Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was the scariest thing Max Caulfield had ever seen.

And no matter how hard she tried, how badly she wanted to... she couldn’t look away.

While it had been five years since she’d visited, Max could still recognize the place she saw. The lighthouse to her right, the cliff, and Arcadia Bay in front of her. And it was being completely decimated by the largest tornado she’d ever seen. The storm ripped right through the beach and tore up every house, business, and car in the streets, dismantling them and tossing them like so many toys. The wind whipped her hair into a frenzy, roaring into her ears, as the tornado didn’t slow down. It curled and climbed the mountain, vanishing over the horizon.

Max saw the destruction left behind, and could barely breath. But the wind still didn’t stop. Her eyes were directed back out over the water, and she saw another tornado.

And another. 

And ANOTHER.

More tornados, more storms, materializing from beyond the horizon, deep over the Pacific Ocean. The moved steadily towards land; not towards Arcadia Bay, but up and down the expansive west coast of the United States.

Max shuddered, and was aware that this scene was playing out up and down the side of the country, though she knew there was no possible way she could know that from her vantage  next to the lighthouse. She just knew that it was happening. She knew she should run, find shelter, get someplace safe... but she also knew that she couldn’t. No place would be safe, not from this. 

Behold. The beginning of the end. 

A voice resonated in her head. It was neither a man’s, nor a woman’s. It wasn’t deep, or loud, but she heard it over the wind all the same. It was flat, and almost indescribable.

But if Max had to describe it, she would have used the word ‘divine’.

As it was foretold, so it shall be. 

It thinks that, because the first ones are gone, there is nothing to stop it.

So you must.

All of you must.

The weather slowly cleared, the storms vanishing into dust and smoke, as a bright light slowly materialized in front of the cliff.

And that was when Max realized she wasn’t the only one standing there.

She couldn’t move her head, or avert her gaze, no matter how hard she tried. Her eyes were locked firmly on the bright light. But she felt the people standing near her. She didn’t know how many, but just like she knew of the storms she couldn’t see, she knew there were people next to her on the cliff.

Who were they?

She had to look, had to see... but the light wouldn’t let her. She was frozen, eyes fixed on the light, unable to look away.

You are the only hope to stop this.

The first ones are gone, and so the responsibility now falls to the new ones who call this place ‘home’. All of you, my chosen scions, must come together, in this dark hour, to light the beacon that saves them all.

The light moved, quickly and deliberately, to a point at Max’s left. But Max was still staring off, now looking at the devastation the tornado had left behind.

The Adept.

What the hell? It wasn’t speaking to all of them anymore, Max could tell. Now it like she was hearing a conversation between two other people.

The Giver.

Who was it talking to?

The Manipulator.

And what the hell was it talking about?

The Seeker.

The light was getting brighter now. It was moving back towards Max. She could see it now, out of the corner of her eye, just out of view to her left.

The Unbreakable.

The light was now in front of Max, and she could feel it looking at her. More that that; she could feel it staring through her eyes, deep into her soul.

The Traveler.

The Traveler? What the hell did that mean?

All of your efforts are intertwined, like strands in the spider’s web. If one falls, all else will follow.

Now the light was back in front of them, and was getting brighter.

To fail means death. The young, and the old. The innocent, and the guilty. The saved, and the damned.

Brighter and brighter, the light was starting to consume everything Max could see.

None are safe from what is coming.

Finally, as the light encompassed everything, Max felt as if she could move a little bit. But now everything was going dark, and she got the briefest, barest of glimpses of the others on the cliff.

And she could have sworn, standing next to her, was a flash of blue hair.

But it vanished, and she was left with parting words.

Only you can ensure they make the right choices, Traveler.

Chose wisely.

Max shot upright in bed, gasping for breath.

“Shit,” she said softly, clutching her chest. She glanced at her alarm clock; a little past midnight, September 1^st, 2017. She groaned, looking at all of her boxes in the corner of her room; all the stuff she was going to be taking with her to Blackwell.

The plan was for her and her parents to start driving at six in the morning, which meant she was going to be getting up in five hours. And it was going to take a while for her to fall back asleep, after a crazy dream like that. Max grabbed for the water bottle she kept next to her bed and fumbled to open it, taking a long drink.

That was insane, Max thought as she lay back down. That was so vivid... I haven’t been to that lighthouse since I was a kid. That was so weird. And disconcerting.

And what exactly makes me a traveler? Max allowed herself a moment of bemusement. I’ve only ever been two places in my life; Seattle and Arcadia Bay. Eighteen years, and I’ve never left a two-hundred-mile circle. Some traveler I am.

Then she groaned again. Gotta go back to sleep, she thought as she put her head back on the pillow. But she couldn’t get comfortable. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop her thoughts from going back to the dream from the lighthouse.

She didn’t get it. She’d dreamed about Arcadia Bay before, after she’d left. The places she’d been... the friend she’d left behind... none of those dreams bothered her that much.

What was the big deal about this one? Why was this dream so different?

She moaned and threw the covers over her head. It’s going to be a really long day.

Chapter Text

Max woke to her alarm, blinking her way to wakefulness. She stretched her hand out, fumbling, until she found her clock and managed to slap the snooze button.

She sighed, letting her hand fall. She didn’t want to get up. She REALLY didn’t want to get up.

After three weeks at Blackwell, her classes were starting to exhaust her. Hell, she hadn’t even met everyone else in her dorm yet. She knew the school’s reputation for academic excellence, but she hadn’t put it together with their rigorous studies and homework schedule. It was starting to wear on her nerves. And her sleep schedule; she had been up until almost four o’clock in the morning, working an an English paper.

Sink or swim, I guess. Max let her eyes close for a second, imagining that she didn’t have any classes at all, she could sleep as late as she wanted.

She hadn’t dreamed about the light and the cliff since her last night in Seattle. She also hadn’t been by the lighthouse yet. But she still thought about it, when her mind wandered. Especially on the names.

Adept, Giver, Manipulator, Seeker, Unbreakable... Traveler? Still can’t figure than one out. Max grinned. Maybe I’m supposed to travel the world? That would be cool. Love to see the galleries in New York. Or San Francisco...

She spent a few minutes thinking of her pictures on a wall at an art gallery in a big city and smiled. Then her alarm went off again. “Urgh!” she grunted, throwing her covers over her head, trying to will the world away as she spent a few minutes ignoring it.

Until the pounding at her door started.

“HIPSTER! TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING ALARM CLOCK!”

Oh, good. Victoria Chase has awakened from her beauty sleep. Max immediately grabbed her clock and hit the button to silence the alarm.

“About goddamn time...” Victoria went on, but she got quieter, and her footsteps left as the door to her room closed. Max breathed a sigh of relief; she’d only been here for a week, but Victoria seemed to totally have it out for her.

She had no idea why. Max had been polite when they’d first met, as she moved in, but Victoria seemed to take one look at her and sneer in derision, like Max was too far down on the social ladder to acknowledge. The past week had mostly been barbed insults and passive-aggressive comments that she “wasn’t supposed to overhear”. 

The last thing she needed to do was give her more ammo.

“Of all the people to room across from, why did it have to be her?” Max muttered as she threw her covers off and sat up.

She stretched, feeling her shoulder pop as she stood and made her way to her closet, grabbing her toiletries. She had started showering at night, to avoid the morning rush and sleep in a little bit. But she still only had about forty-five minutes to make herself feel human and get to her first class, which was barely enough time to be sad about skipping breakfast.

Making her way down the hall, she turned sideways to avoid running into Juliet Watson as she ducked around the corner. “’Scuse me!” the reporter called back over her shoulder, cackling about something.

Dana Ward materialized in front of Max a second later, wrapped in a towel, still wet from the shower. Her face was full of anger, though not directed at Max. “Have you seen Juliet!?” she asked, her eyes narrowed.

Max said nothing as she thumbed over her shoulder.

“Thanks!” Dana ran around her. “Jules! Give me back my shampoo, you scrawny little bitch!”

It’s like summer camp sometimes, swear to Dog. Max chuckled under her breath as she entered the bathroom and grabbed an empty sink. She nodded to Brooke as the asian girl brushed her teeth, but she made no attempt to acknowledge Max in return. Brooke, as Max had learned, had mastered the art of staying up all night and refusing to deal with humanity all day.

She was relatively uninterrupted while she brushed her teeth and flossed, save Dana coming back in holding her reclaimed shampoo bottle. She made her way right back into a running shower like nothing was amiss. 

Bet she keeps it further away from the shower curtain this time. Max shook her head as she rinsed her mouth, finally turning the tap off and drying her face. She quickly ran a comb through her hair to make it slightly less rats-nest and more somewhat-presentable. Good enough.

“Hey Max.”

Max turned around and smiled. “Morning, Kate. Ready for class?”

The religious girl took the sink next to Max and turned the water on, running her toothbrush under the tap. “Not really,” she replied as she shook her head. “Have you made any progress on the paper?”

“Ugh.” Max hung her head. “Not enough. I was up way too late working on it.” She glanced back at Kate as she brushed her teeth. “What kind of psychopath assigns a twelve-page paper in the first month of class?”

Kate chuckled and mumbled around her toothbrush.

“Yea, right?” Max grinned.

Kate spit in the sink. “I said, welcome to Blackwell.” She shrugged. “At least it’s Friday. We’ve got the whole weekend to work on it.”

“Oh, good, exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday and Sunday.” Max sighed. “I’m gonna go get dressed. Talk to you later, Kate.”

“You too!” Kate called out as Max left the bathroom.

Back in her room, she threw on her usual clothes; jeans, graphic t-shirt, sneakers, and grey hoodie. She grabbed her messenger bag from the couch, feeling the weight of her books for first period inside. History. Blegh.

The last thing she grabbed was her cell phone, glancing at the screen once again.

I really need to call her. Or text. Or something. Max’s gut tightened. Damn it, Max. You’ve been here for three weeks already. You need to sack up and get in touch with her.

How the hell was she supposed to explain the last five years of no contact? She knew she was going to have to at some point. If nothing else, she would talk to Joyce eventually; she was NOT going to avoid the Two Whales, not if she wanted her waffle fix.

But she had no idea what to say. So she did what she’d been doing for the past five years; tucked her phone into her pocket and thought to herself, I’ll figure it out later. She stepped out of her dorm room and locked it behind her, turning to walk down the hall.

The door net to the exit opened just as she was about to leave. “Morning, Max!” the girl on the other side said, smiling enthusiastically. 

Max smiled back. “Morning, Rachel.”

“Ready to face the day?” Rachel Amber beamed as she stood next to her, dressed in her usual ensemble; flannel shirt and jeans, brown messenger bag over her shoulder, and blue feather earring.

“No.” Max rubbed her face, the lack of sleep still sitting on her shoulders. “And I don’t know how you are. It is way too early for you to be so cheerful.” 

“Here. Take this.” Rachel handed Max a to-go cup from Starbucks. “Better living through caffeine.” 

“Oh, you sweet nectar of the gods.” Max snagged the cup and had it almost to her lips before she paused. “This... isn’t yours, is it?" 

“I drank mine already. I figured you’d need one.” Rachel grinned, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Low-fat soy milk, splash of vanilla, right?”

“I promise to write a letter recommending you for sainthood.” Max sipped the beverage, feeling the tingles of caffeine waking her system. “Wowsers, that’s good.”

Rachel giggled. “You Seattle hipsters say weird stuff.”

“Like ‘hella’?” Max replied, arching an eyebrow.

“There is most certainly nothing wrong with the word ‘hella’.” Rachel reached behind her and closed her door. “Ready for History class?”

“Not especially.” Max shrugged. “But whatever. Let’s go learn some facts about a bunch of dead guys and their no-longer-relevant empire.”

“It’s the Roman Empire, hipster. And we wouldn’t be here without it.” Rachel shook her head as they walked outside.

“I guess that’s true. If nothing else, we would have different names for all of our planets.”

They laughed and chatted their way to the main campus. Rachel was one of the few friends Max had actually managed to make, mostly because Rachel had intervened while Victoria was dressing down Max about her “horrific fashion taste”. Rachel had snuck up on her and said something about her shoes being two seasons behind. Max had no idea what that actually meant, but watching Victoria’s face turn red and seeing her speechless was amazing.

The two of them had wound up talking about their mutual love of photography, and were quickly becoming good friends since then.

They split up just before the first class. History was just as boring and depressing as Max remembered from the day before; she spent an hour scribbling notes, trying to keep up with the names and dates. “Why did so many parents decide to name their child ‘Julius’?” she asked Rachel in the hall after the bell rang.

“Something to do with the name ‘Jupiter’, I think.” Rachel shrugged. “Or maybe it was the trendy name at the time. We haven’t covered those theories in the AP class, I’m afraid.”

“Whatever the reason, I can’t keep them all straight. Don’t know how all you smart kids do it.” Max shouldered her bag, and the two of them walked out of the classroom. “I swear to Dog, every one of these lessons is like a Game of Thrones book. Too many characters for me to remember, and everyone keeps killing each other.”

“And just think, you haven’t even gotten to the good part of the Roman Empire.” Rachel grinned. “Wait until you get to Caesar, and how Brutus totally goes all Littlefinger on him and-” 

Too fast to follow, Rachel’s foot slipped on the floor, and she yelped as she struggled for traction. She lost the fight, and her legs shot up as she fell, her head making a sickening crack as it hit the floor and her eyes rolled back in her head.

Chapter Text

“Rachel!” Max instinctively reached out-

And her whole world twisted around.

Max could only look in fascinated horror as Rachel’s eyes flew back open, and she appeared to do a ninja maneuver to regain her footing. Before she knew it, they were walking backwards while talking.

“-dna mih no regnifelttiL lla seog yllatot suturB woh dna ,raseaC ot teg uoy litnu taiW” Rachel said with a grin as the two of them walked backwards. More gibberish poured out of her mouth as they wound up back on the other end of the hallway, when Max finally shook her head and forced her hand down.

“Something to do with the name ‘Jupiter’, I think.” Rachel shrugged. She took a step and paused, frowning as she looked back at Max. “You coming?" 

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT. 

“Uh... yea. Sorry.” Max swallowed, hard, as she shouldered her bag. “Um. Just... you know. Like Game of Thrones episodes, I swear. Lot of names to remember, know what I mean?”

“Just think, you haven’t even gotten to the good part of the Roman Empire.” Rachel grinned as they walked.

Ok. That was just a brain freeze. That wasn’t real. You’re not losing your mind.

“Wait until you get to Caesar,” Rachel continued, oblivious to the rest of the hallway. “And how Brutus totally goes all Littlefinger on him and-”

Rachel slipped on the same patch of floor. Her foot started to go up as Max’s hand shot out again.

And again, her world turned murky as Rachel’s feet slammed back onto the floor and they were walking backwards again, talking backwards, unintelligible gibberish.

This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. Max forced her hand down again.

“-the good part of the Roman Empire. Wait until you get to Caesar, and how Brutus totally goes all Littlefinger on him and-”

Rachel slipped.

Max put her hand out.

Rachel landed on her feet like a cat and they walked backwards.

I’m doing this. How the fuck am I doing this?

Max put her hand down.

“-until you get to Caesar, and how Brutus totally goes all Littlefinger-" 

“Rachel, look out.” Max put her hand on the back of Rachel’s arm and pulled her to the side. “The floor’s wet.”

Rachel glanced and saw the shine on the floor. “Ooh, wouldn’t want to eat it on that.” Rachel chuckled as the walked around. “Anyway, when Brutus totally goes all Littlefinger on Caesar, and it’s like Ned Stark but with so much more blood. And a lot less incest, of course.”

“Yea.” Max glanced behind her, noticing Samuel, the janitor, walk behind them and place a CAUTION: WET FLOOR sign on the ground where she’d watch Rachel slip three times. “That sounds cool.”

“I mean, it’s not totally devoid of incest, because it is the Roman empire. But it’s... are you okay?” Max looked back at Rachel, who had a concerned look on her face. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine,” Max lied. “Just need to... use the bathroom. See you in Chem!” she added as she ducked away from Rachel, into the girl’s room.

Checking to make sure she was the only one in there, she ran the sink and splashed some water on her face, trying very hard not to hyperventilate. 

That just happened. 

Max took a deep breath.

But how? I... did that? DID I do that?

She glanced at the water running from the tap and turned it off. 

One way to find out.

She raised her hand.

Max wasn’t quite sure what happened, exactly. She didn’t say any magic words, or tug some inner muscle. She just raised her hand, and the water from the tap started flowing upwards, out of the drain back into the pipes.

She jerked her hand back, and the water started flowing normally.

What the shit?

Max quickly turned the tap off, and raised her hand again. Same result; the world went murky, and the water started flowing upwards out of the drain. 

Okay, Max thought as she turned the tap off again. This is real. This is happening. I’m rewinding time. I’m a...

Holy shit.  

I’m The Traveler.

I'm a fucking TIME Traveler.

Fuck fuck FUCK-

The door opened, interrupting Max’s mental freak-out. “Oh, look, it’s the Hipster of Blackwell,” Victoria shot as she strutted inside. “Move over, Trashfield, I need to touch up my makeup.”

“Uh, yea.” Max moved over.

“Uh, yea,” Victoria repeated in a mocking tone. “Christ, you’re still here, you piece of Seattle garbage. Isn’t there someplace else you can steal oxygen from?”

Max thought for a second and raised her hand. Victoria did the same thing Rachel had; backwards gibberish came out of her mouth, then she reverse-strutted out of the bathroom.

Right. Okay. Max dropped her hand and waited a second.

Victoria opened the door and strutted back inside. “Oh, look, it’s the Hipster of Blackwell. Move over, Trashfield, I need to touch up my makeup.”

Know what? Fuck it. I’m tired of her attitude.

She raised her hand again. 

This time she was ready when Victoria walked inside. “Oh, look, it’s-”

“The Hipster of Blackwell, I know. Get some new material, Victoria.” Max tried not to look too satisfied as Victoria did the briefest of double takes as Max brushed past her out into the hallway. She paused, halfway out the door. “By the way, your makeup looks like shit.” 

She felt Victoria spin around, but Max had already thrown the door closed behind her.

Damn. After taking her shit for three weeks, that felt good. Max felt a pang of guilt. I don’t know if that was necessary, though. I don’t want to be an asshole. Even if I don’t like her very much.

Sighing, Max raised her hand again.

A few seconds later, she was back in the bathroom when Victoria came in. “Oh, look, it’s the Hipster of Blackwell,” she started.

“Hi, Victoria.” Max forced a smile. “How’s your day going?” 

Victoria seemed taken aback. “Uh, okay?”

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask, what kind of makeup do you wear?” Max brushed her face. “It always looks really good, and I don’t really have much, so I was going to try and get some for my birthday.”

Victoria gave her a side-of-the-eyes glance. “It’s Marcus Kline. And you probably can’t afford it.”

“Well, my parents can.” Max shrugged. “Anyway, seeya later, Victoria. And thanks.”

Max walked out, past a semi-speechless Victoria.

Well, that went better, I think. Max shrugged as she went to her next class. And I guess, for now, I’m gonna gloss over this whole rewinding-time thing.

Chemistry wasn’t much better than history, but at least Professor Grant made it more interesting. Max took more notes, writing down different formulas while she watched the teacher put different chemicals in water to observe their reactions.

Max only used her rewind powers to watch the potassium explode twice.

“That was pretty cool,” Rachel agreed after class. “I need to introduce you to my friend, she lives for all this chemistry stuff.” 

“Really? Like a Walter White level of obsession?” Max asked.

“Well, I wouldn’t put it past her, but mostly she just smokes pot, draws, and listens to rock music.” Rachel smirked and shook her head. “Hey, have you eaten yet?”

“No. Do you want to go to the cafeteria?” 

“Our next class isn’t until this afternoon. How about we catch the bus and head out?” Rachel checked her phone. “We’ve still got a while before the afternoon classes, lets get some real food. And I can introduce you to her, she works there as a waitress.”

Max smiled. “Sounds good to me,” she replied.

Walking outside, they caught the neighborhood bus just in time. Max glanced out the window as it drove, admiring the beach scenery.

“I did miss this view when I was in Seattle.” Max pulled her instant camera from her bag and raised it, taking a picture out the window.

“No beaches up north?” Rachel asked next to her.

“Not like this. Too much rain, too close to the big city. It’s not the same.” Max took the picture and waved it around. “So, are we going to that pizza place?” 

“Mm-mm, they don’t open until dinner.” Rachel elbowed her and nodded out the window. “There, the Two Whales. You ever eat here when you were little?”

Max froze as she looked at the familiar sign. “Uh... yea. Been a while.”

“Well, lets not wait any more. Come on.” Rachel grabbed her arm and pulled Max from her seat. “I am DYING for one of those burgers.” 

Max allowed herself to be pulled out of the bus. Oh, man. I hope Joyce isn’t working... I’m not ready to explain why it’s been five years since I spoke to her or Chloe.

They walked inside, and Max looked around. She didn’t recognize the waitresses working. Oh, thank Dog. I don’t have to do this yet. 

Rachel walked her to a far booth. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked as they sat down.

“I’m fine.” Max glanced around, not relaxing very much. "I'm okay."

“No, you’re not.” Rachel narrowed her eyes. “You’re pale. I can tell you’re nervous, and you haven’t stop shaking since we got off the bus. What’s wrong with you?”

“I, uh...” Max swallowed. “I know one of the waitresses who works here.”

“You do?” Rachel arched her eyebrows. 

“Yea. I used to be best friends with her daughter.” Max scratched the back of her neck. “I, uh, haven’t spoken to her in years. Since I left.”

“Why not?” 

“I honestly don’t know.” Max shrugged. “At first it was just stuff... then it had just been so long, and after a while I had no idea what to say, or how to apologize. I left right after her father died, and I, just...” Max trailed off. “I’m just a shitty person.” 

Rachel got quiet. “Uh, maybe we should go.”

“Why?” Max looked up. “I thought you wanted a burger.”

“I do. But I know who you’re talking about, and she-”

“Rache!” A voice called out behind her.

Rachel froze, then glanced over Max’s shoulder. 

I know that voice. Max’s chest got tight, and she clutched her hands into fists as she looked down at them.

“Hey, Chloe.” Rachel called out weakly.

Rachel knows Chloe? Max thought back to what Rachel said, about her friend. Loved chemistry, drew, listened to rock music. Oh, crap. Chloe works here? Chloe works at the Two Whales?!

Max was so not ready for this.

“Hey, sista, I thought I saw you walk in here. You pop in for lunch?”  Max watched her walk around to the side of their table. “And who’s your frieeeeeeeee...” the voice tapered off. 

Max looked up-and froze, not believing what she was seeing. 

Chloe’s face hadn’t changed, her eyes wide in shock as she saw Max. Her tattoo was new, twisting down her arm, and she was tall. Way taller than she remembered. With her beanie and her apron, she looked like she’d be right at home working at a Starbucks in Seattle.

But it was her blue hair that made her freeze. Her short, cropped blue hair, sticking out from beneath the beanie, with hints of pink and purple mixed in.

I’ve seen that before. Max flashed back to her dream.

Is she The Unbreakable?

Chapter Text

Chloe’s eyes were wide with surprise. Then her face ran a gambit of emotions. Confusion... hurt... anger. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she spat.

“Chloe!” Rachel exclaimed. The blue-haired girl ignored her, instead leaning over and putting her hands on the table as she leaned in closer.

Max fidgeted with her hands. “I came to see you.”

“Really? You came back for me?” Chloe glared. “You sure you didn’t come back for Blackwell? I know you’ve been back for almost a month now.”

“I’m sorry,” Max whispered, looking her in the eye.

“Sorry? For what?” Chloe growled. “For ditching me? Not talking to me for five years? Ignoring me after my dad died? Be more specific.”

“All of it,” Max replied in a low voice.

“Well, too little too late.” Chloe stood back up and pulled a notepad out of her apron, taking a pen from behind her ear. “Now, what the fuck do you want to eat?”

“Chloe, come on.” Rachel grabbed her arm. “It’s not-” 

“Why did you even bring her here?” Chloe looked at Rachel.

“Because we were hungry. And I know she wanted to see you.” Rachel glanced back at Max. “She was just saying that she felt really bad for not getting in touch sooner, and she wanted to come see you today.”

Max glanced at Rachel. Is she covering for me?

“Yea? That’s thoughtful. Very nice of her.” Chloe scribbled some stuff on her notepad. “I’ll put in an order for your burger and her waffles. I know that’s why she’s really here. You guys can eat, then she can get out.” With that, Chloe spun on her heels and stalked off.

Max looked back at Rachel. “Um...”

Rachel sighed. “I guess that went as well as could be expected.” She smiled. “Relax, she’ll come back around.”

“I, uh, don’t think so, Rachel.” Max put her head down on the table. “I fucked up pretty bad.”

Rachel leaned back. “She talked about you, you know.”

Max looked up. “She did?”

“She never mentioned your name, obviously. Otherwise, we would have done a better job of reconnecting than this.” Rachel shrugged. “Talk about a small world, right? But she mentioned her old friend that left for Seattle. All the time.” She smiled. “She did miss you. Like, a lot.”

“Yea, I could tell.” Max scratched the back of her neck again. “I don’t think she-”

“MAX!”

She had barely turned when the woman wrapped her up in a big hug, almost pulling her out of the booth. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Hi, Joyce.” Max mumbled into her chest as she returned the hug. “I missed you.”

Joyce let her go, a big smile still on her face. “Kiddo, it is so amazing to see you again,” she drawled in her southern accent. “I thought Chloe was kidding when she said you were out here." 

“Yea.” Max dropped her gaze.

“Oh, Max.” Joyce squeezed her shoulder. “Chloe will be okay. I know she seems mad. She just needs a little time to adjust to you being back, that’s all. You two kids will be best friends again before you know it.”

“I hope so, Joyce.” Max gave her a weak smile.

“I’ll be FINE, Max. I promise.” Joyce turned to Rachel. “Sorry, honey, didn’t mean to ignore you. How’re you doing?”

“I’m good, Joyce, thanks.” Rachel smiled. “Is Chloe getting off work soon?”

“I’ll make sure of it.” Joyce winked as she walked off.

Max sat back down. “At least that went well.” She glanced back at Rachel. “You, uh, don’t think Chloe will spit in my waffles, do you?”

Rachel shrugged. “If she does, I would just roll with it.”

Quick footsteps sounded behind them as Chloe came up, slamming a couple of mugs down in front of them. “Here’s your coffee,” she muttered, not looking at Max as she poured.

“Chloe.” Max tried to make eye contact, but the girl refused to look at her. “Chloe, please. I am really sorry for everything.”

Chloe’s eye flickered, but she tried to ignore her.

Rachel grabbed her arm. “Come on, Chloe. Sit for a minute.”

Chloe grudgingly allowed herself to be pulled into the booth, across from Max. She kept her eyes on the table. Neither of them spoke for a minute.

“So...” Max started, not really sure what to say. “How are you?”

“Peachy.” Chloe replied curtly.

Max tried another approach. “How long have you been working at the Two Whales?”

Chloe didn’t reply until Rachel nudged her. “A few weeks,” she answered.

“She’s trying to save money to get her GED,” Rachel added. Chloe shot her a glare. “Hey, if you’re not gonna answer, I will.”

“...bitch.” Chloe grunted.

“You know it.” Rachel grinned and leaned back.

Chloe sighed and went back to examining her fingers. “How was Seattle?” she blurted out.

“It, uh, sucked.” Max paused. “I missed you.”

“Got a funny way of showing it.” Chloe finally glanced at her face. “No calls, texts, nothing?”

Max sighed. “I know, Chloe. I’m... a shitty person, and I’m really sorry.” Max picked at her nails. “I just didn’t know how to face you when I got back.”

Chloe was silent for a minute. “I missed you too,” she finally admitted. Max relaxed for a minute. “I, uh, really could’ve used you, Maximus.”

Back on the nicknames. Making progress, I guess. “Well, you look good,” she said as she took a sip of her coffee. “I like the hair. And the tattoo.”

Chloe twisted a stand around. “Something different, ya know?”

“It looks good.” Max smiled. “I like it.”

It really does look just like it did in my dream. Max frowned internally as she thought back. Then she squashed it. Seriously. One dream, a couple of weeks ago. Let it go.

“Thanks.” Chloe actually let out a small smile.

“Order up!” someone called from the back.

“Shit, that’s probably your guy’s food.” Chloe got up and grabbed the plates off the counter. She came back, depositing them on the table. “Chow down. I gotta do my actual job now.”

Rachel grinned Chloe walked off. “See? Progress.”

Max opened a bottle of syrup and poured it all over her waffles. “I guess it is progress, though I’m not sure how much.”

They ate quickly, making small talk. Max practically inhaled the waffles. “These taste even better than I remember,” she commented as she ate the last bite.

“Don’t think anyone’s ever had bad food at this place.” Rachel popped the last of her fries in her mouth, then checked her watch. “We gotta get going, the bus will be back in five minutes.”

They got up, and Max opened her wallet. “Don’t worry about it,” Rachel said as she dropped a couple of bills on the table.

“I can pay for myself, Rachel.” Max pouted.

“Eh, you got to reconnect with Chloe. My treat.” Rachel grinned. “Come on.”

Chloe intercepted them at the door. “You guys heading back?”

“Yea. Photography class this afternoon.”

“Bummer.” Chloe paused. “Do you guys, uh, want to hang out when your class is over?”

“Yes.” Max replied before Rachel could say anything.

Chloe smirked. “Cool. I’ll see you guys in the parking lot then.” She gestured to her truck outside.

“Wait. That’s your truck?” Max gaped. “I thought someone was selling a junker." 

“Excuse me!” Chloe looked indignant. “I fixed that truck myself. It has character. And history.”

“Are those the names you gave the rust patches on the sides?” Max asked, peering out the window.

“Very clever, Maxi-Pad.” Chloe shook her head. “I can see your sense of humor is still the same.”

“Come on, Max, we need to go.” Rachel pulled Max out the door. “See you after class, Chloe!”

They barely made the bus in time to get on. “Hey, uh, thanks for helping with Chloe.” Max said as she leaned her head back on the seat.

“Well, you looked like you could use a hand, so I gave one.” Rachel patted Max’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine. You and I both know she doesn’t stay mad for long.”

“It’s been five years,” Max pointed out.

“I know. That’s why it took a few minutes.”

The photography class was one of the longest Max had ever sat through. Mr. Jefferson droned on and on, and all Max wanted to do was leave. Her and Rachel both, she was pretty sure, given how often she saw Rachel check the time on her phone.

Unlike history and chemistry, and actually enjoyed her photography lessons, and was already well studied. And to study under Mark Jefferson, one of the most accomplished photographers on the west coast, was a dream come true for her. Max was usually one of his more attentive students, rivaling only Victoria, but today she was too distracted by thought of seeing Chloe that afternoon.

“Max!” She jerked her head up and saw Mr. Jefferson looking at her. “Since you’re so bored, perhaps you can tell us the name of the process that gave birth to the first self-portraits?”

“Um, yea. The Daguerreian Process,” Max answered.

Jefferson paused. “Yes, actually. Very good.” He turned away, and Rachel shot her a smug grin. Victoria just glared before she turned back to the lesson. “Now, the Dagu-”

Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Max had never been so happy to hear the bell in her life, and she shoveled her books into her bag while Jefferson yelled out the night’s homework.

Her and Rachel practically ran out the door to the parking lot. “There she is!” Max yelled, jumping up and waving.

Chloe was back in her street clothes, sitting on the hood of her truck. Boots, ripped jeans, black jacket... her style really has changed, Max reflected as she took her in.

“’Sup, kids,” Chloe said with a grin. “How was school?”

“It was great, mom.” Rachel rolled her eyes as she threw her bag in the bed of the truck.

Max ran up and paused. “Hey, Chloe,” she greeted, suddenly unsure if Chloe wanted to even see her.

Chloe looked at her and got down off the truck. “Ah, hell,” she sighed as she came forward and wrapped Max in a hug.

That was the catalyst, and Max hugged her back, tears springing to her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, sniffling.

“Yea, yea.” Chloe hugged her tighter. “Stop crying, you’re gonna make me blush.”

The truck horn honked behind them. Max looked past Chloe and saw Rachel sitting in the cab, hand on the wheel. “Hurry up!” Rachel yelled from the cab.

“Fuck off! We’re having a moment!” Chloe yelled back as Max laughed into her jacket.

“Come on, before she gets bored.” Max let go of Chloe and climbed into the passenger side of the car, closing the door. “Uh, where are the seat belts?”

“Oh, yea, that one’s broken.” Chloe pulled her own across her chest and started the truck. “Relax, it’s not that far.”

“Where are we-oof!” Max braced herself against her door as Chloe backed out of the space, peeling out of the lot with a laugh. “Chloe!”

“Relax, Maximus Prime.” Chloe chuckled as she took a turn a little too hard. “And we’re going to our favorite hidey-hole.”

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at their destination. “Some hidey-hole,” Max commented dryly. “Why are we at the junkyard?”

“This is where we hang out, to get away from our parents and the school,” Rachel explained as she climbed out after Chloe. “Also, you know, to smoke pot and drink booze without anybody giving us shit.”

“Yea, this is the one place that step-dick never thinks to look for me.” Chloe smirked as she kicked a can on the ground. “We never hung out here, did we, Max?”

“No, I’m pretty sure our parents didn’t allow us to come here when we were kids.” Max glanced at the ground, stepping over the used needles. “Ugh, gross.”

“Yea, well, we’re all grown up now.” Chloe replied with a smile. “Which means we can do whatever the fuck we wanna do.”

“Pretty sure that attitude is what got you kicked out of Blackwell,” Rachel pointed out.

“Eh. Fuck Wells, and his shitty fucking school.” Chloe reached over and picked up a baseball bat. Hefting it in her hands, she took a swing at a nearby car and knocked the side mirror clean off. “Home run!”

“Good swing, Jeter.” Max smirked.

“Hey, let’s see you do better.” Chloe tossed her the bat, which Max caught despite her surprise. “Come on, get some!”

What the hell. Max looked around for something to hit and noticed a beer bottle, sitting upright on top of an old wooden dressed. Winding up, she swung as hard as she could.

The bottle didn’t shatter. Instead, it flew off, missing an upright stop sign by a few feet.

“Booo.” Chloe laughed. “That was weak, Max.”

“Yea, it was.” Max frowned, and looked down at her hand.

Eh, fuck it.

She lifted her hand, and time flowed backwards again. The bottle flew back out of the distance and landed upright on the dresser as Max put her hand back down.

Her second swing wasn’t much better. The bottle missed by even more as it sailed off into the woods.

“Booo.” Chloe laughed. “That was weak, Max.”

Hand up. Rewind. Hand Down.

The third swing was not the charm. She swung too hard, and the bottle shattered. “Not bad,” Chloe smirked.

Hand up. Rewind. Hand down.

The fourth swing was finally the key. The bottle sailed off and hit the stop sign, smashing into dozens of little pieces. “Niiiiiice!” Chloe cheered.

“Ok, gimme. My turn.” Rachel took the bat from Max, turned around, and swung it overhead, bringing it down onto the car windshield. The impact formed a huge crack down the middle, but it held. It took two more swings to break in the glass, with Chloe’s encouragement.

For the next hour, they meandered around the junkyard, talking as they smashed stuff with the baseball bat. When they were tired of breaking stuff, they made their way back to the entrance.

Or Rachel and Max were. Chloe ran off, yelling something about being the captain. “She really hasn’t changed a bit,” Max commented. “You guys really went and got your tattoos together?”

“Yea.” Rachel had shown Max the dragon on her leg earlier. “I thought my dad was going to have a stroke when he saw it. You should have seen Joyce, though, when Chloe busted into their house with hers. That poor woman was about to faint.”

“What about her step-dad?” Max asked, chuckling.

“Eh, David doesn’t really seem to care what Chloe does, as long as she does what he tells her.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “He didn’t freak out, so much as let her know she was going to have a hard enough time going anywhere as a dropout, never mind one with a full sleeve tattoo."

“What a dick... although, I mean, at least you can hide yours.” Max shrugged. “Chloe’s gonna have a hard time with hers, unless she learns to love long sleeves.”

“Fuck that, you don’t get tattoos to hide them. You get tattoos to show them off.” Rachel tossed her hair back. “I’m definitely getting my arm done next, I just don’t know what yet.” She gave Max a glance. “You ever thought about it?”

“I, uh, don’t know if I’ll ever be up for that.” Max shrugged. “I’ve heard they hurt like hell.”

“Oh, yea, totally.” Rachel shrugged back. “But they look awesome when they’re done. What’s a few hours of pain?”

“Um, I’m sorry.” Max’s eyes got wide. “Did you say hours?”

“Hmm. Maybe you should start small.”

“AVAST!” Rachel and Max both jumped at the sudden noise. They looked up to see Chloe standing on top of an old boat on a trailer, grinning like an idiot. “There be two slimy barnacles off my port bow! Man the cannons!”

“We’re on your starboard side, dope,” Rachel replied. “Port is the boat’s left.”

“How dare ye question your captain, you mangy rat!” Chloe jumped up on the nose of the boat, and the whole trailer shuddered. “I demand that ye walk the plank!”

“Chloe, we’re not getting up there to jump back down.” Max called. “That thing doesn’t look very stable.”

“Yea, Chloe, that boat’s about to fall apart,” Rachel agreed.

“Argh, a mutiny it is then, you scurvy dogs!” Chloe reached over and picked up a ratty stuffed animal, throwing it at them. They both ducked away from the rotten toy as it flew past them. “I demand ye both come face your captain and answer for your crimes!”

“Chloe, please get down from there,” Max pleaded, noting the lack of structural integrity on the boat. “That trailer is about to fall apart!”

“Your captain demands you walk the plank!” Chloe started jumping up and down on the nose of the boat. “Come on, you guys, quit being party poopers and-“

As she landed her last jump, something on the boat trailer snapped and the entire thing shifted. Chloe screamed as she fell over. Rachel and Max watched in horror as, with the supports gone, the entire boat slid off the trailer and rolled over onto the ground.

Chapter Text

“CHLOE!” Rachel screamed as she ran forward.

Fix this! I have to fix this! Max raised her hand in a panic, and the world started to rewind.

But something was wrong. Max felt herself hit a wall, right as the boat started to roll off the trailer. Her rewind released, and she watched in horror as the boat resumed it’s roll and landed on top of Chloe.

No! What the hell is wrong! Max tried again, but she hit the same wall right as the boat started it’s roll. She was released back into regular time, and she watched the boat roll over again.

This can’t be happening! I have to go back! Max tried a third time, but this time when she hit the wall, a spike of pain jammed its way between her eyes. She released time with a cry of pain, stumbling backwards as the boat fell for a third time.

“CHLOE!” Rachel screamed as she ran forward.

Max held one hand to her head as she raised her arm, but time didn’t move.

No! It has to work! It has to! I just got her back!

“MAX! HELP ME!” Rachel screamed as she shoved and slapped at the boat, trying to push it back over.

Max ran over and they both pushed against the side of the boat, but to no avail. They both grabbed the bottom and tried to lift it, but the hull was just too heavy. Max bent over to try and get underneath, but the space was too narrow to crawl through. “Chloe!” Max yelled, trying to see any movement.

Nothing. No response back.

Rachel pulled out her phone. “Shit! Max, I don’t have any reception!”

Max got back on her knees and pulled out her phone. “Fuck, neither do I! We need to go back into town and get some help!” Max stood back up. “Oh, no! Rachel, the truck keys!”

“Shit, shit, she had them in her pocket!” Rachel went back to beating on the hull of the boat. “CHLOE!”

They both heard a rustling inside the boat. “Chloe!” Max yelled as she pounded on the boat. “Chloe, are you okay!?”

Something slammed against the other side of the boat hull. Rachel and Max raced around and saw a door on the side of the boat, bouncing as Chloe started crawling out, gasping.

“CHLOE!” Max yelled as she ran forward, grabbing her arms.

“Oof.” Chloe winced. “Shit. Hand, please.”

Rachel and Max grabbed each of Chloe’s arms and pulled her out of the hull. Once she was free and standing in front of them, they both wrapped her up in one big hug.

“I thought you were dead!” Rachel let go and punched Chloe in her shoulder. “God damn it, Price! What the fuck! You couldn’t sound off, give us a yell, or anything?”

“Yea, I had the wind knocked out of me there for a minute.” Chloe rotated her arm.

“You’re not even scratched.” Max whispered as she looked her up and down. “I can’t believe it.”

Chloe checked herself out. Her jeans were ripped a little more, and she had a tear in her jacket, but other than some debris in her hair, she was perfectly fine.

“Damn, I am good.” Chloe chuckled as she checked her arms, squeezing them one at a time. “Look at me, I’m-”

“Unbreakable.” Max whispered, a shiver going down her spine. “You’re unbreakable.”

Chloe didn’t react at all like Max expected. She jerked her head around and stared. “Where did you hear that?” she asked in a shocked tone of voice.

“Uh...” Max didn’t know what to say. “It was... um...”

Chloe grabbed both of Max’s shoulders. “Max. Why did you call me that? Where did you hear that?”

“In a dream,” Max blurted out. Chloe released her shoulders, eyes wide.

“What kind of dream?” Rachel appeared next to Chloe, her own voice flat.

“It, uh, I was at the lighthouse.” Max tried to remember. “There were storms, um...”

“There was a light, too.” Rachel whispered.

Chloe and Max both turned to her. “It said it was the beginning of the end... and we could stop it,” Rachel added.

“You were there, too?” Chloe whispered.

“We all were.” Max said in sudden realization.

Without any warning, the spike of pain returned, pounding into Max’s temple like a sledgehammer. It was too much, too quickly, and Max collapsed before she could yell out.

But before her eyes blacked out, she watched Rachel and Chloe hit the ground, too.

She was back at the lighthouse, looking over the bay as the tornado tore through the town, destroying everything in it’s path. Just like the dream from three weeks ago, she couldn’t move or look away. It was as if she was being forced to watch the devastation.

Time is of the essence.

The light was back now, hovering in front of her eyes. But something was different. There was more definition to it, more details. Rather than just an indescribable white light, Max saw shapes and forms.

The amount of detail wasn’t much, but Max could swear she saw wings.

Your reunion is not by chance, but by fate.

Max was also very quickly getting tired of these clichés.

“Who are you?” Max asked... though it wasn’t with just her voice. She heard echoes, as if other people asked the question at the same time; Chloe and Rachel’s voices were joined with hers.

I am not important. You are important. I can only show the path; the six of you must be the ones to walk it, if you wish to save everyone.

Max’s eyes were directed back out to sea, at all the tornados forming behind the first one.

It’s power is growing stronger. For too many years, the first ones were able to hold it back. It knows they are gone now. And it is eager to taste the flesh of this world.

“What is it?” She/they asked with the Max/Chloe/Rachel voice.

It is the end.

“The end of what?”

Everything.

The wind around the lighthouse whipped into a higher frenzy as the tornado destroying the town seemed to shift. Rather than continue over the mountain, like it had the last time, it started moving towards the lighthouse, bearing down on the cliff Max was standing on.

The light shifted and flowed, and the wings-for they were most definitely wings, Max could see them now-fluttered as the light came closer. Max could see that it was rather small, the closer it came.

Not thinking, she held up her hand... but it wasn’t her hand. The arm that came up flowed like water; Max saw her hoodie, then Rachel’s flannel shirt, then Chloe’s tattoo, all at once. The light landed upon their hand, weighing almost nothing.

You must hurry.

“And do what?” Max/Chloe/Rachel asked.

Find the Seeker. Help her. She will have the answers you need.

“Who is the Seeker?” Again, they spoke with a discombobulated voice.

The light didn’t reply. It flapped its wings... almost like a butterfly’s, Max realized... and took off into the air, just as the tornado bore down on them.

Max’s vision faded, but she heard the voice again as her mind went dark.

Your gift is not without limits, Traveler.

Be careful.

Chapter Text

Max groaned as she slowly woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, grimacing as the sun hit her eyes. “Owwww...”

“Yea... right?” Chloe groaned next to her as the blue-haired girl pushed herself upright. She smacked her lips, making a face. “Ew. My mouth tastes like pennies.”

Rachel mumbled as she covered her eyes, rolling onto her side. “Please, both of you, shut up,” she muttered. “I feel like I’m working off the worst fucking hangover ever.”

“My head is fucking killing me.” Max rolled onto her back and slowly sat up.

“Ugh... here.” She glanced over and saw Rachel dig through her messenger bag, pulling out a bottle of pills. She popped the cap open and tipped a couple into her hand, swallowing them as she handed the bottle to Max.

“Thanks.” Max took a couple and passed it to Chloe, who tipped several into her hand and swallowed them all at once. “Gross, dude.”

“Shh. Headache.” Chloe rubbed her temples.

They sat silently for a minute. “So... do we want to talk about what just happened?” Rachel asked. “Shared dream, the whole town being destroyed, all that?”

“No.” Chloe held her head on her hands. “I want a cigarette. Or a joint. I SO need to get baked right now, so I can make sense of all of this.”

Rachel chuckled. “No pot, but I think...” she dug back into her bag and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “Here,” she said as she held it out to Chloe.

“Thanks.” Chloe pulled one out and took a lighter from her pocket. She lit up, taking a deep drag from the cigarette and exhaling the smoke slowly.

“Seriously, though.” Max winced as she worked a kink in her neck. “I’m not sure what’s happening. You two had the same dream I did a couple of weeks ago, right?”

“Lots of tornados, Arcadia Bay getting all fucked up, something about how we’re all gonna die, and a big ball of light telling me I’m unbreakable.” Chloe took another drag of her cigarette. “Sound familiar?”

“Everything except that last bit.” Rachel shrugged. “It called me The Giver.”

Max nodded. “I got called The Traveler, but same same.”

“So. The Giver, The Traveler, and The Unbreakable.” Chloe scoffed. “We could be, like, the worst metal band ever.”

“Chloe, this is serious.” Max frowned. “We’re all having the same dream. We all JUST passed out at the same time. And we just watched a boat roll on top of you, and you came out without a scratch on you.”

Chloe sat silently for a minute. “Fine. I’m an unbreakable motherfucker.” She put the cigarette to her lips and inhaled. “So what exactly are your superpowers? What exactly makes you, the girl who has literally been to Arcadia Bay and Seattle, a Traveler?”

“I, uh...” Max bit her bottom lip, chewing on it for a moment. “I think it’s because I can travel through time.”

Chloe stared at her in shock.

Then she started laughing her ass off. “Oh my god, Max!” she chortled. “You’re a fucking time traveler! What the fuck kind of answer is that?!”

“Chloe!” Max’s face turned red. “It’s not funny!”

“Sure! Maxi-Saurus Rex, the fucking Time Lord!” Chloe kept laughing. “That’s the funniest thing this week! And I watched Justin eat six hamburgers yesterday while he tried to do his algebra homework, stoned off his ass!”

Max didn’t say anything. She just held up her hand and listened to Chloe ramble backwards about her being a time traveler for a few seconds.

“Sure! Maxi-”

“Saurus Rex, the fucking Time Lord!” Max and Chloe said at the same time.

Chloe stopped laughing, her expression turning from amusement to surprise.

“Funniest thing this week, right?” Max asked, taking advantage of Chloe’s silence. “And yesterday, you watched Justin eat six hamburgers and do his algebra homework while he was stoned off his ass.” Max smirked. “I can only imagine how entertaining that was, since he can barely put two and two together while he’s sober.”

“How the fuck did you-” Chloe stopped. “No. No fucking way. You-”

“Cannot travel through time, that’s-” Chloe paused, eyes wide, as Max spoke every word she did in unison.

“Stop it!”

“Max, seriously!”

Chloe’s eyes were getting wide as Max was able to speak every sentence she did, at the same time and pace. Finally, she took a deep breath and blurted the most random sentence she could muster up.

“Four score and seven years ago, George Washington took a dump in the Hudson River!”

Chloe jerked herself back as Max spoke every word she did, in unison.

“Holy shit,” Chloe breathed, finally talking on her own. “You’re... you’re seriously... holy fucking shitballs.”

“Yea, that about sums it up.” Max took a deep breath and put a shaking hand to her head, trying to ignore the throbbing pain.

“Are you okay?” Rachel finally spoke up.

“I, uh, had to rewind a bunch of times to get all that right.” Max shook her head. “Just got a little light-headed, is all.”

“Do you need...” Rachel held up the bottle of aspirin.

“No, I’m good.” Max sighed and leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees and massaging her forehead with her fingers. “Or I will be, when I figure out what the hell is going on.” She glanced back at Rachel. “So, you’re The Giver?”

“Yea. Or so the light told me.” Rachel shrugged. “Not sure how giving is a superpower. Certainly not as cool as being immortal, or traveling through time. I mean, what the hell good does that do?”

Chloe shook her head and took a final puff of her cigarette, tossing away the filter. “How about you use your newfound powers and give me another one of those?” she asked, gesturing at the pack in Rachel's bag.

“Sure.” Rachel held out the pack and let Chloe snag another one.

“Thanks.” Chloe lit up and inhaled. “Christ. I... Nope. I don’t know what I want anymore.”

Rachel shrugged and glanced back at Max, then frowned. “What?” she asked as Max stared at her, eyes wide. “Do I have something on my face?”

“I didn’t know you smoked, is all,” Max answered.

“I don’t.” Rachel furrowed her brow, confused.

“So why do you have cigarettes?”

Rachel glanced down at the pack in her hands. “I, ah, think they’re an old pack of Chloe’s.”

“That’s not my brand,” Chloe replied, staring at the pack in Rachel’s hand. “I mean, they’re good enough, but...”

“Did you buy those?” Max asked.

“I think so?” Rachel glanced back up at Max. “I don’t remember where I got them.”

“What about the aspirin?” Chloe asked. “You never used to carry it before.”

“And how did you know I was going to want coffee this morning?” Max asked.

Rachel hesitated. “Um, I just figured you would need it. I mean, you’re always tired before class, so it made sense.”

“You’ve never brought me coffee before, and the first time you did was the morning after I was up all night working on homework.” Max cocked her head. “Why?”

“It just felt right.” Rachel shrugged hesitantly. “I just, you know, thought you could really use it that morning.”

“So, you gave her what she needed,” Chloe realized.

“I guess so?” Rachel still had a very confused look on her face.

“Dude, your superpower is being Santa Claus!” Chloe grinned. “That’s awesome!”

Rachel whacked Chloe’s knee. “Shut up! That is not a super power!”

“We’re like the new Avengers!” Chloe’s smile threatened to break her face. “Luke Cage, Doctor Who, and Kris Kringle!”

Now it was Max’s turn to shove her shoulder. “Chloe! Stop joking around!” Max scolded.

“We’re gonna solve SO MANY crimes!” Chloe paused and turned back to Rachel. “Wait, are you sure you don’t have any weed?”

Rachel crossed her arms and glared. “I’m almost one hundred percent certain that you do not need any pot right now.”

“Are you sure?” Chloe made her eyes big and leaned forward. “I could REALLY use some.”

Max grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. “Chloe. Stop. We need to talk about this and figure out what’s happening.”

Chloe pouted. “Fine,” she said as she leaned back and planted her hands on the ground behind her. “Then what do you want to do? Go see a psychic and have our dreams interpreted?”

“You heard what the light-thing said, right?” Max asked. “We need to find The Seeker.”

“That’s great. Who the fuck is that?” Chloe asked. “And what kind of superpower is being a Seeker? Like, the champion of the Hide and Seek Olympics? Would it have been too much trouble to give us a name, or description? Height, weight, hair color, blood type, anything actually useful?”

“Maybe she’s really good at finding stuff,” Rachel guessed. “Or... something, I don’t know. Just spitballing.”

Max put her face in her hands. “Oh, Dog,” she mumbled. “We are so screwed.”

“What about the others?” Rachel asked.

“What others?” Max asked as she looked up.

“The... what were they? Adept and something?”

“The Adept and The Manipulator,” Chloe reminded her. “That light didn’t say anything about them this time.”

“Maybe the Seeker is more important?” Max suggested.

“More important than the time traveler, or the girl who can literally play with fire?” Rachel replied, then paused. Now it was her turn to bury her head in her hands. “Oh, God, I need booze.”

“Do you have some in your bag?” Chloe smirked.

“Know what I think we really need?” Chloe and Rachel both looked at Max as she paused before finishing. “Food. Can we go back to the Two Whales? It's almost dinnertime, and I’m starving again.”

“You know what? That sounds fucking amazeballs.” Chloe rocked forward and pushed herself up into a standing position. “You two coming?”

Chapter Text

“Twice in one day!” Joyce wrapped Max back up into a fierce hug as they walked back into the Two Whales. “I appreciate you making up for lost time, kiddo!”

“Anything for you, Joyce.” Max hugged her back.

“What the hell, Mom?” Chloe folded her arms and cocked her hip. “You’re never that happy to see me when I come in after work.”

“That’s because when you do, you’re usually hitting me up for free food or explaining your way out of trouble,” Joyce retorted as she released Max.

“Hey, speaking of free food...” Chloe trailed off as she wagged her eyebrows.

“Should’ve figured.” Joyce rolled her eyes. “Take a seat, girls, I’ll be right there.”

The three of them made their way to the back of the diner and sat down, Max and Chloe taking the seat across from Rachel. “So, I thought about something on the way here,” Rachel stated.

“What’s that?” Max leaned forward.

“There are six of us, right? This thing’s...” Rachel wrinkled her brow. “Chosen? God, that sounds so fucking pretentious.”

“I like it.” Chloe spun a salt shaker around in front of her. “I could do with being a Chosen One.”

Max snorted. “I’m pretty sure in the first dream it called us ‘scions’. But yea, there’s six of us. Why?”

“Well, the three of us are from Blackwell,” Rachel pointed out. “Maybe the other three are students as well.”

“I’m not from Blackwell,” Chloe countered.

“You might have been expelled, but you’re still from Blackwell.” Rachel drummed her fingers on the table. “So our search criteria might be narrower than we thought. We’re just looking for other students.”

Max sighed. “Great. Five hundred people go to school at Blackwell. We only have to check out four-hundred and ninety-eight.”

“Better than the whole town.” Rachel shrugged.

“Yea, assuming you’re right. The Seeker could be some homeless dude in Portland for all we know.” Chloe pulled her beanie off and ran a hand through her hair. “Okay, so... we find The Seeker, The Adept, and The Manipulator. Say we do all that. Then what?” Chloe folded her arms. “How do we stop Armageddon without Bruce Willis?”

“You’re doing what without Bruce Willis?” Joyce asked as she came up to the table.

“Ah... nothing, Joyce.” Max smiled. “Can I get another plate of waffles?”

“Sure thing, kiddo.” Joyce wrote on her notepad. “Rachel?”

“Just a side salad, please. And some water.”

“Gimme a double cheeseburger with onion rings.” Chloe said. Max elbowed her again and gave her a look. “Please,” Chloe added grudgingly.

“See, Max? You’re already being a positive influence.” Joyce tucked her pad away. “I’ll bring your food out when it’s ready.”

Chloe waited until she walked away and scowled. “Be nice to your mother,” Max chided.

“I have an image to maintain, Maximum Annoyance.” Chloe grumbled.

Max gave her another look before turning back to Rachel. “So. How do we stop Armageddon?”

“Is that what we’re calling it? Jeez, we are screwed.” Rachel thumped her head onto the table. The three of them fell silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

“What about the first ones?”

Rachel and Max turned to Chloe. “What?”

“That light, it said something like...” Chloe looked up, trying to remember. “The first ones were gone, so it’s up to us. Or something like that.”

“It’s up to the new ones who call this place home.” Max leaned forward. “We’re the new ones. The ones who call Arcadia Bay home.”

“So... if we’re the new ones, who were the old ones?” Rachel asked.

“The Native Americans,” Chloe answered. “I can’t think of anyone else it might have been talking about. They were the only ones who lived here before the town was settled.”

The bell at the counter rang. A few minutes later, Joyce walked up with their plates on a tray, placing their food in front of them. “Dig in, girls,” she said with a smile.

“Hey, Joyce.” Max called out as she turned to walk away.

“Hmm?”

“Uh, this is kind of a random question.” Max paused. “What do you know about the Indians who lived here before the town was built?”

Joyce blinked. “Wow, that is a random question.” She tucked the tray under their arm. “Not much, too be honest. If I recall correctly, the Arcadians weren’t a very big tribe, or an important one. Outside of the Bay, they’re more of a footnote than anything.”

Wonderful, Max thought glumly.

Rachel twisted around in her seat. “If we did want to learn more about them, any idea where we could look?”

Joyce arched her eyebrow. “Is this for a school assignment or something?”

“Our history teacher mentioned there might be a paper on them coming up,” Max lied, spinning her tale on the spot. “We’re just curious because there isn’t much about them in our textbooks.”

Joyce thought for a minute. “Well, you could always try the internet these days,” she replied. “When we learned about them in school, way back when, I seem to remember that there were a few books about them in the library near the town hall."

“Cool, we’ll have to check them out.” Max smiled. “Thanks, Joyce!”

Joyce beamed and walked off. “Dude,” Chloe grumbled and she picked up a fry. “First I’m being polite, now I’m going to the library? You are totally shitting all over my vibes, Max.”

“Not today, we’re not.” Rachel took a bite of her salad and pointed outside with her fork, at the setting sun. “The library closes in ten minutes. We’ll have to go tomorrow.”

“Aight.” Chloe lifted her burger and took a huge bite. “Sum doe themem tomem-”

“Chloe, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

She paused and swallowed. “So does that mean tomorrow is study hall day? We don’t get to do anything fun?”

Max gave her a look as she cut her pancakes with her fork. “Did you not see the tornados in our dream? The ones that destroyed the town? And the world?”

Chloe pouted. “Fine,” she muttered as she picked up and ate another fry. “But I’m sneaking in booze. I wasn’t sober when I studied at Blackwell, and I refuse to break that trend now that lives are on the line."

Max rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her waffles. That explains a lot.

For the rest of their dinner and the drive home, the topic of conversation was their newfound powers.

“Dude, you told off the queen bitch of Blackwell and you un-did it?!” Chloe exclaimed from the driver’s seat of her truck. “Weak-sauce.”

“I don’t want to use this power to make enemies, Chloe.” Max frowned as she tried to avoid Chloe’s elbow from the middle seat.

“Mighty Max, you have literally been handed the greatest gift ever.” Chloe grinned. “You could go back in time and cut her down with her own shrewd little insults. You could pants her as she walks down the halls to class. You could watch the path she walks from her dorm room, then rewind and set claymore mines!”

“That last one doesn’t sound feasible,” Rachel pointed out from window seat.

“Yea, we’re thinking too small. Oh!” Chloe’s eyes got wide. “You could rob banks! Or art museums! Or Fort Knox!”

“Speaking of money, you two are lucky my that family’s loaded.” Rachel smirked.

“Why’s that?” Max asked.

“With all this shit I’m apparently going to be buying for everyone, I would have to start a collection plate if I didn’t have a credit card.”

“Let’s take a moment to weep for the district attorney’s compromised bank account,” Chloe remarked dryly. “Can we go back to talking about the bank robberies? ‘Cause I think I can come up with a few ideas.”

“Chloe.” Max leaned forward and ensured that the girl made eye contact. “I am not using my time traveling powers to become a cat burglar.”

“Who the hell was talking about you?” Chloe held up one arm and curled it, showing off muscle as she drove with the other. “I’m unbreakable, remember? I’ll just punch my way into that bank vault and take all the money for myself. I’ma get me a Scrooge McDuck pool full of money.”

“A, diving into a big pile of coins is not going to be like swimming through water.” Max frowned. “And B, I remember you getting immunity from injury, not super-strength.”

Chloe narrowed her brow. “Hmm,” she mused. “Experimentation might be called for.”

“You’re a dork,” Rachel stated as she rolled her eyes.

“I’m also your ride, bitch,” Chloe reminded her as she pulled into the Blackwell parking lot. “So, we’re sleeping in, right? Say, noon or one-ish?”

“The library opens at nine, Chloe,” Max said sternly as she followed Rachel out the door of the truck. “You should be here early, so we can get there when it opens.”

“Have I mentioned that you two are a real buzzkill?” Chloe pouted.

“Yea, yea.” Max paused and glanced back. “Um... Chloe?”

“What?”

“I really am glad to see you again.” Max smiled. “I did miss you.”

Chloe blinked and smiled back. “I missed you too. You little weasel.” She shifted the truck into reverse. “Now, go get some sleep so we can wake up early and save the world.”

Max closed the door as Chloe peeled backwards out of the lot, driving away into the darkness.

“Aww.” Rachel patted the top of Max’s head as they turned and walked back to the dorms. “We made another friend.”

“Shut up.” Max scowled as she pushed her, then sighed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to sleep. I still have most of an English paper to write.”

“Yea, good call.” Rachel shrugged. “I was gonna go and Google the Arcadian tribe, but, you know, if we do save the world, it is important to keep that GPA up.”

“Don’t you have a Bio lab to finish?”

“Ah... shit.” Rachel frowned as they entered the dorm. “Fine. I guess we’ll save the important studying until tomorrow.”

“That’s what I figured.”

Rachel paused as she got to her door and unlocked it. “Hey, Max... can I ask you a question?”

“What?”

“When the...” Rachel glanced around to make sure the hall was empty. “...dreams ended. Did the light tell you anything? Like, specific to you?”

“Uh... it did, actually.” Max frowned as she tried to remember. “I don’t remember exactly what. Something like, I was the only one who could make sure we made the right choices, or something like that.”

“Oh.” Rachel paused. “Well, you are a time lord, so I guess that makes sense.”

