Chapter #38 - The Gang
Sophie
"I'm an idiot."
It was the only thought coursing through Sophie's mind. Why— oh, why had she done that?
She gulped, looking around at the part of her neighborhood she'd dropped into. Everything was uncannily still and quiet, like the eye of a hurricane. Her chest panged when she realized her teleportation had taken her straight to the tiny front yard of her now-abandoned human house.
It became worse when she saw the army several homes down.
They were too crowded together for her to spot Keefe, Amy, or Lady Gisela specifically— but that didn't stop Sophie from shuddering at seeing it all in person. Especially when she realized why the neighborhood was so silent.
All the human residents, both those in the army and the "useless" ones without dormant abilities, were numb.
The fury reignited in Sophie's mind.
But the anger flitted down to the base of her stomach— where her emotions were stored for inflicting— when she spotted a pair of light blue eyes within the crowd. Set within a face that she'd never seen so miserable.
Despite being way too far to hear him, Sophie could tell from Keefe's face that he was muttering, "Foster?"
***
Linh
The simultaneous hope and terror pulsating through the group was clear. Though as they leaped into Sophie's old neighborhood— using a blue crystal lent by Fitz— Linh felt a brief surge of overwhelm for reasons that had nothing to do with that. There was a sudden liveliness in the air, coursing through her veins. How it felt when...
"There's a body of water near here," Linh muttere, "One of the houses has a pool, I think." Tam looked like he wanted to steady her, but they both knew she didn't need that anymore.
The time she'd spent these last few weeks at Choralmere had been torture. But combine it with all her recent training, and Linh's Hydrokinesis was undeniably stronger now.
After a few seconds, she could easily temper it with most bodies of water.
"Well, that is what you were hoping for."
She nodded, letting the water's energy turn into a faint hum in the background. "Does anyone see Sophie?"
"I do," Fitz said. Following his gaze, Linh spotted the familiar blonde moonlark a couple houses down. Her expression was latched to even further in the other direction. When Linh followed that, she saw a cluster of dazed people. Humans.
She tensed, preparing to control the water from the pool.
It was time to start the diversion. Hopefully, they'd be able to overwhelm the humans without actually hurting them. This wasn't their fault, after all.
***
Fitz
When his friends' expression shifted, Fitz knew it was time.
It had been their unanimous plan— that once they were close enough to Sophie, he would reach out telepathically to explain he and the others were there.
Yet... when he was about to reach out, there was a doubt in the back of his mind. A doubt that... that what he'd said earlier, about Keefe, was the reason she had left so recklessly.
Maybe she'd realized—
Fitz shut down the thought.
Sophie?
Her mental tone was laced with anxiety. Fitz? Are you guys...
Look to your right. Her distant figure did as told, and she seemed to exhale in relief. Stina remembered where the spyball said Keefe was right before you teleported, so we leaped here. Dex is also gonna come with Tinker's enhancing device.
I'm sorry— sorry I left without everyone. But I saw they were in my human neighborhood, and... I had to come.
For a moment, Fitz was silent. Because a part of him was still frustrated about it.
She continued transmitting, I think Keefe noticed me, which means it's only a matter of time until Lady Gisela does too. Hesitation. Though... honestly, I want her to see me. She needs to know that she hasn't won. Not yet.
Well... we're starting the distraction now.
As if on cue, water from a pool behind one of the homes— Fitz actually recognized the house from the day he'd seen Sophie leave her human family for good— began to collect together, seemingly floating in the air near Linh. Then it rushed towards the army, along with a flame created by Marella, opposites working in harmony. At the same time, the bodyguards got into various formations. Maruca looked ready to create a forcefield.
I really hope we can do this, Fitz thought, realizing a couple seconds later that he'd transmitted it.
Me too.
***
Dex
Dex's pocket could still feel the weight of the note inside it.
What was Tinker sorry for?
Or, was the note even for him? She might've been planning to give it to someone else. But then, who?
Eventually, he put the note in his ankle pocket, deciding he couldn't dwell on it right then. Instead, Dex held the blue crystal he'd been about to use— setting the facets to the right spot in San Diego, California.
He appeared in the midst of hopeful chaos.
Friends and bodyguards alike were rushing around, using anything they could to deter the poor, numbed humans, who were obviously being controlled as they countered it all with various abilities. But that didn't make it less terrifying.
And before he could fully take it all in, Biana rushed up to him. "Do you have it?" she asked. Dex nodded, so the Vanisher added, "Can you give it to me? I think... I can turn invisible and slip it onto Sophie's wrists without Keefe's mom noticing or expecting it."
"Good idea."
She smiled briefly before taking the gadget, then flickered out of sight. Dex didn't know what to do after that, so he just stood there, hoping any minute now Sophie would be able to broadcast her enhancing...
He hated to think he was back to being the useless Technopath.
***
Tam
Tam was working with Wylie in an attempt to overwhelm members of the army who were Shades and Flashers— after making sure his sister was okay, of course. But suddenly, for the first time since this had started, he spotted Keefe.
