I shivered at the wind, inching closer to the gun-wielding Helios. Why does everyone always have a gun? A headache creeping in, I clenched my teeth. This is getting ridiculous. Helios darted his eyes back, his aim shaking. "You stay out of this," he stammered. "Stay back!"

I stood my ground, Jude slinking behind me. I don't know what I'm doing. I took a breath, walking closer. "I would love to stay out of your way...but Alaric's coming, Kismet will be back in a moment, and none of us wants to be standing here."

Helios shook his head. "Then go, take the Commander even." His eyes burned with hatred, tightening his grip. "But, I'm not letting the rat go."

Why? What's going on here? "Um...no, I don't think so," the words slipped out. Raine turned her head, gawking at me. I cleared my throat. "We all go, or none of us do."

"Phyn," Jude warned, grabbing my arm.

"I know what I'm doing," I said, narrowing my eyes on Helios. "Let her go."

"Interfere, and I'll shoot you too," Helios growled, turning his aim to me and away from Raine. Idiot. I vanished, appearing on the other side of him. I threw my fist at his head. He stumbled back, falling to the floor. The gun slipped from his hand.

I shook my fist, hissing at the sting. I could've made that smoother. I turned my head, Raine hopping over the ledge. I need my maps. I chased after her, stopping on the broken glass. "Where are you going?" I shouted.

She poked her head up, pointing down to the oasis. "Getting outta here, you should do the same." The ugly scar glared at me, she slipped down the building.

Right. I turned back, my head pounded. A steady wave of nausea stalled my steps. This is from teleporting...I'm sick from teleporting...I haven't felt this in years.

Helios reached for the gun. I stumbled towards Jude. No time to second guess, I slid for Jude as Helios picked it up. "Brace yourself, " I hissed. He clenched his teeth as I followed through with the rhythm.

We stumbled into the hall, my vision blurring as the ache hit me. Keeling over, I caught my balance. I forgot how awful this is. I took a shaky breath, my hands trembled.

Jude leaned closer, eyes wide. "...Are you okay?"

"Uh, huh..." I grimaced. "I don't know how much more I can take though."

Jude's lips in a fine line, he nodded. "I have a helicopter on the roof, we just have to get around Alaric."

"Easier said, than done," I snorted, footsteps thundering around the bend. Jude grabbed my arm, pulling me into a room. Stumbling into the dark, blinds drawn, I pushed back to get a view of the hall.

A man in a dark military uniform, mustard-gold trim. His rudy-brown eyes carried the heat of coals. Fresh stubble peeked out of his sun-tired skin. He stomped after Kismet, fists clenched. That must be Alaric. Kismet muttered apologies down the hall, tripping over her feet.

Alaric kept his eyes forward. "You lied to me Kismet, I hate being lied to," he said. A woman with short dark hair followed behind him. Her uniform and scowl matched his.

A nervous laugh escaped Kismet's lips, "I only hid this because of time...they're both still here, I promise." She wrung her hands, fidgeting. "Even if she leaves, she'll come back. I've set things in motion, she won't be able to resist."

Alaric shoved Kismet against the wall, throttling her by the neck. "She better be here, for your sake. If you've lost the teleporter, I'll burn your little haven to ashes, you hear me." She struggled to breathe, digging her nails in his hands. The woman behind Alaric tapped her foot.

He's not stopping. I moved towards them, readying a breath. Jude pulled me back. "Don't be stupid," he hissed. "You can't." I glared at him, yanking free of his grasp. I can't let him kill her. I bit my cheek, turning back to the door.

Alaric let her go, throwing her down. She gasped for air, crawling along the floor. He straightened his uniform, pacing beside her. Kismet lifted her head, laughing with a ragged voice. "You're not the only one with power here...destroy me and I'll take you down with me."

"More nonsense about ancient rites?" Alaric scoffed, "I'm not afraid of myths."

She snarled at him, rising to her feet. "I'll boil your blood before you break my neck. It's not as hard as you might think."

The other woman squirmed, darting her gaze. Alaric cleared his throat. "You're bluffing-"

"I'm threatening. There's a difference." Kismet smiled with perfect teeth. "Can we be civil, then?"

Alaric narrowed his eyes, turning back to the path. "As you wish."