“Yea, it’s not cute when Chloe calls me that it, either.” Max tilted her head. “Why? What did the light say to you?”

“It’s, uh... well, it’s weird. I’m not sure, exactly.” Rachel scratched her head. “The first time, it told me that I had to help mend the bridges that burned.”

Max’s eyebrows shot up. “Am I crazy, or does that kind of sound like me and Chloe?”

“I figured that was what it was, earlier today.” Rachel hesitated.

“What about the second dream?” Max asked. “The one we had this afternoon?”

“That’s the one I don’t understand. It just said that I have to trust in the ones who don't deserve it.” Rachel spread her hands. “Any thoughts?”

“Wow.” Max paused. “Well... who do you not trust?”

“Lots of people. The only ones I do trust at this point are you and Chloe.” Rachel dropped her hands. “Chloe’s right. This whole speaking in riddles thing is a pain in the ass.”

“Agreed.” Max paused. “Don’t tell her I said that.”

“My lips are sealed. So, what did it say to you during the dream this afternoon?”

Max looked up in thought. “It just told me that my gift had limits, and I needed to be careful.” She shrugged. “I tried to rewind when the boat rolled onto Chloe, but I couldn’t. Maybe it was just letting me know that I’m not all-powerful or something.”

“Sure, why the hell not. Even Superman isn’t omnipotent.” Rachel smirked and entered her room. “’Night, Max.”

“Later.” Max waved as Rachel closed the door.

Well, today was fun, she thought as she turned towards her room. Reconnected with Chloe, had a new dream, and found out that it’s our responsibility to save the world. What a fun and exciting Friday.

Coins clinking drew her from her thoughts. She looked and saw Kate pushing buttons on the vending machine, already in the sweatpants she wore as PJs. “Hey Kate,” she said in greeting.

“Oh, hey Max.” Kate smiled as the machine dispensed her drink. “Hey, where did you go after Photography class?”

“I was with Rachel and Chloe,” she answered.

“Chloe?”

“Chloe Price. I knew her from before I moved away,” Max explained.

“Oh, the blue-haired waitress from the Two Whales?” Kate nodded. “I like her. She’s nice. She swears a lot, though.”

“Yea. We’re working on that.” Max blinked in surprise as Kate bent down and pulled a blue and silver can from the vending machine. “Wait. Kate Marsh drinks Red Bull?”

“She does when she’s studying.” Kate pushed some more coins into the vending machine.

“Oh, still working on the English paper?”

“Not anymore. I’m working on some history homework.” More buttons, and a package of chips was dispensed from the machine as well.

“I think we should have our parents write the school board about the amount of homework they give us,” Max remarked dryly, then paused. “Hold up, we have history homework?”

“You probably don’t, but we do in the AP class.” Kate took the chips and started walking back towards her room. Max followed her. “What about you?”

“I guess I’ll be working on this damn English paper.” Max shrugged. “I still don’t know how I’m supposed to write twelve pages on the symbolism of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’.”

Kate shook her head. “It’s really not that hard, Max.”

“Yea? You want to write mine for me?”

She smiled. “Maybe next time,” she answered. “I need to get back to it my thing. I’ll see you later, Max.”

“You too.”

Chapter Text

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

“Mrgh.” Max grumbled as she rolled over in bed, trying to ignore her phone and go back to sleep. She had stayed awake until after midnight, working on her English paper, and was not in the mood to be woken up so early. So when the buzzing finally stopped, she sighed and nestled back into her pillow.

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

Max peeked at the clock on her wall; 7:14. “Are you fucking cereal right now?” she growled as she reached over and picked up her phone.

Two missed calls. And even more missed texts. All from Chloe. Max rolled her eyes as she opened the text conversation.

Chloe: im here!!

Chloe: wake up beyotches

Chloe: rise n shine

Chloe: get ur asses out of bed

Chloe: waiting in parking lot for u 2

Chloe: we got a planet to save

Chloe: ur both letting down humanity

Chloe: srsly, get the eff up

Chloe: k thats it im calling u

Chloe: ANSWER UR PHONES

Chloe: DONT MAKE ME HULK TF OUT

Chloe: i will come in there and drag u 2 out by ur pubes

Chloe: well Max maybe, pretty sure Rache waxes

“Ew, gross.” Max wrinkled her nose as another text bubble appeared.

Rachel: Chloe, s2g if you don’t STFU i’ll never give you anything ever again

Chloe: SHE WAKETH

Chloe: u coming or what

Rachel: It’s 7 in the gd morning

Rachel: Why tf are you awake?

Chloe: didnt sleep

Chloe: drank shitload of redbull

Chloe: little vodka too

Max shook her head as she typed.

Max: And then you drove here?

Chloe: MAX

Chloe: bout gd time u woke up

Chloe: get dressed and get to parking lot

Max: The library doesn’t open until nine.

Chloe: MCDONALDS IS OPEN NOW

Chloe: mamma needs carbs n grease 2 soak up booze

Rachel: Max she doesnt know where our rooms are

Rachel: I say we turn off our phones so she cant get us

Max thought for a second.

Max: Deal. See you in a couple of hours.

Chloe: DONT U BITCHES DARE

Max hit the Airplane Mode button on her phone and went back under the covers, smiling peacefully.

It was short lived. The pounding on her door woke her with a start. She reflexively kicked her legs off the wall and rolled off the bed, hitting the floor with a thump.

“MAX! I know you’re in there!” Chloe yelled. “Open the door!”

Max groaned as she stood, rubbing her eyes. Dammit.

“How did you know where my room was?” Max asked as she opened the door.

“You wrote your name on your dry-erase board, you pretentious little hipster.” Chloe pushed her way past her and opened her closet. She pulled out a pair of jeans and threw them at Max. “I drew a penis under it, by the way. Here, put these on.”

“Chloe, I am not changing with you in the room.” Max crossed her arms. “Why are you here so early? And why didn’t you get any sleep?”

“I was up late Googling the Arcadian tribe.” Chloe pulled out a t-shirt. “Is this a Bright Eyes shirt? Could you BE a bigger hipster?”

“Get OUT of my closet.” Max grabbed the shirt and put it back. “Fine, I’ll get dressed. Now, will you please wait outside?”

“And let you go back to sleep? Nope.” Chloe turned around and faced the door. “Hurry up, we need to get Rachel.”

Max rolled her eyes as she changed. “So, did you at least find out anything interesting?”

“About what?”

“The Arcadians, Chloe. The ones you were Googling all night!”

“That’s what she said.” Chloe snickered. A shoe bounced off her head. “Hey!”

“Serves you right.” Max bent over to tie her other shoe.

“Yea, yea.” Chloe shrugged. “Honestly, not a lot. My mom was right; they weren’t very important or big. Not a lot of people have written anything about them or studied them. Most of the web sites I found just referenced them as having lived here back in the day.”

Max stood back up. “So nothing useful,” she sighed.

“Well, I didn’t say that.” Chloe glanced over her shoulder to make sure Max was dressed. “I had to go into the 8th or 9th page of Google, but I did find out a couple of interesting little tidbits.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you when we get Rachel.” Chloe bent over and snatched Max’s shoe from the floor. “Come on, let’s go.”

“I need my shoe back!” Max called as Chloe walked out.

“Nope!”

Max hurried out, locking her door behind her (and wiping the crude drawing from her white board) as she struggled to catch up to Chloe as she charged towards Rachel’s door. “RACHE!” Chloe screamed as she slammed her hands on the door. “WAKEY-WAKEY, BITCH!”

A door opened down the hall and a familiar blonde stepped out. “Caulfield!” Victoria yelled, her hair eschew as she adjusted her flannel PJs. “Make your girlfriend shut the fuck up!”

“Chloe, be quiet!” Max grabbed her arm. “You’re gonna wake the entire dorm!”

“But, Max-”

Max clamped her hand over Chloe’s mouth. “Enough of the loud noises. It is too early in the morning.” Chloe pouted as Victoria glared, walking back into her dorm.

Rachel’s door cracked open. “What. The. Fuck.”

“Hey Rache!” Chloe smiled as she shoved the door open. “Did you miss me?”

“Like a herpes sore.” Rachel turn around and collapsed back on her bed face-first.

“No! No more sleep!” Chloe grabbed Rachel’s foot and tugged, trying-and failing-to get her back up. “It’s time to save the world!”

“Fuck off,” Rachel mumbled into her blankets.

“Fine. You be the buzzkill while I tell Max what I found online.” Chloe plopped down on Rachel’s chair. “So, the Arcadians? You ever wonder what happened to them? Why they’re no longer around, never set up a casino, anything like that?”

Max closed Rachel’s door and leaned against the wall. “I mean, not really. I assumed they moved on? Or married into another tribe or something?”

“Both of you. Go. Away,” Rachel mumbled.

“Wrong on both counts,” Chloe said as she ignored Rachel. “They were massacred.”

That made Rachel pick her head up. “Wait. What?”

“Yea. I mean, there’s not, like, definitive records or anything. But it looks like there was some kind of dispute between them and the people who settled here, and the Army got involved. This was around the turn of the century, so there isn't a lot of info about it. There was some kind of skirmish, and then all the records vanish.”

Rachel rolled over and sat up. “That’s horrible!”

“Hang on, it gets worse.” Chloe folded her hands into her lap, tapping Max’s shoe into her palm. “The Arcadian tribe’s territory included the whole of this town, plus a little bit of the area around it. And more-or-less centered in their area was some kind of religious grounds, where they performed their ceremonies, marriages, funerals, everything. It was all kinds of SUPER sacred to them.”

Chloe pointed to the door. “We can check it out, if you guys think it’s important. It’s right outside your dorm.”

“Wh-” Max’s eyes got huge. “No. No, no, no. Blackwell is NOT built on a fucking Native American burial ground. We are not doing that movie.”

“I don’t know if they ever buried people there.” Chloe shrugged. “But...”

Rachel leaned forward. “How sure are you?”

“Not 100%. It’s not like there are GPS coordinates are anything. But I found descriptions online, about how it was near a bend in a river that used to run through here. So it’s at, like, 90%.”

“Fuck.”

“Yea, that’s about where I’m at, too.” Chloe drummed her fingers on her knee. “So, you awake now? Gonna get dressed?”

“Yes, I’m awake.” Rachel stood. “Now, get out so I can get changed. And give Max her shoe back already.”

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe we’re actually waiting for the library to open,” Chloe grumbled from the driver’s seat of her truck. “Like we’re humongous nerds. God, if my mother saw me now, years of building my reputation as a delinquent would be wasted.”

“Excuse me while I play the world's smallest violin,” Rachel replied as she rolled her eyes and checked her watch. “Only five more minutes.”

Max took another bite of her McDonalds hash brown. “Hey, Chloe," she said as she swallowed, "we were talking about something last night, about the dreams we’ve been having.”

“Yea?” Chloe arched her eyebrow. Rachel turned to listen, seeing where Max was going.

“At the end of your dream, did the light say anything to you?”

Chloe looked taken aback. “What, like, at the very end?”

“Yea. Rachel and I,” Max added as she gestured between the two of them, “we were told some pretty specific stuff. Did that light say anything to you?”

“Um, yea. It did.” Chloe scratched the back of her head, finally falling silent.

Max leaned forward, making eye contact. “And?”

“In the first dream, it said I needed to let the past go.”

Rachel threw her hands up. “Ugh. You two are meant to be friends. We got it.”

“What about the second dream?” Max asked.

“Nope.” Chloe popped her lips. “Didn’t say a word.”

Max studied her face. “Chloe Elizabeth Price,” she said. “you are so full of shit.”

An older woman walked around the corner and marched up to the library door, purse in one hand and keys in the other. “Oh, look! Library’s about to open!” Chloe exclaimed as she kicked her door open and jumped out. “Let’s go read books!”

“Chl-” Max started to yell after her, but Chloe slammed the door closed behind her and practically sprinted after the librarian. “Dammit.” She turned back to Rachel. “You don’t believe her, do you?”

“Have you ever seen Chloe eager to read a book before?” Rachel shrugged as she got out of the truck. “Maybe it was too personal or something. Do you think she would keep it to herself if it was important?”

“No.” Max followed her and closed the door. “I guess for now, we roll with it.”

“Attagirl.” The two of them entered the library.

Chloe was already pestering the librarian. “So you have nothing?” they heard her exclaim.

“I didn’t say that, I said I don’t know,” the librarian answered crossly. “There are thousands of books in here. If you want to find out about a subject, you need to look for it.”

“What’s up?” Rachel asked.

Chloe sighed. “We need to do some legwork.” She glanced around. “So do you have, like, a computer or something we can look through?”

The librarian gestured to a large wooden cabinet. “No. We have a card catalog.”

Chloe looked at the cabinet blankly. “What the fuck is a card catalog? Is that, like, an analog computer or something?”

Rachel grabbed her arm and dragged her over. “Thank you for your help!” Max called as she followed them.

“Don’t thank her, Max. She didn’t help us with shit,” Chloe growled as they walked over. “Old lady runs this place, she should know what books she has.”

“Chloe, stop being rude.”

“Yea, yea.” Chloe paused as they stopped in front of the multi-drawer cabinet. “So... what the hell is this?”

“It’s a card catalog. It’s an old school indexing system to help people find books by subject,” Rachel answered as she typed rapidly on her phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Reading the beginning of an article about how to use a card catalog.”

Chloe snorted. “Well, we’re off to a professional start.”

“Shut up. Max, open that one, History.” Rachel pointed to one of the drawers. Max pulled it out, cringing at the huge stack of cards inside. “Look for anything about Native Americans. Or maybe Indians, we don’t know how old these cards are. Probably not very PC.”

Max started flipping through the cards. “What about me?” Chloe asked.

“I don’t know, Chloe, start checking the shelves.” Rachel opened the next drawer and started flipping through cards. “The history books are most likely grouped together. Start checking titles, see if anything about the Arcadians jumps out at you.”

The blue-haired girl grimaced as she examined the shelves, which reached the ceiling and went all the way to the back wall. “I don’t like this plan,” she muttered as she stalked off.

She was away for about half an hour while Max and Rachel scanned through the cards until they found the ones they were looking for. “Why the hell are there so few books?” Max grumbled as she finally closed the drawer. “You’d think there’s be more info about a tribe that was here before we built this town.”

“We should totally remedy that. Once we finish saving the world and all. And at least they’re all grouped together. That way,” Rachel added pointed towards their shelf.

Chloe was already there, though, getting down off a ladder. “I wouldn’t bother,” she said in way of greeting, sighing.

“Bother with what?”

“Well, double check your list, for sure. But this whole section here,” she said as she waved her arm, “is Native American History. Books about the Iroquois, Apache, Hopi... and it doesn’t look like they get checked out often.” Chloe ran her finger along the self and held it up, revealing the dust. “Or ever.”

“So?” Rachel shrugged. “That’s a good thing. Means the books we need are probably here.”

“Yea, but I can’t find anything about the Arcadians. And some of the books are gone.” Chloe gestured to a couple of empty spaces on the shelf. “They’re not missing, either. They were taken recently. You can see the imprints in the dust.”

Max looked and saw Chloe was right; the silhouette the books had left behind was obvious. Rachel checked the list they had made, and looked at the numbers on the spines of the books that were left. “Hell, you’re right. This one here was one of the ones we’re looking for.”

“So someone checked out all the books mentioning the Arcadians recently?” Max was confused. “I don’t get it. They were a tiny, inconsequential tribe.” She spared a glance at Chloe and Rachel. “I mean, as far as the rest of the Bay was concerned. They don’t teach about them at Blackwell, or the public high school. So who wanted them?”

Rachel looked back and forth between the two of them. “Well... shit.”

“What?”

“Aside from us, there are probably only three other people in town who would take a recent interest in the Arcadians.”

Max and Chloe fell silent as they realized the implications of this. “One of the others,” Chloe breathed. “From the cliff.”

“The Seeker.” Max glanced back at the front of the library. “We need to find out who has those books.”

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry, I can’t give out that information.”

Chloe scowled. “Look, it’s really important. We need those books for a school project. We HAVE to know who has them. Our grades depend on it!”

The librarian scowled back. Max decided that hers was much fiercer than Chloe’s. “We do not give out the names of people who check out our books. If you want them, come back in three days, when they’re due back.”

“Come on!" Chloe slapped her hand on the counter. "Can’t you just look in your computer and tell us who has them?”

“Yes, I can, but I won’t.” The librarian folded her arms. “It’s against library policy.”

“Jesus titty-fucking Christ on crooked crutches, are you programmed to be helpful AT ALL? Or are you paid to just stand there and be a stubborn old dingbat!?” Chloe yelled.

“Excuse me! It’s time for you to leave, young lady!”

“Chloe,” Rachel began as she reached out for her arm. “Chloe, calm do-”

“I AM CALM! This bitch is the one who won’t give us the time of day!” Chloe turned back to the librarian as she lifted the phone. “NOW what the fuck are you doing?!”

“Calling the police!” the librarian yelled back. “Like we always do when hooligans like you refuse to leave!”

Max sighed. “This isn’t helpful.” Before Rachel could turn and ask what she meant, Max raised her hand.

The world rewound around her, Chloe’s backwards sentences stammering from her mouth as she yelled at the librarian. Max released her grip on time as they were making their way to the front of the library.

“Wait,” she said as she grabbed Chloe’s arm. “Chloe, stop. Hold up.”

Chloe looked at her, confused. “What? Why?”

“The librarian isn’t going to help us. And then you’re going to use some very bad language, which will result in her calling the police. We can't have that.”

Chloe blinked. “How- right. Great.” She sighed. “So, what do we do, Time Lord?”

“Don’t call me that.” Max glanced over the shelf, watching the librarian writing on a notepad. “She told us that she has the names of people who check out the books on her computer. We just need to get access to it."

“Ok, cool.” Chloe looked over the shelf with her. “How do we get her away from her computer? She just got here.”

Max mused for a minute. Then she looked at Rachel. “We need a distraction.”

Rachel looked at her blankly, then brightened and dug into her bag. “I think I have just the thing.”

Rachel and Max waited just out of sight of the librarian.

“Chloe says she’s ready,” Rachel said as she read the text on her phone.

“Tell her to do it.”

Rachel hit the send button.

Five seconds later, an ear-shattering guitar riff screamed from the back of the building. The librarian jumped as the sudden music startled her. “Hey!” she yelled from her chair. “Turn that off! There’s no music allowed in here!”

The noise didn’t abate. The portable speaker Rachel had pulled out of her bag was very loud, and Chloe had hooked it up to her phone and set the volume as high as it could go.

“Oh, for the love of-” the librarian rose from her chair in a huff and stormed towards the music.

“Go, go!” Rachel pushed Max as they ran towards the desk.

Max jumped into the chair and glanced at the menu on the monitor, taking it all in. “Shit, I don’t know what to do!”

“Try that one!” Rachel pointed at the box labeled ‘Inquiry’. Max clicked it, and a search bar came up.

“I think it needs a book number.”

Rachel pulled out the list she’d made and held it in front of her. Max typed out the first number she saw and hit enter. She got to a loading screen just as the music stopped.

“That was quick,” Rachel commented as Chloe’s loud arguing echoed through the shelves. “We need to hurry, Max.”

“Tell that to the world’s slowest operating system.” Max glared at the ancient desktop. “Our taxes have GOT to be able to pay for an upgraded computer! This is stupid!”

The arguing got louder as the librarian and Chloe came closer to the front of the library. “This is an absolutely BLATANT violation of my rights as an AMERICAN citizen!” Chloe screamed, really putting on the theatrics.

“This is a public library! You are not allowed to cause a disturbance in here! Now get out!”

“Nobody else is in here, you dingy old wombat!”

“I don’t care! You’re leaving! Now!”

Max squeezed the mouse. “Come on, come on...”

“I’ll try and buy more time.” Rachel ran out from behind the counter towards Chloe. “Hey! What the hell are you doing to her?!”

“Rachel! This ancient bitch is trying to stop me from celebrating MY FREEDOM-”

The librarian screeched. “THIS IS A LIBRARY! YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY MUSIC IN HERE!”

"You can't put your hands on her! Let her go!"

"GET OUT! Take your devil-worshipping music and GET OUT!"

"It's Fall Out Boy, you uncultured bitch!"

Max snorted, then ducked down as the three of them still yelling and bickering, came out of the shelves, the woman practically dragging Chloe as she screamed. “I don't care! Both of you leave! Get out! Find your third little friend and get the hell out!”

The computer sounded a ding, which drew the librarian’s attention back to Max. “Hey! What are you doing back there?!”

Max read the screen quickly and looked back up. “Sorry, my bad!” She smiled. “I’ll make it all right, I promise!”

“No, you will NOT! You and your little hooligan friends will LEAVE-”

Max raised her hand.

When the world finally stopped racing backwards, she was standing with Rachel, who was looking at her expectantly, phone in hand.

“Max?”

“Tell Chloe, abort mission.” Max reached her hand out and grabbed a nearby shelf, steadying herself as her head started to throb. “I got what we need.”

Rachel beamed as she typed, then put her phone away. “You know who has- hey, are you okay?”

“Headache.” Max smiled as Rachel immediately pulled the aspirin out of her bag. She took two of the pills as swallowed them quickly. “Thanks. We should leave.”

Chloe met them at the library exit. “Hey!” she exclaimed brightly. “Did we win?”

“Yea, we won.” Max lead the way outside. “Come on. We have to go back to Blackwell. I know who the Seeker is.” 

She read the pages in front of her, scribbling notes as she did so. Every new scrap of information became a note. An important one got it’s own post-it, which she stuck to her wall.

All she was missing was bits of string, to make her own serial killer chart. She allowed herself a small smirk as she stretched her back, working out the kink from hunching over the book for too long. Writing notes, highlighting the important parts, using post-its to identify really important stuff... the girl glanced at her wall, where close to fifty post-it notes were stuck in groups. It was exhausting. Especially since she’d been doing it for the past few days in a row.

And the worst part was that she didn’t know WHY.

Why did it matter? What did her sudden urges to study the Arcadians have to do with anything? It couldn’t possibly make a difference. Not to her well-being. Her grades. Her family.

The storms she saw in her dreams.

Learn about the old ones, Seeker, the light had whispered to her that first night. And again, earlier that week. The first ones are the key to everything.

She had no idea what the meant. Or how she knew to go to the library. Hell, she didn’t know the library even had those books, but she’d gone straight to the shelf they sat on, plucking them like she’d always known they were there and bringing them straight to the checkout counter.

So what the hell was she looking for?

What was she supposed to be Seeking?

And how would she know when she finally found it?

She groaned as she dragged her hand over her face. The lack of sleep was going to kill her eventually, she knew it.

The sudden knocking at her door interrupted her thoughts, and she jumped in surprise from the sudden intrusion. Relaxing, she looked at her watch; she had been at it all morning. Maybe a break was a good thing. But who was it? She hadn’t been expecting visitors.

Unlocking the door, she opened it a crack and peeked through, not wanting whoever was on the other side to see the mess of notes she’d made.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Max?” she said, surprised to see her. “What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Kate.” Max smiled. Rachel and Chloe stood behind her, glancing around nervously. “Can we come in?”

Chapter Text

Max had almost expected Kate to be asleep; she knew how long a can of Red Bull could keep someone awake for. But when she answered the door, the bags under Kate’s eyes and her messy hair revealed that Chloe wasn’t the only one who hadn’t slept the night prior. Max tried to look around her, but Kate moved to block her view.

“I’m, ah, kind of in the middle of something, Max.” Kate glanced back over her shoulder. “Can this wait until later?”

“Not really,” Chloe muttered.

Max paused, thinking about how to approach the subject of the dreams. “What are you working on, exactly?”

“Same thing I was last night,” Kate answered evasively. “History homework.”

Rachel smirked. “Wow, you’re a bad liar. I’m in the AP class WITH you, Kate. We didn’t have homework this weekend.”

Kate froze, the gears in her head turning. “I’m, uh, trying to get ahead?”

Max decided to just come right out with it. “I don’t think any of Blackwell’s history classes cover the Arcadian tribe, Kate.”

The girl did a double take. “How did you-”

“We know you’re The Seeker,” Chloe blurted out.

Kate went pale as Max and Rachel shot Chloe a glare. “What? I was tired of beating around the bush. You two were taking too long.”

“I, uh, don’t know what you’re-”

“Rachel’s right, you are a bad liar.” Chloe shook her head.

“Kate, you had a dream about three weeks ago, right?” Max asked. “About the storms destroying Arcadia Bay. And the light told you that you had to stop it, since the first ones were gone.”

Kate’s eyes got wide. “Yes,” she squeaked.

“So did we.” Max gestured to the three of them. “Can we come in?”

Kate hesitated, but after a few seconds stepped back and opened the door for them. “Sorry about the mess,” she said as they brushed past her and stepped inside.

“Jeez.” Chloe admired the post-it notes stuck to her wall. “Somebody’s been a busy girl.”

Kate’s face turned red. “Yea. Well.”

Rachel glanced at her desk. “Those are the books we were looking for at the library,” she said as she pointed to the stack. Frowning, she bent closer and saw the notes sticking out of the pages. “Have you read all of them already?" 

“I’ve had them for a couple of days.” Kate glanced between the three of them. “So... you all had the same dream?”

“We are all mad tripping on the same hallucinogenic, girl.” Chloe chuckled as she glanced back. “We’re gonna get baked later and listen to Bob Marley.”

“Yes, we did. Ignore her. She didn’t sleep last night either.” Max smiled reassuringly at Kate. “And we are most certainly not going to get stoned.”

“It’s been a few days for me,” Kate admitted as she sat down on her bed. “I haven’t been able to sleep properly since Tuesday.”

“You haven’t slept at all for four days?!” Max exclaimed down next to her, staring in horror.

“I fell asleep for a bit at my desk, a couple of times,” Kate clarified as she rubbed her eye. “But every time I try to go to bed... I can’t explain it. My mind starts going into overdrive until I go back to doing research on the Arcadians.”

“That cannot be healthy,” Rachel commented as she sat down on Kate’s chair backwards. “What are you looking for, exactly?”

“I don’t know!” Kate snapped, as Rachel recoiled. Kate’s face softened. “Sorry. I’m a little irritable.”

“Understandable,” Chloe muttered.

“Kate,” Max asked slowly, “if you don’t know what you’re looking for, why are you looking at all?”

“Because I... can’t... NOT.” Kate put her head in her hands. “Oh, my God. There’s this buzzing in my head right now. Like, there’s a really important answer I need to find, but I don’t have a clue what the question is.”

“I think I know why she’s called The Seeker,” Rachel commented. She opened her bag and pulled out a bottle of pills. “I was wondering why I had these in here.”

“What are those?” Max asked as she eyed the prescription bottle.

“Little bit of my mom’s Xanax.” Rachel unscrewed the cap and tipped one of the pills into her hand. “Here, Kate, take this. It’ll help.”

“Rachel, maybe she shouldn’t-” Max started, but stopped as Kate plucked the pill from Rachel’s hand and stuffed it into her mouth, swallowing it. “Okay, maybe she should. What’s a little controlled substance abuse between friends.”

“Oh, God.” Kate fell backwards, hitting the wall as she slouched in bed. “I don’t even care about drugs anymore. I’m just so tired.” Suddenly she picked her head back up. “Wait. Which ones are you?”

“Huh?”

“From the dream. The light called me The Seeker. What did she call you?”

“The Giver.” Rachel smiled as she put the pills away. “You’re welcome.”

“Traveler.” Max raised her hand sheepishly.

“Bad-Ass Mother Fucker,” Chloe snickered.

Kate’s face twisted in confusion. “Huh?”

“The Unbreakable,” Max and Rachel answered in unison.

“So... who are the other two?” Kate frowned. “The Adept and The Manipulator?”

“We’re still working on that,” Chloe answered. “We’re Sailor Mooning this shit as we go along. We’re all gonna find out in season two.”

“Chloe, stop.” Max glared. “You’re being dumb.”

“We are getting VERY far off topic,” Rachel interrupted. “Kate?”

“Yea?”

“All we know so far about the Arcadians is that they were massacred about a hundred years ago, and this school may or may not be built on their sacred land. But we have no idea how that ties into the dream, the light, or the storms. Can you tell us what you’ve got?”

Kate blinked. “Hmm.”

“What?”

Kate stood and reached past Rachel, picking up her notepad. “Ok... so you guys know the Arcadian tribe was here first. And you probably know the official history version, which is that pioneer explorers came north from California, and settled several areas in what we now call Oregon, including the cities that became Portland, Salem, and Arcadia Bay.”

“And the unofficial version?” Chloe asked.

“They weren’t explorers.” Kate turned the page in her notepad. “They were construction workers and engineers for the railroads. They were essentially expanding our industries up and down the west coast, and most of them didn’t particularly care about the Native Americans that were here first when they started building.”

Kate looked up. “There are some detailed accounts that a lot of tribes were paid to move along. Others tell about the tribes who refused to leave their lands, or who the railroad owners decided weren’t worth the money. They were more or less rounded up and killed.”

“Talk about a cutthroat business practice,” Chloe muttered. “Is that what happened to the Arcadians?”

“It’s hard to say.” Kate shrugged. “Given the nature of what was happening, the people giving the orders didn’t keep a lot of records. There are quite a few tribes that just vanished without a trace.”

“And nobody noticed?!” Rachel asked incredulously.

“Nobody was looking, Rachel,” Kate explained. “It’s absolutely horrifying, but the world was huge back then. The politicians in Washington D.C. either didn’t know, didn’t care, or were paid to look the other way.” Kate pointed back to the books on the desk. “Also, the native tribes fought amongst themselves a fair amount, too. There are lots of accounts of the wars waged between Native American tribes. With everything going on, nobody would have noticed a missing tribe until it mattered to them.”

The girls fell silent for a moment.

“Soooo...” Chloe piped up. “What was it with the Arcadians?”

“Well, with them there are conflicting records.” Kate flipped several more pages in her notepad. “You’re right, there is a report on the internet about an incident that required the involvement of the Army. Records do indicate a unit was sent to Arcadia Bay in early 1903, and there was some fighting between them.

“But, there are records that would indicate they weren’t all killed.” Kate tapped a line in her notebook. “There was another tribe that lived about fifty miles north of here, called the Rindelo. The son of their chief at the time wrote into record some of the dealings his tribe had with others nearby, including the Arcadians. His accounts include trade deals and marriages with Arcadians all the way into 1910.”

“So... they weren’t massacred by the Army?” Max asked.

“Well, not all of them. They were severely weakened, and maybe forced to flee their lands, but not erased completely.”

Kate closed her notepad. “Unfortunately, that’s where records stop. I can’t find anything that includes the Arcadians after that time frame. My guess is, if they DID survive the fighting between them and the Army, the ones who didn’t marry into other tribes...” Kate paused, shaking her head sadly.  “Well, they died. And the Arcadian culture died with them.”

Chapter Text

“Wow.” Rachel kicked her legs out. “Arcadian History 101 is a real downer.” 

“Yea. And we still don't know how they were connected to the storms,” Max pointed out. “I mean, as informative as that was...”

Kate got up. “That was just their history. I found out more about their culture, though.” She walked over to her wall of post-its. “Interesting fact; in their language, ‘Arcadian’ translates into ‘First One’."

Chloe chuckled as she moved out of Kate’s way. “Well, the light was definitely talking about them, then.”

Kate tapped the post-its in an upper corner, all gathered around a center note that read SPIRITUALITY. “I think their beliefs are what we need to focus on,” she explained. “Specifically, what their faith predicted about the end of the world.”

Max’s and Rachel’s eyebrows shot up, and they scooted closer. “They predicted the end of the world?” Max asked.

“Most religions do. The Christians have Armageddon, the Norsemen had Ragnorok, and the Arcadians believed in something they called ‘Bhurta’.” Kate tapped a post-it. “Roughly translated, it means ‘The End’.”

Max, Rachel, and Chloe exchanged looks. Kate, oblivious, continued.

“So, one of their primary deities was a wind spirit, named Cota. They believed that the wind brought them the rain clouds for their crops, moved the sun through the sky, and brought the tide in and out for better fishing.” Kate reached over and picked up one of the smaller books, flipping to a page in the middle. “Bhurta, according to the Arcadians, would come when Cota grew angry or insulted, and they took heresy very seriously as a result. The tribe had religious ceremonies they celebrated on a calendar cycle to celebrate Cota, along with frequent prayers and offerings.”

“Calendar cycle?” Chloe asked. “What does that mean?”

“Every X number of days, or weeks, or years.” Kate shrugged. “The book doesn’t say, but it was common for tribes to keep a calendar that was very different from the Gregorian Calendar we use today. Theirs usually didn’t have a set number of days, but was based on the seasons.”

“It’s been over a hundred years,” Rachel sighed. “It’s probably past time to collect the check.”

“So that’s what this is?” Max asked as she sat back. “A wind spirit is going to destroy the town because it’s been a while since people prayed to him?”

“Her,” Kate corrected. “In the stories and oral tales, Cota is usually referred to as a female.”

“How very feminist of them,” Rachel remarked dryly. “Ok, an angry wind spirit wants to destroy the town. Got it. So what was the light we saw?”

Kate hesitated. “I don’t know,” she answered. “The Arcadians believed in a number of deities. None of them are described as a ‘light’. They’re either elements or animals.”

“What about a butterfly?” Max asked, suddenly leaning back forward. “I’m pretty sure that’s what it was in the second dream.”

Kate frowned. “Second dream?”

“You didn’t have a dream yesterday?” Chloe asked.

“I haven’t slept since then, remember?” Kate retorted.

“It- we- never mind.” Chloe waved her arm. “Butterfly. God. Go.”

Kate shook her head before turning back to her post-its and plucking one off the wall. “Uh, horse... fish... bird... butterfly. Yes, there is a butterfly deity.”

“What was it’s deal?” Rachel asked.

“Hang on.” Kate turned a few pages in her book. “Um... I don’t know.”

“What?” Chloe frowned. “Why not?”

“It’s just mentioned that there is one in here.” Kate turned the book, revealing a picture of a drawing on a wall. “The writer who did this research found a cave with a bunch of drawings from the Arcadians. Some of them indicated the worship of other spirits, but he didn’t expand on it in his work.”

“There’s a butterfly in there?” Rachel took the book and frowned at the grainy black-and-white picture. “I’m amazed you can tell.”

“It’s listed in the picture caption below it.” Kate pointed. “This was documented back in the 70’s. They didn’t have any DSLRs back then. This was probably the best they could do.”

“Where was this taken?” Max asked.

“It says a cave system in the Arcadian’s territory.” Kate shrugged.

“There are caves around here?”

“Not that I was ever aware of, other than an old mine or two.” Kate handed Max the book. “The writer doesn’t say where the caves are. Or what the butterfly might be a god of.”

“Tits and wine?” Chloe suggested. The other three gave her a look.

Rachel rubbed her temples. “So, in your research, did you find anything about how to stop these storms?”

Kate shrugged again. “Like I said, the Arcadians apparently did it with honor and appeasement. But I have no idea what that entails. It could be human sacrifices, for all I know.”

“I volunteer my step-douche, if it comes to that.” Chloe remarked dryly.

“That... might be the first thing you’ve said since we got here that I won’t disagree with,” Rachel mused as she put her chin in her hands. “Kate, is there anything else you can share with the class?”

“Not really.” Kate walked back to her bed and sat down. “I was re-reading the tribe history when you guys knocked.”

Max put her head in her hands. “This is both incredibly informative and not at all helpful, at the same time,” she mumbled. She glanced back at Kate. “No offense. I know you’ve been working hard on this.”

Kate absently waved her hand. “I know. I still feel like I’m missing... I don’t know. SOMETHING.” She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Hey, why ‘The Traveler’?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you called The Traveler?” Kate gestured to the others. “I figured out The Giver already. The Unbreakable is more or less self-explanatory.” Kate pointed at Max. “So what does The Traveler do?”

Max considered her answer, then smirked. Before anyone could ask, she raised her hand, and time reversed as Max tried to judge where Kate was going based on her backwards babbling.

“-missing... I don’t know. SOMETHING.” Kate closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“It’s because I can go back in time.”

Kate looked up. “What?”

“You were about to ask why I’m The Traveler,” Max explained slowly. “It’s because I can go back in time.”

“How did you-” Kate stared at her. “No way.”

Max reached over and grabbed the bible on Kate’s bedside table. “Pick a passage at random.”

“What?”

“Open the book to a random page, and pick a passage.”

Chloe smiled brightly. “Oh! It’s so cool when she does this shit.”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “You almost pissed yourself when she did it to you yesterday.”

“Yea, but now that I believe her, it’s awesome.”

Kate looked at Max warily, but opened her bible, scanned it, and put her finger on a spot on the page. “Now what?”

“Let me see.”

Kate pulled the book to her. “Why?”

Max grinned. “I have to know what the passage is when I go back in time, Kate.”

The girl hesitated, but ultimately lowered the bible and allowed Max to see. “Okay,” Max said as she read it. “Be right back.”

Max raised her arm for a brief second, and released time just as Kate opened the bible. The girl once again put her finger on a passage, and looked at Max expectedly.

“Galatians Six-Nine. ‘And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.’” Max folded her arms. “Gotta love wholesome messages about karma.”

Kate’s eyes moved between her and the bible in her hands. “Holy shit,” she breathed.

“Oh, no. Max made the religious girl curse.” Rachel snickered. “We’re all going to hell now.”

Kate ignored Rachel, closing the bible with a thousand-yard stare on her face as she looked at Max. “You can time travel,” she whispered. “That’s...”

“Pretty cool, I know.” Max leaned her head back against the wall. “Please don’t call me a Time Lord.”

Kate ran her fingers through her hair. “But... why?”

“Because it’s dumb, juvenile, and most importantly, inaccurate.”

“No, not that. I mean, ‘why’ about the storms.” Kate gestured. “Why can you travel through time? Why is Chloe invulnerable? Why is Rachel a Giver? Why am I a Seeker?” Kate dropped her hands. “Why do we have these abilities? And why US in particular?”

Max didn’t answer. She just leaned her head back against the wall. Hard.

Then she lifted her head back up and did it again.

And again.

“I...” THUMP. “Have...” THUMP. “No...” THUMP. “Fucking...” THUMP. “Idea.”

With one final THUMP, she held her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

She opened them as the bottle of aspirin landed in her lap. “I’m gonna have to buy more of that, I think,” Rachel remarked.

Chapter Text

“You really have NOTHING to eat?” Chloe whined as she lay flat on the floor, using a book as a pillow. “I am literally wasting away.”

The four of them had spent the past couple of hours in Kate’s room, reading through the books from the library and her notes. The girls had figured that, with nothing to go on, they might as well help Kate do some research. So far, they had been working silently, only speaking when they found something interesting or had a question for Kate.

Or, in Chloe's case, when they got hungry.

“I don’t keep snacks in my room,” Kate answered as she flipped through her notes, not looking at Chloe as she focused.

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Chloe, just go get something from the vending machine if you’re hungry.”

“That would require me to get up.” Chloe closed her eyes. “I don’t wanna. Also, I want real food, not Doritos.”

“Actually, some lunch does sound good,” Max remarked as she glanced at her phone. “It’s almost two in the afternoon. Kate, when was the last time you ate something that didn’t come from the vending machine?”

Kate glanced up, thinking. “Uh... Thursday?”

“Ok, you guys win.” Rachel put her book down and pulled out her phone. “I’m ordering pizza. Any requests?”

“Pepperoni sounds good,” Kate replied.

“Lots of pineapple!” Max smiled.

“If I see a single slice of pineapple, I will murder you all,” Chloe added.

“Got it. Two pineapple and pepperoni pizzas.” Rachel started tapping on her phone, then ducked under the pillow Chloe threw at her head. “I was joking!”

“You’re not funny,” Chloe grumbled from the floor. “This is pizza. Needs to be taken seriously.”

“Says the girl trying to sleep.”

“I’m studying the material through osmosis.” Chloe closed her eyes. “The information within this tome will enter my brain through contact with my head. Proven science.” One of her eyes cracked open. “It’s also possible that I’m slowly starting to crash.”

“I don’t think I’m far behind you.” Kate rubbed her eyes again, then picked her head up. “Hey, maybe I’ll finally have that dream if I get some sleep. Like the one you guys had yesterday.”

Max closed her book. “I doubt it,” she replied. “It seemed pretty specific to us.”

“How so?”

Leaning back, Max tried to remember. “It was really weird. Like, we were all talking at the same time, like we were the same person. And when I held out my arm, I held out Chloe’s and Rachel’s arms as well.” She glanced at Kate. “And we didn’t get any one-on-one with the light. It talked to all of us.”

“What did it say?” Kate pulled out a pen and flipped to a new page in her book.

“Ah, jeez.” Max ran her hands down her face. “Um... time was of the essence. Our meeting was fate, we’re important, something how only we can walk a path...”

“I can only show you the path, you must be the ones to walk it,” Rachel said helpfully as she worked her phone, then set it aside. “Pizza will be here in twenty minutes.”

“Sweet.” Max continued. “It, uh, talked about the storms a bit. But that was weird, too. It spoke like they were a person or something. How it’s power had been getting stronger, it was held back for too long, but it knows the Arcadians are gone now.” Max shivered. “It wants to taste the flesh of this world. That was how the light put it. That part was creepy as fuck. And it called it ‘The End’.”

Kate jerked her head up and stopped writing. “Like Bhurta?”

“Yea. So we’re definitely onto something there.” Max looked back at Kate. “And then it said to find you. Because you would have the answers...” Max’s voice petered off as she saw Kate’s eyes grow distant. “Kate?”

“I’ve been thinking about this all wrong,” she whispered.

Chloe and Rachel both picked their heads up as the three of them looked at Kate, waiting for an explanation.

“The prayers, the appeasement, honoring the wind spirit.” Kate frantically flipped through her notebook. “They weren’t trying to make it happy. They were trying to keep it at bay, keep it contained and weakened.”

“Kate?” Chloe sat up. “What are you talking about?”

“The dream, you said it’s power was getting stronger. It was held back for too long, and it knows the Arcadians are gone.” Kate read her notes. “Those celebrations I mentioned, the religious ceremonies. The offerings. What if they weren’t intended to honor or cherish Cota?”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Rachel replied. “I thought you said they believed she made the rain come, that kind of thing?”

“Right, right.” Kate glanced up. “Most gods are portrayed as two-faced. A Yin and Yang, if you will, two sides of the same coin. Even God, who we usually cherish as all-loving, killed a lot of people throughout the bible.”

“So, this spirit, she isn’t all bad?” Max asked.

“She’s not good OR bad. What she is is HELPFUL, to a certain extent.” Kate looked at the other’s blank expressions. “Okay, let’s imagine you’re a god. You’re Cota. You have the power to move clouds, the sun, the tides, what have you. Follow?”

The three girls nodded.

“Ok, right. But... why bother?” Kate asked. “You’re a GOD. You don’t live in this world. What difference does it make to you if the sun doesn’t move, or the rain doesn’t come? Why do you do it?”

“So you... uh...” Rachel had a puzzled look on her face. “I have no idea.”

“Nobody really does. Which is why we have the concept of faith.” Kate pointed up. “We don’t know why God created the earth, or humanity. But we thank him for it all the same. And nobody stops to think... what was his motive behind it? Or, why is Cota motivated to do the incredibly helpful things she’s been doing?”

Chloe’s face twisted in confusion. “My head hurts.”

“Well, the most likely answer is because she CAN,” Kate explained as she ignored Chloe. “She has the ability, so she does. It really is that simple. She moves clouds because she can. She controls the tides because she can.” Kate swallowed. “She sends tornados to tear apart Arcadia Bay because she CAN.”

Max stared. “Are you serious? This spirit, it’s doing this just because it has the power to do so?”

“Why not?” Kate asked. “What’s really stopping her? What are the lives of a few humans to a higher power? Empathy could be an entirely foreign concept to her. Nowhere in any of those books does it say that Cota is a benevolent god.”

Kate frowned, her jawline going slack and eyes widening. “Oh. Oh, God. That makes the second part of that dream even more terrifying.”

“Which part?”

“The part where she’s eager to taste the flesh of this world.” Kate glanced at the others with a terrified expression on her face. “Cota, she’s been held back almost her entire existence by the Arcadians. They, somehow, KNEW what she was capable of doing. God only knows how, but some pitiful, insignificant human beings managed to find a way to hamstring a deity. And they had an entire religion built around doing so, possibly going back thousands of years.”

Chloe still had a blank look on her face. Max imagined hers was the same as she struggled to process what Kate was implying. Rachel’s face, though, changed from one of bewilderment to one of comprehension as she figured it out first. “Oh, shit.”

“What?” Max asked. “I still don’t understand.”

“Think about it.” Kate glanced at her. “Say, right after you were born, I took away your ability to walk. For your entire life, you knew that you COULD walk. You WANTED to walk, very, very badly. But I was the only thing stopping you, and as far as you can tell, I have entirely selfish reasons to do so. Thus, you spent your entire life crawling through dirt, not living up to your full potential, and it’s entirely because of me.

“And then, all of the sudden, one day, you learned how to walk on your own.” Kate kicked her legs out for emphasis. “You can walk, your legs work, the whole nine yards. Not because I decided to give you the ability back, but because I stopped caring about you at all. I just completely forgot your existence, despite you crawling around in the dirt in front of me this entire time.

“Now imagine there’s a great, big soccer ball in front of you, and I’m standing on the other side of it, ignoring you completely.” Kate sat back. “How pissed off do you think you would be? And how hard would you kick that soccer ball at my head?”

Chloe stared. “Uh, is this-”

“Yes, Chloe.” Kate put her head in her hands. “It’s a metaphor. I’m Arcadia Bay, and the soccer ball is the storm.”

“Ah.” Chloe paused. “...fuck.”

Chapter Text

It took a few minutes for the four girls to process Kate’s revelation. During that time, none of them spoke.

Until Rachel’s phone sounded an alert. She grabbed it and read the screen. “Pizza’s outside,” she murmured as she got up.

“I don’t know if I’m still hungry,” Kate muttered.

“Shut up. You’re eating something solid. I’ll be right back.” Rachel made her way out and closed the door behind her.

Max cleared her throat after a couple of minutes. “Kate, are you okay?”

“I... actually feel a little better. Sort of.” Kate rubbed her eyes. “I mean, this whole thing terrifies me. But my head isn’t buzzing anymore, like something is really distracting me.” She glanced at Chloe. “I also think the last few days of no sleep are going to crash down on me like a stack of bricks at some point. Plus, the Xanax.”

Chloe leaned back on her hands. “Yea. We’ll probably sleep like the dead tonight. Pun intended.”

Max gave Chloe a look. “That’s not funny.”

“Wasn’t trying to be.” Chloe sighed. “You know what the shitty part of all this is? We still have no idea how to stop the storms from coming.”

“I mean...” Max paused. “We sort of do?”

“What are you talking about?”

Max turned to Kate. “You said the Arcadians held religious ceremonies, made offerings, that sort of thing, right? Stuff they did to curtail Cota’s power?”

Kate nodded.

“There you go. We just have to do that, and we can prevent this from happening.” Max folded her arms.

“It’s amazing, how easy you just made that sound.” Chloe threw her hands up. “Nowhere, in any of these books, did anyone describe how these ceremonies went down. Or the storms. And since the Arcadians aren’t around to ask anymore, we might as well go outside and do the Macarena in our underwear while we sing Irish drinking songs.”

Rachel chose that moment to walk back in with the pizza, blinking as she stared at Chloe. “I don’t know where that came from, but I’m totally down.”

“I was saying how we have no idea how to perform the ceremony to hold off Mama Wind Chimes.” Chloe held out her hands in a ‘gimme’ motion towards the pizza.

“Ah.” Rachel gave her the first pizza.

“Nice.” Chloe opened the box. “Hey! These are pineapples!”

“Oops.” Rachel smirked as she sat back on her chair, passing the second box to Kate. “Seriously, Kate, you need to eat some real food. Take a slice.”

Kate hesitated, but opened the box and pulled a piece free from the pie. “I wish we had plates.”

Rachel opened her bag. “Oh, for fuck sakes, you didn’t wonder why you were carrying around tableware?!” Chloe exclaimed.

“I have made a decision not to question the Chosen One.” Rachel removed a half-full package of small disposable plates and passed them to Kate.

“Ha ha.” Chloe tossed the pineapple pizza box into Max’s lap. “Gimme one of those slices of real pizza.”

Max took a plate and grabbed her own slice of pineapple pizza. “What else do you have in your bag, Rachel?”

Rachel shook her head. “Nu-uh. I’m not ruining the mystique of my Bag of Infinite Holding.”

Kate chuckled as she took a bite of her pizza. “So,” she started as she swallowed. “we’re kind of stuck in a holding pattern. We know what we have to do, but not how to do it. Or where to look, to figure it out.” She paused. “Or who The Adept and The Manipulator are. And how they fit into this.”

“Well, we knew more today then we did yesterday.” Max shrugged. “Listen, I’m sure we’ll figure it out. You know, when you’re not dead on your feet. We have time.”

“Yea.” Kate paused. “How much, though? The light never said when the storms were coming.”

“Hmm.” Max took a bite and chewed, thinking. She shrugged as she swallowed. “Well, if we were on a real time crunch, I’m sure we’d know about it. Now, eat.”

Kate didn’t last long after they finished their pizza.

Even before the last slice was eaten, Kate was starting to nod off. “I think I’m about to hit the wall,” she announced sleepily.

“Yea, you are.” Rachel collected the boxes and plates. “We’ll leave you alone. Get some sleep, you definitely deserve it. We’ll tackle this thing again in the morning. ”

“Sounds good.” Kate said as Max stood up. She then slowly tipped onto her side where Max had been sitting and laid down, curling up into a ball. “’Night.”

The other three quietly left the room. “You know what’s crazy?” Rachel said as they walked away from Kate’s door. “She hasn’t missed any homework all week, despite her obsession with the Arcadians. And she got an A-minus on the algebra test.”

Chloe shook her head. “Better woman than I am.”

“Well, duh.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “So. Now what do we do?”

“Um...” Max shrugged. “Wanna watch a movie?”

Chloe stared at her. “Really?”

“Hey, Kate said it herself; we’re in a holding pattern.” Max scratched her neck. “She’s the smart one here. If she doesn’t know what to do, what makes you think we can figure it out?”

Rachel pondered that, then shook her head. “Fair point. But I can’t.” She held up her phone. “My dad texted me. Him and my mom want me to have dinner with them at home. They’ll be here in half an hour to pick me up, and I have to get ready. Probably wind up staying the night.”

“Bummer,” Chloe commented.

“Some of us actually like our parents, Chloe.” Rachel rolled her eyes. “Look, I’ll see you guys later, alright?”

“Yea.” Max gave Rachel a hug goodbye. “Seeya.”

Chloe offered a fist bump, which Rachel met. “Later.”

Rachel walked back to her room, leaving Chloe and Max standing outside Max’s door. “Still want to watch that movie?” Chloe asked.

“Sure.” Max turned and unlocked her door, letting Chloe in. “Hope you don’t mind watching it on my laptop.”

“Better than nothing.” Chloe walked and plopped down on Max’s couch, glancing at her wall. “Hey, I didn’t notice your pictures before. They look good.”

Max smiled as she picked up her laptop, placing it on the bed across from them. “Well, I did come back for the photography class.”

“Yea? How is that?”

“Amazing.” Max grinned. “Mark Jefferson is awesome. He’s one of the rock stars of the photography world. He’s had shows in New York, San Francisco, Seattle... I have no idea why he would come to a high school to teach, but when I heard he was coming back, I submitted my scholarship application as soon as I could.”

“Wow, you are so totally hot for teacher,” Chloe commented as she waggled her eyebrows.

“Shut up!” Max’s face darkened. “I just... really admire him, is all.”

“No, I’m happy for you.” Chloe chuckled. “I’m glad you found someone worth coming back to Arcadia Bay for.”

Max paused and turned, making eye contact with Chloe. “I... sort of thought we were past that.”

Chloe waved a hand. “Yea, yea, we are.” Her trademark smirk came back. “I’m probably still gonna give you shit for a little while, though.”

Max took a pillow and lobbed it at Chloe. Chloe barely caught it at the last second. “Hey! I thought we were done throwing things at my head!”

“I never said that.” Max turned back to her laptop.

“Joke’s on you. I’m keeping this.” Chloe shoved the pillow behind her neck and leaned back. “Might use it, too. Definitely gonna hit the wall soon, after being up all night.”

Max found her bootleg copy of Blade Runner and started it, making her way back to the couch. “Are you sure you don’t want to go home?” she asked.

Chloe paused, then shook her head. “I try to avoid it. My step-dick doesn’t make it a very hospitable environment.”

“Why?” Max looked at Chloe, concerned. “Is...”

“No, Max, he’s not abusive. He’s just an asshole.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “He’s all fucked up from the Army. Likes to think that he’s in charge of me, calls me ‘soldier’ all the time like I’m supposed to follow his orders or some shit. It grinds my nerves sometimes." Chloe relaxed her head back into the pillow. “Plus, he has a tendency to flush my pot when he finds it. So that gets annoying.”

“He tries to keep his step-daughter off drugs? You’re right, he is a terrible person.”

Chloe elbowed Max in the ribs as they settled back. “Who’s side are you on?” She noticed the movie title flash onto the laptop screen before Max could answer. “Oh! I love this movie!”

“Then shut up so we can watch it.”

As the credits rolled, Max glanced over at Chloe’s sleeping form.

True to the girl’s prediction, she had passed out about halfway through the movie, falling onto the arm of Max’s couch as she slept. Max shook her head as she got up and turned the laptop off, moving it back to her desk.

She glanced at her wall clock. Hmm. Still a little too early to sleep. Max quietly put her shoes on and crept from her dorm, closing the door quietly behind her. Kate’s still sleeping, I’m sure, and Rachel will still be at her family’s house. Guess I’ll get some air or something.

Walking outside, Max stopped and inhaled the cool night air. It was still early fall, but the temperature was really starting to cool at night. The overhead lamps bathed the campus in a cool glow as Max made her way down the stairs, taking a seat on the bottom step as she relaxed.

She played with her phone for a little while, killing some time on her mobile games, but she got antsy and dropped them, bringing up her browser instead. She hesitated, trying to figure out what to research that might help them out of their predicament.

Kate literally did this for four days straight, and she didn’t come up with anything. Max frowned. What am I supposed to look up?

She sighed in frustration and put her phone in her lap, grimacing.

When she looked back up, she happened to catch sight of the Tobanga. Hmm. I forgot that thing was here.

Was that thing always here? Max suddenly wondered how old it was. It hadn’t been mentioned on any of the literature she’d read about the school. She hadn’t even known it existed until she did her student orientation. All she got from Professor Grant was that it was very old.

Max picked her phone back up and typed in ‘tobanga, totem pole, Blackwell, arcadia bay’. Strangely, nothing came up; pictures of the Tobanga were all from the local paper, and usually in the background. There were mentions of it, but mostly on the student forums, and usually as a point of reference.

Has anyone ever bothered to research where this thing came from? She recalled what Chloe had said about the school possibly being built on the Arcadian’s sacred ground. Is this thing left over? Why wouldn’t it have been destroyed, or removed?

Max’s curiosity got the best of her, and she got up and walked over to the Tobanga to get a better look. Stepping over the chains that ran along the path, Max walked up to it and peered closely.

It looked like it was carved out of one solid tree trunk, with the exception of the wings; they were clearly fitted in afterward. And it was definitely old; Max could see the weathering of the ancient wood as she inspected it. The paint, while probably once vibrant, was faded and wearing thin in places.

But the carvings around the base were deep, and still looked fresh. Max kneeled to get a closer look. Intricate symbols were cut below the bottom-most face in the wood. Max absently reached out, intent on touching them.

“I wouldn’t do that.”

Max tensed and glanced over her shoulder, relaxing a bit. Brooke Scott was staring at her from behind the fence. “Huh?”

“Don’t touch it,” Brooke clarified as she stepped closer. “Wells is weirdly protective of that thing. You probably shouldn’t even get to close to it; if he sees you, you’re probably going to wind up in his office getting chewed out.”

Max stood and backed away. “Why does he care so much?” she asked.

“Don’t know.” Brooke shrugged. “I flew my drone near it, and he yelled at me. I just stay away from it now.”

Max stepped back over the chain, taking one last look. “That’s weird.”

“You’re telling me. I wasn’t even that close.” Brooke cocked her hip and shifted an eyebrow. “Why are you so interested in the Tobanga anyway?”

“I was just curious,” Max explained. “It seems like nobody knows where it came from, and I can’t find anything out about it online.”

“It’s left over from the Native Americans, Max.” Brooke smiled. “You can’t tell?”

“No?” Max looked back. “How do you know?”

“It’s a totem pole. They were only ever made by Native Americans.” Brooke shrugged. “I’m pretty sure, anyway.”

“You think the Arcadians left it?”

Brooke did a double take. “Wow. I didn’t think you knew about them. It seems like most of the other kids around here don’t even know the town is named after a tribe that used to live here.”

Max shrugged. “Like I said, I was curious.”

Brooke peered at her suspiciously. “Uh huh. Well, like I said, I would leave it alone. And take good care that Wells doesn’t catch you getting close to it.”

“Good idea.” Max turned back to the stairs and sat down. “What are you doing out after dark, anyway?”

“I just left the electronics lab,” Brooke replied, holding up her backpack. “I’ve been working on a prototype robot.”

Max’s eyes got big. “Cool. Can I see?”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “No. I left it in the lab. It’s too delicate to carry around. Professor Grant lets me store it in her locked cabinet between classes.”

“Oh.” Max deflated a little bit. “It’s not, like, a battle droid is it? You’re not building the first soldier of the robot uprising?”

Brooke scoffed. “Someone’s been watching too much Star Wars.”

Max looked offended. “Uh, excuse me. There is no such thing as ‘too much Star Wars’.”

“Okay, fair point.” Brooke laughed.

The doors behind them swung open. “Oh, Jesus, it’s the fucking geek patrol.”

Great. This now. Max looked behind her and saw Victoria standing on top of the steps, wearing a short-cut red dress, with a set of matching heels and a clutch purse. Two other girls were right behind her, also dressed to go out for the evening. I know them... Courtney and whatsherface? I think?

“Hi, Victoria.” Brooke rolled her eyes.

“Hi, Victoria.” The blonde girl behind her repeated in a high-pitched mocking voice. “God, she thinks she’s people.”

“You’re wasting your breath, Taylor.” The black-haired girl, who Max assumed was Courtney, rolled her eyes as she put a hand on her hip. “These basic bitches aren’t worth the time of day.”

“Not when their punk-ass girlfriends wake up the entire building at seven o’clock in the fucking morning.” Victoria glared at Max. “Both of you move the fuck out of the way. We’re leaving.”

Max stood, and her and Brooke stepped aside. “Goddamn right,” Courtney sneered as they strutted past them.

“Ignore them, Court. We’ve got places to be,” Victoria scoffed. Courtney turned her head back, and the three girls stalked into the darkness.

Brooke smirked and turned back to Max. “Did the three of THEM just refer to us as ‘basic bitches’? Seriously? I watched Courtney get a pumpkin-spice latte from Starbucks, like, three days ago.”

“Right?” Max smirked. “And if Victoria doesn’t have a pair of Uggs in the back of her closet, I’ll kiss her feet.”

The two of them laughed as they walked back inside.

Hours later, Max was curled in bed, sound asleep. 

Tonight, she didn’t dream about the light. Or Kate, or Rachel, or Chloe, or anything having to do with the storms.

Tonight, she was dreaming about the Tobanga.

Max stood on the Blackwell campus, staring at the tobanga from afar. Puzzled, she tried to walked away, to go back inside the dorm.

But when she turned around, the tobanga was there. Max, startled, tried to backpedal, but she ran into a solid object. Spinning back around, she saw the tobanga again.

And another next to it. In addition to the first one behind them.

She panicked now, trying to run away. But everywhere she turned, the tobanga was there, stopping her, until finally she was completely surrounded and couldn’t move.

The wood pressed in from all sides, and MaX tried to scream... in pain, for help, for anything. But she couldn’t. All she could do was hyperventilate.

The wood pulled in closer, and closer, and closer, and her eyesight started to fade to black...

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!

Max jerked awake with a start at the knocking on her. “MAX!” the voice on the other side yelled.

Chloe’s snoring hitched from the couch as she stirred. “Whodat?” she mumbled as she lifted her head off the pillow.

“It’s Kate.” Max groaned and rolled back onto her side.

“Make her go ‘way.” Chloe fell back down.

“You do it.” Max cringed as Kate hammered on the door and yelled her name again. “I got rid of the last crazy girl who beat my door down.”

“Mmf.” Chloe picked her head back up. “Go away!”

“Chloe? Are you- never mind! Get up!”

“Why?”

“I had another dream!” Kate yelled back. “We have to go! We have to go right now!”

Chapter Text

Max opened her door, and Kate ran into the room, shaking and out of breath. “Oh, thank God, you’re here,” she said as she noticed Chloe sitting up on the couch. Max noticed Kate was still wearing her sweatpants, though she had pulled on a pair of sneakers and a jacket. “We have to go!” 

“No, no going, no thanking anyone.” Chloe struggled to wake up, checking her phone. “It’s two in the morning. I haven’t ruled out your untimely murder yet.”

“Chloe, we have to get in your truck and go.” Kate grabbed Chloe’s arms and pulled, trying to get the blue-haired girl up off the couch. Chloe, being much stronger and heavier than Kate, didn’t budge. “SERIOUSLY, Chloe! We need to leave! Right now!”

“Kate. KATE!” Max grabbed her shoulder and shook it, prying her away from Chloe. “What was your dream? Was it about the storms?”

