The sound of the bullet ripped past my ears, plaster raining from the ceiling. Cracked and crumbling, the dust covered my shoes. The recoil kicked her back, the gun-wielding secretary losing her balance. My blood screaming for escape, I snatched onto the rhythm. Reappearing on the staircase, I rolled down the flight. The last step slammed into my ribs. I let out a hiss, quieting at the voices above me.

"What the hell Carol!" Allister shouted, muffled through the door. He's going to find me. Panic flooded my veins, wobbling as I lifted myself up.

"I- I missed. She just disappeared...I," the woman rambled.

"You shot a hole in the ceiling!" Alister's shadow creeped along the wall.

The woman's voice quivered, "She was sneaking up on you, I couldn't just-"

"Who was?" Allister's tone fell, footsteps coming closer.

Carol hesitated, her voice squeaking, "One of Murray's people...the redhead. A Miss Okie?"

"Do you know what you've done?" Allister hissed. "How much you've put in jeopardy."

"I'm sorry….I didn't hit her," she sniffled.

"It'd be better if you had! If she puts the pieces together-"

"I- I didn't know," her voice grew louder. I backed up against the wall, gripping the railing. The door swung as I caught the pulse.

I landed on the rooftop, wind whipping in my face...alone. The sun dipped under lazy clouds, over distant mountains. No one's here. Allister wasn't bluffing. He has the others. I wrung my fingers through my hair. What do I do? I don't even know where to begin...where to find the others. Pacing the roof, I took a deep breath. I don't really need to know where they are to find them. I'd done it before, back in the past. Nothing's stopping me from trying now.

I shut my eyes, slowing my breathing. Out of everyone, I probably know Oliver the best. His snarky humour should be easy enough to pinpoint. Fingers on tracking my pulse, my heart beat moved in time. Replaying memory, I built up an image of the blond-bearded Doctor. A big smile, green eyes- Wait, Oliver has blue eyes.

My eyes flew open, the world dematerializing around me. I tried to shift my focus, the green eyes laughing back at me, Diggery's eyes. A gut punch of emotion, the world built back up.

Alone in the middle of a field, the air stolen from my lungs. I know this place. The hill rolled in a familiar way, looking off to a view of the city. The ground I'm standing on...this...this is Malachi's camp. Only ruins left, weeds grown up, coveting the path that used to wander. The space in front of my feet, this is where my cabin used to be.

Diggery's voice echoed over my shoulder, "Seems even folks from the future know to stay away from this place."

I turned around, shivers across my spine. His lopsided grin stuck in my mind, no one there. I heard his voice...I did.

"Don't be so dramatic, Phyn. I talk all the time," Diggery said. He stood in front of me, real as life. His bright green eyes reflected the sun, dirt smeared on his cheek. This can't be.

I gasped, tears welling my eyes. "Diggery?" The green in his eyes dimmed, his image slipping from view. I reached after him, toppling into the dirt. "No come back!" I cried. "Come back…" An ache steady in my chest, blinking at the empty sky. He's gone, he was here...right in front of my face.

I crawled out of the weeds, dirt in my fingernails. I'm losing it, I'm actually going insane. I wiped my nose, rising to my feet. Not that it matters. Shaking, I shut my eyes. I can hallucinate dead people on my own time. Allister isn't winning, I'm not giving up on the mission. I tightened my fists, locking back on the pulse. I need to find Oliver. Rebuilding the image, now with blue eyes. The field vanished.

I rematerialized in a stuffy supply closet, catching my balance. Oliver jumped back, blinking at me. "Phyn?" He relaxed his shoulders, moving closer. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry, but we have to get moving." I pushed past him, scanning the walls of supply shelves.

"Is Murray upset?" Oliver scratched his head. "I wasn't trying to be late. My keycard isn't working."

I shook my head. "No one's on the roof, I don't think anyone's cards are working."

Oliver's eyes grew wide. "Do you know why? What's going on?"

"Allister's gone off the deep end," I growled, "I overheard him talking, I think he's stopped our keycards on purpose, something about trying to figure out what Murray's up to. That's all I got before I was spotted."

"This is ridiculous." Oliver slammed his face in his hands. "What's Murray doing about it?"

I pursed my lips. "I haven't talked to him yet. It's difficult finding people without a location. The better I know a person, the easier it is."

Oliver smiled. "Aww Okie, does that make us friends."

I rolled my eyes. "No, I've just interacted more with you, than anyone else."

Oliver nodded. "What I'm hearing is I'm your favourite person on the team."

I shook my head at him. "We need to find the others."

His grin fell, looking over his shoulder. "Right...I didn't pay much attention to where the others went, but Max might be close to the armory. He's in charge of weapons."

