There’s something about the quiet of my room that helps me think—probably the only place I can actually think, given the whirlwind this past week has been. Still, even as I stared at my half-packed bag, my head was a jumble of questions.

Why us? Why now? Why do I feel like we’re being thrown into something way bigger than we’re ready for?

I shoved another granola bar into the side pocket of my bag. Outside, I could hear faint laughter from my friends, waiting in front of the house. They’d been teasing me about being slow since they got here, but honestly, packing is harder when you’re not entirely sure what you’re packing for.

“Come on, Everett, you’ve got this,” I muttered to myself. I scanned the clutter on my desk: flashlight, check; spare batteries, check; first aid kit… nope, still sitting there. Grabbing it, I shoved it into the bag.

The weight of what we were about to do hung heavy in the air, almost as heavy as the bag now slung over my shoulder. Heading to a military base? Talking about wars? And the whole powers thing? It was surreal. We were just kids—well, maybe not just kids anymore.

Still, it was strange. I’d felt this buzzing energy under my skin ever since we woke up in that cave. Like static electricity, constantly running through me. I’d accidentally shocked Noah the other day when I brushed his arm. His reaction was priceless—he yelped like a startled cat—but it also made me wonder. What else could I do with this power?

The thought sent a thrill through me. But also a pang of fear.

I zipped up my bag and glanced around the room, trying to figure out if I’d forgotten anything. Posters of my favourite athletes covered the walls, a soccer ball sat in the corner, and the framed photo of my family on the nightstand caught my eye. Mom had insisted we take that picture last Christmas, even though I complained about having to wear an itchy sweater.

I picked up the photo, running my thumb over the frame. Mom and Dad always said I’d do big things one day, but this? This wasn’t what I had in mind.

A loud knock on my door broke my train of thought.

“Hurry up, Everett!” Liam’s voice rang out, followed by a muffled snicker—probably Noah.

“Alright, alright! Keep your shorts on!” I yelled back, setting the photo down and grabbing my bag.

As I walked out the door, the sun hit me, warming my skin. The others were leaning against the fence outside, their bags already slung over their shoulders. Grayson looked bored, tossing a small rock up and down, while Steven was fiddling with his glasses like he always does when he’s nervous.

“Took you long enough,” Noah teased, crossing his arms.

“I like to be prepared,” I shot back, grinning as I adjusted the strap on my shoulder.

“You pack your entire room or something?” Tristan quipped, smirking.

“Only the essentials,” I said, pretending to be serious. “Granola bars, flashlight, and my dazzling personality.”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Let’s just hope Jayden’s plan doesn’t backfire.”

The mention of Jayden made the air around us grow a little heavier. None of us fully trusted him, but we’d all agreed to follow his lead for now. It wasn’t like we had a ton of other options.

“Do you think they’ll let us ask questions when we get there?” Steven asked, adjusting his glasses again.

Grayson shrugged. “Maybe, but we’ll probably get more answers if we show them what we can do first.”

He had a point. I could feel it—the power humming just under my skin, waiting to be used. It was both exciting and terrifying, like holding a lightning bolt in my hands.

“Well,” I said, starting down the sidewalk, “we won’t find out standing around here. Let’s get moving.”

As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder what the generals wanted with us. Were they really just looking to protect us, or did they have something bigger planned?

I didn’t think it could feel any more tragic than it already had, but when Jayden stepped into view, holding a small envelope like it contained the answer to all of life’s questions, things somehow hit another level.

“Finally,” Grayson muttered under his breath.

Jayden didn’t seem fazed by our impatience. He walked up with the same air of calm confidence he always carried, though I caught a flicker of something in his expression—like he wasn’t entirely sure about this either.

“Got here just in time,” he said, his sharp green eyes scanning the group. “I trust you’re all ready?”

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Noah replied, stuffing his hands in his hoodie pockets. “You gonna tell us what this is about now, or keep us guessing?”