“No!” Kate wrung her hands. “I mean... yes. Sort of!”

Max reached over and flipped the light switch on her wall. Chloe hissed at the sudden brightness and covered her eyes. “Ok, Kate, explain.”

Kate took a deep breath. “Ok, I was standing on the cliff. Next to the light house. But it was just me. And the storms were there, and so was the light.” Kate paused. “And I think you’re right, it was a butterfly. Not important. The light told me something went wrong. It said one of us was in trouble, it had tried to warn them but they didn’t listen, and I had to hurry to make sure we saved her.”

“Which one of us?” Chloe asked, more alert now. “Is it Rachel?!”

“I don’t- maybe? It didn’t say!” Kate threw her hands up. “The storms came right up to the cliff, and the light vanished, and told me we had to hurry! We have to go! Now!”

“Go where?” Chloe stood.

“I- just- come on!” Kate grabbed Chloe’s arm, and this time Chloe went with her as Kate pulled her off the couch and into the hall.

Max didn’t want to be left behind. She quickly pulled the previous day’s jeans back on and slipped back into her shoes. “Hey! I’m coming!” she yelled as she grabbed her hoodie and ran after them, closing her door behind her.

She barely made it to out of the building behind the others as Kate practically dragged Chloe through the campus, towards the parking lot. “Kate! Slow down!” Chloe whispered as she glanced around. “Security patrols the campus at night!”

“We have to hurry, Chloe!” Kate pulled her towards the truck.

“Fine, fine, okay!” Chloe pried Kate off her arm and climbed into the driver’s seat, starting the car. Kate and Max jumped in the other side, and Chloe peeled out of the lot.

“Right turn. Take this right turn,” Kate said as she pointed.

Chloe spun the wheel. “How do you know where we’re going?” Max asked as they sped down the street.

“I don’t fucking know, Max!” Kate was breathless as her eyes flicked around, taking in the world through the windshield. “I just- no, Chloe, straight, go straight!”

Chloe shifted her eyes to the side. “Did you just use the f-word?”

“Maybe now isn’t the time, Chloe,” Max commented as Kate’s wild eyes scanned the road in front of them.

After twenty minutes of panicked directions, Kate had Chloe turn down an alley. “Where are we?” Max asked as they drove to the far end.

“We’re behind that night club that opened last summer.” Chloe frowned as they entered a small parking lot, one with only two rows and not more than twenty spaces. Muffled electronic music emanated from the building in front of them, the only source of light coming from a dingy bulb over the club’s back door. “Don’t remember what it’s called. Some new dance club that has a terrible DJ and cheap drinks.”

“This is it,” Kate breathed. “We’re here.”

“What the hell do you mean, ‘here’?” Chloe parked the truck and took in their surroundings. “The ass end of the shitty attempt to bring some night life to Arcadia Bay?”

“I don’t know, Chloe.” Kate looked around, her breathing returning to normal. “But this is where we’re supposed to be.”

Max looked at Kate. “And, ah, what exactly are we supposed to be doing here, Kate?”

“I, uh... I don’t know.”

Chloe’s forehead hit the steering wheel. “Kate, I love you very much,” she mumbled. “But, I swear to this fucking Arcadian wind spirit, if you woke us up and made us drive out here in the middle of the night for nothing, I will kill you.”

Kate cringed back into Max. “Take it easy,” Max assured her as she patted her arm. “How about we get out and have a look around?”

“Eh. We’re here, why the hell not.” Chloe opened the door and stepped out. “Shit!”

“What?!” Max and Kate jumped out their side and ran around the truck to Chloe.

“I just stepped in a puddle of puke.” Chloe gingerly lifted one of her boots, stepping over the vomit. “Fucking gross. People need to learn to hold their goddamn liquor.”

“Nice,” Max remarked dryly. She glanced at the club. “I thought two o’clock was the cutoff to sell alcohol in Oregon. Shouldn’t this place be closed by now?”

“They do last call, but they stay open until four,” Chloe answered as she shook her foot. “They let people dance the booze out of their system.” The door swung open, drawing their attention with the sudden increase in music volume, as a couple of men and a woman stepped outside. They heard chuckling as they made their way into the lot. “And give the losers a last chance for a hookup,” Chloe added.

Max frowned as the girl stumbled. The men lifted the girl’s arms around their necks and started to drag her. “No, Chloe, something’s not right,” Max whispered, a feeling of dread in her stomach. She felt Kate started to shake against her. "Something's wrong with that girl."

“Yea, there is.” Chloe frowned, and stepped out into the middle of the lot, where she was visible to the two guys. “Hey!”

They stopped and turned to her.

“Is she all right?”

“She’s fine,” one of them slurred. “She just, uh, had a little too much fun. We’re taking her home.”

Chloe set her jaw and walked towards them. “Yea? What’s her name? Where does she live?”

The first guy gave her a blank look. “Yo, girl,” the second one replied. “Fuck off. She’ll be okay when she wakes up.”

“Yes. She will.” Chloe stopped in front of them. “I’ll take her from here.”

“Nu-uh.” The first guy shook his head. “Hey, she’s with us. Been drinking and having a good time all night.”

Chloe pulled her phone out. “Since your IQs are probably single-digit, I’ll make this simple. Give her to me, or I’m calling the police.”

“Know what?” The second guy dropped the girl’s arm. “Fuck you. Gimme that phone.”

“Better men than you have tried, Needle-Dick,” Chloe snarled.

The punch happened so fast, Max and Kate barely saw it. The man jabbed with his right fist, landing a blow straight to Chloe’s nose. Max and Kate both screamed in shock, ducking behind a parked car as Chloe’s head rocked backwards. She stumbled a few steps and dropped her phone, but stayed upright.

The screams were drowned out by the man who threw the punch, though. “AHHH!” he howled, clutching his hand. “My fuckin’ hand!”

“Fuck your hand!” Chloe’s arms turned into windmills as she charged forward, laying punch after punch into the man’s face. “Fuck you, you weak ass little bitch, laying your fucking hands on me!” she yelled in rage as she raised her foot, delivering a kick straight into the man’s testicles. “I’m gonna stomp your ass into this fuckin’ pavement!”

The second man dropped the girl, who collapsed in a pile at his feet. “Dougie!” he yelled for his friend, who was on the ground, covering his balls while desperately trying to shelter his head with his one good arm. “I’ma kill that bitch!”

Max watched with horror as the man reached into a nearby pickup truck and pulled out a two-by-four, running towards Chloe with it raised in the air. “CHLOE!” Kate screamed.

Chloe turned as the man swung the piece of wood straight into her face.

The force of the impact shattered the wood, and Chloe fell to the ground. But the man yelped and clutched his arm, the force of the impact clearly having been felt in his bones.

And then Chloe was up again in a flash, her eyes burning, not a mark on her face as she grabbed a piece of the board from the ground. “You want a piece of this, you slimy little cocksucker?!”

Chloe gripped the wood with both hands and swung it upwards into the man’s face. Max couldn’t help but wince at the CLOP sound the wood made when it contacted the man’s chin, snapping his head back as he collapsed into the truck.

“YeeEEARGH!” Chloe roared as she turned the board around and shoved the sharp end directly into the man’s chest, sinking it several inches into his rib cage.

The man dropped like a stone, leaving a smear of blood along the tailgate of the truck. Chloe’s rage evaporated in an instant. “Oh, shit,” she gasped, breathing heavily.

“Chloe!” Max and Kate ran forward. “Are you-”

“No, no, no, fucking shit!” Chloe dropped to her knees and shook the man’s shoulder. “Fuck! FUCK! I didn’t- didn’t mean to- WAKE THE FUCK UP!” she pleaded as she grabbed the man by his bloody shirt.

“Oh, God, he’s dead.” Kate whispered.

Chloe trembled as she pulled her hands away, slick with the man’s blood. Her head jerked to stare at Max, who was looking in horror. “Max. Max, you have to go back and fix this,” she begged, tears starting to stream down her face. “Please, I don’t want to kill him, please tell me you can fix this, Max, PLEASE-”

Max didn’t hesitate to raise her arm.

The world spun backwards, and Max released time just as Chloe clocked the second man in the chin. “Max, no!” Kate yelled as she raced from behind the car.

“YeeEEA-” Chloe held the wooden spike up.

“Chloe!” Max yelled in her face, startling her and grabbing her arms before she could jam the wood into the man’s heart. “No! Don’t!”

Chloe didn’t get a chance to reply back as the man shoved himself off the truck and swung at his new target, his fist hitting the soft skin of Max’s stomach.

“Uff!” Max sucked in oxygen as she doubled over, clenching her gut as Chloe jumped back after the man, and they started exchanging blows. Fighting through the pain, Max raised her arm and rewound again.

This time, when she grabbed Chloe’s arms, Max immediately swung her foot up into the man’s groin. His hands immediately went to his testicles as his eyes got wide, and he gaped like a fish.

“I just saved your life, asshole.” Max fumed as she remembered one of the few self-defense moves her dad had taught her; she slammed the bottom of her palm upwards, into the man’s nose. Blood sprayed out of his nostrils as his eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed.

“Hot damn, Hurricane Max.” Chloe stood back, her breathing ragged as she surveyed the damage. “You rocked his fucking world.” She frowned as she tried to control her breathing. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, you saved his life?”

“What did you think was going to happen when you stabbed him in the chest with that thing, Chloe?” Max gestured to the wood in her hands.

Chloe looked at the piece of two-by-four and dropped it like it was on fire. “Oh. Shit.”

“Yea. Shit.” Max rubbed her hand. “Damn, that really hurt. That looks so much easier in the movies.”

“Bet it hurt him more.” Chloe glanced at the other guy who was still moaning on the ground behind them. “What a pair of shitheads. Sick fucks,” she added.

“Guys?” Chloe and Max turned to Kate, who was kneeling on the ground next to the girl. “I think she’s okay, but she’s a little scraped up. Looks like her knee hit the pavement pretty hard.”

“Well, she could be worse.” Chloe walked over. “Come on, let’s get her into my-” She stopped. “Oh, you have GOT to be fucking kidding me.”

Max looked, and realized that she recognized the unconscious girl laying on the ground.

The short red dress, riding up and leaving little to the imagination. The matching shoes, one of them now missing. The short blonde hair, ruffled out of it’s normally-perfect shape.

Chloe gave Max an exasperated look. “I cannot believe that I just got in a street brawl over Victoria FUCKING Chase.”

Chapter Text

The three girls were all sitting on the bed in Max’s room, looking very deflated. And tired. It was the next morning, and none of them had slept since their return from the club.

Rachel’s attitude was not helping them feel any better.

“So, let me recap this.” Rachel stood in front of them, arms crossed and an angry look on her face. She had gotten their messages early that morning, and had chosen to take an Uber back to Blackwell, rather than wake her parents. “Kate had a dream that someone was in trouble, and dragged the two of you with her across town in the middle of the night. To the back lot of the shittiest, sleaziest dance club in Arcadia Bay.”

“It’s the ONLY dance club in-” Chloe started, but stopped as Rachel held up a finger.

“Not done. No interrupting.” Chloe shut up, and Rachel continued. “You then got in a fight with the two redneck assholes intent on date-rape, during which you tried... no, you actually DID straight-up murder one of them.” She fixed Chloe with a glare. “If it weren’t for Max, the cops would be on a manhunt for you right now.”

Chloe, to her credit, looked as ashamed as Rachel looked angry.

“You then left two half-dead assholes behind said club, and dragged the snottiest, bitchiest girl that has ever graced this school back to Max’s dorm room. To ‘sleep off’ whatever drugs those assholes gave her.”

Rachel glanced over her shoulder to look at Victoria’s sleeping form on the couch. Max had put a pillow under her head and covered her with a blanket, much to the dismay of Chloe, who had a plan to leave her outside with her hand in a bucket of lukewarm water. Other than an occasional stir, Victoria hadn’t moved in several hours as she lay on her side, the air moving from her nose the only indication that she was okay. And despite the rising volume of Rachel’s voice, she showed no signs of waking up anytime soon.

“You realize she could have died, right?” Rachel continued to chew them out. “Rohypnol, GHB, those drugs can easily kill people if they’re given in the wrong doses. And the assholes who use them to spike girl’s drinks? They aren’t usually smart enough to measure them that well. Did you guys consider, instead, maybe taking her to a hospital? Or calling the police, and reporting that two rednecks were carrying an unconscious high school student off to their basement sex dungeon?”

“Time was kind of a factor, Rachel,” Chloe muttered.

“Really?” Rachel pointed to Max. “She rewound time to keep you from being arrested for manslaughter. Time is NOT a factor when she’s with you.”

“Ok, Rachel, we get it.” Max sighed. “We fucked up. Maybe made some bad choices. But Victoria’s okay, and she’s safe now. She’ll wake up in a little bit, and other than a headache and some memory loss, she’ll be fine.”

“The same cannot be said for her dignity,” Chloe muttered. “If we’d hit traffic, karma would have caught up with her.”

This time it was Kate who elbowed her. “Oof!”

“Chloe Price, we do not wish for those kinds of things to happen to anybody,” Kate lectured angrily. “I don’t care how much you dislike Victoria; you will NOT say things like that again. Are we clear?”

“Fine.” Chloe looked down at her lap, looking properly chastised. “Sorry.”

Rachel scowled and paced back and forth. “Did anybody recognize you?” she asked. “Those two assholes, do you think they could identify you out of a lineup or anything? If someone else found them, the cops might still be looking for their attackers. And Chloe, you're the only girl in Arcadia Bay with blue hair, as far as I know, so you're pretty fucking recognizable.”

“No way,” Chloe shook her head. “It was too dark to see anything. And neither of them were sober, either.” She smirked. “And even if they were, do you think the cops are going to believe that they both got their asses handed to them by a girl?”

“Plus, they’ll probably have to answer questions as to what they were doing that evening,” Max added. “Neither of them will want to admit to spiking a girl’s drink.”

Rachel folded her arms again. “Also; why the hell didn’t anybody call me? That’s what I really want to know. You guys had another storm dream, and nobody wanted to update me?”

“What would you have done?” Chloe asked. “It was two-thirty in the morning. You were asleep, you don’t have a car, and your parent’s house is three times further away from the club, in the opposite direction. Besides, I’m the unbreakable one of this little support group. Me and the time lord, we fucked their shit up.” Chloe reached over Kate’s head. “Maximum Carnage? High five.”

Max grimaced, but ultimately returned the high five. “I did totally bust that dude’s nose.”

“Fuck yea, she did.” Chloe sat back. “Rache. You’re mad, I get that. We could have done better. But we rolled with things and improvised, and we made it out on the other side unscathed.”

Rachel eventually softened her glare. “Yea, you did good.” She unfolded her arms. “But it could have gone really bad.”

“We get it, trust us.” Chloe looked at the others. “Hey. Tell her about how that dude shattered a fence post against my face. I barely even felt it. That was fucking awesome, right?”

“That other guy definitely broke his hand when he punched you, too.” Max and Chloe both looked at Kate, who shrugged sheepishly. “What? I don’t like violence, but that was pretty cool. And not exactly unwarranted.”

“Just for that, you are totally forgiven for waking us up so early.” Chloe wrapped an arm around Kate and squeezed her tight.

Rachel sighed, turned around and joined them on Max’s bed. The four of them stared at the sleeping Victoria. “So, do you think she’s another one of us?” she asked. “From the cliff, in our dream?”

“I don’t know why the light would have compelled us to save her if she wasn’t.” Kate shrugged.

“So... who is she?” Rachel leaned forward, looking at Victoria’s face. “All her faults aside, she is one of the smartest students at Blackwell; she’s probably Adept at something.”

“I...” Max hesitated. “I don’t think so.”

The others looked at her questioningly, but Max wasn’t paying them any attention. She was thinking back to the last few days.

“HIPSTER! TURN OFF YOUR FUCKING ALARM CLOCK!”

“Move over, Trashfield, I need to touch up my makeup.”

“Caulfield! Make your girlfriend shut the fuck up!”

“Both of you, move the fuck out of the way. We’re leaving.”

Every time Victoria had told her to do something, Max had done it. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Hell, half the school knew it, too; when Victoria Chase told you to do something, you did what she said.

“She’s The Manipulator,” Max said matter-of-factly. “She can have people do what she wants just by telling them.”

The others were silent for a minute. “That makes perfect sense, and is absolutely fucking terrifying,” Rachel commented.

“Yea. Great. The Ice Queen of Blackwell can make people do whatever the hell she feels like.” Chloe grimaced. “Maybe we should muzzle her when she wakes up. Little strip of duct tape. You know, before she tells us to jump off a roof or something.”

“Do you think she knows?” Kate asked. “I mean, Rachel, when you started doing your... giving thing... did you realize it was a superpower, or whatever?”

Rachel twisted her face up. “No? I mean, it just felt natural to me.”

“It might feel natural to her, too.” Kate shrugged. “I’ve been in school with her for a couple of years now. She’s always had that ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude. It’s been worse this year, but she might not realize what she’s actually doing to people.”

“So do we tell her?” Chloe asked. “Do we WANT her to know she can basically make the entire student body do her bidding?”

“She’s supposed to help us prevent the storms from coming, Chloe,” Kate reminded her.

“Yea? I don’t trust her not to run towards the closest bank and demand that they give her all of their money.” Chloe folded her arms.

“Oh, God damn it.” Rachel put her fingers to her head and massaged her temples.

“What?” Max leaned forward.

“I have to trust in the ones who don’t deserve it.”

Max felt a chill run down her spine. “That was what the light said to you, in your dream.”

“Yea, it was. Makes a lot more sense, now.” Rachel looked up. “But Chloe’s right, too. I don’t know if her being aware of her power is a good thing. I mean, she’s mostly been using it to make herself the queen of this school, but that’s because she doesn’t know what she can really do.” Rachel glanced at the others. “If she learns what she’s capable of, and goes full-scale Kilgrave on people, I don’t think we could stop her.”

They fell silent for a minute, soaking in those thoughts.

“Ok, I know what we have to do.” Kate stood and turned back to the others. “Chloe, Rachel, you guys need to leave.”

“Why?!” they both asked in unison.

“Chloe, Victoria doesn’t like you. Rachel, the less people here when she wakes up, the better, I think.” Kate gestured to Max. “She has to stay, though.”

Max frowned. “Victoria doesn’t like me either, Kate. She has made that abundantly clear ever since I arrived.”

“We’re in your room, Max. It would be weird if you weren’t here. And I think when she hears what almost happened to her, you might get a few brownie points.” Kate shrugged. “Also, we need your time powers.”

“What for?” Rachel asked.

“When she wakes up, we can tell her that we know who she really is.” Kate glanced back at Max. “I mean, she should know. She had the dream, too. But if she doesn’t take it well, then we have Max rewind, and we tackle this problem later. She’s our reset button.”

Chloe grimaced. “I guess that makes sense.” She stood. “Come on, Rache. Let’s go get some breakfast burritos.”

Rachel followed her reluctantly, pausing to dig into her bag before she left. “Here, take these,” she said as she tossed Kate the bottle of aspirin. “And...” she turned and pressed a pistol-shaped object into Max’s hands.

Max turned it over, noting the yellow trigger, lightning stickers, and flat nose. “A Taser? Really?”

“I don’t actually know if you’ll need it or not. You probably won’t.” Rachel held her hands up. “I’ve been carrying that for years. My dad gave it to me when I was fifteen. Just, you know, in case she starts going all Voldemort before you can rewind, you can zap her with that.”

Max hesitantly pushed it into her back pocket. “You’re right, I’m pretty sure we won’t need it. But thanks.”

“Good luck.” Rachel followed Chloe out. “Let us know what we’re good to come back.”

Chapter Text

It took another forty minutes for Victoria to start stirring.

Max and Kate had been silent since the others had left. Max sat in her desk chair, playing on her phone, while Kate laid on the bed and read one of Max’s photography books. They both turned as Victoria slowly started to moan and shift on the couch.

“Mmmmmpf,” she groaned as her arm moved from under the blanket and rubbed her face. Her eyes peeled open a tiny bit as she scrunched her face. “Whozat...”

Kate got up and walked over. “Victoria?” she asked as she touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Kate?” Victoria squinted. “Kate. Wha...” She tried to lift her head up, but only got an inch off the pillow before she dropped back down. “Why...”

“Shhh, Victoria, you’re fine.” Kate looked over her shoulder. “Max, do you have any water?”

Max reached over and grabbed the half-full bottle she used to water her plant, handing it to Kate. “Max...” Victoria muttered. “Wherm I?”

“You’re on my couch.” Max stood behind Kate warily. Victoria was especially prickly in the morning, and Max didn’t want to piss her off any more than she probably would be.

“Why am I...” Victoria’s voice trailed off again as she tried-and failed-to lift her head again, her face scrunching in pain. “Ow.”

Kate put her hand under Victoria’s head and lifted the water to her mouth. “Drink this,” she ordered. “Come on.”

Victoria drank a few mouthfuls of the water before Kate let her go, some of it running onto the pillow. “Thanks,” she muttered, opening her eyes a little more. “Why’m I... whas going on?”

Kate screwed the cap back onto the bottle. “Victoria, how much of last night do you remember?”

Leaning back into the pillow, Victoria closed her eyes. “Little,” she answered. “Danced. Drank...” her eyes squinted opened again. “Where’s... Court n’ Tay?”

Max had completely forgotten that Victoria been with her friends the previous night. “We don’t know,” she answered. “When did you last see them?”

“Call them.” Victoria stretched her hand out lazily before it flopped back down. “Phone. Gimme my phone.”

“We don’t have it,” Max replied.

Victoria put on what Max assumed was an attempt at a glare. “You better... fuckn’... find it, costs more than your closet.”

Max found herself unconsciously rising and heading towards her door before Kate grabbed her arm, giving her a tug. Max blinked and realized that Victoria had told her what to do again.

She’s barely conscious, and it still works. Max swallowed nervously as she went back to her chair. This is fucking terrifying.

“Victoria, we don’t know where your phone is,” Kate said as she turned back to the blonde girl.

“In... my purse,” Victoria grumbled.

“You didn’t have your purse when we found you.” Max folded her arms.

“Found me?” Victoria looked up. “What do you... found me where?”

“In a parking lot with two rednecks carrying you away while you were unconscious,” Max replied crossly.

“Huh?”

“You were roofied last night, Victoria.” Kate rubbed her shoulder. “We found you in the parking lot behind the club. The guys who spiked your drink were trying to put you in their car.”

“I was...” Victoria frowned. “No. No, I was drunk. Got a bad hangover.”

“How many drinks do you remember having?”

“Uh...” Victoria paused. “Four? Five?”

Kate and Max exchanged a look. “You usually black out and get a hangover after five drinks?” Max asked.

Victoria didn’t answer as she closed her eyes and fell silent.

“Victoria?” Kate asked after a couple of minutes.

“...don’t feel good,” the blonde girl muttered as she squeezed her eyes shut. “Urp... gonna...”

“Let’s sit you up, come on.” Kate grabbed Victoria’s shoulders. “Max, maybe you should...”

“Yea.” Max grabbed her trash can and brought it over as Kate pulled Victoria into a sitting position. She barely got it between Victoria’s knees when she clenched, hunched over, and started vomiting.

Kate rubbed Victoria’s back as she bent over the trash can. “It’s okay, Victoria, you’ll be fine,” she said in an assuring voice.

“I-” Victoria gagged and released another stream of puke into the trash can before she settled into dry heaves, shivering.

“Ugh.” Max wrinkled her nose at the smell. “Gross.”

Kate offered the water bottle back to Victoria who took another sip, swished the water around her mouth, and spit it into the bucket. “Thanks,” Victoria whispered, head still hunched as she shivered.

“You’re welcome.” Kate reach over and pulled the blanket around Victoria’s shoulders. Max took the trash can away and tied off the plastic bag, then opened her window.

Victoria looked at Max as she sat down backwards on the desk chair. The blonde girl blinked as wakefulness crept back in. “You guys really found me behind the... uh...”

“Club, yea.” Max folded her arms across the back of the chair and rested her chin. “You were way out of it. Totally gone.” She paused. “Sorry about your knee, too. Those assholes dropped you when Chloe confronted them."

Victoria glanced down at her bruised and scraped knee, wincing. “Chloe Price? She was there too?”

“Yea,” Max answered. “She just went out to go get food, but we’ve been here all night.”

“And... she really stopped them?”

“Well, it was more like she kicked their asses.” Max smirked.

Victoria pulled the blanket tighter. “Should’ve figured,” she replied. “That girl is fucking terrifying. Um...” she glanced back at Max. “Thank you.” She turned her gaze to Kate. “Both of you. For finding me.”

Max blinked. “You’re welcome.”

“I, uh...” the blonde put her head in her hands. “Oh, god. I can’t believe I almost...” she shivered again and sniffled, picking her head back up as she wiped her nose and looked at Max. “I’m sorry I was an asshole. Before.”

Now Max was taken aback. Did she just apologize? To me? “Don’t worry about it,” she replied verbally.

“No, I mean...” Victoria rubbed her eyes. “I’ve been a bitch since we met, and you guys still saved my ass, and I’m sorry, I...” she choked. “I’m...”

Kate went back to rubbing Victoria’s back. “It’s fine, Victoria,” Kate murmured. “It doesn’t matter, we wouldn’t let that happen to anybody.”

“It’s...” Victoria sniffled again. “I’m sorry. It’s not an excuse, I’ve just... I’ve been miserable since this year started, I can’t fucking SLEEP...” Victoria paused. “I’m really sorry. To both of you. And Chloe, too,” Victoria added.

Max and Kate exchanged looks.

“Why can’t you sleep?” Kate asked.

“I don’t... I mean, I do.” Victoria put her head in her hands. “Just... weird dreams.” She picked her head back up. “Fucked as this is, last night was probably the best sleep I’ve had since school started.”

“What kind of dreams?” Max asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Victoria slowly shook her head, grimacing as she stared at the floor. “I should...” she frowned. “Where’s my other shoe?”

“We, uh, couldn’t find that either,” Max answered. “You were only wearing the one when we got to you.”

Victoria closed her eyes. “Those were new,” she groaned, then sighed. “Maybe it’s still at the club.”

“You really want to go back?” Kate asked.

“Not really. But my phone is still there, too. If I really have been here most of the night, Courtney and Taylor are probably looking for me...” Victoria looked back up. “Hey, what were you guys doing there, anyway?”

Max paused, panicking; she hadn’t considered how to answer that question. “Hm?”

“I mean,” Victoria paused. “I’m not, like, complaining. I can’t thank you guys enough. It’s just... the last place I would expect the three of you to be.”

Max considered how to answer. Victoria wasn’t being accusatory; she seemed genuinely curious. But Max had no idea how to explain that Kate had become a supernatural GPS the previous night. Based on the apprehensive look on Kate’s face, she wasn’t sure either.

Max glanced at her clock; 9:02. Ok, fallback point established. In case this goes south.

“Kate told us where to find you,” Max answered.

Victoria’s eyebrows went up. “She did?” she turned to Kate. “How... I never told you I was going out.”

“She got the feeling someone we knew was in trouble, so she came to find us while we were asleep,” Max explained. “You were lucky Chloe was on my couch. We used her truck to go find you. If she hadn’t been here, I’m not sure what we would have done.”

Victoria’s face took on a confused expression. “I- wait, I don’t get it. You guys drove out to the club in the middle of the night based of of Kate’s feeling?”

“I, uh, had a dream that someone was in trouble, and needed my help,” Kate piped up. “I didn’t know who it was, just that we had to go right away.”

Victoria glanced from Kate to Max. “And you did it?” she asked, genuinely surprised. “Because of her dream?”

“Well...” Max paused. “She is the Seeker. So we went with it.”

Victoria blinked. “The... wait, she’s the See-” Her face registered what she was saying, and her mouth clamped shut.

“You were on that cliff, too, weren’t you?” Max asked. “You had the same dream we did, remember?”

Victoria bit her lip and didn’t say anything.

“You were standing on the cliff next to the lighthouse, and you saw the tornado that destroyed the town. The light told you that the first ones were gone, and that we were the only ones-”

“No,” Victoria whispered.

Max kept going. “-who could stop it, and then the light stopped in front of you and it called you something.”

Victoria fidgeted with her fingers. Kate reached out and took her wrist to make her stop.

“Any of this sounding familiar?” Max asked as she got off the chair and walked over to the couch. She sat down next to Victoria, who was making a point of avoiding eye contact.

“...maybe.”

“What did the light call you?” Max asked. “I mean, we more or less figured it out already. But...”

Victoria sat frozen, not moving or looking. “I don’t want to do this,” she finally said.

“Victoria.” Kate rubbed her arm reassuringly. “It’s okay.”

The blonde girl sighed. “The Manipulator,” she admitted as she ran her hands over her face. “Oh, my god, I’m a terrible fucking person.”

“Vi-” Max started, but Victoria interrupted her.

“God damn it!” Victoria hit her hand on the couch. “Ever since that... FUCKING dream, people have just been falling all over everything I’ve said. Everyone’s been so eager, and I just... I just...” Victoria shrugged. “Went with it. I mean, it was pretty fucking awesome. Everyone did what I said, got me whatever I asked, fuck, Courtney’s done all my homework for me this year.”

“But then those fucking dreams started after that.” Victoria swallowed. “That fucking light. Always lecturing me on that goddamn cliff. Time was of the essence, too many lives are at risk, I had to find the Seeker, something about personal gain and oh my GOD, it would not shut the fuck up!”

Max and Kate traded glances. Victoria ignored them and kept going. “I couldn’t sleep after that. Every time I tried, took pills, meditated, whatever, the light came back and I would wake up in a few minutes.” Victoria fixed her stare on the wall. “I just wanted to go out and forget about it for a night. Taylor didn’t even want to go; her mom’s still in the hospital. She’s getting chemo today, for fuck's sake. But I told her we were going, so she went with me anyway!”

Victoria buried her face in her hands. “I deserved this,” she muttered.

“Victoria!” Kate scolded. “That’s not true. Nobody deserves what almost happened last night.”

“I do,” Victoria mumbled. “I’m such a piece of shit.”

Max pondered her response for a minute. “Yea, you were,” she finally said. Kate gave Max a look, but she ignored it and forged ahead. “You’ve been mean-spirited for the past three weeks for no reason. Everyone in the school who isn’t falling over their asses to please you, thinks you’re a total bitch. Courtney and Taylor are the only people in this school who seem to consider themselves your friends, and based on what you said, you’re a shitty person to them, too. All around, you’ve been an absolutely toxic human being since the day we met.”

Victoria flinched, but didn’t try to defend herself. “Max-” Kate started, but Max held up a finger before Kate could continue.

“But we’ve got bigger issues than high-school drama, Victoria. There’s a storm coming, and from what we can tell, it’s not going to stop at Arcadia Bay. It’s the literal end of the world we’re dealing with. And we need your help to keep it from happening.”

Victoria looked up from her hands quizzically.

“You need to tell us everything you might know about the Arcadians.” Max looked her in the eye. “From what we can tell, they’re the key to everything.”

The blonde girl looked back at her blankly. “Who the hell are the Arcadians?”

Chapter Text

A brief explanation from Kate did not jog Victoria’s memory; Victoria had known that Native Americans used to live in Arcadia Bay, but she had never heard the name of the tribe before. Nor did she know anything about the storms that the others did not. 

Her dreams were of no help, either. “It was mostly just the light, floating in front of me, telling me off,” she admitted. “The last one I had was mostly it telling me that I needed to stop screwing around and find the others. In a lot more words, of course.”

“Yea, it does like to go on and on.” Max scratched the back of her neck. “So... at the end of the first dream, did it say anything to you? Like, anything that felt like it was just for your ears?”

“Um, yea.” Victoria frowned. “I don’t think it’ll help, though. It said something like, ‘you won’t affect those who were chosen’.” The blonde shrugged. “I have no idea what to make of that... maybe it refers to you guys?”

Max frowned. “You can’t affect us... was it talking about your powers?”

“That doesn’t make sense, though.” Kate shook her head. “We know your... power? Gift? Ability? Whatever we want to call it, it does work on us. I SAW it work on Max ten minutes ago.”

“It did?” Victoria furrowed her brow and glanced back at Max.

“Do you not remember telling me to find your phone?” Max asked. “I was on my way out the door before Kate stopped me. Plus, I haven’t argued about anything you’ve ordered me or anyone else to do. Brooke and I getting the fuck out of your way, for example,” she added as she crossed her arms.

“...oh.” Victoria looked back at the floor. “Um... sorry I was such a bitch.”

Max leaned back with a sigh. “I’m over it. But this conversation isn’t as illuminating as I hoped it would be.” She noticed Kate fiddling with her phone. “What are you doing?”

“Chloe and Rachel are back. They wanted to know if they were good to come back inside.” Kate quickly typed out a response. “Rachel says they have some ‘hella good burritos’. I told them to come in.”

“Yes, please, I’m starving,” Max replied.

Victoria glanced at Kate’s phone. “Rachel? Amber? She- wait. Is she...”

“Yea, she was on the cliff, too.”

“Great.” Victoria glanced back at the ground as she rubbed her fingers into her forehead. “Christ, my head hurts.”

“Right, I forgot. Rachel left these.” Max lifted the bottle of aspirin and tipped out a couple, noting that the bottle was almost empty. “We’ve been going through these like crazy for the past couple of days,” she commented as she shook it.

“I bet.” Victoria accepted the pills and popped them in her mouth, then took a swig from the water bottle to wash them down. “Thanks.”

Someone quietly knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Max called.

Chloe opened the door, a plastic bag in hand. “I bring nourishment,” she announced as she tossed the bag on Max’s bed.

Rachel came in behind her, bemused as she closed the door. “I’ve got drinks.” She glanced at Victoria. “Hey... are you...”

“She’s okay. We’re mostly caught up,” Kate explained.

Chloe and Rachel sat down on the bed across from Victoria, looking her up and down. The blonde made eye contact and hesitated, seemingly unsure of what to say.

“You look like shit,” Chloe commented, noting Victoria’s smeared mascara and tousled hair.

Victoria slowly nodded. “Yea. I, uh, feel like it.” She paused. “...thank you.”

Chloe seemed taken aback. “Um... you’re welcome. For telling you that you look like crap.”

“No- I mean...” Victoria gestured at Max. “She told me what happened. What you did for me.” If it was possible, the blonde girl pulled the blankets tighter over her shoulders. “I, uh...” she sniffed. “I can’t thank you enough. Especially since I’ve been such an asshole.”

Chloe pursed her lips, then looked at Max. “Damn, I think she’s still drunk. Is the Ice Queen actually growing a conscience?”

Victoria clenched her jaw. “I’m trying to apologize, you fucking smurf-headed little-”

Damn it, Chloe. Max raised her hand as Chloe opened her mouth to get into it with Victoria again.

“...since I’ve been such an asshole.”

Chloe pursed her lips, then looked at Max. “Da-”

“Don’t.” Max glared, and Chloe recoiled.

“Don’t what?” Rachel asked, confused.

Max didn’t break eye contact with Chloe. “She knows what.”

Chloe looked uncomfortable for a minute before she sighed and looked back at Victoria. “I, uh... well, I wasn’t going to let those assholes r- I mean, do... you know, whatever.” Chloe shrugged. “You haven’t been that much of a bitch.”

Victoria scoffed. “Yea... right.”

Rachel clapped her hands, interrupting. “What wonderful progress. Let’s take a minute and eat.” She paused. “Oh, here. We got these for you,” she added as she rummaged through her bag.

Victoria looked extremely confused when Rachel pulled her other shoe and purse out of her messenger bag. “How did you- where were-”

“The club was between the breakfast place and here.” Rachel shrugged as she handed Victoria her stuff back. “We swung by and I had a talk with the cleaning crew. They let us in, and I found them in a back corner.” Rachel wrinkled her nose. “You, uh, may want to get the purse cleaned. It was sitting in a puddle of whiskey when I found it. I wiped it off as best I could, but...”

Victoria frowned as she held it up by the corner. “I would rather burn it. I think it’s too far gone.” She pulled her phone out and hit the power button. “Jesus, Taylor and Courtney sent me, like, a hundred messages last night.”

“You should probably tell them you’re still alive,” Max commented.

“Yea.” Victoria typed for a second before putting her phone away.

“What’d you say?” Rachel asked.

“That I Ubered back to Blackwell and crashed in my dorm.” Victoria paused. “Taylor’s already with her mom anyway. And I’m not sure if I want to get into the whole... you know.”

Chloe nodded. “Yea, that’s kind of heavy.” She pulled a burrito from the bag and tossed it onto Victoria’s lap. “Eat,” she said as she threw burritos at Max and Kate. Rachel handed out bottles of juice, and the girls dug into their food.

“So... you said you’re mostly caught up,” Rachel asked Kate as she bit into her burrito. “How caught up are we?”

Kate chewed and swallowed. “Um, the events of last night, the dreams, and the Arcadians.”

“So you were on the cliff with us,” Rachel said as she looked at Victoria for confirmation.

Victoria nodded and swallowed. “Yea. The light called me-”

“The Manipulator. We figured that out,” Rachel said as she took another bite.

Victoria looked around, confused. “So... who’s missing?"

“Huh?”

“Manipulator...” she thumbed at herself. “Seeker...” she pointed at Kate. “And... you three?”

“Giver, Unbreakable, Traveler.” Rachel indicated herself, Chloe, and Max.

“Santa Claus, Luke Cage, Doctor Who,” Chloe added.

“I’m not-"

“Yes, Max, you are, in fact, a Time Lord.” Chloe looked at her. “Accept your fate, young Skywalker.”

Max frowned. “He wasn’t a Time Lord either. For cereal, do you even WATCH Doctor Who?”

Rachel interrupted before they went any further off topic. “I give people what they need, which is lame but whatever, Chloe’s just about invulnerable, and Max can rewind time.”

Victoria glanced at Max. “Rewind time? Really?”

Max sighed and put her burrito down. “Pick a number. Any number.”

“Um...” Victoria paused and looked up as she thought. “Okay.”

“Five? Really?” Max cocked her head as Victoria froze. “Pick a big one. Go for six digits or more.”

Victoria worked her mouth. “You-”

“Number. Big one. Think.”

Victoria scrunched her face. “Uh... okay. Got it.”

“Six million and thirty-seven.” Max picked up her burrito and took another bite. “Also,” she said around a full mouth, “this is so totally NOT like the time you and Courtney smoked pot and started playing with a Ouija board.”

Victoria sat back, a shocked look on her face. “How did you know about-”

“Excuse me!” Chloe huffed. “That redneck asshole shattered a two-by-four over my head last night. How is my power not totally as awesome as hers!?”

“Quit being jealous.” Rachel smirked. “At least your powers aren’t costing your parents money.”

“Both of you, quit bickering.” Kate looked back at Victoria. “You were asking something?”

“Uh, yea.” Victoria tore her eyes away from Max and shook her head. “So, uh, there’s five of us. There were six people on the cliff.” She paused. “The Adept? That’s who’s missing, right?”

“Yea.” Rachel nodded. “We haven’t figured that one out yet.”

“Or how to stop the storms from coming,” Max added. “Or what our new superpowers have to do with it.”

They fell silent for a second as they chewed their food.

Rachel crumpled her wrapper as she finished. “Why don’t we do this,” she said. “Victoria, I’m sure, wants to change, get more presentable, and brush her teeth.” she paused and glanced at her. “I can smell Max’s trash can from here. And no offense, it’s probably something on your dress, but you really need to shower.”

Victoria bent down and sniffed her clothes, scrunching her nose. “Yea. I do.”

“Chloe, you need to go home, too. You were wearing that outfit when you picked us up yesterday to go to the library,” Rachel pointed out. “Plus, Joyce is probably worried about where you are, and I'm guessing that you didn't text her at all yesterday. If nothing else, you should make sure she doesn't file a missing persons report or something.”

Chloe waved her hand dismissively.

“So, why don’t we all freshen up and meet back at Kate’s room in, like... ninety minutes?”

“Why my room?”

“Because you’ve got the books. And the notes on your wall.” Rachel continued. “We’ll meet there, and get Victoria completely caught up.” She paused and glanced at her. “Uh, making the assumption you want to do this.”

Victoria sighed and looked back down. “Not really,” she admitted. “This is some hardcore shit that I don’t know if I want to get involved in. But, I don’t want to see the town destroyed, either. I like people here.” She glanced back up. “Besides, I’m pretty sure that if I don’t help, that light will never let me sleep again.”

Rachel saluted with her bottle of orange juice. “To whatever motivates you.”

Chapter Text

The ninety minutes flew by after everyone left. 

The first thirty minutes Max spent tossing out her trash bag and grabbing a quick shower. Victoria stumbled in right after she arrived, still a little unsteady on her feet, and made her way into the next stall. She was still soaking under the hot water when Max left, Rachel going in behind her.

After changing and finishing her burrito, she spent the rest of the time putting the finishing touches on her English paper; she would finally be able to hand it in on Monday. Assuming the storm doesn’t hit by then, she thought as she gathered her stuff. It had better not. If I put all this work into my GPA and the world still ends, I’m going to be pissed.

Satisfied, she made her way down to Kate’s room and knocked on the door.

“What’s the password?” a muffled voice door yelled.

Max sighed, knowing what Chloe wanted to hear. “... time lord.”

The blue-haired girl was all smiles as she opened the door, revealing everyone else behind her; Max was apparently the last to arrive. “Correct!”

“I’m going to rewind to your 10^th birthday party and refuse to spill that soda on your lap,” Max scowled as she walked in, sitting on the bed next to Victoria.

Kate looked at her from her chair, confused. “Why did you-”

“She peed her pants by accident, and begged me to help cover it up.”

Chloe glared as Victoria and Rachel snickered. “You were supposed to take that to your grave, you little bitch.”

“Yea, yea.” She glanced at the blonde. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, I guess.” Victoria shrugged. “Still not entirely sure I want to be a part of this.”

“Join the club,” Rachel said dryly.

Kate took over from there, and for the next hour, she caught Victoria up on everything they’d found out about the Arcadians, Cota, the dreams, and Bhurta. Victoria only interrupted a few times to ask questions, but spent most of the time listening intently.

“So...” Chloe said as Kate wrapped up. “How screwed do you think we are?”

Victoria leaned back against the wall. “Well, my opinion on that hasn’t changed. We’re totally fucked.”

“And you have nothing to add to any of this?” Rachel asked. “No special insight?”

“I told Max and Kate already, I didn’t even know the name of the Indians who used to live here before you told me.” Victoria paused. “Is there not a local expert, or something? I find it hard to believe that nobody besides us knows anything about them.”

Kate shrugged. “This part of the Pacific Northwest is not really known for it’s rich Native American history, especially for a smaller tribe like the Arcadians. Most experts live further south, or out east.”

“What about the authors of those books?” Victoria pointed to the stack on Kate’s desk. “The guys who did all this research? We can’t fire off an email or anything?”

“The majority of the information in there is cited from old public records or other Native American works.” Kate shook her head. “And the few authors that directly contributed are dead. Most of this research is from the seventies.”

Victoria glanced up in thought. “What about the town hall? Have you looked there?”

Kate looked at her, puzzled. “No? Why would we?”

“Well, there are some artifacts on display in the lobby.” Victoria paused. “A few, actually. I think they’re mostly trinkets, but there might be a couple from the Arcadian tribe. And, uh.... I know who we could talk to, who might know a little more than we do.”

“Who?”

Victoria glanced at her lap. “The Prescotts.”

Chloe’s face scrunched up. “Ew.”

“What?”

“You mentioned they-who-must-not-be-named.”

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Look, I’ve been to Nathan’s parents’ house. His father is nuts over this Native American shit. He’s got a huge collection of old relics and art. That’s how I know about the stuff in the town hall lobby; Nathan told me his dad donated a few pieces.”

Max raised her hand, attracting attention. “Um, I’m missing something. The Prescotts?”

“Seriously, Max?” Rachel raised her eyebrows. “The Prescott family? Richest people in town, own half of the businesses around here, incredibly pretentious? Their son Nathan used to go to school at Blackwell. This dorm is named after them!”

Max’s face grew red. “I never really noticed...”

“They’re not worth noticing,” Chloe grumbled. “That whole family is a bunch of entitled assholes. But still, Max, you grew up here. How have you never heard the Prescott name before now?”

“I guess I never paid attention.” Max glanced back at Victoria. “You said their son, Nathan, used to go here? He doesn’t anymore?”

Victoria squirmed. “There was an... incident last year.”

Rachel scoffed. “Really, Victoria? Which ‘incident’ are you referring to? The one where he was busted with enough drugs to be charged as a dealer? The time he set off a string of firecrackers in the bathroom and evacuated the school? Or the time he had a tantrum in class and threw a desk at a teacher’s head?”

“He what?” Max’s eyes got big. “Why?!”

“Because he’s a fucking psychopath,” Chloe offered.

“He is not a-” Victoria paused and took a deep breath. “Look, I know him. He’s my best friend. He’s got some mental health issues, but he’s not a bad guy, when he’s on his meds.”

“Tell that to the teacher. She was in a medically-induced coma for a week, on account of a flying desk almost giving her brain damage.” Rachel folded her arms. “I know you two were tight, Victoria, but he’s an angsty little shit. And if it wasn’t for the fact that the teacher got so badly hurt, he’d still be here, and daddy would be bailing him out of all his troubles. Anyone else who did what he did would be in jail right now.”

Victoria threw her arms up. “Look, that’s all I’ve got. I know him, and I know his family. His dad doesn’t like me very much, but Nathan will at least talk to me. Which is more than you guys can say. And they might know something about the Arcadians we don’t.”

They fell silent for a moment. “She’s right,” Kate said. “We don’t have a lot else to work with. Let’s give it a shot and go see them.”

“Oh, no.” Victoria held up her finger. “I’m not bringing all of you. That’s a recipe for disaster, especially if Chloe and Rachel go.”

Chloe chewed her lip, then shrugged. “Not wrong.”

“Let’s split up, then,” Rachel suggested, then stopped. “Wow. I just had the worst flashback to Scooby Doo. Anyway, Kate should go with Victoria to see the Prescotts, since she knows more about the Arcadians than anyone else. Max, Chloe and I should go check out the stuff on display at the Town Hall. And while we’re there, we can search the Public Records office.”

“And look for... what?” Max asked.

“Remember the cave system from that book?” Rachel thumbed over her shoulder to Kate’s desk. “It’s around Arcadia Bay, somewhere, but nobody’s ever heard of a cave nearby. I even asked my mom, who’s lived here all her life, and she didn’t have a clue. Which means one of two likely scenarios; either the caves have been placed off-limits, or they’ve been designated as historically significant and forgotten about.” Rachel smiled. “And whichever one it is, there will be a record of it.”

“Which will tell us where the caves are,” Max realized. “We could get a better look at the paintings, and who knows what we might learn.”

“Exactly.” Rachel nodded. “Are we all good?”

“Jinkies!” Chloe squealed. “We’re gonna go find clues!”

The other four girls collectively groaned. “That was the worst thing you’ve ever done,” Max complained. “In, like, your entire life.”

“Ah, shut up.”

Chapter Text

Victoria had never spent time alone with Kate before.

She expected the religious girl to be uncomfortable, or nervous, like most people were. Taylor and Courtney, obviously, were the exceptions. But the others she dealt with had a tendency to stammer when they spoke, or forget what they asked. And while Victoria didn’t particularly like it, she was used to it.

Kate, on the other hand, was all smiles. And unlike the others, she didn’t seem to care that she was about to meet some of the most pretentious families in a hundred miles.

“How long have you known Nathan Prescott?” she asked as she looked out the window of Victoria’s car, admiring the scenery as the blonde drove through the winding hills to the Prescott’s mansion.

“Since the second grade.” Victoria pushed her sunglasses up on her nose before she retook the wheel. “We were both assigned an art project together, and we’ve been friends ever since.”

“Wow.” Kate thought for a minute. “I don’t think I even remember any of the friends I had back then. I was so young. I can’t imagine still knowing someone after such a long time.” She paused. “What’s he like?”

“Honestly?” Victoria thought for a second. “He’s... more like Rachel and Chloe describe than I really like to admit. He can be a great friend, when he’s on his medication, but he doesn’t like to take it. He says it makes him feel weird. The new meds the doctors gave him after the desk incident, make him feel worse.”

“Hmm.” Kate shrugged. “And his father? What’s he like?”

Victoria shuddered. “He’s not nice. At all. Sean only cares about two things; furthering the Prescott dynasty, and his reputation.”

“What about his son?”

“Only so much as it serves him.” Victoria shook her head. “Like I said earlier, he doesn’t like me very much.”

“Why not?”

“Because... hell.” Victoria sighed. “He tried to bribe me to get together with Nathan a couple of years ago.”

Kate looked at her, shocked. “What?!”

“Yea. You know my parents own the Chase Space in Seattle, right?”

“No, I didn’t,” Kate admitted.

“Well, they do. They’re stupidly wealthy because of it. Not, like, Prescott level of wealth, but they’re well enough off to buy me this car for my birthday.” Victoria gestured the inside of her luxury sedan.

“It is a pretty nice car,” Kate admitted.

“Of course it is. It’s a Mercedes S-Class.” Victoria grinned. “I’m sure it’s better than riding in that rattling death trap Chloe calls a truck. Anyway, Sean wants Nathan to be with someone ‘of comparable social stature’, or so he says. So he offered me whatever I wanted if I started a romantic relationship with his son.”

Not it was Kate’s turn to shudder. “That is incredibly creepy.”

“Yea, it is. Which is one of the reason why I said no.” Victoria gave Kate a look. “I mean, who the hell tries to bribe a sixteen-year-old to start sleeping with his kid, anyway? But he persisted. I was offered money, acceptance into whatever college I wanted, tuition payments, nicer cars...”

Kate frowned as she looked around the car’s interior. “Cars get nicer than this?”

Victoria smirked. “Oh, Kate. The S-Class is still a production car. This is what the one percent call ‘plebeian’.”

Kate pondered that for a minute. “And... you still said no?”

“I mean, the offers were tempting, but...” Victoria paused. “I’m not stupid. I know what my social reputation is, between going out all the time and the Vortex Club. But I refuse to become somebody’s whore.” She sighed. “Besides, I could never be that way with Nathan. I love him, but ONLY as a friend.”

“Really?” Kate blinked. “Sorry, not to imply. You two just, you know, seemed so close back when he was a student at Blackwell.”

“You know he technically still is?” Victoria watched Kate’s face as she blinked in surprise. “Yea. He’s on the roster as a student, but he’s on some kind of secret suspension or something. He gets all the classwork and homework sent to him, and he turns it all in online. He’s still going to graduate with us at the end of the year.”

“But I thought-”

“Welcome to how the Prescotts work, Kate. When Nathan gets in trouble, Sean just buys his way out of it with influence and buckets of money. I may not be his whore, but Principle Wells sure as hell is.” Victoria shrugged. “But to answer your question, no, he’s just my friend. Nothing more.”

Kate fell silent. “I can’t imagine having parents like that. It sounds terrible.”

“It is. Especially when they’re not used to hearing the word ‘no’. As far as I can tell, I might be the only thing Sean hasn’t successfully been able to buy.” Victoria smirked. “I’m the fly in his ointment.”

“Will he be there?” Kate asked nervously. “He doesn’t sound like someone I want to meet.”

“Maybe. There’s about a fifty percent chance he’s in town.” Victoria took a turn off the main road. “Nathan’s mother is nice enough, if a little short sometimes. Hopefully we’ll catch them all on a good day."

The road ended at a massive, white mansion, the front end decorated with pillars behind perfectly-trimmed hedges. Several cars were parked in front of the house, all high-end vehicles; luxury sedans, sports cars, and a fully-loaded pickup truck. “Oh, thank God. Sean’s not here,” Victoria said as she breathed a sigh of relief.

“How do you know?” Kate asked as she pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Max, letting them know they had arrived.

“When he goes out on business, he takes the Town Car and a driver.” Victoria parked at the end of the lot and turned the car off. “We’ll probably have to deal with Nathan’s mother, but she’s nice enough, if you’re proper. Just... let me do the talking, okay?”

Kate nodded as she followed Victoria out of the car. She couldn’t stop marveling at the enormous mansion; compared to it, her parent’s house seemed like a storage shed. Kate couldn’t help but run her hands along the white columns as they approached the front door, feeling the cool marble.

“Remember, keep quiet,” Victoria muttered. “Max isn’t here to rewind if we fuck up.”

“Ok,” Kate whispered back as Victoria rang the doorbell.

A man in a sharp suit quickly answered the door. “Miss Chase,” he said by way of greeting. “A pleasure to see you again.”

“And you as well, Thomas.” Victoria smiled and spoke in a prim voice Kate had never heard before; it was a far cry from the cursing and yelling she usually did at Blackwell. Kate actually found it disconcerting, how different Victoria sounded. “How have you been?”

“Very well, thank you.” Thomas paused. “Forgive me, were you expected? I was not informed of any visits this afternoon.”

“We were not. I wanted to stop by and see Nathan. A spur of the moment thing.” Victoria gestured to Kate. “This is my friend from Blackwell, Katelin Marsh. I mentioned that Nathan was having some trouble with his history lessons, and she volunteered to help him with his schoolwork. I brought her with me to meet him.”

“Ah. Well, a pleasure to have you Miss Marsh.” Thomas inclined his head in a shallow bow. Kate, not sure what she was supposed to do, smiled in return. “Please, do come in.”

They entered the foyer, and Kate once again found her eyes drawn around. The entryway was massive; a carpeted staircase, the likes of which Kate had never seen outside of movies, curled towards the upper level. There were several pieces of framed art on the wall, and while Kate didn’t recognize the artists, she could tell they were expensive nonetheless. A couple of beautiful wooden tables and a white couch rounded out the room.

The entire house simply screamed ‘money’, Kate decided.

“Please wait here, Miss Chase, Miss Marsh. I will go and see about young Nathan.” Thomas turned on his heel and walked off, his feet hardly making a sound as he moved.

Victoria took a seat on the white couch, sitting with her knees together and feet tucked, crossed at the ankle. Kate followed suit and did her best to mimic her. “I’ve never seen you like this before,” she whispered in awe.

“I hate this crap,” Victoria murmured from the corner of her mouth, her speech pattern and tone of voice returning to normal. “These rich assholes insist on doing everything so properly, it makes your face hurt. Just another way to remind everyone how much better they are than you. They actually have a butler, for fuck’s sake.”

Kate glanced back around. “Where is all the Native American stuff you mentioned?”

“Sean keeps it around, mostly in the billiards room and the study,” Victoria replied. “There’s a few pieces in the dining room, too. We’ll pass through it if we go see Nathan.”

“Why does he have such a passion for Native American artifacts?”

Victoria shrugged. “I have no idea. All these one-percenters have their own eccentricities. Sean might have just decided that Native American history would be his, because nobody else was doing it. I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Ah.” Kate paused. “You know my name isn’t Katelin, right?”

Victoria blinked. “It’s not?”

“Nope. It’s just Kate. I don’t shorten it or anything.”

“Oh, I thought it was. Sorry.” Victoria winced, clearly embarrassed. “Katelin sounds more proper, though. We should stick with it while we’re here.”

A clip-clip of heels on the ground drew their attention as a woman of about forty or so walked through an opposite door. “Victoria, darling,” she called out.

“Caroline, how lovely to see you!” Victoria adopted her ‘proper’ persona again as she stood to greet Nathan’s mother. Kate stood up behind her and watched as the two women approached and kissed each other’s cheeks. “It’s been too long. How have you been?”

“Very well, very well.” Caroline smiled. “Thomas mentioned you had brought a friend by to see Nathan?”

“Yes, I hope you don’t mind.” Victoria turned. “This is my friend from Blackwell, Katelin Marsh. Nathan mentioned that he was having trouble with his history classes, and I thought she could come by and help him out.” Victoria smiled. “She’s at the top of our AP history class, and was in charge of the Young Historians Club last year.”

I am? Pretty sure Rachel’s grades are higher than mine. Kate smiled, keeping her thoughts to herself. Also, what in the world is the Young Historians Club? Is she going to make up everything as she goes along?

“Well, how wonderful!” Caroline turned her smile to Kate. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Katelin.”

“You, too.” Kate smiled as she shook Caroline’s outstretched hand. “You have such a lovely home,” she added, trying to get to their level of decorum.

“Thank you so much.” Caroline turned back to Victoria. “And thank you for coming to see Nathan. I know he feels better after you visit. He’s...” Caroline’s smile melted. “He hasn’t had a very good weekend.”

“Is everything alright?” Kate noticed that Victoria’s mask had cracked, and genuine concern leaked out.

“Him and his father got into something of a row last week. Sean wound up taking away his phone and computer.” Caroline paused and glanced at Kate. “I know he hasn’t really looked at any of his schoolwork in the past couple of days. Including his history homework. He’s a brilliant boy, but history is not his forte, and he has been struggling. I know his grades were part of the reason him and my husband got into it.” Caroline looked back at Victoria. “Maybe seeing you will help him.”

“Of course.” Victoria smiled. “Can we?”

“This way, please.” Caroline turned and they followed her through a living room, and entered a set of double doors.

Kate’s breath hitched. The dining room table was absolutely massive; it looked like it would be right at home in Buckingham Palace. She couldn’t imagine there were enough wealthy people in Oregon to seat it to capacity, but it seemed like the Prescotts didn’t do anything halfway. The chairs were equally stunning, in orderly rows with red and gold upholstery on dark brown wood.

Her attention was drawn to the cabinets on the wall, though. Kate noted the shelves of china and silverware, but in the middle was a cabinet full of old Native American artifacts on display. Kate had to pause and took it all in.

She recognized several pieces of pottery and turquois jewelry from pictures. Apache jars, Blackfoot necklaces, a Hopi medicine stick... they were all carefully put on display. There were other pieces she didn’t recognize; Sean hadn’t labeled anything on the shelves. But there was one thing she did remember seeing somewhere.

It was a small ceramic idol, sitting in the middle of the cabinet. Kate couldn’t remember where she’d seen it before, but it was definitely familiar. The wings on top, she recognized for sure. The Arcadians had used a unique pattern when drawing their images of Cota; wings of five large feathers, with three smaller feathers closer to the body.

Kate recognized that same pattern on the idol.

“Katelin?”

The religious girl jumped as Caroline called for her at the far end of the table. “Sorry!” she exclaimed. “I was, ah, just admiring these pieces.”

“They’re lovely, aren’t they?” Caroline smiled as she walked back, Victoria right behind her. “Sean has a great interest in Native American history. He has a very impressive collection of artwork and trinkets.”

“He does,” Kate agreed. “These look beautiful.” She pointed at the idol. “Do you know what this one is? It looks like it’s from the local Arcadian tribe, but I don’t recognize it.”

Caroline shook her head. “I don’t share my husband’s affections in that regard. He could wax for hours about this cabinet, but I’m afraid he’s left town on business.”

Kate hesitated. “Would it be okay if I took a picture? It’s a very interesting piece.”

Caroline frowned. “Oh, I’m not sure...”

Victoria interjected. “Katelin’s working on an early admissions essay for college,” she explained. “Her paper is going to be on Native American culture. Undoubtedly, she’d love to thank your family for your assistance.” Victoria smiled. “I’m sure there’s no harm if you let her take the picture.”

Kate noticed the emphasis Victoria put on the words ‘let her take the picture’. Caroline, apparently, did not. Or maybe it was a side effect of Victoria’s ability, that she didn’t catch it. Either way, Caroline’s smile returned. “I suppose there’s nothing wrong with one photograph,” she admitted with a smile.

“Thank you so much.” Kate returned the smile and pulled out her phone, talking a quick picture through the glass. “I’m so sorry for the intrusion.”

“Oh, not at all.” Caroline gestured. “Shall we?”

They continued through the dining room and up a set of stairs, passing several doors before they stopped. “Nathan?” Caroline called as she knocked on the door.

Nobody answered.

“Nathan, Victoria is here to see you,” Caroline called. “She brought a friend with her to help you with your history homework.”

Some rustling sounded on the other side of the door, then the knob slowly turned as the door slowly cracked open.

Kate managed to hold her gasp. She remembered Nathan looking a LOT better. He’d lost weight, and his trademark red jacket hung loosely from his frame as a result. His normally well-groomed hair stuck out at all angles, and his eyes seemed to lack the shine they usually did. The bags under his eyes indicated a lack of sleep as well.

Seems like that’s going around.

“Come on in,” he said in a monotone voice as he held the door open. “Good to see you, Vic.”

“I’ll be in the office, if you need me,” Caroline said with a small smile.

Victoria and Kate walked into the study, and Nathan closed the door behind him. “Nathan-” Victoria started.

“About goddamn time you got here.” Nathan started, suddenly alert as his eyes refocused. “I’ve been waiting all day for you to show up.”

Victoria was taken aback. “Waiting- wait. What?”

“Yea. Waiting for you to come ask me about my dad’s Arcadian shit. It’s a good thing you showed up when he’s out, but he’ll be back soon, and when he finds out that you’re here, he’s probably going to toss you out on your ass.” Nathan glanced at Kate. “Good, you brought her, too. This will go a LOT faster.”

“Nathan, slow down.” Victoria paused. “What do you mean-”

“I mean,” Nathan said deliberately, “that this explanation will go a lot faster since I won’t have to answer a million questions from The Seeker.” He scoffed. “No offense, Vic, but you’re kind of out of the loop on this. She is really far ahead of you on the learning curve.”

Kate froze. “How did you know who-”

“I’m The Adept.” Nathan glanced over his shoulder at the door. “I thought that was obvious at this point. Now, come on, we’ve got a lot of shit to go over.”