Kismet motioned forward, leading ahead. "The Commander is waiting over here." Confidence returned in her steps. They slipped past our view.

I shivered, glancing in both directions, before leaving the room. "So that's the infamous Alaric," I muttered, "Friendly guy."

Jude rolled his eyes. "He'll be even friendlier when he finds out we're gone." Jude walked ahead of me, pointing down the corridor. "The roof is this way." I nodded, following after him.

We bounded for the end of the hall, the glowing exit sign a beacon of hope. The handle in reach, fingers outstretched, a gasp stopped me. I turned back, the short-haired woman gaping at us. Oh no.

"Hurry," I hissed, throwing the door open. We raced up the steps, sunlight pouring down like a sliver of hope. Reaching the last door we pushed out to the sky.

Two helicopters parked on opposite ends, I looked to Jude. He pointed ahead. "It's that one," he shouted. I pivoted, running towards the closer black helicopter.

Muffled shouts echoed up behind us. I pulled on the latch, the door stayed shut "Jude," I called, gritting my teeth.

He reached the door, pounding his fists on it. "Max, open up!"

Max? Heads bobbing up the steps, I yanked on the latch again. Alaric's piercing glare fought the wind. He chased after us.

The latch clicked, the door swinging open. Jude pushed me up into the helicopter, crawling in behind me. "Fly! Fly!" he shouted, the door slamming shut. Max nodded, clicking buttons. He pulled back on the lever. Propellers started up, the helicopter shaking.

I slunk into the seat behind him, Jude slipping in the chair beside mine. Max turned his head back. "Put on the headsets," he said. Alaric stopped, shaking his fist as we lifted away.

I fiddled with the headset, moving the mic into place. "Glad you're still alive, Max" I sighed in relief, the rooftop shrinking away.

Max shrugged, "I lucked out, being away from you guys. The others are still in the hospital...except for Murray." The helicopter rose over clouds, Idyllic a patchwork of blues and greens. We drifted further away.

"That's awful," I murmured. More people caught in the crosshairs. "Where's Murray?"

"He's missing," Jude piped up, fixing his own headset. "No one's seen him since that day."

"What?" I turned my head.

Jude gave a weak nod. "We don't know if he's gone on purpose or if something happened to him."

I looked between them. "Are the others alright? You said they were in the hospital," I asked.

Max took a breath. "They're stable. Lewis is still unconscious, but Gwen and Oliver are awake."

"Oliver told us about Brian," Jude huffed.

"So it's true then." I lifted my head. It's that weaselly assistant.

"We're still trying to prove it," Jude said, wavering his head. "Brian is in a unique position. He knows how events and my own schedule is organized. Right now we think he and Allister were behind the assination attempts. They both knew Walter, the man who died, and they could've easily set this up."

Max took a breath. "We don't know how far this goes though, there could be others involved, the council even."

Jude shook his head. "It's too soon to speculate. We don't know-"

"With all due respect sir, we can't afford not to," Max coughed.

I nodded. "You're right, we can't," I agreed.

Jude frowned, resting his head on his arm. "Even so…"

Max tilted his head back, taking a swig of his thermos. "By the look on Alaric's face, I'm guessing you didn't trade anything," he said

Jude laughed, "Fourtantly circumstances stopped me."

I squinted past the blinking lights on the control panel, asking, "What were you planning to trade?"

Jude shrugged, moving his eyes away. "Murray's plan."

I sat up in my seat. "Why would you do that? You can't-"

"I didn't." He raised his hands. "It wasn't necessary."

Max rolled his eyes, grumbling, "It's useless without Murray anyway. We needed something tempting. Alaric knows we've been working on something."

This plan is horrendous. I buried my face in my hands. "Ya? And what's stopping Alaric from killing you, and taking me to Vitriol, after you tell him."

Jude scowled, throwing his hands up. "We were out of options, I had to do something...I wasn't leaving you at their mercy."

I crossed my arms, leaning back in the seat. "Next time let me rot."

Max snorted, "We're not out of the woods yet. They'll try and shoot us down if they can." His hand twitched the slightest.

"You're serious?" I sputtered, trying to catch Jude's eyes. Why would they risk this? I took a breath, sinking further into my seat. "...How likely are they to succeed?"

