Diego, Alex, and Rachel slowly put the children in the SUV. Diego and Alex take the front seats. It’s still dark, close to two in the morning. No one is in the street, only them. They had to carry some of the children in their arms. The younger ones didn’t wake up with their soft voices asking them to.

“We’re ready.” Alex lowers the windshield and tells Rachel.

“See you in a bit. Diego,” he refuses to face her. “Have a safe journey. See you in a few days.”

Diego nods and drives off. As expected, the crew is waiting for them and without asking any questions, helps them carry the children inside.

“Time to go. Take care.” Alex nods.

Diego hugs him tight, and Alex wraps his hands around him. When they break the embrace, Diego hands him a letter. Without saying a word, Alex knows exactly what he has to do.

***

April 2019

Alex, Rachel, and Megan are in the living room. Alex and Rachel sit beside each other on the couch. Megan is next to the dining table. They reread the same text already three times.

“He’s asking to meet,” Alex tells them.

“Yes. I read that.” Rachel says.

Megan analyzes each sentence. Each word. Carefully.

"What do we really know about them?" Rachel asks.

“His ability is shapeshifting. Mazin. Immigrated from Eurasia with his parents 20 years ago. He’s very active in the forum. His account is over one year old.”

“Shapeshifting… that’s useful.” Rachel adds.

“You’re worried that it’s a trap.” Alex says. “I was the one who messaged him first. His comments have the same tone and pattern of writing.”

“We need more people. I just…”

“Let’s outsmart him. You agree to meet him. Head to wherever he is, and I’ll be watching. If he tries anything, you can teleport away, or I can control him.”

“You assume he’ll be alone.” Megan says.

“Oh, dearest!” Alex fakes shivering. “Who’s this?! A ghost?!” Alex rolls his eyes. He sighs with relief when he notices Megan. “Thank goodness, it’s just you. I forgot you can speak.”

“She’s right.” Rachel’s tone sharpens. “We choose the place. If he wants to, he meets me. If not, no deal.”

On the next day, Rachel meets at an abandoned building. Far away from the house. Alex is within a safe distance. Close enough to absorb his abilities if needed. Rachel senses another ability. Shapeshifting. He’s there.

“Mazin.” She says, looking around the room. Trying to see him.

“Rachel Moore.” He finally shows himself. Coming from behind a container.

The man is in his late forties. A buzz cut and all dressed in black. He presses a button and several lasers point at Rachel.

“Don’t move. Don’t even speak. I waited too long for this.”

Do as he says, sis. I’ll get you out of there. Alex’s voice doesn’t comfort her.

Don’t be afraid, Alex. It’ll be okay.

Mazin shows his true appearance. The buzz cut turns into black curls. The blue eyes turn brown. His skin is no longer white, but darker now. He’s in his mid-twenties.

“I don’t care about you. I want the Angel of Death. Tell me where the monster hides. You’ll live.”

Diego prepared this speech for months. Rehearsed it every day in front of the mirror. Every intonation.

I’m too far away to control him. Just teleport out of there, Rachel!

“Speak!” Diego shouts.

“Who are you?” Rachel says. Her heart beats faster than before but she doesn’t let it affect her speech.

“If the Angel never existed... Xiuhtezcatl’s son-in-law.” He faces her with his eyes wide open. A smile appears briefly.

“An Ariston. So, it is true that you are still out there somewhere. Lurking in the shadows. In the forum, you can just admit it. No need to hide. If Megan never existed… still, you wouldn’t be Xiuhtezcatl’s son-in-law. With the deal he made with the president, he would be electrocuted. You’d all be arrested. Or killed. That deal was an illusion that Xiuhtezcatl fell for. Out of need. Sure.”

Diego laughs. “I thought Matthew Moore was dead. But here he is!” He shouts now. “The devil returned.”

He doesn’t have a remote on his hands, Alex. This is automatic. I won’t be fast enough to use any of my powers.

The door opens behind Rachel and part of the lasers follows that movement. Megan shows up.

What is she doing here? Alex’s voice echoes.

Can you come nearer?

I’ll try, Rachel.

“You killed my mother. My father. My sister. The love of my life.” He raises his index finger in her direction. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Do it.” Megan says without a single elevation in her voice.