Chapter Text

“It certainly looks pretty,” Max commented as she examined the pot in the glass case. “I wonder what the symbols on the outside mean?”

“It means ‘there once be dead man in here, but we get drunk and smoke’um in peace pipe’.” Chloe chortled as Max shot her a glare. “What? You have no proof that I’m wrong. That’s an Apache pot anyway. There’s an Arcadian prayer-thingy over there.”

“I know that, Chloe, I was just looking. Have some respect for the dead.”

“You know they probably didn’t keep dead guys in these pots, right?”

“... shut up.”

They wandered over to where Rachel was taking pictures with her phone. “An authentic Arcadian Prayer Stick, circa 1840’s,” she read off the placard next to it. “Used by Arcadian worshippers and spiritual leaders to offer prayers to a number of their gods.”

Her nose curled. “Generously donated by the Prescott Foundation,” she added.

“Gotta remind everyone who their daddy is, don’t they?” Chloe bent down to look at the stick, examining the intricate symbols carved into the wood. One end had been cut flat and wrapped in leather to form a handle, while the other was a rounded tip with a notch cut into it. “It does look like a bomb-ass stick, though. I’ll bet an Arcadian mama beat the shit out of their kid with this thing.”

“I’m so glad we brought you along, Chloe.” Rachel took another picture. “You have so much insight to offer.”

“Again, I’m your ride, bitch.” Chloe smirked. “And the muscle. If the security guard starts to hassle us, I’ll take care of bidness.”

Max looked over and saw the guard still asleep at his desk. The man had his chin propped up on his hand when they had walked in, and hadn’t stirred in the ten minutes they’d been there. “Maybe we should make sure he’s not dead, first,” Max replied.

“Hey, it’s Sunday, and he’s working security at a government building.” Rachel stood. “Let the poor man sleep. He’s not doing anything exciting today. We’re the ones trying to save the world. Anyway, I got pictures for Kate to look at. Max, did you find anything?”

“Not really.” Max shrugged. “There was a clay pot over there from the Arcadian tribe, but it’s broken into pieces. There isn’t anything really special about it. Everything else here is from different tribes.”

“So, this was a total bust, except for the stick.” Rachel sighed. “Ok, enough of this. You guys head to the Public Records office. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

“You know, I’m not sure why we didn’t see this coming.” 

Chloe and Max stared at the entrance to the Public Records office, noting the CLOSED sign hung from the hook on the door. “I mean, a local government office being closed on a Sunday? Who would have figured?” Chloe added.

“Right?” Max sighed and rolled her eyes. “I guess it’ll have to wait until tomorrow, after school. Dammit, this sucks.”

“Yea,” Chloe agreed.

They turned and walked back down the hallway, running into Rachel as she rounded the corner. “Where are you two going?” she asked.

“Public Records office is closed.” Max shrugged. “What else are we gonna do?”

“Uh, duh.” Rachel held up a set of keys. “We’re gonna break in. I thought that’s what we were going to do all along?”

“Where the hell did you get those!?” Chloe asked incredulously.

“Snatched them from my dad’s office. He works here, remember?” Rachel smirked. “Come on, let’s see what we can find.”

“What about the security cameras?” Max asked nervously, glancing around as she followed.

“They don’t have any down here.” Rachel unlocked the door. “They’ve got the DA’s office and the court wired, but this place? Nobody cares about Public Records. Hell, half the people that work in this building probably don’t even know where this office is.”

They walked in and Rachel flipped on the light switch. “Oh, my fucking god,” Chloe breathed as she beheld the office; rows upon rows of filing cabinets. “This is SOOOOOO much worse than the fucking library.”

“Yeeaaaa...” Rachel paused. “This might be harder than I thought.” She glanced back at Max and Chloe. “Any suggestions?”

“Start working on some new rituals?” Chloe suggested. “Or donate some money to get the city some new computers? I mean, Jesus, it’s not like they’re that fucking expensive. What are we, stuck in the 80’s?"

“Or...” Max paused. “How about this for a plan; we come back tomorrow, after class, when there’s somebody working here who knows how to search this place. And we bring the girl who can make people do whatever she wants, and have her get them to do the work for us.”

Rachel and Chloe looked at her, blinking. “I’m sold,” said the blue-haired girl, turning and walking out of the office. “Let’s blow this joint and get some lunch.”

“Do you think Kate and Victoria are having better luck?” Rachel asked as they ate their hamburgers. They’d elected to go to McDonalds instead of the Two Whales, since Joyce wasn’t working and Chloe would have had to pay for her food. 

“I mean...” Max paused as she chewed on her fries. “Considering we completely and totally stuck out, I can’t imagine they’re doing worse.”

Chloe scoffed. “Yea, but they have to go deal with the Prescotts. We got to hang out at the town hall for thirty minutes and then go eat burgers.” Chloe saluted with her Big Mac. “I say we got the better end of the deal.”

“Have you heard from either of them?” Rachel asked Max.

“Not since they got there. That was about...” Max checked her phone. “...half an hour ago?”

“So maybe they are doing better than us.” Chloe took a bite of her burger, chewed, and swallowed. “If they weren’t getting anywhere, they would’ve called back by now, right?”

Max shrugged. “Given what Victoria’s capable of, they’ve probably got the Prescotts spoon-feeding them whatever they want to know while Kate takes notes.”

She went to put her phone back in her pocket, but it started ringing, Kate’s name popping up on the screen. “Somebody's ears must have been burning,” Max commented as she answered the call, placing the phone to her ear. “Kate?”

“MAX!” Victoria’s voice screeched through the speaker.

Max jerked her ear away from the phone. “Victoria?! What’s wrong? Why are you on Kate’s phone?!”

“MAX! YOU NEED TO REWIND!” Victoria screamed. “WE FUCKED UP! YOU HAVE TO GO BACK!  YOU HAVE TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW!!”

Chapter Text

“Wait, wait, wait, you’re The Adept?” Victoria asked incredulously. “Are you serious?!" 

“Yes. I am.” Nathan gave her a look. “Lighthouse? Storm? Bright light, ancient Indian spirts, any of this sounding familiar?”

“No- I mean, yes- I mean, what the fuck?”

Nathan walked over to a desk and opened a drawer. “Vic, I get that you have questions, but my dad is coming back sometime within the next half hour. So we don’t have a lot of time.” He pulled out a leather-bound book that looked incredibly old and walked back, setting it on the table in front of them as he glanced at Kate. “How far did you get into researching the Arcadians?”

“Uh... right.” Kate shook her head. “Not as far as we’d like? I mean, we know about Cota, and Bhurta, but not how to stop it.”

“Close enough.” Nathan opened the book. “Victoria, while we do this, you should get my school work out of my backpack and spread it on the table over there. Just in case.”

“Uh... okay.” Victoria still had a confused look on her face, but she did as she was told, walking over and retrieving Nathan’s books.

“Anyway.” Nathan flipped a couple of pages. “You’ve gotten a better look at the light, right? You figured out what kind of spirit it might be?”

“We’re pretty sure it’s a butterfly,” Kate answered.

“Like this one?” Nathan turned the book around and slid it towards Kate, pointing to a picture of a blue butterfly, with a white ball of light behind it.

“Yea, that could be it.” Kate frowned. “What book is this?”

“Not important right now.” Nathan turned the book back around and flipped a couple more pages. “Okay, so his name is, uh, Verta. He’s the Arcadian god of Change.”

Kate frowned. “Change?”

“Yea, I know it sounds weird.” Nathan shrugged. “I figured it might be him, but I’ve only had the one dream so far. I know some of you have had more, so I figured you might have gotten a better look.”

“How do you know they’ve had more dreams?” Victoria walked back, finished with Nathan’s books.

“I just do. I can’t explain it.” Nathan shrugged. “Ever since I had that dream, life has been... clearer? And I seem to know stuff that I didn’t before. Like some kind of super intuition, or something.” He paused and looked Victoria in the eyes. “I’m sorry about last night, by the way. I’m glad the others were there to help you.”

Victoria did a double take, but Nathan turned back to Kate and pressed on. “Anyway. Verta is one the Arcadian’s gods. ‘Change’ is kind of a rough translation, though.” Nathan scratched his head. “Verta is less of a god that controls weather or seasons, and more of a god that guides... well, changes. The Arcadians usually offered prayers to him during major life events, so that everything would go well.”

“So, he... guides these important events?”

“More or less.” Nathan nodded. “For instance, when an Arcadian wanted their marriage or childbirth to go well, they prayed to Verta. They made offerings, had ceremonies, the whole shebang.”

“They didn’t want to get on his bad side either?” Victoria asked.

“Verta doesn’t really have a bad side that I can figure out. Unlike Cota, who’s pretty ambiguous as far as morals go, Verta is altruistic; he’s a kind-hearted spirit. Which explains why he’s trying to prevent Cota from fucking the world up.”

“So... why does he need us?” Kate asked. “Why can’t he do it himself?”

“Maybe he can’t. I mean, whatever ritual the Arcadians did, the gods couldn’t stop them. Whatever has to be done, it probably has to be done by us. Maybe the gods can’t interfere with each other.” Nathan shrugged. “Whatever the reason, we can trust that he’s not trying to screw us over.”

“Good to know.” Victoria crossed her arms. “So. This ritual, the one we have to do in order to stop Bhurta. How do we do it?”

Nathan hesitated. “That, I don’t know. That’s not mentioned at all in this book, or anyplace else I can find.” He flipped some pages. “But, I think I know how we can figure it out.”

Kate and Victoria leaned forward as Nathan tapped on one of the pages. “This paragraph, right here, is a description of how the Arcadians went on their spiritual journeys. Basically, how their shamans or whatever went on their vision quests to try and talk to the gods. There’s ingredients for a drink of some kind, but I don’t know what some of them are.”

Kate glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t recognize all of the names either... but those are local flowers,” she realized as she tapped the page. “A couple of herbs, too... and this all makes some kind of tea?”

“No idea.” Nathan shook his head. “I don’t even know if it’ll help. We might be dialing the phone number for an entirely different god. But I don’t have anything else to go on.”

“I don’t suppose we can take this with us?” Victoria asked.

“Take some pictures with your phones.” Nathan glanced back over his shoulder, clearly nervous as Victoria pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos. “My dad will flip his shit if he finds out we were looking at this book.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” Nathan looked at Victoria. “He’s always been weird about this Indian shit, but for the past few weeks, he’s really ramped up the crazy. He brought a bunch of land in the mountains, out past the junkyard, for no reason I can tell. And then he hired armed guards to watch something out there. When my mom asked him why, all he would say is that he was safeguarding our future dynasty.”

Victoria got an exasperated look on her face. “Again with his dynasty shit? What the fuck does that even mean?”

Nathan shrugged. “Like I said, I think he’s gone off the deep end. My dad has most of the town in his pocket anyway. I have NO idea how a bunch of useless land is helpful to us.”

“Out behind the junkyard? Yea, I don’t get it either.” Kate frowned. “There’s nothing out there. He didn’t say why?”

Nathan shook his head. “My mom gave him a load of shit about it, because it was a huge plot and expensive as hell. But he basically told her to shut up and leave him alone.”

Victoria frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. Your dad is the most business-savvy guy ever. Why would he waste the money?”

“I’m not really in a position to pick his brain, at the moment.” Nathan shrugged as he turned a page. “Anyway, we’re not done. This tea isn’t enough, see. You also need-”

“Nathaniel!” a deep voice bellowed from the hallway.

Nathan jerked his head up. “Shit! He’s home!” He slammed the book closed and rushed back to the desk, throwing it back in the drawer. “Come on! You’re supposed to be helping me with my schoolwork!”

Kate scrambled to the desk where Victoria had laid out the schoolbooks while Nathan jumped into the chair across from her. They had barely gotten themselves situated when the door slammed open.

“Nathaniel! What in the world is going on here?!” Sean Prescott stormed into the room, and Kate found him to be absolutely terrifying. His face showed clear anger as he marched up to their table. “Who is this girl?! And why is she in my study?!”

“Sean!” Victoria’s voice distracted him, and he turned to face her. “Calm down. Her name is Katelin, and I brought her here to help Na-”

“Victoria.” Sean clenched his jaw. “Why are you here?”

“I came to see Nathan.” Victoria matched his steely glare with one of her own. “And as I was saying, I brought a tutor to help Nathan with his history schoolwork.”

Sean turned his gaze to Kate who suppressed an involuntarily shiver as their eyes met. “I, ah, was just helping him memorize the lasting effects of the Roman Empire in Great Britain,” Kate lied. “He was doing very well.”

“Is that so?” Sean turned to Nathan. “Well?”

“She’s being pretty helpful,” Nathan replied in the low monotone voice he’d used earlier. Kate only now realized that he was pretending to be on the drugs Victoria had mentioned. “I like her.”

“Hmm.” Sean nodded to Kate and turned back to Victoria. “I appreciate you taking the time to help Nathan with his schoolwork. But I do not appreciate you all being in my private study.”

“I apologize.” Victoria nodded curtly. “We needed a quiet place to study, and this seemed best.”

He crossed his arms. “I don’t care for the reason. I have personal effects in here, and I do not want...” his voice trailed off. “Why is that drawer open?”

The three of them turned to look, and saw the drawer Nathan had thrown the old book in was cracked open. “That was like that when we got here,” Victoria said dismissively. “We’ll leave, Sean, we can take this to the-”

“No, it was NOT like that when you got here!” The force of Sean Prescott’s voice made Kate jump in her seat as he stormed forward and pulled the drawer open, glaring inside. “You children have been getting into my things!”

“No, we’re-”

“Quiet!” Sean reached behind his back. “What have you been doing in here?!”

Kate screamed as Sean pulled out a gun. “Oh my god!” Victoria yelled as she instinctively raised her hands. “Sean, what are you doing!?”

“Shut up!” Sean leveled the pistol at Victoria. “Tell me! What were you doing looking at that book?! ANSWER ME!”

“Dad!” Nathan jumped up, dropping his act. “Leave them alone!”

Sean turned and glared. “I knew it. You’re cheeking your medication again.” He turned the gun away from Victoria and lowered it, though he didn’t quite point it at the floor. “You’re helping them stop the storms, aren’t you?!”

He knows about the storms? Kate couldn’t even begin to process that; her gaze was locked on the pistol in Sean Prescott’s hand. How could he? We were the only ones on the cliff!

“Sean!” His gaze returned to Victoria as she lowered her hands and glared at him. “You are going to put your gun away, and then we are all going to leave. Now!”

Oh, thank God! She can control him! She can put an end to this!

Sean’s face became confused, then, if possible, even angrier. “No, I am most certainly NOT!”

And to prove his point, he lifted his gun, pointed it at Kate, and pulled the trigger.

Victoria screamed. Nathan yelled. Kate felt like she’d just been punched. She clutched her chest as she fell back into her chair, shocked. It... it doesn’t hurt. Shouldn’t it hurt? Kate glanced down, not hearing the yelling in the background, and watched the blood seep around her fingers. It feels tingly...

“NOTHING you do will stop this!” Sean roared as he pointed the gun back at Victoria. “Cota is coming! You will not stop her from-”

Nathan jumped onto the desk and flung himself at Sean, colliding into his father as he roared in anger. Sean yelled as they scuffled, the gun dropping from his hand as they spun. Nathan’s feet knocked books and trinkets around as the two of them fell to the floor. “Fuck you!” he screamed at his dad as he swung his fists. “I will not be controlled by you! Not by Cota! Not by anybody!”

I should call for help. Kate watched blood drip onto her shirt as she coughed, and realized that blood was coming out of her mouth. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and pushed the button, her finger print unlocking it. As she held it up to see, her hand started shaking, and the phone slipped from her fingers, bouncing off of her knee and onto the floor. Oops.

“You will do as I say!” Sean managed to get his hand around Nathan’s collar and twisted, flinging him aside. Rising to a sitting position, Sean managed to backhand Nathan in the head as he got up. “I am your father! We are going to ensure the survival of the family name! Ours will be the next-”

Victoria swung the heaviest book she could find over her head and brought it down on top of Sean’s, the THUD echoing around the room as Sean fell to his knees. Victoria screamed as she swung it again, slamming it down as hard as she could, over and over, until Sean collapsed to the floor and stopped moving, unconscious.

Need to... call for... Kate tried to bend and reach for her phone, but she lost her balance and fell off the chair, collapsing onto the floor on her side. Oh no... it hurts now. Ow, it hurts so much. Oh, God, am I dying?

“Kate!” Victoria screamed. Her and Nathan rushed over, rolling her onto her back. “Kate, hold on!”

Nathan clamped his hands on top of her bleeding wound. “It’s gonna be okay, Kate, you’re gonna be fine!”

Kate’s hearing was starting to go as she coughed, blood splattering all over Nathan’s jacket. “I don’t wanna die,” she pleaded in a soft voice as a loud ringing started to fill her ears.

“You’re not gonna die, Kate, you’re not gonna die, you’re gonna be okay!” Nathan put more pressure on Kate’s injury. “Vic!”

“Shit, shit, my fucking phone froze!” Victoria dropped it and snatched Kate’s off the ground. “Stay with us, Kate! I’m calling 911!”

Why is it getting so bright...?

“She’s fading fast, Vic! No way an ambulance will get here in time!” Nathan paused. “Call Max! You need to call Max! She can fix this!”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Victoria fumbled through Kate’s contacts with trembling fingers, finding Max and hitting the ‘Call’ button. “It’s ringing! Hang on, Kate!”

“I don’t wanna...” Kate exhaled, her vision going white as Nathan looked on fearfully.

“MAX!” Victoria screamed, her words fading in Kate’s ears. “MAX! YOU NEED TO REWIND! WE FUCKED UP! YOU HAVE TO GO BACK! YOU HAVE TO GO BACK RIGHT..."

Chapter Text

Nathan tapped on one of the pages in the book. “This paragraph, right here, is a description of how the Arcadians went on their spiritual journeys. Basically, how their shamans or whatever went on their vision quests to try and talk to the gods. There’s ingredients for a drink of some kind, but I don’t know what some of them are.”

Kate glanced over his shoulder. “I don’t recognize all of the names either... but those are local flowers,” she realized as she tapped the page. “A couple of herbs, too... and this all makes some kind of tea?”

“No idea.” Nathan shook his head. “I don’t even know if it’ll help. We might be dialing the phone number for an entirely different god. But I don’t have anything else to go on.”

“I don’t suppose we can take this with us?” Victoria asked.

“Take some pictures with your phones.” Nathan glanced back over his shoulder, clearly nervous as Victoria pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos. “My dad will flip his-”

Kate’s phone rang, and she pulled it out of her pocket. “Oh, it’s Max,” she noted as she checked the screen. “Maybe she found something at the town hall.” Kate put the phone on speaker. “Hey Max!”

“Oh, thank God! Kate, you need to do exactly what I say, right now!”

“Max? What are-”

“No talking! Tell Nathan to put the book back in his dad’s desk! Sean’s going to be back any second! And- goddamn it, Chloe, not now! Kate, tell Nathan to make sure he fully closes the fucking drawer!”

Nathan snatched the book and ran back to Sean’s desk, putting it away and slamming the drawer shut. “We’re good!”

“No! No, you’re not good! Get out of the study, right now!” Max yelled urgently. “And whatever you do, don’t mention the storms, or the dreams, or ANYTHING to Nathan’s dad! Better yet, don’t talk to him at all! You guys need to get the hell out of that house and go back to Blackwell!”

Victoria’s brow furrowed. “But we just-”

“FUCKING DO IT RIGHT FUCKING GODDAMN NOW, VICTORIA, OR KATE IS GOING TO FUCKING DIE!!” Max screamed over the phone.

“I’m- wait, what?!” Kate gasped, eyes widening.

Victoria didn’t need to hear any more. “Come on!” She yelled, grabbing Kate’s arm and dragging her out of the study. “Nathan-”

“We went to my room after my mom left, and we’ve been studying the Roman Empire,” Nathan followed them out of the study and closed the doors behind them. “You’re leaving early because my meds kicked in, and I’m really tired.” A door slamming downstairs drew their attention, and Nathan’s voice dropped to a whisper. “My dad took my phone, but I’ll find a way to contact you later. Now go! Take the front stairs so you can avoid him!”

“Call you back, Max!” Kate hung up as her and Victoria crept down the hall, past the second set of stairs, until they came up to the main set in front of the door.

“... and they went to help Nathan with his homework.” Victoria and Kate froze and hugged the wall, just shy of the railing overlooking the entrance, as they heard Thomas talking.

“In the upstairs study?” Sean’s voice, though strained, was calm.

“I believe so, sir.”

“I see. Thank you, Thomas.” They heard Sean’s footsteps as he walked off towards the second staircase. “Nathaniel!” he bellowed.

Victoria waited a moment, then peeked around the corner in time to see Thomas walk away as well. “Let’s go!” she hissed at Kate, and they crept down the stairs as quietly as possible. They made their way out the door, quietly closing it behind them, and practically ran to Victoria’s car.

Firing up the engine, Victoria barely waited until after Kate had closed the door before backing the car out of the spot. The blonde gunned the engine, and they shot down the driveway, back towards the main road.

“Holy shit,” Victoria breathed. “That was close.” She glanced at Kate. “Call Max back, let her know we're out of the house.”

“Yea.” Kate pulled her phone back out and dialed, placing it on speaker as the call connected.

“Kate?”

“Chloe?” Kate sat forward. “Why are you on Max’s phone?”

“Ah, Max can’t come to the phone right now.” Chloe paused. “She’s puking her brains out on the side of the road while Rachel holds her hair back. And blood is pouring out of her nose like a busted fire hydrant.”

“Is she okay?” Victoria asked. “What the hell happened?!”

“You tell me!” Chloe shot back. “We were eating lunch at McDonalds when she jumped up screaming that we had to go, because Kate was in trouble. We piled back into the truck and she called you while we were on the way to Prescott’s mansion. What the fuck happened out there?! Did she say something about Kate dying?!”

“I’m fine, Chloe.” Kate glanced at Victoria. “Something must have happened, and she reversed time to warn us to get out of there. Did she say anything?”

“No. After you hung up she wouldn’t stop hyperventilating, then she started dry heaving and I had to pull over. Rachel’s got her now, she- oh, shit!”

“Chloe?!” Kate stared at the phone. “What’s happening?!”

They didn’t hear anything for a tense few seconds. Finally, they started catching snippets of Rachel and Chloe's voices. “-legs, grab her legs-”

“I got her legs, pull her arm up-”

“-gonna break it, Price, just fucking push-”

“-alright, alright, grab her knee-”

A car door slammed, and then there was silence, except for ragged breathing. “Here, put this under her head,” they heard Chloe say as a second car door slammed. “Jesus, that’s a lot of blood.”

“What the fuck is going on?!” Victoria yelled.

“What the hell-”

“Kate and Victoria called while you two were outside,” they heard Chloe explain to Rachel. There was a pause, then the volume of the call got louder. “Guys? You’re on speakerphone. Are you still there?”

“Yes!” Kate yelled. “What happened?”

“Max fainted,” Rachel replied. “After she puked up everything she’s eaten in the last two days, she tried to get back up and collapsed. I don’t know what the hell happened, but she’s all kinds of messed up. We’ve got her in the cab of the truck right now.”

“Do you two want to tell us what the hell went down at the Prescott’s house?” Chloe added.

“Yes. We have a lot to talk about, but maybe before we do that, you two should bring Max to a hospital?” Kate asked.

“Yea, that's good idea.” Rachel paused. “Chloe, turn around, Arcadia General is-”

“Ah... Kate!”

“Holy sh-”

“Max!”

“Kate!” Max yelled through the speakerphone, coughing. “Where’s Kate!?”

“Max!” Kate yelled back. “I’m here!”

“Oh my god, are you okay?!”

“She’s fine Max.” Victoria replied as she took a turn. “We just got onto the highway. We didn’t see Sean on our way out of the mansion. You called just in time.”

“Oh, thank God.” Max coughed. “We gotta go back to Blackwell, we need to-”

“Max!” Rachel scolded. “You just dropped a pint of blood out of your nose and fainted. We’re going to a hospital to get you looked at.”

“I’m fine, Rachel!”

“No, you are not-stop trying to sit up! Lay down!” Rachel yelled.

“I can rest when we get back to Blackwell,” Max retorted. “I WILL rest when we get back to Blackwell, believe me. But-” Max started coughing again. “We need to figure out what Kate and Victoria learned from Nathan.”

“We can talk about that at the hospital!”

“Um...” Chloe began. “Rache, I’m kinda with Max on this one. I don’t think we want to talk about angry gods and reversing time around doctors, and nurses, and people who may want to have us evaluated afterwards.”

There was silence. “Fine,” Rachel conceded, and Kate could feel her fuming through the phone. “But the SECOND you start to spiral downwards, Max, so help me God, I will drag you to an ER kicking and screaming by your toes."

Chapter Text

Rachel wasn’t sure what was more surprising; that they only passed two people on their way back to Max’s dorm, or that neither of them checked to see if she was okay. As happy I am that we don’t have to explain ourselves, Rachel thought to herself as she slung Max’s right arm over her shoulder, if I saw us right now, I would stop to figure out what the hell was going on.

“C’mon, Max-tacular, you gotta work with us here.” Chloe grunted, re-shouldering Max’s left arm after she tripped over her feet. Again.

“I’m trying,” Max whimpered as she hung her head. The bleeding from her nose had stopped, but the front of her shirt was still covered in blood. Rachel had wiped her face and zipped up her hoodie to hide most of it, but it was still painfully obvious to anyone that Max had been through the wringer. After her initial burst of energy during the phone call, she had slumped back over and spent most of the ride back to Blackwell passed out, with her head in Rachel’s lap.

Now the two of them had to essentially carry Max into the dorm and hope they didn’t run into any nosy classmates.

But it wasn’t to be. “What the hell?!” Rachel heard as they made their way into the dorm and down the hall. She turned as Dana stepped out of her room, a concerned look on her face. “Rachel? Is that- what the hell happened to Max?!”

Son of a bitch, had to be the school gossip girl...

“She, uh, got sick while we were out,” Rachel explained, thinking quickly. “She’s a little out of it. We’re bringing her back to her room to rest.”

“She’s sick? What-” Dana took a step closer. “Is that blood on her shirt?”

“No. It’s ketchup,” Chloe answered. “We were at McDonalds. She got a bunch of her hamburger on her shirt.”

Dana didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure she’s-”

“I’m okay.” Max gave a weak thumbs-up. “Just a lil’ woozy.”

“Dana, she’s fine,” Rachel sighed. “We’re not gonna leave her alone, we’re gonna stay with her for a little while.” She noted Dana’s worried look. “Come on, Dana, if we were really worried it was serious, don’t you think we’d bring her to the hospital?”

“Yea...” Dana paused. “Just... let me know if you guys need anything, okay? She really looks like she needs a doctor.”

“Sure thing!” Rachel managed a smile as she went back to dragging Max down the hall. “She’s not wrong,” she muttered to Chloe when they were out of earshot. “We should definitely be at a hospital right now.”

“We already made the decision. Hold her for a minute.” Chloe unslung Max from her shoulder and reached into the girl’s pocket, retrieving her keys and unlocking her door. “Come on, Max, into bed you go.”

“Not yet.” Rachel carried her inside. “Help me sit her up.”

Max groaned as Chloe helped sit her on the bed while Rachel unzipped her hoodie, pulling it off. “What are you doing?” She asked weakly as Rachel grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt.

“You’re not getting in bed with bloody clothes. Arms up.” Max feebly raised her arms and Rachel pulled the once-white shirt off. “Chloe, maybe find something cleaner in her closet?”

“Yea.” Chloe rummaged for a bit and pulled out a black shirt. “Hey, Max. Bright Eyes?”

“Sure,” Max replied with a half-hearted shrug, coughing as she sat in a daze. Chloe helped Rachel pull her arms through the holes and got it over Max’s head. “Thanks.”

“No prob.” Chloe glanced at Max’s pants. “Jeans too?” She asked Rachel, pointing to the blood and vomit stains on her knees.

“Yep.” Rachel fumbled with Max’s belt.

“Dinner and a movie first,” Max snickered as she tried to help, but her hands were shaking too badly to grab anything.

Still got a sense of humor, that’s a good sign. Right?

“Eh, I prefer redheads.” Rachel pulled Max’s jeans off, and Chloe helped get her into some sweatpants. “Chloe, gimme her bath towel.”

“What for?”

“In case her nose starts bleeding again.” Rachel accepted the towel and folded it, placing it on top of Max’s pillow. “Okay, lay down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Max collapsed sideways, scrunching her face. “My head hurts.”

“I bet it does.” Chloe helped lift Max's legs onto the bed, then sat on the couch. “You scared the shit out of us, Max. What the fuck happened? You were fine when you rewound this morning!”

“Had to rewind really far,” Max muttered. “Had to save Kate. No choice.”

“How far back did you go?”

“Ten... maybe fifteen minutes?” Max winced. “It took Victoria a bit to tell me what happened the first time. She was screaming a lot. Nathan was pretty upset, too, he wouldn’t stop babbling. And I wasn't sure how far back to go to-" Max coughed again. "-give them enough time to get away.”

“Nathan was there?” Rachel sat next to Max on the bed, eyes blazing. “What did he do to Kate?"

“Wasn’t him.” Max closed her eyes. “Sean Prescott shot her. Nathan was trying to save her.”

“Hey, maybe we should let her sleep,” Chloe suggested. “Do this later?”

Max’s eyelids opened back up. “No. Gotta see Kate and Victoria. Need to know what happened.” She attempted to push herself upright, but only got a couple of inches off the pillow before her strength gave out and she fell back down.

“They’re on their way back, Max. They’ll be here soon.” Rachel patted Max on the shoulder. “How are you doing?”

“It hurts.” Max squeezed her eyes closed. “I’ve never rewound like that before. I really had to push to go back that far. It feels like I went ten rounds with Ronda Rousey.”

Rachel dug into her bag and pulled out a plastic packet. She pressed a capsule and the liquid inside started frosting over. “What the hell kind of wizard shit is that?” Chloe asked, eyes wide.

“It’s a cooling pad. Some kind of chemical reaction makes the bag cold when you pop the capsule.” Rachel shook the bag and pressed it onto Max’s forehead. “Better?”

“Hell yes.” Max closed her eyes and settled back into the pillow.

“Good.” Rachel pulled a snack bar out next. “Here, take this, too. It’s loaded with sugar and empty calories. Tastes delicious.”

Max wrinkled her nose. “Is that cherry? I don’t like cherry.”

“It’s for your blood loss, not your appetite.” Rachel unwrapped the bar and shoved it into Max’s hand. “Fucking eat it.”

Max bit into the bar while Rachel held the cooling pack to her head. “Not bad,” she admitted. “Wish it was blueberry. Or chocolate.”

“Next time you suffer from extreme exsanguination, I will try to have a selection for you,” Rachel remarked dryly.

Rapid knocking at the door drew their attention. “Guys? Are you in there?”

“Kate!” Max’s eyes popped open as she tried, and failed, to sit up again. Rachel got up and opened the door for Kate, who rushed right for Max.

“Max!” Kate wrapped her up in a hug. “Oh my god, are you all right? Chloe and Rachel said you got sick and fainted!”

Max didn’t respond. She just started shaking as she gripped the back of Kate’s shirt and pressed her head into her shoulder. “Max? Are you okay?” Rachel asked.

“Mm-mm.”

“Max?” Kate tried to pull back, but Max wouldn’t let go. “Max. Max, I’m okay, I’m fine.”

“You were dead,” Max croaked, sniffling. “Prescott shot you, and you died while Victoria was on the phone, and I didn’t know if I could save you.”

“I know, I know.” Kate hugged her harder. “But you did. Because you’re amazing, and I owe you my life. Everything’s alright now, Max, we’re all okay.”

“Mmm.” Max finally let go as Kate helped her back onto the bed. “Ouch,” she added as she wiped tears from her eyes. “That kind of hurt.”

Kate winced. “Sorry.”

“Ahem.” Victoria closed the door behind her. “I’m fine, too, thanks for asking.”

“Hey, you weren’t the one who died.” Chloe shrugged.

“Fair point.” Victoria plopped down next to Chloe on the couch. “How’s Max?”

“She feels like shit,” Rachel replied as she handed Max the cooling pad. “We had to drag her here from the parking lot. And I think she lost half her blood volume,” Rachel added as she nodded towards the bloody clothes Max had been wearing. “I think she’ll be okay, though.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Max waved her arm in irritation.

“Shut up and lie down before you pass out again.”

Chloe leaned forward. “Based on the excitement, can we assume you got something good from your road trip up north?”

“We did.” Kate scooted over on the bed so she wasn’t blocking Max’s view. “We found out who The Adept is.”

“Who?” Chloe and Rachel asked in unison.

Max giggled. “Jinx.”

“Ha ha. It’s Nathan,” Kate answered.

“Na-” Rachel stood back up. “I’m sorry. Nathan PRESCOTT is the fucking Adept?! The asshole who put a teacher on a coma last year? We’re talking about the same spoiled brat?”

“He’s different now,” Victoria replied. Rachel shot her an evil eye. “I’m not defending him this time, Amber. There really is something different about him. In the ten-plus years I’ve been his friend, I’ve never seen him act the way he did.”

“How’s that?”

“With...” Victoria paused. “Clarity? I don’t know if that makes sense.”

“No, not really.” Chloe crossed her arms. “What, is he no longer a sociopath?”

“He wasn’t one to begin with!”

“Empirical evidence would suggest otherwise!”

“Ok, enough.” Kate sat forward. “We got a lot of information before we got the phone call from Max. After we got to Nathan’s house...”

Victoria and Kate re-telling the story took up about twenty minutes, while Rachel listened and asked questions. Chloe mostly sat in silence, only asking about the drink Nathan mentioned. “So... the best option we have is to drink some kind of special tea, get high, and hope we go in a vision quest?”

“I don’t know if the tea gets you high.” Kate frowned. “But yes.”

“Volunteer.” Chloe raised her hand. “So volunteering.”

“You’re missing the important part of the story.” Victoria crossed her arms. “That book is clearly significant. I mean, Sean KILLED Kate when he found out we were looking at it. I want to know why he’s hoarding it, and what makes it so important. But more than that, I want to know how the hell he knows about Cota and the storms. I mean, there’s no way he could, right?”

“Maybe you misspoke when you were talking to Max in the other timeline.” Rachel turned. “Max, did you... oh.”

The others turned to see that Max was asleep, a line of drool running onto her pillow. “I think she’s done for the day,” Kate whispered. as she pulled the blanket over her.

“Yea, let’s get out.” Rachel stood, scratching the back of her neck and glancing at her watch. “Shit. We have class tomorrow. And we still need to hit up the public records office on top of all of this.”

“Fucking inconvenient spirits couldn’t have done this over a holiday break.” Chloe shook her head as they walked out of Max’s room, Kate closing the door behind them. “Hell. I don’t have class.”

“Not gonna argue.” Rachel snickered.

“Shut up.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “I’m not working, either. What should I do?”

Victoria pulled out her phone. “I have the list of ingredients for the tea. It looks like most of them are local flowers and herbs, easy enough to get. I don’t recognize a couple of them, though.”

“Eh. Send it to me.” Victoria nodded and tapped a few buttons on her phone. Chloe’s beeped a second later as she got the picture. “I’ll get what I can tomorrow. Nothing better to do at this stage.”

Chapter Text

“Miss? Miss. You can’t smoke that here.”

Chloe turned to the attendant who barely looked old enough to shave, unlit cigarette hanging from her lips. “I’m outside, broski,” she retorted.

“You’re still in the store, ma’am.” The kid flinched when Chloe glared. “Please put that away.”

Chloe sighed and retrieved the cigarette, sticking it behind her ear. “Fine. Can you at least tell me where I can get...” she glanced at her phone. “Figwort? Jesus, that name sounds made up.”

“Uh, in the back, near the seasonal flowers.”

“Thanks, kid.” Chloe walked away, surveying the gardening section of the hardware store as she pushed her cart. She was almost done with her list, though it hadn’t been as easy as Victoria had made it seem. The names on the list were all old, and most of the plants and herbs didn’t go by them anymore. After going home from Blackwell, Chloe had spent most of the night using her Google-Fu to get more up-to-date information.

Scanning the shelves, she stopped. “Figwort. Wow, it is a real name.” She picked up two plants and deposited them in her cart with the others. “Fuckin’ ugly ass plant. Who the hell buys these?” she wondered as her phone jingled. She pulled it out and read Rachel’s replies to her text.

Rachel: Yea shes awake

Rachel: Kate made sure she got to class

Rachel: Drank 2 cups of coffee on the way there

Rachel: I switched out her soy milk and fake sugar for the real stuff and she didnt notice

“Nice.” Chloe typed off a reply and put her phone away as she checked her list. There were only two more plants and an herb on the list.

The plants she found easily enough. The herb, though... she wasn’t going to find that here, she figured, smiling smugly as she checked out with the cash Rachel had given her. She was going to have to go see Frank for that. Gonna have to figure that out, what with the money I owe him.

I SO knew this was going to end with somebody getting high.

She got another text as she loaded up the plants in the back of her truck.

Unknown: This is Chloe Price, right?

“The fuck?” Chloe typed back.

Chloe: who tf is this?

Unknown: It’s Nathan.

Unknown: Need you to do something.

“Oh, for fucks sake... wait a minute.” Chloe frowned.

Chloe: how tf did u get this #

Unknown: Adept. Know things. Not important.

Chloe: wrong

Chloe: very important

Chloe: dont like psychos having my digits

Unknown: Yea, we’re gonna have to move past this.

Chloe: wait i thought vic said ur dad took ur phone?

Unknown: Got ahold of another one. Again, not important.

Unknown: I know you’re getting the stuff for the vision quest thing.

Unknown: Tea isn’t enough. You need an aroma, or else it won’t work.

Chloe threw her head back. “Oh, god damn it.”

Chloe: why the hell didn’t u tell this to vic and kate???

Unknown: We cut our talk short so my dad didn’t kill Kate, in case you forgot.

Unknown: You need to get a flower called the Pink Sand Verbena.

Unknown: When you burn the petals, the smoke produces a hallucinogenic effect when inhaled.

Chloe: gd, couldve told me b4 i left home depot

Unknown: Can’t get it there.

Unknown: It’s an endangered plant. Not many left. Illegal to sell.

Chloe: r u serious

Chloe: where tf do i get it then?

Unknown: That’s the tricky part.

Unknown: Did I tell you guys that my dad brought a big lot of property behind the junkyard?

Chloe: no

Chloe: wtf for? theres nothing out there but woods

Unknown: Well, I meant to. But he did, and I had no idea why at the time, but I do now.

Unknown: There’s a plot of land out there with those flowers growing on it.

Chloe climbed back into her truck, slamming the door as she mulled his latest text over.

Chloe: ur dad brought a shitload of useless land for flowers?

Chloe: wtf?

Unknown: Fairly certain we’ve established that my dad may not be entirely stable.

Chloe: right

Chloe: so i just gotta roll over and scoop sum of that shit up

Chloe: easy as your mother

Unknown: Yep. Just ignore the armed mercenaries he hired to guard it.

The blue-haired girl glared at her phone.

Chloe: R U FUCKING SERIOUS

Unknown: Again, dad’s mental stability in question.

Chloe: fuck that, u get the gd flowers, pretty sure they wont shoot ur ass

Unknown: Yea, that’s a great idea, I’ll go get the flowers.

Unknown: While I’m pretending to be heavily medicated.

Unknown: And under house arrest.

Chloe: gd it

Unknown: You’re bulletproof. What do you care?

Chloe: havent tested this shit with bullets yet, tf do u know?

Unknown: Trust me, you are.

Chloe: trust? you?

Chloe: thats gonna be a no for me dawg

Unknown: Fine. Trust that I don’t want the world to end any more than you do.

Unknown: But, there’s a limit to how much I can do from my bedroom.

Unknown: Therefore, the last thing I want is any of you guys getting hurt doing the hard work.

Unknown: And you literally cannot get hurt. So...

“...fuck.” Chloe leaned her head back on the seat as she contemplated his texts. She didn’t like Nathan. Hell, she downright loathed him, even after everything Victoria and Kate had said about him. As far as she was concerned, he was a pretentious little shit who relied on daddy’s money to get out of trouble.

But she also knew he was right.

Chloe: fine

Chloe: gimme a map or address or something

Making a pointed effort not to look at the overturned boat, Chloe parked her truck at American Rust an hour later. After dropping the plants off back at her bedroom, she’d changed into some hiking clothes and sensible boots for her trip into the mountains. She’d also grabbed a bottle of water, a backpack, and a bunch of Ziploc baggies. 

She’d thought about grabbing one of David’s pistols, but remembered what had happened with the guys behind the club and decided against it. “Don’t need Max rewinding today,” she muttered to herself as she walked through the junkyard, looking at the map Nathan had sent her.

The property wasn’t as far behind the junkyard as Nathan had made it out to be, but it was reasonably big. She figured she could cover most of it before the sun went down, if she was lucky.

Chloe: so where r the flowers at?

Nathan: I don’t know. But I imagine they’re near the mercenaries.

Chloe: u know how many ur dad hired?

Nathan: At least two guys. Not sure how paranoid he is right now, though.

Nathan: I would get as much as you can. When he figures out some of it’s missing, he’ll probably go all out to make sure nobody can get anymore.

Nathan: So you’ll probably only get one shot at this.

“Wonderful.” Chloe put her phone back in her pocket. “Playing life on Expert mode.”

“I don’t like this.” Rachel frowned at her phone as she read Chloe’s texts. 

Victoria pursed her lips as she read over her shoulder. “What bothers you more? That she’s getting instructions from Nathan, or that it’s her against armed guards?”

“Both?” Rachel paused. “And, at the same time... neither? I don’t know. It’s confusing.”

The four girls were sitting in the Blackwell cafeteria, eating lunch. Max had recovered from the day before, but she was still a little out of it; she mostly moved her food around her tray, picking at it occasionally. “She’s unbreakable, right?” she asked as she sipped a can of soda, a worried look on her face. “I mean, she handled those two guys behind the bar...”

“I’m worried about Nathan, too,” Kate commented. She toyed with her sandwich as she spoke. “I don’t know what his dad will do if he finds out his son’s been helping us.”

“Me either.” Victoria paused. “But Sean cares too much about carrying on the family legacy. He won’t hurt Nathan.”

“Before yesterday, would you have thought him capable of murder?” Rachel asked. Max and Kate both flinched at the reminder of the previous day’s events.

Victoria didn’t reply right away. She took a bite of her salad and crunched on the lettuce. “No,” she finally admitted.

“Neither would I, honestly. Sean Prescott is a world-class prick, but killing someone outright is not something I would have thought him capable of.”

“Can we maybe talk about something else?” Max asked quietly.

Rachel flicked her eyes to Max and relaxed. “Sorry,” she said softly. “But the point is he’s not very predictable right now. We don’t know what’s going on in his head.”

Kate leaned forward. “Look. We’re stuck here for class until this afternoon, so there isn’t anything we can do to help Chloe. Sadly, she’s on her own for right now. Maybe we should focus on what we’re doing later?”

“The Public Records office.” Rachel turned to Victoria. “You only have one class this afternoon, right?”

“Yea, Algebra.” Victoria shrugged. “You guys?”

“I’ve got AP History and Calculus.” Rachel frowned.

“AP History and Brit Lit for me, plus a study group,” Kate added.

“All I have is Biology,” Max looked at Victoria. “I can go with you to the town hall after.”

“Good on Max for not being a super student.” Victoria smirked as Max turned red. “Yea, I’ll find you after class.”

Chapter Text

“Fuck this,” Chloe panted as she stood on the side of the mountain, hands on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath, drinking from her water bottle. “Fuck this mountain, fuck those flowers, fuck the Prescotts, and fuck these goddamn storms. Fuck all of it.”

She slowly stood back upright and took a deep breath, staring into the sky. “And double fuck you, Cota, for ruining my goddamn weekend,” she added as an afterthought.

Chloe was coming to the realization that walking around a couple dozen acres of mountainous terrain may not have been as easy as she thought. She’d been at it for close to two hours, and she had barely covered half of the land Sean had purchased.

I can’t believe someone owns this, she thought to herself as she resumed walking. Why the fuck would you buy all this land if there weren’t gold nuggets the size of turds every few feet? You can’t build shit out here, there aren’t any animals to hunt, and the scenery fucking sucks. She looked into the distance, seeing most of Arcadia Bay as she walked downhill. Sean Prescott can keep this fucking tract of poor decisions.

Not paying attention, Chloe tripped over a tree root with a yell of surprise. She twisted, falling on her shoulder rather than her face, and rolled down the hill for several seconds before she slammed into a tree. The impact on her torso crushed the air from her lungs, and she lay on the ground unmoving for a few seconds before she was able to take in a breath

“Fucker,” she muttered, feeling her ribs as she pushed herself onto her hands and knees. She was fine, of course. “Fuck this!” she snarled as she stood, kicking the tree with the toe of her boot. “Fuck you, mister butterfly light, and your vision quest bullshit!” Chloe stood, fuming. “I’m going the fuck home. I’ll do this vision quest on vodka and Red Bull like the rest of the millennials in college.”

Chloe turned to go back up the trail... and paused, as she noticed the flowers in front of her. 

Pink and white petals. Brownish-red stems. Blooming in a tight circle around the base of the plant. Exactly like the photos she’d Googled on the way there.

It was a goddamn Pink Sand Verbena, growing two feet in front of her.

Chloe glanced nervously into the sky. “Um. Mr. Verta? Sir? I take it back. Please don’t smite me.”

Nothing. After a few seconds, Chloe decided she wasn’t in danger of being struck by lighting and bent to inspect the plant, gently pushing it upright. Taking out her phone, she snapped a picture and sent it to Nathan.

Nathan: That’s it!

Nathan: Need more than that though.

Chloe: how much u think?

Nathan: Petals probably burn fast; book says they have to burn the entire time you drink the tea.

Nathan: I would say maybe twenty plants? At least?

Oh, my God. Chloe looked around. I’m literally doing a fucking side quest right now. “Gather twenty endangered flowers for bonus experience, and a potion of +2 Tripping Balls.”

Chloe gripped the plant and gently tugged it from the soil, lifting it out while keeping the roots intact. She took a Ziploc from her backpack and placed the plant inside, sealing it and replacing it in her bag. “One down, at least 19 to go.”

There weren’t any others within immediate eyesight, but as Chloe scanned the woods around her, she saw another flash of pink in the distance, further down the hill. As she walked closer, she saw another. And another. Then several more, growing in a cluster at the base of a tree. By the time she got to them, she could see several more clusters, all growing within about a hundred feet of each other.

Score!

Chloe kneeled, plucking one of the flowers and bringing it to her face as she inspected it. Pretty. And small, too. Seems like something more important would... glow, or whatever. She shrugged and lowered the flower, gazing around the clearing.

And that’s when she noticed the Jeep parked at the far end of the field. And the two tents pitched next to it.

Her heart rate skyrocketed as she saw them, and noted that they were empty. Mercenaries. Nathan said they would be here... Chloe glanced around. What the hell? Did they go for a nap or something? Where the fuck did they-

The twig snapping behind her barely registered before something slammed into the back of her head, and she pitched forward, landing square in the cluster of Verbenas.

There was no pain. She hadn’t felt pain when the redneck smashed the wooden board over her face, so she didn’t expect to feel it now, but there was pressure. She felt it ebb quickly as she quickly rolled over, taking in her attacker. A big man, six feet tall, in a dark green ensemble, carrying a pistol on his hip and a black rifle in his hands. He stared at her, rifle still held by the hand guard and butt stock, clearly his weapon of choice.

“What the fuck, asshole?!” Chloe glared at him in anger. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

He eyed her cautiously. “You should be unconscious,” he remarked.

“I should be dead, you fucking prick! What the hell's the matter with you?!” Chloe pushed herself upright. “I’m lost! I was just trying to find my way back to town!”

“You’re not lost.” The man stared at her with empty eyes. “I’ve been following you around for ten minutes. You knew exactly what you were coming out here for.” He repositioned his grip on the rifle and took aim at her chest. “Put your hands up.”

“Go fuck yourself, Rambo.” Chloe flipped the man the bird, glaring.

The rifle clicked as the man flipped a lever on the side. “I’m not asking you again.”

“Seriously?” Chloe scoffed. “You’re going to kill me? Over fucking FLOWERS?! I don’t know what Sean Prescott is paying you, but it can’t be that good.”

“My employer is paying me more than enough to make people disappear, if necessary.” The man lifted the barrel so the gun was now aimed at Chloe’s head. “Now, put your hands up, and get down on your knees. Last warning.”

Oh, man, I really hope Nathan is right.

“Know what, man? Fuck you!” Chloe charged forward and reached for the gun.

BANG!

The impact on her forehead snapped her head back, and she stumbled. She winced internally, at the pressure; it was way more than the board or the strike to the head. But it was gone just as quickly, and she whipped her head back forward. She managed to catch herself without losing her footing.

The man’s face had finally changed from neutral to shocked.

Chloe took advantage of his surprise to wrap both of her hands around the barrel and try to pull it away. The man pulled back, though, fighting her off. The result was that the barrel was pointed at her chest when the man held down the trigger.

BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG-

The full-auto impacts felt like she was getting drilled with a jackhammer, right over her diaphragm. Chloe grit her teeth as she struggled to draw a proper breath while the man emptied his magazine into her chest.

The rifle finally stopped, out of ammo, the muzzle smoking in her hands. Chloe knew the barrel had to be hot, but she didn’t feel any heat whatsoever as she finally yanked it free of the man, who stood transfixed. Before he could react, Chloe swung it back around, smacking the man in the head with the other end of the gun.

He stumbled back and dropped onto his ass, one hand on his temple and the other hand on the ground. “Get good, scrub,” she sneered as she lifted her boot and stomped into his nose, finally dropping him onto his back in the dirt.

“FREEZE!”

Chloe turned and saw a second man, dressed identically to the first, aiming his own rifle at her. “GET DOWN! GET DOWN RIGHT NOW!”

“Really, bro?!” Chloe threw the empty rifle in her hands away as she held her arms wide. “You saw all that, right?! Do you think it’s going to work any better for you?!”

The man apparently did. He shouldered the gun and fired round after round. Chloe couldn’t help but drop to her knee from multiple impacts to the head, chest, and legs. She shielded her face with her open hand in reflex as she saw smashed bullets drop to the ground in front of her, their noses flattened from hitting her skin.

The second man finally stopped, his gun empty. Dropping the rifle, he let it hang by the sling as he drew his pistol and resumed shooting. Chloe stood back up as more bullets hit her, the impacts feeling like pebbles being thrown against her skin. His gun finally ran dry and Chloe put her hand down as she looked at her shirt, seeing all the black marks and holes the bullets had made.

God damn it! This was one of my favorite shirts!

“Oh, that’s fucking IT!” Chloe’s eyes blazed with anger as she looked at him. “I took it easy on your friend. I’m gonna shove that thing up your ass sideways!”

With that, she charged. Panicking, the man threw his pistol at her; it bounced off her head, not even slowing her down as she collided with him. She landed on top of him, but he got his knee up and pushed her off to the side before rolling back upright. He drew his arm back and threw a punch as she worked her way to her feet, landing a blow right on her ear.

The THOCK sound reminded her of someone hitting a block of wood.

“AHHH!” the man screamed as he collapsed to the ground, gripping his hand. “WHAT THE FUCK!”

“That sounded like it felt great!” Chloe pushed herself up and stood over the man as he held his hand; she could see it already turning purple. “Oh, busted fingers. Been there, bro. That’s gonna suck for a while.” Chloe smirked. “Hope that wasn't your dominant hand, or your girlfriend's gonna be really pissed off.”

The man looked at her, eyes wide, as he struggled to his feet. Chloe swung her fist into his face, feeling something soft give way with a CRUNCH. Whimpering, the man fell onto his side, stunned. Chloe took advantage of his inability to move by plucking a new pistol magazine from his belt, then walking over and retrieving the thrown firearm.

Gun in hand, she turned back and knelt next to him, ejecting the old magazine and inserting the new one. “So, fuck face, I have questions,” she stated as she pulled the slide back on the pistol, chambering a new round. “I want you to answer them. Honestly, too, none of that big-man-on-campus bullshit. Now, I’m not going to kill you,” Chloe added as she shook her head. “I don’t want that on my head. What I WILL do, is rock your fucking world. Understand, hombre?”

The man nodded meekly.

“Smart man. Question one.” Chloe paused. “Were you and your friend hired by Sean Prescott?”

“Yes,” the man breathed.

“Why?” Chloe gestured at the flowers. “What would possess him to place armed guards around a field of fucking flowers?”

The man shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Chloe held the pistol over his head and pulled the trigger, firing a round into the dirt beside him. The sound felt muffled to her; probably another perk of being unbreakable, if she were to guess. But the mercenary, his ear less than a foot away and without any hearing protection, cried out and grimaced as the shock from the loud noise physically pained him.

“That is not the answer I want to hear,” Chloe said as she glowered.

“Hey, lady, you fucking win, alright?” The man shook his head. “Mister Prescott paid us enough to kill people who came across this place and wouldn’t fuck off, but he didn’t pay us anywhere nearly enough to take on fuckin’ superheroes. Besides, pretty sure he’ll have both our heads when he hears what happened. As soon as you leave, I’m fuckin’ heading for Canada. So ask me whatever the hell you want; I’ll give you a straight answer.” He glared at her. “But I can’t tell you what I don’t know. And I got no fuckin’ clue why he dropped a boatload of money on us to watch some plants.”

Chloe processed the man’s answer and decided he was probably telling the truth. “What DID he say when he hired you guys?”

“That we weren’t supposed to let anyone take any of these plants away, and if people got wise, we were supposed to make them disappear.”

“That’s it?” Chloe looked at him incredulously. “That’s all you went on? No other details?”

“Hey, that fucker paid all cash, up front, for both of us, at twice our usual rate.” The mercenary shrugged. “This business, you don’t ask questions like ‘why’.”

Chloe fell silent. “You have to make anyone disappear since you’ve been out here?” she asked quietly.

“Wh-no!” The man shook his head. “No, I swear! We’ve been camping here for a week, and you’re the only person we’ve seen roll up. I mean, we're in the middle of nowhere! Nobody comes up here!”

Her eyes narrowing, Chloe debated on whether she believed him or not. But she decided she didn’t have cause not to. He was right, the area was pretty remote and deserted. “Last question. And this is the important one, dickhead, so pay attention.”

The man nodded.

“Did Sean Prescott say anything about any storms? Or mention the name ‘Cota’?”

“No.” The man shook his head. “We only spoke with him for, like, ten minutes. He didn’t say any shit like that.”

Chloe stood and considered him for a second, them lowered the pistol. “Go fuck off,” she growled. “Grab your friend and leave. Before I change my mind about having your death on my conscious."

The man didn’t need to be told twice. He got up and practically ran over to his friend, picking him up by the arms and slinging him over his shoulders. Dragging him to the Jeep, he stuffed him into the passenger seat, got in the other side, and drove off, not even bothering to grab the tents.

Chloe ignored him through all of it. She had unslung her backpack and started stuffing the ziplocs with as many flowers as she could lay her hands on. By the time the man drove his friend away, her bag was full to nearly the bursting point.

Satisfied, she tossed the pistol away and started walking back towards the town as she pulled out her phone.

Chloe: got the stuff

Chloe: shitload of it

Nathan: You managed to avoid the guards?

Chloe: nope

Chloe: turns out u were right bout the whole bulletproof thing tho

Nathan: They’re not dead, are they?

Chloe: nah

Chloe: fucked your boys hand up tho

Chloe: pretty sure he shat himself

Nathan: Thanks. For not killing them.

Chloe: wtf u care for?

Nathan: I don’t want to kill people, Chloe.

Nathan: Or be responsible for someone who does.

Chloe: didnt u put a teacher in the hospital last year?

Nathan didn’t respond to that text right away. It wasn’t until a few minutes later, after Chloe put her phone away and sped up her power-walk back to American Rust, that she got a new message.

Nathan: Believe it or not, I feel really bad about that.

Nathan: I don’t know how to explain it, but since that dream, when we were on that cliff, I feel... different, I guess.

Nathan: Before, I hated everyone and everything, and I never knew why. I was just mad for stupid shit, like the teacher not accepting my homework a day late.

Nathan: Now I can understand why, and I know how badly I fucked up.

Nathan: I don’t blame you, or Rachel, or the others for not really trusting me. I’m sure even Vic’s on the fence.

Nathan: But I need you to believe that I don’t want to cause any more pain. Or let anyone die.

Chloe hadn’t realized until the last text that she had actually stopped walking to read. She resumed, slowly typing out her reply.

Chloe: ur right, i dont trust u

Chloe: but i guess i do believe you

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry, miss, but I can’t help you.” The woman behind the Public Records counter shook her head.  “Those kinds of permits contain proprietary and privileged information. I can’t show you anything without a court order.”

Victoria leaned over the counter, onto her elbows. “Please find us those records. This is very important. Besides, nobody cares about old permits anyway.”

The older woman paused, then nodded and went into the back of the office. “Wow. That was way easier than me, Chloe, and Rachel tearing this place apart all day,” Max muttered to Victoria.

“Work smarter, not harder.” Victoria smirked back. “Although I suppose making public servants do my bidding doesn’t help the ‘rich white girl’ stereotype.”

“No, not really.” Max held up her hands as Victoria shot her a look. “But it’s for a good cause.”

“Damn right.” Victoria glanced back and saw that the woman had disappeared into the rows of filing cabinets. “Looks like this might take a while,” she commented as she went over to a nearby bench and sat down. “Have you heard back from Chloe yet?”

“Not since she texted Rachel at lunch.” Max sat next to her. “I’m trying not to worry about it, since Chloe is the last one of us we need to worry about. And I know cell reception can be shitty in those mountains. But I wish she’d at least send out some updates. It’s been about four hours now.”

Victoria’s phone buzzed in her purse, attracting their attention. The blonde girl pulled it out to check the text. “It’s not Chloe. It’s Courtney,” she explained.

“What does she want?”

“She’s, uh...” Victoria hesitated, wincing. “She’s letting me know that my Algebra and Life Sciences homework is done.”

Max cocked her eyebrow. “You’re still making her do your homework?”

“No- I mean, I don’t- dammit.” Victoria shoved her phone back into her purse. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to her since I started helping with this business. Maybe she’s still on autopilot or something, I don’t know.”

Max snorted. “Autopilot? Really?”

“You have a better word for it?” Victoria crossed her arms. “I’ll tell her she doesn’t have to when I see her later.”

“Aww.” Max smiled. “I knew you had it in you to be a better person.”

“Shut up and leave me alone, Lamefield.” Victoria sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. It took her a few moments to realize that Max hadn’t made a snarky response. And then she realized why. When she looked back, Max was staring at her, fuming in her inability to speak, or nudge Victoria. “Oops. Sorry. Talk, or whatever.”

“Your superpowers are annoying,” Max said crossly as she folded her arms. “You really need to watch what you say to people.”

“Miss?”

The two of them looked up and saw the old woman back at the counter, a few files in her hands. “These are all I could find,” she said as they stood up.

“Thank you. Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?” Victoria asked.

The woman walked away, and they quickly opened the files and started reading. “Not this one,” Max said as she closed her first file. “Coal mine on the other side of town, closed in the thirties. Before the pictures were taken.”

“This either.” Victoria pushed hers away. “Cave by the park was closed as a collapsing hazard in 1964. Finally fell in during the eighties.”

“Same here, another cave by the highway.” Max opened a new file and paused. “Mm.”

“What?”

“Not a safety report. It's the list of sites the city has designated as historically significant.” Max scanned the paper. “The town hall... lighthouse, of course... what the hell?” Victoria looked up as Max tapped an entry. “Blackwell is on this list,” she pointed out.

“That can’t be. Blackwell was built in the early nineties. There’s no way it can have any historical significance yet.” Victoria peered over Max’s shoulder. “Wait, that doesn’t say Blackwell.”

“No, it’s the land it’s sitting on.” Max glanced at the description. “Several acres just off the main roads, a mile or so east of the river. It’s marked on this map, see? That’s Blackwell, for sure.”

“There’s no way.” Victoria arched her eyebrows. “The permit to build the school would have been denied if that was true.”

Max turned the page. “There’s a petition to repeal the historical status of the sight. ‘While the land may have been of importance to the Native Americans that once lived in Arcadia Bay, this is no longer the case. The land is not in good shape, and is currently an eyesore for the city. Therefore, the city council grants the request to build a private education facility on the grounds...’” Max paused. “Hmm.”

“You’re killing me here, Max.”

“There’s more. ‘The petition is granted with two conditions. The first is that the caves on the grounds be blocked and made inaccessible. This is a necessary step to prevent future students from entering a dangerous and unmapped underground system.’” 

“Plus, they probably didn’t want kids going in there to smoke pot and fool around.” Victoria shrugged. “What’s next?”

“‘The second condition is that any discovered Native American artifacts be preserved. If cataloging and removing the items is not feasible, such as the case with the known Native American wooden sculpture, the items will remain in place and protected.’” Max glanced up. “Oh, wow.”

“The Tobanga.” Realization dawned on Victoria. “It’s an Arcadian Totem pole.”

“And the caves we’re looking for are at Blackwell.” Max flipped through the papers. “Ah, hell, scratch that idea.”

“What?”

“It’s a proof of service from the construction of Blackwell. The construction workers bulldozed the cave entrance, and then filled it in with dirt. It’s been sealed.”

“Seriously? Fuck.” Victoria sighed. “Well, that sucks. We’re not getting in the cave now.”

