Chapter Four

AJ's life at home went back to the same routine. He thought it was normal, but that was not the case. He tried to forget about the whole encounter at the Academy of Science. Justin had stopped answering him, so he thought it was nothing more than a dream, but a part of him felt the pain was too real.

"AJ, you home?" a voice came from outside his room.

AJ got up and went to the door. His father was standing there with a smile on his face.

"How was the Academy of Science? I heard one of your classmates got expelled," his father asked.

"You heard?" said AJ.

"Of course. The school called me. You had a sleepover that night? Why didn’t you call me or your mother?"

AJ looked confused. His dad was always busy and never showed much interest. He figured if his dad knew, he wouldn’t care.

"Sorry," said AJ.

"You know, I work hard to give us this life. Rumors of you hanging out with kids like that can ruin our reputation." His dad walked away, disappointed, leaving AJ at the doorway.

"It wasn’t his fault," AJ muttered to himself. He looked outside his window as it was getting dark. AJ’s mind always raced toward bedtime. Justin was no longer in his dreams, nor was the older version of himself. But he had nightmares of that grin—that grin from the shadowy figure. He’d wake up in the middle of the night, but nothing was there. He kept a nightlight on just so he could clearly see his room. AJ was scared to tell a doctor, so there was one person he could turn to, someone he idolized and took everything they said to heart—his brother, Mike.

He didn’t know how to talk to his brother. He wanted Mike to think highly of him so badly, but this might make him seem crazy. But what if he was? Would his brother still love him? The next night after dinner, AJ couldn’t take another nightmare, so he sent his brother a text: "Yo, you up?"

Mike responded: "I was about to head to sleep. What’s up?"

AJ knew he should have called; his brother wasn’t one to text.

"Nothing. Never mind."

AJ waited for a reply, but none came. Maybe it was for the best. AJ was an adult now and could handle himself.

Ring Ring

It was his brother calling. He was too lazy to get up from bed.

"Yo," AJ picked up.

"Hey. You alright? Something wrong?" asked Mike.

"No. Yes."

"Come on, man. I’m your bro."

AJ hesitated. His brother would think he was crazy. "Just been having some bad dreams. It’s stupid."

"Bad dreams? What is it?"

"This entity... I’ve been having sleep paralysis again, but this time it seems so real. It has this creepy grin, and it just comes at me," said AJ.

"Okay, well, let’s look it up. Meet me in my room," replied Mike.

AJ headed over to Mike’s room. Mike was at his computer desk. They both sat down and searched the internet for AJ’s symptoms.

"Ah, okay, look at this," said Mike. "It looks like an unhealthy lifestyle and lack of decent sleep can cause these hallucinations. You can even hear things too."

"Whoa, holy crap. So other people have experienced this?" said AJ. He felt a sense of calm, knowing this was something real that could be addressed.

Ding

A message from Zoe Allegra appeared.

"What’s that? Why is Zoe messaging you?" a shocked AJ asked.

Mike quickly closed the computer.

"I messaged her and a couple of your friends to see how you’re doing after the Academy of Science," said Mike.

"He’s hiding something," Justin’s voice suddenly appeared in AJ’s head.

"This can’t be happening," AJ said, referring to Justin’s voice, but Mike took it as a reaction to the message.

"Look. I was worried. Your low grades, your talk of art. Zoe says you barely have time for her. I get it—you’re at a crossroads in your life right now. I was too. But you need to wake up and grow up. Stop dreaming about what you could be. Do you know how many artists actually make a decent living? Most are poor, barely able to even eat. You need to think about your future family. You know what, scratch that. You need to stop thinking and stop dreaming. Wake up to reality. Get a city job. Focus on your grades. Marry Zoe. Do you even know what you’ve got with that one? You are so lucky. Work on your life right now so you can have a better tomorrow. Stop partying and save up your money. When you’re 50, you’ll thank me."

"He’s wrong," Justin’s voice said again.

"Shut up," AJ muttered quietly to himself, addressing Justin.

"Excuse me?" Mike grabbed AJ by the collar. Then he realized he was hurting him and let go. "You know what? If you want to be a fucking dumbass, then fine. Screw up your life. Get out of my room," said Mike.

AJ wanted to respond, but Justin was on his mind—literally. He ran back to his room and shut the door. He stared at the mirror and spoke. "Justin?"

"Hey, AJ," said Justin.

"Holy shit. No, I thought this was over," said AJ.

"No, I told you, we have to destroy five of them," Justin replied.

"Where have you been? I thought I had a temporary psychotic episode,"

"I’ve always been here. After destroying Moro, I tried to hide my presence even more. The others knew something happened to one of their own. I waited until I was sure where the next one would be."

"No… My brother? He seems normal. The advice he gave me was my best interest. He’s right, you know. He has it figured out. I wish I was half the man he is."

"Oh, AJ. You can’t see it, can you? It makes sense. They’ve likely infected those closest to you. I’d keep an eye out for your mom and dad too. But first, we need to deal with your brother ASAP," said Justin.

"My family? What? No. I—I’m just having a psychotic break. It’s a real thing," AJ responded.

"AJ, you know better than to trust the internet. That’s just another example of bad advice he’s giving you. He should’ve told you to see a doctor or a therapist. Look, this couldn’t be more perfect. He’s about to go to sleep. Just sneak into his room, and you both go to sleep—no booze or anything this time. What’s the worst that can happen? Plus, if he is infected, wouldn’t you want to help him?"

"I guess. You’re right. Okay, let’s do it," said AJ.

AJ waited until both his parents were asleep. He grabbed a pillow from his room and walked to his brother's bedroom door. He could hear the dings of messages on his brother’s computer. That made him uneasy—what if he was talking to Zoe? What were they saying about him? At 11 PM, the dings finally stopped. At midnight, AJ cracked open the door and crawled into the room. He looked around for a place to sleep. He saw the computer still open and started making his way towards it, but Justin said, "Don’t." AJ decided to crawl under the bed instead. That was as close as he could get. He placed the pillow from his room and staring up at the bottom of the bed, trying to sleep.

“I’m ready.” He said to Justin closing his eyes. AJ’s hands started to emit black smoke. It sneaked out from under the bed crawling towards Mike.

“Breaking news as we go live to Kate Kelly outside Senator Stoneman’s luxurious hotel in the streets of Freedom City,” said the news anchor.

“Thanks, Tom. I’m here outside the senator’s prized -star hotel, which ranks as the tallest in the United States, reaching 180 stories at its peak. Police have surrounded the building as an attack on guests staying here has occurred. An unknown number of violent assailants are making their way up the hotel toward the senator’s suite at the top. So far, sixteen confirmed deaths, mostly guards, and around thirty other injuries. The senator is not in the building, but his wife and infant child are reportedly in the suite.”

“Look!” one civilian said to his friend. In the distance, a helicopter could be heard approaching.

“That’s not just any 'copter. That’s Alastair’s,” the friend replied. The helicopter was painted with the face of a bald eagle, and the blades were painted so that when they spun, they created the image of the American flag.

“Oh, you don’t know? That’s America’s finest—Alastair and his sidekick, Atlas. They were war heroes during World War Three. They loved America so much that their passion was rewarded with superpowers,” one civilian explained.

“I heard Alastair took out five suicide soldiers head-on and came out unscathed,” another civilian added.

“Yeah? I heard Atlas can throw a car the distance of a football field.”

