CLAIRE

By some miracle, I actually managed to get the suits washed and the carpet scrubbed clean of blood before anyone noticed what exactly I was washing. I guess Holly had bigger things to worry about than whatever the hell I was doing— and I don't exactly blame her.

I also grabbed some of Mom's sewing supplies and got Henry on fixing up everyone's costumes except for mine.

I'd have to think about how I would approach that.

It was dark outside when I decided to finally venture downstairs and try to find food of some kind. I was immediately spotted when trying to cross the living room— by Dad, who kept turning away from his computer to watch the news.

"There you are." He smiled, the crinkle lines around his eyes forming behind his thick tortishell glasses. "I was worried about you."

"I didn't mean to worry you."

His smile took on a sadness. "I can't help it—I'm your dad. We're heating up leftovers, by the way— every man for themselves, you know. I don't think any of us can really bear to cook right now—"

"I don't think I can eat," Holly declared. Indeed, she sat on the end of the couch, leaned forward and playing with a stress ball I'd given her last Christmas.

"Neither can I," Julien admitted, sitting also on the edge of the couch, but with his arms crossed over his chest.

I was about to cross the television screen when a news story came across— LOST HERO RETURNS.

I frowned and sank into the couch, an unexpected anchor as I watched grainy cellphone footage of a superhero in a black and white futuristic costume fighting Dark Phoenix outside of Kingsbury College.

"Wait a minute. . ." I recognized the costume, but I wasn't sure where.

"Shh." Julien leaned in— and I saw fear in his eyes.

The resident blonde anchorwoman that seems to be on every news station, an Althea Arnolds, appeared with a glean in her eye and a dissonant smile.

"Reports are in about two disappeared heroes who have returned to fight the villain attacks around the city," Arnolds said. "Tech Wizard, a former ally to the Sentinels, was seen for the first time in four years at Kingsbury College, fighting Black Phoenix."

Grainy footage of the futuristic hero, Tech Wizard, kicking Black Phoenix played out.

Never had I seen Julien look so pale.

"The hero was thought to have disappeared shortly after a public battle with Dr. Electra," Arnolds continued. "He isn't the only hero allied with Atomic Energy who appeared to fight today after a mysterious disappearance, coincidentally enough."

There was school security footage of Mira fighting Glitch, one of Dr. Electra's minions.

Panic coursed through my veins, and my stomach lurched.

There were security cameras at the school.

Could anyone have possibly recorded me running into the bathroom, and Psyche back out?

I watched on in horror.

"Tonight, on North Kingsbury High's campus, a hero that was speculated to have gone missing in action was spotted fighting supervillain Tenebrous," Arnolds said. "Jenny Jones is speaking with Atomic Energy Sentinel Class Act— one of the former teammates of this lost hero."

Jenny Jones was the latest addition to the local news crew, fresh out of a journalism major from Kingsbury College. She stood in the snow next to a young man in a red and gold costume that was simplistic, pure superhero— it reminded you of Superman, for sure. With a dazzling smile and lean, strong frame, many girls had a thing for Class Act, if they admired superheroes at all.

"Reports say that MIA superhero Sentinel Mercury was spotted again on this campus, and fought Tenebrous before Class Act and his current team could arrive on the spot," Jenny said. "I am here with Class Act, Althea. First of all, how are you?"

"As well as I can be, given what's going on in the city right now," Class Act replied, an act of weariness around him. "And how are you?"

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"Fine," Jenny said, which probably meant that she was freezing and dying inside, which was fair. "You used to work with Mercury, is that right?"

"Yes, I did before she went missing." Class Act's grin faltered. "We've been trying for the last three days to track her down."

"Under what circumstances did Mercury go missing?" Jenny asked. "Were they connected to the betrayal of Mystic, who was also a former teammate of yours?"

Class Act frowned. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you that information is classified, Jenny. I can say that it's troubling that Mercury has returned and has not made the efforts to contact us."

"I see." Jenny looked nervously to the cameraman, before returning her gaze to Class Act. "Is there anything else you can tell us?"

"If you see Mercury leave a tip in the hotline for Unregistered Supers, and do not approach," Class Act warned. "Despite her training, she is dangerous with her powers and abilities and something may have happened to her where she may not be in control anymore."

My stomach lurched as I remembered what Mira had said in the attic. She'd chosen to turn away from them.

"Thank you, Class Act, and if I may have one more question— how do you feel about your teammate's return? Is there anything you would say to her?"

