


    ''You''re right. We need to get him to Keller.'' I stand, lifting Rai clumsily; he''s heavier than I expected, weighed down by his saturated clothes. ''Sammi, get the wormhole.''


    ''On it.'' She rises, fishing the wormhole out of the puddle. ''Oh!'' She bends down again and lifts out something bigger. Something round, a white pumpkin. ''We can''t forget you. Rai would never forgive us.''


    It''s Henry. But just like Rai, he''s a lifeless version now. Without his blinking lights and flurry of noises, he''s just another piece of Futurist junk. It hurts to look at him.


    ''Let''s go,'' I mutter. Sammi places her lips to the wormhole and whispers RESISTS location, and Keller''s lab. Once again, we step into the void.


    *


    We emerge in an empty corridor. I stumble, Rai dragging me down. Heaving him up onto my back, I look around.


    ''Hello?''


    Silence. Sammi takes a step forwards, her footstep echoing. A nervous expression spreads across her face.


    ''Where is everyone?''


    I swallow. I''ve never seen headquarters so quiet, so deserted. We''ve appeared just outside Keller''s lab; usually it''s buzzing with scientists carrying trays of luminous test tubes, and carrier drones transporting soldiers to medical or heavy lab equipment. Odd as it might seem, I''ve always thought of Keller''s hospital as a happy place. Much more so than military; the scientists were always laughing together, and I remember all the hours we spent in Keller''s lab practising our powers. When Sammi and Rai made it rain, and Rai squirted me in the face.


    I scrunch my face as the memory burns. There were few times I''d laughed since my family died. And all the times I remember were with him.


    ''C''mon.'' I wrench Rai further up my back, and cock my head towards Keller''s door. ''Hopefully they''re in here.''


    Sammi turns the handle, and we slip inside. The first thing that strikes me is the darkness. It''s eerie; Keller''s experiments are bubbling away, but otherwise, the lab seems completely empty. The desk''s been cleared of all Keller''s papers, which now lie scattered the floor in a mess. His office chair turns slowly, empty.


    ''Look!'' Sammi grabs my arm and points, and I sigh in relief. In the corner of the room, behind an enormous, rumbling machine, sits Dr Keller. He''s crouched on the floor, arms wrapped around his knees, hugging them to his chest. He jumps at Sammi''s voice, his head snapping up; he stares at us like he can''t believe his eyes.


    ''Y-you''re back! I thought. . . I thought. . .''


    ''A little help?'' I grimace, my back aching under Rai''s weight.


    Keller jumps to his feet. ''Of course. I''m so sorry.'' He rushes over and catches Rai just as I buckle; together, we lift him up onto the treatment bed. Keller bends over him, checking his pulse just like Sammi did, and then with a gentleness that surprises me, lifts up one of his eyelids. He glances at us, his mouth turned staunchly down.


    ''What happened?''


    Sammi purses her lips. ''We might ask you the same question.''


    Keller flushes and turns back to Rai, redness spreading down his neck in blotches. ''You. . . must have heard. . .''


    ''We more than heard.'' I take a step towards Keller, and he winces at my expression. ''We were there, goddammit. How could you?''


    Keller mumbles something indeterminable, then pushes Rai''s hair off his forehead. ''I warned Rai about this. I told him.''


    My breath becomes trapped in my chest. ''Can you help him?''


    Keller rubs his own temple with his thumb and index finger. ''He''s severely dehydrated. We have to get him on a re-hydration programme immediately; the damage being done to his internal organs could be significant, if not fatal. How long has he been like this?''


    I can''t answer. The words. . . just won''t come.


    ''It can''t be more than an hour,'' Sammi whispers.


    ''What happened?''


    I open my mouth but still nothing comes out. After glancing at me, Sammi grits her teeth.


    ''He used the lake to form a barrier to protect us from the volcano. But when we teleported away, the water from the lake vanished. B-but he didn''t stop. He started using the water from his body instead, like his body switched to autopilot, like it thought it still had to protect him. He was out of control ¨C he wouldn''t stop crying. . . It only stopped when he passed out.''


    Keller closes his eyes for a second, as though trying to remain calm. ''I better get to work straight away, then.''


    We watch in silence as Keller rigs Rai up to some kind of machine, an oxygen mask over his mouth and an intravenous bag of fluid plugged into his arm. I touch Rai''s fingers with my own, intertwining them. They look so slight between my own. Mine are red-raw and shaking uncontrollably.


    ''Where is everyone, Keller?'' Sammi eventually asks.