"Okay, that's a good start." The light from the window in my eyes, I held out my hand to him. "Ready to get out of here?"

Oliver grimaced, taking my hand. "This isn't going to hurt, is it?"

"If it does, we have a doctor with us." I smiled at him.

"That's not how that works," he grumbled.

I took a better grip of his hand. "It should be painless, but it might feel weird."

"Great." Oliver wrinkled his nose."Let's get this over with."

I tightened my grip on his hand, imagining what the armory might look like, pulling in the little I know about Max. I let my mind drift, catching the rhythm. We disappeared.

A new room built up around us, weapons hanging in cases along the walls. A hall wandered out the room, doors on either side. I spun back around, frowning at Oliver. No Max. I hung my head. "Please tell me this is still on the base," I asked.

"Not sure, but it looks like it?" Oliver muttered, his mouth in a fine line.

"He's not here though…" I buried my head in my hands. "I'm not sure what went wrong."

"Maybe he's close." Oliver raced forward, rattling doors. "Well this is inconvenient," he sighed, stepping back.

"He might still be here." I ran past him, shouting, "Hello? Max?" Silence echoed back.

"Max!" I yelled.

"I don't think he's here." Oliver followed behind me. "Better if we take a step back and come up with a plan."

"I know, I-" I shut my eyes, my head spinning. Something's wrong with me. My skin crawling with shivers, I pulled my arms close. I'm not thinking that. I'm fine, I'm not crazy.

"What's going on Phyn?" Oliver stepped closer. I can't tell him.

I lifted my head. "It's just...we're running out of time, Allister's going to come up with something and if I can't do this."

"Don't think like that, this is just a hiccup," he said, his face staying serious. "We'll figure it out, continue with the plan." Oliver paused, tapping his chin. "Although, this seems uncharacteristic for Allister…he's always been awful but he's unwaveringly patriotic."

"Whatever he's trying to accomplish, I don't think he’s in charge," I muttered. "Someone was criticizing his plan."

Static fizzled over the speaker. Both of us froze, staring up at it. Alister's voice snickered over the intercom, "This is a special message for the trespassers on our base, you may be able to avoid capture, but none of your people can. If you want to see them alive, turn yourself in. I promise to be merciful. You can find me on the roof."

The speaker clicked off, Oliver's face pale. "You're right about him going off the deep end...threatening murder."

I straightened my shoulders, taking a deep breath. "Do you think he'll actually do it? That he has everyone already?"

Oliver frowned. "I really don't know...I imagine he'll have someone at least one as collateral." He turned his head. "Why? What are you thinking?"

I shrugged. "This may mean nothing, but He said trespassers, with an s. What if we're not the only ones wandering around?" I lifted my head. "Sure he might've seen us on a camera, but he also called them our people...that sounds more like he's talking to-"

"Murray," Oliver muttered. "If anyone would be prepared for this, it'd be him." He frowned, shaking his head. "But he won't be easy to find."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"His ability does complicate things…"

"And we can't run around the base looking," Oliver huffed, flicking his head back up. "Wait, you know about his disappearing thing?"

I let out a nervous laugh. "He showed me on the way."

"That two-faced, stubborn-" Oliver took a breath, rolling his eyes. "And he got on my case for trusting you."

I snapped my fingers. "Wait! If he's using his ability, he'll be easy to find."

Oliver blinked. "What?"

I grabbed onto his shoulder, reaching for the pulse. "Let's go."

Oliver's eyes went wide, he opened his mouth to object. Already diving into the rhythm, we vanished. Diving into the cold current, I found the slight irregularity, a separate beat….wait...there's two of them. Locked on the first, I couldn't pull away.

I opened my eyes, standing back in the stairwell. Oliver pulled his arm back, the dim light revealing his scowl. "Next time give me warning," he hissed.

I nodded, distracted by the bullet hole in the roof. My fingers traced over the panel, my stomach turning. That was meant for me.

Oliver walked past me. "Murray, if you're here, you better speak up," he called, his voice echoing down the hall.

I moved away from the wall, filling my lungs. "Are you here?" I asked the empty hall, my heart plummeting. Silence, deafening silence. I failed. My hands shook, shivers flooding my arms. People are going to die because of me, because I can't save them...I can't save anyone. Light poured down the hall, coming from another light stairway. That'll be the roof. I pushed past Oliver, chasing the sky. There's no running from the truth, I just have to face it...no one can afford my failures.

"Phyn?" Oliver raced after me. "What are you doing?

