The outside world hushed as V inserted Melek’s pair of ‘emergency earbuds’—two words he never thought he’d hear together. Chip Technology had become so commonplace that everyone collectively gasped when he revealed that he didn’t have an implant.

Well, everyone except Jake, who had turned into quite the conspiracy theorist since they last met. After his ecstatic yelp of approval, he emptied his pockets, placing all three of his cell phones atop V’s bedside cabinet.

“I’ve met a few tech moguls in my day,” he said. “Fucking weirdos. And not in the cool, eccentric way. More like in the: ‘I’ll never willingly put anything you make inside of my body’ sort of way.”

“I knew it!” Melek yelled, startling April.

With a hand over her heaving chest, April asked, “So you’re saying we’re screwed?”

Her question prompted Jake to raise his arms in apology, his spray tanned face showing regret. “Of course not.” He picked up one of the cell phones. “I’m mostly joking.”

“Mostly?” Melek asked.

“Mhm.” Jake handed the phone to V while skillfully avoiding Melek’s suspicious glare. “You can pair the earbuds to this. I already downloaded the music app.”

“Thanks,” V said. “What’s up with all the phones?”

“One’s for business. The other’s for pleasure.”

“And the third one?”

Jake snorted. “Don’t worry about that.”

“Guys,” Melek said. “Has Jake always been this weird?”

Jake playfully eyed Melek up and down. “This coming from the guy dressed like a high-fashion pirate?”

April covered her mouth, but a muffled giggle broke through.

“You know what,” Melek said. “I deserved that.”

V opened the music app. “Though I appreciate the surprisingly unserious company, I’d rather be alone for this.”

They promised to wait outside and promptly left, stripping the room of all distractions. With his thoughts as his only company, and Melek’s earbuds paired and ready to go, all he had to do was press play.

Emergency on Planet Earth’s black and white album cover stared up at V, as if daring him to take a plunge into his psyche’s murky waters.

He pressed play.

The warped didgeridoo at the beginning of “When You Gonna Learn” reverberated throughout his entire body. A shudder ran up his spine, so violent he immediately pressed pause.

V had spent all those years tuning this song out—passionately resenting his father’s taste in music. Having to rely on it now filled him with immense shame. How dare he?

He swiftly tapped the play icon. Falling prey to a negativity loop was not the purpose of this exercise.

Violins smoothly led into blaring trumpets and a hypnotic baseline. Jay Kay’s vocals transported V back to those still summer nights, listening intently to his mother’s tales of time spent with her husband. From their awkward first date, to Mr. Au’s saccharin proposal, straight out of a nineties romcom.

He had to snap out of it. This song wasn’t meant to be used as a vehicle for his sentimentality. To enter a meditative state, he had to focus on the music with a clear mind, letting the notes facilitate his ascent toward serenity.

With that distinction established, he sank into his bed. The vocals and instrumentation washed over him, eliciting the solace associated with his childhood memories without reliving them in his mind’s eye.

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V’s breathing slowed down, his chest rising and falling in time with the melody. Flashes of his friends and family enticed him, as if begging him to cling to a specific moment.

He let them come and go.

A familiar warmth starting at his crown ran down his body. Goosebumps formed all over his arms and legs. His eyes flickered for a few seconds, eventually settling on a gleaming shade of gold. His aura rapidly expanded, filling the room with bright hues of the same color.

V suppressed his glee as “When You Gonna Learn” reached its jazzy conclusion.

He paused the music and let out a joyous shriek.

The door flew open. A nurse rushed inside, her terror-stricken eyes darting across the room.

His face flushed red. “Sorry about that.”

***

“It worked!” V exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Melek leaned against the pale blue wall opposite to V’s bed with his arms crossed. “That’s great, kid. You can even keep the earbuds. Now,” he unfolded his arms and stared into V’s eyes. “Tell me about La’el. I’ve waited long enough.”

“Hey,” April said, scowling at him. “He’s been through a lot. He’ll talk about it when he’s ready.” She sat at the table near the door, grasping her cup of coffee.

Melek exhaled sharply before crossing his arms again.

“You can keep the phone for as long as you want,” Jake said, standing awkwardly by the window, periodically glancing through its opened blinds.

“Thank you,” V said. He shot a glare at Melek, his defiant face turning away from April’s general direction. He’s a sassy one, V thought. “I’m not a kid.”

Melek ceased his pouting. “Huh?”

“You called me a kid before. I’m technically in my thirties.”

“Sure. Whatever.”

“I can’t believe the music worked that quickly,” Jake said.

“I guess all I needed was something to latch onto,” V said. “Only focusing on my breathing opened myself up to visualizing La’el’s attack—”

“And the music was just the distraction you needed,” Jake added. “Interesting.”