“Oh yeah, well, I heard Alastair can fly! Wait, why’s he in a helicopter, then?”

As the helicopter flew over the crowd, two men could be seen on the side. First was Atlas— sitting on the edge of the helicopter with his legs dangling out as they flew 30 stories up. He was completely covered in blue camouflage, even his mask, which hid his entire face. The material was some sort of new bulletproof metal with microscopic holes to let him breathe. His vision was all digital from inside the mask. Standing next to him was America’s all-star, Alastair. He wore the brightest white costume anyone had ever seen, with a big Army star on his chest. As the helicopter got closer to the crowd, people could see Alastair’s piercing blue eyes and golden hair. He waved to the crowd like he was already celebrating a victory parade.

As the helicopter approached the hotel, Atlas stood up next to Alastair. At 50 stories up, Atlas leaped out of the helicopter, landing at the base of the hotel with enough force to create a small crater in the ground. The helicopter then flew to the top, where Alastair casually stepped off. Their strategy: a pincer attack to prevent any escapes. Atlas entered first through the main entrance—no guns, no gadgets, because he didn’t need them. His punch was faster and more destructive than a bullet. As he stepped through the threshold, he was horrified to discover piles and piles of bodies in the lobby. There must have been sixty people dead in the lobby alone. The closest ones were the first responders. They hadn’t gotten five feet in before they were cut down. Their bodies showed signs of wild slashing, but they weren’t the first. The hotel guards’ throats were slit, showing no signs of struggle, indicating they were likely the first victims. The attack happened fast and unexpectedly.

Atlas turned to the civilian bodies near the guards. They were all stabbed in the back, most likely from trying to flee after witnessing the initial attack. Not all had died immediately; the assailants had gone after those who tried to escape first, then returned to finish them off with ease.

“Major casualties on the first floor, no signs of the threat,” Atlas said over the radio.

Atlas made his way to do a quick sweep of the first floor. His speed allowed him to cover the entire floor in seconds. He began entering rooms to find civilians unharmed.

“My name is Atlas from the US government. You’re safe now. Did you see who did this?” Atlas questioned.

“N-No. The lady on the intercom told everyone that if we stayed in our rooms, we would live. Oh god, the people who left… Did they make it?” a terrified man asked.

“First floor clear. Need a team to assist with civilians,” Atlas said over the radio.

As he left the hallway, he saw the elevators deactivated and a trail of bodies leading up the stairs, both guards and civilians alike. Guess I’ll follow the breadcrumbs, Atlas thought to himself.

Alastair started on the roof and was making his way down to the senator's suite.

"Alastair, there are a lot of bodies down here. I’m not seeing any evidence of how many attackers there were, but this level of destruction would take an elite team," Atlas continued over the radio.

“Copy that. I’m entering the floor of the suite now,” Alastair replied.

Alastair made his way from the emergency exit on the roof to the senator's suite floor. Bodies of guards led a trail to the suite—they were fresh. Someone is here. Why is no one guarding the door? Alastair thought. Is this a suicide mission? He ran through several scenarios of what could be happening or had happened behind the door. The senator's family could be hostages or already dead. Either way, he had to proceed with caution.

He opened the door slowly and saw two guards dead on the floor.

"Alastair, it’s Atlas. I'm getting confirmation from HQ that one—repeat, one—individual did this, and they want them taken in alive."

As the door fully opened, Alastair stared straight ahead at a woman almost frozen in time, holding a blade to an infant’s neck behind the senator’s desk. She didn’t take her eyes off the child. She had a skinny, athletic build, wearing only a black tank top and jeans, completely drenched in blood. The blood made it look like red streaks ran down her black hair. Alastair surveyed the rest of the room: no other guards were present, but the senator’s wife was gurgling blood in the corner by the bookshelf, alive but barely. Something felt off. Was this woman responsible for all these casualties?

“By the order of the U.S. government, you are under arrest. Drop the infant and come quietly. Resistance is futile,” Alastair declared with little emotion.

“You’re not him. I—I thought if I did something so horrific, so unforgivable to something so loved, so innocent, maybe—just maybe—I could feel something... or I’d find a reason... to end it,” she said with a face so sad it looked as if she was crying without tears.

"Atlas, I need assistance ASAP. Get to the suite!" Alastair shouted.

"Already on my way," Atlas responded, arriving mere seconds later. "I figured when we knew it was one person, they had to be up here. I—Holy mother of God," Atlas said, finally glimpsing the scene.

Alastair sprang into action. In one motion, he kicked the desk with such force that it broke both of the woman's legs. As she dangled in the air, he uppercut her left elbow joint, breaking her grasp on the infant.

“Grab it, Atlas!” said Alastair.

Atlas followed behind, catching the baby.

The woman looked up from the ground and stared at Alastair. "Your eyes are the same, but you’re not him..." she said with a puzzled look. “My name is Zoe. I’m looking for someone. I have one question for you. Depending on your answer, I may show less ‘resistance’ and go with you.” She tilted her head like a curious dog. “Would you even care if I killed this baby?”

Alastair stopped dead in his tracks.

"I would," Atlas replied without hesitation. "Wait. Your name is Zoe?"

“The first guard begged me not to hurt the senator's wife. The next guard pleaded for both the senator and the baby. And of course, the senator's wife chose her own child. But is that what they really wanted? You know what their answer was as I stabbed them over and over. Do you want to know who the senator's wife truly wanted to save between herself and the baby?” Zoe said.

Alastair walked toward Zoe as she crawled toward the window, trying to get away. He dashed over to her, grabbed her by the neck, and slammed her into the bookshelf, her broken legs dangling in the air.

“You’re coming with me, you monster,” Alastair barked, tightening his grip around her neck.

“Monster... yes, I suppose I am,” Zoe said, “...but I’m not the only one, am I?”

Wham! Zoe struck Alastair over the head with a sharp, broken trophy from the bookshelf. As Alastair stumbled back, he noticed her legs and arm were healed, but it was too late—Zoe had already picked up her dagger and lodged it into Alastair's shoulder.

“Bitch!” Alastair screamed.

Zoe attempted another stab, but Alastair backhanded her to the other side of the room.

"Watch out! She has healing powers!" Alastair shouted to Atlas. Atlas put the baby in the senator's wife's lap.

Zoe, now lying next to one of the dead guards, picked up one of their guns. Atlas charged at her. She fired wildly, landing a shot in his gut and several in his leg, but it didn’t stop him. As she tried to get up, Atlas unleashed devastating blows one after the other until a final punch to her gut left her spewing blood, almost losing consciousness.

After checking her for weapons, Alastair threw her over his shoulder. “Give up. Even with your healing powers, you can’t overpower me. The only reason you were able to hurt me is because they want you alive.”

“You men always see physical power as strength,” Zoe whispered, her blood dripping from her face to the floor. “True strength comes from enduring. AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’VE HAD TO ENDURE AND WHAT I’M CAPABLE OF ENDURING!” she screamed.

While over his shoulder, she re-broke her arm so part of her radius bone pointed out sharply. With her other hand, she ripped the bone out and used it as a dagger, stabbing Alastair in the abdomen. Alastair dropped to one knee. Zoe kicked him away to break free and backed up to the window. She took the dagger and started cutting open her abdomen. Atlas stood frozen in shock at the sight of her cutting herself.

"Stop. Please. I don't know you, but I can help you. I want to help you," said Atlas.

"Don't know me? Oh, but Atlas, I know you. Or should I call you AJ? You can't help me until you help him first."