“Nope.” Max pulled out her phone and took pictures of the entire file before closing it. “Still worth the trip here, though. Let’s go back to talk to the others.”

Kate and Rachel had been busy since class ended. 

Max and Victoria walked in to find Kate pinning photos to the wall. “What’s this?” Victoria asked, glancing at the pictures.

“The Arcadian medicine stick we saw on Sunday,” Rachel explained as she handed another paper to Kate. “These are maps. We’re making a vision board of everything we’ve found so far.”

“Not a vision board,” Kate remarked absently as she hung the map showing the land Sean Prescott had purchased. “We’re just putting up all the info we have where we can all see it. We printed all the pictures from our phones,” she explained thumbed at the printer on her desk, “and now we’re hanging everything.”

Max glanced around the photos, noting the figuring Kate had taken a photo of at the Prescott’s house. “Neat. Oh, I have something for you guys to add.” Max pulled out her phone and started fiddling with it. “Kate? What’s your WiFi password?”

“Conclave, all lowercase.”

Max nodded and started printing, Rachel taking the pages as they came up. “What are these?” she asked.

“Photos of the file we found in the Public Records office.” Max plopped down on Kate’s bed and stared at the wall. Victoria took a seat beside her. “Chloe was right. Blackwell is totally built on Arcadian land. A petition was filed to revoke the status and build the school."

“Maybe that’s why tuition is so high.” Rachel rolled her eyes and walked opposite Kate, hanging the files on the opposite wall. “Hey, did you notice this?”

“Notice what?”

“Look.” Rachel tapped the photo. “Principal Wells’ name is listed on here as one of the petitioners.”

“No, I didn’t see that. Really?” Max examined the photo, and scratched the back of her neck. “Wowsers. I had no idea he’d been involved with Blackwell since the beginning.”

Kate stepped back and nodded, surveying the wall. “Okay, that’s everything.”

“Cool.” Victoria paused as she leaned forward. “So, what does it all mean?”

“Not a fucking clue.” Kate dropped back into her desk chair and sighed. “I wish we had more to go on.”

Victoria looked over at Kate, eyes wide. “Did... you just curse?”

“Yea, that’s not getting old or anything,” Kate remarked dryly.

Knocking at Kate’s door interrupted them. “Lemme in!” Chloe yelled.

Max glanced at the door and grinned. “What’s the password?” she yelled back.

“Time Lord!”

“Try again, smartass.” Max crossed her arms.

“Doctor Who!”

“You’re not helping yourself.”

“Phillip J. Fry!”

“He wasn’t even a time traveler! He just got frozen!”

“Oh my God, HE TOTALLY WAS! Watch the damn show!”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Okay, this is getting counter-productive,” she said as she got up and opened the door to reveal a grinning Chloe, holding up her backpack. “How was your hike?”

“Check it out!” Chloe opened the backpack as she walked into the dorm room, revealing the pink flowers inside. “I got the stuff!”

Kate looked at her, horrified. “Did you just bring a backpack full of illegally-harvested and endangered plants into my dorm room?!"

“Well, I’m sure as hell not bringing them to my house, where the head of Blackwell security lives.” Chloe dropped the backpack on the floor.

Max stared at Chloe’s shirt, seeing the black marks and holes all over it. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Oh, uh... nothing.” Chloe shrugged. “I tripped. Fell into some dirt.”

Max reached out and grabbed Chloe’s jacket, shaking it. A couple of smashed bullets fell out of the folds, falling to the ground.

“The dirt had some bullets in it,” Chloe added unconvincingly.

“What the SHIT, Chloe?!” Max stood up, her eyes angry. “You got shot?! Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“Hey, I’m fine!” Chloe held her hands out. “I’m Unbreakable, remember? Those mercenary shitheads didn’t know who they were messing with!”

“Did you know you were bulletproof before you started messing with them?!” Max asked with a glare.

Chloe bit her lip. “Yes?” she replied, in a tentative tone that fooled nobody.

“What the fuck?! What would have happened if you’d died?! You were all by yourself! I wouldn’t have been able to rewind and bring you back!” Max’s hands balled into fists.

“Max, what the hell was I supposed to do?” Chloe gestured at the backpack. “We needed those plants!”

“Not charge face-first into armed soldiers, for starters!”

Rachel tried to move between them. “Okay, everyone, maybe we should take a minute and relax,” she said as she tried to move Max back to the bed. Max didn’t budge as she continued to glare at Chloe.

“I don’t know what you want, Max!” Chloe said as she crossed her arms. “Nothing happened! Yes, they shot me, but the bullets just-”

“I JUST GOT YOU BACK!” Max yelled. “I DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU AGAIN!”

Silence. Chloe didn’t have a comeback for that. Rachel mutely switched glances between Max and Chloe. Victoria and Kate just looked uncomfortable. Nobody spoke.

Max sighed deeply. “I, uh, need some air,” she muttered as she walked around Chloe and left Kate’s room.

Chapter Text

So... that went well.  

Dammit, Chloe.

Max took a breath of the cool evening air as she walked outside. The sun was just starting to set as she made a lap around the benches. The Golden Hour, she thought to herself as she looked around. For as much shit as we talk about this school, it is really pretty.

Max was still tired. Exhausted, even. When she’d rewound to save Kate, it had been excruciating. Pushing herself past the limits of what she normally did... she’d refused to let go of the reversing time, even as she felt tearing and popping inside her head. She didn’t even want to think about what a brain scan might reveal.

Hell, she was still recovering. Kate had basically dragged her out of bed that morning; Max had slept right through her alarm. Even after Rachel forced the coffee into her hands, she could barely pay attention in class. Also, note to self, let her know you can taste the difference between soy and whole milk, Max thought grumpily.

She was also still mad at Chloe... though she now realized that she wasn’t sure what she would have wanted Chloe to do instead. We did need those plants. And I guess it’s not too much of a leap to assume she’d be bulletproof. Especially after getting walloped in the face with a two-by-four and barely noticing it.

Even so. She could’ve waited until we were with her... Max took a deep breath and sighed. Maybe I over-reacted a little bit. Too much stress from trying to save the world.

Her eyes focused on the Tobanga again as she walked close to it. She stopped and glared at the totem pole. Whatever bullshit your creators had to do, it had better work now.

Then she paused, reflecting back to the picture she’d watched Kate hang on her wall. Hmm. You know, the little statue Sean Prescott has in his house kind of looks like you.

Max stepped over the chains to the Tobanga as she examined it again. She wasn’t as close as before, but even at a distance, she could definitely see the similarities. Pulling her phone from her pocket and activating the camera, she quickly snapped a couple of photos of the totem pole. She zoomed in and took pictures of the faces, too.

Man, those things look wicked.

“Excuse me, Miss Caulfield.”

Max gasped as she spun and saw Principal Wells standing behind her. “May I ask what you’re doing?”

“I was just taking a couple of pictures for Facebook.” Max put her phone away quickly, remembering how Brooke said he was weirdly protective of the statue.

“Well, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to not get so close.” Wells fixed her with a look that ensured there was no room for questions. “The Tobanga is very old, and fragile. We don’t want to damage a piece of Arcadia Bay’s history by accident.”

“I’m sorry.” Max stepped away from the totem pole, back onto the sidewalk. “Um, Principal Wells, about the Tobanga... has it always been here?”

“If by ‘here’ you mean Blackwell, then yes.” Wells nodded curtly. “It’s been standing here since before the school was built.”

“Do you know who made it?” Max asked.

“Not for certain, but I believe it was the Native American tribe who used to live in this part of the country,” Wells replied dismissively.

“The Arcadians?”

Wells did not react like Max thought he would. He turned to face her fully and his eyes got dark. “What do you know about the Arcadian tribe, Miss Caulfield?”

Max blinked and tried to backtrack. “Uh, I just know they used to live here, a long time ago-”

“What is your interest in them, exactly?”

“I was just curious, is all. Chloe’s mother mentioned them-”

“Chloe Price. Joyce Price’s daughter.” Wells glowered. “I’ve seen her a lot recently, more than most expelled students usually hang around. And I know you two were very busy this weekend. I saw the security footage of her and Miss Amber bringing you back on campus yesterday.” He paused. “What have you three women been up to?”

Max was starting to get worried now. “Chloe’s an old friend. I knew her when I used to live here before, we were just hanging out-”

“And how about Miss Chase?” Wells continued as if Max hadn’t spoken. “I also saw the footage of you, Miss Price, and Miss Marsh bringing her back on campus, the day before yesterday. Long after curfew ended, and she was definitely not conscious when you carried her.” He tilted his head. “Does that incident have anything to do with Miss Chase and Miss Marsh visiting Mister Prescott yesterday afternoon?”

What? How could he know about that?!

Max started to stammer. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking ab-”

“Enough of this, Miss Caulfield.” Wells stepped in, too close. “You and I are going to my office right now, to have a more serious conversation.”

“But I didn’t do anything!” Max protested.

Wells’ hand shot forward as he grabbed Max by her bicep. “And I will ensure that you will not!” he hissed, deadly quiet. “The coming events were planned long before Verta was involved, and we will NOT have her scions interrupt it now!”

“Verta-wait, what?!” Max gasped.

How the HELL does he know about-

“Ow!” Max yelled as Wells squeezed. “OW! You’re hurting me! Let go!”

“I am ensuring that Cota will NOT have her storms interrupted!” Wells seethed as he jerked Max’s arm, pulling her towards the office. “Now, you WILL come to my office and answer my questions, or-”

Max threw her hand out before he could continue. Time flew backwards as it usually did, Wells’ speech running backwards into his mouth before he let go of Max’s arm and began walking backwards. She didn’t release the flow of time until she was standing in front of the Tobanga, her phone raised in her hands to take pictures.

“Excuse me, Miss Caulfield.”

Max turned to face Principal Wells behind her. “May I ask what you’re doing?”

“I was, ah, just taking a couple of pictures for Facebook.” Max lowered her phone.

“Well, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to not get so close. The Tobanga is very old, and fragile. We don’t want to damage a piece of Arcadia Bay’s history by accident.”

“Oh. Okay. Sorry.” Max slid her phone back into her pocket. Wells nodded his head and walked off.

As soon as he turned away, Max made a beeline straight for the dorms, cutting through the grass. That happened. Holy fuck, that happened. Wells knows about Verta, Cota, and the storms. Just like Sean Prescott.

And he’s onto us.

Chapter Text

After Max stormed out of the dorm room, Chloe stood still for a minute, then went and sat down on Kate’s bed.

“Uh... did I fuck up?” she asked Rachel.

Rachel sighed and leaned against the wall. “I don’t know, Chloe. She’s definitely mad at you, though.”

“I’m sure she’s just upset that you were shot,” Kate reassured her. “Just because you’re bulletproof doesn’t mean that she’s not going to worry about you.”

“Especially after what happened yesterday,” Victoria added. “If I can suggest, as an expert on being a bitch; next time Max starts in on you being more careful, you could acknowledge that she cares for your well-being and apologize, instead of being a smartass.”

Chloe rubbed her face with her hands. “Yea,” she sighed. “Should I go get her, or...”

“She just needs a minute. She’ll be okay.” Victoria looked back at the backpack. “So... those flowers. They’re the last ingredient we need? You got everything else?”

“They’re not an ingredient. Nathan said we’re supposed to burn the petals and inhale the fumes while we drink the tea.” Chloe shrugged. “Some sort of hallucinogenic or something, I’m not sure. But, no, we don’t have all the ingredients yet. I was able to get most of the plants from Home Depot’s gardening section, but we’re still missing one. And, uh...” she scratched the back of her neck. “I can’t get it.”

“Why not?”

“Because I owe the guy who sells it some money.”

Kate had a confused look on her face, while Victoria and Rachel became exasperated. “Seriously?” Rachel asked. “Frank Bowers? Wait... is it pot!?”

“Well, on the list you gave me, the Arcadians called it ‘wahupta’. I had to Google it. But yea, it’s totally weed.” Chloe turned to Kate. “So, we solved that mystery. The tea does, in fact, get you high as shit.”

Kate heaved a sigh. “Great. First endangered plants, now marijuana.” She put her head in her hands. “If I get kicked out of Blackwell for trying to save the world, my mother is literally going to kill me.”

“And Frank won’t sell it to you?” Victoria asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise. “You must be one of his biggest customers. How much money do you owe him?”

Chloe looked up for a second, doing math. “A little less than two grand.”

“Two gr-Jesus, Price, how much weed do you smoke?!”

“It wasn’t for pot!” Chloe held up her hands defensively. “It was a cash loan. For parts to fix my truck. I didn’t have my job at Two Whales yet, and my mom couldn’t spare it, so he was my only option. I’ve been paying him back; the original loan was three thousand. He just won’t sell me anything else until I finish paying it off.”

Rachel chewed her lip, then shrugged. “Wonderful. Well, he won’t sell to me anymore, either. He figured out who my dad is last year, and now he acts like he doesn’t know me.” She turned. “Victoria?”

The blonde hesitated. “Um...”

“Really?!”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Victoria shrugged. “It was... look, Taylor and I went to go buy some weed, and she wanted to try a line of coke. She wound up doing two and COMPLETELY freaked out. She went crazy and tore half his RV apart, before I managed to pull her out of there. We’re on his shit list, too. If he sees me, he’ll probably leave before I even get a chance to tell him what to do.”

The three girls slowly turned to Kate.

“Oh, HELL no!” Kate shook her head adamantly. “I am NOT buying...” she glanced around. “...drugs for you guys!” she finished in a whisper.

Chloe guffawed, hands going to her sides. “What the hell?! What did you look around for? Nobody else is in here!”

Kate’s face turned red as Rachel and Victoria giggled, too. “Shut up! It’s not funny!” Kate crossed her arms. “Make Max do it!”

“Max is almost as straight-laced as you! What makes you think she’s going to be any more comfortable buying drugs?” Rachel asked.

“She- you- I’m not-” Kate threw her hands up. “Ugh! At least ask her!”

Chloe sat back up. “Okay, okay, we’ll ask her. But I can guarantee you that she’s going to tell us to go-”

The door slammed open as Max charged in startling all of them. “Jesus!” Rachel gasped.

“Quiet!” Max peeked behind her and shut Kate’s door, locking it. “We’re in trouble. A lot of fucking trouble,” she whispered.

Chloe immediately jumped up. “What kind of trouble?” she asked.

“Principal Wells knows about the storms,” Max explained rapidly. “He knows about the storms, and Cota, and I’m pretty sure he suspects we’re all doing Verta’s work for him.”

Silence greeted her statement.

“How sure are you?” Kate asked.

“Hundred percent.” Max took a shaky breath. “Look, I was...”

Max explained about the Tobanga, the pictures, Wells’ outburst, and her rewinding. “That mother fucker,” Chloe whispered when she was finished. “I knew that slimy little shit was up to something. He’s in cahoots with Sean Prescott.”

“Maybe. Probably. But he’s onto us for sure.” Max looked at the stuff on Kate’s wall. “We need to get all of this out of here. If he sees it, and learns what we know, this while thing might unravel.”

Kate leaped up and started tearing down the papers and post-it notes, piling everything onto the table next to the library books. “Where are we going to put everything?”

“My house.” Chloe answered immediately.

“No way. Your stepdad is the head of security here. Last thing he needs is to look in your room and see all of this stuff, plus a bunch of endangered plants and some pot.” Rachel shook her head. “Let’s go to my parent’s house.”

“Yea, because putting a bunch of endangered plants and marijuana at the fucking District Attorney’s house is a much smarter idea.” Chloe folded her arms.

Kate stacked the last paper on the desk and arranged them neatly. “It shouldn’t be any of our parent’s houses,” she said. “We need to hide this stuff someplace only we know about, and only we can find.”

“Um...” Chloe glanced at Rachel. “What about American Rust? We could hide it in that little cinderblock shack.”

Rachel shook her head. “Stoners hang out there all the time. I’ve seen their used roaches after they leave.”

Chloe threw her hands up. “I don’t know where else to go, Rachel.”

All of their phones jingled in their pockets. Everyone retrieved them to read a mass text.

Nathan: If you need to hide stuff, give it to Victoria.

“Excuse me?” Victoria’s eyebrows shot up. “What the hell am I supposed to do with it?"

Her phone jingled again.

Nathan: Vic, put it in your hiding spot.

Nathan: Wells doesn’t know it’s there.

“Oh.” Victoria paused. “Right, I forgot about that for a minute. Okay, gimme the stuff.”

Kate handed Victoria the papers from the wall. “What hiding spot?”

“There’s an old vent in the wall underneath my bed,” Victoria explained. “It’s left over from when they renovated the dorms a few years back; it’s part of the old A/C system they got rid of. I found it when I was a freshman; I mostly use it to hide bottles of booze.”

“Is it big enough to hold all of that?” Rachel gestured to the paper in Victoria’s hands.

“The papers, yea. The books, probably not.” Victoria paused. “Maybe we should each take one or two?”

“Wells is onto all of us,” Max pointed out. “He could have all of our rooms searched at any time.”

“My car, then. I’ll lock them in the trunk.”

“No good, either.” Chloe shook her head. “Step-douche was talking about that last month. All vehicles parked on Blackwell property are subject to search at any time.”

Victoria bristled. “Wells knows who my parents are. He’s not stupid enough to make security break into my Mercedes.”

“Victoria, he assaulted me in the middle of the campus.” Max rubbed her bicep. “He’s clearly at Sean Prescott’s level of not giving a fuck.”

They contemplated that for a moment.

“Leave them here,” Kate finally said.

“Kate-”

“They’re checked out under my name.” Kate shrugged. “That’s how Max found me. If they go to the library looking for them, they’re coming here afterwards anyway. I’ll give them the excuse you gave the Prescotts, that I’m doing a college application essay.”

Victoria pursed her lips and nodded. “Fine. What about the rest of this stuff?” she gestured to Chloe’s backpack. “That will definitely not fit in the vent. And I don’t want endangered plants in my room either.”

“Yea. Screw it.” Chloe picked up the bag and re-shouldered it. “I’ll take it back to my place and hide it in my closet with the rest of the plants. Step-dick probably doesn’t know what they are anyway, it’s not like he’s a botanist or anything. But what are we going to do about getting the marijuana?”

“Oh, yea.” Rachel turned to Max. “Hey, wanna buy some pot for us?”

“Wha- no!” Max did an appalled double take. “What the fuck kind of question is that!?”

Chloe grinned. “We need some for the tea. And either you or Kate are going to have to get it, because Frank won’t sell to the three of us.”

Max looked at Kate, who crossed her arms again. “No way! I don’t want to do it either!”

“Okay, okay.” Rachel pulled a quarter out of her pocket. “Max is heads, Kate is tails. Loser has to go with Chloe tomorrow to buy marijuana off the town drug dealer.”

Chapter Text

Chloe tried to ignore the grumbling from the passenger seat as she drove, but it was getting a little annoying. “Will you relax?" She finally blurted out. "You lost fair and square. Man up already.”

Max folded her arms. “Doesn’t mean I want to do this.”

“You’re spending my money, and I’m doing most of the talking. All you have to do is make the purchase.” Chloe turned the truck toward the beach. “Really, it’s going to be fine.”

“I’d probably feel better if Kate hadn’t cheered when she won the coin flip,” Max sighed. It was the next day, and Chloe had picked her up from Blackwell over the lunch break to go and see Frank. Max, of course, was less than thrilled; while she’d never interacted with Frank before, she had seen him around. He looked scary enough that she never wanted to go near him.

“Look, I know Frank has a rough reputation, but he’s not that bad of a guy. For a drug dealer, I mean.” Chloe looked at Max. “He’s not violent, and he’s perfectly reasonable. He let me do a payment plan for the money I owe him, for cryin’ out loud. Do you think I’d bring any of you to see him if I thought he was dangerous?”

Chloe glanced back at the road. “I care about you guys, too. I don’t want anybody to get hurt either.”

Max didn’t reply for a minute. “Sorry I blew up on you yesterday,” she finally said to break the silence. “I... Jesus, Chloe, you scared the shit out of me when that boat rolled on top of you. I don’t want to think about you dodging gunfire on top of that.”

“Well...” Chloe sighed. “I guess I’m sorry, too. You’re right, I didn’t know for sure if I was bulletproof or not before I went looking for trouble.”

“Just...” Max paused. “It didn’t really hit me until, the other day, when Kate... you know.” Max rubbed her arms, suddenly cold. “Sean Prescott and Principal Wells don’t want us to prevent the storm. And they’ve made it clear they’re willing to kill us to stop us. AND we don’t know if it’s just the two of them working together.” Max looked at her. “We need to be more careful, is all I’m saying.”

Chloe reached over and grabbed Max’s shoulder, pulling her across the bench seat into a tight one-armed hug. “Fine, you annoying little hipster,” Chloe chortled. “I will be more careful when I run into firefights.”

“Not funny.” Max struggled, but couldn’t free herself. “Watch the road, Ch- oh, GROSS!” Max’s struggling increased in intensity.

“Breathe it in, you little hipster!” Chloe yelled as she cackled.

“Let go! LET GO OF ME!” Max finally got her hands under Chloe’s arm and yanked her head free, throwing herself to the other side of the seat and rolling the window down to breathe in the fresh air. “Ugh! You’re disgusting!”

“Tell me again, how much you missed me when you were in Seattle,” Chloe threw her shit-eating grin at Max. “Can you taste the eggs my mom made for breakfast this morning?”

“You are SO gross.” Max glared at her, then shook her head. “Please tell me we’re almost there.”

Chloe nodded out the windshield. “Yea, there he is.”

Max turned her head as Chloe parked in the lot on the beach, turning the truck off. She noticed the ratty-looking RV parked on the far side of the parking lot. “That’s what he drives?” Max said incredulously. “That thing doesn’t look much nicer than your truck.”

“Be nice to my truck.” Chloe kicked her door open and stepped outside. Max followed her across the lot. “Now, remember what I said. Let me do the talking.”

Chloe walked up to the door of the RV and started pounding her fist on it, rattling the windows. “FRANK! Rise and shine, you lazy asshole!” she yelled through the screen.

“God damn it...” a rough voice came from inside the RV. “What the fuck, Bulldog?!”

Something rattled and fell inside the RV before the doorknob turned, Frank stepping into view as the door swung open. Max’s breath caught in her throat. Maybe it was because he’d just woken up, but he looked even scarier up close. His eyes glanced between Chloe and Max. “Who the fuck is this? Why is she here?”

“Calm down, Frank. Here.” Chloe pulled a few bills out of her pocket and passed it to him. “Making a payment, see?”

“Mm.” Frank took and money and counted it, placing it in his pocket. “You didn’t answer my questions.” He turned and glared at Max. “What the fuck do you want?”

“I, uh...” Max paused, swallowing. “I wanted to buy some pot.”

Frank’s laughter caught her off guard, and startled her enough that she jumped. “You? You’re fuckin’ with me.” He glanced back at Chloe. “You put her up to this? I told you, I ain’t selling you shit until you finish paying me back.”

“It’s for me, not her.” Max pulled the money Chloe had given her out of her pocket and showed it to Frank. “All I want is an eighth of an ounce.”

“Yea, and I’m the fuckin’ pope.” Frank crossed his arms. “You’ve never smoked a day in your life, I can tell.” He glanced back at Chloe. “What the fuck is this?”

“Hey, man, the kids at Blackwell want to experiment.” Chloe glared back. “What the fuck do you care? You’re selling, she’s buying, it’s all cash in your pocket.”

“Not when I get busted by the cops for selling grass to snobby white girls with rich parents.” Frank scoffed. “She screams ‘entitled’ so loud I’m surprised you’re not deaf.”

I do not!

“My parents aren’t rich, I’m here on a scholarship,” Max interjected. “A few people in my class just wanted to try some pot. I got elected to get it.”

“Democracy’s a bitch, ain’t it.” Frank looked her up and down. “What’s your name, pipsqueak?”

“Max.”

“And how do you know her?” Frank thumbed at Chloe. “I know she got kicked out of your shitty school a few years ago.”

“We were friends when we were kids,” Max replied.

Frank narrowed his eyes and considered her answers. “Frank, seriously, she’s cool,” Chloe added. “She’s not gonna narc on you.”

“Yea? How do I know that when she gets caught with an eighth, she’s not going to start screaming my name?”

“Because I don’t know your name.” Max shrugged as Frank turned back to her. “Chloe wouldn’t tell me, and you didn’t say. I just bought the pot from some hipster-looking dude, selling out of the back of a shady-looking Honda Civic, and left.”

Frank stared, and shook his head. “You’re a smartass, just like she is.” He held out his hand, and Max put the money in it. He went back into the RV, appearing later with a small baggie filled with green trimmings. “Here. Don’t smoke it all at once, kid.”

“Thanks.” Max stuffed the bag into her back pocket. “Uh, it’s been fun.”

“No. It hasn’t. Now fuck off, I was asleep.” Frank turned back into his RV, slamming the door behind him.

Max and Chloe walked back around the RV, heading back to Chloe’s car. “Not bad, Mad Max,” Chloe chuckled. “I thought for sure he wasn’t going to sell it to you for a minute.” She frowned. “Wait. Did you rewind to fix anything?”

“No. Thought I was gonna have to, though.” Max shuddered. “I still don’t know how you can say that he’s not that bad with a straight face. He’s fucking terrifying.” Max paused. “Maybe it was a good thing Kate didn’t come. She probably would’ve had a heart attack.”

“You don’t know him like I do.” Chloe shrugged. “Whatev, we got the pot. Speaking of which...” Chloe held her hand out.

Max gladly handed the baggie over. “We can make the tea now, right?”

“Yea, we’ll do it tonight at my house. Mom and step-douche will both be working late.” Chloe slipped the pot into her pocket as she got back into the truck. “Let’s get you back to class, you little delinquent. Can’t have you running late after meeting your drug dealer.”

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon, after class, the other four girls all crowded into Victoria’s car as she drove them to the Price house.

“I’ll give you, this does beat Chloe’s truck in terms of comfort.” Rachel ran her hand over the leather seats. “What does this retail for?”

“More than the daughter of a public servant will get her daddy to fork over, I promise.” Victoria smirked. “Tell him to go into private practice. He can buy you one as a graduation present.”

"Nah." Rachel shook her head. "This is nice and all, but when he wins the lottery, I'm asking for a Mustang GT."

Max chuckled in the back seat. “I’ll settle for something that gets from Point A to Point B.”

“Wow, that’s depressing.” Victoria glanced in the rearview mirror. “That’s the kind of attitude you hear from the kids driving their ‘99 Honda Accords to their community colleges. Don’t you want something nice? Or fast?”

“Well, yea, but my parents can’t afford Mercedes’ for themselves. I don’t think they’ll splurge on their kid.” Max paused. “Even if I am their favorite.”

“You have siblings?” Kate asked as she sat next to her.

“Nope. Hence, I win by default. Turn here, Victoria. It’s on the left.”

Victoria took the turn Max indicated. “That one, that’s half-painted?” she scoffed. “Wow. I’m not sure what I expected, but this feels about right.”

“Her dad didn’t get a chance to finish it before he died in the car crash,” Rachel replied flatly.

“Oh.” Victoria parked the car. “Um. Sorry. I’ll try to be less of a bitch.”

They got out and all walked up to the front door, Max leading the way and knocking. “Chloe!” she yelled. “We’re here!”

Chloe slammed the door open, and the other girls blinked. She had somehow acquired a gas mask and some kind of...painting outfit? Max had no idea what it was, but she looked like she’d been working with radioactive materials.

“Jesse!” she yelled through the gas mask. “We have to cook!”

“Stop being dumb and let us in,” Rachel said as she rolled her eyes. Chloe laughed and stepped aside, letting everyone inside.

Max took in the sight of the Price kitchen; all the plants were arranged neatly, with post-it notes identifying each one stuck to their pots. The backpack full of the pink flowers was hung from the back of a chair, and the small baggie of marijuana was placed on the kitchen counter. Measuring spoons, cups, a knife, a cutting board, and a couple of pots were laid out as well. “Wow, you’re ready to go,” Kate commented as she looked around.

Chloe peeled the gas mask up over her head, shaking her hair out. “I’ve been waiting on your guys for half an hour now,” she said as she unzipped her paint suit. “Ever since my mom left for her shift. We’d better not stink this place up too badly, by the way.”

“Good point. Maybe we should open some windows.” Victoria shrugged. “So... where to we get started?”

“Hey, all you gave me was the list of ingredients.” Chloe shrugged. “How do we put them together?”

“Oh, I have it pulled up on my phone.” Kate got out her phone and opened the picture. “Ok, uh... Chloe, start boiling some water...”

Kate proceeded to direct the entire session. Chloe mostly minded the stove and mixed the ingredients as Rachel and Victoria prepared them, grinding roots and cutting buds and leaves from the plants. Max spent most of her time plucking as many petals as she could from the Pink Sand Verbenas, making a neat pile in a bowl at the table.

“Final ingredient.” Victoria opened the baggie of marijuana. “Whew, this stuff is ripe. Frank carries good shit. How much do we need?”

“Less than half of that,” Kate replied as she glanced over Victoria’s shoulder. “Maybe a pinch or two?”

“That’s it?” Chloe asked incredulously. “Fuck that. Toss it all in there, mama’s getting baked tonight for her vision quest.”

“We’re doing this by the book, Chloe.” Kate narrowed her eyes at the blue-haired girl. “Besides, we should save some, in case we mess up and have to do it over.”

“Fine.” Chloe pouted as Victoria measured the marijuana out, then added it to the pot. Stirring it in, Chloe glanced back to Kate. “Now what?”

“Turn down the heat and let it simmer.” Kate looked up as Chloe fiddled with the knob on the stove. “It should be ready to drink in a couple of minutes, and then we can get started. Max, where are we with those flowers?”

“I got all the petals clipped.” Max held up the bowl. “Uh, where are we doing this?”

“We’re supposed to be outside.” Kate glanced out the back door in Chloe’s living room. “Is there something out there we can burn the petals in?”

“There’s an ashtray on the table, I guess we can use that.” Chloe looked back at Rachel. “Hey, will you pass me a mug from the cabinet up there?”

Rachel opened it and pulled a coffee mug down from the shelf. “Drinking from a mug while burning in an ashtray. We’re really appreciating the Arcadian’s culture here,” she remarked as she handed the cup to Chloe.

“Somehow, I don't think they'll mind, given the circumstances.” Chloe accepted the mug and used a ladle to fill it with tea. “You know, this doesn’t actually smell that bad. I could get behind this.”

“You’re about to. Let’s do this.”

They all walked outside, Chloe setting the mug down on the patio table. Max picked up the ashtray, dumped the ashes into the BBQ, and filled it with petals from the bowl before accepting the lighter from Chloe. “Ok, we’re all set,” Kate said as she sat down next to Chloe. The others took seat at the table. “You ready?”

Chloe couldn’t keep the grin off her face. “Oh, yea.”

“Try not to look too excited, we’re only trying to save the world here,” Kate remarked dryly. She examined her phone again. “Okay, once Max lights the petals, you drink the tea while breathing in the fumes and think about what you’re trying to understand.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Chloe asked.

Kate rolled her eyes. “The ritual, Chloe. You want to see the Arcadian’s ritual to ward off Bhurta. Think about that while you drink.”

“Ok. Right.” Chloe nodded to Max. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Have fun.” Max clicked Chloe’s lighter and ignited the pile of pink petals, sliding the ashtray close to her.

Chloe looked at the cup of tea.

And stared.

She didn’t move a muscle to pick up the cup.

“Um...” Rachel furrowed her brow after a few minutes. “Any time now, Chloe.”

“I’m... TRYING...” Chloe clenched her teeth, her arms visibly shaking. “I can’t... drink it.”

“What?”

Chloe relaxed, then moved her hand up, and her entire body clenched again. “I can’t... fucking... drink the fucking tea!” she said through gritted teeth before she unclenched. “God damn it! Every time I reach for the tea to drink it, I freeze up! What the fuck!”

“That’s insane.” Rachel reached over and picked up the cup. “See?”

“Then you drink it!”

“Quickly,” Max added. She placed a few more petals in the ashtray. “These things burn pretty fast.”

“Fine. I’ll...” Rachel’s body clenched. “Erk...”

Chloe folded her arms. “Well?”

“What the fuck?!” Rachel relaxed. “You have got to be kidding me! I can’t drink it either!”

“Guys!” Max placed some more petals in the ashtray. “Hurry up!”

Rachel placed the cup down. “Victoria! You try!”

Victoria reached out and held her hand next to the cup easily enough, but she clenched up as soon as her hand moved towards the mug. “Fuck!” she exclaimed as she relaxed. She picked up the mug. “Damn it! I can only touch it if I’m not about to drink it!” she clenched again, then immediately relaxed. “What the hell? Max, take it!”

Max immediately froze up.

“Max!”

“Trying...” she ground out.

Kate finally reached over and took the cup from Victoria’s hand. “I...” she hesitated and slowly brought it to her lips. It touched them before she pulled the cup back down. “Oh. Oh, no. I think I can do it.”

“Then you’d better get a move on, Kate.” Max nudged the ashtray closer to her and added another pinch of petals to the burning pile. “Before I run out of these petals.”

“No way! I don’t want to get high!”

“Try not to get too excited, Kate, we’re only trying to save the world here,” Chloe said, repeating her words back to her.

Kate narrowed her eyes, then swallowed nervously. “Please don’t tell my mother.”

She lifted the mug and started drinking. Max took the ashtray and held it under the mug, letting the vapors from the burning petals drift over Kate’s face as she swallowed. Finally, after a few seconds, Kate placed the empty cup down on the table.

Max blew out the flames. “Well?”

Kate twisted her face in confusion and didn’t reply for a minute. “I... feel fine? I don’t know, I’ve never been high before.” She glanced down at her hands. “I don’t feel any different.”

Chloe leaned back. “Hell. Maybe we did it wrong. Or I grabbed a wrong plant by mistake.”

“Either way, this is really good tea.” Kate smacked her lips. “I would definitely drink this if they sold it at Starbucks. You did a good job, Chloe.”

“Great. I feel better for having fucked it up.” Chloe pulled out her phone and checked the list Victoria had sent her. “I don’t get it. I mean, I did have to Google some of this to figure out what it was...”

“Maybe the translation was wrong?” Rachel shrugged as she scooted her chair next to Chloe’s reading over her shoulder. “Or maybe Google was wrong?”

“Can Google be wrong?”

Rachel rolled her eyes. “Google isn’t a crystal ball, Chloe.”

“Man.” Kate licked her lips. “That’s really good.”

Victoria got up and walked behind Chloe. “Are you sure you got the weed part right? That did seem kind of funky, like, it doesn’t seem like something the Native Americans would use. I figured them to be more of a ‘magic mushrooms’ kind of people.”

“They actually used pot pretty frequently, I think.” Rachel sat back and frowned. “Maybe we used the wrong portions... it’s not like the Arcadians had measuring spoons or anything.”

Chloe looked at her. "Then let's try it again. And this time, we throw in ALL the weed."

“Um...” Max leaned forward and looked at Kate’s face. “Guys?”

“Reeeeeeeeallllyyy goooood...” Kate muttered dreamily.

The other three looked over as Max got up, getting a closer look at Kate. The girl’s eyes had lost focus, and when Max tilted her chin up, she saw her pupils had dilated so far, it made her irises look black. “Yea, no, I think we got it right,” Max commented.

“Soooooo gooooo....” Kate started to slump in her chair until Max grabbed her armpits. Chloe and Rachel got up and took her other side, propping Kate upright in her chair.

“Kate? Sweetie?” Rachel waved her hand in front of Kate’s eyes, but they didn’t move. Kate just stared straight ahead, unmoving, her eyelids half-closed as her mouth hung open. “Kate, are you okay? Can you hear me?”

“Oh, man.” Chloe commented as she got a good look at Kate’s eyes.

“What?”

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our cruising altitude, and you may use your portable electronic devices.” Chloe smirked. “Kate’s going on a trip.”

Chapter Text

All Kate could see were clouds.

Blobs of puffy clouds, as white as the purest snow, as she flew past them. Or maybe they were flying past her? Kate couldn’t tell, nor did she care. She felt amazing, without a care in the world as she soared. Even though she recognized she was moving, she felt no wind; all she felt was a nice, warm fuzziness.

This is amazing, she thought as she giggled, unable to ever remember having been so cozy. It feels so good right now...

A white light appeared in front of her. “Oh, hello,” she said dreamily. “Who are you?”

The light didn’t answer.

Kate’s flight suddenly took a slight turn downward, and she felt herself slipping through the clouds. A light mist touched her skin, breezing through her hair as she fell. “Where are we going?” she asked, laughing as she felt the droplets touch her nose; the cool water felt good on her skin.

The light still offered no answers.

They exited the clouds, and now Kate saw trees beneath them. Rolling hills, full of luscious evergreen pine trees passed underneath her... feet? Face? Kate couldn’t tell if she was flying through the air while laying down or standing. “Wow,” she whispered breathlessly. “It’s beautiful.” She glanced back at the light. “Where are we?”

Nothing. The light was silent. What was it? Kate pondered, but before she could ask, the light flashed brighter, and brighter, and brighter...

Then it slowly cleared, and Kate blinked. She was standing in the middle of a silent forest, surrounded by trees and flowers. She glanced and saw herself, her body and the clothes she had been wearing earlier when she’d...

She frowned. It was coming back. She had drunk something... people had been with her, talking about something important. But for the life of her, she couldn’t remember.

So she started walking.

She couldn’t tell if it was minutes, hours, or days that she spent walking, admiring the flora as she moved through the forest, finally coming to a clearing.

Observe, Seeker.

Kate blinked and it all came back. She was the Seeker. Chloe, Max, Rachel, Victoria. Unbreakable, Traveler, Giver, Manipulator. Storms. Cota. Verta. Arcadians.

She shivered, though she wasn’t cold, and looked around. There was nothing to see, though. “Observe what?” she asked out loud.

Silence answered her.

“Okay...” Kate glanced around, still confused.

Until the humming reached her ears.

Kate turned and saw a little girl, no older than... five? Six? It was impossible to tell, as she knelt and sorted through the grass before she plucked a flower. Her hair was jet black, and blue stones were twisted into intricate braids that ran down to her waist. Her skin was olive in color, and when she stood, Kate saw that she was dressed in leather clothes decorated with beads of every color.

“Hello,” Kate said with a smile.

The girl showed no indication of hearing her. She took several steps past Kate, not looking at her as she bent over and plucked another flower from the ground. Holding both flowers in her hands, the girl resumed her humming as she strolled further into the clearing.

Then someone, an adult male, yelled something in a language Kate didn’t understand. Both her and the girl turned as a man appeared from behind the trees, also dressed in rough leather clothing. He called something, and the girl scurried towards him without saying a word. Kate’s interest piqued, she followed them as they strolled through the woods, the man speaking to the girl as she listened silently.

Finally, after a few minutes, they entered another clearing. This one was incredibly busy, with close to a hundred people milling around several teepees set up in a half-circle. “Arcadians?” Kate whispered to herself as she glanced around.

Yes, Seeker. Kate felt her attention directed to the teepees. See, and remember.

Kate walked toward the teepees, and as she did the world around her sped up. With each step she took, the Arcadians around her moved faster and faster, carrying bags, firewood, and even a couple of animals towards the middle of the teepees. The sky changed as well, as the sun flew through the sky and set behind the mountain in the distance. By the time Kate made her way past the teepees, it was already dark.

The area was lit by a massive bonfire, all of the Arcadians gathered around it as they spoke in their language and stared into the flames. They talked, prayed, shared their food and drink... it was incredibly peaceful.

Then the drums started, and everyone fell into a hushed silence.

Kate turned towards the noise and saw a pair of women carrying drums enter the field. Their faces were decorated in red and white paint as they held the drums in their right hands, beating them with their left. They drummed in a rhythmic pattern as they slowly walked towards the fire.

Behind them trailed three men and two women, their faces painted identically. All the skin above their eyebrows had been colored a deep, dark black, while the skin just below their eyes and below was painted blood red. Only the thin band of skin at their eyes, from ear to ear, remained paint-free.

The last woman behind them was free of any paint. Her face was clear as she marched behind the others. In her right hand, she carried some kind of stick, the handle wrapped in leather. Her, and the five Arcadians in front of her, seemed nervous, though they did their best not to show it.

One of the drummer women stopped as she reached the bonfire, while the other continued walking around it, the other six Arcadians following her. She finally stopped halfway around the bonfire, leaving the six Arcadians between the two drummers as they stared into the flames.

An old man, wrinkles carved deep into his face, stood from the opposite side of the fire and started to speak in a deep, musical voice. Kate still had no idea what they were saying, but the other Arcadians listened to him with rapt attention. Is he their Chief? Kate wondered as the man raised his hands to the sky, ending his speech with a shout that was echo by the others there.

“Estovas! Rea thou prod fe Cota!”

“PROD FE COTA!” the others shouted after him.

“Cota,” Kate breathed. Is this the ritual?

The Chief lowered his arms, and the little girl from before stood from his right side. Carrying a small bowl, she made her way towards him and held it up with both hands. The Chief accepted with a bow, and tilted it into his mouth, drinking the contents within as the drummers finally stopped beating their drums.

Only when the field fell silent did Kate hear the wind.

She looked over her shoulder just in time to see the flash of lightning in the distance, illuminating the dark clouds. The next flash she saw showed them to be spinning, and then the lightning started in rapid succession as the storm started to intensify.

Oh, my god, it’s... it’s Bhurta. It’s the storms.

The Chief shouted again, and the men and women between the two drummers started moving. The ones with painted faces bent over and retrieved torches, then turned around and marched towards the tree line.

And a totem pole, stuck in the ground. A very familiar totem pole.

The Tobanga! Kate glanced around and realization came to her, that she knew this place. The gentle slope of the hills, a small cluster of trees, a shallow hill on the far side of the field... This is Blackwell! I mean, this WILL be Blackwell... oh my god, I went back in time like Max. Only WAY further.

Kate walked closer, passing through the crowd of Arcadians to make her way towards the Tobanga as the six men and women arrived in front of it.

REMEMBER, Verta’s voice thrummed in her head.

The five Arcadians with painted faces formed a circle around the Tobanga and faced out, away from it, crouching down as they held their torches ready like weapons. The sixth girl, without face paint, knelt in front of the totem pole and clasped her hands together in front of her, the stick in her hands between them.

The Arcadian prayer stick from the town hall, Kate realized.

The woman placed her thumbs to her forehead as she started praying. Kate listened, but the woman’s words were foreign to her, and she could barely understand what was happening. But she could hear the wind getting louder. She looked back and saw the storm getting closer, the lighting flashing with greater frequency. The wind picked up, blowing debris throughout the camp and the circle around the Tobanga.

The five Arcadians tensed, as if they were ready to fight. One stood upright and placed himself directly between the praying girl and the storm as he pulled a knife from his belt. He dragged the blade across his chest as he stared straight into the storm, eyes not wavering. Kate watched, horrified, but no blood rose from his chest. He’s Unbreakable, she realized.

Another, one of the women, flashed her hand out and caught a piece of wood, flying so fast that Kate knew she never could have seen it. Unless she knew it was coming. A chill went down her spine. Just like Max. She’s a Traveler.

A sudden growling behind her startled her, and she turned to see several dark shapes prowling around the Tobanga, their eyes illuminated by the distant fire. Another one of the Arcadian men yelled something Kate didn’t catch, and the animals turned as one and ran away. A Manipulator?

Kate understood as she looked around, observing them all. They’ve got superpowers. Just like us.

The woman in the middle didn’t move, or seem to notice as she kept her hands together, speaking with her eyes closed. The wind howled, almost angry, and drops of water started to come with it; the storm had to be getting close. Too close.

Finally, the woman stood and uttered one final sentence with a loud cry. Kate felt, rather than heard, a loud POP as something snapped from the Tobanga. An electric, static-y feeling hit her, smelling almost like ozone, as some kind of bubble expanded rapidly from the totem pole.

And the wind ceased.

It didn’t even slow. One minute it was there, howling, and the next it was... gone. Like it had never been there. The lightning stopped, the water droplets vanished, and the clouds started to evaporate, revealing the stars behind them.

A great cheer went up from the Arcadians, startling Kate. She turned to see them all charge to their feet, whooping and hollering. The six Arcadians broke out into huge smiles, the five with painted faces all rushing to hug the woman who had been praying. It was amazing, and even though she knew she couldn’t be seen, Kate couldn’t help but cheer with them.

But her euphoria didn’t last long. “I...” she started as she glanced back at the Tobanga. “I don’t understand. I didn’t get it all, I...” her face fell. “I don’t know what she said.”

“You will.”

Kate spun to see the old chief, standing in front of her, staring straight at her. She glanced around, but nobody else was looking at her; they were all too busy cheering for the six Arcadians who had stopped the storm.

“Are you... talking to me?” Kate asked hesitantly.

“Yes.” The movement of the chief’s mouth didn’t match what he was saying, though. Kate wasn’t sure how she could understand him, but she did, and he kept going. “You are a white woman. You are not of our tribe?”

“No, I’m not,” Kate admitted.

“You are from another time.” The chief stated this as a fact, not a question. “This means we will not be here to save the world from Cota again.”

Kate shook her head. “You won’t. Your tribe is gone in my time,” she explained. “I’m so sorry.”

“Do not be. We will be here, and then we will be gone. Such is the way of things.” He paused. “You are your time’s Seeker.” Again, not a question. “Verta is a wise and generous god. He will do his best to save us. That is why he sent you.”

“But I don’t understand what you did,” Kate replied sadly. “I don’t know what to do.”

The chief smiled warmly. “You will, my child,” he assured her as he reached out to her. Kate instinctively extended her hand toward his.

As soon as their fingers touched, Kate’s world went white.

“Ah!!” 

Kate bolted upright, exhaling a sharp breath as she returned.

Across from her, Chloe and Rachel both jumped from where they were standing. “Shit!” Rachel exclaimed. “Max! Victoria!”

The other two girls rushed into the living room from the kitchen. After Kate had started her dream, the others had carried her inside and laid her on the couch. It had been almost an hour since Kate had ingested the tea, and the girls had been getting worried.

“Kate!” Max jumped over the back of the couch and sat next to her. “Kate are you okay?”

“I- I- I-” Kate stammered out, her eyes wide as they flashed around the room.

Chloe appeared next to Max. “Kate, what is it? What did you see?”

“Paper.” Kate swallowed. “I need paper. And a pen.”

Victoria’s brow furrowed. “What? Kate-”

“Now!” Kate interrupted. “I need some paper and a pen, like right now! Before I forget!”

The others stared at her for a second, then Rachel ran back to her bag and retrieved a notebook and a pen. “Here, start writing,” she said as she forced them into Kate’s hands.

Kate clicked the button on the pen and began scribbling. “What did you see?” Max asked.

“I saw the ritual.” Kate’s eyes didn’t leave the paper as she wrote. “I saw how they did it, and I saw how they stopped Bhurta.”

She paused and glanced back at Max for a second. “And I saw a preview of what it’s going to be like if we don’t.”

Chapter Text

“So...” Max read the notebook, studying Kate’s writing intently. “This is the prayer?”

“Yea.” Kate sat on the couch, shivering despite the warmth of the house. “Oh my God, it’s cold,” she complained as she hugged her arms. “Why is it so cold in here?”

“It’s not.” Chloe appeared behind Kate and draped a blanket over her shoulders. “You were high as a kite, kid. You’re still coming down. Give it a little bit.”

Kate pulled the blanket tight round her, nestling into the warm fleece. “If this is what getting high feels like, I don’t think I care for it,” she said. “Although it felt pretty nice, in the beginning. I can see why people are into it.”

“Yea, it’s not for everybody.” Victoria smirked. “So, what did you see?”

“I saw how we’re supposed to do the ritual,” Kate replied. “The Tobanga is the key. The Arcadians performed the ritual on the land that’s now the Blackwell campus.”

Rachel raised her eyebrows. “What do they do? Pray to it for guidance or something?”

“Well, one of them did.” Kate shrugged. “The one Arcadian knelt in front of it and prayed. The other five formed a circle around her, almost like they were protecting her. I’m pretty sure they had the same powers we did, too. There was definitely an Unbreakable there. Maybe a Traveler and a Manipulator, but I’m not a hundred percent on that.”

“Whoa.” Victoria blinked. “Protect her from what?”

Kate shook her head. “The storm? Cota? I don’t know. They didn’t seem to do very much. But whatever they did, it worked. I saw Bhurta stop in it’s tracks.”

“So, one girl prayed to the Tobanga, the other five did the bodyguard thing, and the storm stopped?” Chloe asked.

Kate nodded.

“Well... then we know what we’re supposed to do.” Chloe smiled as she sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. “So? What are we waiting for?”

“Huh?”

“We already know where the Tobanga is. We've got the script for this play. Let’s go do this prayer and make Cota fuck off!”

Kate shook her head. “They didn’t perform the ceremony until the storm was almost there, Chloe. I think we need to wait, too.”

“Also, Nathan’s not here, in case you forgot how to count to six,” Victoria added.

“And we need to get ahold of the prayer stick from the town hall,” Kate frowned. “Sorry, I almost forgot that part. The girl who was praying had it in her hands.”

Chloe pouted. “Dammit. So... what are we going to do, then? Just wait until storms start to show up? That could be anytime. Shit, it could be in five minutes!”

“I think Verta would be on our asses if this was going to go down in five minutes,” Max pointed out. “Maybe there’s something else. Kate, did you-”

The front door to the house opened. “Chloe!” a sharp male vice called out.

“Ah, shit.” Chloe rolled her eyes as she stood up, walking to where she could see the hallway. “What is it, David?”

Max turned and saw Chloe’s stepdad, still in his Blackwell security uniform, step into view, his face clearly unhappy. “What are all of you doing in here?!” he demanded.

“Dude, chill the fuck out.” Chloe crossed her arms. “We’re just hanging out, talking. Aren’t you supposed to be at work anyway?”

David glared. “I decided to come home early when I noticed a bunch of people in my house cooking drugs in my kitchen!” he yelled. “I want to know what you all are doing! Now!”

“Wha-” Chloe blinked in surprise. “We are not- wait, how did you-”

David’s hand shot out and grabbed Chloe’s shoulder. “Hey!!” she yelled, struggling.

“What the fuck?!” Rachel and the others shot to their feet. “Hey, dickhead! Get your fucking hands off of her!”

David didn’t even look as he pulled a canister from his belt and aimed it at them. “Sit back down!” he ordered. “I want to know what the fuck you all have been doing this evening!”

“We haven’t been doing anything!” Max yelled at him. “We were just visiting! Chloe’s our friend! You need to let her-”

David hit the button on the canister, and a stream of red foam shot out and hit Max in the face. She screamed as the foam burned her eyes, forcing them shut against the pain as she fell to her knees.

“What the FUCK?!” Victoria screamed. “What is your goddamned-” the sound of the spray canister hit Max’s ears again. “ARGGHHH!”

OW! OW! Fuck! It burns! Gotta go back! Max blindly threw her hand out.

Nothing happened.

There was a thump and a crash as something tumbled to the floor next to her. “Fuck you, you tremendous cock-sucking asshole!” Chloe snarled, and Max heard her scrabble back to her feet. “My mom is going to cook your fucking BALLS for breakfast when she hears that you-”

Max heard the canister go off again, then Chloe’s yelling, then a struggle, followed by a thumping sound as something hit the floor. “I know the five of you are working with Verta,” David roared. “You girls are going to tell me everything you know, right now.”

Oh no! Shit! Fuck! He’s working with Prescott and Wells! Max tried to rewind again, still unable to open her eyes, but nothing happened. Kate and Rachel were now screaming and yelling at David, and time was still moving forward. What the fuck?! Why isn’t this working?! What the hell did he do to Chloe?!

“Go fuck yourself!” Victoria yelled from next to Max. “Put that goddamn pepper spray down and leave!”

The sound of a slap hit Max’s ears, and she felt Victoria crumple next to her. “You two! Tell me what Verta has told you! Now!”

Max desperately wiped her face and fought through the pain. She managed to pry her eyes open, barely, and took in the scene in front of her. Victoria was sprawled in a pile on the ground, groaning, as a bruise formed on her cheek. Chloe was laying on the floor in the entryway; Max saw her desperately trying to rub her eyes clear of the red foam covering her face as she grimaced. Then she turned, and saw David aiming the pepper spray at Rachel and Kate as they held their hands up.

“Fuck you,” Rachel snarled in response to his order.

David hit her with the pepper spray, and Rachel screamed as she covered her eyes before he shoved her into the wall.

Kate shrieked as she tried to back away, hitting the wall as she ran out of room. David he stalked closer to her, standing less than two feet in front of her as she sank to the floor, her lower lip shaking in fear.

“You are going to tell me everything you saw on your vision quest,” David growled.

How could he know about that!? Shit! I have to do this now!

“Hey! Dickface!” Max yelled.

David turned and Max threw her arm up, pushing against the pain. WORK, GODDAMNIT!

The world finally started to rewind. But slowly, too slowly. David worked his way backward, and Max watched as he sprayed Rachel, then Chloe, then Victoria in reverse. The entire time, she was grimacing through the pain of the pepper spray in her eyes. Finally, after he reverse-pepper-sprayed her, time resumed its normal flow backwards. Max nearly sighed in relief as she watched David walk backwards out of the house.

She finally let go as she was sitting on the couch with Kate, the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders.

“I saw how we’re supposed to do the ritual,” Kate said as she answered Victoria’s question. “The-”

Max shot to her feet. “David’s working with Sean Prescott and Principal Wells!” she yelled to the others.

Kate’s body jerked in surprise. “He- uh-”

Chloe hesitated for a minute, then jumped up. “He’s on his way here, isn’t he?!”

“He’ll be here in a couple of minutes.” Max took a shaky breath. “He knows what we’ve been doing. He knows about Verta, the vision quest Kate just went on, everything. I don’t know how, but he knows all of it!"

Chloe froze, her eyes widening in sudden realization. “Oh, that mother fucker,” she breathed as she turned and charged towards the kitchen.

“Chloe!” Max and the others got up to follow her. Chloe grabbed a chair and dragged it towards the cabinets. “Chloe, what the hell are you doing?!”

“That dickhead was trying to convince my mom to put cameras around our house a few months back.” Chloe stood on the chair and started checking the tops of the cabinets. “She told him no, but I bet that cocksucker did it anyway. That’s the only thing I could think of...”

“Chloe, there. That vent.” Rachel pointed. Chloe dragged the chair over and stood back on it, looking inside.

“Son of a BITCH!!” Chloe reached down and pulled a kitchen knife out of the wooden block, stabbing into the vent and prying it off the wall. Sitting there, inside the duct, was a black video camera that overlooked the whole kitchen. “Oh, SHIT!”

“He saw everything,” Victoria whispered. She turned back to Max. “Max, you have to go back, you have to stop this.”

“Are you kidding?” Rachel jumped in before Max could respond. “Rewinding fifteen minutes almost killed her two days ago. We’ve been here for over three hours!”

The front door slammed open. “Chloe!” David yelled.

Terrified, Max immediately threw up her arm and rewound.

“I saw how we’re supposed to do the ritual,” Kate said as she answered Victoria’s question. 

Max ignored everyone, as she sat and tried to process everything. David’s going to be here in a few minutes. He knows everything we’ve done since we’ve been here... he must have watched the video feed on his phone or something.

Which means he might have told Wells or Prescott. Hell, he probably did. We’ve been here for hours, and it’s not like we weren’t talking freely.

Fuck. Kate’s explaining everything she saw right now. All David has to do is watch the video, and he’ll have everything he needs. He won’t have to interrogate her.

Oh, shit, Nathan could be-

No. No, we didn’t mention his involvement while we were here. He should be fine.

“Also, Nathan’s not here, in case you forgot how to count to six,” Victoria said, interrupting Max’s thoughts.

Ah, damn it. Max raised her arm and rewound again, going a little further back. Crap. Okay, we need to find out what David knows, and if he told Prescott and Wells. And to do that, I need his phone. And I have to make sure nobody says anything about Kate’s vision or Nathan.

“Yea, it’s not for everybody.” Victoria smirked. “So-”

“Hey, Rachel? Victoria? Could I borrow you guys for a minute?” Max stood up and nodded towards the kitchen. “Just for a quick thing.”

“Uh, sure.” Rachel got up and followed Max into the kitchen, next to her bag on the table. Victoria followed. “What’s up?”

Max rounded on Rachel. “You still have your Taser?”

She blinked. “Uh, yea. Why?”

“Give it to me. I need it, right now.”

Rachel’s eyes got wide. “What for?!”

“Just give it to me!” Max whisper-shouted. Rachel turned and fumbled through her bag, pulling it out and slapping it into Max’s hand. “Go back to the couch. And Victoria, don’t say anything! Keep quiet!”

Rachel and Victoria retreated, and Max crouched behind the counter as the door opened. “Chloe!” David yelled.

“Ah, shit.” Max heard the movement of Chloe walking towards the hallway. “What is it, David?”

Max listened to David’s footsteps as he walked past the entry into the kitchen, sneaking around behind him, Taser in hand.

“What are all of you doing in-” David started as Max aimed the Taser at his back and pulled the trigger. The twin metal prongs shot out and hit his shoulder blade, and David seized, shaking as the electric current rolled through his body. He fell forward, flat onto his face.

“Holy shit!” Chloe gasped. “Max, what the hell- why did you-”

“He’s working with Prescott and Wells,” Max explained as she looked at the four shocked faces in front of her. “Chloe, there are cameras in your house. There’s one in the vent in the kitchen. He’s been watching us since we got here. He knows about the vision quest and that we’ve been working with Verta to stop the storms. We need to-”

David moaned from the floor, and Max squeezed the trigger again, sending another jolt into his body. “We need to check his phone,” she continued. “Right now. We have to know if he’s told Wells or Prescott.”

“...alright.” Chloe jumped over the couch. “Rachel, help me check his pockets.”

“And grab the pepper spray, too,” Max added.

Rachel and Chloe patted him down quickly, grabbing his phone when they found it. “Holy fuck,” Victoria gasped as she came around the couch, Kate following her. “We need to go back. Max, you need to rewind, you have to stop this.”

“Are you kidding?” Rachel gave Victoria a look as she pulled the canister of pepper spray from David’s belt. “Rewinding fifteen minutes almost killed her two days ago. We’ve been here for over three hours!”

“Guys? How about we focus.” Max watched Chloe touch the phone to David’s thumb to unlock it, and fiddle to start bringing up the history. “Well?”

“Oh... FUCK.” Chloe’s face dropped in horror. “He sent texts to people, a little less than an hour ago. ‘I think I know who Verta’s scions are... they’re at my house...’” Chloe gulped as she looked up at the others. “It’s our names. He sent all of our fucking names to four phone numbers.”

“Oh, God...” Kate clapped her hands to her mouth. “Oh, no, no, no...”

Rachel swallowed. “Who? Who did he send them to?”

“I don’t know.” Chloe showed them the phone. “They’re not saved as contact names, just numbers. ‘1’, ‘2’, ‘3’, and ‘5’. Two of them must be Wells and Prescott, though.”

“Who’re the others?” Victoria asked.

“It, uh...” Chloe flicked her thumb, reading the text history. “I don’t know. They never use their names.”

“Just ours.” Kate put her head in her hands. “Oh, man...”

“What about Nathan?” Victoria asked.

Chloe shook her head as she read. “He’s not in here. Just us.”

Victoria took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay, he’ll be alright then. So...” she glanced at Max. “Now what do we do?”

David’s arm twitched as he started moving again. Max held up the Taser and squeezed the trigger, not looking at David as she electrocuted him again. “I don’t know, but,” she nodded towards him, “I bet he’s got some info for us.”

“Then, uh, maybe you should stop zapping him,” Chloe mentioned.

Max frowned. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see what he did. But fine.” She squeezed the trigger again, giving David a quick jolt, then handed the Taser to Chloe.

“Okay, let’s do this. Rachel, there’s a roll of duct tape in the garage, grab that.” Chloe glared at David. “Max, I think you and the others should go back to Blackwell and put a few things together.”

“What?” Kate piped up, her eyes still wide. “Why?”

“Think about it, Kate. Prescott was willing to kill to keep us from stopping the storms. He hired mercenaries that tried to kill me. He DID kill you.” Chloe looked at her. “If we go back to normal, we’re all dead. We need to hide, go on the run, whatever, but we can’t let them find us. And we need to do it quickly, before these assholes have time to react to his texts.”

Max stared at David. “What are you going to do while we do that?”

“I’m going to find out what this little shit-stain has to say.”

Chapter Text

When David finally came to, he was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs. Duct tape was wrapped around his ankles, arms, and chest to keep him immobilized. And when he finally raised his head, he saw Rachel and Chloe standing in front of him, glaring.

“Oh, good, he’s awake.” Rachel glanced at Chloe. “You want to go first?”

“Yes.” Chloe hauled off and smacked David full in the face. His head flopped to the side as blood came from his lips. “Damn, that feels good,” she remarked as she shook her hand. “I’ve wanted to do that for years.”

David turned back and glared at Chloe. “Your mother-”

“Is the least of our problems, asshole. Mine, or yours.” Chloe bent close and put her face into David’s. “I know you’re working with Wells and Prescott,” she said as she held up his phone. “Who are the other two guys you sent our names to?”

“I knew it.” David’s face clouded over. “You and your friends are Verta’s scions.” David jerked his hands against the duct tape, finding them very secure. “You will not-”

Chloe slapped him again, this time on the other side of his face. Then she grabbed him by the hair and jerked his head back around. “You will be the second person, this week, that I beat the information I want out of,” Chloe snarled, “you slimy fucking stain on the human condition.”

