How the hell did he get inside? No, that wasn’t the question Ava should be asking. What she really needed to know was how long he’d been here? The doors were so loud with their screeching, they would’ve echoed through the facility.

The Black Rabbit jumped off the table and meandered towards them, boots tapping the entire way. His movements were just as confident yet relaxed as the real Junipea's. He even had the same easygoing smile. Ava quickly surveyed the area for the quickest exit. She should’ve looked earlier.

The room was vast and open, a dugout tunnel stretched half a yards length. The cabinets were scratched into—a few riddled with large holes as if someone dropped acid there. But of course, they were stuck in the worst position—surrounded by metal tables.

Instinctively, Ava backed up. Her head bumped into the tables edging as Junipea approached. “That tablet. Give it to me,” he demanded.

Every fiber in her body told her to fight, while her heart just wouldn't have it. The Bō trembled as she stood upright. Just seeing him riddled her with terror. She needed to do something. She refused to give up these tablets so easily.

From the corner of her eye, Ava caught Sam drawing out a koto spell in mid-air near the table's leg. Junipea was so focused on her, he didn’t notice.

With renewed confidence, Ava stood and squeezed the knapsack closer. “The tablets are broken and cracked and don't respond to touch. They wouldn’t be useful to you.”

“You know those aren’t the tablets I’m talking about.” He reached inside his dark cloak. She gripped the Bō tighter, preparing for what came next. The crystal sword unsheathed from the cloth, glittering brightly even in this dull lighting.

Junipea pointed the tip at Ava’s neck; the blade looked thinner straight on. It was frighteningly beautiful the way it curved slightly, and dreamlike as it held itself together from the shape of a half moon at its hilt. Nightmarish.

“I’ve searched this entire place from top to bottom for weeks. But no—you just had to come waltzing in and find it within minutes.” He hissed between his teeth. “You’ve always been too damn lucky.”

“And you’ve always talked too much.”

Sam slapped his hand through the spell and onto the floor, ice zipped across the concrete and up Junipea’s legs. They squeezed him like a snake, crackling as they hardened into a solid shell, up his robe and to his waist and kept going.

Gio stepped in front of Ava, his scimitar sparked to life. It was just like the last battle, except this time his back was to her and it felt strange. When was the last time she saw his back? It was bigger and broader from when they were children. His back became a shield.

He briefly looked over his shoulder to Mika. “Take her out of here,” he said. “We’ve got this. Now go.”

What? No way in hell am I leaving Gio alone with this impostor. That is suicide. The Bō morphed into a sword at her side.

Junipea smiled through loose curls. Lines cracked through the ice, breaking away from their smothering hold. “You didn’t learn your lesson the first time? Here let me show you exactly how it feels to die!”

He swung the crystal sword towards Sam’s neck. Gio clashed with his sword, their blades rang through the hollow room, echoing off the walls in a cacophony of chaotic sounds. Glass shattered from the cabinets, exploded into the air like small fireworks. They didn’t stop. Sam continued weaving his fingers through the air as Gio yelled out, “I said go!”

Mika grabbed Ava’s shoulder, and before she could get a word in, they were gone. No.

She tried to figure out where they were. Stamped on the ceiling was the UFE and AVA logo. Deteriorating clothes of both soldiers and civilians; weapons and belts carrying extra supplies. The staircase was just up ahead. He teleported them back to the front entrance. The door was behind them. Ava wasn’t sure whether to call him stupid or smart.

Mika caught her wrist, his grip tightened, and immediately she could tell he was using super strength. He forgot she grew up with Marc who taught her how to outmaneuver it.

“If we go back down there, Junipea will get those tablets,” he stated as if there was no other outcome from all this.

“And if we don’t help, they will die.” Ava almost lost Gio once, she couldn’t let that happen again. She had to help them.

Ava kicked Mika in the knee. He stumbled forward as she yanked him down and off her wrist. He collapsed on the floor, grumbling, and cursed in the Ama tongue. With determined strides, Ava searched through the dead. There were knives and smoke bombs; empty cartridges and emergency medicine.

As she rummaged through the next bodies, a corpse fell and crashed apart on the ground. The bones scattered across the floor, revealing a hidden bag by the wall. Jackpot.

“Ava, we need to go,” Mika said. He watched as she circled the room, placing cylinder balls around the stairs. “I thought you wanted to see what’s on your birth record. Don’t tell me that doesn’t matter to you anymore.”

“Of course it does,” Ava said, dropping a few balls down the staircase. They easily bounced each step with its rubber coating, falling over the sides on all levels.

“Then show me where to take you.” He stretched his hand out, and although she knew he was only asking for her phone, it felt like he was asking for more—for her trust.

After everything, it felt odd that Mika was here at this moment. That he was the only way she could get to Harry. There was no other choice.