I spun around, staring him down. "Listen, this isn't going to work. I can't win like this...I don't know how to." My eyes stung, blinking away tears. I shook my head. "The only thing I know how to do is run headlong into danger, and if this isn't a bluff." My voice shook, "I won't let someone die because of me...not again."

"Okie" He glared back at me, eyes full of blue fire. "No one's dying, alright. We're going to kick Allister to high heaven, and no one's getting in our way," he said. I nodded my head, my shoes blurry with tears. Oliver pointed at me. "We're not giving up, alright?"

"Alright." I scowled at him, lifting my head. "But I don't have a plan."

"Headlong into danger, huh? Are you good at improvising?" Oliver stepped towards the roof.

"What are you thinking?"

He gave a nervous laugh, "I distract him long enough for you to sneak up behind?" He wrung his hands, his eyes wavering. "I trust you Phyn...just save the day," Oliver said, bolting towards the roof. Wait!

I ran after him, my grip missing. "Oliver," I hissed. His footsteps drumming up the steps, he disappeared into the light.

I climbed the stairs, gripping the railing. This is reckless, I can't-

Whistled notes over my shoulder building into a lazy tune. That song, I've heard it before. The hair stood up on my arms, soft footsteps behind me. I slowly turned around, my stomach twisting in knots. Diggery paced down the hall, hands in his pockets, the light shining off his gold hair. I shut my eyes, shaking my head. "I can't deal with you right now, Oliver needs me."

"Can't deal with me?" Diggery said, his green eyes flickering. "Do you like him more than me too?"

"No, of course not," I stuttered, stumbling closer. "Why would you even say that?"

He shrugged. "I just want to be prepared if you push me down the rung, again." A flash of pain in his eyes.

I covered my mouth, tears stinging my eyes. "You're not replaceable Diggery."

He gave a lopsided grin. "Really, because you banter with Oliver, just like you did with me. Diggery 2.0, your new best friend, now comes with a medical degree."

"That's not what I think, Diggery. I-" I shut my mouth, gripping my head. This isn't real, he isn't real. I stepped from him. "I'm not doing this! I'm sorry." I turned, running for the stairs. A hand yanked me back, pulling me off the steps.

I swatted at their grip, my heart pounding in my head. How is this happening? Laughter cackled in my ears. A fist dragged me across the floor. I tried to lift my head, the carpet scraping against my cheek. No, I need to help Oliver! I flipped around, kicking at his shins. His grip faltered, Diggery's features replaced by shadow. He swore, reaching back for me. I locked into the pulse, vanishing.

I landed in a heap on the roof, the sun in my eyes. I lifted my head, Allister smirking across the roof. He held Lewis in a headlock, a gun against his temple. "Nice of you to join us," he snickered, golden eyes gleaming. Lewis remained stoic, eyes glazed over. Gwen bound and gagged in the corner, fury burning in her eyes.

Oliver stood beside me, hands above his head. He glared at me, silently screaming, where were you.

"I'm sorry," I mouthed back, my hands still shaking.

Allister cackled, his ridiculous coat flying in the wind. "Now that you're here, we can begin to fix this whole precarious situation."

I spat at him. "And what situation is that? You're the one making a mess of things, least your boss thinks so."

"Boss, I'm the one charge," Allister growled, narrowing his eyes .

I shrugged. "Not sure Brian, agrees on the pecking order, but if you want to delude yourself."

Oliver flicked his head around. "Brian?" he mouthed. Guess I forgot to mention the name. I opened my mouth, gaping.

Allister's snarl drew back my gaze. He kicked Lewis to the ground. "Trying to aggravate me, only means he's gonna get a bullet in his leg, before I put one in his skull," he hissed.

My stomach turned. "You'll do no such thing!" I roared, my heart pounding.

"Sure...If you do what I say sweetheart," he said with a sickening smirk.

I swallowed my spit, hanging my head. I don't know if I can be fast enough to stop him.

Oliver cleared his throat, taking a step forward. "What do you want, Allister? Honestly I'm confused at why you'd turn to treason."

"Treason?" Allister's eyes bugged out, he waved his fist. "Murray's the real traitor, him and everyone who keeps dragging us under." He turned the gun to Oliver, eyes wild. "Changing strategies is the only way to survive. I am dedicated to protecting Avarice, even if it means eliminating those who hold us back. We need drastic measures, strong leaders!"

Oliver shook his head. "Murray has a plan, we have a shot at ending this."

Allister snorted, "Murray's a dreamer. His plan will never see reality."

Oliver clenched his fists. "But how does getting in his way help anyone?" he growled.

"Because he has to answer for himself, you all have to," Allister shouted, sweeping his eyes around. Gwen fought at her ties, hissing at him. Allister's lip twitched, he adjusted his grip on the gun, eyes kept darting to the door. He doesn't have Murray.

