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I walk down the stairs and made my way over to the couch where everyone was at, except for Chase.
I sit in between Skylar and Bree, draping my legs over Bree's lap as her hands rested on top of them; My back against the couch cushion behind me.
I begin playing Need for Speed on my phone just as Chase entered the room with a box in his hands. "Check it out, guys. Mr. Davenport shipped us a box from Mission Creek." He spoke up while placing the box on the table.
"As long as he's not in it, then yay!" Bree replied.
Chase opened up the cardboard box and looked inside. Bree moved my legs off of her lap and stood up, walking over to him. I continue to lay on the couch, playing the same game on my phone as before. "Cool. It's some of our old technology." Chase commented.
"Hey, look, a Daven-note." Kaz said while retrieving the piece of paper from inside of the box. "Dear Elite Force, I'm converting the basement into a nursery for the new baby, so please keep this stuff in the penthouse for me." He put the paper back down.
"He's raising a baby in the basement? That kid's gonna have some serious issues." Oliver remarked, leaning back on the couch as Bree glared at him. He looked down, a bit afraid.
Kaz took out a little metal box and looked at it curiously, inquiring, "What's this?"
"The cybercloak. It's a virtual body disguise. It can make you take on anyone's appearance." Chase explained with a smile, "One time, I got stuck looking like Bree and I had to go to the school dance with this guy named Jake." I smiled fondly, still not looking up from my phone.
"Same thing happened to me," Oliver commented, "Not the cybercloak. Texting mishap. Long story. I'll tell you about it later." I lift an eyebrow but still don't remove my gaze from Need for Speed.
"And then I'll tell you how I orchestrated the whole thing." Kaz added. He looked at another device and picked it up. "Ooh, what's this?"
"Be careful. That's the Neural Scrambler. It can erase minutes, hours, or even years of someone's life." I explain without looking up at them and continue to play my game.
"Hey, if I use this on Skylar, maybe she'll forget all the stupid things I've said and want to date me." Oliver replied.
"It's a memory wipe, not a miracle maker." I remark in amusement, a smirk present on my facial expression as I continue to play on my phone.
"So, does this thing-" Kaz started as I notice a flash out of the corner of my eye, "Ooh, what's this?"
Chase took the device from him and placed it back inside of the box, moving over to the couch and then sat down beside me; He moved my legs over his lap, so that he could sit down beside me, his hands on top of them.
*Third Person POV*
"Okay, team, meeting time. Thank you- Wait, where's Des at?" Chase started as everyone was in the basement now except for the super-bionic brunette.
"I haven't seen her since this morning." Kaz replied as Oliver agreed to his statement and nodded, "Me too."
"She was a little too quiet earlier, which isn't like Des at all." Bree added.
"Should we split up and try to find her?" Skylar suggested.
"Hang on." Chase replied while already trying to call Des but would receive no answer from his girlfriend, "Let me try locating her by her chip, maybe she didn't disable it." He typed on the cyberdesk and found that her bionics were disabled temporarily, so no one could track her.
"Now, we can split up and look for Des." Bree spoke up as everyone stood up from their seats and exited the basement.
***
I continue to look out of my window, sitting on the wooden floor in my old bedroom at the Moore residence; I move my fingers over the tip of my shoes without removing my gaze from watching outside of the window.
I didn't want to do anything or be around anyone today. Today is not a good day for me and it just hit me why.
"Today is your twelfth birthdays..." I mutter miserably, my eyes brimming with water now. I let out a sigh and sniffle a little, blinking back the tears.
I had turned off my bionic chip locator and even turned off my phone. A knock sounded at the front door as I let out a small groan and picked myself back up, walking down the stairs and moved over to the door.
I peek through the peephole and closed my eyes and shook my head slightly. It was Donald Davenport. I open the door and let him step inside of the house. "Hey, Big D. What brings you by?" I casually start, smiling.
"Why are you back here, Des? I thought you were staying at the penthouse with the team. They called and asked if I've seen you." Donald began.
"I- I was just... I came back for a glimpse." I murmur, shutting the front door and move over to the couch, plopping down on it.
"Okay. What's on your mind?" Donald asked, his hands on his hips. "What's going on?"