Jayden smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He held out the envelope. “Train tickets. We’re heading to the military base.”

For a moment, no one moved.

“No way…” I said, breaking the silence. “You’re joking, right?”

Jayden’s expression didn’t change. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

I glanced at the others. Grayson was frowning, Liam’s eyebrows were practically in his hairline, and Steven looked like he was running through every possible scenario in his head. Tristan just folded his arms, looking unimpressed as usual.

“What kind of military base uses a subway?” Grayson asked.

“A discreet one,” Jayden replied coolly. “The base isn’t exactly public knowledge. The subway’s part of a secured transport system. It’ll take us directly there, no detours.”

“And what happens when we get there?” Liam asked. “Are they gonna, like, test us or something?”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Jayden’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You’ll be debriefed. They’ll explain the situation and what’s expected of you. Beyond that, it’s not my place to say.”

“Expected of us?” I repeated, narrowing my eyes. “We didn’t sign up for this.”

“No, you didn’t,” Jayden agreed. “But whether you like it or not, you’re part of this now. The powers you’ve awakened… they’re significant. The generals want to ensure you’re prepared for what’s ahead.”

There it was again—that sinking feeling in my stomach. Significant. Prepared. Words that felt way too heavy for a bunch of kids who hadn’t even figured out what half their powers did yet.

“What if we don’t want to go?” Grayson asked, his tone cautious but firm.

Jayden’s gaze sharpened. “That’s not an option. The generals gave clear instructions. You’re to come with me, and I suggest you cooperate. It’s for your own safety.”

Something in his voice made it clear there was no point arguing.

“So, when’s this train leaving?” Tristan asked, his tone casual but his eyes darting toward the envelope.

“Soon,” Jayden said, handing out the tickets. “We need to leave now if we’re going to make it.”

I stared down at the ticket in my hand. It felt strangely heavy, like it was made of something other than paper. It had a sleek design, with a barcode printed next to the words Subway Access: Military Zone.

“This is insane,” Noah muttered, turning the ticket over in his hands.

“You’re telling me,” I said.

Jayden clapped his hands once, snapping us out of our thoughts. “Alright, no more standing around. Follow me.”

As we started walking, I couldn’t help but glance at him. Something about the way he carried himself—like he had all the answers but wasn’t quite willing to share—put me on edge. He didn’t seem like the bad guy, but he wasn’t exactly radiating trustworthiness either.

The station wasn’t far, just a few blocks away, tucked behind an unmarked steel door in an alley. Jayden pulled out a keycard and swiped it through a hidden slot, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.

“What is this, a spy movie?” Steven muttered under his breath.

Jayden gave him a pointed look but said nothing as he led us inside. The stairs descended into a clean, well-lit tunnel that didn’t look anything like the grimy subway stations I’d seen before. The walls were smooth and white, with glowing lines running along the edges, like something out of a sci-fi movie.

The train was already waiting when we got to the platform—a sleek, silver bullet-shaped thing that looked like it could outrun sound.

“This is ridiculous,” I said, more to myself than anyone else.

“Ridiculous or not,” Jayden said, turning to face us, “this is where it starts. You’ll understand more when we get there.”

I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be comforting or ominous, but either way, it didn’t make me feel any better.

As the train doors slid open, I exchanged a look with Grayson. He gave a small shrug, as if to say, What choice do we have?

None, apparently. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside.

~ ~ ~

The subway interior was nothing like I expected. For something connected to a military base, I thought it’d be all hard metal and military-green seats, maybe some intimidating posters about loyalty and duty. But no—this place was sleek. The walls were a clean, shimmering silver, and the floor had a faint glow that made it feel like we were walking on light. The seats were black and plush, arranged in pairs along the sides of the train, with soft blue lighting overhead.

Grayson flopped into a seat by the window, looking utterly unimpressed. “So, no bubble tea cart, huh? Figures.”