She pulled out her phone and swiped through the pictures. She never had to show the others where to take her. They just knew because they’d been there before. Her shoulders tensed when she surfed through the pictures from her crazy days. She should erase them, but they were a reminder of how low she fell and to never fall that low again.

“Here this is where we need to go,” Ava said.

Mika took the phone and peered closer. “Does that say ‘The Disco Club’?”

The floor trembled, up Ava’s legs and Bō. Mika gripped her phone tighter, grasping one of his sword’s hilts. An explosion rang through the facility. Fire shot out from the level downstairs, scorching the bottom staircase and one of the balls.

The ball lit, turning as bright as a star, and set off. An ear whistling howl screamed up the center, shooting stars upon stars across the lower level into miniature bombs. The glass shattered, the building shook, stairs crumbled away at the footing, making its way up towards the first floor.

The concrete vibrated furiously beneath her running boots, cracking as explosions detonated on the second floor. Pieces broke away, they hastily stepped back towards the glass wall and its door. Without so much as a peep, Mika clung to Ava, watching as the floor collapsed and headed straight for them.

She took a sharp breath. This was worse than she expected.

They teleport away in the nick of time and end up outside on the road. The sun blazed overhead, reaping through a late morning into the afternoon. A slither of gray clouds approached, wanting to rain with what little mass it had. The Roman bricks thump under her, grew fate until a loaded bass dropped. Dance music filled the air. Electrifying.

Mika still clung on to Ava. She shoved him off and made sure the knapsack was okay. Everything looked okay so everything must be okay.

“Are you out of your mind!” Mika stumbled, trying to catch up with her. “We could have died back there. Sam and Gio might be dead. What happened to helping them!”

“Sam’s fine. Gio’s been in worse situations than that and got out alive,” Ava said and continued on foot. No time to argue. She had faith in them. They were okay.

From this distance, she could see the entire strip and all the rubble surrounding it. The building tops had been scraped away, replacing them with supporting beams that kept the authenticity of old age. Mika caught up to her, and for once, he kept his mouth shut.

As they drew near, The Disco Club’s cursive signature stood like a beacon. Its neon sign looked as out of this era as ever hanging above the stone masquerones deep, heavy frown and its grandeur pillars.

Mika stared hard at the detailing and the collapsed architecture. “Is this where we’re going? This place doesn’t look like a brothel.”

“You don’t know what’s hiding in the basement,” she said.

Mika was quick to follow. Ever since he agreed to help her, his whole attitude changed and it was weirding her out. “Why do you wanna see my birth record so bad? Is there something you’re not telling me?”

He visibly swallowed. For once the honest and blunt prince had a frog stuck in his throat. He ran a hand through his dusty hair, letting his gaze flicker by the park grounds and down the lit pathways.

“I know what it’s like to be powerless. And wish you could do more when you can’t.” He stuffed both hands in his pockets. “So I guess it would be cool to see you succeed.”

Cool? He might be assimilated to Earth’s culture before they knew it.

It was not long after, they approached the palace doors. Two burly men guarded the entrance. Thick, muscular arms crossed over their chest with intimidation. Mika flinched as they flexed their biceps.

“What’s up,” Ava said.

They didn’t respond—like always—the reason why she never learned their names. And like always, the long-haired bouncer unlatched the iron gate to let them inside, while the other bouncer, with hair as strikingly lime green as they came, winked.

They entered without another word. Vibrations flurried Ava’s body and into her soul, danced with the heavy bass and drop beats of a new song. The DJ was in full swing tonight—or afternoon for some. Once a month, they held a weekend-long jam session and a never-ending party for all the guests. Today was that weekend.

They set-up the DJ at the center of the club. Couches from different era’s surrounded the stage with walls separating the VIP sections. Those who weren’t mingling on the couches were dancing in full swing, some were holding onto each other, others kissing—lost in their worlds. It got to Ava, she tapped a finger on her thigh.

A flash of neon orange light flickered by, blinding Ava briefly. Mika took her hand and she stiffened from his sudden touch. She wanted to swat him back off, but it would be easier to maneuver around these hordes of people without losing him. So she let it slide and pushed her way through the crowd, towards the back of the palace.

Archways upon archways held the surrounding edges of this building. Since the second floor was completely destroyed during the last world war, the sky became their ceiling. The fresh dew lingered along the mossy walls and frayed grass, sprouting from the decadent tile flooring of grays, pinks, and speck of dirty white.

Hot pink hair caught Ava’s full attention, and reared off to the side. Kay bobbed her head to the beat, fixing a cocktail with fluid motions that no earthquake could stump. A glowing neon yellow-blue vest clung to her waist like a girdle, smoothing out her womanly details. It was the perfect outfit to make her stand out among the crowd.

She caught Ava’s gaze and cracked a huge, toothy grin. “Ava! Get your ass over here and drink with me!”