    Keller gulps, not looking up. ''In Singavere. Well, most people, anyway. Our entire military is there holding the city, and most of medical went to help care for the wounded.'' Keller''s voice cracks, but then after a deep breath, he continues. ''We took the city. After the Great Hall blew, the Futurists launched an attack; everyone thought they would win easily. The fighting was horrific, but then. . . Everything stopped working. All of FUTURE''s fighter drones fell out of the sky, the last remnants of the artificial climate collapsed, and all the lights, everything, just stopped working. It was chaos. Somehow, their power source had, well, disappeared.'' He frowns again. ''It sounds mad, we couldn''t understand it. But then we realised ¨C'' he glances up at us, finally. ''You must have destroyed the third capsule.''


    I close my eyes as my knees give way. Beside Rai''s bed, I rest my forehead on the back of his hand.


    Keller seems to take our silence as a sign to carry on. ''All their technology relied on the energy from the capsules. Without it. . . they fell to pieces. The fighting pretty much stopped instantly, and it barely took us an hour to seize the city. And now. . .''


    ''Now?'' Sammi echoes, her voice faint.


    ''Now RESIST is in charge. Cotton will take over Presidency; in fact ¨C'' Keller picks up a control from his desk and points it at a dusty TV screen suspended on the wall. The picture flickers to life. There, on the screen, is General Cotton, flanked as usual by Colonel V?n. They''re standing outside the burning wreckage of the Singaverean Palace, with a crowd of civilians and reporters, both human and droid, anxiously flitting around them.


    ''Citizens of Singavere and the wider world.'' Cotton clears her throat, frowning deeply into the camera. Her eyes intense as always, her hair pulled into it''s most severe bun. ''Today marks the dawn of a new Tellus. I am General Cotton of RESIST, and today we seize back control of a planet divided, of a planet corrupted by greed, neglect, and disregard for the very ground we tread. Where people are judged and sentenced for the crimes of their ancestors, left to rot in a world abandoned. We stand here and say: no more.


    ''We are blessed with a planet more beautiful than Lares, with freedoms Vestians can only dream of, without the claustrophobia of the over-congested Ra. Beneath our own barren rocks lies a garden, dormant, waiting to be reawakened. We need not ship our people away ¨C if we unite internally, and declare ourselves independent, we can rebuild what our ancestors destroyed. Today, we break down the barriers between the Futurists of Singavere and the rest of the world; today, we share out their resources so the world can heal; and today, we light the fire that will fuel our planet not just to sustain foreign planets, but to compete with them.''


    Cotton straightens, her face alive with a fury I''ve never seen before; even Colonel V?n is watching her in awe, his usual mask of ambivalence melted away.


    ''Too long have my people suffered.'' Cotton pounds her fist against a crumbling pillar of the Palace. ''Too long have my people been deprived of basic human rights: to healthcare, to food, to clean water. Today is the day we say no more.''


    ''No more!'' Resister soldiers in the crowd salute, whilst Futurists exchange frightened, bewildered expressions.


    ''But, General Cotton,'' one of the reporters butts in, shoving his microphone in her face. ''How do you plan on sustaining us? We are entirely reliant on Ra for power ¨C''


    ''A good question.'' Cotton smiles stiffly, without it quite reaching her ears. ''Whilst I plan to see Tellus withdraw from the Republic of Extra-terrestrials, naturally it is within our best interests to maintain positive trade relationships. Whilst Lares are yet to respond, we have successfully made contact with Ra. One of my officers, who I have recently appointed as the new Interplanetary Secretary, has already brokered a deal with them, which we feel suits Tellus far better than FUTURE''s former deal.''


    A tight fist balls in my chest, and I struggle to breathe. Sammi grabs hold of my elbow, her nails pinching my skin.


    ''No,'' she whispers. ''No, no, no ¨C,''


    For standing beside Cotton, in the midst of the wreckage that was once the mighty capital city of our world, is a man. The Lord Protector Ares Eldred of Ra. A girl stands behind him, her scarlet hair flowing in a halo of fire, and a wide, cruel grin stretching from cheek to cheek.


    ''Under Professor Eldred''s new deal, all relocations will cease until further notice. Ra is going to help us rebuild our planet, providing us with enough vaccinations for every child. They accept our right to put a stop to the constant atmospheric pollution from the hotspots, and we''ve negotiated a new deal with them in exchange.''


    ''What deal?'' Another reporter calls out.


    ''A full report will be distributed in time. All the world needs to know for now is that every child will get the chance to live. The constant natural disasters will end, and with the help of the Ra, we will begin plans to reverse the damage done to the environment, in the hope that someday, we will return Tellus to its former glory. We believe that day will be soon.''