Zoe hesitated and touched her face. A single tear crawled down her cheek. "I haven't felt my own tears in years. You are not like us, AJ." She smiled. Zoe reached into her own abdomen and pulled out a grenade. Her wounds were already beginning to heal. Neither Alastair nor Atlas had seen a healing power like this before.

"AJ? My name?" said Atlas.

"No! Atlas, focus!" Alastair yelled. He charged at her, but as he got close, the grenade went off, throwing him back against the wall. Atlas dove to shield the baby and the senator's wife, taking the blast to his back as Zoe was blasted out the window, 180 stories up. Atlas saw only smoke before debris piled over him as he continued to cover the victims.

"Hang on!" He could hear Alastair’s voice trying to get to him. Alastair removed the debris, revealing Atlas still covering both the baby and the senator's wife, who were alive. They carried them to the helicopter, which flew them back down to ground level.

As soon as the helicopter landed, they were greeted by Senator Stoneman and a medic. The medic took a quick look at the senator's wife and baby and gave a positive nod, indicating they were going to make it. He quickly ran over to Atlas and Alastair.

"Boys! My od, if I’d sent anyone else on this planet, my wife and son would be dead. But you two—you are not just America's finest. You are the world's greatest superheroes," said the senator.

"Bark bark." A dog came running up to them—a yellow Lab wearing a harness with the letters "SD" and a cape attached to it.

"Ah, even Super Dog here is proud of you," said the senator.

"Bark bark," the dog said, smiling.

"Always happy to help, senator. Unfortunately, that villain got away. But don't worry, we will find her and bring her to justice immediately," said Alastair.

"I know you will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to attend to my family," the senator said as he walked away.

"Atlas, you seemed distracted up there. Head back to the base and await an after-action report. The villain got away, which means this job isn’t complete. Still, not bad up there. You’ve got potential, and if you follow in my footsteps, you could be America's golden child. Just like me. Now take your super pet here and get going. I’m just going to do a little PR with the media to clean up some of this mess," said Alastair.

Atlas watched as Alastair headed toward a crowd of reporters. He looked down at Super Dog, who looked back up at him.

"AJ, what the fuck are you doing?" the dog said.

"You can talk?!" asked Atlas literally taking a step back in disbelief.

"It's me, Justin. But just keep calling me Super Dog. What are you doing playing superhero? We need to be looking for the sleep entity," said Justin.

It all started coming back to AJ.

"This is a dream," said AJ.

"No shit. You're in your brother's domain. You’ve got to be careful—they can overpower you and trap you in the dream. Focus your mind. Control your own domain," said Justin.

"Holy shit, Mike is Alastair. And come to think of it, the senator kind of looks like Dad. And that woman—Zoe?! I need to go after her."

"She’s not actually here. That’s something your brother is creating in his subconscious. We’re not here to play superhero—we have our own goal," said Justin.

"So, then what do we do?" asked AJ.

"We go along with this dream. We stay close to Alastair and see if anyone suspicious is manipulating him," said Justin.

"But this doesn’t seem that bad. I mean, he’s a hero. He’s helping people! Maybe we got it wrong," said AJ.

"No. Something’s off. We’re in the right place. Don’t be blind just because it’s your family," said Justin.

"Alright, fine. I guess there’s no harm in following him for now. What’s next?" said AJ.

"I’ll show you another detail about dreams, AJ," said Justin. "Notice how dreams get right to the point? Time is fake here. So, here’s a trick: close your eyes, zone out, and let yourself be taken by the dream. Good... good. Now, open your eyes."

AJ opened his eyes to see himself standing in front of a dining hall wearing a tux. He looked down to see Justin in a tux as well.

“How?” asked AJ.

“The dream always wants to move forward the easiest path. Think of it like autopilot. It’s useful when you have no other options, but the downside is it can get you into worse situations.”

"Looks like they’re throwing some sort of celebration. Let’s go," said Justin.

As they walked up the steps to the entrance, they were greeted by two guards.

"Welcome. Senator Stoneman is happy you could accompany us, but, um, I’m sorry, sir, your dog can’t come in," said the guard.

"What? But—" said AJ. He bent down to whisper into Justin’s ear. "What do we do?"

"It’s okay. You go on in. This is just recon for now. I’ll be close by," said Justin.

AJ went inside. He didn’t recognize anyone, so he decided to head to the bar and people-watch.

"What are you having?" asked a friendly bartender.

"Um, just a beer, please," said AJ.

"Ok. But what kind?" asked the confused bartender.

Applause broke out as all attention turned to the entrance, where Alastair and Senator Stoneman were making their way in. Alastair entered with a big grin on his face and a white tux. People stared at him as if he were glowing with an aura. Alastair scanned the room, made eye contact with AJ, and started heading toward him. Before he could reach him, he was swarmed by a crowd of people.

"Alastair, you’re America’s finest!"

"Alastair, I want you to meet my daughter!"

"Can you come to my kid’s school?!"

AJ listened as it was Alastair this and Alastair that, but all he saw now was Mike, his brother. Maybe Justin was wrong? AJ thought. He decided to be direct and have a chat with his brother. AJ went up to Mike and put his arm around him.

"Care for a drink?" said AJ.

"Yes, thank God. Get me out of here," said Mike.

As they walked to the bar, AJ could hear someone say, "Who is that walking with Alastair?"

"Two Guinness, please!" Mike said to the bartender. "Thanks for that."

"Ha. You may save the day, but who saves the hero?" said AJ. "So... you and the senator seem close?"

"Huh? Yeah, well, you know. He’s in charge of the super-soldier program. Got to keep him happy," said Mike.

"I guess." AJ tried to think of what else to say. "Mike, have you been noticing any changes lately with yourself?"

"You mean like superpowers?" Mike gave AJ an odd look.

"Ha, no. I mean... ugh. Has anyone new come into your life recently? Following you around?" asked AJ.

"Like a sidekick? Just you, bud. What are you—"

"You!" the senator's wife drunkenly stormed over to them, her dress stained with wine. She had so much makeup on, trying to cover the scars from the incident, but it only made them more obvious. "Getting all this praise? And for what? The bad guy got away. Shut up—I know it was a girl! Everyone thinks you two are God’s gift to us. I’m surprised you’d even grace us with your presence, your majesties. But... but…” She paused, then frowned, threateningly rolling the ice around in her drink. “I saw you. Saw you look at us. I don’t care that you thought I was expendable, but my baby? You called her ‘it.’ Are we even people to you?” Her frown snapped into a glare. “Your eyes are no different than hers." She switched her gaze to AJ. "And you... you’re just his shadow. Pathetic."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Honey, I think you’ve had a little too much rosé," Senator Stoneman burst into the conversation. "Malcolm is looking for you. Please." Stoneman gently guided her away. She gave Mike one last dirty look, and he could see her mouth the word "monster."

Mike turned his attention back to the senator.

"I’m so, so sorry about that, guys. She’s just been having some PTSD lately and nonstop nightmares. Here, forget that cheap stuff. Drinks on me for the rest of the night. What am I saying? Drinks on me for life at any of my businesses." Said the senator.

"Whoa, hey! Not going to argue with that!" AJ exclaimed, glancing at Mike, trying to snap him out of it. "Right, Mike?"

"Right," Mike replied, putting his grin back on.

"Great. After that drink, photo time." The senator grinned back.