“You don’t scare me, Chloe.” David leaned forward, glaring right back at her. “We have been preparing for Bhurta since before you were born. We will not be offset by some high-school girls with less than an inkling of the-”

Rachel swung a rolling pin into David’s shoulder, eliciting a cry of pain. “God damn,” she said as she held the pin up. “This thing has more heft than you’d think.”

“Right?” Chloe turned back to David. “So. Who’s ‘we’? Besides Prescott and Wells, we know them already.”

David pressed his lips together tightly and didn't respond. Rachel lifted her foot and stomped on his shoe as hard as she could, eliciting a grunt of pain. "Answer her, you fucking mouth-breather!"

“I’m not telling you two anything.” David’s eyes didn’t waver as he grit his teeth.

Chloe pursed her lips. “Yea, you say that.” She drew her fist back and slammed it into David’s stomach. A small wuff of air left his lungs as he grimaced. “I’m not fucking around, dick-for-brains. Now tell me who your fucking friends are!”

“Go ahead and kill me. I’m sure you’d enjoy that,” David sneered. “But you won’t get anything out of me.”

Chloe and Rachel exchanged glances, and Rachel nodded her head towards the hall. “Um, I’m good with beating the hell out of him, especially after what Max said he did in the other timeline,” Rachel whispered when they were out of David’s earshot. “But I’m so not down for murder.”

“Yea, me either.” Chloe paused. “I don’t know what else to do, though. If we leave him be, my mom will be along to untie him in a couple of hours, and then he’ll be back in the wild, doing his thing.”

Rachel grimaced. “Well, we can’t take him with us. We don’t even know where we’re going. So... what do we do?”

“...shit.” Chloe rubbed her head and took a couple of deep breaths. “Ok... ok. I know what we’re going to to do.” She glanced back into the kitchen. “Grab his car keys.”

“What do you think Chloe and Rachel are going to do to David?” Kate asked nervously, as Victoria pulled her car into the Blackwell parking lot. 

“Don’t know. And, quite frankly, don’t care.” Victoria turned her car off. “We need to get some things together. If Wells knows we’re doing Verta’s work, we’re not safe here, so we need to find someplace to hide.”

“If we’re not safe at Blackwell, then why did we come back?!” Kate asked incredulously.

“Because we need to get the stuff we’ve got on the Arcadians,” Max replied as she opened her door. “And some clothes. If we’re going on the run, we should at least get a change of underwear.”

“Oh.” Kate followed Max and Victoria across the parking lot. “What about-”

“Hey!” The girls turned and saw one of the security guards jogging towards them. “You girls! Hold up there!”

“What?” Victoria asked, exasperated.

The guard caught up and looked at her face. “Miss Chase, we have instructions to bring you to Principal Wells as soon as you got back on campus.” He glanced at the others. “And you two, Miss Caulfield, Miss Marsh. I’m afraid you ladies are going to have to come with me.”

Victoria stepped forward. “Turn around, and go into the boy’s locker room at the pool,” she ordered. “Sit on a bench, play on your phone for two hours, and then go get dinner.”

The guard stared at her, then silently turned around and walked towards the pool. “I take back what I said before,” Max said as she watched him go. “Your abilities are extremely handy.”

“Yea, well, we shouldn’t take them for granted.” Victoria turned back. “Come on, let’s get a move on. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to.”

They hit Rachel’s room first, Max grabbing a few changes of clothes and shoving them into a backpack, along with her tablet and toothbrush. Kate’s was next, which took a little while, since she had to cram all the books into a suitcase. “Maybe taking all of them isn’t necessary,” Victoria grunted as she rearranged them as best she could to make them fit.

“We don’t know what we’re going to need,” Kate replied as she packed her backpack. “Better to take everything.”

“Yea, but your schoolwork too?” Max asked as she lifted Kate’s history book. “Kate, I’m not sure if we’re going to be able to come back here when we’re done. I don’t think Wells will take kindly to us fucking with them. Our GPAs will be the least of our concerns.”

Kate sighed as she looked longingly at the school book. “Fine, leave it,” she said begrudgingly as she zipped her backpack closed. “God, I'm never gonna hear the end of it from my mother.”

Max was easy, a few minutes and her backpack was ready to go. Victoria, on the other hand... “Come ON,” Max said as she rolled her eyes. “You’ve been through half your closet by now. You were the one who said we were in a hurry.”

“Sorry.” Victoria finally decided on one of the two shirts she was holding and folded it, sticking it in her leather duffle bag. She kicked all of the rest of her clothes back into the closet.

Including a pair of tan Uggs.

“What’s so funny?” she asked as Max snickered.

“Nothing. Just something I said a couple of days ago.”

“Ok, whatever. Just need one last thing.”

“Finally.” Max crossed her arms. “What’s that?”

Victoria laid on the floor and crawled under her bed. Max heard a grinding of metal, and a rustling. When Victoria came back up, the was holding the papers from Kate’s room in her hands. “Okay,” she said as she shoved them into her bag, “now we can go.”

“And where are we going, exactly?” Kate asked as they left her room.

“Nowhere, Miss Marsh.”

Kate gasped as the three of them turned to see Wells standing in the hallway, between them and the door. “You three are not leaving this campus,” he stated as he walked towards them, a very serious look on his face. “You’re going to come with me and answer some questions.”

Victoria stepped in front of the other two. “No, we’re not. We’re leaving, right now,” she replied, glaring. “Move the fuck out of our way.”

Wells paused. “No, Miss Chase, I will not.”

Victoria was taken aback, a shocked look on her face. “But... I...”

“The three of you are going to follow me.” Wells stopped, his eyes going over all of their faces. “We are going to my office, now.”

“What for?” Kate spoke from behind Victoria. “We haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Yes. Yes, you have!” Wells stepped closer again, his voice rising. “Whether it was your fault or not does not matter! You are Verta’s scions, and we will not allow you to interfere with Cota!”

Kate stepped closer, though still behind Victoria. “And what?!” she yelled. “You would rather see Cota end the world?!”

“You foolish little child.” Wells glowered. “This world is NOT ending. This world is being cleansed.” He glared at the others. “And we will be there to build the new one from the ashes.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Max stepped up next to Victoria. “We’re not going anywhere with you.”

“Is that right?” Wells focused on Max. “And what makes you think that?”

“Mostly because Rachel let me borrow this.” Max reached into her back pocket and drew the Taser, aiming it at Wells and pulling the trigger. The electrodes hit him in the stomach and he stiffened, his body shaking as waves of electricity rolled over him. He hit the wall as he fell over, collapsing onto his back.

“Jesus,” Kate breathed.

“Oh my God.” Max looked down the hall and saw Dana staring, her eyes wide. Juliet was behind her, hands clasped to her mouth as she stared in shock. “Max... what did you just do?”

Max didn’t answer as she shouldered her backpack and stepped over Wells’ twitching body, hitting the button to eject the old electrode cartridge. Victoria and Kate followed her, though Victoria stopped to deliver a kick to Wells' leg first.

“Go back inside, and forget this ever happened,” she ordered the tother two girls. “Don’t tell anyone. And if anybody asks, you never saw us after class today.”

They both stared at her blankly, then turned and entered Dana’s room, closing the door behind them.

“Well, if we weren’t sure before, we definitely know they’re onto us now,” Max shuddered as they made their way out of the dorms. “We need to get off campus, quickly.”

“Hey!” they turned and saw another security guard jogging towards them. “Hey, you three! Hold it right there!”

Victoria turned to face him. “Stop. Go to the boy’s locker room at the pool, and play on your phone for a while. Then go get some dinner with your friend.”

The guard paused, then turned and walked away. “I don’t understand,” Kate frowned. “Why didn’t that work in Principal Wells? He just shrugged you off.”

“I don’t know either,” Victoria replied as they walked back to her car. “That was weird. I’ve never seen anyone who didn’t do what I said.”

“I have.” Max shook her head. “David didn’t react to it either. And I can’t imagine you wouldn’t have tried to use it on Sean when he...” Max glanced at Kate. “You know.”

“So... what?” Victoria pressed the button on her keys to open her trunk, and dropped her bag inside. “It doesn’t do anything to the guys who are working for Cota?”

“Maybe?” Max dropped hers and Rachel’s bags next to Victoria’s. “I don’t- oh, fuck.” Max stiffened and glanced back at Victoria. “That’s what Verta meant.”

“Huh?”

“What she told you in the dream. You won’t affect the chosen, remember?” Max asked, eyes wide. “Verta wasn’t talking about us. He was talking about Cota’s chosen.”

“Oh. Shit.” Victoria glanced back at Blackwell. “That, uh, makes a lot more sense. And really, really fucking sucks.”

Kate placed her bag in the trunk. “That aside, what are we going to do?” she asked as Victoria slammed the trunk lid. “Where are we going?”

“Right now? I’m gonna get some cash out of an ATM. After that, we'll go meet up with Chloe and Rachel.” Victoria got in the driver’s seat. “And after that... I guess we’ll figure it out as we go along.”

The five of them met forty minutes later, at the parking lot by the beach. 

Chloe and Rachel were sitting on the tailgate of the truck, kicking their legs as Victoria parked next to them. “So?” Rachel asked as they got out of the car.

“We got a bag for you.” Max pulled it out of the trunk and handed it to her. “I owe you a Taser cartridge, too. I had to use one on Wells.”

“Nice.” Chloe smirked. “Can’t say that’s not awesome. Wish I could’ve seen that.”

Rachel sighed as she took the Taser back from Max. “Me too. I only have one cartridge left, though. We’ll have to be careful with it.”

Victoria pulled her bag out of the trunk. “So, what did you learn from your stepdad?”

Chloe shook her head. “He wouldn’t say anything. We don’t have the names of the other two involved in Cota’s little schemes, so...” the blue-haired girl shrugged. “They could be anyone. We’ve got nobody to trust.”

“Then we do have to hide.” Victoria leaned against the side of her Mercedes. “Shit.”

Kate looked out towards the ocean, watching the moon rise. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” she sighed.

Max came over and hugged her shoulder. “We’ll be okay.”

“Yea, you say that.” Kate shook her head. “I wish I believed you.”

“Do we know what we’re doing?” Victoria asked the others.

Rachel hopped down from the tailgate. “We know for sure that we have to ditch our cars,” she replied. “Between your S-Class and Chloe’s truck, we’ve got two of the most recognizable vehicles in Arcadia Bay. Our phones, too; it would be child’s play for Sean Prescott to track us with them.”

“If he isn’t already.” Chloe pulled hers out and started typing.

“What are you doing?” Max asked.

“I’m sending a quick email to my mom.” Chloe didn’t look up. “She’s, uh, probably going to hear some pretty bad things about me from step-dickhole. I just want to send her a quick note. Make sure she gets my side of the story, I love her, all that shit.”

“Where is David?” Victoria looked around. “What did you do to him?”

“We tossed him into the trunk of his car and left it parked in the handicap spot at the Two Whales.” Rachel smirked. “They’ll probably find him in a few hours.”

“Or he’ll die of dehydration. Either way, fuck him.” Chloe finished her email, then turned the phone off. Flipping it over, she pulled a paper clip from her pocket and used it to eject the SIM card. “That’s that.”

“Our Uber should be here in a minute,” Rachel commented as she took the paper clip from Chloe and took out her own SIM card. The other three girls quickly followed suit, and they all placed their phones in Rachel’s backpack. The SIM cards, they placed in a plastic baggie and put in Chloe’s duffle bag. They finished just as a minivan turned into the lot.

Max shouldered her bag and glanced at the others. “Shall we?”

Chapter Text

“Have you been listening, Nathan?”

Nathan turned his attention back to the therapist his father had hired and nodded. “Yea,” he said lazily. “I heard you.”

“You seem distracted today.” The old man’s eyebrows furrowed in concern.” How are your new medications working?”

“Okay, I guess.” Nathan shrugged. “I feel a little less angry when I take them. But I get sleepy a lot more, too.”

The man nodded. “An unfortunate side effect, I’m afraid.” He smiled. “You’ve been sticking to your schedule? I know we talked about how important a routine can be. Are you still writing in your journals?”

“Not really.” Nathan shrugged. “Nothing to write. Just trying to do my schoolwork.”

“I see.” The man nodded and glanced at his watch. “Well, I’m afraid our time is up,” he stated as he stood. “Make sure you keep writing in your journals when you can, will you? I promise, it’ll be helpful.”

“I will.” Nathan smiled sleepily. “Thanks.”

“Have a good day, Nathan.” The man smiled and left.

As soon as he was out of view, Nathan stood and walked back towards his room, letting a scowl come over his face. He was getting tired of the ‘drugged zombie’ act, but he knew it was important to maintain it; his father couldn’t suspect that he was in full control of his faculties, never mind that he was actively helping Vic and her friends stop Bhurta.

But something was wrong. He knew it. He hadn’t spoken to Vic or the others since the previous day; they’d sent him a text, saying that Kate had drank the tea he’d gotten the ingredients for, then nothing.

Not to say he didn’t know what had happened. He knew they were found out. He didn’t know HOW he knew; he felt pretty sure he could strongly sympathize with Kate on that feeling. But he was sure that something had gone wrong, and the people working with his father knew that the others were working with Verta. The girls were in trouble; of that he was certain.

And here he was, under house arrest by his parents, unable to do anything to help.

He entered his room and closed the door behind him. His mother was out, doing whatever she did, and his father was in his office, probably conspiring to let the world end. Confident he wouldn’t get caught, Nathan knelt behind the door and pried away the baseboard, retrieving the phone he’d hidden away. It was a pre-paid cell phone, and he’d traded a very expensive watch to convince a housekeeper to get it for him.

Now it was his primary point of contact with the others. When their phones worked, of course. He was torn between nervous and relieved when each of their five numbers came back with an automated message. “The number you have dialed is currently unavailable, or out of range. This is a recording.”

Well, they were smart enough to disable their phones, at least. Nathan fidgeted with the phone in his hands. They’ll figure something out, I’m sure.

A crunching of gravel drew his attention from outside his window. Curious, Nathan peeked through the blinds and watched a black sedan park in front of his house. A man in a black suit climbed out of the driver’s seat, glancing around the property before he walked towards the front door.

Odd. My dad doesn’t usually take meetings at the house. Nathan frowned. His father preferred to meet people in their offices, or at job sites. He didn’t like having anyone come to their mansion for business; Nathan suspected he was part of the reason why. Dad doesn’t want business partners accidentally meeting his fucked up kid.

He frowned. The man did look familiar, he just couldn’t place it. I wonder what’s so important he had to deal with it in person?

Nathan kicked his shoes off and exited his room, walking silently down the hall to the stairs. He heard Thomas welcome the man as he entered the house, and peeked his head around the corner as their butler escorted him towards his dad’s downstairs office. Nathan moved past the stairway, creeping through the hall until he arrived at the second-floor bathroom.

The Prescott’s mansion was old, built in the early fifties, and while his father had updated the place with modern amenities, the old HVAC system was one of the few he’d left in place. Mostly because tearing up the walls would have ruined the décor. So when Nathan locked the bathroom door and laid on the floor near the vent, he was able to hear almost everything that was said in the office below him.

“...gone? I have a hard time believing that.”

“Believe whatever you want, it is no consequence to me.” Nathan’s dad sounded more irritable that usual. “My people were very thorough, but so far they haven’t had any luck locating the girls. They’re all very intuitive, as you know, and they seem to have taken precautions to ensure we would have a difficult time finding them.”

“For Christ’s sake, they’re not hardened criminals, Sean, they’re teenagers. They all have smart phones, Facebook, credit cards... hell, Victoria’s car comes standard from the dealership with LoJack installed.” A huff. “Your men must have missed something.”

Nathan perked at that; very few people dared to refer to his father by his first name. Who was this guy?

“The girls have not accessed any of their social media profiles in the last twelve hours. And we’ve examined their bank accounts; Victoria used several ATMs to withdraw about five thousand dollars after they left Blackwell, but none of them have used their cards since then. Their phones have also been turned off, so we can’t track them either.”

“You can’t remote into them, and turn them back on?”

“My people tried, and failed. They’ve apparently removed the SIM cards as well. They traced their last locations to the parking lot by the beach, and found Victoria’s car parked next to Chloe’s truck. So tracking their vehicles is useless, too,” Sean growled.

“That lot is too far from anything for them to walk to their next destination.”

“You’re correct. Rachel used her phone to contract a ride from Uber.” A moment of silence. “We tracked it to the bus station, and there is security footage of all five girls exiting the car. That’s the last my people have of them.”

“They haven’t-”

“My people are not police officers. They don’t have the resources the government does. They are doing an admirable job with what they’ve been given, but even top-quality men have limits when they’re off the books.”

A sigh. “It’s been almost fifteen hours. And a bus station? The girls could be hundreds of miles away by now.”

“I don’t think so. They’re trying to stop Bhurta, we know that. They won’t leave town. They’ll have to come up for air, eventually, and then we’ll find them.”

“And what are your people’s orders when they do?”

“You know what’s at stake.” A heavy silence floated through the vent. “Don’t worry. I gave them orders to apprehend your daughter. Alive. The other four will be dealt with as necessary.”

Nathan’s heart rate rose. Oh, shit. He’s gone off the deep end. He’s going to have them killed. Except... his daughter? What the hell? Whose father is he meeting?

“I appreciate that.” There was movement. “I know what the risks are. People are going to die in two days. A lot of people. I do not want more lives than necessary on our heads. Especially not hers."

TWO DAYS?!

“Those lives are on Cota, not us. We were merely chosen to ensure she was not interrupted this time around.” Nathan heard the rustling of his father standing. “You’ve heard from David?”

“Yes. He was rather upset when I spoke to him. You know he didn’t particularly care for his step-daughter to begin with. I don’t think her overpowering and trying to beat information out of him improved his mood. Neither did getting locked in the trunk of his car for four hours.”

“His mood doesn’t need improving. David is most useful when he’s angry, like a pit bull.”

The man chuckled. “He might be, but Raymond is not.”

“Raymond is useless. He couldn’t even contain three of them when they were at his own school, on his own terms.” Sean scoffed. “I don’t know why he was chosen.”

“That may not be fair. We don’t know what the girls are capable of. If they truly have been blessed by Verta, like your book says, they may be beyond our ability to contain.”

Blessed by Verta? Nathan’s head swam. They don’t know about our abilities. Which makes sense, I guess, since Max keeps rewinding every time they get the drop on us. So we still have an advantage.

They said more, but their voices faded into footsteps, and Nathan realized they were leaving. He cautiously crept out of the bathroom, sneaking back to his bedroom. Retrieving his phone, he ran to the window, but he didn’t get a chance to bring up the camera before the man got back into his car. All he could to was get a picture of the car as it backed out of the spot and drove away.

I have to find a way to warn the others. It’s Wednesday, which means the storms are coming on Friday. FUCK.

He sat on his bed and squeezed his eyes tight. Come on, Verta, gimme something...

Adept.

Nathan opened his eyes, but he wasn’t in his room anymore. He was back on that cliff, alone, overlooking the town next to the lighthouse.

He glanced around and saw the light hovering just past the railing, in the space over the ocean.

“You,” he breathed. “No, you can’t be here, if my father comes into my room-”

Your father will not interrupt us.

Nathan hesitated, but kept going. “I need to warn the others,” he said. “My father is going to have them killed. If you want us to stop the storms, I need you to tell me how to get in touch with them.”

You cannot, at the moment. There is no way.

“Bullshit. There has to be something.” Nathan though frantically. “Vic must have used some of her cash to buy a burner phone, or they’re in a motel room somewhere, something...”

Adept, if there were a way for you to contact them from here, you would know. But there is not. They have done too well hiding themselves.

“Then you do it!”

I am not omnipotent, Adept. I have interfered much, and my limits are approaching. This falls to you.

Nathan put his head in his hands. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.

Yes, Adept. You do.

He looked back up. “What do you-” he paused. “No. I can’t.”

Then I have failed. There was a flash of lightning, and Nathan looked out into the ocean to see storm clouds gathering. I have failed, and people will die.

“I can’t just leave.” Nathan threw his arms up. “I’m my dad’s only son. He’ll chase me to the ends of the earth to get me back, so I can continue his precious fucking dynasty.”

I named you The Adept for a reason. The light floated closer, until it was right in front of Nathan. The others will need your help to stay safe from your father. They are strong, but you make them stronger. And now you must make sure they are safe.

“Half of them don’t even trust me.”

They do not trust who you once were.

Lightning crackled behind the light, and Nathan grimaced. “I...” he sighed. “I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?”

You do. But I also named you The Adept because I knew you would choose wisely.

Lightning flashed in front of him, and Nathan was forced to blink, the light overwhelming his eyes. When he saw clearly again, he was back in his room, sitting on his bed.

“...shit.”

Nathan moved quickly, grabbing his backpack and throwing a change of clothes inside. He grabbed the burner phone, as well. His hand hesitated as he reached for the bottom drawer of his dresser.

“Man... here’s to hoping I won’t have to use this.”

He opened the drawer and shoved the clothes out of the way, revealing a stainless steel pistol beneath; a little something he’d purchased from Frank that his father didn’t know about. Checking the magazine, he made sure the gun was loaded before he tucked it into his back pocket.

One last thing to grab. He walked out of his room and down the hall, heading towards his father’s study.

He opened the door and blinked in surprise. “Father.”

Sean turned in his chair. “Nathan. What are you doing in here?”

“I... thought you were downstairs, in your office.”

“I was. My meeting ended, and I came up here.” Sean stood, eyeing his son. “Have you been taking your medication?”

Nathan nodded. “Yes, I have.”

“Hmm. Perhaps we should have your therapist see about a stronger dosage.” Sean paused. “You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing in here?”

“What was your meeting about?” Nathan asked. “You usually don’t see people while I’m home. Can’t imagine why.”

Sean’s face darkened. “Mind your tone, Nathaniel. And I want an answer to my question. Why are you in here?”

“I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong.” Nathan shrugged.

“And why do you have a backpack with you?” Sean narrowed his eyes. “I know you’re not planning on leaving. I gave you explicit instructions that you were to remain on these grounds.”

Nathan shifted his shoulders. “It’s just my schoolwork.”

Sean held his hand out. “Let me see.”

Nathan hesitated. “Fine.” He unslung the backpack and held it out to his father. “Here. Take it.”

Sean snatched it placed it on the table next to him. He unzipped it and jerked the bag open. “And what exactly is-”

A heavy ceramic vase shattered into a dozen pieces, as Nathan grabbed and swung it into the side of his father’s head. Sean collapsed in a heap in front of the table. “Sorry, pops,” Nathan said as he dropped what was left on the floor. “Not really, though. You and your friends can go fuck themselves.”

Nathan grabbed his bag back before he turned to the desk. He pulled the drawer open and retrieved the book he’d shown Kate and Victoria that weekend, dropping it into the backpack.

Slipping back out of the study, he made his way downstairs and into the garage, grabbing a set of keys off the hooks near the door as he made his way outside.

“Where is it...” Nathan muttered to himself as he drove down the street. “Oh. Gotcha.” 

He parked the car down the block from the thrift store and got out, not trying to hide from cameras; his dad was probably awake by now, and would be activating the tracker he undoubtedly had on the car Nathan had taken. He knew they were going to have to move as soon as he showed up, but he didn’t have any choice.

He walked down the street and ducked into the alley, behind the thrift store, and made his way to the unmarked door halfway between the two streets.

Chapter Text

Max yawned as she scratched the back of her head. “I don’t like this whole ‘being on the run’ thing,” she said miserably. “You certainly don’t sleep very well.”

“Speak for yourself.” Chloe shrugged, sitting next to her as she stretched. “I slept like a rock.”

“Yea, we heard.” Victoria crossed her arms, sitting against the other wall of the storage room. She’d convinced the woman who ran the thrift store to let them stay in the back room, and to not tell anyone they were there. “You and her both,” she added as she thumbed towards Kate, who was curled up and still asleep, “snoring away, all night.”

“I can’t believe she’s still out,” Max commented.

“Well, she did get pretty high and go on an intense vision quest yesterday.” Chloe shrugged. “Let her sleep it off. She worked hard.”

Victoria shrugged, looking at her watch. “Fine for now, but I don’t know if we should stay here for much longer.”

Knocking quietly, Rachel opened the door to the back room and slipped inside. She closed it behind her, pulling a baseball cap off her head and shaking out her hair. “Sorry it took so long. Officer Berry was there getting lunch. Had to hide in the bathroom until he left.” She handed a McDonalds bag to Victoria. “Here. I got burgers for everyone.”

“No coffee?” Max asked, disappointed.

“I didn’t want to stay on the street too long.” Rachel opened the door again and peeked into the store. “Pretty sure I wasn’t followed, but...”

“Yea, we got it.” Chloe reached over and shook Kate’s shoulder. “Rise and shine, kid.”

“Mm?” Kate opened her eyes sleepily. “Wha...” she yawned, slowly pushing herself upright. “What time is it?”

“Almost noon.” Victoria tossed a burger to Chloe, and held one out to Kate. “Lunchtime. Eat up, we need to figure out what we’re doing next.”

“Ooh, I’m starving.” Kate accepted the burger and unwrapped it, taking a big bite.

Max took hers, but didn’t bite into it yet. “Do we have to leave?” she asked hesitantly. “You did your thing to the owner, we can stay here as long as we want.”

“Dude, that’s, like, on-the-run 101.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “You never stay in one place too long. You get comfortable, you slip up, and bad guys catch you. Then we’ll be in the basement of the Prescott’s mansion, tied to a chair with alligator clamps on our nipples, hooked up to car batteries while we get interrogated.”

Kate stopped chewing, her eyes getting wide. “...what?”

“There’s an image for you.” Victoria smirked. “Also, way to break Kate’s brain.”

“Can we focus, please?” Rachel folded her arms. “We need to make a plan. Where are we going to go, and how-”

A rapid knocking interrupted them, and all of their heads spun towards the door that went outside. “Oh, shit,” Max whispered.

Rachel yanked the Taser from her pocket and aimed it at the door, as they all held their breath.

“Vic, it’s me. Open up.”

Victoria furrowed her brow. “Nathan?!” she exclaimed as she got up walked over to the door, opening it. “What the hell are you doing here?!

“Nice to see you too.” Nathan ducked inside and pulled the door closed behind them. “I like this. Good hiding spot. We need to leave, though. My dad will track the car I stole to just down the block, if he hasn’t already.”

“Whoa, whoa!” Chloe held her hands out. “Slow your roll. How the fuck did you-”

“Chloe, I will happily explain everything to you when we get out of here.” Nathan cracked the door and peeked back outside. “My dad has people looking for you right now, which means they’re out and about town. Oh, and they have orders to kill you.”

“They- wait, what!?”

“Yea, you heard me correctly.” Nathan glanced back at them. “There’s a van parked outside, whose is that?”

“It’s the owner’s.” Victoria opened the other door back into the store. “I’ll get her to give me the keys. Be right back.”

“Where should we go?” Max stood, grabbing her backpack. “Another store?”

“It’s a good idea, but let’s not pull the same trick twice.” Chloe thought for a minute. “I think I know a place. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem to get to in a van.”

“Chloe, where are we?”

Chloe pushed the sunglasses up on her nose as she maneuvered the van down the trail. “We’re almost there,” she answered. “Just up ahead.”

“What is?” Max pushed her head against the metal partition behind Chloe’s seat. “Because the road has knocking us around like bowling pins for the past hour.”

“It’s not that bad,” Rachel scoffed from the passenger seat, pulling the visor down against the late afternoon sun in her eyes.

“That’s because you have a fucking seat belt!” Victoria yelled from behind Max. “We’re back here with the-WHOA!” she yelped as Chloe hit another dip in the trail. Max disappeared from view as the four people in the back rolled around.

“Oops.” Chloe winced. “Look, we’re almost here, I promise.”

“There it is, up ahead.” Rachel pointed. “Man, we haven’t been here in forever.”

Chloe drove the van into the clearing, and the burned-out building came into view. “Yea. Jump out and get that door, we shouldn’t leave the van in the open.”

“Right.” Rachel hopped out and ran to the destroyed barn, dragging the half-burned door open as Chloe drove the van inside.

“FINALLY.” Victoria kicked the back doors open and jumped out. “Chloe, you fucking suck at driving.”

“Hey, I didn’t get a van with shitty suspension.” Chloe shrugged as she got out and went to Rachel, helping her close the door behind them. “We should be good here, for at least a little while. This place burned up years ago, nobody comes here anymore.”

“What was it?” Kate asked, getting out and looking around. The destroyed furniture, the counter, the glass bottles in rows behind it... “This place looks like a bar.”

“It was an illegal music venue, a few years ago,” Rachel explained. “Actually, this is where Chloe and I first met. We came here to see Firewalk play, before they got big and went commercial.”

“Yea, and then some drunken idiot burned the place half down.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Nobody’s been out here ever since. So we should be safe, at least for a little while.”

“Fine.” Victoria turned to Nathan as he got out of the van. “So. Nate. It’s your turn to start talking.”

“My dad has gone completely unstable.”

Nathan was standing in front of them. The women had all dragged whatever furniture was still intact to a rough semi-circle around him as they listened. “He’s hired people to track you all down. I don’t know who, but he said they were top-tier guys. Real professionals.”

“And they have orders to kill us?” Rachel asked.

“He used the phrase ‘deal with as necessary’.” Nathan shrugged. “Draw your own conclusions.”

Chloe leaned forward. “How do you know all this?”

“I overheard my dad meeting someone this morning. They were discussing how to find you all, within the next two days.”

“Why two days?”

Nathan looked them all in the eyes. “Because that’s when the storms are coming.”

Max stood in shock. “Two days?! The storms are coming on Friday?!”

“So it seems.” Nathan nodded at Kate. “So, please, tell me you got what you needed from the vision quest you went on.”

Kate sighed as she rubbed her temples. “I did. I saw the ritual, and I got the prayer we have to recite. But we have to do it while the storms are coming. Otherwise, it won’t work.” She looked up. “Also, we need to get the prayer stick from the display at the town hall. It’s part of the ritual. Whoever recites the prayer-”

“You.”

“You.”

“You.”

“You.”

Kate blinked and looked at the others. “What the- why do I have to do it?”

“Because, from what you said, the other five of us have to protect the person doing the prayer. We have badass powers, and you don’t.” Chloe leaned back. “Also, you’re the smartest one here. And you’re the only one who’s seen the ritual. So, you need the prayer stick?” she glanced back at Nathan. “Your dad doesn’t know about that, does he? The prayer stick is on loan to the town hall by him.”

“I hope not, because if he finds out, we’re fucked.” Nathan sighed. “So. Need the prayer stick. What else?”

“Well, avoiding your dickhead dad and his merry companions is currently priority numero uno.” Chloe shrugged. “Speaking of which, we know he’s working with Wells and my step-fucker, David. There’s two other people unaccounted for. Do you know who else he might be in cahoots with?”

“Oh!” Nathan pulled out his phone. “Yea. The guy he had the meeting with, it wasn’t Wells or David. Shit, he... uh...”

“What?”

“He asked my dad what the guys who were after you were ordered to do. He said most of you would be dealt with, but they were told to capture the man’s daughter alive.” Nathan glanced at the others. “The guy who met my dad? One of you is his kid.”

The others stared in shocked silence.

“Well, it’s not mine,” Chloe said. “So, what does this dude look like?”

“Middle-aged, dark hair.” Nathan shrugged. “I didn’t get a great look.”

“It can’t be mine, either,” Victoria blurted out. She glanced at Max. “Or yours. Our parents live in Seattle.”

Max bit her lip. “It’s only a three-hour drive, Victoria,” she replied nervously. She glanced back at Nathan. “Did you see if he had a beard?”

“What about his hair? Gray at the temples, big part in the middle?” Rachel added.

Nathan hesitated as he thought. “I, uh, wouldn’t swear one way or another. I only saw his face for a couple of seconds, from my bedroom window. Sorry.”

Kate rubbed her face. “Oh, God...” she glanced at Nathan. “Do you have a picture, or something?”

“All I could get was a photo of his car.” Nathan unlocked his phone, pulled up the photo, and waved it in front of the girls. “Any of you recognize it?”

The four girls sat in silence, examining the picture.

Three of them shook their heads.

The fourth put her face in her hands and choked on sob.

Chapter Text

The man parked his car and turned it off, sighing.

His entire day, including his meeting with Sean, had just been absolutely exhausting. He’d barely found time to visit the mansion... he didn’t understand why Prescott had to live so far away from everyone else.

Well, he knew. Sean didn’t want to associate with the rest of the plebeians that lived in Arcadia Bay. He was a Prescott, after all. A lion above the sheep, a prince above paupers.

What a pretentious fucking prick.

The man shook his head as he got out and walked back into his house. At least he’d been able to keep that fact that his daughter was missing from his wife. He had no idea how she’d react if she knew. Wells had, mercifully, been able to keep the fact that four of his students had vanished quiet from the authorities.

Securing the promise that his daughter would be unharmed was good, too. Sean might have been the money behind their group, but the man was in charge of making sure they flew under the radar. Either of them could ruin the other, and they knew it; mutually assured destruction. It had kept the peace during the Cold War, no reason it couldn’t ensure they worked well while preparing for Bhurta.

The man unlocked his house and entered. It was late at night, and most of the lights were off; his wife often went to bed long before he got home. Usually he went up to join her right away, but tonight, he decided, he was going to fix himself a drink first. He deserved it.

He opened the door to his office, flipped the light switch-and froze.

His daughter was in his chair. And she was pointing a silver pistol at his head.

“Hi dad,” Rachel said quietly.

James Amber raised his hands as Rachel held the gun on him.

How did she get here?

“Rachel,” he said, surprised. “Rachel, you need to listen to me-”

“No.” She stood, holding the gun with trembling hands. “No, I don’t. I know what you’re doing.” She stared at him with wide eyes, her face a mixture of fear and anger. “You’re a fucking monster.”

“Rachel, honey, you don’t know what you’re-”

“I know about your meeting at Sean Prescott’s house.” Rachel tightened her grip on the gun, the tone of her voice rising. “You and that entitled cocksucker are planning to kill us all. Chloe, Max, Kate, Victoria, and all the others. You’re going to let Cota kill everyone! And for what?!” she yelled. “To rule over the fucking ashes or something?!”

James’ face became serious. “You do not understand what’s happening, Rachel. I am trying to save your life.” He lowered his hands. “You are not going to shoot me. You need to put the gun down and listen to me. Cota is coming, regardless of what happens, and this family?” he gestured to the house. “We ARE going to survive it. No matter what.”

Rachel considered his words, not breaking eye contact. “You’re half right,” she finally said, taking an unsteady breath. “I’m not going to shoot you.”

“I know you’re-”

“I’m just distracting you for a few minutes,” she added. “Chloe?”

James spun just in time to see the frying pan impact his forehead.

When James came to, duct-taped to his office chair, he had to blink to make sure he was seeing properly.

The first person he saw was Rachel, sitting on the desk in his office, still staring at him as she pressed her hands into her knees. The girl sitting next to her, he recognized from her picture; Victoria Chase. She was looking through one of his files, though he couldn’t tell which one. The blonde was reading intently, not looking at him while she flipped the pages.

Chloe, he of course recognized; as one of Rachel’s best friends, she’d been to the house several times. James had tolerated her visits, though quite frankly, only because Rachel adored her. The blue-haired girl’s attitude and raggedy pickup truck had hardly endeared her to him. She stood against the opposite wall, drinking a glass of his sherry like she owned the place, a frying pan on the shelf behind her.

Two other girls sat on his couch, and he also recognized them from the pictures he’d seen; Max Caulfield and Kate Marsh. Max was also flipping through one of his files absently, ignoring him. Kate, on the other hand, was shaking so nervously she was practically vibrating. From everything he’d read, the mousey girl didn’t have much resolution, instead relying heavily on her religion to keep herself aligned in the world; if what he suspected was about to happen, she probably didn’t have the stomach for it.

The real surprise, though, was when Nathan Prescott walked into the office. “You,” James whispered.

“Your mom’s still asleep,” he said to Rachel, ignoring James as he closed the office door. “I saw a bottle of Ambien on the table next to her, and she’s wearing an eye mask and earplugs, so my guess is she’ll be out for a while.”

“Yea, she’s got really bad insomnia. With all that, though, she’ll sleep through a hurricane.” Rachel turned her gaze back to James. “Good, you’re awake. I was worried Chloe hit you too hard.”

“Ra-” James cleared his throat. “Rachel. You are-”

She stood up. “I’m what?” she replied through gritted teeth. “In trouble? We’re way past being grounded here, dad.”

“I am your father-”

“No. No, you’re not.” Rachel folded her arms, her face hardening. “If you were, you wouldn’t be trying to have us all killed.”

“Not you.” James shook his head. “Never you. You’re my child.”

Rachel walked up and leaned forward, placing her hands on his arms as she put her face in front of his. “You are going to tell us everything,” she whispered. “I want to know why you’re helping Sean Prescott, David Madsen, and Raymond Wells destroy this town and everyone in it.”

James stared back at her. “No, Rachel, I won’t.”

Rachel stared into his eyes, then released his arms and stepped back, taking her seat on the desk. “Victoria?”

The blonde glanced up. “Tell us what we want to know,” she ordered.

James felt an odd buzz wash over him, like a brief moment of drunkenness, but it passed quickly. “If I’m not going to tell her, what the hell makes you think I’m going to tell you?” he retorted.

“Yea, worth a shot.” Victoria went back to her file. “Chloe? You’re up.”

Chloe downed the rest of the sherry, then set the empty glass aside. She picked up the frying pan before stalking over to James, spinning the cookware by the handle. “I’ve had to do this twice this week,” she said. “The first time was to one of Sean Prescott’s armed goons. He talked fairly quickly. The second time was to my step-cockhole, David. He didn’t talk at all.”

She held the frying pan next to James’ head. “So right now, I’m one-for-two.” She held a steely glare into James’ eyes. “I have no problem making it two-for-three.”

“Chloe...” Kate whispered as she stared, her eyes revealing her fear.

“Not now, Kate.” Chloe didn’t move her gaze from James’ eyes.

James stared at her. Then he looked back to Rachel. “Sweetie...”

“Fuck you.” Rachel shook her head, her eyes full of resolve. “You tried to have all my friends killed. I’m not your fucking sweetie.”

James sighed, then he hung his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he said sadly as he glanced back at the others. “You can’t stop it. Nobody can.” He looked back at Rachel. “All I wanted was to keep you and your mother safe. That’s it.”

Chloe pulled the frying pan back. “Does that mean you’re going to start talking?”

James shrugged. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter.” He glanced at the others. “I’m going to go out on a limb. You all had a dream, some time ago? All of you were together, and a spirit spoke to you, letting you know that something big was coming?”

All of their eyes shifted, and James knew he had hit the nail on the head. “What makes you so sure?” Chloe asked.

“Because I had one, too,” he answered. “I was standing in a field, with Sean Prescott and all the others, almost twenty-five years ago this weekend. We watched the storms rage, and destroy everything. Arcadia Bay is barely the beginning; these storms are going to kill billions, all over the world. It’s going to redefine borders, erase nations... the world, as we know it, is going to end.”

Rachel stared at him, horrified. “How could you just go along with it?” she whispered.

“You think I wanted to?” James asked, appalled. “A spirit spoke to us, calling herself Cota. She told us that the end was coming, Bhurta was going to happen, and there was nothing we could do to stop it. But it had chosen us, those of us in that field, to rise from the ashes.” He shrugged. “It offered us a chance to save ourselves and our families, in exchange for our help.”

“And thus, you sold your soul,” Victoria snipped.

James whipped his head and glared at her. “Of course I did,” he retorted. “I was newly married. Your mother,” he nodded at Rachel, “wanted a baby, and I could hardly refuse her. To know what was going to happen, to be told that nothing you could do would stop it, and to have hope dangled in front of you?” He scoffed. “I took hold like a drowning man to a life preserver.”

“What did you do?” Nathan asked, appearing next to Chloe.

“I did what I was told. I finished school, and became a lawyer. Then, I worked my way up through the ranks as a prosecutor, and accepted an offer to run for the District Attorney position.”

“Why?”

“Because Cota instructed me to.” James shrugged again. “The dreams I’ve had, they’re so real. You girls can’t even imagine. You may have had a couple from your minor god, Verta, but Cota? She is true power. When you stand in her presence, seconds seem like hours. When she orders, you follow.”

“Why a lawyer though?” Chloe folded her arms. “Why not a doctor or something? Why become the District Attorney?”

“Because as an employee of the city, I could ensure certain wheels were greased,” he replied. “I could authorize permits and funding that would otherwise be denied. And I could influence people and policy. After Wells introduced himself to us, I helped him pass the petition to authorize the construction of Blackwell Academy.

“What about my dad?” Nathan asked.

“Your father and I had never met until a couple of months after the first dream, at Harvard,” James said. “You and Rachel hadn’t been born yet. Sean was still engaged Caroline while finishing his MBA, following in your grandfather’s footsteps. When he returned to Arcadia Bay, he used what Cota told him to establish a business empire that rivals those in New York and Washington, D.C. And he used that money, and power, as Cota saw necessary.”

James looked at Chloe next. “We didn’t meet David Madsen until a few years ago. He’d served his time in the military, doing as Cota instructed. Do you know what he really did while he was in the Army, Chloe?”

Chloe hesitated, suddenly uncertain. “I heard him tell my mom he was in the infantry, or something.”

“Close. He was actually a Green Beret. He spent a number of years with the 5^th Special Forces Group. And during that time, he was often detailed out to OGAs for clandestine operations.”

The blue-haired girl blinked. “What the hell is an OGA?”

James shook his head. “It stands for ‘Other Government Agency’. It’s a synonym for the CIA, NSA, and other intelligence organizations that do some extremely shady shit in countries we have no official presence in.”

“What, like assassinations and stuff?”

“Assassinations, psychological warfare, extreme rendition, torture, you name it. His official military dossier is so heavily redacted, you can barely read it.” Chloe shivered, and James pressed on. “He was very good at his job, but he left the service at Cota’s order, and came here, to Arcadia Bay, and made himself known to us. Raymond Wells gave him a position at Blackwell as the head of security.”

“Why does a black-ops soldier take a demotion to become a security guard at a private high school?” Rachel asked, eyes wide.

“Because he was told to,” James said simply. “For the same reason Raymond Wells organized Blackwell’s construction, and furthered his career to become its head principal. Why I became a lawyer. We did as we were told.”

“And Cota never told you WHY to do any of this?” Chloe asked.

James shook his head. “I know the others have had more dreams, or visits from Cota. I haven’t in several months.”

Rachel folded her arms. “Who’s the fifth person in your group?”

“Excuse me?”

“David sent our names to four phone numbers with his phone. We know you, Prescott, and Wells,” Rachel listed. “Who’s the fifth person?”

A look of genuine confusion came over James’ face. “There isn’t a fifth person. There’s just the four of us.”

“You only saw the four of you in your dream?” Chloe asked.

“In your first dream, could you see who was with you?” James asked. Chloe hesitated, then shook her head. “Well, neither could I. I only know of myself, Sean Prescott, Raymond Wells, and David Madsen. And I only know of them because they revealed themselves to me.”

“Then who’s the mystery fifth phone number?” Rachel asked. “We saw David’s phone. There were four other numbers there, for sure.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” James stared in confusion. “I got that message, but it was only the four of us in the messages. Nobody else received those names.”

Victoria picked up a phone from the desk. James recognized it as his; they must have picked it from his pocket while he was unconscious. “He’s right,” she said as she breezed through his messages. “There are only three numbers here.”

“Maybe one of the numbers was blind courtesy-copied or something?” Kate offered.

Nathan turned back to James. “Who could it be?” he asked him. “Is there someone else my dad, or Wells, or David has been talking to? Or spending time with?”

“I don’t- maybe?” James twisted his face in confusion. “I don’t understand. They would have no reason not to tell me if they knew of a fifth-”

Max shuddered, then jumped up and threw herself at James. She collided with him and sent his chair to the ground just as he heard glass tinkle, and felt something fly past his head.

“GET DOWN!” Max screamed. “GET DOWN ON THE FLOOR!”

The others dropped immediately as James heard more glass break. Looking up, he saw all the panes of glass in the office windows shatter as the books on his shelf exploded, bullets tearing through the office as the girls screamed.

“Who’s shooting at us?!” Rachel yelled as she covered her head.

“It’s Madsen!” James yelled back as he struggled in the chair. “It has to be David Madsen! Cut me loose!”

Rachel looked conflicted as glanced between him and the windows, the bullets still flying through the glass. Finally, she pulled a knife from her pocket and crawled over to James, cutting through the duct tape. “Rewind if he does something bad!” she yelled to Max, who was also covering her head on the floor.

The bullets finally stopped. “He must be reloading,” Chloe gasped as she got back to her knees and looked out the window. “God damn it, I don’t see-”

The glass tinkled again, and James heard a THWACK as a bullet smashed into Chloe’s forehead, sending her tumbling back to the floor. “Fuck!” she yelled, clutching her forehead. “That fucking asshole!”

James stared, wide-eyed, as he watched the smashed bullet slip from her fingers to the floor. “Oh my God,” he gasped. “You girls HAVE been blessed by Verta.”

“Yea, no shit!” Chloe rolled over and pushed herself upright, scrambling towards Rachel as she finished cutting James free. “Your friends don’t seem to be very friendly anymore,” Chloe commented.

“No, I don’t think so.” James pulled the duct tape from his arms. “Come on, into the living room, quickly! And put that away,” he told Nathan as he drew a pistol from his back pocket. “You’re far outclassed by him! Now, MOVE!”

They scrambled into the living room, staying as low as they could. With the exception of Chloe, who shielded them from the view of the windowed door with her body. “How did you get in here?” James asked.

“We came in through the back door,” Chloe answered.

“Good. Take it. Run, and find someplace new to hide.” James glanced back outside. “Madsen is an expert tracker. He’ll follow your tracks and find you quickly. So you need a head start.” He turned to Nathan. “Give me your gun, son.”

Nathan hesitated. “Why?”

“I’m going to buy you kids some time to get away,” James answered.

Nathan still wasn’t sure, but he handed the pistol over, grip first. The others made no move to stop him, though they weren’t really in any shape to do so; Kate and Victoria were hyperventilating as they hid behind a couch, while Max crouched behind the kitchen counter. Only Chloe, Nathan, and Rachel were watching James.

“All of you, go.” James lifted the pistol and fired three shots through the front door of the house, aiming towards the bullets originating point. “Run!”

“What about you and mom?!” Rachel yelled.

James looked back, his eyes incredibly sad. “Your mother wouldn’t want you here. And neither do I.” He paused. “I love you, Rachel. I know you might hate me forever, but I only ever did what I thought would save your life.”

Bullets started pouring into the house again, this time shattering the living room window. Kate and Victoria screamed again as they sank to the floor. James fired two more bullets towards David. “Go!” He yelled. “All of you! Run!”

They scrambled towards the back of the house, Max leading the way outside. Kate and Victoria were right behind her, and Nathan followed after giving James one last look.

“Rachel!” James fired another shot outside. “You need to go!”

“No!” Rachel yelled back. “I won’t-”

“Chloe, get her out of here!” Another burst of bullets tore through the living room, and James fired another shot in return. “NOW!”

Chloe wrapped her arms around Rachel and started dragging her towards the door. “Dad!” Rachel screamed, struggling as the blue-haired girl pulled her outside. “Dad, I’m sorry! Dad, no, no, Chloe, let me go! LET ME GO! DADDY!!”

Rachel continued to scream as Chloe got her outside and away from the house. James grimaced as he turned back to the front door, ducking towards it as he peeked through the window. He saw the movement behind his car, and fired two more bullets towards it.

David responded with another hail of gunfire towards James, and finally scored a hit as a bullet passed through his bicep. “ARGH!” James yelled as he fell to the ground, dropping the gun. Picking it up with his other hand, he fired again as he tried to make his way back into the kitchen.

The second burst David fired came through the door, two more bullets hitting James’ leg, and he fell over, the pistol flying out of his grasp. “Shit,” he gasped.

He started crawling into the darkened kitchen, feeling around the floor, looking for the gun, but he couldn’t find it. He was still looking when David kicked the door to his house open.

James looked back over his shoulder towards the mustached soldier. David was dressed entirely in black, carrying an assault rifle outfitted with a telescope. A web belt was wrapped around his waist with spare magazines for the rifle, one of which he drew as he reloaded the gun while walking into the house.

“Your wife really does sleep through anything,” David commented as he walked inside and looked around. He frowned as he took in the house. “Where are the kids?” he asked coldly, staring into James’ eyes.

“They ran upstairs,” James answered, still feeling around the kitchen floor for the pistol.

David lifted the gun and fired. The bullet struck James’ hand, and he yelled in agony as he clutched it back to his chest. “You’re lying,” David said flatly. “Where did they go?”

James glared at him. “Away from you.”

David lowered the gun, keeping it trained on James’ chest. “It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. “I’ll find them.” He glanced back to the office. “Even if they have been blessed by Verta.”

“They haven’t.” James cringed at the pain in his arm and leg. “There’s no need to-”

“I missed when I shot at you,” David interrupted. “I don’t miss. The Caulfield girl knew you were going to get shot. She’s The Traveler. And I know I didn’t miss when I hit Chloe.” David looked back at James’ office. “Her body isn’t there. Which means she’s The Unbreakable.”

David crouched down next to James. “And what is Rachel? Hmm? What gift did Verta give her?”

James shook his head, and smiled, despite the pain. “You know, I was just telling them that it doesn’t matter.”

“What doesn’t?”

“Whatever I told them.” James shrugged. “I was positive Cota was going to win, no matter what. But you know what, Madsen?” James pushed himself to a sitting position with his good arm. “I was wrong.”

David looked at him with an emotionless face. “How so?”

“Because I am now positive that Cota is going to lose.” James chuckled. “She does have a pretty miserable track record, after all.”

David considered James’ words. “In either case, James, you won’t be around to see it.” He stood back up and aimed the rifle, centering it on James’ chest.

“I guess not.” James glared back, looking David in the eyes. “Do whatever you want, you psychotic son of a bitch. Just leave my wife and daughter out of this.”

David mused. “Rachel... well, who can say what will happen. It depends on if she keeps trying to get in our way.” He glanced at the stairs. “Your wife isn’t worth the ammo. She’ll be dead in a couple of days anyway.”

The last thing James Amber felt was the bullet slamming into his chest.

Chapter Text

Max had to stop.

She’d been running for almost ten minutes as they raced through the woods behind the Amber’s house, the moon their only source of light as she stumbled through the forest, trying to put distance between her and David. She finally came to a stop next to a tree, leaning her shoulder on it as she tried to catch her breath.

Kate spilled to the ground next to her, on her hands and knees, and she sucked in deep breaths. The two girls kept exchanging glances, clearly wanting to talk, but neither of them could get the oxygen to say anything.

Victoria reached them as Max finally started to recover. “Where’re-” Max started but had to pause to take another breath. “-the others?”

“Behind us,” Victoria gasped, putting her hands on her knees and hyperventilating.

Max glanced behind her and saw them coming over the last hill, Chloe and Nathan dragging Rachel with them. Even at their distance, Max could hear her weeping uncontrollably. Her heart wrenched as they got closer, seeing the tears streaming down Rachel’s face. She finally collapsed to her knees and started bawling when the three of them finally caught up.

Shit, shit, shit. They’d all heard the last of the gunfire from the Amber’s house, as they’d fled into the woods. There were no illusions about what had happened. Max looked at Chloe, who knelt next to Rachel and wrapped her arms around her. The crying girl buried her face in Chloe’s neck and collapsed, her sobs muffled against Chloe’s shirt.

“I’m sorry,” Chloe whispered. “I’m so sorry, Rachel.”

Rachel gave no indication she heard, except to tighten her grip on the back of Chloe’s jacket.

Nathan glanced behind them, trying to catch his breath. “How far away are we from the van?” he asked, wiping sweat from his brow.

Victoria gestured forward. “Not far,” she said as she took a deep breath. “The road should be just past that hill over there.”

“We need to ditch it as soon as we can.” Nathan checked his watch. “We’ve had it all day. We need to trade it for something else, and find someplace new to lay low. We shouldn’t go back to the barn, either.”

“Any suggestions?” Victoria asked. “I don’t know a lot of places we could hide out at. The only thing I can think of is to find another storage room in town.”

Max grabbed Kate’s shoulder and helped her to her feet. “We could hide in the forest,” Max offered. “Find someplace and camp for a while.”

“We don’t have a tent, or any food,” Nathan pointed out.

“What about a church?” Kate suggested. “I know the pastors in town. If we told them-”

Victoria and Nathan were already shaking their heads. “Kate, no offense, but you’re the most religious person in school,” Victoria pointed out. “If I was Sean, I’d have guys watching the churches. And since there are only two in town, it wouldn’t be hard.”

Nathan glanced back towards the hill. “Either way, we need to get moving again. David is probably still-”

“I think I know where we can stay for a bit.”

The others turned back to Chloe, still kneeling while Rachel sobbed into her jacket. “It’s, uh...” she bit her lip. “I mean, I don’t think it’ll be an issue. Maybe.”

“Where?” Nathan asked.

Chloe looked at Victoria. “That cash you pulled out. How much do you have left?”

The rattling RV pulled into the lot off the highway an hour later. Chloe was first out of the van, knocking on the side door before it had even stopped. 

It took Frank a minute to open the door. “Eager much, Bulldog?” he said gruffly by way of greeting. “Do you have any idea what fucking time it is?”

“Oh, please. Like you weren’t still awake.” Chloe pulled a wad of money out of her pocket. “Here. Payment in full. Plus, a little extra.”

Frank looked at the cash in her hand, a bewildered look on his face. “Where the hell did you get all that?”

“Does it really fucking matter?” Chloe shoved the money into his hands.

“Why is there extra?”

“So you don’t ask any questions.” Chloe turned and rapped on the side of the van, and the back doors opened as the others jumped out. “We need a ride.”

Frank’s eyes got wide. “Oh, HELL, no. I am not-”

“Yes, you are.” Victoria appeared next to Chloe. “You’re going to help us, and you’re not going to say a fucking word to anyone about us being here.”

Frank hesitated, but nodded as he stepped back. Chloe and the others piled into the RV behind him, Max slamming the door closed and locking it.

“Get us out of here,” Victoria told him. Frank nodded again and got back in the driver’s seat, starting the RV and getting back on the highway.

Nathan and Kate deposited Rachel on the floor next to the door. Rachel stared stoically at the wall as Kate sat next to her and held her hand, muttering words of comfort. Max, Victoria, and Nathan got on the floor as well, staying out of sight of the windows.

Chloe pulled her beanie from her jacket, tightening it down over her head to hide her blue hair. She then jumped into the passenger seat next to Frank. “Where are we going?” he asked Chloe.

“Take us to one of your hidey-holes,” she ordered him. “Someplace you go when you’re holding shit, and you don’t want the cops to find you.”

Frank nodded and looked back at the road.

The next morning saw them parked in a clearing just off the highway. If they strained, they could hear the cars driving past them, but the thick foliage blocked their view, as well as kept them hidden from others. 

Chloe was still in the passenger seat of the RV, rubbing her eyes. She hadn’t moved most of the night, having elected herself to stand watch. She’d grabbed Frank’s pistol, and was holding it on her lap as she scanned the trees around them, occasionally glancing back at the others.

Rachel had long since passed out, her eyes red and puffy from crying most of the night. She was still sitting on the floor, propped up between Kate and Max, her head resting on the religious girl’s shoulder. Max and Kate were asleep as well, both leaning against the wall as they dozed peacefully.

Victoria had finally fallen asleep a couple hours after they’d parked; she had initially volunteered to stay up as necessary, in case Frank needed more convincing. But after he’d gone to his back bedroom to turn in for the night, she’d curled up on the cleanest part of the floor she could find, using her backpack for a pillow as she lightly snored.

Nathan was the only one still awake. When they’d stopped, he had opened Kate’s suitcase and started examining the books and notes they’d brought with them. He’d also been flipping through another really old book most of the night, though Chloe didn’t know what it was. When she’d asked, Nathan grunted and said he’d tell her later, he was looking for something.

So he startled the hell out of her when he jumped into the driver’s seat of the RV a couple of minutes later. “Jesus!” she breathed, clutching her chest.

“Sorry.” Nathan held the old book in his hands. “Been reading.”

“Yea, I know. You wanna tell me what the hell that book is now?” Chloe gestured to it, then blinked. “Wait. Is that the one that your dad was hiding in his house?”

“It is. I got the recipe for the tea out of it.” Nathan held up the book, showing off the worn binding. “So, the book? It’s the auto-biographical memoirs of the last chief of the Arcadian tribe, written by a historian in the early 1900s.”

“It-wait, what?!” Chloe sat up. “How the hell did your dad get ahold of it?”

“He paid a shitload of money for it.” Nathan gave Chloe a look. “How do you think he gets anything? Come on, now.”

Chloe scoffed. “Fair point. Why didn’t that book come up in Kate’s research?”

“One-of-a-kind, only copy. Written about a hundred years ago, found during construction somewhere in Arcadia Bay, and my dad brought it at a private auction.” Nathan moved on. “I’ve been reading it more thoroughly, trying to see if there’s anything we missed about the ritual to stop Cota.”

“Did we? Or, rather, did you?”

“Couldn’t really tell you.” Nathan shrugged. “I’ve been through it twice. It’s not mentioned in here anywhere.”

Chloe blinked. “The most important thing the Arcadians ever did, and it’s not written down?”

“Nope. But after hearing what Kate said about her vision, I think I know why.” Nathan flipped towards the back of the book. “See, here at the end, the Chief mentions a bunch of his family members, kind of like an author’s note. He reiterates who he is, what he did, and laments about his sons, who apparently all died before he did.”

“Wow.” Chloe sat back. “That fucking sucks.”

“Yea, it does. But he also mentions someone interesting.” Nathan put his finger on a line. “This paragraph is about ‘the daughter of my dreams.’ It’s is the only place he ever mentions a daughter; the only family he talks about during the body of the book are his wife and sons.”

Chloe looked back at Kate’s sleeping form. “It’s her,” Chloe whispered. “It has to be.”

“I think so, yea.”

The blue-haired girl looked back at him. “What does it say, exactly?”

“It says ‘The daughter of my dreams, our greatest hope. If I could see her again, I would tell her to be strong. Her words do not matter, for when the time comes, she must have faith, and she will know what to say in her heart. And I will make sure that she knows the path to walk.’”

“You have got to be-” Chloe looked back and forth between the book and Kate’s sleeping form. “The chief knew that she was going to see that? Are you serious?”

“Apparently. And I’ll bet he somehow knew that Cota’s people would see this book first, which is why the ritual isn’t in here. Or the importance of the prayer stick.” Nathan shrugged. “Which means this little chess game between Verta and Cota has been going on for a lot longer than twenty-five years.”

“I don’t like being thought of as a chess piece.” Chloe frowned. “Speaking of the prayer stick, we still need to get it from the town hall. Any thoughts on that?”

Nathan leaned back in the seat and thought for a minute. “You know... we could just go up to it and take it.”

“Uh, come again?” Chloe looked at him incredulously. “It’s in the town hall lobby. Under a protective glass case. If we open it, we’ll probably set off every alarm in town, especially since it belongs to your dad.”

Nathan smirked. “Those cases don’t have any alarms, Chloe.”

“Why-” Chloe blinked. “How do you know?”

“Adept, remember?” He tapped his forehead. “Besides, the town hall barely has any security at all, outside of the DA’s office and the court room, and that’s just because they’re required to by law.” Nathan shrugged. “You’ve been the the library. You saw their ancient setup. You think that a town that can’t afford to replace its card catalog is going to spring for alarms that it doesn’t have to? I mean, really, who the hell wants to steal a worthless old Indian stick?”

Chloe considered that. “True, I guess... but just walking up and taking it? That seems a little brazen, doesn’t it?”

“It’d be the last thing those assholes would expect.” Nathan nodded. “Plus, that’s really the last piece of the puzzle we need. If we grab that, we just have to lay low until tomorrow, then sneak onto the Blackwell campus and do the ritual. Between your invulnerability, Max’s time travel, and Victoria’s persuasiveness, we should be able to keep Kate safe easily enough, even from David Madsen.”

“Like everything since this little adventure started,” Chloe sighed, “I doubt it’ll be that easy.”

Chapter Text

The others were awake an hour later, and the six of them sat on the floor of the RV as Kate examined the passage in Nathan’s book.

“... I don’t know.” Kate closed it and handed it back to Nathan. “I mean, he did call me ‘my child’, so it could be me. But I don’t get the rest of it. I’ll know what to say in my heart? I mean, I have the prayer already.” She tapped her backpack. “The notebook is in here. I already know what to say, although I want to go over the pronunciation beforehand.”

Nathan shrugged. “One of the reasons my dad probably didn’t give it a lot of thought is because the chief spends half the book waxing poetry about old spirits and whatnot. That might have been what he figured the chief was doing, when he wrote the ‘dream daughter’ thing.”

“No way. It has to be Kate.” Chloe shook her head. “Nothing that’s happened since we started dealing with this has been a coincidence.”

“Either way, it sounds like we just need to go get the prayer stick, right?” Max asked. “Nathan, how sure are you about the security thing?”

“Uh, like...” Nathan held up his hand and rocked it back and forth. “Ninety percent? I mean, I wouldn’t put it past my dad to pull some last minute shit. But I can’t see how he would know we need it. Like I said, it’s not mentioned in the book at all.”

“Ok...” Max paused, then shrugged. “Whatever. If we set off an alarm, I can always rewind, and we’ll do something else.”