I snorted and slid into the seat across from him. “Bubble tea? Really? We’re about to meet military officials, and that’s what you’re thinking about?”

“Hey,” he shot back, pointing at me, “priorities, man. If we’re getting dragged into this weird superhero war or whatever, the least they can do is keep us caffeinated.”

“You could’ve grabbed some before we left,” Steven muttered without looking up from his manga. He was already buried in One Piece, flipping through the pages like the train ride didn’t even exist.

“Not my fault Jayden didn’t give us a heads-up,” Grayson grumbled.

“Don’t worry, buddy,” Liam chimed in, settling in beside Steven. “When we get to the base, maybe they’ll have one of those fancy military cafes with, like, twenty different flavours of bubble tea.”

Grayson gave him a deadpan look. “You’re not funny.”

“Not trying to be. Just optimistic.” Liam leaned back and stretched his arms over the seat, then glanced at his reflection in the shiny wall opposite. “Man, do I look okay? I hope there aren’t a ton of girls on this train. My hair’s a mess.”

I rolled my eyes. “Liam, you’re in a secret military subway. Who are you trying to impress?”

“Uh, everyone?” He grinned, running his hands through his hair. “Come on, you never know. What if there’s some genius young cadet who thinks fire powers are cool?”

Tristan leaned forward from the seat behind him, resting his elbows on the backrest. “If you meet her, introduce me too. She might have a friend. Or a sister.”

Liam laughed. “Aiming high, huh?”

“Always,” Tristan said with a smug grin.

“Yeah, I’ll believe that when I see it,” Noah muttered from the corner, arms crossed as he stared at the floor. “You’re all acting like this is some fun school trip. Did we forget we’re headed to a military base?”

The mood dipped a little at that.

“We didn’t forget,” I said after a moment. “We’re just… I don’t know. Trying not to freak out about it.”

“I’m not freaking out,” Noah said quickly. “I just think we should be realistic. They’re not inviting us for tea and biscuits.”

“Well, yeah,” Grayson said, leaning back with a sigh. “But what else are we supposed to do? Sit here and stare at the wall?”

Steven flipped another page in his manga. “We could talk about our powers.”

Everyone turned to him.

“Wow,” I said. “You’re actually suggesting a conversation. That’s new.”

Steven didn’t look up. “I can multitask. Besides, if we’re really getting pulled into this war thing, we should know what we’re working with.”

“He’s got a point,” Tristan said. “Like, Everett—your lightning thing. Could you actually zap someone with it?”

I shrugged. “Maybe. Haven’t really tested it on a person, and I’m not planning to anytime soon.”

“You should try it on Grayson,” Liam said, smirking.

Grayson glared at him. “Try it on yourself, Firestarter.”

“Relax, guys,” I said, holding up my hands. “I’m not zapping anyone. But yeah, I think it could be useful. It’s fast, and it’s… well, kind of awesome, honestly.”

“What about you, Liam?” Noah asked. “What’s it like, controlling fire?”

“Hot,” Liam said, flashing his signature grin. “But seriously, it’s wild. I feel like I can shape it, like it’s part of me. I just need to figure out how to keep it from burning everything.”

“Tristan’s probably hoping he can heal girls’ hearts,” Grayson quipped.

“Not just hearts,” Tristan replied, smirking. “Cuts, bruises, whatever. It’s practical.”

“And what about you, Grayson?” Steven asked.

Grayson hesitated. “Honestly? It’s weird. The teleporting thing… it’s like my whole body just—poof—disappears and reforms somewhere else. It’s kind of freaky.”

“Freaky but cool,” Noah said.

“Yeah, I guess,” Grayson admitted. “But I don’t know what to do with it yet. I mean, how do you practise something like that?”

“We’ll figure it out,” Steven said, finally closing his manga and looking up. “With practice comes power, right? That’s what they always say in these stories.”

Liam snorted. “Great. Our lives are now a shonen manga.”

“Could be worse,” I said, grinning. “At least we’re the main characters.”