Max clenched his teeth. "Very, we still have an hour before we pass the border. Even then, they might dare to cross over."

"So our chances are slim…" I looked up and around the inside of the copter, my headache blaring behind me. Can I teleport a whole helicopter? Something this size would be a challenge, especially in my state...but it could work in theory. Gosh, this is gonna kill me. I sighed, lifting my head. "Tell me when someone is on our tail and I'll try to get us out of here."

"What?" Jude turned his head.

"I don't know if it will work but I might be able to teleport the helicopter….if that doesn't work I can at least get the three of us out. So be ready," I muttered. This is so dumb.

Max cheered, "Alright! I'm all in for not dying in a fiery crash."

Jude blinked at me, lowering his voice. "But will you be able to? You looked pretty rough earlier."

"I'll be fine, it's not like we have a choice." I bit my cheek, avoiding his eyes. "I wouldn't offer if I wouldn't be okay." Liar. Silence rested over the cabin, propellers whirring in the background . I gripped the arm rests, taking deep breaths. I can do this.

Jude pursed his lips, sitting back in his chair. A flicker of fear in his eyes. "Why...does Kismet think you'll come back?" he asked.

He wants to know now? "I don't know," I muttered, "She has some plan she wants me a part of, thinks she's conving." I met his eyes. "She's not, I'm not going anywhere."

He breathed easier. "Good..."

Grey skies ahead, Max took another slug of his thermos. Stifling a yawn, I motioned to his drink. "You have any more of what's in that thermos, I can't keep my eyes open."

Max closed the lid, grimacing . "It's herbal, the wife has me on some health kick."

I gave a short chuckle. "Aw that's nice, Max. Didn't know you had a wife."

He nodded, a slight smile slipping out. "Ya, she's one of the good ones, puts up with me." He twirled the ring on his finger. "It's gonna be twenty four years this spring."

I curled up, resting my head on the arm of the chair. "Then I better get you safely back to her then," I murmured. Jude's eyes locked on the view, a somber expression. I nodded my head. "And the Commander safely back to his country."

Jude gave a weak grin. "Avarice will be fine without me."

I scowled, sitting up. "Why would you say that? Your country needs you."

"I am not the leader they deserve...I am nothing like my father. The council-"

"Could be corrupt," I interrupted. Lying back, I shut my eyes. "You don't have to be your father to be a good leader. "

Jude sighed, scratching his head. "You make everything sound so simple."

I laughed into my arm. "That's because I'm severely unqualified to advise you."

"Ruling a country is overrated." Jude drummed his fingers on the armrest. "A part of me always resented it. Someone always wants something from you, never being able to get away."

I shook my head , "That's not exclusive to world leaders. I've had my fair share of the world on my shoulders."

Jude blinked at me, ordering his words, "What do you mean by that-" his question cut off by the scanner beeping.

"We've got friends," Max called, pulling another switch. I nodded, sitting straighter. Deep breaths, I ignored the dull ache. Here goes nothing. I shut my eyes tight, the sound quieting down around me. A single beat, certain, true. Notes strung around it, an endless current flowing to the deepest reaches of the world. The Tower came to mind, the sun reflecting off brilliant glass. Ready to cross the waves, I took a breath-

The helicopter swerved, throwing me from my seat. I hit the floor, Max hissing a string of curse words. I curled up into a ball, covering my ears. I need to focus, I can't focus.

Shouts and gunfire bombarded my senses. I grit my teeth, narrowing back on the image. Everything shook, the compartment rattling. But it wasn't shaking….nothing's shaking.

There's only nothing.

I crashed into a dark pool of water, sailing deeper into the current. Gasping for air, water poured into my lungs. Every breath fire, I clawed at my throat. No helicopter, no Tower, no light at all. Metal bands dug at my wrists, dragging me under. This is the dream, I'm back in the dream. I tried to scream, spinning, no sound leaving my mouth. "Help me…help," I rasped, nothing back but a hollow echo. "Listen…to me..."Movement in the shadows, the current shifted. I tried to swim up, away. Fighting the pull, tossed around. I squinted back, trying to see.

A voice like wildfire shook the darkness, "I AM LISTENING... but are you?"

Everything slowed. I choked on my words, tears dotting my eyes. "I...am..." I whispered, my voice trembling "...I am."