“Why? What did we ever do to you? To do that?” Diego shouts. His eyes are red and veins show on his forehead.

“The generals told me that the Aristons killed my father. It was a lie. They used me to destroy you.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Who told them to kill us?!”

“Don’t know. The president? Don’t know.”

“I want every person! Who?!”

“Don’t know. I only made it out of there because an elderly woman teleported me away. She died after. Kill me. I deserve it.”

“Or…” Rachel says. “Join us and let’s find together who was responsible for it. I read your posts… Mazin…”

“Diego.”

“Diego. You want justice. For your community. For deviants. There’s strength in numbers, Diego. You… all alone in six years. What have you done? This…” she gestures, and the lasers follow her, “is all very impressive, sure. But are you any closer than before to find who killed your family?”

“She!” He points to Megan.

“She was the weapon. Don’t you want who pulled the trigger?”

Diego scoffs, “why should I believe you? That you won’t kill me.”

Rachel smiles, and a lightning strikes next to him. The sound hits immediately and everyone covers their ears in response. The lasers disappear and all the lights turn off.

“I could’ve killed you right away, Diego. Without even moving.” She goes in his direction and extends her arm. With her palm open. “Matthew Moore was a monster. I’m not.”

Could you? Alex’s voice keeps echoing in her head.

No. I had to gain time to think and see the reaction of the lasers.

Smart, sis.

Alex teleports next to Megan and they leave together back to the house.

Later, when Diego is asleep, Alex takes his time to read his mind slowly. His hands curl into fists when he sees him outside Amy’s house. On that night. He takes a deep breath and feels how Diego felt then. How reluctant he was of them hurting her. How when the house exploded, so did his dreams of finding the ones responsible for the massacre.

***

September 2025

Rachel hears the front door opening. Megan is still fast asleep. She gets up and sees Alex in the hall.

Diego is sleeping.

So is Megan.

Who’s downstairs, then, sis?

I’m about to find out.

While they are slowly walking down the stairs. The light in the living room turns on, it lights up the hallway and the noise of the tv breaks the silence.

Rachel and Alex take a deep breath before entering the living room. A dark-haired woman sits on the couch. She’s changing the channels with the remote.

Turn around slowly. Alex orders her.

Slowly, she stands and faces them.

“Who are you?” Rachel asks.

“Hi! I’m Ánh Nguyen. I’m on the forum. I speak to meaninglesslife, he told me if I ever felt like leaving the Institute I could come here.”

Alex’s jaw drops and Rachel closes her fists.

“How did you find us?” Rachel asks softly. I’m going to kill you, Alex.

“Meaninglesslife showed me some photos of the view from the bedroom of the garden. It was enough for me to find it. I’m…”

You are so dead.

“Searchinghappiness.” Alex replies.

Ánh’s pupils dilate. Here's the one she's been searching for. She smiles widely. The boy’s gray eyes light up when he looks at her. She notices that Rachel Moore keeps tapping her foot.

“I can be useful. Your forum is in need of a serious update.”

“You shouldn’t have come here.” Alex says in a sharp tone.

“Alex.” Rachel looks at him.

“Leave. This was a mistake.” He turns around.

“I have faked my death. Tomorrow morning, someone will find out. Even if I went now back and cleaned up everything in time. I can’t go back.”

“This isn’t a fantasy role playing game, searchinghappiness!” Alex shouts. “Leave.” He teleports away.

Ánh breaks down in tears and sits down. Rachel grabs a kitchen paper roll and sits next to her. Hands it to her.

“So, Én.” Rachel starts. “What brings you here?”

Ánh sniffs. “I don’t know. It was stupid.”

“I highly doubt it. You seem like a sharp, young lady. You found us, after all.”

“That was my ability.”

“Power.”

“Sorry?”

“Power. Your power. Do you integrate yourself with the technology? Communicate with computers? Is that it?”

“No. Enhanced intelligence.”

Rachel laughs and Ánh cleans up the tears and looks at her.

“You think I came here because of some boy?”

“No. Alex is an interesting person, and he’s rather handsome. People would think that about him.”

“I had never seen him before.”

“Still, you don’t strike me as the kind of person that’d fake her own death and leave the Institute. Leave your family, I assume?”

Ánh nods.