I smiled convincingly. "Nothing, everything is okay, great." I answer as Donald sat on the couch beside me.
"Des-"
"It would be their birthdays today. And I just- it actually truly dawned on me now. They're really gone and it's not an illusion, none of it is." I cut him off, taking a deep breath. "They would be twelve now... Emily and Blake, my little brother and sister..."
"They looked up to you a lot, Des. They saw you for what you are- a hero." Donald replied reluctantly.
"I'm not-"
"But you are, Des. You prove us right every single time in times of danger or threats. You are the one who taught us the definition of what it means to be a true hero. Believe me when I say this, Des, you're a very good person-"
"A very good person who bad things have happened to. Douglas had said that same thing." I murmur, standing up from my spot on the couch ad began to pace, "I'm not hurting. I know that the past is the past. I know I should let this all go. I know that death will probably continue to follow me- and that terrifies me!" I stop in my tracks and look at Davenport, realizing what I had just admitted.
And the truth will be set free, right? The same male voice spoke in my mind as the same cold feeling washed over me.
"I don't know what my future holds. I don't know what'll happen, but I have to believe that everything will work out." I continue, "But how can I let this go when I have this awful feeling in my gut that's telling me that someone is going to die? I hate that feeling, Big D. It makes me feel utterly weak, completely powerless to do anything!"
"Des, I can't tell you that no one will get hurt because people will get hurt. That's just life." Donald replied, "You'll witness things that will change you forever. You'll come to realize that everyone has a past. You'll cry, you'll laugh, and you'll even embarrass yourself. But then, you'll find your very moment where none of that matters, where you can sit back and realize that crap happens to the people who can handle it and that this is who you are, and that no one should want to change you, including yourself."
I laugh quietly with a shake of my head, looking at the man in front of me. "I said that three years ago. I was telling Leo that during that birthday failure that year." I smile fondly a little.
"Maybe you should start listening to yourself. And maybe you should forgive yourself, Des." Donald commented.
"Yeah, maybe." I reply, "Alright. I should head back before the team worries even more than they already are." I open up a portal and jump through, landing in the penthouse in Centium City as the purple portal closed behind me immediately.
***
Chase, Bree, and I walked out of the tunnel behind the rock wall in the basement and noticed Kaz touching the cyberdesk. "Kaz." Chase started, "Why are you on the cyberdesk?"
"Or as you like to call it, the shiny light up table." I comment as Kaz scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, um, I just wanted l go over that superhero location list one more time." Kaz said.
"Why?" Chase and I both ask him in unison.
"To make sure there's no typos." Kaz answered.
"You're worried about typos? The last time you texted me, you misspelled LOL." I point out in amusement, my hands on both sides of my waist.
"Just pull up the list." Kaz impatiently replied.
"All right, chill out." Chase said while I read Kaz's mind using my telepathy and discovered something.
"Wait, don't." I stop Chase from typing on the cyberdesk by grabbing his wrist as both him and Bree looked at me as did Kaz. "That's not Kaz."
"What do you mean?" Chase and Bree questioned, looking back and forth at me and the imposter Kaz.
"It's Riker." I answer just as "Kaz" stepped back a few feet from us and shifted into a different person- Hisself aka Riker.
"Riker." Chase repeated, the four of us stood in fighting positions.
"I'm taking that list. The only question is, how much I have to hurt you to get it." Riker said and then looked over at me and smirked, "And I'll be taking you as well, Quake."
Chase stepped in front of me halfway and looked at Riker. "Stay away from her." He warned.
I throw my left hand out and blasted Riker back with my earth ability, him hitting his head on the edge of the cyberdesk and was now knocked out. I grunt in pain, holding my left wrist after it had made a cracking sound.
Bree super speeded the unconscious Riker to an industrial freezer so that he won't escape. Chase looked at me in concern. "I'm okay." I murmur as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to him, kissing my forehead, and parted but held hands.
Bree rejoined us as we went upstairs and found Kaz listening to his music on the couch and explained to him what was going on.
"I have a plan." I speak up, "We can use this to our advantage. Bree, use the cybercloak to look like Riker-"
"I want to use one too." Kaz cut me off.