The next couple of hours were spent drinking, shaking hands, and taking photos. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to AJ. Justin must be wrong. The senator started taking pictures with police and other first responders, leaving Mike and AJ alone.

"So, where are you going after this? Maybe we can catch up?" asked AJ.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"No... I mean, I’d love to, but I can’t. I have this thing. I’m, uh... I’m meeting someone after. Sorry, I tried to tell you earlier. I’m actually about to leave," Mike said.

"No shit? Finally, man. Well, I won’t stop you," AJ said, giving Mike a hug. "Hey, you deserve this," AJ added as Mike walked away.

After the party, AJ went outside looking for Justin.

"Psst. Up here." AJ looked up to see Justin on the roof of the next building over.

AJ looked around. Does he still have powers? he thought. He made sure no one was looking before running towards the building and leaping.

"Whoaaaaa," AJ said as he overshot the building and landed on the other side. He tried again and this time stuck the landing right next to Justin.

"This is so cool. It’s like I really have powers," AJ said to Justin.

"Yes. Just like in the last dream, the limit is how much control you have over your own mind. But it’s not easy. You can easily slip fully into the dream, like how you were earlier."

AJ nodded in agreement.

"Look. Your brother is on the move. Let's follow. The dream will lead us," Justin said, looking over the edge at the street. They hopped from roof to roof, following him.

Mike made his way to the nearest liquor store. He bought two handles of whiskey and cracked open one right there, guzzling it down without spilling a single drop on his white tux. The man behind the cash register couldn’t help but gaze awkwardly. Mike made the long journey to his mansion, downing the bottles as if they were water. By the time he got to his front gate, the second handle was empty. His powers gave him a higher tolerance, but he could still get drunk. He dropped his keys about five times, and because he had so many, it took him five minutes to find the right one for the gate.

"This is Mike? Goddamn, this is painful to watch," said Justin.

"Shh," AJ replied, giving him a glare. They moved to the roof of Mike’s mansion. "Looks like he lives alone."

"I heard guards saying he fired every employee that ever worked for him. He always finds some bullshit reason," said Justin.

The front lawn was littered with statues and American flair. The house was a mansion that screamed "I’m a patriot." Mike opened his front door. AJ and Justin dropped down and watched closely from the windows. Mike was too out of it to notice. The main hallway was decorated with medals, awards, and pictures of high-ranking officials. He walked past the first room, and the next two rooms were bare, with no furniture in them. It was all for show. The outside and the first hallway were all people ever saw, but beyond that, the house was extremely empty. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed two more handles of whiskey. He went to the fridge, pouring ice into his glass from the freezer, then paused and stared at an old picture of his platoon when they were stationed in Germany. All he could hear in his head were the senator’s wife’s words repeating over and over: "Same eyes. Same eyes. Same." He put his back to the fridge and slowly slid down to the ground. He looked around at the emptiness.

For the first time ever, AJ was concerned for his brother. Mike’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Blocked number—he never answered those. As he stared off, his eyes grew heavy, and blackness engulfed him.

"You were right, Justin. I believe you now. Something is wrong with Mike," said AJ.

"No shit. You humans never look past the surface. Spotting something wrong isn’t a skill limited to sleep entities. Even you could learn it. See, your brother is a lot like this house. On the surface, it looks amazing, but the truth is always hiding inside. And seeing doesn’t always have to be physical. It can be in someone’s actions or the words they say. The truth is always within. Pay attention to Mike in this dream, and you’ll pick up on it. Maybe you’ll even find the entity influencing him. For now, let’s see if anyone or anything approaches him."

AJ and Justin waited and waited, but nothing happened. AJ tried texting Mike's phone, but it didn’t wake him up.

"This isn’t working. You need to take control of this dream a little—just enough to steer it," said Justin.

"How?" asked AJ.

"We’ve been over this. Manifest it,"

"Okay," said AJ. He focused on his next call, but this time he visualized why he was calling.

Mike woke up on the kitchen floor, empty bottles of alcohol scattered around him. He touched his face and felt tears. Was I crying in my sleep? He looked at his phone and saw 14 voicemails. One p.m.? Shit, I overslept.

Vroom, vroom. His phone vibrated again. Mike looked at his phone. "Fuck!" he let out a wail of frustration as he realized AJ was calling.

"Hello," said Mike.

"Mike? Mike, where have you been?! We were supposed to have a briefing this morning about that super-powered villain," AJ said, creating the scenario out of thin air.

"Yeah, I was dealing with some local incidents last night and broke my phone. I just got it back and turned it on," Mike said, unaware that AJ watching him the whole time.

"Fuck, man, you should’ve told someone. Well, I managed to push the meeting back to 1600 hours, making up some bullshit excuse for you," said AJ.

"Four?" Mike looked at the time again. "Alright, I’ll meet you there."

Mike hung up and slammed the back of his head against the fridge for a second before getting up to get ready.

"Perfect," Justin said to AJ. "That was good thinking. Now, where to?" asked Justin.

"What do you mean, where?"

"You’re steering the ship now. Better hurry before he takes back control."

AJ and Justin drove to the central part of downtown, arriving at an unnamed high-rise building.

"Alright, this is where I depart again. The entity is going to be looking for whoever’s taking control, so be careful. I’ll be close by, watching," Justin said as he headed down the street.

AJ waited for his brother to arrive. Mike came in, smiling ear to ear, pretending like nothing was wrong.

"Ready, brother?" Mike said to AJ. They headed to the top floor, entering a conference room where U.S. officials had gathered, including Senator Stoneman, General Minerva, the Secretary of Defense, some strategists, and a few scientists. General Minerva got the attention of the room.

"Alright, may I have your attention on the screen This is Zoe Andria, born in Italy to the world-renowned Andria family," said General Minerva.

"I thought the entire family was massacred thirteen years ago?" asked a scientist.

"That’s what we thought. However, what was kept from the public was that we discovered advanced experimental equipment in the rubble after the place burned down—equipment that resembles what we use today... to make Alastair and Atlas." The room grew eerily silent. "At first, it seemed like a mercenary hit. The family had many enemies. In recent years, a super has appeared in America with powers beyond just physical strength—a female with powers of regeneration. We only became aware of her recent whereabouts because she’s only recently been more active in the U.S., but she goes back further. We tracked her to Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. The locals of the town next to the Andria compound said that around the same time the family was murdered, an orphan girl was seen living on the streets, begging for money, about nine years old. We had our suspicions, but to think a nine-year-old girl..."

"Wait, if this is true... thirteen years ago... then she’s the first Super," said another scientist.

All eyes were locked on Alastair and Atlas’s reaction. Alastair spoke up, “But I saw her get blasted 180 stories up. Why are we speaking as if she’s alive? I don’t care how fast you can regenerate; you can’t come back from nothingness."

General Minerva clicked to the next slide. It was a surveillance video from a store next to the tower. Everyone watched in shock as a thin, naked woman broke into a clothing store, put on clothes, and then ran out after taking money from the register.

"Impossible," Atlas said, stunned. "Wait. When did you get this info? Is that why we were ordered to capture her alive? Were the soldiers supposed to use restraint?! All those bodies... God, the senator's wife and child were—"

"We all knew the risks, soldier," Senator Stoneman snapped back.

General Minerva took control of the conversation again. "Listen. You’re missing the bigger picture. Someone is walking around out there who could shift the tides of war. Someone who could create more supers, maybe even more powerful than ours. For now, I want everyone working 24/7 to find her. Bring her back by any means necessary."

