Team Crafted: Second Generation

Tyler

"Tyler!"

My eyes snapped open as someone shook me awake. I immediately regretted opening my eyes the second I did- my head ached for some reason.

"Ungh." I said, turning over and burying my face in my pillow. "What."

"We've got a bit of a situation." I recognized the voice as Jess.

"Are we being attacked right now." I asked, the tone of my voice flat.

"Well, no-"

"Is someone literally seconds from death."

"No."

"Then I can sleep. G'night, Jess."

"Tyler, this is serious!"

I groaned, sitting up and doing my best to ignore the fact that I felt like the inside of my head was pulsing. "Fine. What is it?"

"It's him." She said. "Darklox is putting out a call to every Shadow out there. It's like a video message."

I absentmindedly stared at her, what she meant still not getting through. "So?"

"I think he knows I'm with you guys. It's a message for all of you."

That was a good incentive to get me to wake up.

***

"So...tell me why you got all of us up before sunrise?" Quinn asked, yawning.

Everyone was awake, or mostly awake. Shane sat up against a tree trunk, his head hanging. I could hear a small snore from him every once in a while. 

"Shane." I said, making my voice as loud as I could without startling myself. It was too early for talking, even with the situation we had. 

He made no response. Jenna sighed, leaned over, and punched him in the arm. 

His head jolted up. "I'M UP!" He yelled, making the rest of us wince. 

"Okay, now that everyone's here," Dad said. "Mind explaining?" 

Jess stood up. "Alright, so apparently, you guys have this thing that makes you less able to function without enough of it, so...I'll cut to the chase."

"It's called sleep." Mitch said. 

"And it's a beautiful thing." Jerome added. 

"Right. Well." Jess continued. "Darklox has this thing where he can contact other Shadows and tell them what to do and all that. It's kind of like a one-way video call."

"What does that have to do with us?" Ty asked, crossing his arms. 

"I'm getting to it."

"Let me just cut in and say it: you need to recheck the definition of 'cutting to the chase'." Ssundee said. 

She rolled her eyes at him, and continued. "I think he knows I'm with you guys. It's video message that seems to be aimed at you."

"Okay, first of all," Dad cut in. "You're not with us. I don't trust you half as far as I can throw you."

"Thought you were supposed to be tough." Jess countered. "If you were really all that, you could disintegrate me if you wanted, right? Surely throwing isn't all that big of a deal compared to that."

Dad gritted his teeth. "I have no problem killing you."

"Sure you don't. That's why I'm standing here, alive and kicking." Jess replied.

"You want to try me?" Dad asked. "I'll take you out right now."

"I'd like to see you try." Jess said.