When they walked up, she nearly jumped over the bar to kiss Ava’s cheeks. Her breath smelled of cherry liquor. “It’s been way too long, girl. You can’t just walk in and walk out and then come back with a pretty boy on your arm.” Kay racked her eyes over Mika. “Why does this pretty boy look familiar?”

“He’s one of my new guardians.” Ava pulled him closer under the jar lighting. He held out his hand across the mahogany bar top and she slapped it. “Kay this is Mika. Mika this is Kay—she’s the owner of this club.”

As Mika rubbed his hand, Kay picked up a clean glass and started polishing it. “Where’s the overprotective hound? I’m shocked Marc’s not hovering over you.”

Ava leaned an arm on the counter. “They’re his cousins. He doesn’t have to worry about them.”

“Cousins? Goddamn, I need to get on the Forum more often. I’m behind on my dirty gossip.” Kay picked up a decadent decanter and poured herself some rum. Her movements were just as smooth and concise when she mixed drinks. Ava refused when she offered.

“Speaking of dirty, where’s Harry? I need to see him like an hour ago.”

“He’s been stuck in that cave of his for three days, girl. Three days,” Kay scoffed. “I know he brings in more money with his little side business. But I swear to god, he better not die in that room. It’s the best room in the basement and I’m not sure if I’ll get the stain out of the carpet.” She told Mika, “It's expensive.”

Pressing her lips closed, Ava didn't have the heart to tell her the carpets already stained beyond repair from all the junk he kept finding. Slapping the bar once, she thanked Kay and left. Mika didn’t miss a beat, walking close like a shadow.

They bypassed a few drunks absently swinging in the middle of the walkways, then down the steps to the lower level and through the pachinko parlor. It was in full swing tonight; their ka-ching sound mixed with the chattering and gossip, mixed with multicolored dancing lights of the machines. Some people huddled, others sat alone at their station.

Holographic fireworks exploded when they walked past the last of them, flashing Winner across the top. Their cheers died as they descended the steps and into the darkness.

Ava used the staircase railing to help guide the way, the feeling was fresh on her palms. And as she touched the cool texture of the metal knob, nostalgia passed through her. She stepped back in time. The lilac scent clinged to her soul.

Breathe in… Breathe out…

Her skin crawled, burned with their caresses. In the darkness, a hand touched her forearm. It was too surreal, the way it lightly moved across her skin under a feathery caress. It was too vivid, the intense heat easily sobered her.

“Hey, are you okay?” Mika asked. She couldn’t see him, but his voice was just a hair length away. “Since we know where he is, couldn’t we teleport inside?”

Ava shook her head, both for disagreeing and for foolishly mixing Mika in with her phantom memories. “This building has a protective barrier over it and so does Harry’s own little room.” She grasped the doorknob once more, this time it opened. “But I’ll be fine. Just don’t eat or drink anything.”

Lilac aphrodisiac filled the room. Ava immediately took Mika’s hand and ventured further inside. The place hadn’t changed at all.

You couldn’t take one step inside without knocking into a waterfall of ribbons and fake jewels, blanketing you in a dream of fulfilling desires and enough privacy to enjoy it. And as you walked further you became lost, felt like you were drifting through a sea of enchanting sirens, calling you to take part in the most sensual pleasures possible.

Except Ava had been through this enchantress too many times to lose her way.

Masks of all shapes and colors drifted through the ribbons, adorned on those taking pleasure in the escape. Hands touched her shoulder, her hair, her legs. They were faint like curious butterflies testing the waters. She tightened her grip on Mika and found the unexpected when she glanced back. He swatted the hands like pesky flies.

No need to worry about him. Ava cracked a smile and quickened her steps.

It felt like it took forever to reach the back of the basement. The hallway was painted black where locked doors remain unlocked unless you paid the price of a pretty penny. Ava’s mind became hazy. No, she could get through this.

A few people mingled at the end. They came out of Harry’s room, two people already smoking from their pipes. They brushed past Ava and Mika, only one gawked when they realized who they walked past. The less attention Ava had the better.

The door was left cracked open. Alone, Harry leaned back in the rolling chair, a flat stick between his lips. He took a deep, steady breath and exhaled the vape through the piercing in his nose. Smoke billowed his blonde, buzzed hair.

He lost some weight, and muscles, since the last time Ava saw him. He was as pale as the sand dunes under a full moon, the polar opposite of Kay who was like a shadow hiding between the sharp grass blades in the Savanna. If Josh saw him like this, he’d throw a fit.

Harry shook his head before a word left his full lips. “No. No, no, no, no. I’m done with that shit,” he spat. “I gave you the chargers for a reason.”

She didn’t have time for this. “The tablets won’t respond to touch and I have one tablet that’s locked in a secure box. Which I need you to crack open.”