Class Act hesitated a moment. "I would tell her to come home."

Julien's face twisted into one of disgust. "Turn it off."

"What?" I was confused by the sudden hostility.

"Turn it off, there's no use sitting around and listening to him," Julien muttered. He was about to reach for the remote as the screen flickered in the middle of Althea Arnolds' transition to another topic.

Holly looked to my dad. "Brandon, is that—"

The screen flickered again— but this time, it wasn't Althea Arnolds staring at the camera.

It was Tenebrous on the screen, in some unidentifiable windowless room. "Hello New Kingsbury. It's time our city had an honest talk—because your government has been lying to you. And so has Atomic Energy."

"Oh my God." I thought of Mira in the attic—she'd confirmed that Atomic Energy was up to something, didn't she?

"We all know our local history, we know the accident that happened in 1979," Tenebrous continued. "No one knows exactly what happened. The investigation was silenced and the charges dropped because of the money Atomic Energy poured into rebuilding in New Kingsbury. But even if the McQueen family and the old lines of politicians were willing to forgive, the people were not. We lost everything in1979. Cancers and birth mutations increased. And a new development began—the rise of the Mutated, as they call us."

I wasn't sure if I could breathe anymore. And yet, in spite of myself, I leaned in to listen.

"They could pay for cancer studies, investigation into mutations, pay off the families." A cruel smirk curled up Tenebrous's mouth. "But the Mutated couldn't go away so easily. The first few generations of superheroes and supervillains were born. And that's when Atomic Energy knew they had a problem, a consequence for their actions that they couldn't make go away. They had tried so hard to make them all go away. After all, no one would buy from them again, when they were a failure that ruined a city."

He tilted his head. "They tried to kill the heroes, teamed up with and funded villains like Dr. Electra to let them do their dirty work for them. But Mastermind, the first hero—he was too smart for them, and he wasn't going to let it go, what they had done. So they started a tradition that is still alive and well."

I knew what this was—exactly what happened to Tristan.

"They framed him, with the various Mutated in their pocket and their impressive technology, for various crimes." Tenebrous straightened his posture. "The city turns against them—and then some decide to embrace what they've become. Some accept the truth and allow themselves to be free in their pursuit of Atomic Energy. We become the villains of your story."

"No," I whispered, in spite of myself.

"This wasn't enough for Atomic Energy, however— especially when we refused to all die in Dark Titan's war." The vitriol rolling off of Tenebrous's tongue seemed to physically pass through the room, a wave of rage. "They needed to control the Mutated. So they kidnapped pregnant Mutated women, or women carrying the children of Mutated men."

Documents passed even though I couldn't read them, it was too quick.

He was doing it so they would be recorded, I realized. So people could go back and find it. They could see later the proof that what he was saying was true.

Because that was the horrible part.

He was a villain, evil—but he was right.

"They stole our children, and they killed the Mutated who brought them into the world," Tenebrous continued. "They raise our children as the Sentinels, weapons to use to keep civilians in line, and to fight the villains they created."

He paused.

"They aren't the only organization of Mutated being used to fight their own kind."

Another document flashed on the screen.

"The Shadows. They're meant to carry out the dirty work of genocide, killing off all of the Mutated to clean up the last of Atomic Energy's mistakes."

"Oh my God," I kept repeating, even though my voice sounded nothing like my own. "Oh my God—"

The documents cleared away, leaving only Tenebrous. "If you're a citizen, minding your own business— they'll kill you. If you're a hero who just wants to help others— they'll really kill you. And if you're a Sentinel? Once they have outlived their uses, the Shadows will kill them, too. Verity, the girl behind Mystic, outlived her usefulness to them. No one is safe."

A picture of Mystic appeared on the screen, before disappearing to Tenebrous again.

"They even plan to kill those who serve them loyally, like they are pets to put down." Another schematic flashed on the screen, of some kind of metal and glass tube. "This is where our stolen children sleep, not even in a bed—and when Atomic Energy decides that they have fulfilled their usefulness, they will be killed in their sleep with these same devices."

Chills ran down my spine as for the final time Tenebrous appeared on the screen.

"We are all problems, reminders of Atomic Energy's mistakes," Tenebrous said. "If you are Mutated, we are your true allies. We are the only ones fighting for you. We have to work together—or we die by the hands of our own children."

The broadcast ended with a glitch, replaced with a stunned Althea Arnolds whispering furiously into her earpiece.

But the damage was done.

"Oh my God."

Nothing could ever be the same again.