Victoria looked around the RV. “Well, we can’t have Frank drive us up to the town hall in this. Every cop in Arcadia Bay knows this piece of shit. He goes anywhere near that building, they’ll search this vehicle on principle. And with Sean’s influence, the cops are probably looking for us, too.”

“Then we have him park a block or so away.” Chloe nodded at Max. “Max and I will head to the town hall and get the stick, then we’ll come back and duck under a rock again. If we can open the cabinet and steal the prayer stick, great. If not, we’ll find some way to swipe the keys or something.”

“Why you two?” Victoria asked. “I can go by myself. I’ll just order the security guard to open the case for us. I can be in and out in ten minutes.”

“Because I’m the only one here with Petty Larceny experience.” Chloe smirked.

“And if you go by yourself, and something happens, I won’t know to rewind,” Max reminded her. “It’s better if I’m there.”

Chloe gestured to the back bedroom. “Besides, you’re the one who’s keeping Frank under your thumb. You should stay with him, in case he gets over your spell and decides we’re not worth the time.”

Victoria pursed her lips. “I don’t think that’s how my thing works.”

“Well, next time you see Verta, try and ask for an instruction manual to go with your cheat code.” Chloe looked around. “Are we good?”

The others nodded, except for Rachel. She continued to sit against the wall of the RV, staring off into space as the other gave her worried glances. “Rachel?” Kate asked softly as she scooted towards her, taking her hand. “Rachel, are you okay?”

“No,” Rachel whispered.

“Rachel, we-”

“No, I’m not okay.” Rachel finally looked at the others, settling her eyes on Chloe. “We had David tied up. We had him, and we let him go. We could have stopped him. My dad would still be alive.”

Chloe swallowed. “Rachel, we didn’t-”

“I didn’t want to kill him then.” Rachel looked at Chloe, fire coming into her eyes. “I do now, though. Very, very badly.”

Rachel looked at the others. “Let’s go get this fucking prayer stick. Then, after we do this ritual and end this bullshit, I’m going to find David Madsen and kill him like a fucking animal.”

A couple of hours later, Max entered the town hall, pulling Rachel’s baseball cap low over her eyes. 

Her and Chloe had come up with a plan; Max would get dropped off and enter first, to make sure it was all clear. If it wasn’t, she would rewind and send a message. She felt Nathan’s flip phone in her pocket, the ‘abort’ message already programmed to send to Frank’s phone if it became necessary.

But as she looked around, she didn’t see anybody, just the bored security guard, sitting at the front desk.

Max took a seat on a bench near the entrance, waiting as she pretended to play with the phone while keeping an eye out. A few more people wandered through the lobby, but they passed quickly and with purpose.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes or so, Chloe entered through the main doors. She had put her beanie back on, tucking away all traces of her rather distinctive hair color. She was also wearing Victoria’s large sunglasses and a long-sleeve shirt, to hide her tattoo as she meandered around the town hall, making her way towards the glass case holding the prayer stick.

Chloe peeked inside, pretending to read the placard as she examined the case for any kind of alarm. She finally stood and glanced over at Max, passing a thumbs-up. Max smiled as she stood, preparing to make her way over.

“It’s always satisfying, when a hunch pays off.”

Max gasped and turned around, eyes widening at the last person she expected to see standing in front of her.

She took him in at a glance. Sharp grey suit, with a tailored white shirt under the jacket, collar unbuttoned. Dark hair, lightly ruffled to make it look more unkempt than it usually was, with a matching beard. His thick-rimmed glasses, behind which usually sat kind eyes.

But not today. Mark Jefferson had the gleaming eyes of a predator as he looked over Max. “Sean didn’t think this gamble was worth it,” he continued smugly. “He was content to let Madsen take the lead, and simply tear apart the city looking for you kids.”

Jefferson took another step towards Max. “But Madsen is more of a sledgehammer.” His face broke into a dangerous smile. “I prefer to use a scalpel when I work.”

“It’s you,” Max said in a quaking voice. “You’re the fifth.”

“Hmm. James really didn’t know, did he?” Jefferson let out a small chuckle. “We weren’t sure why Cota told us to keep my identity a secret from him, but I’m glad she was right. He cared too much for his family, and it cost him in the end."

Max’s cheeks flushed with anger. “You won’t get away with-”

“Yes, Maxine. I think I will.”

With that, Jefferson’s hand stabbed forward, and Max felt a pinch in her stomach. She looked down in time to see him withdraw the syringe.

NO!! Max threw her hand out, but time didn’t rewind.

It slowed.

Max watched in horror as Jefferson moved slowly, holding up the empty syringe as his mouth broke into a smile, while her knees buckled and her vision began to grow dark.

Chapter Text

...

...

...

I... can’t... let... this... happen...

Max’s vision was almost a pinpoint as she struggled against whatever Jefferson had injected her with.

I... can’t... let... him... do this...

I... won’t.

I...

WILL...

NOT...

She doubled her efforts. Her head was already starting to pound, but she pushed through it; she couldn’t let Jefferson stop them. She WOULDN’T let Jefferson stop them.

Come... on...

Slowly, painfully slowly... Max’s vision started to expand again.

Almost... come on...

The blackness that threatened to take her over spilled backwards, receding to the corners of her vision, moving like molasses, until her eyes cleared. She stood back up from the floor, and watched Jefferson move backwards as he lowered the empty syringe, stuck it back into her stomach, and withdrew a full one.

YES!!

Then time resumed its backwards flow with all speed as Max watched him walk away, and she reverted back to sitting on the bench.

“FUCK!!” The word exploded from her mouth as she let time go, gasping and hyperventilating, her head pounding from the effort.

Chloe, still standing at the glass case, looked at her, now suddenly aware and cautious. Max got up on unsteady feet and ran towards Chloe, stumbling as she pushed her way towards the blue-haired girl. “What happened?!” she asked.

“Jefferson,” Max breathed. “It’s Mark Jefferson.”

“Jeff- wait, your fucking photography teacher?!” Chloe’s eyes got wide.

“He’s here! He's the fifth number, from David's text messages. He's one of Cota's scions!” Max looked around wildly. “This is a trap, Chloe! We gotta go, we gotta-”

“Too late for that, Maxine.”

Max and Chloe spun as Jefferson materialized behind them. “You know, it’s always satisfying, when a hunch pays off.”

“Keep back, you fucking psychopath!” Max’s eyes flew to the hand he held behind his back as she ducked behind Chloe. “Get the fuck away from me!”

Jefferson’s eyebrows went up. “Hmm. You really are the Traveler.” He withdrew his hand, revealing the syringe full of clear liquid. “Clearly, that didn’t work,” he commented as he set it on top of the nearby display case.

Chloe bristled, slowly spreading her feet as she clenched her hands. “I’m going to rip you limb from limb, fuckface.”

Jefferson shrugged. “You might. I’m not sure what you’re capable of.” He smiled maliciously. “But it won’t do you any good. You’ve already lost.”

“What- no we-”

“Oh, Chloe, Maxine.” Jefferson gestured outside. “Your friends will be dead soon, if they’re not already.”

Chloe’s glare faltered. “You’re full of shit.”

“Then I’m lying when I tell you that Miss Chase, Miss Marsh, Miss Amber, and Mister Prescott are all sitting in Mister Bower’s vehicle in the parking lot behind the post office, a block to the east?” Jefferson pointed behind them.

Chloe blinked. “No, they’re not.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Miss Price.” Jefferson shook his head. “See, your step-father, Madsen, is more of a sledgehammer. Me, I prefer to use a scalpel while I work. Which is why I came here.” Jefferson smiled his predatory smile again. “But sometimes, the sledgehammer is called for. A team of highly trained and extremely competent men are ambushing your friends right now, in Bower’s RV.”

Max’s blood ran cold, her heart dropping into her stomach.

“Thinking of rewinding and stopping them, Maxine?” Jefferson looked amused as he watched her face. “I don’t think so. You were under surveillance the moment you entered this building. And you’ve been here for quite a while.” He glanced at his watch. “Close to twenty minutes, by my count. And the moment you leave this building, or do anything to warn your friends, those men will attack them them.”

Jefferson looked her in the eye. “So, I guess you have to ask yourself... how far back in time CAN you go, Maxine?”

Twenty minutes. Max swallowed. Twenty minutes backwards. Fifteen almost killed me.

...

Fuck him.

I don’t care.

I do NOT care!

“Know what?” Max said quietly, as she matched his glare. “Fuck it. Fuck Cota, fuck Madsen, fuck Prescott, and fuck you!” she snarled as she clenched her fist, shaking with rage. “How far can I go back? Let’s FUCKING find out!”

She shoved her hand out angrily, determined to save everyone.

But rather than reversing time, a bubble exploded around her... and the world stopped.

All sound ceased. All movement, halted. Jefferson, Chloe, neither of them even breathed. They both just stared at her, Chloe looking over her shoulder, Jefferson’s eyes full of amusement at her outburst. Max looked around and saw the security guard, who had noticed the commotion, was frozen in position as he had begun to look at them closer, a frown on his face.

No, not frozen. Max watched him move. It was almost imperceptible, but it was there, the slightest of movements. She looked back at Jefferson and saw the same thing; his eyes slowly blinked as his pupils shifted. It almost felt like she was watching a movie, frame by frame.

“Holy shit,” she breathed, the word echoing around her.

I’m not moving back. I froze time.

How did I-

No. No time to think about it. Gotta to save the others.

Max raced away from Jefferson and Chloe, running towards the doors. As she stretched her arms out, her hand made contact with the push bar, and she shoved the door open.

And the entire door exploded, right out of the frame.

Max blinked as shards of wood and metal floated in front of her, spinning slowly, as she glanced at her hands. Holy shit. How did I... oh, fuck. Time’s frozen, but I’m not. I must be moving at damn near light speed. Max looked over her shoulder and saw Chloe’s beanie getting blown off her head. Jefferson’s suit jacket was flapping, like there was a strong wind. I need to be careful. I don’t want to hurt anybody by accident.

Max’s head started to throb. Oh, man, I need to hurry.

She exited the town hall and sprinted down the street. She did her best to avoid people, but everything she passed, she affected. A storefront window shattered as she ran by; when she accidentally nudged a blue mailbox, the entire thing came unbolted from the ground and started to fall into the street; and a man she ran by was blown into the wall. “Sorry!” she called as she ran towards the post office.

Max turned the corner and took in the sight in front of her. The RV was parked just like Jefferson had said, in the parking lot, parallel to the street. And behind it was a black van, sitting with the doors open as five men dressed in fatigues and face masks were caught running towards the RV. They all held rifles, pointed at the RV as they stood in place, slowly moving to kill her friends.

Max walked up to them. “You know, I’m still not down for killing people,” she said to nobody in particular. “But you assholes? I’m all for fucking you guys up.”

Max grabbed the first man by the front of his vest and pushed him backwards; she felt, rather than hear, bone crunching in his chest. The force slowly propelled the man back, right into his friend, and both of their arms and legs flew akimbo as they dropped their rifles. Picking them both up, Max chucked them both into the nearby storm drain.

She then made her way to the third man and kicked into both of his legs; she heard the bones crack as he slowly started to fall to the ground. Max stopped to grab hold of his rifle and pulled it out of his hands, listening to more bones break. Then she grabbed his shoulder and shoved him as well, watching him go flying into the street.

Moving to the fourth man, Max grabbed his rifle, yanking it out of his hands as well, then drew back and swung it straight into his chest, careful to avoid his heart. He slowly flew backwards and started lazily spinning as she tossed now-bent rifle away.

She reached over and took hold of the fifth man’s rifle barrel, pulling on it sharply; this time she heard cracking at the man’s shoulder. Max turned the rifle around and smashed the stock into his leg, then grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him backwards. She watched him slowly fly into the side of the van, caving in the metal.

“Well, that’s...” Max turned around to survey her work, as she noticed another black van slowly driving up, opposite the first one. “Fuck.”

Her head was really starting to hurt now, and she could feel a familiar wetness in her nostril. She knew she was going to have to move quickly; there was no time to wait for the new mercenaries to get out of the vehicle. So she lowered her shoulder and ran towards the second van, at a full sprint. 

Her body hit the van right in the middle of the driver’s side, and the impact was incredible as she sank into the metal. The result was immediate as the van bounced away from her, sliding sideways and starting to flip, the tires leaving the ground as it began the roll onto its back.

“Ouch,” Max breathed as she clutched her shoulder and dropped to her knees. “Maybe didn’t think that through...”

Her head pounded like a jackhammer, and Max glanced around, making sure she got them all. “Hope... ergh... so...” she gasped as she raised her hand again.

Kate and Victoria had both been looking out the windows since Chloe had left the RV.

“This should be simple, right?” Kate asked Victoria nervously. “I mean, they just have to get the prayer stick from an unguarded case. Easy enough.”

“Yep.” Victoria nodded. “We just need to be patient.”

Rachel had both hands on the countertop, drumming her fingernails. “How long has it been?”

“Twenty, twenty-five minutes.” Victoria turned back to her. “Hey. It’ll be fine. Chloe and Max are more than capable of handling themselves.”

Frank shook his head as he sat in the driver’s seat, having spun around to face them. “Man, you kids are into some heavy shit right now,” he commented.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Victoria replied, looking at him. “Um... sorry. To, you know, drag you into this.”

Frank shrugged. “Not like I’m working for free or anything.”

Kate glanced back at him. “We still appreciate it.”

Frank waved his arm. “Whatever. Don’t-”

“Shit!” Nathan yelled from the back window, running up. “We've got incoming assholes!”

Victoria spun back to the window as a black van screeched to a stop next to the RV, men piling out. “They’ve got guns!” she screamed at Frank as he jumped out of his seat. “Get down! Get-”

The entire RV was rocked as a deafening BOOM rolled through the air. All of them lost their footing and spilled to the floor as the RV rocked on it’s wheels. The grinding of twisting metal hit their ears as another black van rolled past the front of the windshield. “What the fuck was that?!” Frank yelled, drawing his pistol as he shot back upright.

Victoria shakily got back to her feet and looked back out the window. “Oh my God,” she breathed. “Is that...”

“What?” Kate gasped from the floor. “Is it what?”

Victoria didn’t answer. She just made for the door and pushed it open, making her way outside and looking around.

The men who had run out of the first van were all laying on the ground, unconscious or groaning. Victoria saw broken limbs and rifles all over the place. At the corner, shattered glass from parked cars was all over the street, alarms blaring. The second van lay on it’s back, the vehicle apparently having been smashed by a wrecking ball.

And there was Max, kneeling in the middle of the road as she clutched her shoulder in pain. “Max!” Victoria yelled as she ran over. “Max! What the hell happened? What did you do?!”

Max looked at the blonde smiled, a thin line of blood leaking from her nostril. “Fuckers messed with the wrong Time Lord,” she whispered.

Then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed.

Chloe stumbled backwards as the sudden explosion of wind pushed her into the display behind her, and she broke through the glass just as she heard the door explode. Her hand clutched wildly at her beanie as it almost flew off her head. 

Jefferson was similarly pushed aside, his coat flapping as Max vanished. One second she was there, the next she was gone, with a ‘POP’ and a blast of wind. Jefferson stared at the spot where she’d been, then at the twisted remains of the doors as they fell to the ground outside. “What in the hell?!”

Chloe chuckled as she sat up on the broken glass. “Bet you didn’t see that coming,” she commented as she reached behind her and grabbed the prayer stick. She turned her glare back to him. “I don’t think your little strike team is going to work, fucker.”

Jefferson glanced between the door and Chloe. “It would appear not,” he agreed. “This is unexpected.”

“Right?” Chloe stood back up. “Now. I think I was about to tear your ass apart.”

“So you were.” Jefferson turned back to her. “Which is why I had another backup plan.”

Chloe rolled her shoulders and popped her neck. “Oh? And what’s that?”

“To ask you if you’ve spoken to your mother lately,” Jefferson replied.

Chloe froze, her eyes narrowing. “You’re-”

“I haven’t bluffed since I saw you, Miss Price.” Jefferson returned her look. “You know, she was very touched by the email you sent her before you went on the lam. So much, that she thought to confront your step-father about it’s contents.” Jefferson smiled. “If James told you anything about David Madsen’s work history, you can guess how well that may have gone for her.”

Chloe swallowed.

“Maybe give her a call.” Jefferson shrugged, as he looked at his watch. “Or, even better, FaceTime her. I would do it sooner, rather than later. And...” he waved at the stick in her hand. “Fell free to keep that. It won’t do you any good.”

The blue-haired girl hesitated for a second, before she turned and sprinted out the broken doors.

Victoria and Rachel had just finished dragging Max into the RV when Chloe raced around the corner. 

“Where's Max?!” she yelled as she ran.

“Chloe!” Rachel turned. “We’ve got her, she's inside. What the hell-”

Chloe shoved them all inside the RV and slammed the door shut behind her, tossing the prayer stick into the hands of a very surprised Kate. “Go, Frank, get us the fuck out of here!”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Frank started the RV and spun the wheel, accelerating around the crashed van.

Chloe jumped over Max’s unconscious form and made for her bag, yanking it open. “Chloe, what are you doing?” Nathan asked as she tore through the contents.

“Getting the SIM card for my phone,” Chloe replied, not looking at him.

“What? Whoa!” Nathan grabbed her hand. “Hey! The second you plug that back in your phone, my dad can track us!”

Chloe yanked her hand back and glared at him. “Max just completely fucked up your dad’s little A-Team,” she replied. “I think we have a few minutes of breathing room.”

“Chloe!” Rachel appeared next to Nathan. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

“My mom read my email and decided to confront my fucking step-dickface.” Chloe pulled the bag of SIM cards out of her pack. “Mark Jefferson told me after Max did her thing. My mom’s in trouble. I need to call her, right now!”

Chapter Text

Twenty minutes later, Frank had the RV on the main road out of town while the others were in his back bedroom, waiting for Chloe’s phone to load the SIM card.

“It’s done,” Chloe breathed quickly as she tapped her way into her contacts list. “Okay... Mom, FaceTime...” Chloe hit the button, and the phone’s screen showed her face on the video. “Come on, come on...”

Victoria, Rachel, Kate, and Nathan were standing off to the side, out of view of the camera, waiting for the call to connect. “He was probably bluffing,” Victoria said cautiously. “He just wanted you to leave without fucking him up.”

The call accepted, and David’s face appeared on the screen.

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!” Chloe screamed. “I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!”

David ignored her outburst, studying her through the video. “Looks like Mark was right,” he commented. “This backup plan was a good idea.”

Rachel grabbed the phone from Chloe. “I’m going to skin you alive,” she growled, her eyes burning. “I’m going to end you slowly, you fucking piece of-”

“Give the phone back to Chloe,” David said nonchalantly. “this call doesn’t concern you, Amber. I dealt with your father already. We're done.”

“YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!” Rachel yelled.

Chloe reached out and snatched the phone back. “Where’s my mom?!” she demanded.

“Joyce? Oh, she’s fine. See?” The camera turned and revealed Joyce in her waitress uniform, duct-taped to a chair and gagged with a bandana, while tears ran down her face.

“MOM!” Chloe yelled.

Joyce noticed the camera and screamed something indecipherable through the bandana. David turned the camera back to his face. “Enough of that. I think we get the message,” he growled.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Chloe swore, tears leaking down her cheeks as she shook with rage. “Let her the fuck go.”

“That’s not happening.” David shook his head. “We’re going to make a deal, Chloe. Are you paying attention? I need you to focus.”

“I’m focusing on how your face will look when I shove a red-hot fireplace poker up your ass,” Chloe replied, glaring.

David turned the camera back to Joyce, as he walked over and slapped her across the face. “HEY!!” Chloe screamed as Joyce cried through the gag. “KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER, YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!!”

David turned the camera back to his face, still devoid of emotion. “I asked you a question, Chloe. Are you paying attention?”

“Yes, you fucking shitheel, you have my attention,” Chloe snarled, her eyes absolutely ablaze.

“Good. Now.” David pulled the camera closer to his face. “I know Kate Marsh went on a vision quest, or whatever, and saw the Arcadians perform the ritual. And I also know she wrote down the prayer she needed to recite to stop Bhurta from coming." He blinked, his eyes completely devoid of emotion. "Now, normally, I would be perfectly happy to hunt you kids down and just kill her.”

Kate’s eyes grew wide, and she started trembling. Victoria reached out and put an arm around her, hugging her fiercely. Nathan did the same on her other side.

“But, whatever your friend Caulfield did has done a number on the bodies I have currently have available to throw at you,” David continued. “So, you have two choices, Chloe. You can destroy all the copies of the prayer you have, or I can kill your mother.”

“FUCK YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!” Chloe screamed, tears streaming down her face. Joyce screamed in the background of the video. “You’re DEAD! You’re so FUCKING DEAD!! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to rip your FUCKING head off!”

“You have twenty minutes do decide, Chloe.” David continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “In twenty-one minutes, I’m going to assume you’ve made the bad choice, and I’ll blow her brains out. So make up your mind, quickly.”

With that, the call ended.

Chloe sat frozen on the bed, shaking as tears fell from her cheeks. “Chloe?” Nathan asked quietly.

The blue-haired girl ignored him, standing up and pushing past them as she walked towards the front of the RV. “Pull over,” she told Frank.

“Kid, we’re still-”

“PULL THE FUCK OVER!!”

Frank twisted the wheel of the RV and pulled into the dirt on the side of the road. Chloe kicked the door open, took two steps outside, and vomited into the dirt. Rachel rushed outside to help her. After a few seconds, Chloe screamed in rage and frustration.

“FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!” Chloe kicked a rock, watching it sailed into the forest. “FUCK THIS SHIT!! FUCK VERTA!! FUCK COTA!! FUCK DAVID!! FUCK ALL YOU COCKSUCKING ASSHOLE GODS AND YOUR FUCKING GAMES!!”

Chloe turned and threw a punch directly into the side of the RV, putting a dent in the metal. “RRRAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!” she roared as she fell to her knees and grabbed her hair with both hands, screaming into the woods.

She fell forward into the dirt, on her hands and knees as she hyperventilated. After a few seconds, Rachel put her arms around her.

“Chloe,” she whispered. “Ch-”

“Don’t fucking touch me!” Chloe shouted, shrugging her off.

Rachel backed away, hands up.

In the RV, Kate sat down at the kitchen table, unzipping her backpack and pulling out the notebook with the prayer written inside. She laid it on the kitchen table and stared at the binder, hoping the answers they needed would spring forth.

“What do we do?” Victoria asked quietly.

Kate glanced up, tears in her eyes. “I don’t know.”

“You haven’t memorized it or anything, have you?” Nathan asked.

“No. It’s four pages long and in another language.” Kate shook her head. “I haven’t had a chance to even really read it thoroughly, since I wrote it down.”

Victoria hesitated. “I can take pictures,” she said as she knelt and pulled her phone out of Rachel’s backpack and turned it back on.

“Good idea. At least we’ll have a backup.” Nathan nodded as Kate flipped the book open. Victoria quickly snapped photos. “Fuck. We could really use Max’s help right now.”

Kate glanced down. They’d placed Max on the floor of the RV, curled up with her backpack under her head. The bleeding from her nose had stopped pretty quickly, compared to the last time she’d exerted herself so much. But none of the screaming and noise had woken her, and it didn’t look like she was going to come to anytime soon. Frank got out of his chair and knelt next to her, checking her pulse. “She’s okay,” he assured them. “Just asleep.”

Outside, Chloe stood back up and ignored Rachel, stalking back to the door and climbing back into the RV. Her eyes zeroed in on the notebook and stared like it was on fire.

“Chloe,” Victoria started, but Chloe held up and finger to stop her. Instead, she walked over to Kate and knelt, taking the smaller girl's shoulders in her hands.

“The book. The one that was written by the Arcadian chief,” Chloe said quietly. “It said that when the time came, you would know what to say in your heart. Right?”

Kate swallowed nervously, nodding.

“Is that true?” There was desperation in Chloe’s eyes. “Do you think you could do the ritual without the notebook?”

“I- I-” Kate stammered, hesitating, as tears swelled in her eyes again. “I don’t k-know, Chloe. I’ve b-barely even read the n-n-notes since I t-took them two d-days ago.”

Chloe tightened her grip on Kate’s shoulders. “Kate,” she whispered, “Kate, PLEASE...”

“Ow, ow, Chloe, that hurts-”

Victoria’s hand shot out and grabbed Chloe’s wrist. “Chloe. Stop.” Chloe blinked and let go of Kate’s shoulders, trembling.

Nathan looked at his watch. “We’ve, uh...” he cleared his throat. “We’ve got about ten minutes.”

“Kate.” Chloe took the religious girl’s hands in her own. “Kate, why do you have faith?”

Kate paused, eyes blinking in surprise. “I- I just...”

“Kate, I really need to know.” Tears were leaking from Chloe’s eyes again. “Kate, please. I don’t have any. I need you to help me understand.”

Kate blinked back her own tears. “I have to,” she whispered. “There’s too much evil, too many bad people and things in this world... I can’t believe that there isn’t some force for good, something that has to balance the scales somehow.” Kate swallowed. “Something that gives us strength and helps us through our worst moments.”

“But you can’t know that,” Chloe replied.

“No. I can’t.” Kate shook her head. “That’s why it’s called faith. I believe in it because I want it to be true.”

“Even after all this?” Chloe whispered.

“Especially after all this.” Kate looked at the notebook. “Chloe, I don’t know if I can do this ritual without that notebook, but if it saves your mom’s life...” she swallowed. “Then I’ll do it. I have to.”

Chloe stared at Kate, not moving, for a minute before she nodded, took hold of the notebook, and marched outside, the others. Turning her phone back on, she re-dialed her mother.

David’s face appeared quixkly. “Chloe,” he answered, nonchalantly. “Have you made your decision?”

“You win, you fucking asshole,” Chloe replied miserably.

“Hold on. Let me see the others,” David interrupted. “Get everyone else in the frame behind you.”

Chloe held the phone out as the others crowded in behind her. David frowned. “Where’s Caulfield? Get her in the frame,” he demanded.

“Max is passed out,” Chloe retorted. “Her thing took too much out of her. She’s unconscious.”

“I don’t believe you.” David’s face clouded over. “Get her.”

“She’s passed the fuck out, dickbreath!”

David considered her face. “Show me.”

Chloe turned her phone and went inside the RV, showing David that Max was out. “Roll her onto her back,” David ordered.

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

Chloe reached a hand out and pushed Max’s shoulder, and the girl rolled limply onto her back. “Pick up her hand and hold it above her face, then let go,” David told her. The blue-haired girl did as she was told, and Max’s hand fell limply and hit her face. “Fine, then. Get back outside, with the others.”

Chloe went back outside with Rachel, Victoria, Kate, Nathan, and Frank. “Now, show me the notebook,” David said next. “I want to see it.”

Kate held the notebook up, showing David the written notes. “Here it is.”

“Good. Now, Chloe, I know you have your lighter on you.” David nodded. “Burn it. The whole thing.”

Chloe sank to her knees as Kate dropped the notes on the ground. Pulling out her lighter, Chloe flicked the roller and lit the corner of the notebook on fire, showing David as the entire book went up in flames. “There, asshole. It’s done. Now let my mom go.”

“Not so fast.” David turned and set the camera down, showing them Joyce tied to the chair. He walked behind her and put his hand on her shoulder, causing the woman to flinch. “I’m not stupid. I know you’ve made a copy.”

He pulled out a knife from his belt. “I want to see it.”

“We didn’t make any fucking copies!” Chloe yelled.

“I don’t believe you.”

With that, David grabbed Joyce’s hand and slid the blade of the knife under her fingernail. Joyce screamed into the gag.

“WHAT THE FUCK!! YOU PSYCHOTIC ASSHOLE!!” Chloe screamed as Rachel shrieked behind her. “There aren’t any copies! LET HER GO!”

“I don’t believe you.” David changed fingernails, and Joyce’s screaming went up an octave. “Show me the copies you’ve made! Now! Or this is going to get worse!”

Joyce screamed even louder. “We didn’t make any copies!” Rachel wailed in horror.

“I don’t believe you,” David twisted the knife, and the shrieking through the phone went up.

“Jesus!” Frank turned to Victoria. “God damn it, Victoria! Show him!" 

David paused as the others turned to her. “I knew it,” David said as he smiled smugly. “Show me, Chase. Now!”

Victoria fumbled her phone out of her pocket and pulled up the pictures. “Here!” she screamed, showing them to David. “See?! I’ll delete them!”

“Not good enough.” David moved the knife to Joyce’s neck, pulling up on her hair to expose her throat. “Do a factory reset on your phone.”

“Fine!” Victoria thumbed her way through her phone, finally holding up the factory reset screen and hitting the ‘yes’ button. Her phone flashed and went black. “There! It’s done! Let her go!”

David stared hard into the camera. “Show me the other copies.”

“THERE AREN’T ANY!” Victoria wailed, her voice hitching. “I-I was th-the only one w-who took p-pictures! Leave her alone!”

“There aren’t any more copies, you fucking dick-faced asshole!” Chloe yelled. “Let her go!”

David glared at the camera for another minute. “I believe you, Chloe.”

And with that, he shoved the blade deep into Joyce’s neck and slashed her throat.

Chloe’s scream was ear-piercing as she dropped the phone, holding her hands to her mouth. She turned and immediately collapsed into Rachel’s arms, shrieking as tears exploded from her eyes. The blue-haired girl buried her face into Rachel’s shirt and wailed uncontrollably as Rachel, hyperventilating, pulled Chloe away from her phone and back towards the RV. Kate fell to her knees, retching and crying as Victoria fainted. Nathan barely caught her before she hit the ground.

“Holy shit,” Frank breathed, his eyes wide as he stared at the phone on the ground. “Oh, God. Oh, fuck.”

“Frank!” Nathan yelled as Frank turned to him. “Help me. Get her inside the RV, come on, we have to leave.”

Frank nodded numbly and grabbed Victoria, hoisting her up and dragging her along. Nathan reached over to grab Kate, but she was crying and shuddering too hard for him to easily get ahold of. “Kate, come on, we have to leave,” Nathan whispered.

Kate didn’t move, sobbing into the ground.

“Kate, they’re probably tracking that phone. We have to go.”

Not speaking, Kate let Nathan pull her upright and walk her to the RV, where she finally collapsed up the stairs. Frank reached back and pulled her inside, too.

Nathan looked back to the phone and walked over, picking it up. “Hey, Madsen.”

David looked up from where he was using Joyce’s dress to wipe the blood from his knife. “Prescott,” he answered as he looked at him. “Your father is very upset with you.”

“You fucked up, Madsen.” Nathan glared through the video.

David shrugged. “Tell that to Chloe. She was the one who locked me in the trunk of my fucking car.” He smirked, a small one. “Tell her ‘payback’s a bitch.’”

“No, Madsen.” Nathan shook his head. “You really fucked up, and you don’t even have a clue how badly yet.”

“Yea?” David re-sheathed his knife as he stepped over to the camera. “And why is that, kid?”

“I’m The Adept, Madsen.” David blinked as Nathan continued. “I know what’s going to be waiting for you when we win. And I know you’re going to regret what you’ve done for a very, very long time.”

With that, Nathan disconnected the call and dropped the phone on the ground, turning back for the RV.

Max awoke a few hours later.

Blinking, she lifted her head up slowly as she looked around. It was already dark outside. Frank was still driving. The light from the nearly-full moon hit her eyes and made her wince, as she shielded them with her hand.

“Uff... hey.” Max muttered as she pushed herself upright and looked around.

Chloe and Rachel were both sitting on the ground next to her, their eyes puffy and red as they stared at the floor. Neither of them acknowledged her. Across from them. Victoria lay on the floor, curled into a ball, her eyes equally puffy as she blinked and looked at Max, not answering. Kate, sitting at the table, lifted her head as well, as she wiped tears from her lashes. Nathan was the only one who didn’t appear to be crying as he sat next to Frank, turning to glance at Max before silently turning back to the road.

“Did...” Max struggled to sit up. “Ouch. Did we get the prayer stick?”

Nobody answered. Victoria closed her eyes again and buried her face into her arm, sniffling.

Max felt the heavy atmosphere, and knew something had gone wrong. “What happened?” she whispered, her gut twisting.

Nobody answered.

Kate finally stood and took Max’s hands, helping her to her feet. She let the girl lean on her as she carried her to the bedroom in the back. Sitting Max on the bed, Kate quickly turned and closed the door behind her.

It only took a moment for Max’s wrenching sobs to pierce the door.

Chapter Text

Frank rubbed his face, scratching at his beard as he drove down the highway. 

The kids behind him hadn’t given a destination when he’s taken the wheel the previous day, but he knew they were trying to stay around Arcadia Bay. So he’d gone in a giant loop, taking the highway close to Portland before turning east, going the long way around the mountains before turning back to Arcadia Bay. He’d only stopped twice so far, for gas.

He’d also taken the initiative to swap out the license plates on the RV. He didn’t know, exactly, what was happening, but he figured a BOLO would be a game-ender of they were looking for him.

He glanced towards the back, feeling downright miserable on their behalf. Max had basically cried herself back to sleep in his bedroom after Kate had broken the news about Chloe’s mom. Kate hadn’t left, either, probably staying to comfort Max. Victoria was laying on the floor, not having moved since she’d come to after fainting. Nathan was still in the passenger seat, though he’d nodded off during the night.

Frank checked Chloe and Rachel out, too. They had fallen asleep at some point, Rachel leaning on Chloe while Chloe rested her head on her knees. Frank felt really bad for her. For all the shit he gave her, she was a good kid.

Well... maybe not “good”. But she didn’t deserve what happened. Hell, nobody did.

A light dinged on his dashboard; he was running low on gas. Good timing, since he was coming up on a service station. He hit his blinkers and moved the RV into the next lane to exit the highway.

The rumbling woke up Nathan. “Where are we?” he mumbled as he stretched.

“Gas station. Gotta top off,” Frank replied.

Nathan glanced around. “Are we still near Arcadia Bay?”

“About two hours east.” Frank pulled the RV into the lot and parked it next to a gas pump. “We’ll be back in town soon. I hope you kids have some kind of plan.”

Nathan looked towards the back at the others. “Yea, me too.”

Frank turned the RV off and stood. “I’m gonna put some money on the pump. You might want to wake the others up and work on something.”

“Gonna have to.” Nathan rubbed his face. “Today’s the big day.”

Frank didn’t ask what he meant. Part of him knew already, but he preferred to live in denial. He stepped over Chloe and Rachel as he exited the RV, heading inside.

His stomach reminded him that he was hungry as he saw the burritos in the warming tray. “Hell,” he muttered scooping a bunch of them up and grabbing a few bottles of water. The kids were probably hungry, too. When he got back to the RV, he stepped inside and looked at the others, who were mostly awake though still not talking. “I got you kids some grub,” he announced as he dropped the burritos on the table. “Try to save me one.”

Their blank looks followed him as he stepped back outside to the pump, lifting the handle. What the fuck are you doing, man? He thought to himself as he filled the RV’s tank. These kids are probably going to get you killed with whatever crazy shit they’re caught up in. He sighed. Hell. I’m stuck at this point. Madsen has seen my face, that crazy fucker. He shivered as he remembered what he’d done to that woman. Jesus H, that was the dude’s wife. I don’t even wanna know what he’d fuckin’ do to me.

Finished filling the tank, he stepped back inside. The six kids were all sitting in the back, none of them having touched the burritos. Max was now sitting on the ground next to Chloe, their arms around each other as tears streamed silently down their faces. Kate was next to Victoria, who also hadn’t left her spot on the floor, rubbing her shoulder soothingly.

Frank grabbed one of the burritos and went back to his seat, turning the keys in the ignition as he shifted to get back on the highway.

Then he paused and glanced in the back.

Ah, fuck it all. In for a penny, I suppose.

Rather than pull onto the highway, Frank maneuvered the RV to side side of the lot and turned it back off. The others looked up at him as he turned the seat around to face them.

“So, I’ve already figured a little bit out, regarding what’s going on,” he started as he leaned forward. “You kids are into some heavy shit. I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing...” he hesitated. “But I want to know everything.”

They all glanced at each other. “Frank,” Rachel replied, coughing, “we appreciate everything you’ve done for us. But I don’t think you want to be any more involved than you already are.”

“Amber, I’m already fully involved.” Frank crossed his arms. “That fucking psychopath saw my face. I’ve been driving you kids around for two days. Whoever these pricks are, they even tried to storm this RV with fucking black-ops assholes.” He glanced at Max. “I don’t know how the fuck you did what you did, but I know some crazy shit when I see it. So...” he leaned back. “I want to know everything.”

Rachel and the others all exchanged another round of glances. Nobody spoke, at first.

Finally, Max leaned forward. “Tonight, there’s going to be a series of storms,” she started. “They’re going to tear the whole planet apart. Complete, total annihilation. Billions of people are going to die, because some Native American wind spirit named Cota has been held back for thousands of years by the Arcadian tribe.”

“Except they’re not here anymore, so another Arcadian spirit named Verta picked us to stop them instead.” Max gestured to the others. “Verta told all of us in a dream, and gave each of us abilities to make sure we could stop Cota. We’ve been working on it for a week, and we more or less know what to do to stop them. But Cota got herself a few helpers, too, to make sure the destruction went through. You saw David Madsen, but the others are Raymond Wells, Mark Jefferson, and Sean Prescott.”

Frank bristled and glanced at Nathan. “Your old man is trying to bring about the end of the world? What the fuck?”

Nathan shrugged. Max pressed on. “They found out what we’ve been trying to do on Tuesday, which is why we went on the run. We’ve been hiding from them while we tried to get the last of the pieces we need for the ritual.”

“That stick you grabbed from the town hall?” Frank looked at the piece of wood on his counter. “What the hell do you need that for?”

“It’s a prayer stick,” Kate said, finally speaking up. “I need it when I perform the ritual.”

“Which we have to do at Blackwell.” Max looked back to Frank. “There’s a totem pole on the campus, called-”

“The Tobanga.” Max blinked in surprise that Frank knew the name. “I went to Blackwell too, kid. I’m familiar with the grounds. So, this ritual, it has to do with the Tobanga?”

“Yea. We have to get to the totem pole. Kate performs the prayer ritual, while we,” Max indicated the rest of them, “protect her.”

“Huh.” Frank leaned back, looking at Kate. “And those notes? The ones you destroyed?”

Kate swallowed. “They were the words I was supposed to recite. The instructions on how to performed the ritual.”

Frank rubbed his head. “And without that...”

“I, uh...” Kate paused. “I’m not sure if I can do the ritual.”

“Yes, you can.”

Everyone shifted their gaze to Chloe as she slowly picked her head back up. “You can do it, Kate. I already know it.”

“How?” Kate asked.

Chloe looked between Max and Rachel. “Remember, when you guys asked if the light had said anything to me during that second dream? And I blew you off?”

They nodded.

“It told me that I had to have faith in you guys. No matter what happened.” Chloe rubbed her nose as she looked back at Kate. “So, uh, I have no idea if you can really do this without those notes. But I have to believe that you can.”

Kate looked at her hopefully. “Really?”

“It’s like you said.” Chloe finally let a small smile come over her face. “I really, really want it to be true.” Her smile faded. “Because, otherwise, everything we’ve done and all we’ve gone through, will have been for shit.”

“Ahem.” Frank stroked his beard. “I don’t want to interrupt this Hallmark moment, but something you said is bothering me.”

“What’s that?” Max asked.

“The Tobanga is the key to this whole thing, right?” Max nodded. “So... why is it still standing?”

“Huh?”

“If the Tobanga is what you have to pray to for the ritual, why haven’t the other assholes set it on fire or something?” Frank asked. “Wells is the school principal, Madsen works as security, Jefferson is a teacher... they all have ample opportunity to destroy that thing to keep you from using it. So why haven’t they?”

“Because they don’t know,” Nathan replied. He patted his backpack. “The ritual isn’t written down anywhere they would have seen. We didn’t know that it involved the Tobanga until a couple of days ago, and only because Kate went back in time on a vision quest.”

Frank blinked and looked at Kate. “Wait, seriously?”

Kate nodded. “That was why Max needed to buy the marijuana,” she added.

Frank whistled. “Okay, I’ll have more questions about that later, but for now let’s keep going. If they don’t know that the Tobanga is part of it, why is Wells so protective of it?”

Max blinked in surprise. “He’s been protective of it for that long?”

“Kid, I’m like, six years ahead of you. I’m not THAT old.” Frank smirked. “But yea, he was really protective about it when I was there. Almost expelled a Senior who climbed it while drunk.”

“Maybe because the idol on top is a representation of Cota,” Kate answered. “That’s probably because it was meant to ward her off, but I could see how you could mistake it as a prayer idol.”

“Either way, what we’re getting at is, these assholes have no idea that the Tobanga is part of the ritual.” Frank nodded. “Is that right?”

“The only thing they would know is that the ritual would take place on Blackwell grounds,” Rachel said. “That information is easy enough to find. Probably why they put so much effort into the school.” Rachel glanced back at Chloe. “You know, that’s probably why Wells made David head of security, and Jefferson a teacher. So they could keep a closer eye on the campus.”

Nathan leaned forward. “But the storms are coming today,” he said. “They’ll probably be watching the campus like hawks. I’ll bet my dad has gotten more people by now, and they’ll be all over the place.”

“Yea. They will.” Max paused. “But we have a secret weapon.” She looked over. “Victoria?”

Frank hadn’t realized, but Victoria had been completely silent throughout the entire conversation. She’d been staring at the wall, unmoving. Now, everyone looked at her. “Hey, Victoria, are you okay?” Chloe asked.

Victoria shifted her eyes to Chloe. Her face twisted up, her breathing hitched a few times, and she exploded in sobs and started crying. “I’m sorry!” she wailed. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Chloe blinked, then got up and wrapped the blonde girl in a tight hug. “It wasn’t your fault,” she assured her as Victoria sobbed into her shoulder.

“I- just wanted- to keep- the notes- so we could- do the ritual!” Victoria choked and sobbed. “I didn’t mean to hurt your mom, Chloe! I’m so sorry!”

Ah, shit. Frank looked away as Max and Kate wrapped Victoria in hugs, too, and he tried to blink the tears back out of his eyes. Don’t cry in front of the fuckin’ kids, man. They’ll never forget it.

“It wasn’t your fault, Vic.” Chloe pushed the crying girl’s head into her shoulder. “It wasn’t you. It was that fucking cocksucker. Hey, look at me,” she added as she pulled back.

Victoria picked her head up, tears still running down her face as she looked at Chloe.

“We’re gonna do this ritual anyway.” Chloe nodded as she wiped her own tears away, then held Victoria’s face in her hands. “And when we’re finished, we’ve going to tie David Madsen to a spit-roast, cook his balls with a road flare, and then make him fucking eat them.”

Frank snorted. She does have a way with words.

Victoria sniffed as she rubbed her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for, Vic.” Chloe hugged her again. “We’re gonna make this right.”

Victoria sniffed. “I never said you could call me Vic,” she mumbled.

“Well, I’m making the executive decision.” Chloe rubbed the back of Victoria’s head. “Now, we need you.”

“Yea.” Victoria cleared her throat as Chloe and the others let go. “Yea. Campus security all over the place. Need to deal with them. Um...” Victoria hesitated, sniffing her tears back. “What if they shoot us before I get close enough to tell them what to do?”

“Hmm.” Rachel glanced back at Max. “What about your thing from before? Whatever the hell you did back at the town hall yesterday?”

“I, uh, froze time.” Max scratched the back of her neck. “I don’t know how I did that, though. I’m not a hundred percent sure I could do it again, on command. And I was only able to do it for a few minutes. I can’t cover the entire campus like that.”

“Plus, she passed out when she was done,” Nathan pointed out. “She should probably save her powers unless she really needs them.”

“Then we’re back to Victoria being our only option.” Rachel folded her arms. “If only there was a way for you to tell the entire campus what... to... do...” her voice trailed off as everyone looked at her. A glimmer appeared in her eye as she looked up, thinking.

“Rache?” Chloe prodded. “Are you okay?”

Rachel turned back to Victoria. “How much money do you have left?”

“Um, about a thousand bucks?” Victoria sniffed again, rubbing her nose on her sleeve. “Why?”

“I think I MIGHT have an idea.” Rachel glanced at Frank. “But we need your help, Frank. And... it might get you into some trouble.”

Frank looked, one at a time, in all their faces.

Man... fuck it.

Frank heaved a sigh. “Is ‘yolo’ still a thing to you kids?”

Rachel broke into a huge smile. “For you, Frank, we’ll bring it back.”

Frank shrugged. “What do I need to do?”

“Get back on the highway, and find us a Wal-Mart or something. I need to pick up a couple of things.” She glanced at the others. “Okay, it’s...” a quick look at her watch. “nine o’clock. If these storms come at night like they did in Kate’s vision, we’ve got at least nine hours or so to prep. Frank, do you have any burner phones?”

“A couple, in the kitchen drawer.” Frank pointed.

Rachel went over and got them, tossing one to Victoria and one to Max. “Okay, we’ve got some phone calls to make.”

Chapter Text

Raymond Wells stood atop the steps at Blackwell’s main entrance, surveying the grounds.

Other then a few kids playing with a Frisbee and skateboarding, it was very peaceful. He cast his eye over the front campus, lingering on the red plumbing van parked in front of the school, where two of Sean Prescott’s men were laying in wait with their weapons. “How many other vans are around my campus?” He asked the man next to him.

“Two.” Jefferson nodded. “Madsen put one near the dorms, and another on the far side of the pool. Two other cars are driving around the perimeter on patrol. Ten or twelve men total, I think; he didn’t give me all the details.”

“That doesn’t see like enough.” Wells glowered. “Not after that fiasco yesterday, at the town hall.”

“That hurt us more than Sean wants to let on.” Jefferson fell silent for a moment as a pair of students exited the building behind him, waiting until they were out of earshot to continue. “Whatever the Caulfield girl did, it got way too much attention. Most of those men are still in the hospital. Sean spent a lot of money keeping that incident quiet, but he wasn’t completely successful, and finding people to hire has become problematic.”

“Prescott’s money doesn’t concern me.” Wells shook his head. “After tonight, it won’t be worth anything anyway. He might as well splurge a little bit. When is he coming to join us, anyway?”

“If he does, you mean?” Jefferson scoffed. Neither of them particularly cared for Sean. “Probably not until later. For all his blustering about waiting it out in the bunker, now that his son is involved, he’ll want to see it through. Especially if Verta’s scions decide to show up.”

“They will.” Wells glanced around before continuing. “We can thank Madsen for that. His little stunt with the Price girl’s mother? I knew Chloe personally. She is not one to give up a grudge. If nobody else, she will be here for revenge. As will Rachel Amber; I’m not sure killing James was the best option, either.”

“He was telling them about all of us,” Jefferson reminded him. “We’re still not sure what information he gave up.”

“He was a tremendous asset in the early days of our endeavor. I do not advocate throwing the baby out with the bathwater.” Wells glanced at Jefferson. “I also don’t see how useful hiding your identity from him was. It was of little to no value, in the end.”

Jefferson pondered for a moment, and shrugged. “Far be it from me to question the methods and decisions of Cota.” He nodded towards the lot. “Speaking of which.”

Wells looked to see David Madsen walking up the path, dressed back in his Blackwell Security uniform. “Madsen,” Wells greeted him curtly.

“Wells.” David nodded back and surveyed the grounds. “Everything is secure, so far.”

Jefferson looked at his watch, then back at the horizon. “Still several hours to go. Plenty of time for things to go wrong.”

“I’m aware, believe me.” Madsen gave Wells a look. “Especially when we don’t know where this ritual the kids are trying to do is supposed to take place.”

“You have all the information we do, Madsen,” Wells replied. “I cannot create facts out of thin air, though I admit it would be helpful, in this circumstance.”

“All we know is that it’s somewhere on this campus.” Madsen looked back around. “This campus comprises almost ten acres, and I have twelve men, plus the four regular Blackwell Security guards. Half of that ten acres is woodland. We can’t be everywhere.”

“There is nothing Mark or I can do about that, Madsen.” Wells returned the man’s steely glare. “I didn’t give you people, Sean did. It’s your responsibility to use them.”

“You’re right.” Madsen folded his arms. “I need to clean up your mess, since you failed to contain the girls when they were here last time.”

Wells turned to face Madsen fully, his eyes full of fire. “I am not the only one who failed in his goals that night, Madsen,” he replied with an iron voice. “I seem to recall you spending longer than you’d like to remember locked in the trunk of your car, thanks to your step-daughter.”

Madsen glared back, then shook his head. “I’ll deal with Chloe when she shows up.” He stepped back. “Excuse me. I have work to get back to.”

“Nothing?” 

Taylor Christensen sighed as she shut her laptop. “Nope. Still nothing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter...” she glanced at the black-haired girl on her couch. “I’m getting worried, Court. Especially after what the security guards were saying.”

Courtney Wagner fidgeted with her pen as she chewed on the tip nervously. “Victoria wouldn’t just ‘disappear’, Tay. She must be with her parents, back in Seattle or something.”

“Do you think it has something to do with last weekend?” Taylor scratched her chin. “I mean, she’s been acting weird ever since that night at the club. Plus, she’s been hanging out with Caulfield and Marsh, of all people.”

Courtney scoffed. “Right? I mean, Amber I get, almost. But those two? The hipster and the bible-thumper? That doesn’t make any sense. Like, what, is she getting in on a threesome or something?”

“Oh! There you go! Maybe they all ran away together!” Taylor giggled. “The world just couldn’t understand what they had, so they all ran off to Seattle!”

Courtney’s phone rang interrupting the girls’ giggling. “Huh. Unknown number.” The black-haired girl silenced it and put her phone back down. “Maybe they all got busted or something? Some kind of-” Her phone rang again. “Ugh. Again? Seriously, creeper, get a real phone line.”

Her phone rang a third time, seconds after she put it back down. “Bitch, just answer it,” Taylor waved. “Make them go away.”

“Yea, fine.” Courtney picked up the line this time. “Hello?”

“Court! Finally!”

Courtney sat up straight. “Vicky?!”

“Is Taylor with you? Put me on speakerphone.”

“Uh, yea!” Taylor stood up as Courtney hit the button. “Okay, we’re here.”

“Vic! Where the hell have you been?” Taylor asked. “Security’s been tearing the campus up looking for you!”

“Tay, no time right now. I need you guys to do something.” A pause. “Wait. Security’s been what now?”

Brooke peeked outside her door before she shut it, throwing the deadbolt. “Yea, like, all over the place,” she explained quietly into the phone. “Seriously. They checked under my bed to make sure I wasn’t hiding you in my room! They checked under EVERYBODY’s bed! What the hell kind of drug-cartel shit are you into?!” 

Max sighed through the phone. “Brooke, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but I swear on your PS4 that it has nothing to do with drugs.”

“Hey man, drugs, terrorism, murder, jaywalking without a permit, I don’t care. I just don’t want to get involved in whatever shady shit you and the others are doing.” Brooke peeked through her blinders, checking the campus outside her room. “I’m on a scholarship too, Max. I can’t afford to lose this shit."

“Brooke, I wouldn’t be asking for your help if it wasn’t important. Kate Marsh is sitting right next to me, for fuck’s sake. Do you really think I’m guilty of something serious?”

Brooke hesitated. “Is she... there against her will?”

“What?! No! Jesus, Brooke, I’m not a kidnapper!”

“I don’t know what the fuck you are!” Brooke stood up and paced around her room. “You were, like, the most straight-laced, beige person I’d ever met three weeks ago! Now fucking security is looking for you like you escaped from Guantanamo Bay or something! What the fuck did you and the others DO?!”

“Brooke, I...” Max took a deep breath and exhaled. “Brooke, I promise you, we have done nothing wrong. You would not believe how fucked up this week has been, and I swear on my camera, Chloe’s truck, Victoria’s wardrobe, Kate’s bible, whatever you want, this is something extremely important that I need you to do. LIVES are in the balance, Brooke. And I’m not making any of this shit up.”

The asian girl sat down on her bed and lifted her glasses to her forehead, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “... fine. But I swear to God, Maxine Caulfield, if I get in trouble for something I do on your behalf, I am throwing you straight under the bus.”

“Fair enough, Brooke. So, uh... do you still have your drone?”

Dana frowned as she sat on her bed. “I don’t see what that has to do with anything.” 

“It’s a simple question, Dana. Do you still help Wells around his office like you did last year?” Rachel repeated.

“No, I don’t. Wells stopped doing the internship thing this year.” Dana shrugged. “He said he was grateful for my help, but he didn’t need it anymore.”

“So you don’t still have the keys to his office?”

“I never had the keys to his office in the first place.” Dana glanced at Juliet, exasperated, as the other girl listened intently from the couch. “Is that why you called, Rachel? You’re already in some pretty big trouble. You want to get expelled, too?”

“Never mind. Give Juliet the phone.”

Dana furrowed her brow. “How did you know she was in my room?”

“Really, Dana? How did I know that your best friend in the world was hanging out with you, after class, in the dorms you two live in, on a Friday afternoon?”

A smile broke out on Dana’s face. “Fair point. Fine, here.” She passed her phone to Juliet.

The reporter took the phone with a confused look on her face. “Rachel?”

“Juliet, I know Wells lets you use the Xerox in his office to print newsletters. Do YOU have the keys to get inside?”

“No, sorry,” Juliet shook her head. “Him or Professor Grant usually let me in. They’ve got the only two copies I’m aware of.”

“Shit.” Rachel paused. “Okay, never mind. I need a different favor from you and Dana.”

“Rachel, you’re in some serious shit, if you’re not aware.” Juliet looked back at Dana’s door to make sure it was still locked. “Like, I’m not sure we should be talking to you levels of shit. They searched the entire dormitory looking for you. They checked my closet, under my bed, even the trunk of my car! What the hell is going on?!”

“Juliet...” Rachel paused. “I have got some serious, high-grade info I can give you. Like, front page of the New York Times level of scoop.”

Juliet sat forward. “What kind of scoop?” she asked, ignoring the eye roll Dana directed her way.

“Corruption, conspiracy, murder-for-hire, the whole shebang. And I will tell you EVERYTHING. Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you, but it’s huge. Like, career-making shit.”

Juliet’s eyes lit up. “Rachel Dawn Amber, you had better not be fucking around on me.”

“When have I ever fucked around on anyone, ever?”

“I mean, this had better be serious.”

“Juliet, my father is dead because of this shit. I could not be more serious if I tried.”

Juliet traded glances with Dana, both of their eyes wide. “Oh my god, Rachel, are you kidding me?” Juliet whispered.

“Are you going to fucking help me or not, Watson?!”

In her empty science classroom, Michelle Grant listened to the other end of her phone call, only offering ‘mm-hm’s as the other girl spoke. When she finally stopped, Michelle looked around the classroom and stood, walking to the window as she considered what she’d heard. 

“...ok, I’ll do it.” Michelle scratched her nose. “If it was anybody but you, I’d take this straight to Raymond. But you... you were the one that was truly surprising when Raymond told the faculty what was going on. When I heard you were involved, I don’t think more than a few of the school staff thought he was serious.”

“Thank you so much, Professor,” Kate replied. “I swear to God; I’m telling the truth. And we really need your help.”

“If you didn’t, I’m sure you wouldn’t have risked this phone call. And I know you don’t take his name in vain lightly.” Michelle shook her head. “I’ll leave the keys on the floor, right behind the trash can next to his office. And I’ll make sure the back door is unlocked. Please, Kate, do not make me regret this decision.”

“You won’t. I promise.”

Kate hung up the cell phone with a sigh of relief, handing it back to Nathan. “She’ll do it.” 

“Nice work.” Nathan turned the phone over and pulled the battery out, then removed the SIM card. “Now we just need Brooke to come through.” He glanced at Max, who was still on the phone and scribbling in a notepad.

“She will. Brooke will jump at the chance to buck authority, even if she won’t admit it.” Rachel smirked. “Victoria?”

“Taylor and Courtney are rallying the troops as we speak.” Victoria nodded. “I wish I could be part of those text messages. I told them to get with Dana and Juliet, too. Between the four of them, they’ll get half the student body involved.”

Max thanked Brooke and hung up her phone. “Brooke said she found three suspicious vans parked around the school grounds.” She showed them the map she’d drawn on the notepad. “One here, in front of the main entrance. Another one here, by the dorms, and a third next to the pool. She said they’re definitely out of place; they’re service vans, from Roto Rooter and whatnot, but they’ve been there all day and nobody’s entered or left them.”

“Sounds like my dad got some more goons on the payroll,” Nathan said as he bent over. “Just three vans, though?”

“Plus Blackwell security, plus whatever else David has up his sleeve.” Max shrugged. “We’ll have to play that bit by ear.”

Chloe got up from her seat and walked up to Frank, the others still talking. “Hey, man... how are you?” she asked carefully, remembering what he'd agreed to do for them a couple of hours ago.

“I’m fine.” Frank nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. “Just... trying to get myself psyched up for this. Wasn’t how I was planning on spending my Friday, if you know what I mean.”

“Me either.” Chloe hesitated. “Frank... this means a lot. What you’re doing.”

Frank looked at her. “Kid, I...” he swallowed. “I’m sorry. About your mom.”

Chloe didn’t reply.

“She, uh... I mean, she was always nice to me when I came into the diner. Most of the other waitresses, they were terrified of me. Couple of them wouldn’t even serve me. Your mom, though... she was nice. She actually treated me like I was a human being.” Frank shook his head. “Whatever you do to that sociopathic son of a bitch, it ain’t gonna be mean enough.”

“No. It’s not.” Chloe’s voice caught.

“Anyway, if this gets his goose, I’ll go for it.” Frank nodded as he turned back to the road. “But you gotta make this count, kid.”

“We will, Frank.” Chloe squeezed his shoulder. “I promise.”

Chapter Text

Officer Berry sipped his coffee as he admired the last rays of the setting sun, now below the horizon of the Pacific Ocean.

“Beautiful view,” his partner commented, as he munched on a donut. The two were leaning against the hood of their squad car in front of the Two Whales as they took their break. “You don’t get scenery like this, back in Seattle. Too much weather.”

“We might get some weather tonight anyway.” Berry pointed to some clouds over the ocean. “Might be some rain.”

His partner shrugged. “Eh. Can’t win them all.” He took another bite of his donut and swallowed. “You watch the game yesterday?”

“Naw, kid was sick. Spent the game cleaning puke and reading bedtime stories.” Berry shrugged. “Saw the score, though. Talk about a blowout.”

“You watch the highlights, at least?”

“No. Anything good?”

“Man, that new wide receiver, what’s-his-face, from Ohio? He made this amazing catch, where-”

A horn honking interrupted them. Berry saw Frank’s RV flashing its headlights and groaned. “I knew tonight was going too well.”

“What in the world do you think he wants?” His partner frowned as Frank pulled the RV up next to them and waved. “He’s usually hiding from us more often than not.”

“Whatever it is, guarantee it’s more paperwork.” Barry set his coffee down and ambled up to the RV as Frank rolled the window down. “What’s up, Bowers? How’s life?”

“Not bad, Officer Berry, not bad.” Frank nodded. “I got a crime I need to report, though.”

“Yea?” Berry couldn’t keep the boredom out of his voice. “What’s that?”

“Well, I was down at the lot by the beach, you know the one, right? And this guy, he tells me he’s got a whole bunch of oregano he wants to sell me. You following?”

“Uh... yea?” Berry frowned, confused.

“Problem is, Officer Berry,” Frank reached down at his feet and jerked up a massive, one-gallon Ziploc bag that was absolutely stuffed. “I’m pretty sure that motherfucker just sold me a shitload of pot! What do you think, man? This look like weed to you?”

Berry and his partner’s mouths dropped open as they stared, shocked, between the bag full of marijuana and Frank’s bemused face.

“Yea, that’s what I thought, too. Might want to check on that.” Frank dropped the bag at his feet and floored the RV, accelerating down the street. He chuckled as he watched the two cops trip over themselves running back to their car, their lights and sirens coming on as they sped after him.

Sean Prescott climbed out of his car, nodding at the others. “Gentlemen.” 

Wells nodded. “Sean. We weren’t sure if you would be coming.” Jefferson and Madsen stood behind him, and they nodded in greeting.

“I wanted to be here, to see it myself.” Sean looked around. “I saw my people were in place. Madsen?”

“One van here, another by the dorms, another by the pool,” he reported. “Two other cars driving around the perimeter, and the four Blackwell security guards are patrolling the campus on foot. We’ve got about seventy percent of the visible campus covered at all times. So far, no sign of Verta’s scions.”

Sean nodded. “Did we have any luck tracking them at all?”

“No. We traced the Price girl’s phone to the side of the road where they left it, but no further. All we’re certain of is that they’re in town. About half-sure they’re with Frank Bowers in his RV, but we haven’t seen him, either. We added his license plate to a statewide BOLO, but nothing ever came of it.”

“Frank Bowers is not a stupid criminal,” Sean replied. “If he had any common sense, he would have left town.”

“We had our bases covered in any case.” Madsen shrugged. “I fully expect them to try something, but we have most of the grounds covered. So when they do appear, we’ll simply-”

Madsen’s radio squealed. “Madsen, are you there?”

“Hang on.” Madsen his his radio. “Go ahead, Rogers.”

“Hey, we’ve got something going down at the dorms... what the hell? Hey!”

The four men looked at each other. “Rogers!” Madsen barked into his radio. “What’s happening?!”

“The kids are- HEY! All of you, get back inside! The kids are coming out of the damn dorms!”

Madsen’s face twisted in irritation. “Then cite them with an offense and get them back inside! It’s past curfew, they’re breaking the rules!”

