My heart feels like it has stopped beating. "No. No way. The information has to be wrong," I insist.
"I'm so sorry sweetie, but the bodies are theirs," Uncle Tom insists.
"How can you be so sure?" I snap at him.
"DNA testing from their families and the bodies proved that there is no one else they can be."
"When did this happen?" I numbly ask.
"They were just found this morning and the tests came in not too long ago. Everyone on Capitol Hill is demanding the rest of you get called in."
"When do they want us there?"
"They never told us." Bailey steps into the room. "All we know is you need to be careful what you say. My idea is they'll try and pin it on the four of you to make it look like a grab for power."
I sit on the sofa in disbelief. "But we would never do that. Why do they want to make us the bad guys?" Tears well up in my eyes.
"The same reason they make anyone the bad guy," Spencer says. "Because they don't like their power to be threatened."
"Yeah right," I scoff. "If we were a threat to their power, they wouldn't be around."
~~~
Two days later, those of us remaining stand in front of a panel of senators. Without Ivy, Renegade, and Shift around, it feels very empty. The ten of us remaining, Nyx came out of his hideout for this, stare each one of them down.
"Why should we tell you exactly where we operate from?" Nyx asks. "Are you going to hunt us down like you did Renegade, Shift, and Ivy?"
Senator Tueuer looks at us with fake remorse in her eyes. "We didn't kill your friends."
"FRIENDS? THOSE WEREN'T OUR FRIENDS!" Figment yells. "THEY WERE OUR FAMILY! AND THEY'RE DEAD!"
"We once again offer our condolences about that. However, we can't do anything about this whole situation."
"Bullshit."
Everyone goes quiet, including the press at the back of the chamber. Flare mutters "Good for you" under his breath and falls silent again.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," I say. "Bullshit. You aren't sorry three heroes died. And don't say you can't change anything. Everything about this is your idea!"
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Hurricane." Tueuer's lips are pressed in a tight smile.
I let out a small giggle. "You really think I'm stupid, don't you? I did my research before coming here. In fact, you didn't just support this whole little 'restriction business.' You started it. Would you care to tell us why?" I ask her.
She looks like a deer caught in headlights. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she stammers.
"Oh really?" I look at Spark, "Will you do the honors?"
"Gladly!" She starts typing on her arm. A flick of her wrist turns on the TV screen and information flashes across it. Incriminating evidence that Senator Tueuer started this whole ordeal. Unfortunately, there was nothing about Ivy and her team.
Senator Tueuer's smile falls and her face pales. "How did you get this information?" She demands. "No one has access to it!"
"Actually YOU gave us access to it." Spark is trying to hold it together but fails, dissolving into laughter.
"How did that happen?" Senator Stelas asks.
Ash rolls their eyes. "Are you that stupid?"
"I mean it's really common sense," Figment points out.
"Then please, elaborate." Senator Stelas gestures for someone to explain, almost like he's bored.
A dark smile crosses my face. "You brought the one person who can access any system in the world with ease, into the building."
The whole counsel of senators faces drop. "That's considering stealing state secrets and leaking them to the public."
"Actually the public doesn't have access to these," Spark says. "Unless, you're saying you want me to leak all of this?"
"If you leak that, you won't walk out of this building," Stelas threatens.
"I wouldn't dream of it." She flashes a fake smile. Everything disappears off the screen. "And don't threaten me again sweetheart." Man, Southern accents really help you sound genuine when you're actually being bitchy to someone.
"Now, are we done here? Because I have some things I'd like to do today." Mercury is picking at her nails with a dagger. Along with being able to move faster than the speed of sound, she's pretty handy with a knife.
"We just have one more item to address. And put that knife away. No weapons on the floor."
"But it isn't on the floor," Mercury mutters as she slides it back in place on her thigh.
Damn. Senator Tueuer doesn't play games. Except for when it comes to what we can do of course.
Nyx crosses his arms over his chest. "And what would that be?"
"Your identities, of course." She says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "We can't just have you running around and not know who you are."
"If you think we're going to tell you our identities," Glitch speaks up for the first time, "then you have to be the craziest person I've ever met. The liabilities that come with that are too dangerous."
Senator Stelas sighs. "We do our job protecting this country with everyone knowing our identities. You ten shouldn't be any different."