The meeting adjourned. Atlas saw Alastair quickly heading for the exit. As he tried to chase after him, Senator Stoneman stopped him.

"Atlas. A moment of your time." The senator waited until they were the only two left in the room. "I want to say we appreciate all the service you’ve done and continue to do for our country. I’ve heard from a little birdie that you were asking some superiors about taking on bigger roles and maybe moving away from the 'sidekick' spotlight? Yeah, I’ll answer that right now—it’s a no. You see, Alastair has the face of what we want to represent, you know? He has that 'poster boy' look. You, on the other hand, come off as more... aggressive. Now, I don’t think that, but our PR and marketing experts do. They think it’s best if you keep learning from Alastair. By the way, where’s that dog of yours?"

"Oh, um... I got rid of it. You know, to be more like Alastair," AJ said.

"Right. That’s good. Well, good talk. I’ll be on my way then. Oh, and check in with General Minerva—she has an assignment for you. Looks like you're getting your wish: separation from Alastair." The senator put his hand on AJ’s shoulder. Something about it felt... off.

Meanwhile, Justin had begun following Mike as he left the building, heading straight for a liquor store.

"Help! Please, God. Please, someone. Help!" A wail echoed from an alley. Mike looked around but saw nothing.

"Help!" He ran to the other side of the building and found a man with a knife pinning a woman against a wall. Mike leaped into action, grabbing the man with one hand and flinging him backward into a brick building.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked the hooded woman. She lea into his arms, wrapping herself around him.

Mike had isolated himself for so long that he had forgotten what it felt like to embrace another person. For that brief moment, he enjoyed it. But then, a whisper came over his shoulder: "Dear God. You killed him."

Mike gently pushed the woman away and turned around, horrified. He had flung the man so hard that the impact caused his head to crack open. Mike could see the man’s body letting go and blood streaming from his eyes. Normally, Mike controlled his strength perfectly, but he hadn’t been himself lately. Even a slight lapse in judgment could result in death.

"It’s true. I... I am a monster," he whispered.

"Says who?" the hooded woman asked, her head down. "Society? The law? The people who trained you to do exactly what you're doing, but then say it’s wrong when you don’t follow their orders?" The woman looked up into Mike’s eyes, and he lost his breath. He got tunnel vision towards her face. She slowly pulled back her hood, revealing long black hair streaked with blood-red and purple strands. It was Zoe.

Justin was watching from above. "This is bad. I need to call AJ," Justin muttered. He pulled out a cellphone out of thin air. He tried sending AJ his location with a message, but his dog paws made it difficult.

“Dammit. Why couldn’t I be a human.” Said Justin as he finally managed to get the text delivered.

Mike’s eyes dilated as he grabbed Zoe by the neck and slammed her against the wall. "Why?" he asked, breathing heavily.

"Be... cause I... don’t think you’re a monster," Zoe choked out. The words struck deep, and Mike loosened his grip.

"I’ve been watching you. For longer than you think... I’m fine, by the way... I’ve seen your house, your work, your... drinking habit."

"So, you're just a crazy stalker? Is that it?" Mike shouted, slamming his fist against the wall.

Zoe’s glare sharpened. "NO. I followed you because I had to be sure that what I saw in your eyes when we first met was real. WE are not monsters. We’re not broken. Society is broken. Society is the monster."

Maybe it was the booze, or maybe Mike wasn’t in the right state of mind, but the more Zoe spoke, the more conflicted he felt. "What are you saying?"

"My condition, as you’ve guessed, is hypersonic regeneration. But there’s a price. I can’t feel—not physically, and not emotionally. Without pain, I can’t feel pleasure. Without fear, I can’t feel exhilaration. And worst of all, I can’t even feel sadness. I’d gladly take a life of misery over nothingness. I know you understand what this is like. You know something is wrong. You know how you should be feeling, but there’s just... nothing."

Bam! Something hit the ground near them, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the air cleared, AJ was standing there.

"Mike, is this true? Have you been feeling like this? I had no idea," AJ asked.

"No! Why are you here?!" Zoe snapped. Sirens and helicopters could be heard in the distance. "You led them right to us!" She turned back to Mike. "I’ve done terrible things to try and feel again. I’ve done the world’s strongest drugs in China. I’ve played the hero and worked with secret mercenaries all over Africa. I’ve been a bounty hunter in the Middle East. I’ve killed so many... but nothing. Nothing worked! Then, I heard a name—a name I hadn’t heard since I got these powers. The man responsible for this numbness. And for the first time in a long time, I felt anger. From that moment, I made it my mission to find him and make him pay for what he did to me, to my sisters, and to my brothers!"

Mike backed off. "Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with anything?"

"Because the same man who did this to me... is in your government!" Zoe said.

"What?" AJ's breath caught in his throat.

"I grew up thinking I was sick. My family was rich, so I was told I was getting the newest state-of-the-art treatments. I was constantly tested and put on experimental drugs. Then, he came—a man who called himself Da Vinci, a genius in all fields. He always smiled at me and said I was going to be better. I thought he meant better from my sickness, but he had other plans. Most of his tests were like the ones before—taking blood, testing agility, that sort of thing. But one night, I was strapped to a hospital bed. My parents were there, smiling as they put me under. I woke up in a burning boat in the middle of a lake. The flames were so bright, I couldn’t see anything. That’s when my powers began. I made it back to shore and found part of my house had been destroyed by an explosion. My parents were gone, the guards too. I went to my dad’s office, and there was a video on his computer labeled ‘Test Subject 6.’ It was a recording of all the experiments done on me. And I was #6. Five other siblings had died in these experiments. My parents had been using their own children. I didn’t understand why until I later found out my father was developing biological warfare to compete with superpowers and sell to the highest bidder. I wanted to believe he cared, but the last file on the desktop was of me going under for my final treatment. They injected me with a large vial of red liquid. Something went wrong. One of the doctors tried to stop Da Vinci, and the vial broke, spilling over me and the equipment. I started seizing. The lights went out, and when they came back on... I was dead. I watched as my father shrugged me off as another failure. My mother, at least, found a ‘proper’ way to dispose of my body. That sadness was the last thing I ever felt. I burned that house down with them still in it. I didn’t feel a thing."

"Which brings us to now. I traced Da Vinci across several countries until he made a mistake—he got cocky and took a public seat of power. He’s now known as Senator Stoneman," Zoe said.

Mike's eyes widened in shock.

AJ knew something was off with the senator.

Zoe continued, "Little did I know that he somehow created super bodyguards to protect him—namely, you two: Alastair and Atlas. Or is it okay to start calling you Mike and AJ?"

"Whoa, what?" AJ said, shocked.

Mike grew suspicious. "So, you're after the senator. That’s why you went after his family. AJ, don’t believe anything she says. The senator has been nothing but a father figure to us. He gave us this life. Gave us a reason."

Zoe pressed on, "Yes, that’s why I went after his family. I thought he’d show his face if I pushed hard enough. I don’t have time to earn your trust. He’s a lot smarter and stronger than I thought. I thought I was hunting him, but it turns out he’s been hunting me."

Mike's expression hardened. "AJ, let’s bring her in. Either way, she’s going to answer our questions." Mike stepped into a fighting stance, and AJ followed suit. Zoe looked terrified.

"Please, don’t!"