What really caught his attention was the black, bug-like device on one of his shoulders. Tam could immediately tell.
It was made of magsidian.
Was Lady Gisela using that as some sort of threat if he didn't cooperate in triggering abilities in and freezing the humans?
The more he thought about that, the more it made sense. And the more he felt... oddly guilty.
After all, the last time he'd seen the annoying Empath, Tam had helped— obviously unwillingly— trigger the ability that had let up to... this.
Before the idea even fully formed in his head, he reached out and crossed his shadow with Keefe's. Shadow-whispering only worked one way— unless the recipient was a Telepath or another Shade— but that didn't matter.
KEEFE? Tam shadow-whispered, NOD IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
He nodded, but was clearly taken aback.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I— I THINK I KNOW HOW TO GET THAT MAGSIDIAN DEVICE OFF YOU. LATER.
Keefe looked hopeful for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. Clearly, he was slightly shocked Tam had contacted him without any sort of snarky comment.
ALSO, THAT HAIR YOU'RE ALWAYS BRAGGING ABOUT? DON'T EVEN START NOW. YOU LOOK LIKE A VERMINION CHEWED YOU UP.
Tam turned back to continue helping Wylie, briefly observing Biana vanishing from the corner of his eye.
Ironic— she was trying to not be seen by the Neverseen.
Though they all knew they were only technically facing the plans of one leader. Even if, by some miracle, they succeeded in preventing this Project Stellarlune— it wouldn't be the end. Tam was sure of it.
***
Biana
"Why are you doing this?!"
As Biana rushed through the neighborhood, invisible and hunting for where Sophie was, one voice suddenly cut through everything. Turning around, she could see that Sophie had somehow ended up face-to-face with Lady Gisela.
Sophie froze for a second, noticing how everything had gone silent. Then her clenched fists loosened, "Actually? I don't... I don't wanna hear the answer to that. No excuse— about a 'legacy' or 'vision' or slice of mallowmelt for all I care— it doesn't justify turning innocent..."
"What you don't understand," Gisela's voice cut her off, like a cold knife, "is that nobody is truly innocent."
Biana's hatred boiled, though she surprised herself when her mind flashed back to the ordeal with Alvar. Back when he lost his memories, everyone had debated on whether he should be considered innocent. Recently, she'd been hesitant to bring up their certain evil older brother to Fitz— not when he was finally getting over the constant anger at him. Yet... she was curious about where Alvar was at the moment.
Was he dead?
But she pushed the thoughts aside, realizing this was a good moment to put the gadget on Sophie. She was sure to maintain her invisibility as she crept closer—
"I'll admit, I didn't think you and your little friends had it in you to make the first move when it came to trying to stop me." Biana discreetly wrapped the copper bracelet around Sophie's wrist— her quick ability to put on jewelry coming in handy. "Maybe the Black Swan is finally coming to their senses." The moonlark's fingers tensed, seemingly turning on her enhancing with the realization of what she was now wearing. "Not that I'd count on it. Have you even realized?"
Gisela smirked, disturbingly smug.
"I know about the Enhancer gadget I assume you're trying to use right now. And how to use it against you."
***
Keefe
Still dazed by everybody's abrupt arrival (and the Shade-y message he'd gotten from Tamalpais— which, seriously, had to be Bangs Boy's full name), his mom's grin made Keefe feel even sicker to the stomach. Even though he had no clue what this Enhancer gadget was.
He was grateful his friends had come, though— but how had they known where he was?
Keefe took a deep breath, imagining how angry they must be at him for letting all this happen. He'd already decided: no matter what Gisela said or did to him, he would refuse to numb his friends.
Not when he already messed up so much.
If he could just cough up the nerve to look at Sophie...
"How do you know about that?" Dex asked Lady Gisela, anxiety rising in his voice. He touched something in his pocket.
Her smirk didn't falter, and neither did the obvious waves of confidence. "Let's just say I know the Black Swan's Technopath better than you'd expect. All it took was a threat with fire, and Tinker volunteered information about any gadgets that could potentially be used against us,"—she frowned—"Though she certainly made it hard to understand, with all that speak in questions."
"Wait a second," muttered Sophie's voice, a voice that had been haunting Keefe for the past weeks. He still couldn't manage to look at her. Though he couldn't help but feel her emotions— which seriously contrasted the eerie emptiness of the army. "Did Tinker take the caches?"
"She did, actually. Honestly, I didn't care much if she did or not. But Vespera insisted— and I presume Fintan would prefer that as well."
"Is there a reason... you didn't take the scrolls?"
Gulon-worthy smugness. "Of course."
She didn't elaborate.
Instead, Mommy Dearest added, "It was difficult, but I made Tinker program the device so the broadcast works differently. Instead of enhancing whoever the user directs it to, it enhances anyone nearby who has abilities triggered by stellarlune."
She turned to one the humans— Keefe recognized him from when they were in the human city of... was it Beijing?— as a wave of panic washed over everybody. At least, everybody who still had feelings.
He gulped when he remembered what ability that human had.
And how much worse it would be enhanced.
"Inflict on them," Lady Gisela ordered.