“It’s not one or two, man! I’ve got dozens of kids pouring out of the buildings- HEY! EVERYONE HERE IS GETTING CITED UNLESS YOU GO BACK INSIDE! Son of a- I need all security guards to the dorms!”

Chanting reached their ears as the four men turned towards the dorms, watching lights get closer and closer to the corner. Another security guard jogged across the campus towards the disturbance as the chanting got louder.

Madsen hit the radio again. “Rogers! Get them turned around and back in their dorm rooms!”

“I’m trying! They keep-hey! They keep pushing past me! They’re drinking, I’ve got bottles of booze everywhere- dammit, they’re bringing out a boombox!”

A song started playing through the radio, drowning out Rogers as he called for more backup. Two more security guards ran across the main campus towards the noises as kids started appearing from behind the classroom building. “Madsen...” Wells said through gritted teeth.

Madsen hit the radio again. “Get those goddamn kids back into their dorms! That’s an order!”

The music completely drowned out Rogers’ response, and soon it was loud enough for the four men to hear from the parking lot as a massive body of students rounded the corner of the main building, cheering and singing while drinking from red plastic cups and clear glass bottles. “What the fuck is that?!” Sean demanded.

Jefferson chuckled. “‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’, by R.E.M.” he shook his head. “Not my taste in music, but apt nonetheless.”

The other radio on Madsen’s belt squawked. “Ah, Lead, this is Static 2. We’re seeing this disturbance on the campus. Do we need to intercede?”

Madsen snatched the second radio. “Negative,” he replied. “It’s a school matter. Let the security guards handle it, and stay at your posts. Keep an eye out for the other kids.”

“Roger.”

The noise was deafening. “Madsen, we need to get this under control,” Wells commanded.

“Really?” Madsen gave Wells a look before he took up his radio. “All security guards, get those damn kids back into their dorm rooms, one at a time if you have to! And someone turn off that fucking boombox!”

The second radio squawked again as the music was finally turned off. “Lead, this is Mobile One! We’ve got something!”

Madsen hit the button. “Got what?!”

“That RV you told us about, white with a blue stripe! It’s speeding down the road towards the main campus!”

“This is a diversion,” Sean observed as he gestured at the partying students. “They’re coming.”

“Well, it’s not going to work.” Madsen hit the radio again. “All units, converge! Stop that RV! Targets are on board, eliminate with prejudice!”

A honking horn drew all of their attention as the RV flew around the corner, roaring into the lot. It didn’t slow down as it smashed into the service van, flipping it over before Prescott’s men could climb out. “Fuck!” Sean yelled. From the campus, several students screamed and yelled. Many of them pulled out their phones to take videos.

“All units, Static 2 is down. Everyone, get on that RV!” Madsen yelled into the radio.

“Madsen! What the hell’s happening down there?!” One of the security guards called through the radio.

“We’re handling it! Handle those damn-”

“Lead! Shit! We’ve got police! Arcadia PD was right behind the RV!”

Madsen and the others looked and saw three squad cars fly around the corner after the RV, just as Prescott’s vans screeched to a halt beside it. Police officers appeared at the same time as paramilitary mercenaries, and suddenly there was a mass of confusion.

“What the fu- Arcadia PD! Drop those fucking guns!”

“Fuck you! Drop your gun!”

“Drop it! Drop your weapons right now!”

Sean exhaled. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”

The window to the RV rolled down and Frank stuck his head out, amidst the yelling and shouting. “Hey, Berry!” he yelled towards the cop, who was busy screaming at a mercenary to drop his rifle. “I took another look, and you know what? It IS oregano!”

“This is all one big fucking diversion.” Madsen dropped both of his radios. “Those fucking kids are here somewhere.”

Sean rounded on him. “Well, then, we had better fucking FIND-”

The loudspeakers on campus emitted a high-pitched squealing that slammed into the eardrums of everyone present. “Argh!” Jefferson yelled as he covered his ears. “What the hell is-”

“ATTENTION!!” The campus intercom blared. “ALL SHITHEAD MERCENARIES CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY SEAN PRESCOTT!!”

Victoria checked her phone. “Taylor says the party’s rolling onto the main campus. And security is there, trying to stop them. We’re all clear.” 

“Sweet,” Chloe breathed. “Okay, we’ll see you at the Tobanga.”

Victoria nodded as her, Rachel and Max split off from the others. The six of them had spent the last hour hiking through the woods behind the school and laying low, waiting for the party Taylor, Courtney, Dana and Juliet had organized to start. The impromptu “End of The World” party would serve its purpose, dragging all of the Blackwell security guards with it, away from the totem pole.

Assuming it all went according to plan, of course.

“There’s the back door,” Rachel whispered, pointing through the trees.

“Right. Let’s find out how much trust Professor Grant really has in Kate,” Victoria whispered back.

As they approached the door, they could hear the cheering and yelling from the party. “Sounds pretty killer,” Rachel commented. “Wish we could go thrash.”

“More important things, Rachel,” Max whispered back.

Victoria was first to the door, and twisted the handle. “Thank God,” she whispered as she pushed it open. “This way!”

The three girls bolted into the building and raced down the hallway. Victoria’s phone buzzed halfway to their destination. “Frank’s almost to the school,” she reported as she read. “Says he’s got the entire ABPD behind him.”

“Man, I hope this works,” Max whispered as they rounded the corner. “There’s Wells’ office!”

Rachel ducked and felt behind the trash can, producing a set of keys. “Remind me to send Grant flowers,” she remarked as she handed them to Victoria.

Max peeked outside. “Oh, shit.”

“What?” Rachel asked as Victoria worked the lock. Outside, the music from the boombox died as one of the security guards managed to turn it off.

“I can see them. Prescott, Jefferson, Wells... and there’s David.” She turned to look at Rachel. “They’re all here.”

Rachel’s eyes went cold. “I’m gonna gut that motherfucker.”

“Not now.” Max reached towards the handle, and froze. “Shit. There’s no locks.” She turned back to Rachel. “We need something to secure the doors.”

Rachel reached back into her trusty messenger bag and pulled out a length of rope. “Tie it tight,” she said as she handed it to Max. “Once Victoria starts doing her thing, they’re gonna know where we are.”

A crash outside drew their attention. “Frank’s here,” Max commented as she started looping the rope around the door’s push bars.

Victoria pushed the door to the office open. “Where’s the intercom?!”

“On your right!” Rachel called back. “Just flip all of the switches, you’ll light up the whole campus. Then hit the button on the mike to broadcast.”

Max tied off the first set of doors and ran the rope to the second, just as Rachel watched the police cars pull up in front of the school. “Almost ready, Victoria.”

“Good to go whenever!”

Rachel put her ear to the door and heard everyone from the parking lot start screaming at each other. Next to her, Max tied the last knot on the rope. “Now, Victoria, go!”

The speakers above their head squealed, and the two girls yelped as they clapped their hands to their ears. “ATTENTION!!” Victoria yelled through the intercom. “ALL SHITHEAD MERCENARIES CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY SEAN PRESCOTT!!”

“ALL SHITHEAD MERCENARIES CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY SEAN PRESCOTT!! DROP YOUR WEAPONS, AND SIT DOWN ON THE GROUND!!”

Madsen and the other watched, shocked, as their people immediately stopped yelling and dropped their rifles, then sat down on the ground. “What the fuck are you people doing?!” Sean bellowed. “Get back up!”

“It’s the fucking Chase girl!” Jefferson shouted.

“ALL BLACKWELL STUDENTS, STOP PARTYING, HEAD TO THE POOL LOCKER ROOMS IMMEDIATELY, AND TAKE SHELTER!!”

The students, as one, dropped their cups and marched silently towards the pool. “How the hell is she doing this?!” yelled Wells.

“She’s been blessed by Verta, you fucking incompetent!” Madsen drew his sidearm and raced for the main entrance to the school.

“ALL ARCADIA BAY POLICE OFFICERS, ARREST THE SHITHEADS WORKING FOR SEAN PRESCOTT!!”

“Move, move!” Madsen shoved his way through the crowd of students, knocking several of them over in the process as he ran for the doors, charging up the steps. In the parking lot, the police officers immediately went to work arresting the mercenaries Prescott had hired.

“ALL BLACKWELL SECURITY GUARDS, ARREST DAVID MADSEN, SEAN PRESCOTT, RAYMOND-”

Madsen grabbed the front doors and yanked but they only moved an inch before they stopped. He heard a girl yelp inside as the intercom cut off; he’d successfully surprised them.

“BLACKWELL SECURITY! ARREST MADSEN, PRESCOTT, WELLS, AND JEFFERSON! NOW!!”

Madsen looked inside and saw the loops of rope around the door. Reaching into his pocket, he drew his knife and flipped it open, intent on cutting the rope from the outside before a hand clamped down on his arm.

“Sir!” Rogers pulled him around. “You’re under-”

Madsen leveled his handgun and pulled the trigger twice, the bullets punching through Roger’s stomach. The guard collapsed, and Madsen aimed his gun at another security guard who was approaching him, firing once. The bullet hit between his eyes, and the guard dropped where he stood.

“Victoria! Hurry!”

David snapped his head back around at the noise. They’re right inside!

He stuck the barrel of his pistol through the gap in the doors and fired blindly.

“ALL BLACKWELL SECURITY GUARDS, ARREST DAVID MADSEN, SEAN PRESCOTT, RAYMOND-" 

The doors yanking open startled all of them, and Victoria’s hand slipped off the intercom button. “Shit! It’s David!” Max said as she peeked out of the office.

Victoria slapped the intercom button again. “BLACKWELL SECURITY! ARREST MADSEN, PRESCOTT, WELLS, AND JEFFERSON! NOW!!”

“Come on, let’s get the fuck out of here!” Rachel grabbed Victoria’s arm and dragged her away. They ran out of the office just as gunshots sounded outside. “Victoria! Hurry!”

“I’m-”

BANG! BANG!

Two bullets zipped right through Victoria's chest. Her eyes wide, the blonde girl fell over, blood spraying as she hit the ground.

“No!” Max raised her arm immediately and rewound.

“Victoria! Hurry!”

Max grabbed Victoria’s arm and yanked her to the side, just as two bullets flew through the air where she’d been standing. The blonde girl yelped and ran faster, rounding the corner as David fired more gunshots between the doors.

Victoria and Max sprinted to catch up to Rachel, who was already holding the door open for them. “I don’t think we can lock this one!” she said in a panic as she examined the knob.

“It doesn’t matter. David has the keys.” Max grabbed her by the arm and dragged her outside with Victoria. “Come on, we-”

Lightning crackled across the sky above them, and the girls stopped to look up. A thunderclap sounded in the distance, and flashes of light emanated from the coast. Wind slowly started  to blow, and they heard it in the distance, gathering speed and power.

“Oh, shit,” Rachel gasped, eyes widening as she stared into the sky. “It’s starting. Bhurta’s here.”

Chapter Text

Madsen fired several times through the gap in the door, but as far as he could tell, he didn’t hit anything. Though if Caulfield was there, I wouldn’t, unless I hit her. The thought frustrated him even more as he reloaded his pistol and pulled the door open as much as he could, looking through. 

“Madsen!” he turned and saw the other two guards coming for him, but they stopped as they saw the bodies. “What the-”

David aimed his gun and fired several times. Both security guards dropped where they stood. He glanced towards the police, expecting to see them coming towards the gunfire, but they were still arresting the mercenaries; an unexpected surprise, probably courtesy of Chase’s gift, as they ignored what was happening in front of the school.

Prescott, Jefferson, and Wells raced up to him. “Well?!” Sean demanded.

“They got away,” David said simply. “But they’re definitely here.”

Lightning crackled in the sky, and they turned to see clouds forming over the coastline, towards the Pacific Ocean. “So is Cota,” Jefferson breathed. “This is the night we were foretold of.”

“Yes, unless those fucking kids stop it!” Madsen retorted. “They ran out the back of the building. I think they’re heading for the dorms.”

Wells’ face dropped in horror. “The Tobanga,” he breathed. “That’s where they’re going, it has to be.”

“I thought you said they destroyed the ritual prayers!” Sean yelled at Madsen.

“We’ll find out!” David jumped past them, down the stairs. “Everyone else is under Chase’s thumb! We’re the only ones that can stop them! Now, MOVE!”

“Oh, man, this thing looks hella creepy at night,” Chloe said as they arrived at the Tobanga.

Kate held the prayer stick in her hand. “Yea, it does,” she breathed as she approached the totem pole. 

“Kate, what do we do?” Nathan asked.

“Uh, okay. I’m in the middle, praying. You guys, and the others, you’re supposed to stop anything from interrupting me,” Kate instructed.

Chloe nodded and grabbed Kate’s shoulder. “You can do this,” she whispered. “I know you can.

“I hope so,” Kate replied.

Lighting raced across the sky, and thunder sounded. The three of them turned towards the coast in time to see flashes of light, illuminating gathering storm clouds in the distance. “Oh, shit, it’s starting,” Nathan breathed, as they watched the clouds roll together, forming themselves into a dense storm.

“There they are!” Chloe called out as Max, Victoria, and Rachel raced around the corner of the dorm, running towards them.

“Are we ready?” Max asked as they ran up.

“Uh, yea, sure,” Kate replied, suddenly shaking.

Can I do this?

“Kate.” The girl looked back at Chloe, who nodded. “You got this.”

Kate took a deep breath and nodded her head, turning towards the statue. She slowly went to her knees and clasped the prayer stick between her hands, holding her thumbs to her head just like she’d seen the girl do in her vision.

Now what?

A warm buzzing sounded in her head.

Verta?

No, child. A warm feeling spread from her fingertips to her toes.

Kate blinked, and she was alone in the clearing. The others had vanished. Even the school was gone; she kneeled alone, in front of the wooden totem pole.

No. Not alone. The old Arcadian chief stood was next to her, lowering himself until he was kneeling with her. Behind him, she could see the lightning crackle in the sky, clouds gathering at the horizon.

It is time for you to walk the path. He reached over and placed his hand on her arm, and Kate felt a familiar buzzing in her brain. It is time for this storm to end.

Kate’s mouth started moving on it’s own, as she felt the words coming to her. “Esto thro mar dai...”

“By the light of the sun, and Verta’s grace...”

Max looked and saw Kate’s mouth moving, though she couldn’t hear the words. “I think it’s working,” she said to the others. “She’s-” 

A bullet flew over their heads. “Get down!” Rachel yelled as David Madsen ran around the corner and took up a firing stance, shooting his pistol two-handed from across the clearing. One of the bullets passed through Nathan’s shoulder, and he cried out as he fell.

Shit! Max raised her hand and rewound.

“Nathan, duck!” she yelled. Nathan fell to the ground just in time for another bullet to slam into the Tobanga, less than a foot from Kate’s head as she ignored the gunfire and continued to pray.

Max jumped behind Chloe, who had tuned to face David, and pulled the two of them in front of the praying girl. “Stay here! We have to protect Kate!” she yelled in Chloe’s ear.

The wind was starting to howl now, leaves blowing across the field as David emptied his magazine. Most of the bullets missed, and she heard a few of them hit Chloe as the blue-haired girl grunted. But Max found herself rewinding several times as he emptied his magazine.

“Rachel, drop!” Rachel hit the ground as the bullet meant for her head passed over her.

“Victoria, to your right!” The blonde rolled over, not quick enough as a bullet struck her thigh, and she screamed.

“Victoria, right, NOW!” The second time, the blonde managed to get out of the way.

“Rachel, move to your left!” A bullet impacted the ground right by her elbow as she moved out of the way.

When David finally ran out of ammo, he glared and dropped his gun as Jefferson, Wells, and Prescott rounded the corner behind him.

“Stop them!” Sean yelled as they all rushed forward. “Get that praying girl!”

Rachel dug into her messenger bag and pulled out her Taser, as well as a collapsible baton. “Victoria! Here!” she shouted as she threw it at her. The blonde girl caught it and swung it open just as the men ran up to them.

Kate could almost hear the sounds of conflict, behind her. But the buzzing in her head was drowning them out as she recited the words. 

“Rey to, drau sin, glar out po...”

“We pray, to gods, their minds alight...”

Gunshots. Screaming. Something passing by her head at high speed. It all felt so far away.

“Yu wat ro ingu tua wo qua er tie...”

“That we might see the morning light...”

Nathan jumped first, crash-tackling his dad and wrapping his arms around his waist as they hit the ground. He tried to get on top of his father, but Sean was bigger and stronger than his son; Nathan could barely hold his father’s arms still, as he struggled. 

Chloe was right next to him, roaring as she dove at David. The soldier tried to avoid her, but she got a hand on his shirt and grabbed hold, dragging him down to the ground with her as they wrestled. David, for his part, was smart enough to not try to strike Chloe; he used his grappling skills, twisting his arm around to try and break his step-daughter’s hold on him.

Victoria intercepted Jefferson, and started swinging her baton around as the teacher tried to get behind her, trying to get to Kate. “Ha!” she breathed as she swung it at his head, missing by a few inches as he jerked his head backwards. The blonde kept swinging in wide arcs, as she maneuvered to keep herself between him and Kate.

Rachel, for her part, hid her Taser until Wells was almost there, they lifted and fired her last cartridge at point-blank range. Wells fell to the ground, twitching, as the electrodes hit him in the chest. Rachel dropped the expended Taser and ran for David, jumping on his back as he managed rolled on top of Chloe. “FUCK YOU, YOU COCKSUCKER!” she screamed in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling back in a chokehold.

Max stayed back, trying to keep an eye on all of them as she stayed between them and Kate. “Hurry up!” she yelled over her shoulder at the praying girl, as the wind picked up speed.

Out over the ocean, the storm clouds that gathered were starting to spin. Lightning was now crackling non-stop as the first of the tornados, intent on destroying Arcadia Bay, started to form just over the water.

The wind spirit was finally going to have her chance, to taste the flesh of the world beneath her.

The screaming was much closer now. Kate didn’t know what they were saying, but something was definitely urgent. The sounds of conflict were muffled behind her, as well. She knew she had to finish, but there was no rushing this part; she had to trust that the others would do what they had to do. 

“Wor tau vo, kett ans tae...”

“We beg you, kind gods...”

“Que aw pert vore sun lowtune...”

“Let our land live another generation...”

The wind was truly howling, leaves and branches whipping past all of them as they struggled and exchanged blows. 

Finally working one of his hands free, Sean lifted his arm and smashed an elbow into the top of Nathan’s head. Just as he did so, Jefferson caught Victoria’s baton in his left hand, punching her in the face with his right. Max raised her hand and rewound quickly as she looked around her feet, finding what she wanted.

When she released time, she bent over and scooped up the small stone, chucking it at Jefferson’s head. The rock hitting his neck didn’t injure him, but it served as enough of a distraction that Victoria’s baton smashed full-strength into his head. Jefferson cried out in pain as he sank to his knees, shattered glasses falling from his face. The blonde yelled in exertion as she brought the baton down onto his shoulder, causing him to fall flat into the ground.

“Victoria!” Max turned back to watch Sean smash his hand into Nathan’s head. “Help Nathan!”

David lifted his arm and drove his elbow straight back, slamming it into Rachel’s ribcage. She cried out, but continued to hold firm. As David lifted his arm to bring it down again, Chloe managed to pull a hand free and jam it onto his head, raking his face with her nails as he grunted in frustration and pain.

As Victoria ran towards Sean, Max, trying to take advantage of Jefferson struggling go get up with his head injury, ran forward and lifted her foot with the intent on stomping into his head. But at the last minute, Jefferson saw her and swung his arm into her leg, causing her to collapse into the ground. He grabbed her jeans, his face full of anger as he pulled her closer.

Victoria swung her baton over her head, but at the last minute Sean twisted out of the way as he stood. The baton skipped harmlessly off of his back, and he managed to get his hands up and shove Victoria over, onto her side. “You won’t stop this!” he roared as he pulled himself free of Nathan’s tangled limbs and rushed towards Kate, his eyes gleaming with pre-emptive victory.

Out at sea, the lighting struck the water in numerous places as the tornado touched down. The cyclone was starting to pick up speed, spinning faster than any tornado in history. Now that it had touched the water, it sped directly east, guided by the spirit who had never been so close to fulfilling her potential.

Screaming. Yelling. It was all so close now. 

“Ite mo ashet win Cota tawa, Bhurta...”

“Save us from the wrath of Cota’s anger, Bhurta...”

She couldn’t stop now. They had come so far... been through so much...

From the ground, Max raised her arm and rewound to right before she ran over to kick Jefferson. Rather than run towards her photography teacher, she bounded towards Sean as Victoria ran up to him, her baton lifted above her head. Max managed to put her hand on Sean’s chest and shove him backwards, straight into the path of Victoria’s overhand swing. The baton raked down the front of his face, smashing into his nose as he fell over backwards. 

Unnoticed by the others, Jefferson slowly began to work his way to his feet. His glasses were gone, laying on the ground somewhere, but he could still see well enough to notice that nobody was between him and Kate. A predatory grin forming on his face, he pushed himself up, his head still swimming as he got a foot planted beneath him.

David, changing tactics, managed to get his other hand up and swing his fist straight over his shoulder, slamming it into Rachel’s nose. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she fell loose, her arms slipping from around his neck. Chloe grabbed hold of David’s collar, struggling to keep him there, but she wasn’t as strong as him. Getting his hand on her forearm, David managed to pry her fingers loose and grab her wrist, twisting it out of the way. She clawed at him with her other hand as he managed to get a foot underneath him and started to stand.

Jefferson, still struggling to his feet, began propelling himself closer and closer to Kate. He stumbled, at first, over Wells' unconscious form, but he managed to propel himself over the unconscious principal and get closer to Kate.

On the ground next to them, Sean managed to lash out with his foot and kick Victoria’s knee, buckling her leg and knocking her to the ground. He raised his leg again and kicked her in the face as well, the bottom of his shoe hitting her temple. Max jumped on top of him, but he got his arm up and caught her by the neck, squeezing. As she struggled to breath, Max tried to raise her hand to rewind, but Sean grabbed it and rolled over on top of her, pinning her beneath him.

His eyes were crazy as he crushed her throat. “You... will... not... win...” he snarled in her face, as her vision started to go dark.

Lighting lit up the sky behind, thunder crashing as the tornado got closer, increasing in mass as it neared the beach. Less than a mile before it hit the shoreline now, and it was barreling as fast as it was able.

Jefferson, only a few feet from Kate, reached towards the back of her neck, intending to squeeze as tight as he could.

“Deco, ram quan fe...” 

“And thus, as prayed...”

Kate shot to her feet, screaming “IT WILL BE DONE!” 

A bubble that tasted of electricity and ozone exploded from the Tobanga, smashing into the ones fighting around it. Jefferson flew backwards, sliding across the grass. Sean was catapulted off of Max, and as she struggled to breath again, she saw David get flung off of Chloe.

Max looked back at Kate and watched the bubble expand, shimmering into the sky and out towards the Pacific Ocean.

And the storm stopped.

It was as if the wind hadn’t even been blowing; all of the leave in the air simply floated back to the ground. The clouds evaporated and vanished, all of the thunder and lightning receding with them in a quickly-widening circle. Out over the water, the bubble smashed into the tornado, tearing the spinning cyclone apart; as fast as it had formed, it disintegrated, vanishing into thin air.

Max slowly sat up, her hand to her throat as Kate turned to look at them, dropping to her knee. “Max?” she whispered, clearly spent and breathing heavily. “Are... you okay?”

Chloe pushed herself onto an elbow. “Kate?” she gasped. “Did... did you just...”

Victoria picked up her head, her eyes unfocused as she looked around, blood pouring from cut on her forehead. “Wha...”

A spike of pain jammed itself into Max’s temple again. Just like before, as Max hit the ground, Kate, Victoria, and Chloe collapsed into the dirt as well, and her vision went black.

Chapter Text

Max blinked her eyes open, and found herself back on the cliff, next to the lighthouse.

But there were no storms. No rain, no tornado, no lightning, no weather at all. The sun was shining, without a single cloud in the bright blue sky above her. Max glanced over and saw the entire town, still standing, and her heart rate spiked.

“We did it,” she whispered.

You did very well, Traveler.

Max turned and watched a blue butterfly appear as if from nowhere, landing on the metal railing in front of her. She walked closer, inspecting it, as it lazily flapped its wings. “Verta?” she asked cautiously.

Yes. The god spoke with a pleased tone of voice.

Max looked around and saw that she was alone on the cliff. “Where are all the others?”

I am speaking to them, as well.

“Oh.” Max looked back out towards the ocean. “So... we did it, right? Kate actually did the ritual correctly? The storm is gone?”

It is. The Seeker played her role perfectly. Cota’s wrath has once again been held off.

Max looked back at the butterfly. “But she’ll be back,” she said plainly, knowing that it was true.

She will. But not for a very long time. Verta seemed amused by that notion. Cota was too eager. She expended too much of herself. She will have to recuperate. Your grandchildren will not see her in their lifetime.

“What about David Madsen?” Max asked. “Or Wells, or Jefferson, or Prescott? What’s going to happen to them now?”

When a scion acts, their fate is tied to that of the god they follow. They were tied to Cota. And Cota does not forgive failure.

Max shivered. “Do you?” she asked.

Cota chose her scions for convenience, and power. I chose mine, because they were the right ones to choose. The butterfly flapped its wings. I knew none of you would fail.

“And... where are Cota’s scions now? David and the others?”

They are reaping what they have sown.

“Bring that motherfucker here, then!” Chloe snarled. “I want him. I want to squeeze his balls until his head pops off! I want to slit his throat and make him a fucking Pez dispenser!” 

Verta spoke with remorse. There is nothing I can to, Unbreakable. It is beyond me.

“He killed my mom,” Chloe whispered, a tear running down her cheek. “He did it right in front of me.”

The butterfly’s wing lowered, and Chloe felt the tremendous sadness emanating from it. I am so sorry.

“Bullshit!” Chloe shouted. “You’re a god. I did what you asked, I helped save the fucking world. I deserve a reward of some kind! You can’t bring her back?!”

My powers are limited, Unbreakable. And no god can cross the line between life and death.

“Then I want David!” Chloe yelled. “I want that asshole’s head on a fucking stick!”

Verta’s voice thrummed in her head. You had little faith in anything before, Unbreakable. Do you have it now?

Chloe exhaled. “After this week, I don’t have much of a fucking choice.”

Then you should have faith that the one called David Madsen is where he belongs.

Thoughts and sensations flashed through Chloe’s mind, feelings she couldn’t possibly explain; despair, fear, pain, agony... and screaming. A familiar male voice, screaming without end.

She shivered as the feeling passed, as soon as it had come. “What the hell was that?” she whispered.

A taste of what David Madsen is enduring.

“What...” Rachel cleared her throat, shivering as she tried to forget what she’d felt. “What about my dad? Is he...” 

Your father acted as Cota’s scion. But in the end, he found redemption. He sacrificed himself for you and your friends, and by extension, me. He is at peace, Giver. I will assure you of that.

Rachel sighed as she fell backwards, sitting on the bench. “What about the others? Prescott, Wells, and Jefferson?”

As I said, they lived their lives as extensions of Cota. As she has left, so have they.

“So, they’re dead?”

In this world.

Rachel lifted her head up. “So, there is a heaven and hell?”

Not like you have learned. But there is a place you go, after your mortal life ends, where your deeds are weighed against you. Your afterlife is what you make it. And David Madsen did not take care to make himself an acceptable afterlife.

Rachel shook her head. “Having trouble feeling sorry for that cocksucker.” She looked back at the butterfly. “And the others?”

I have no control over the afterlife, Giver. As I said, theirs will be what they made it into.

“So I’m fucked, then.” Victoria sighed as she looked at the ground. 

Why do you think that?

“Because I’m a shitty human being.” The blonde glanced back at the butterfly. “You spent a couple of weeks after that first dream making that abundantly clear.”

Verta seemed entertained by her statement. I did not chose you because you were perfect, Manipulator. As I said, I chose the ones who were right for the task.

“But I’m a fucking asshole,” Victoria muttered.

No. You are human. And humans make mistakes. Verta hummed. They also learn from them, as you have.

Victoria scratched the back of her neck. “Why did you pick me?”

Because you were the right-

“No, I mean... why?”

Verta was silent for a moment. Because I knew, despite your misgivings and temptations, that when it came time to make the choice to help, you would do the right thing.

“That’s a hell of a leap of faith,” Victoria commented.

Faith is what drives us all. Whether we admit it or not.

“So...” Victoria paused. “This is over. It’s done. We’ve won. When I go back, will I still, uh, be able to...”

No, Manipulator. The need for your abilities is gone, and your ability is gone with it.

“So when I wake up, I’ll go back to being a hot mess,” Nathan sighed. 

No, Adept, you will not.

Nathan furrowed his brow. “I thought you just said-”

You will lose your ability. You will not lose the knowledge you gained while you had it.

“Well...” Nathan allowed a small smile. “Thanks, I guess.”

It is you who deserve thanks, Adept. Without any of you, Cota would have succeeded. Many people owe you their lives, even if they don’t know it.

Nathan paused, considering his next question. “Why do you care?” he finally asked. “I mean, Cota doesn’t. I know she doesn’t think our lives are significant. Why do you?”

Cota is powerful, but her vision is narrow. She wants to destroy simply because she can. The butterfly flapped its wings, settling on the railing. I interacted with the Arcadian tribe for a long time. I came to know humans, and appreciate them.

“For what?”

The gods are immortal. We do not truly understand the concept of death. Humans do, and thus, cherish life all the more for it. Your lives are short, so you make the greatest use of them that you can. You are worth saving.

“We’re not all good people,” Nathan pointed out.

No. But many of you are. And thus, there is balance. Good and bad, life and death.

“So... you’re the other side of the coin to Cota?”

That is a simple way to put it, but yes.

Nathan shook his head. “Every time I talk to you, I need an aspirin.” He glanced back towards Arcadia Bay. “What happens now?”

Now, Adept, you go home.

Kate stood at the railing, looking over Arcadia Bay. “And then what?” she asked quietly. “I’m pretty sure we’re all in a lot of trouble.” 

Less than you think, Seeker. Kate would have sworn she heard a chuckle. Much is happening while we are here.

Kate paused and looked back at the butterfly. “Can I ask you a question? Before I go back?”

You may.

“The God that I pray to...” Kate glanced into the sky. “Is he real? Does he exist?”

Verta’s voice hummed in her head. That is a difficult question to answer, Seeker.

“Why?”

There are many gods, and we go by many names. Verta is only one of mine. He paused. Perhaps your god is real. Perhaps he is not.

“You can’t give me a straight answer?”

I could. But I will not.

“Why?”

The gods are not meant for humans to understand, Seeker. Otherwise, faith is meaningless. And faith is what got you so far. I would not ruin it for you now.

Kate shook her head. “Would you at least tell me if I’m wasting my time?” she asked instead. “Praying, living by His rules, all of it?”

If it brings you comfort, Seeker, then none of it is a waste.

As she wrapped up her own conversation with Verta, a light flashed, and Max blinked. All of them were together now, on the cliff. The butterfly was still on the metal railing in front of them. 

You were given an impossibly difficult task, and you succeeded. No one will ever know, but the world owes you a great debt.

Cota will not return for a very long time; she was too eager, after the first ones left. She saw an opportunity, and spent too much of herself to take it. We will not see her again for several generations.

I never lost trust in any of you. Even if you weren’t sure yourselves, I had faith that you would find a way to walk the path to it’s end. No matter how hard of a path it was to walk.

The butterfly took off, and everyone’s eyes followed it into the sun. The light got brighter, and brighter, consuming their vision.

Now, Scions... it is time to go home.

Chapter Text

Everyone woke up in various hospital rooms later that morning. Chloe, being the first to wake up (no surprise, since she wasn’t really hurt), immediately checked herself out and gathered what information she could from the hospital staff, distributing it to the others.

After the ritual had been completed, the police had rushed to the Tobanga and found four dead adults and six unconscious teenagers. Between that, the mercenaries, the dead and injured security guards, and Frank, they had elected to call in reinforcements from nearby towns in addition to the fire department.

The full total was six dead, including two security guards, David Madsen, Raymond Wells, Mark Jefferson, and Sean Prescott. Two more security guards were in the ICU with critical injuries, as well as the two mercenaries that had been in the van Frank hit with his RV. Ten other mercenaries had been arrested, as well as Frank, and ambulances had taken the six kids to Arcadia General Hospital.

Parents slowly trickled in. Kate’s arrived first, happy to see their daughter in good health, if just a little exhausted. Rachel’s mother, Rose, came to tears when she saw the brace on her daughter’s broken nose. Caroline Prescott arrived with the family lawyer, and they immediately tried to sequester Nathan into a private room before he told them to fuck off. The hospital staff were very helpful, and insisted that with a concussion, Nathan move as little as possible.

Victoria’s parents flew in from Seattle with Max’s mother and father. The two were sharing a room, and were amused as four parents tried to shove through their door as the same time. Victoria immediately insisted she was fine, though her family didn’t buy it with the knee brace she was wearing, or the bruises and cuts on her face. Max’s mom refused to stop hugging her, after she saw the marks Sean’s fingers had left on her neck.

Chloe tried to leave; she’d been sitting with them, having gone back and forth between everyone’s rooms all day. Max’s dad wouldn’t let her, wrapping her up in a big hug as he thanked her for staying with his daughter.

The police came to see them later that day, to take statements, but none of them agreed to speak.

As it turned out, they didn’t need to. A lot unfolded over the next week.

The storm happened on Friday night. By Saturday afternoon, one of the security guards was in good enough condition to speak, and he immediately told the police that David Madsen had been the one to shoot him. The arrested mercenaries also talked freely, once they found out that the man who was supposed to be paying them was dead. They connected Sean Prescott and David Madsen together, which allowed the police to execute a search warrant on the Prescott’s mansion, early Sunday morning.

They found payment records and documents connecting Sean Prescott to not only the mercenaries, but many other illegal activities. These included wiretapping, extortion, insider trading, and corporate espionage. Additionally, they found several pieces of Native American artwork and artifacts which turned out to be stolen. They were seized, and arrangements were made to return them to their rightful owners.

Further evidence came to light as Sean’s computers and cell phones were examined, connecting him to Raymond Wells and Mark Jefferson. One of the records discovered included the conversation they had with Madsen about killing the District Attorney, James Amber. By Tuesday, the connection of Wells and Jefferson to Sean allowed the police to search the records and offices at Blackwell, where Michelle Grant was currently the acting headmaster.

During their search of Jefferson’s computer and cameras, the officers found some incredibly disturbing pictures of young women, which led to the involvement of the FBI. They traced the photos to almost twenty unsolved Missing Persons cases in nine states. In many cases, the photos would lead them to bodies, allowing for closure for the families of the victims.

Wells’ computer files were less disturbing, but no less damning. Police uncovered multiple instances where Wells accepted bribes from parents, not just Sean Prescott, to have student files altered; both for better grades, and the removal of disciplinary actions. Additionally, a safe was discovered in Wells’ office with close to fifty thousand dollars in cash and three unregistered handguns.

But behind the money was the real straw that broke the camel’s back. Investigators found several bags of drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine, along with notes indicating that Wells intended to plant the drugs in the rooms of Kate Marsh, Rachel Amber, Victoria Chase, and Max Caulfield. He’d never had the chance, as the girls had gone on the run too quickly, but the amount of drugs would have certainly led to them getting arrested.

With everything they had, on Thursday the police were able to amend their warrant to include all properties owned and affiliated with the four men. One such property was an abandoned auto shop on the outskirts of Arcadia Bay, purchased by one of Sean Prescott’s shell corporations. The police officers who searched it found weapons with David Madsen’s fingerprints on them, including the rifle used to kill James Amber.

In the dirt lot behind it, they found a fresh grave with human remains. By Friday morning, they were able to inform Chloe that they had identified Joyce’s body.

The only good news to come from everything was from Frank Bowers. In a stroke of wisdom, he had thrown the bag of marijuana out of his window while running from the police, and nobody was able to find it. Between the mercenaries, rampant corruption, dead bodies, and the literal mountains of paperwork, Officer Berry decided not to bother dragging Frank into court over a possession charge for which there was no physical evidence.

Frank received some very stern words of warning, and was a free man within forty-eight hours.

After they were released from the hospital, most of the kids left with their parents. 

Victoria and Max’s families got rooms at the same hotel. The Ambers were already there; their house was still an active crime scene, and both Rachel and her mother refused to go ever go back. Nathan joined them shortly, after the police turned the Prescott mansion upside down. Max insisted to her parents that Chloe come with them, so her friend wasn’t alone.

Kate had her father drive her to the hotel, and they all reunited in the lobby on Saturday morning, hugging. Kate made sure to give Chloe an extra-long hug.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered into the blue-haired girl’s ear.

“Thanks,” Chloe mumbled back as she let go. “I’m just... glad they found her.”

Kate nodded as they all sat down on couches. “Have you been home yet?”

“Just to grab some more clothes.” Chloe shrugged, staring at the ground. “The cops are still tearing the place apart. They found a bunch of illegal guns and cash in the garage. They also found a shitload of hidden security cameras. Including one in the bathroom.” Chloe shivered. “That prick isn’t burning hot enough.”

Max put her hand on Chloe’s knee and squeezed in reassurance. “Chloe...”

“I’ll be fine.” Chloe wiped her eyes. “I got a call from a probate lawyer this morning. Apparently, the house and everything in it is mine now.” She shrugged. “Don’t know what I’m gonna do with it, but it’s all in my name. Gonna have to figure something out.”

She glanced up. “What are you guys doing? Are you all going back to Blackwell?”

Victoria nodded. “We’ve all been invited back,” she answered. “Professor Grant called us on Friday. Classes are on hold for another week, while the cops finish their investigation. But she said she’d make sure our records stay clean.”

Rachel nodded. “I don’t know what we’re going to tell people, though,” she sighed, scratching at the brace on her nose; it would he healing for another two weeks, at least. “I had to make some pretty ludicrous promises to Juliet for her help with that party. She’s been blowing up my phone all week, wanting to talk.”

Chloe smirked, then looked over at Nathan. “What about you?”

He heaved a sigh. “My expulsion is now official,” he said morosely. “Grant was nice enough to call me personally, but she said with everything having come to light...”

“Yea, there’s no way they’d let you back.” Rachel shook her head. “After the whole desk thing, plus your dad’s bribery being public knowledge and all.”

“They’re even taking the Prescott name off the dorm.” Nathan grimaced. “Can’t say it’s undeserved. Still stings a little, though.”

“What are you going to do, then?” Max asked.

Nathan shrugged. “Well, my family is still rich as fuck. Even after the everything the cops have seized, all the fines, the money our estate will have to pay back, we’re still pretty loaded.” He glanced around. “The lawyer said the way the will is currently set up, my mom owns fifty percent of everything, and my sister and I each own twenty-five. So I have a lot of cash to fuck around with.”

He shrugged again. “Who knows, maybe I’ll start my own business empire.”

“Yea, you can sell pretentious clothing and hair care products,” Chloe quipped.

“Hey, if people will buy it.” Nathan smirked.

Kate leaned forward. “Nathan, we’ve been pretty focused on Chloe and Rachel, but you lost your dad, too.” She paused. “Are you doing okay?”

Nathan drummed his fingers on the arm of the couch. “My dad and I had a fucked-up relationship for as long as I can remember,” he answered. “He treated my mom like shit, drove my sister to run away to Brazil, and only ever cared about himself. Plus, he did give me a concussion while trying to end the world.” Nathan sighed. “I’m not sorry he’s gone. And I certainly don’t want him back.”

They fell silent for a minute. “Did you guys hear what they found in Wells’ office?” Max asked suddenly.

“You mean the drugs and shit?” Victoria scoffed. “I don’t know why he thought that would’ve worked. Like I wouldn’t have been able to talk us out of jail. He must have been pretty desperate.”

“He didn’t know what you were capable of,” Kate reminded her. “He was just trying to get us out of the way.”

“Yea, but we took off too quickly for him.” Max cocked her head. “You know, that could’ve been why he was in our dorm that night, when we left. He probably had the drugs on him, to plant in our rooms."

“That... makes a lot of sense.” Kate shivered. “I’m glad we got out of there so quickly.”

“And away from Jefferson, too.” It was Victoria’s turn to shiver. “God, I can’t believe I had a crush on that guy. Those photos he had... thinking about him makes my skin crawl.”

“Pretty sure he suckered a lot of women into falling for him.” Max shook her head. “I can’t believe I came to Blackwell to learn from a serial killer. I hope he’s not enjoying his afterlife.”

Chloe slowly looked sideways, warily eyeballing Max. “So... now that he’s gone, you’re not, like... leaving, are you?”

Max blinked as she looked at Chloe. “...no,” she answered, and the blue-haired girl visibly relaxed. Max threw her arm around Chloe’s shoulder. “No, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.” Chloe snaked her arm around Max’s neck and yanked her in close with a yelp. “I’d hate to have gone through everything we did just to kill you!” she exclaimed.

“Chloe, come on, let... oh, God! NO!” Max struggled to get free, as Kate gasped and covered her nose. “Not again! Someone, get her OFF ME!!”

Several funerals took place over the next week. 

The first was James Amber. Rachel and her mother both sat in the front row, the other four girls right behind them. Nathan sent anonymous flowers; Rachel would have been fine if he’d come, but him and the others agreed that given Sean’s connection to David Madsen, it would be better if he avoided it. The District Attorney was buried with full honors, including a police burial detail and a 21-gun salute, while the town mayor read remarks detailing his service to the community.

Sean Prescott was cremated, and his ashes were given to his wife. Caroline had them scattered at an undisclosed location. Nathan did not help her, nor did his sister return to the country to say goodbye.

Raymond Wells was buried in the town cemetery. Several members of the Blackwell faculty attended, as well as a few of the students. Very brief remarks were read by the pastor, and the service lasted less than an hour.

With no one willing to claim him, Mark Jefferson was interred anonymously, to prevent his resting place from becoming vandalized. One of the local churches took custody of his remains.

David Madsen was also cremated. As he was still married to Joyce and had no other family, his ashes were given to Chloe, since she was technically his next-of-kin; Max and Rachel both went with her to pick them up.

The instructions he’s left in his short will directed his ashes be scattered at sea. Chloe drove around the corner from the funeral home, and Rachel helped her empty the urn into the dumpster behind the gas station. Max intervened to stop them from setting it on fire, reminding them that he was burning hot enough as it was.

Joyce Price’s funeral was held the following Friday. Nathan offered to skip it as well, but Chloe insisted he come. The six of them sat together at the memorial. All six of them cried when her casket was lowered into the ground.

Fall turned to winter, winter to spring. 

Two months after the storm, the local newspaper published a full two-page exposition on the corruption that affected Blackwell and Sean Prescott, naming Juliet Watson as a contributor. The article was picked up by the San Francisco Chronicle. All of Sean Prescott and Raymond Wells’ dealings were laid out in black and white, as well as their connection to David Madsen and Mark Jefferson.

Blackwell was hit with numerous lawsuits from dozens of parents. Michelle Grant announced at the end of the year that the school would be closing, and all the students that didn’t graduate would transfer to the public high school. The mood was rather somber as the girls walked across the stage to receive their diplomas.

Max and Chloe met at the Price house later that night; Chloe had ultimately moved back into her parent’s house, though she hadn’t decided what to do with it yet.

“Lawyer says I should sell it,” Chloe said as she took a sip from a bottle of Vodka while they sat outside. “Something about property taxes, and being a waitress at the Two Whales isn’t going to cover it.”

“So are you?” Max asked.

“Yea, I think so.” Chloe nodded. “I feel bad about it, my parents loved this place. But I’ve always wanted to get the hell out of this town. The house is paid off, so I’ll bank all the money. I’ll get something like a couple of hundred grand. That, plus my mom’s life insurance... I won’t be at, like, Prescott levels of cash, but I’ll be pretty flush.”

“Hmm.” Max looked around. “What are you going to do with the money?”

“Don’t know. Thought about opening my own auto shop.” Chloe gestured toward the garage. “I fixed that truck up myself, you know. It was a heap of junk when I found it.”

“It’s still a heap of junk, Chloe.”

“Yea, but now it works.” The blue-haired girl smirked as she looked at Max. “What’s everyone else doing?”

“Victoria got accepted into a university up in Washington, don’t remember which one. She’s leaving tomorrow. Nathan’s going back up with her for some business he’s getting into. He definitely said he wants to leave Arcadia Bay. Too many memories, I guess.”

“I can dig that.” Chloe nodded. “Kate still going to that art institute in San Francisco?”

“Yea. Still wants to illustrate children’s books.” Max grinned. “Did Rachel tell you she got a call back from that agency in Los Angeles?”

“Yea, she mentioned it. Something about a modeling contract.” Chloe smirked. “Not surprised. We’ll be seeing her on billboards in a couple of years, I’m sure, advertising some stupidly expensive perfume or shampoo.” Max chuckled. “Hey, you never told me if you got anything back from those college applications.”

Max hesitated. “Yea. Uh...”

“Well? Spit it out, Max.”

“I got accepted into the San Francisco Art Institute with Kate.”

“What? Kate’s known for weeks! When the hell did you find out?!”

Max scratched the back of her neck. “About a week after she did.”

“Why the hell-”

“I didn’t want to make you think I was running away again,” Max interrupted.

Chloe fell silent as she looked at Max, an unreadable expression on her face. “Well, shit,” she said as she took another drink.

“Chloe-”

“Calm down, I’m not mad. I know you’re not running off again.” Chloe smirked. “Besides, after all the shit we went through? I’m not gonna let your ass forget to text me this time.” She paused and looked back at her house. “Hell. Maybe I’ll come with you guys.”

Max did a double take. “Really?”

“They got cars in San Francisco, right? Or do all those hipsters ride bikes now?”

“But-”

Chloe gave Max a look. “Do you not want me to?”

Max blinked. “Don’t be dumb. Of course I want you to. You’re my best friend.” She hesitated, gathering her thoughts. “I just don’t want you to commit to a city with one of the highest costs of living in the world just because I’m going to be there.”

“Max...” Chloe paused, then reached over and grabbed her hand. “You’re my best friend, too. And you’re literally all I’ve got left. I’ll follow you wherever you go.”

It was Max’s turn to smirk. “Well, now you just sound like a stalker.”

Chloe smacked her shoulder. “We were having a moment, you pretentious little hipster.”

Max sighed as she stared back out into Chloe’s backyard. “Hmm.”

“Hmm? What does ‘hmm’ mean?”

Max grinned. “Just thinking about how bad we’re going to tear up San Francisco.”

Chapter Text

Chloe tried to ignore the grumbling from the passenger seat as she drove, but it was getting a little annoying. “Will you relax? You lost fair and square. Man up already.”

Kate turned and glared at the blue-haired girl. “I really don’t want to do this, Chloe." 

“You’re spending my money, and I’m doing most of the talking. All you have to do is make the purchase.” Chloe turned the truck toward the beach. “Really, it’s going to be fine.”

“I’d probably feel better if Rachel hadn’t asked you to record the meeting,” Kate sighed. It was the next day, and Chloe had picked her up from Blackwell over the lunch break to go and see Frank. “I’ve seen Frank Bowers around, at the diner. He’s pretty scary.”

“Look, I know Frank has a rough reputation, but he’s not that bad of a guy. For a drug dealer, I mean.” Chloe looked at Kate. “He’s not violent, and he’s perfectly reasonable. He let me do a payment plan for the money I owe him, for cryin’ out loud. Do you think I’d bring any of you to see him if I thought he was dangerous?”

“He’s a drug dealer, Chloe!” Kate gave her a look. “He’s probably been to jail! You can’t tell me he isn’t dangerous!”

“It’s going to be FINE, Kate, he-”

“Has he ever killed anyone?” Kate interrupted.

Chloe hesitated as Damon Merrick flashed through her memories. “No.”

“Why did you hesitate?!” Kate’s eyebrows went up. “Chloe!”

“I have never seen him kill anyone, Kate,” Chloe replied.

“That is NOT what I asked! Has he- no. You know what? Forget it.” Kate folded her arms. “Turn the truck around. Take me back to Blackwell. I am not meeting this guy.”

Chloe met her glare. “I’m not turning around. We need marijuana for the tea, and he’s the only source within a hundred miles.”

“It’s Oregon! Marijuana is legal here! Let’s go to a dispensary!”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “You know what? That is a better idea. Did you bring your medical marijuana card?”

Kate blinked. “My what?”

“The card your doctor gave you. The only thing that will allow you to buy marijuana from a dispensary. Oh, and it’s going to cost you about seventy bucks for an eighth of an ounce.” Chloe smirked. “Frank will sell it to you for twenty.”

“Yea, but the people working at the dispensary won’t kill me!”

“Oh, for the love of- Frank is NOT going to kill you!” Chloe threw her hands up. “Seriously! He doesn’t kill his customers! Think about it! Do you think people would buy his shit if he did?!”

Kate paused, not able to come up with a reply to that. “I still don’t want to meet him,” she grumbled.

“To be fair, he’s probably not going to want to meet you. But he’s about to, ‘cause we’re here.”

Kate turned her head as Chloe parked in the lot on the beach, turning the truck off. She noticed the ratty-looking RV parked on the far side of the parking lot. “That’s what he drives?” She said incredulously. “Seriously? That think has more rust than your truck.”

“Okay, I know you’re mad, but be nice to my truck.” Chloe kicked her door open and stepped outside. Kate followed her across the lot. “Now, just follow my lead.”

Chloe walked up to the door of the RV and started pounding her fist on it, rattling the windows. “FRANK! Rise and shine, asshole!” she yelled through the screen.

“God damn it...” a rough voice came from inside the RV. “What the fuck, Bulldog?!”

Something rattled and fell inside the RV before the doorknob turned, Frank stepping into view as the door swung open. Kate’s breath caught in her throat. Maybe it was because he’d just woken up, but he looked even scarier up close. His eyes glanced between Chloe and Kate. “Who the fuck is this? Why is she here?”

“Calm down, Frank. Here.” Chloe pulled a few bills out of her pocket and passed it to him. “Making a payment, see?”

“Mm.” Frank took and money and counted it, placing it in his pocket. “You didn’t answer my questions.” He turned and glared at Kate. “What the fuck do you want?”

“I, uh, I...” Kate paused, trying to keep the fear from her voice. “I wanted to buy some marijuana.”

Frank’s laughter caught her off guard, and startled her enough that she jumped. “You? You’re fuckin’ with me.” He glanced back at Chloe. “You put her up to this? I told you, I ain’t selling you shit until you paid me back.”

“It’s for... it’s for me, not her.” Kate pulled the money Chloe had given her out of her pocket with shaking hands, showing it to Frank. “A-all I w-want is an eighth.”

“Yea, and I’m the fuckin’ Pope.” Frank crossed his arms. “You’ve never smoked a day in your life, I can tell. Trying to be street and shit. ‘I just want an eighth,’” He mocked her, glancing back at Chloe. “What the fuck is this?”

Chloe glared back. “What the fuck do you care? You’re selling, she’s buying, it’s all cash in your pocket.”

“Not when I get busted by the cops for selling grass to little kids who want to act tough, but shit their pants when the pigs ask questions!” Frank turned his eyes back to Kate, his glare making her flinch as she took a half-step back. “And what the hell are you going to do with an eighth, kid? Why do you want it?”

“I... I just wanted to-” Kate tried to take a normal breath and failed, her composure failing under Frank’s mean-mugging. “I only w-want-”

“Jesus Christ.” Frank turned back to Chloe. “She’s about to start crying right here in front of my RV, for fuck’s sake! I told you before, Bulldog, I don’t sell grass to whiny little snot-nosed brats who-”

Kate burst into tears, interrupting him. “Oh, come on.” Frank rolled his eyes.

“Kate, Kate, calm down.” Chloe wrapped her arm around Kate’s shoulder and pulled her closer, glaring at Frank. “Why do you have to be such a dickhead?!”

“Don’t give me your shit, Bulldog.” Frank crossed his arms. “I don’t stay out of prison by selling to kids who can’t even ask for a baggie without-”

“MY DAD HAS CANCER!”

Kate’s outburst caught both Frank and Chloe off-guard, and neither of them spoke as they stared at her while she struggled to draw breath.

“H-h-he got diagnosed t-two months ago,” Kate sobbed. “The chemo is k-k-killing him, and the doctors t-think they might have to t-take out his ent-entire lung!” She sniffed deeply, wiping her hands across her nose. “He won’t eat, he keeps getting nauseous, and-and...”

Kate finally managed to make eye contact with Frank. “The d-d-doctor said he could try m-marijuana, but my mom r-refused to g-get it for him. She w-won’t let him have it in the house. He’s lost s-s-s-so much weight...” she took a deep breath and let out another sob. “I just want him to get better!” she wailed.

Chloe managed to pull herself back together and looked back at Frank. “Nice job, asshole,” she managed to get out. “It took me an hour to convince her to come see you. We’re just trying to help out her sick father.”

“Oh, don’t even...” Frank heaved a deep sigh as Kate continued to sob. “Alright, alright, Jesus, stop fuckin’ crying. Gimme your money, kid.”

Kate held out the cash with a shaking hand, and Frank quickly exchanged it for a small baggie filled with green trimmings. “Here, take these, too,” he said as he pulled a few rolling papers out of his pocket. “You do it right, you can get four or five joints out of that.”

Kate sniffled. “T-thank you,” she mumbled as she wiped her eyes.

“Yea, yea.” Frank scratched the back of his neck. “Just... Chloe, get her out of here, okay?”

“Yep, we’re leaving.” Chloe gently pulled Kate away. “Come on, Kate, let’s get you home.”

Kate let Chloe pulled her around the RV and back towards the truck, gently guiding her inside. Taking her seat, she started the truck and drove away, out of the lot.

They didn’t speak for a few minutes as Kate pulled herself together, Chloe driving them back to Blackwell.

“... and the Academy Award for Best Actress goes to...”

“Please shut up.” Kate wiped her eyes again. “Oh, my God, I can’t believe I just did that.”

Chloe looked at her. “Your, uh, dad doesn’t really have cancer, right?”

“No.” Kate buried her face in her hands. “I overheard Taylor talking about her mother having chemo issues last week... oh, God, I pretended my father had cancer to bully a drug dealer into selling me marijuana. I’m going to burn in the hottest level of hell.”

“Okay...” Chloe hesitated. “Kate, I’m not really big into religion, but I refuse to believe you’re going to burn in hell for telling a white lie to save the world.”

“That was not a white lie! I brought drugs, Chloe!”

“I know!” Chloe couldn’t keep the grin off her face. “I cannot WAIT to tell Rachel and Victoria about this meeting, they’re going to laugh their asses o-”

Kate whipped her head around. “Chloe Elizabeth Price, if you tell anyone what I did, I will make sure you pay.” She glared with fire in her eyes. “My revenge will be swift and terrifying, and no amount of begging for forgiveness will save you.”

Chloe slowly recoiled away from the religious girl. “Okay, you win. Reel it back a little.”

Kate sighed and put her head in her hands. “Oh, God. I can never again say that I’ve never touched drugs without lying. I can’t believe this is happening.”

“They weren’t for you!” The blue-haired girl rolled her eyes. “You’re not even the one who’s going to be using them! And it’s not like pot is THAT bad. I smoke it all the time!”

“Yea, you’re not that great of a role model,” Kate muttered as she turned back to stare out the window.

“No, maybe not.” Chloe shrugged as she shifted her truck, accelerating back to the school. “Then again, I’ve never lied about a parent having cancer to buy marijuana.”

“SHUT UP!!”

Chapter Text

Ten years later

Max lifted the camera to her eye and took in a million little details as she twisted the focus on her lens. Her breathing slowed as she held her hands steady, intent on capturing the perfect shot.

“Hurry up, Maximum Wait Time!” Chloe chortled behind her.

“Shut up.” Max snapped the picture and lowered her camera. “And that might have been your worst one ever, you tremendous dork.”

“It wasn’t, I promise.” Chloe glanced up the trail. “I can’t believe we never actually made it up here, with everything that was going on back then.”

Max glanced at the lighthouse. “Why would we have?” she asked. “Nothing we were dealing with had anything to do with the cliff, or the lighthouse.”

“Other than the dreams, you mean?”

“Well, yea, besides those.” Max shrugged and stuck her camera back in her bag. “Come on, I’m pretty sure the others are already up there.” They trudged up the rest of the trail, finally catching sight of the four people waiting for them.

“Took your two long enough.” Rachel cocked her hip as she shifted her designer purse on her shoulder. “We’ve been waiting for almost half an hour.”

“More like ten minutes,” Kate reminded her from her seat on the bench. She started to push herself up with one hand, the other holding onto her very pregnant belly.

“You don’t have to get up for us,” Chloe scolded her as they approached. “Pregnant ladies stay off their feet.”

“I’m only at six months! And I have to get up anyway to leave!”

Victoria laughed, brushing her hair back behind her ears. She’d let it grow almost down to her shoulders. “Yea, really, she’s a strong, independent woman who don’t need no other woman.”

Kate ignored her and stood, giving Chloe and Max both a big hug. “It’s been too long,” she said as she let go. “You need to come back to Sacramento and visit again. Hannah misses her ‘cool aunt Chloe’.”

“Aww.” Chloe turned and stuck her tongue out as Max. “See? I’m the cool aunt.”

“Shut up.” Max rolled her eyes. “Where are the little rugrats?”

“They’re visiting their grandparents.” Kate smiled. “You can stop by on the way out. And Chloe can take a look a Michael’s car and tell him whether or not his engine is about to explode.”

Nathan finally walked over, hanging up his cell phone. “Sorry. Hey!”

Max gave him a hug, too. “How’s business?”

“Good, good.” Nathan smiled. “We’re buying out a couple of tech companies in Los Angeles, so I might swing through to see a couple of you guys next month.”

“That would be awesome.” Chloe turned her look to Victoria. “SOMEBODY from Seattle should swing by every once in a while.”

“The Chase Space doesn’t run itself,” Victoria countered. “I was on the phone two minutes before you got here. Speaking of which, you two,” she glared at Max and Chloe, “haven’t RSVP’d to my wedding yet.”

“It’s in the mail,” Max replied. “Besides,” she added as she took Chloe’s hand in hers, “You didn’t RSVP to ours, either.”

“You two idiots didn’t send out RSVPs. You sent me a Facebook message and told me to be in San Francisco in two days.” Victoria rolled her eyes. “That’s barely enough time for anybody. You were lucky Nathan offered to fly me on his jet.”

Nathan chuckled. “Well, watching those two goofballs run around the courthouse was worth the jet fuel. And watching Rachel get high at their house afterwards was just icing on the cake.”

Rachel narrowed her eyes. “We swore never to talk about the Caulfield-Price wedding again, you asshole.”

“I never signed a contract.”

“Guys?” Kate interrupted. “I have a husband and two kids to get back to. Are we doing this or what?”

“Yea.” Nathan pulled a bottle of liquor out of his jacket pocket. “Uh, sorry, Kate, I forgot you were pregnant until I got here...”

“I’m good.” Kate pulled a bottle of water out of her purse. “You go first.”

Nathan glanced around and looked at Arcadia Bay. The setting sun made the whole scene look like a postcard. The six of them admired the view for a moment, not forgetting that it almost wasn’t.

“Well...” Nathan paused. “Ten years, and it’s still here.” He glanced at the others. “Despite Cota, and my dad’s best intentions, we pulled it off. So... I guess I’m drinking to another ten years from now.” He opened the bottle of booze and took a quick swig, offering it out.

Victoria took it from him. “I’ll drink to...” she paused. “Learning not to be such a tremendous bitch. And you guys. Even though that was the most miserable week of my life, I wouldn’t take it back for anything.” She took her own swallow from the bottle.

Rachel went next. “To, uh, my dad.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I really regret some of the things I said to him that night. I know he was Cota’s scion for a long time, but we’re here because of him. So...” she glanced up. “I miss you, dad.”

She took a drink and paused, glancing at Kate.

“The Arcadians.” Kate nodded as she lifted her water bottle. “They were doing this for us long before we got here. If it wasn’t for them, this world would have ended a long time ago. So, thanks, chief... uh, who’s name he never gave me.” She took a sip as Rachel handed the liquor bottle to Max.

“To Verta.” Max grinned. “For giving us some pretty badass powers. I still wish he’d picked literally ANYBODY else...” the others chuckled. “but I’m glad we were able to do what he needed.”

She paused before she took her drink. “Oh, and if you’re listening, man? Maybe tone it down on the whole ‘speaking in riddles’ thing, because that was a pain in the ass.”

The others laughed as Max took a sip from the bottle and handed it to Chloe.

“Joyce,” Chloe said simply, as the others fell silent. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t the greatest daughter, I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, and I’m just...” her throat bobbed. “Incredibly lucky that you were my mom.”

“You know she was glad to have you, Chloe.” Max grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“I hope so.” Chloe took an extra big gulp of the booze and started to hand it back before she stopped. “Oh, one last thing,” she added. “Here’s to hoping the fire poker they’re slamming into David Madsen’s urethra is extra hot tonight.”

The other nodded as she took a second drink. “I’ll drink to that, too,” Rachel added as she grabbed the bottle and tipped it back. After another gulp, she handed it back to Nathan.

“All right, then.” Nathan recapped the bottle. “So... what do I do with what’s left?”

“Leave it here,” Chloe suggested. “Let it pass to the local high school kids. Give back to the community, man.”

“This is a three-hundred-dollar bottle of scotch,” he scolded, tucking the bottle under his arm. “I’m not leaving it for some horny sixteen-year-old to cut with root beer.”

The six of them laughed and bickered as they walked back down the trail. None of them noticed the blue butterfly land on the railing. It flapped it’s wings once, sat for a moment, and took back off into the sun.