"AJ, stop!" Justin suddenly jumped down from a nearby building, landing beside Zoe. "I think she’s the subconscious part of Mike that’s fighting back."

"What? Then why does she look like Zoe?" AJ asked.

"I feel like we need to unpack that later," Justin replied. "I think she’s on our side."

"Our side?" Mike demanded, glaring at AJ. "AJ, explain yourself!"

"Mike, we’re trying to help you. We think there’s a greater villain here who—" AJ started but was interrupted.

"You’ve been compromised. Both of you need to stand down and come with me. On behalf of the United States of America, I order you to get on the ground with your hands above your head," Mike declared.

“Well said, Alastair,” came a voice from behind them. Without anyone noticing, a helicopter had landed, and Senator Stonesman was walking toward them with two guards. Zoe took one look at him and started screaming hysterically.

"My God. I’ve seen the videos, but I had to see it up close to believe it. Remarkable. Alastair, if you would be so kind, shut her up and bring her to the helicopter," the senator ordered.

Alastair walked toward the copter without giving Zoe a second to react. He pulled out a harpoon-like gun and shot a spear with ropes attached straight through her leg. "Can’t let you pull off any crazy moves now." He fired another shot through her feet. He flipped a switch, and the ropes contracted, dragging her closer, preventing her from moving.

"What the hell, Mike? Wait!" AJ exclaimed.

Mike sighed heavily as he finished tying up Zoe. He walked aggressively over to AJ. "You know, I’ve tried so hard to guide you down the right path. But you know what? You’re hopeless. Now, you're going to get into the helicopter as either a criminal or a soldier of the U.S. You choose."

AJ looked at Justin. Justin nodded at him to go along with it. AJ walked toward the helicopter and picked up Zoe, preparing to bring her aboard. The senator and Mike watched in approval.

"Psst. We are going to figure out how to save you," AJ whispered to Zoe.

"No, it’s too late. Let me go with them. I’ve watched you. Maybe we’re all monsters in this world—the senator, myself, Alastair. Hell, most people in this world would do the same as him. But you... I see how you care for your brother. Take this. Save him." Zoe handed AJ a USB stick.

"AJ," Mike said, startling him by putting a hand on his shoulder. "New orders. The senator and I are going to take her back to base. There’s not enough room, so you’ll have to meet us there."

AJ looked around. The senator was already seated in the front of the copter. He glanced at Zoe, whose eyes seemed to scream, Go Save Him.

Before he knew it, the helicopter was taking off, leaving AJ in disarray.

"Well, at least we know who the sleep entity is," Justin said. "But I’m pretty sure it knows we’re onto it and is trying to distance itself. What’s its end goal, though, in this story?" Justin asked out loud.

"What do we do now?" AJ asked.

"We need to check out that USB. We need a place where we can upload it. Let’s head back to base. Your brother has had control long enough. It’s time for us to go on the offensive."

AJ and Justin found themselves back at Headquarters. Everything seemed normal at the agency when they arrived. AJ headed up to the top floor, where meetings and operations were held. As he stepped out of the elevator, he bumped into one of the secretaries.

"Atlas, what are you doing here at this hour?" she asked.

"Have you seen Alastair or the senator?"

"No, I haven’t seen anyone since your last meeting. The General is in the conference room," the secretary replied.

"Does your computer take USBs?" AJ asked.

Justin growled softly, clearly displeased with AJ’s plan.

"It’s okay. Trust me, I’m taking matters into my own hands," AJ assured him.

"Sure. What’s this?" the secretary asked as she took the USB from AJ.

"Not sure," AJ replied.

She plugged in the USB, and they were met with hundreds of research files—Zoe’s parents being involved in a weapons company dealing with various governments, files on genetic experimentation, and a file on Senator Stonesman, tracking his movements as he hopped from government to government, switching identities until he reached the U.S. He was the first to legislate U.S. approval for experimenting on soldiers. He was behind Atlas and Alastair all along. Then, AJ spotted a file titled "Alastair."

When he opened it, AJ realized Zoe had been watching him for far longer than he’d thought. There were pictures of Mike's house when he wasn’t there, videos of his drunken nights, and notes on whether he was an asset or a threat. There were even files on his missions before he became a "Super."

All the information was good, but none of it could help AJ track his brother. Then he saw a bold folder labeled, "If I am captured or dead, Watch me." They clicked on it.

"If you’re watching this, then I’ve failed to kill Senator Stonesman. You probably think my sole purpose for killing him is revenge, but the truth is, it didn’t start out that way. I wanted to find him to reverse what he did to me. I started hunting for any clues about him, doing whatever it took. I stole, I tortured... I killed. And then I came across something disturbing: his research on me. He thought it was lost in the fire back home, but he didn’t know I was there that day."

(The video shows clips from the day she was experimented on.)

"It took me years to decode it. What you're seeing is the process he used to create the serum that made me this way. It’s made from a massive amount of concentrated human blood. But not just any blood—an ultra-rare form he calls Divine, or D-Type. Out of 7.4 billion people in this world, only about 0.000009% have it. Not only that, but they somehow have to condense it, and to do that, they need more than one human’s worth. To create the vial that was used on me, I estimate about three hundred gallons were needed. With such a limited source, I can only imagine the horror they inflicted to get that amount over time: kidnapping, torture, human farming, war. No one has been able to replicate that amount again.

The enhanced soldiers in the U.S. government were given the remaining vial drained from my corpse before they threw me out like trash. Which brings us back to why he’s after me. My blood type is D. Certain families have a pure bloodline—my father knew this. With my regeneration, I am an endless fountain for people to tap into. It’s in his best interest to eliminate me so he can control the world. This is not a gift—I am cursed. Kill him or kill me, but please, stop this from happening."

The video cut off.

"That’s it," Justin said. "He wants to kill Mike’s subconscious."

"Take us to the General," AJ said to the admin.

AJ proceeded down the hall, led by the admin. The guards outside the door hesitated to stop him at first, but AJ didn’t slow down. He walked into the room where General Minerva and other officers were watching monitors of an operation.

“General, what’s going on?” AJ asked in a grave tone. The General looked shocked and quickly turned off the monitors.

“A-Atlas. What are you doing here?” the General stammered.

“Answer the question,” AJ demanded, as Justin growled beside him.

The General straightened herself up. “This is an operation to capture and study the subject known as Zoe. We left you out of it because Alastair said you didn’t seem to be… in the right mindset.”

AJ clenched his fist. "What did you find out?"

The General continued, "We haven’t studied her yet. She’s currently en route to an undisclosed location."

AJ started pacing around the room, glancing at the screens. "So, who’s running this operation? Where is my brother?"

General Minerva was silent for a moment. "Your brother and the senator are en route to the subject’s last known location. She’s proving to be very difficult."

AJ slammed his fists on the desk. "Where? I need to be with my brother." He threw the USB at the general.

"What’s this?" General Minerva asked.

"Evidence that the senator isn’t who he says he is, and that he’s planning something horrific," AJ replied.

Sigh "Look, America has to bring peace to the world. If these powers fall into the wrong hands… I know he has a past, but the end will justify the means," the General said.

"No way. You knew?" AJ said in disbelief.

"Of course she knows, AJ. She’s Mike’s consciousness," Justin added.

AJ took a deep breath. "Please, I’m just trying to help Alastair."

The General hesitated. "Fine. They’re headed to a United States old compound. Here are the coordinates." She wrote the longitude and latitude on a piece of paper and handed it to AJ.