I raised my chin. "So is that who you're stalling for, you're waiting for the General to show up."

Allister's eyes wavered. "He proved more slippery than expected..he'll come through, though. No way he'll abandon his toy soldiers."

I raised my chin. "And then what? Are you going to kill us all?"

Allister frowned. "I'm not set on that outcome, but I wonder if Murray will be more punctual if I get one body out of the way?" He picked up Lewis by the collar, pressing the gun to his temple. Allister hissed, "What do you say, skinny boy? Do you want to go first?" Lewis's eyes went wide, fighting his grip.

I stomped closer. "You do that and you're next!" I screamed.

Allister's eyes bored, he shook his head. "No...I think Gwen will be next." Gwen breathed curses through her gag, shuffling back. Allister snickered, turning his aim to her. "Take another step and my bullet has her name on it."

Oliver lifted his hands. "Allister, are you listening to yourself?"

Allister shrugged. "Blame Murray when he finally shows up-" His face went blank, eyes stuck on the doorway. "...No, this is impossible." He dropped Lewis back to the floor. "You're...you're...dead."

What? I turned over my shoulder. Oliver frowned. "Allister?" he said.

"Don't come closer!" He cried, eyes wild. He moved his gun to the doorway. I shoved Oliver away, ducking down. Bullets raining past us, dents pelted the door. "You're dead, I saw you die...You can't be here!" Running out of bullets, he threw away the gun.

What's happening? Allister pacing back, terror across his face. Closer to the edge, I ran after him. "Allister, stop! " I called. His heel hit the ledge. He toppled back, falling off the building.

I skidded to a stop, squeezing my eyes shut. A crack of a skull against the pavement. Oliver grimaced, following behind. "Is he dead?" He peered over the edge, pulling me away. "Yup, he’s definitely dead," he gagged.

I stiffened, keeping my head low. Allister saw someone he knew...someone dead.

Oliver knelt down to cut Lewis loose. "I'm just glad he didn't shoot us," he gave a nervous laugh. "That was bizarre."

I nodded, crossing my arms. It's not just me...this doesn't make sense. A short whistle made my heart falter. Oh no.

Diggery leaned on the door of the bullet holes. "You didn't think you could get rid of me that quickly?" he chuckled. I turned away, petrified. Go away, go away.

Oliver waved a hand at me, squinting through the sun. "Can you untie Gwen?" he asked. I opened my mouth, blinking at him. Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Well can you?"

"Ya..sure." I nodded, rushing over. Honey-gold hair in the corner of my eye. He's not real, remember he's not real.

"So you're just gonna ignore me?" Diggery yelled, shivers running across my arms. I have to. He sighed, "You don't even have the decency to look me in the eye."

I shuddered, keeping Gwen in my view. I helped pick at her ties, freeing her wrists. She yanked off her gag, auburn hair sticking to her forehead. I steadied my breathing, a slight headache. "You okay?" I asked.

"Am I okay?" Gwen took my hands in hers, frowning at them. "You're shaking."

I pulled them back, my balance teetering. "...I'm fine."

Diggery laughed, "Glad I'm not the only friend you lie to." A big smirk across his face.

"Shut up!" I pointed at him, everyone's eyes turned to me. Oh crap.

Oliver stood up, coming towards me. "Phyn," he barked, blocking the door. "What's going on?"

Heat growing on my cheeks, I spun. "I-"

Diggery paced closer, shaking his finger at me. "How are you going to explain this one?"

The sun falling in the sky, I shook my head. "Stop it...I-" A stabbing pain in my head, it traced down my neck. Violent throbbing, it ran through my body. My vision blurred, thoughts melting.

"Phyn!" Oliver shouted, the sound bouncing around my head. My legs buckled, collapsing to the floor. Gwen and him stood over me, frantic, their words blurring together. Lewis stood as stone, holding his arms close. Fear across his face, but not surprise...he's not surprised.

Diggery shrunk back, his eyes going wide. "...I'm sorry, Phyn, I didn't mean to," he whispered. The dark shadow rising past his shoulder.

I lifted my hand, pointing a finger in its direction. "...Watch out," I croaked. Everyone's heads turned to the entrance, something shifting in the atmosphere. A sharp dip in the rhythm, violently off tune. Like Murray, but different…this is something different.

Oliver winced, gripping his head. Gwen cried out in pain, keeling over. My eyelids weighed down, a thud hit the ground, another. I can't save them. My heart rate plummeted, consciousness slipping from my grasp. The world was quiet in my mind, empty without rhythm. I am truly alone.