The others nodded, and they came to a stop near a large statue beneath a sprawling tree, its leaves rustling softly in the morning breeze.

  After surviving their near-death ordeal, Zod felt he could trust them. “I haven’t shown this to anyone yet,” he said, hesitating before raising a hand. His palm hovered over a leaf clinging to the statue, and, almost as if pulled by an invisible string, it floated through the air and landed delicately in his hand.

  Gasps rippled through the group. The leaf trembled slightly, as if alive.

  He smiled faintly. “I’ve always loved hover-boarding, but my dad… he wanted me to be a lawyer, go to Third-level Academy after the MG. His speciality is Insurance for Xenosapian attacks. Anything I did that didn’t align with his plans… he got angry. He was… annoying.” His gaze drifted downward, lost in memory. “I just hope he’s not too harsh on my little brother while I’m away.”

  “You have a little brother?” Kie asked, curiosity breaking his usual reserve.

  “Zodiack,” Zod replied with a soft nod.

  Miko cooed, “That’s so cute.”

  Talking about family made Tee acutely aware of how different she was. She didn’t know her real mother or father. In the early days, Tetra and her team of scientists had found her on the outskirts of a devastation zone—a place later known as the Silent Night Holocaust, where countless lives had been extinguished in their sleep within the apartment hotel. The cause of the massacre remained a mystery.

  Tetra had told her how she discovered Tee surrounded by a dark purple energy field, a shield that pulsed like a living shadow. She swore she had told no one else, keeping it a secret. Tee, however, remained uncertain—was Tetra truly being truthful, or merely weaving a layer of enigmatic mystique? The moment Tetra had touched the field, it had vanished, leaving only the lingering sense of something powerful and untamed.

  Zod chuckled. “Saeda already confirmed she had visions that aren’t working anymore. So, who’s next?”

  Saeda folded her arms, lips pressing into a thin line. “I can sense the energy of people and objects. Close my eyes, and I can feel everything around me. But… it’s not working anymore. Maybe I’m fixed.”

  “Or broken,” Zod added casually.

  Saeda shot him a sharp glare that silenced him immediately.

  Before anyone else could respond, Zino’s body blurred, dashing six feet forward in a heartbeat and returning just as quickly. Her long hair fanned behind her, the hem of her dress snapping back into place with a satisfying flutter.

  They all staggered back, startled by the sheer speed.

  “How did you move so fast?” Zod asked, disbelief in his voice.

  “You’re a speedster,” Kie breathed, his jaw slack.

  “Like in the webcomics,” Zod added, laughing.

  Miko’s soft nod barely betrayed her own story. “No one knows about it. Except… the people who tried to abduct me years ago. I ran, and got help.”

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  Tess felt the weight of expectation settle on her. She exhaled, steadying herself. “I can see ahead,” she said plainly.

  “We all can do that,” Zod laughed.

  “No, I mean… I can see anywhere I want. It’s like I enter some spirit form, moving around at an impossible speed to view everything. Am I making sense?”

  Their blank expressions confirmed she wasn’t making much.

  All eyes turned to Kie. He sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. “I can’t explain it, really… but I can share my mind.” He froze, realizing how absurd it sounded aloud. Then, shaking off the self-consciousness, he continued, “I’ve only ever done it with one person… never tried it with anyone else. Might’ve been imagining it.”

  Tee’s mind raced. She wanted to test him, but fear kept her silent. If he discovered her secret… it could ruin everything.

  Thunder rolled across the sky, low and ominous, and clouds gathered overhead.

  “I think it’s going to rain,” Kie remarked, glancing upward. “We better head back.”

  They turned, unsure of the route. Tee closed her eyes briefly, letting her special vision sweep ahead. Slowly, she guided them through the twisting paths back to the main building.

  “Nice,” Zod said, glancing toward the shimmering pool.

  Inside, the others sank onto the white couches while Zod activated the telegram emitter. Outside, raindrops began to spatter against the glass, tracing rivulets down its surface.

  Tee decided to check her room and change. She ascended the stairs to a hallway that split left and right, the doors clearly separating male and female dorms. Her heart thumped as she approached her door.

  Her bag lay on the ground, carelessly tossed. Her eyes narrowed. They knew she was a Xeno-victim. They didn’t care. Anger bubbled beneath her chest, brief and sharp, imagining the soldiers’ disdain and the torment they might inflict. Xenophobia lingered in every thought, in every calculated oversight.

  A nearby door, adorned with neat rows of pink luggage, screamed Miko. Tee guessed Miko had money—her Mid-Guard clearly hadn’t lacked for luxury.

  Her own door had no handle, no keyhole. She hesitated, running a hand over the black panel beside it. Thin, glowing blue lines raced upward beneath her touch, and a robotic voice intoned, “Hand signature locked.”

  The door slid open smoothly, a gentle hiss accompanying the motion. Tee stepped inside as it closed behind her, the room sealing off like a sanctum. Adrenaline surged in her veins, heart pounding. It’s just a door. Nothing more. Secure. Safe. The thought barely steadied her.

  The room was immense, more than twice the size of her previous home. Memories of cramped spaces and meager accommodations at Jack’s parents’ house pressed against her mind. She pushed them aside, focusing on the present.

  Peach-colored curtains covered one wall, a mounted controller glinting in the light. She pressed a button, and the curtains parted gracefully, revealing a thick pane of glass. Rain tapped rhythmically against it, streaking downward like liquid silver.

  Her gaze shifted to the king-sized bed. Four plush pillows piled luxuriously atop it seemed to invite her in. Dark red carpet sprawled beside the bed, soft and rich underfoot.

  Bright light spilling from a slightly open door caught her eye. She approached, pushing it gently, and gasped. Every wall, every ceiling panel, was intricately tiled. One corner cradled a jacuzzi with a dizzying array of buttons. A secluded shower area revealed a sleek handheld showerhead. Even the sink atop the toilet’s tank reflected careful design and innovation.

  The surfaces gleamed with near-impossible cleanliness, reflecting her movements like a mirror, making her feel both minuscule and oddly part of the room itself.

  She swung open the double doors of her closet, eyes widening at the vastness inside. All her clothes were still outside, waiting. She grabbed her luggage and began unpacking quickly. A small white box slipped from a bag pocket, labeled in Jack’s handwriting.

  Rage flared instantly. She shoved it to the back of the closet. Whatever’s inside didn’t matter. She would ignore it like he ignored her.

  Tee collapsed backward onto the bed, the mattress yielding luxuriously under her weight. Her body sank into softness, the tension in her muscles giving way to exhaustion and fury. She hadn’t slept properly since Tetra’s death. The train ride had been unbearable. Surrounded by opulence, she allowed herself a moment of stillness, closing her eyes tightly, seeking refuge from the tumultuous thoughts that clawed at her mind.