AJ started to head out.

"Atlas, you know if you go there, you’ll be an enemy of the United States!" the General warned.

"Just watch the videos. You’ll know what to do with it. Let’s be an example of good for the rest of the world," AJ said as he walked away without turning around.

"Okay. We know where to go. How should we get there?" AJ asked Justin.

"Oh, I have an idea, but first, follow me," Justin replied.

Justin led AJ to an armory full of suits and weapons. "We’re on the offensive, right? Let’s go, but as the hero you want to be, not the hero Mike wants you to be."

AJ looked around. Whatever he could imagine appeared in the inventory. AJ stepped into a changing room while Justin waited outside.

"You know, I thought about who I am, who I want to be. I considered the Dream Hunter, slaying sleep entities. I thought about an artistic hero using a brush as a weapon. Or sticking with Atlas. But you know what?" AJ emerged from the room, wearing the regular clothes he wore in the real world, his muscle mass back to normal. "I don’t want to be a hero. That’s Mike’s dream. It’s time for me to be me. I just want to save my family. I’m just taking control of my own dream."

"Okay," Justin smiled. "Yeah. It’s good to finally meet the real you. But I may steal that Dream Hunter concept."

AJ smiled back. They headed to the hangar to take an aircraft. As they arrived, they were greeted by two confused guards.

"Atlas?" one guard said.

"Just call me AJ," AJ replied.

"Sir, the General expresses her apologies for earlier. She said she watched the videos and would like to assist you in your travels. Please choose anything in this hangar," the guard said.

"Anything? What’s the fastest?" AJ smiled and looked at Justin.

As they approached the base, he received communication that he had permission to land on the helipad. Alastair stood outside waiting with some guards as the aircraft descended. The two approached Alastair, scanning their surroundings.

"This way," Alastair said, but didn’t speak again after that.

They entered a warehouse-like room. Straight ahead was a cluster of computers, monitors, and equipment with guards working on them. To the right were even bigger monitors showing live feeds with authorities from various countries. The two rows of faces were familiar. From left to right and top to bottom: U.S. General Minerva, General Tso from China, Ambassador Putin III, Prime Minister Henry from England, South Africa’s President Zuma, Italy’s Marcellos, Mexico’s Celias, and many more other countries leaders. Then AJ looked in horror to his left. Zoe was chained up to a circular machine, resembling the Vitruvian Man. Iron clamps were extracting her blood into tubes leading to a giant tank. The clamps were positioned on her neck, brachial, radial, and femur. In the middle of her chest, a claw pierced her body, surrounding her heart to keep it beating. She was barely conscious. And in front of it all stood Senator Stonesman, dressed in a lab coat.

"Atlas. Welcome. I wanted to give you the chance to see what we’re doing here. The good we’re doing," Stonesman said, looking at the monitors. "The peace we will achieve."

"This… this is wrong," AJ said.

"Wrong?! AJ, we can achieve world peace. You’re already a byproduct of this. Think of the millions we’ll save. How do you not see that?" Alastair said to AJ.

"And what about the thousands we’ll lose? The people you’ve experimented on?" AJ retorted.

That got the senator's attention. "Atlas—"

"IT'S AJ," AJ interrupted.

"Fine. AJ, that is necessary. She killed hundreds herself. Your hands are just as dirty as hers or Alastair’s," said the senator.

"Yeah? Was she so dangerous as a little girl when you experimented on her? You know what the biggest lie in humanity is? It's that the end justifies the means. I’m sick of hearing it. I’ve been told that my whole life—'follow orders, and you’ll be happy,' 'your actions will find meaning later.' It’s a lie. It was made popular to justify war, like the Crusades so soldiers would keep fighting. But it doesn’t. Nothing erases what we’ve done. Trying to justify that is borderline psychotic."

Stonesman’s irritation was showing. He glared. "So, what do you plan to do, huh? What genius idea do you have to create peace on this planet?"

"I’m not trying to save the world. I’m just trying to save my brother," AJ said, looking at Mike.

"Save me?" Mike looked confused.

A guard came rushing up to Stonesman. "Sir, it’s... umm, the news..." All the various nations’ phones started ringing. Others leaned over as someone whispered in their ears. Slowly, one by one, the monitors turned off. The last was the U.S. General, who nodded at AJ before signing off. The senator walked to one of the computers and looked up the national news network.

Breaking News: Footage of Senator Stonesman leaked. Apparently, the senator has a villainous past. Hundreds of videos show him operating companies that perform inhumane experiments on people, including children. What you are about to see will disturb you.

AJ and Justin scanned the room, waiting for a reaction, but nothing happened. Alastair was also watching the senator.

Stonesman rested his arms on the console, his head lowered. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. "Clever," he muttered. He looked up and said, "Alastair, I guess you don’t have as much control over him as you claimed. And you," he turned to Justin, glaring, "what exactly is your end game, hmm? What’s the difference between what you’re doing and what I’m doing? I’m not the villain here. Forgive me if I can’t let you have your way. Guards, seize Alastair and kill the other two."

There were two guards near the giant vial. AJ had written them off as ordinary guards or henchmen because they were dressed the same as the others. But at a closer glance, one was as big as a giant, and the other was holding a katana-like sword. The one with the katana nodded, cracked his neck, and then took off his shirt, revealing a body riddled with scars. AJ felt a bad gut instinct.

Justin quickly dealt with the guards near him, bearing his fangs as he chased most of them off, knocking others unconscious with bites. The last guard AJ grabbed was flung at the two by the vial, but all AJ could see was the guard being sliced in two. As the two halves separated, AJ saw the blank eyes of the sword-wielding guard staring back at him.

"AJ, they’re probably enhanced," said Justin.

Alastair stood frozen in confusion. The second guard approached him.

"I don’t want to fight you," said Alastair.

"No one ever does," said the huge guard. "Just stay out of the fight, and everything will be fine. Himura will handle both of them."

The first guard held out his sword, pressed a tiny button, and a few sparks flew before the sword turned invisible. “The name is Himura. You were trained to kill humans,” Himura said as his eyes began to glow red. “I was trained to kill supers.” His eyes faded into nothingness as his skin and everything else became transparent before they completely disappeared, leaving only his pants, which were quickly slashed off with a flick of his sword.

“Ah!” AJ grunted loudly as his leg was slashed. He had taken too long to think, and what was scarier was that he hadn’t heard Himura coming. This man was completely silent. Slash after slash, AJ was attacked. Every blow seemed unavoidable, and the sword felt like it weighed ten times more than it appeared when he first saw it. Justin swung wildly, missing repeatedly, and frustration set in as they seemed to be fighting air. Another slash to AJ’s back leg brought him down. All he could do was protect his vital areas, leaving the rest of his body wide open.

"Stop this!" Alastair screamed at Stonesman.

As the onslaught continued, Justin saw an opening. After every few slashes, Himura would back off to wipe blood from his sword. AJ’s blood was visible, pooling beneath him. Justin thought of a plan.

"AJ, only he is invisible. If we get your blood on him, we can see where he is, and you can grab him," said Justin. AJ nodded in agreement.

AJ waited for the next slash. There was a pattern to Himura’s attacks—he was targeting weak spots to immobilize AJ. Where would he strike next? AJ decided to give him some bait leaving his right leg exposed, while Justin stood on his left. As they predicted, Himura attacked AJ’s calf, and in that moment, Justin splashed the pool of blood onto Himura.