A creeping melancholy began enveloping itself around V. The excitement of being able to enter his angel mode started melting away.

At the end of the day, everyone he loved still died horrific deaths, and his only living friend was nowhere to be found.

“What’s the point?” V asked. “I can use my powers now, but…”

April shot out of her seat. “What?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong?” Jake asked.

V directed his attention to Melek, steeling his nerves to the best of his ability. “La’el essentially possesses the same abilities as me. Super speed and strength. But, since he’s using my body, he—”

“Excuse me?” Jake said, dumbfounded. “What the hell do you mean by that?”

“So it’s confirmed,” Melek said, shaking his head in disgust. “I wish Summer would have told me.”

“She probably didn’t want to spoil the moment,” April said.

“You guys knew about this?” Jake asked.

“No,” April said. “But we knew it was a possibility. I’m sorry. We should have kept you more informed.”

“The point is,” V said, putting on his most commanding tone of voice. “He probably possesses rapid healing.”

“How fast are we talking?” Melek asked.

“I can’t say for certain, but we were nothing more than child’s play to him. I still don’t know the extent of his abilities.”

“Sounds like fun,” Melek said, grinning like a toddler in a candy store.

“Fun?” V snapped. “I lost everything because of him, and you’re treating this like it’s some prize fight?”

Melek’s face fell, communicating genuine contrition. “I didn’t mean—”

“What did you mean? All this lighthearted shit isn’t going to give you enough strength to beat him.” Without the excuse of no longer being able to access his powers, V was left with having to face his fear head-on, a seemingly insurmountable task.

“So you’re just giving up?” April asked.

“You don’t know what it feels like to be surrounded by people, yet feel so alone.”

Melek seized April’s chair and flopped down, resting his heavy black boots on the table as he leaned back with his arms folded across his stomach. “Listen.” The air around him changed—a soothing confidence began radiating from his essence. “I used to think my life sucked because I never had a consistent friend group or a loving family. But I always somehow came across individuals who greatly impacted my life, only to have them leave soon after. Though heart-wrenching in the moment, those experiences eventually taught me the importance of gratitude.”

V sat up. “Gratitude?”

“I learned how to be grateful for every connection I make, no matter how long it lasts. Victor, you had amazing friends and a badass father. Be thankful.” He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Shit, I can’t go a day without being thankful for Anastasia. Granted, I’d never let her know that. Her ego is big enough.”

“Is Anastasia your girl?” Jake asked, smiling wryly.

Melek guffawed, startling April once more. “I don’t think there’s a soul on earth bold enough to lock her down. She’s my best friend, a title she got using brute force.”

“Wow,” April said, her voice monotone. “That was beautiful.” She snatched her chair back. “Ask before you take.”

“Sorry, I was in the zone.”

Though Melek’s sentiment was easier said than done, his words moved V’s shattered heart. “‘’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’”

“Would you look at that,” April said. “Victor Au reciting poetry. I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“I spent years training my mind and body to defeat La’el, and I couldn’t even touch him.” V recalled Connor and Summer’s words of ridicule during their reunion. All that time spent believing that La’el was his sole responsibility led to nothing more than abject suffering and loss. “Melek, I’ve heard great things about your prowess as a fighter. Please, help me put an end to this once and for all.”

“As if you even needed to ask. I know I wasn’t a very good member of the crew. Like I said before, my current best friend pretty much forced her way into my life. I could have put in more effort, but what’s done is done. The least I can do is make sure no one else loses a loved one to that evil piece of shit. Once your arm heals—”

“I told you, If I can walk—”

“Yeah, yeah. We get it, you’re a tough guy. Fine, but we don’t even know where La’el is.”

“Did it ever cross your mind how I managed to survive?”

“I was waiting for you to tell us.”

“Before he left, he proposed that I meet him at St. James church once I finish healing. He wants me to team up with him.”

“He kills all of your friends and family and then asks to join forces?” Jake said, dramatically raising an eyebrow. “Got it. He’s evil and stupid.”

“St. James?” Melek said. “Where the hell is that?”

“It’s off 47th Street,” April said. “It’s been abandoned for years, though.”

“Alright then,” Melek declared. “Two cripples versus the strongest being on earth. I think I like those odds. When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow. I want to practice this meditation technique a bit more.”

“This is a terrible idea,” April said.

“Yeah,” Jake added. “He said he’ll wait for you. Why don’t you let your arm heal first?”

“When we fought, I got a glimpse of his mental instability. I’m not going to just assume that he won’t wreak havoc as I lay about.”

“Sounds like your mind’s made up,” Melek said. “I have just enough time to come up with a plan of attack.”

“I appreciate the concern, guys. Melek, I need to stop by the farmhouse before we face off against La’el.”

“Why?”

“I gotta pick up a few things.”