"Fine, you can be disguised as Bree." Chase shrugged, and with that said, we took off running out of the penthouse and to the park in search of Roman.
Chase, Kaz disguised as Bree, and I saw Bree who was disguised as Riker beside Roman who was carrying Crossbow on his shoulder. "Don't move!" Chase stated to the two of them.
Bree as Riker commented to Roman, "They must've followed me."
"They'll be sorry they did." Roman replied simply, tossing Crossbow aside as she fell to the ground. He outstretched his hand towards Bree-Riker and was going to do the black swarm.
"Stand back. They're making their swarm." Skylar warned.
"It's not working." Roman said after grabbing the disguised Bree's wrist and letting go.
Bree still disguised as Riker smiled at him and replied, "Probably because I'm not Riker." She punched him in his stomach as Roman dropped to the ground. Bree touched the side of her neck, changing to herself. "You just got cybercloaked."
Roman looked over at Kaz disguised as Bree as Kaz touched the side of his neck and turned back to himself also. "That's right and I was Bree." Kaz added.
"Why?" Oliver inquired.
"I don't know. I just wanted to use the cybercloak." Kaz shrugged.
"Where's my brother?" Roman questioned.
I walk up to him and speak up, "In an industrial freezer so that he can't shapeshift his way out."
"Give it up, Roman. You've been outnumbered." Chase added as the six of us stood in fighting positions around Roman.
Roman then did a backflip behind Skylar and Oliver and landed a few feet from all of us, retrieving Crossbow as we sprinted over to them. His hand glowed purple near Crossbow's neck. "This is interesting. How about a trade?"
"Crossbow for your brother." Kaz replied.
Roman raised his hand slightly and commented, still holding Crossbow hostage, "No. Crossbow for my brother, Quake, and the list."
Chase and I exchanged a wary look and back at the villain just as Oliver spoke up, "That's not a fair trade."
"Yeah, 'cause up to this point, he seemed like such an honorable guy." Bree remarked.
"Don't do it." Crossbow spoke up.
"That's my offer. You can take it or say goodbye to Crossbow forever." Roman replied.
"Stop! We'll take the deal, but you can't take Des." Skylar said.
"You just accepted my deal, which your precious Quake is part of that deal... But, you know, if you don't want to..." Roman replied and inched his glowing hand closer to Crossbow.
I immediately step forward to the two of them, saying, "Fine. Take me. You have yourself a deal."
Roman put his hand down slightly as the team looked over at me. "Des, you don't have to do this-" Skylar started.
"No one else is gonna die, not if I can help it." I cut her off and give the team a small smile, "It's okay."
"Guys, please don't." Crossbow began again.
"If Roman and Riker get that list, they'll take out every superhero on it." Kaz also began.
"We'll find a way to stop them." Skylar commented.
"And what if we can't? You two are putting the life of one hero over all the rest." Chase pointed out.
"I have faith that we'll find a way. We always do." I comment, "We can't just let her die."
"She's right. I'll get Riker and the list." Bree spoke up and super speeded away from us to retrieve the list and Riker. She came back with them.
"Good choice. Let's go, Riker." Roman said as Bree push Riker while Roman looked over at me, "You too, Quake."
"Why do you guys even want me to go with you?" I curiously ask.
"A friend of ours wants you and we were asked to deliver you to him." Riker answered.
"Get your friend." I tell Skylar with a nod and step over to Roman who looked at Bree and told her, "Now, the list."
"Give them Crossbow first." I comment.
"Same time." Roman answered as both of them were about to make the trade off until Crossbow interrupted them and looked at Skylar, "Don't do it! Skylar, you've done all you can to protect me. Just- Just keep the other heroes safe."
Skylar shook her head. "No, I'm not just gonna let you die." She took the list and handed it over to Roman who released Crossbow.
"This is it! Everything we need to wipe out the rest of these pathetic heroes." Roman said and looked over at his brother, "You keep this safe." He tossed the flash drive to Riker as I notice Crossbow's wrist with an orangish energy crossbow and an arrow pulled back, and then she shot the arrow at the list and destroyed the flash drive into pieces. "NO!" Roman fired at Crossbow as she flew back and crashed onto the ground with a painful thud.
