“Levi? Oh my gosh, Levi! When I saw you on the television I thought no way it was you, but then mom got really nervous, and—what was that, Levi? Was that you? You’re a super? Are you—”

“Deep breath, Kella,” Levi interrupted her.

On the other end of the phone, Kella gasped. When she spoke again, she spoke quietly. “Mom said you were protecting me. Is that true?”

“It’s always been true, Kella. Since I met you at five years old.”

“She said…she said Alpha was my father, but that he’d hate me. He’d try to kill me. That you were his enemy, and you were why I could survive. Is that true?”

Levi chuckled. “Kella. No one could ever hate you. Not even Alpha.”

“But—but it’s true? He’s my dad?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Then why…why am I—”

“Did your mother tell you how that came to be? How they became…estranged?” Levi asked gently.

“No.”

“When you’re older, Kella. Trust me. In the future, you’ll understand it all.”

A frustrated huff. “I want to understand now! Leeeevi, come on. Tell me!”

Levi took a deep breath. “Kella…”

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“What? Don’t say I’m too young!”

“You’re too young.”

“Arghhhh!”

“Hey. I love you, okay? I’m gonna do whatever I can to keep you safe. No matter what it takes.”

“Okay…? Are you going to stay in jail forever? Is that why you’re saying this?”

Levi laughed. “No, no. I’m already out of jail. They let me out. Couldn’t find anything on me. Clean as a whistle.”

There was a suspicious pause. “Uh huh.”

“Alright. You go back to sleep. Rest up. It’ll all be okay in the morning. Just like usual, the supers are going to save the day.”

“You going to come see me soon?”

Levi paused. He laughed again. “As soon as I can. I promise.”

“You’d better.” Kella yawned.

“Alright. Go to sleep. In the morning, it’ll all be good.”

“Okay. Goodnight,” Kella said. She hung up.

Levi gripped his phone. His knuckles went white. He stood there, completely still.

Abruptly, he huffed out a breath and lowered the phone. “C’mon, Levi. Keep moving.”

Out into the streets. It didn’t take long for him to find a Gate. He stood before it, gazing into its depths. “So, uh. What do I do? Stand here?”

He stood there. Waiting.

“Not, uh, not a lot happening. Hey. How’s it going?” he asked the Gate.

It whirled.

“Not much of a talker, huh?”

Abruptly, the Gate jolted. Cracks burst out from the corners.

Levi’s phone rang. He lifted it to his ear. “Yeah?”

“I forgot to mention something,” Maury said.

“Was it that I might aggravate the Gates just by standing near them, with all the Gate particles in me?”

She clicked her tongue. “I take it to mean that you’ve already experienced it?”

“Yeah. Does that mean the plan using me to kill the Gates is off?” Levi asked.

“Yeah,” Maury said quickly.

“Uh huh. That doesn’t sound like the plan’s off.”

She sighed. “I’m not going to tell you. At this point, the chance of this succeeding is pretty slim. It’s not worth mentioning.”

Levi looked at the Gate. He licked his lips. “I’m jumping in.”

“Levi—” Maury fell silent.

“That’s the other option, isn’t it?”

Quiet. After a time: “Yes.”

Levi chuckled. He backed up, lowering to a runner’s stance. “Three. Two.”

“Good luck.”

Levi sprinted at the Gate. He leaped into the air, closing in on the roiling dark hole. “Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeroy—”