    ''Very soon,'' Eldred echoes, a smile playing on his lips. Fina laughs in the background, a manic gleam in her eyes.


    ''We also cannot forget the monumental role the Elementalists played in the downfall of FUTURE. Without their enormous courage and self-sacrifice, we wouldn''t be in the position we are today. We would like to unite in a minute''s silence to honour the Elementalists, wherever they happen to be in the world right now, and pray for their safe return. We are all waiting for you.''


    My trembling hand snatches the remote from Keller. On the screen, Fina steps forwards to take a bow. I smash my thumb down onto the off button and the screen goes black ¨C then I fling the remote at the wall. It hits with a crack.


    But now, it''s just silence. And the frantic thud thud thud of my hammering heart.


    ''What do we do?'' Sammi''s grip on my arm grows tighter. ''Eldred''s got everyone in the palm of his hand.''


    ''Eldred?'' Keller frowns. ''What about Eldred?''


    I turn to Dr Keller with dead eyes, a dead heart. ''He says he brokered a deal with the Ra? You''re all bloody morons, Keller, he is the Ra. He''s the one responsible for everyone''s deaths! He is. He''s manipulated you all: he played the Futurists for fools, and he''s doing the same to you, just worse. Those vaccines you all love? Visinium. The visinium everyone loves? A goddamn parasite that turns you into a capsule. Remember? Remember the people in the capsules? The people were the capsules. Trapped in living hell.''


    Keller opens and closes his mouth like a fish. ''Wha ¨C?''


    ''Oh, you think I''m lying? I wish I was. Everyone who''s had a vaccine is infected, contaminated, whatever; you''re all going to become a capsule in the end. Everyone who''s been relocated to Ra? Living on a capsule farm. You really think ¨C,''


    ''Stop it.'' Keller backs away, his face draining of the little colour it had left. ''I know you''re angry, I''m angry too, this isn''t the way I wanted to win either. I''m not even sure this counts as winning. But making up these absurd accusations ¨C,''


    ''Oh yeah,'' I say, deadpan. ''''Cause it''s so fun. We''re having such a blast over here. Can''t you tell?''


    ''Keller!''


    The door slams open and Labelle bursts through, stopping abruptly when he sees us. His eyes pop.


    ''Sammi, Kass. . . And god, Rai?'' He rushes over to Rai''s bedside, looking appalled. ''What happened?''


    ''Oh, don''t pretend you care. We''re just collateral to you''


    ''Of course, I care,'' he says. He actually has the audacity to look offended. ''Why would you say that?''


    ''He seems to be under the impression Eldred is a double-agent from Ra,'' Keller says with a snort of contempt.


    ''What?'' Labelle gives a short, nervous laugh. ''Seriously? You better not let him hear you say that ¨C he''s on his way back with Cotton now.''


    ''Then it''s time we left.'' I turn to Sammi, taking each of her hands in my own. ''Sammi, we can''t stay here. Not now. We need to go.''


    ''I know.'' Tears glisten in her eyes, but she clenches her jaw and squeezes my hands back. ''What about Rai?''


    ''He stays with us.'' That''s not up for debate. Rai is ours, and we are his. I''m not letting go of my only family without a fight. Sammi doesn''t try to argue, just nods once.


    ''Okay.''


    ''What about Musa?''


    Sammi falls silent for a moment. ''What about him?''


    There''s agony behind her calm fa?ade, but I ignore it. If she needs to pretend, I''ll respect it.


    ''Wait, what? What do you mean, go?'' Keller gasps, pinning down Rai''s shoulders.


    ''Yeah?'' Labelle frowns at us. ''You can''t leave, not now. We need you. You''re the Elementalists. You saved us.''


    ''And if you believe that crap, then you aren''t half the man your brother was.'' I pick up my rucksack from the floor and hold it out to Keller. ''Anything you can give us before we go? Food, anything?''


    ''You''re not going anywhere. I won''t let you.'' Labelle takes a step towards us, looking more miserable than anything and certainly not threatening. Sammi reacts instantly, pushing in front of me and he freezes, staring at the ball of condensed air blossoming in her hands.


    ''What are you going to do?'' Sammi growls. ''Keep us prisoner?''


    ''Damn, Sammi, of course not. You''re our friends, we care about you.''


    ''Keller, this is your last chance. Anything you can give us?''


    Tears spill down Keller''s cheeks, and he scrubs roughly under his glasses in embarrassment. ''You can''t really mean it about Eldred. You can''t.''


    ''It''s true,'' I tell him. ''Whether you believe it or not.''