"There!" Justin yelled.

Himura tried to back up, but AJ leaped at his feet, catching him. Himura swung his sword down, aiming at AJ, but Justin bit down hard on his forearm, forcing him to drop the sword. AJ picked up the sword and blindly stabbed into the air, feeling the resistance of something solid as he drove the blade deeper and deeper.

Thud—Himura’s body slammed to the ground, becoming visible again, revealing that AJ had stabbed him in the head.

Stonesman looked furious. "Enough. That was another good man you just killed. You’ve made this personal. Alphonse, finish them," he ordered. The giant guard removed his helmet.

"No!" Alastair screamed.

Mike snapped out of his daze, realizing his life was on the line. He threw the first punch, landing a kidney shot, but Alphonse didn’t even flinch. Mike looked into Alphonse’s eyes in terror just before Alphonse landed a devastating blow to his left collarbone, slamming him to the ground and breaking the bone. Mike coughed up blood.

Stonesman walked over as Mike tried to get up, but Alphonse slammed him down again. Mike looked up at Zoe, then over at AJ, who was also down in bad shape. Justin stood in front of AJ, guarding him.

Stonesman came into view. “It’s no use," he said before turning back to Zoe and heading toward the machines. While Alphonse continued to pin Mike down, AJ had a new plan.

"Go help Mike," said AJ.

"I'm not leaving you," said Justin.

"Trust me. Like last time," AJ replied. Justin frowned but ultimately agreed and sprinted toward Alphonse.

The commotion caught Stonesman’s attention. Justin was too small and fast for Alphonse to hit, allowing Mike to get back up. They were fighting back now, but Alphonse was still too powerful.

Stonesman turned his attention to AJ, who was already charging at him with the sword. AJ tossed the sword at him and attempted a haymaker, but Stonesman easily caught him by the neck. "Oh, AJ, you didn’t think I was dumb enough not to be the strongest person in the room, did you?"

Stonesman slammed AJ’s face into the ground and dragged him across the concrete, flinging him back where he landed on Himura’s body.

Suddenly, the power flickered. Warning. Warning. Power failure.

Stonesman glanced back to see the sword impaled in the computer system. AJ had deliberately aimed to hit the computers.

"Clever again. That makes two," said Stonesman. "But I’m not going to let you make a third." He charged AJ, who was in no condition to stand. Stonesman was fast, and AJ could only watch helplessly.

Grrrr—Justin leaped at Stonesman, stopping his charge. Stonesman easily threw him off, landing him next to AJ.

"Thanks," AJ said, spitting up blood.

"Hang in there," Justin replied.

Sigh—Stonesman rubbed his eyes as if he had a headache. "Okay, I’m done with this. Alphonse, kill Alastair, then come here."

But Alphonse didn’t move. He just stared. Mike was on the ground, beaten.

"Alphonse?" Stonesman said. Then, Alphonse collapsed face-first, revealing the sword lodged in his back. Standing there, now visible, was a very pissed-off Zoe.

"How," Stonesman said, realizing AJ planned to free Zoe.

Zoe and Stonesman charged at each other. Zoe had regained her strength and was fighting fiercely. At first, it seemed like a stalemate—she would land a slice, it would heal, then he would break a few bones, and they would heal. Mike got up to join her in the fight.

"Wow, look at that," Justin said. "Mike and his subconscious are fighting back. AJ, I think you did this."

AJ looked but realized that Zoe had to compensate for Stoneman’s overpowering strength, and Mike was playing more defensively. They’d never be able to land a devastating blow. Mike realized this.

"AJ, destroy this place. Break the vial and flood the place," said Mike as he kicked his leg, causing Stoneman to fall.

Zoe ran toward Alphonse. She grabbed the sword and pivoted toward the vial.

"No! Stop!" Stoneman shouted as he got up and knocked Mike down.

Stoneman sprinted at Zoe. She stopped, turned, and thrust the sword right through him.

AJ and Justin smiled, thinking she had defeated him, but Mike looked in horror as he saw Stoneman's arm go completely through Zoe, holding her heart. And then... squish.

Zoe's body went limp, still hanging on Stoneman’s arm. Tears streamed down her face as she slowly turned toward AJ. “Survive…” she whispered, ripping the sword out and tossing it toward AJ. Stoneman pulled his hand from her body, and she collapsed like a doll. He didn’t even bother turning to Mike. Stoneman grunted. “Bitch got me good,” he muttered.

Mike was officially broken. He completely lost control, charging at Stoneman and delivering punch after punch relentlessly.

AJ slowly stood up. He walked over to the vial, taking one last look at Mike's eyes. Mike mouthed, "Do it." AJ swung with all his strength using his one good arm the tank. A spiderweb of cracks spread instantly.

Stoneman snapped his head toward AJ. “No!” he shouted as he sprinted toward him. But it was too late—AJ's second swing shattered the tank. Red liquid began pouring into the room. Justin pulled AJ back a safe distance by his shirt. The red liquid flooded the room, knocking Mike and Stoneman back. Their wounds allowed the blood to seep into their bodies. Since it entered Mike’s system faster, he was affected more quickly. He screamed as his body began to steam from the chemical reactions. His skin heated to the point that his clothes burned off, leaving him naked.

For the first time, Stoneman looked frightened. He tried to crawl away, but the blood was everywhere. He didn’t get far before an unrecognizable Mike grabbed him in a chokehold. Both of them started to burn. Stoneman screamed in agony, his eyes clenched shut. Mike's eyes were now completely white.

“Since we’re both villains, how about a poetic ending?” Mike said, his voice deeper and raspier.

Warning! Reactor at Critical Temperature.

Stoneman was now just a skeleton, and under it, AJ could see the sleep entity. Mike glanced at a lifeless Zoe and then at AJ. "Thank you. I finally understand."

They both sank into the blood until AJ and Justin could no longer see them.

"It's time," Justin said.

AJ found himself back under his brother's bed, frozen.

Ahhhhhh! A horrible shriek echoed through the room. A shadowy skeleton collapsed beside the bed. It was in pain. It was the sleep entity posing as Stoneman. Though he had no eyes, AJ could tell it was looking at him. The figure convulsed, insect-like, before squish—a shadow arm broke through the shadow bones and pierced the figure. It screamed one last time before fading into nothingness.

AJ suddenly felt very sleepy. He fought to stay awake, but it was no use. He closed his eyes.

"Breakfast is ready!" AJ's mom's voice called from downstairs.

AJ opened his eyes. He was still under Mike's bed.

"Coming," Mike said. The bed shifted as Mike got up, pulled on sweatpants, and headed out the door. AJ waited a minute until he heard the footsteps go down the stairs. He quickly hopped out, walked to the door, and peeked his head out. The coast was clear.

AJ made his way downstairs to the dining room. Mike and their parents were already eating breakfast.

"Nice of you to join us," AJ's dad said. "You're not even dressed yet? God, do you just waste your day away like your life?"

"Hey, lay off him!" Mike interjected. "AJ is doing just fine. Maybe if you weren't so hard on him, he'd have room to grow."

Everyone at the table was shocked, especially AJ.

"AJ, take all the time you need. You're young. You’ll do just fine. Come eat," Mike said, passing AJ a bowl of cereal.

AJ sat there eating in silence. He had done it—they had saved Mike. He grinned, but then he looked up at his parents, remembering what Justin had said about watching them, too. This was far from over, but AJ now felt more equipped to take them on.