Ava yanked her gloves off, then dug out the tablets from the knapsack. One by one, Harry hesitantly took them from her until she reached the last one. Its slick glass casing felt smoother on her palm than she imagined. Cool to the touch, it had a small vibration of its own, almost like it was alive.

A shimmering gold light flashed from Ava’s fingertips and across the glass casing. “I thought you said it wasn’t responding to your touch,” Harry said.

“It shouldn’t be. This tablet was buried inside a rock wall.”

“Is that the one Junipea’s looking for?” Mika suddenly asked. Ava forgot he was here. He’d been so quiet, and wished he’d remain quiet.

Out of bad habit, she smacked him on the arm. Through narrowed eyes, he pressed his lips firmly together, seeming to hold his tongue. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Surprisingly, it annoyed her.

The public didn’t know someone disguised as Junipea was the one behind the attacks since he always wore a cloak. Harry’s reaction told it all. He fell forward, hands smacked the edge of the desk. “Whoa, man. Did I just hear you say Junipea? As in the Junipea?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ava said.

“Of course it matters.” His concerned eyes said it all.

Harry used to be Ava’s rival in academics. They always competed for the top rank, but now they had a different type of friendship. He was the reason Ava sobered up. He was the reason Gio slapped Ava back to her senses—the reason she had a brother again.

Her eyes pricked with tears. It took everything in her to swallow the lump in her throat. If this tablet case was responding to her touch, then it meant whoever left this behind wanted Ava to find it. They wanted her to open it.

Ava pressed her palm across the top and waited for the denial.

The vibrations grew stronger on her skin, warming it to the touch. A crease slithered across the middle of the sides until it completed its rectangle and met the bottom. The lid popped open. Holy crap, it worked.

While Mika seemed unfazed by this crazy technology, Harry was gawking at it, eyes wide in awe. Ava took out the glass tablet, sleek and smooth, it felt more fragile than any tablets in the laboratory—any tablets she owned.

Harry promptly dug around a bin of cords. He yanked on a few, pulling and tugging, until three popped out. He plugged them into the station ports next to his monitor. Ava carefully gave him the sleek tablet. He carefully set it next to the other two tablets and started syncing.

“I’m getting that box.” He side eyed her before snapping his headphones on. The heavy beats blared out of them. “As payment, of course.”

“Of course,” she said and set it on the coffee table, thinking it would be safer there than potentially buried under his millions of gadgets.

Harry’s room was the same as always: one worn out burnt orange couch against a wall and its modern coffee table with a single floor lamp. While the other side was packed with monitors, old PC’s and cameras, all scattered across a desk stretching the length of the wall—a desk he built himself. The section he operated on had a glass surface, and just after he cracked his knuckles, the touchscreen keyboard appeared across it.

Mika lingered by the closed door. His lucid gaze absently took in the room and all its rusted stains—the carpet included. Great, he was as high as a kite.

Ava pulled out a granola bar from her small waist pouch and handed it over. “Here eat this. It’ll give you some energy.” And hopefully, sober him up.

“I thought you told me not to eat anything,” he said with a sly grin, but took it anyway. “I’m only kidding. No need to get angry.”

Mika plopped on the couch, draping his arm over the top cushions. His whole body relaxed into this calm demeanor, ankle rested on his other knee. He was sitting like he’d been in this room many times before. This had to be a prince thing.

After taking a few bites of granola, he said, “You seem close to them. Are you friends?”

They might have a truce, but he didn’t need to know Ava’s past. She’d rather he stayed as far away from her as possible. So she gave some vague response. “I grew up with Harry, and since Kay’s his cousin, I guess we all just became friends.”

His slick gaze drifted to the pile of electronics. Smoke wafted through the cracked basement window, mixing natures dew with spearmint and grass. They’d been here long enough, and Ava felt the lucid effects.

“That must be nice. To have friends,” Mika said so quietly Ava almost missed it.

Maybe I don’t know Mika very well.

The door burst open and in came Gio with Sam right behind him. Wispy smoke rose from their singed hair, faces covered in a thin layer of ash. Sweat dripped down their chins. Gio went straight for the mini-fridge and chugged a water bottle before acknowledging anyone in the room. While Sam went for Mika and Ava.

“We lost him.” Sam gasped between heavy breaths. “After you destroyed the laboratory, he slipped away. We were able to follow but after that…”

“He vanished into thin air. We have no idea how he did it.” Gio used his hand to explode out his fingers. “Puff, like there was no one there.”

He took out another water bottle and tossed it to Sam, and chugged again.

This wasn’t good. The Black Rabbit could be anywhere. He could be here for all they knew. Ava paced back and forth, trying not to think of the worst. It would only stress her out more and she was already stressed out enough.

“I’m done!” Harry said. “I’m in.”