"No...you're drowning."

My heart stopped, an icy shock snatching me away. Plummeting, my mind spun. What does that mean…? What does any of this mean? The darkness evaporated, the light stinging my eyes. Air flowed through my lungs, a shaky breath. The hum of the cabin around me, my fingers gripped tight on the floor. I'm alive. I loosened the tension in my shoulders, cracking my eyes open. "Did I do it?" I croaked. I moved my hair from my face, climbing back into my seat. "Did it work?" I repeated.

Jude blinked, his mouth stuck. His eyes drifted on the window. The Tower stood over the blue horizon, surrounded by smaller skyscrapers. A gleam of light reflected back.

Max swung back to the controls, raising his hands "Darn right!" Max laughed. "That was incredible!"

I grinned. "Thanks...I was worried for a moment-" Nausea twisting my gut, I leaned over the seat, throwing up over the floor. Shoot. I lifted my head, gagging at the foul taste in my mouth. Both of them gaping at me, I covered my mouth. "I'm so sorry," I muttered.

Jude stiffened. "Don't worry about it. You saved our lives."

I laughed, sitting up. That's a funny way to put it. I hung my head, the Tower in the corner of my eye. The fight is only getting bigger. I shivered, the headache returning. This time Murray won't be leading the way.

I rubbed the back of my neck, taking a breath. It might not smell like victory, but this is closer than ever. I heard the voice again...after all this time. Maybe I'm losing my mind…but this gives me something to chase down. I raised my chin, strengthening my voice. "When we get back, I want to look at the archives, that was part of our deal."

Jude furrowed his brow. "After you see a doctor," he said.

"That's not necessary, I-" The smell in the cabin slowed my words. Maybe that isn't a bad idea. I rolled my eyes, avoiding his gaze. "Only if it's Oliver, I don't trust anyone else."

Max flicked his head back. "I don't know. He's still under observation."

"But he's awake," I laughed. "It's him or no one else. I feel fine anyway."

"You don't look fine," Jude snapped. "And we still have no idea what they put in your system, what it will do to you."

"And I don't care either." I stretched out my arms. "I'm only interested in sleep or looking at old records."

Max shook his head. "Geez, Phyn, stop being so stubborn. We risked our necks to save you, the least you could do is make sure this isn't going to kill you."

I forced a grin. "I'm happy to jump hoops, but the doctor's name better be Oliver Strong." I scratched my chin. "Or someone under him, as long as he's in the room." If anyone found out about the bloodwork mix up…

"Why is that important?" Jude said, his frown turning sour.

I raised my eyebrows. "Call me paranoid, but we have enemies close to home. I need someone with our interests at heart."

Max nodded his head. "She makes a good point. A low profile might be our best strategy."

"True…" Jude pursed his lips. "We can hide you in the tower till we figure out a plan. Ingrid can grab you anything you need."

I groaned, "Ingrid? Does it have to be her?"

"I trust her more than anyone." Jude raised his eyebrows. "Even more than you."

I crossed my arms, frowning at my shoes. "She hates me though."

Jude laughed, "Only because she doesn't trust you. She thinks you're trying to worm your way into my heart, and into a place of political power."

"That's not what I'm doing." I felt my cheeks go pink. That is zero percent my intention.

"I know," his smile widened. "But Ingrid is very protective. She's very loyal to my family and wary of all my friends."

"So she thinks all your friends are gold diggers?" I grumbled.

He shook his head. "Some are spies, traitors, bad influences. I think she sees you as a mix of all her worst fears."

I snorted, "You're really talking this up."

He shrugged. "I'll tell her to be nice, and she will be...kinda."

"Well then…" I buried my face in my arms. "Just wake me when the war is over."

Max laughed, "We might need your help with that one."

"Ya, ya sure...I'll sleepwalk," my voice muffled in my arm, the stench wafting up. Great. "I'm sorry again...about the smell," I grumbled.

"We'll live, just rest up, warrior," Max said, his grin reflected in the glass. "We still have a mountain ahead of us."

Warrior, I like that one. I smiled to myself, the building closing into view. Max flicked more buttons, steering towards the landing pad.

"Home, sweet home," Jude mused, his blue-green eyes locked on the view. "I'm convinced, everything's going to be alright."