    I remember something Eldred once said to me. The truth can be anything you want it to be.


    Not in my world, I hiss in my head. To Eldred, everything is the same, just something to be broken, played with, manipulated.


    This is the last time I let you break me, I promise, closing my eyes tight. I will come back for you. And when I do ¨C it will be your turn to break. If it''s the last thing I do.


    ''Here,'' Keller shoves something into my hands, and my eyes snap open. ''Take this for Rai.'' It''s a bag of a light-blue liquid. ''You must attach it into his arm when the other bag runs out. If he doesn''t re-hydrate with the correct electrolytes, he won''t make it. I don''t know what state he''ll be in if he wakes up; he could be brain-damaged, suffering multiple organ failure, anything.'' His voice quivers, then he takes a deep steadying breath. ''Please, won''t you leave him here with me? I promise I''ll look after him. On my life, Kass, I promise.''


    I regard Keller, his wide eyes innocent and honest; he truly believes he would do the right thing. ''I''m not sure your word is worth much right now,'' I mumble. ''But thanks, Keller. If we could trust you, then maybe. But, we can''t.''


    ''But ¨C,''


    I unhook Rai from the machines, hoist him from the bed and onto my back. Sammi takes the wormhole out of her pocket again, and with a quick glance at me, she takes my hand.


    ''But where will you go?'' Labelle''s face is suffused in bewilderment. ''I don''t understand why you''re doing this?''


    ''Because we''re not ready to be Eldred''s puppets quite yet,'' Sammi says.


    ''Eldred''s ¨C? At least let me fix Henry.'' He holds a hand out to Sammi, who has Henry tucked under her free arm. She flinches away on instinct. ''Oh, come on. He''s no use in that state. When he''s fixed, I''ll give him to Musa. How does that sound?''


    A sharp intake of breath from Sammi is all it takes for me to see how much she''s breaking. All it takes is the mention of Musa''s name ¨C


    ''I can''t,'' she mumbles, miserably. ''If Rai wakes up and Henry isn''t there. . .''


    ''No, thanks, Labelle,'' I say, staggering under Rai''s weight. ''We''ll be seeing you.''


    ''No!''


    Footsteps pound along the corridor towards us; Sammi gasps. As though a shot in the chest.


    ''Don''t, wait! You can''t go, you can''t!''


    A boy, with dark hair wild and falling over his face, crashes into the room. Labelle shrugs apologetically at me, mouthing ''sorry.''


    ''Goodbye, Musa.'' Sammi''s voice is steel. Her face thunder. But a solitary tear betrays her.


    ''No, Sammi, wait, please ¨C,''


    She takes the wormhole in her hand, and a black void into nothingness appears in front of us, blocking Musa''s path. Her hand pulls away from mine as she rips something off her wrist. A chain, fine and silver, delicate as a spider''s web, slips through her fingers. Musa''s eyes follow it, widening in horror as it hits the floor.


    ''Goodbye, Musa,'' Sammi repeats, taking my hand once again. And as one, we step into the darkness. Musa''s howls echoing in our wake.

 Chapter 29 - Kass

    I stand on the edge of a cliff, with the last two people that I love in this world asleep behind me as I weep.


    I''ve never felt so alone. I''ve never felt so alive.


    I finally know my purpose. Our purpose.


    Whilst we live, there are people on Tellus that know the truth. Eldred and the Ra have to be stopped.


    Nothing else matters.


    Nothing.


    I glance behind me as the mist casts them into shadow: Sammi, her hair spread out like a fan around her, lips slightly parted, as though talking in a dream. I know who she dreams of. Who she always dreams of.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Who she''s determined she will never see again.


    Rai, with his slow, peaceful breathing, his midnight-blue hair sparkling with diamond raindrops. Rai, with the purest heart I have ever known. Locked behind a barrier I cannot break.


    He''s a step ahead of me, somewhere I can''t follow.


    And I don''t know how to get him back.


    But ¨C whilst there''s breath in my body ¨C I won''t give up on him. On Sammi. On us.


    I stare out over the edge of the cliff, over the world that I love, that''s slowly killing us all.


    And I remember that moment when Rai looked me in the eye and told me:


    ''You think of earthquakes and hurricanes and assume we''re the same, just forces of revenge and destruction. But we''re not. You''re not. You''re about life.''


    I remember when we put our hands on that withered root. And together, made a leaf grow.


    I can almost picture that leaf, the greenest thing I''ve ever seen, sitting so still, so perfect, beneath the palm of my hand.


    As long as I remember that, maybe there''s still hope that we''ll be okay.


    That we aren''t about death.


    We''re about life.


    The End