"Crossbow!" Skylar and I exclaimed. Two red energy crossbows appeared on both of my wrists as I shoot a red energy arrow at both Riker and Roman, who was still standing on both of my sides, in their thighs. They fell on their knees on the ground as I ran over to the team around the fallen superhero.
"Don't... let them win." Crossbow murmured and coughed, taking her last breath.
"No." Skylar and I murmured under our breaths.
"One superhero down." Riker began as Roman finished, "And now it's time to exterminate the rest. List or no list."
Skylar ran over to them, and just as the two brothers started to punch her, she backflipped and sent a wave of plasma energy towards them which sent them flying backwards.
I stood back up and moved over at Skylar, standing by her side. The brothers were about to do their swarm thing just as I spun around and blasted them back with my thermonuclear body blast.
"Forget it! I'm out!" Riker exclaimed and then shapeshifted into a pigeon and flew away from this scene.
"Riker, get back here, you coward!" Roman also exclaimed while standing back up a little wobbly and looked at us. "This isn't over." He also shifted into a pigeon and flew away, catching up to his brother.
Skylar and I exchange a look and ran back over to the team who was still gathered around Crossbow. I open a portal as we pick the fallen hero up and enter inside it, stepping into the lab and placed Crossbow on top of a table.
"Crossbow sacrificed herself so the others could live. That makes her a true hero." Bree spoke up, glancing over at me as I don't even tear my gaze from the unconscious hero.
"She's gone and it's all my fault." Skylar murmured.
"Nobody blames you-" Chase started as Skylar looked at him and replied, "Well, you should. I messed everything up."
"No. I'm the one who offered to take you to Crossbow. I couldn't stand to see you hurting." Oliver spoke up.
Skylar gave him a small sad smile as replied, "Thanks, Oliver. But I started this. And now, I have to live with it."
"Step back. We haven't tried everything to save her." I speak up finally, making the team look over at me. They didn't step back as I shake my hands on my sides and move my hands on top of one another, both palms hovering above Crossbow's chest.
I focus all of my energy and power into bringing her back; Blue energy zapped my hands back as I stagger backwards. Chase caught me in his arms, holding me upright, his hand around my waist. Crossbow shook but stopped, still unconscious.
I close my eyes but then heard a sharp gasp as Crossbow sat up in a sitting position. We let out light, relieved laughs as they hugged me. "It worked." I murmur relieved, grinning.
"Yes!" Skylar also exclaimed in relief.
"How did you bring her back to life?" Chase inquired towards me, amazed yet curious.
"I combined every bit of my powers, and I might've also transferred some of my own energy to Crossbow." I explain.
"Wait, I thought that was dangerous. Leo aged to an old man and almost died from doing something like that." Bree started.
"It was different. I'm okay, drained a little, but okay- And no one died." I comment, still leaning on Chase.
"Thank you for saving my life- and giving up your own life in exchange for my freedom from those two villains." Crossbow spoke up towards me. "The superhero community- They're wrong about you, Quake. You're not selfish and you are a true hero."
I smile a little, "Thank you." The two of us hugged also then.
***
"Good news, all of the superheroes have received our encrypted message." Chase began.
"Bad news, Riker and Roman are still out there. And something tells me, they're not giving up." I finish.
"Crossbow will be okay. They don't know that she's alive for now." Skylar added, smiling at me and nodded.
"Alright, let's go to bed." Chase commented. We all get up and make our way upstairs but someone stopped me and grabbed my arm. It was Chase. "You alright?"
"Yeah, why?" I ask.
"I don't know. You just seem... a little quiet. What's going on? You can talk to me, Des." Chase answered.
"Nothing's wrong- I'm okay, really." I reply, giving him a convincing smile and then kiss him, pulling back. "Now, go to bed. Goodnight."
He chuckled and kissed me once more before heading upstairs and to the boys' room. I look over at the balcony glass windows and then down at the bruises on my wrists.
Death is all you know. The same unfamiliar male voice spoke through my mind, followed by the unsettling cold feeling. Who's going to get hurt next, Destiny?
I look around the penthouse and take a deep, shaky breath and move up the stairs and down the hall to the girls' room, plopping down on my bed.
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