"Tell me Senator Stolas," I call him that just to piss him off. And he reminds me of a certain bird demon… "When was the last time you actually did something that helped this country? Did you stop a major wildfire out west? Did you save people from an explosion that could've leveled an entire city?"
"Well- I- I can't do what you do. None of us can." His face is bright red.
"Then don't start telling me what I can and can't do. You'll find out my identity when I want you to find out my identity." I let wind whip through the room and fly a little off the ground. Everyone gets down in fear but Stelas and Tueuer. They remain in their seats, posture perfect. "When you need our help, we won't come. We'll act on our own terms and there is nothing you can do about it." Dropping to the ground, I motion for everyone to follow me.
Glitch makes a door in the wall and we all walk out. Walking down the steps of the capital, reporters swarm to us asking questions.
"Have the restrictions on you been lifted?"
"Nyx, why did you come out today?"
"Why aren't you going to help when the government wants you to?"
We split and answer questions on our own. Then once we've had enough, the ten of us disappear in separate directions. All to converge on Nashville in a little while. Well, minus a few. Figment and Ash go back to New York with Crosscut, while Nyx hitches a ride to Nashville with Mercury.
Halo comes with us. Soaring above us, the hints of gold in his white wings reflect the sun. I use a tailwind to move us along at a fast pace.
"So this is what it's like to have your whole team be able to fly."
"Do you like it?" Flare asks. He flies up by Halo, avoiding the wings, and sets off mini explosions.
"It's definitely different," he admits. "But it's nice. I don't feel so alone."
"If you ever feel like it, you can come join us," I say. "We can use the help sometimes."
"I'm not sure I can be of much help to any of you."
"You'd help us so much it's not even funny! We aren't invincible and none of us have the strength you do."
"HEY!" Glitch pouts. "I can make myself stronger!"
"Then maybe you should do that more often," Spark says.
"Y'all are just mean!"
"Nah. You're just chicken," I shoot back.
~~~
We land in Nashville and our suits disappear. Ryan and Lorelei (Nyx and Mercury) are waiting for us at Hattie B's.
Lucas folds his wings under his clothes before joining us in line. After getting our food to go, we suit back up and fly to Murfressboro. I open the window to my room and everyone comes in. Grabbing Nyx, I fly him up and Mercury runs straight up the side of the house into my room.
Collapsing on my bed, I click the button on the side of my bracelet and the suit retracts. A blanket sits just within reach and I wrap myself in it.
"So this is the famous base of the Four." Ryan doesn't look too impressed at my room.
"Watch it there buddy." Gracie points a fork in his direction. "You'd lose it at the sight of our base."
"He doesn't get impressed by much." Lorelei sits on the floor eating mac and cheese. "The little shit thinks he has the best equipment."
"Are your parents tech geniuses?" I ask.
"Are yours?" He asks right back.
"Yes, yes they are," I smugly say. "We have stuff I guarantee you don't."
"I won't believe it until I see it."
"Good luck," I taunt.
We stay there for about an hour, eating and talking. Everyone is still in shock about the news we received Monday, but we know what we need to do.
I stand up, brushing crumbs off my lap. "Okay y'all, we've gotta get to school."
"We do?" Tyler looks upset at having to go back.
"Yes we do." Gracie sounds like every bone in her body is cracking as she stands up.
"Then I guess we better head out," Lorelei grabs all her trash. "I know I have a lab later and should probably get some work done."
"Where are you going to college again?" I ask.
"University of Oklahoma," she answers. "I can get anywhere in the country within fifteen minutes from my dorm. Gives me the freedom to do what I want."
"I always forget you don't live in Seattle anymore," Lucas stretches his wings and heads over to the window. Turning back to face us, he asks, "You coming with me Ryan or are you hitching a ride with Lorelei again?"
"I'll go with you. Just gimme a second." Ryan walks to me. "Next time I'm in town, I'm coming to your base."
"Sounds like a plan," I say. "We'll get another teleporter up and running for your genetic information."
"You have teleporters?? UNFAIR!"
"Don't whine, it's not flattering on you. But yes, we have teleporters."
"Damn you Celeste." He runs to the window and jumps out to where Lucas is waiting, suit activating in the process. "See you guys later!"
"Guess that's my cue to head out," Lorelei says. "Bye guys!" She jumps to the ground and dashes into the distance.