“Because of some boy. Even a handsome, smart, sometimes kind boy.” Rachel smiles. “No, so why are you here?”

“It’s all so fake in the institute. Institutes. I’ve studied on the one in Vietnam before coming here.”

“You are part of the international program. I see.”

“Yes. Came on the first year. The one back home is older and obsolete, sure. This one is modern and has the latest technology. The lies are ever present, given the recent war. You sense it, even if you don’t admit it. That you are repeating a lie. About the fatal flaw. About the war. About the nature of deviants. You keep repeating the same lie until it becomes your truth. They insert this self-hatred slowly on you. They did it in Vietnam. They do it here.”

“Deviants in Eurasia can study at regular schools. Starting now even head to university. Why not return home and live a better life?

“Rachel Moore, we are second-class citizens. Yes, even in Eurasia. Second-class. They reject you even if you have a better qualification than the other candidate and leave you only with the lowest-paying jobs. They teach you at school, but there are special grades for you. Deviants can now study at university. Sure. In a few years, let me know how many did. How many finished the degree? It will be the ones that probably already could do it under fake names. The rich ones. Always.”

“Eurasia isn’t perfect but-”

“Eurasia is the illusion of equality. We’re tokens there. The institute is your best chance and in my case I thought the program here would be a better life. It wasn’t.” Ánh gets up and lowers her head. “I’m sorry that I’ve caused you a disturbance. I’ll leave now.”

“Ánh. There’s plenty of room in the basement. I can buy some computers or whatever it is that you need to help us. You are welcome here.”

“But, meaninglesslife…”

“Alex.”

“Alex said-”

“Alex isn’t the one in charge. I am. If you want to stay, you are welcome.”

Rachel sets up a bed in the basement and goes back upstairs. Alex finds her and they head to the living room.

“She’s staying?” No… No.

“Yes, she is.” Rachel activates her ability and absorbs Alex’s mind control.

Right on time, she feels pressure growing in her head.

Make her leave.

Rachel turns around and heads to the door. She stops, turns around again and faces him.

“Did you just try to command me?” She lowers her voice.

“Rachel… She has to leave.”

“She’s staying. Don’t try to order me around again. God, Alex, you are so broken.”

“What?” He laughs.

“You care about the girl, but you were only capable of acting on it when she was far away. When it wasn’t an actual person. Now that she’s here… you are pretending she doesn’t mean anything. Broken.”

“Sis, surely, you are talking about yourself.”

“We’re both broken, Alex. The difference is that I admit it and don’t mess up with other people’s lives. The girl thought she was having a real connection with you. Probably did. Now she won’t. Because you don’t think you deserve anything.”

“Rachel, what has happened to everyone that we cared about? Where are they?”

Rachel smiles, “well, we are still standing. You and I.”

“Only us, sis. Perhaps because we don’t care about each other. If we did, one of us would’ve died already.” He laughs and teleports away.

***

November 2028

Alex is back home and waits for Ánh to come grab her breakfast. It’s early in the morning. It’s still dark outside when she does.

She enters the room, sees him, grabs her cereals. He gets up and hands her a letter.

“What’s this?”

“You know what it is, Ánh.”

“He wouldn’t have left just like that.”

“He did.” Alex starts to leave. “Ánh… I know this is just between you and Rachel-”

“Alex, spare me.”

“Please listen. I know that you are hurt that Rachel lied. Rachel loves you, Ánh. Can you imagine how hard it was for her to keep that secret from you all these years? Try to have that in your mind.”

Sometimes kind boy. Ánh sees him leave.

Later that day, Rachel is working out when Ánh knocks on the door and enters.

“I’m going to go.” Rachel grabs her towel.

“I came here to talk to you. Diego isn’t coming back, Rachel.”

“I understand.”

“You understand?” Ánh’s eyebrows raise.

“He joined us almost ten years ago. His goal was to find whoever called the shots on the hit on his community. Ten years later, nothing. I understand him leaving. I’d understand if you decided to leave, not today, but in the nearest future after all the lies.”

“You’re such a drama queen sometimes.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. One lie. You shouldn’t have lied, but it wasn’t ‘all the lies’.”

“I’m sorry about that one lie.”

“I know you are. It’s okay. People aren’t perfect, we’re all messed-up. We have each other at the end of the day.”