Chapter 145
- Evan -
The dome fell at 2:14 a.m.
I watched the last shards of it burn out across the sky—quiet, soft, like dying fireflies—and for the first time in days. I could breathe. But the relief lasted about three seconds.
Kaysi...Becky. They don't have time.
I wiped the blood off my cheek with my hand. Tomo was slumped against the rubble, catching his breath, Micah holding her bleeding arm. Josh's flames sputtered weakly around his knuckles with every breath—he was running on fumes. James was already reloading like a machine.
We looked like hell.
But I didn't care about that.
Not now.
Duke checked his watch. "Josh is correct. We only have 2 hours to get there. You would think that is enough time, but factoring in getting them to the nearest hospital and the surge of people that are about to come in, such as news of military families missing people. It's going to get crowded like rush hour."
None of us spoke; each of us held it together, knowing what was to come.
Josh clenched his teeth. Tomo tightened his fingerless gloves. James slapped a fresh bolt into his pistol crossbow, just to be safe.
Baby gave me a look—one of those rare, quiet looks that meant she knew exactly how close we were to losing everything.
"Stay sharp," I advised everyone. "This isn't over; we have only cleared a small but closing path."
"Yeah," Josh muttered. "I know."
I felt the shift deep in my chest—as if I just woke in the deep of a storm breaking through. The same feeling I had when Kaysi's power first burned out of her, like a falling star.
A promise and determination.
Josh spoke under his breath, only loud enough for me to hear. "If they take her from me—I'll burn the world down to get her back."
I would be lying if I didn't feel the same. I may keep my true feelings away from her, but that doesn't change the fact that I still need her.
We pushed through the ruined city hall. The mayor—now governor—was already shouting orders to the surviving officers. Uncle Marcus stood beside him, heart of iron still glowing faintly in his hand—pride and grief in his eyes at the same time.
He caught my gaze as we passed.
"Bring them home," he said.
I nodded once, sharp and sure.
We broke into a full run, boots pounding across pavement still smoking from the battle. People staggered out of hiding spots and shelters, staring at the sky in disbelief, crying, hugging each other, and calling names.
Freedom for almost all of us at last.
But it didn't feel like freedom for me.
Not until I see Kaysi smile again and Becky open her eyes.
Micah shouted back at me over the wind, "Evan—this is the start of something new!"
"Yeah, I know." My chest tightened, and my lungs burned.
"Make this a new start for you and Kaysi; it's time to come clean. I won't force things, but if Josh is moving forward, so should you."
I nodded but didn't say anything more. I know someday soon I will have to face Kaysi with the truth.
The streets blurred underneath our feet as we cut through what was left of downtown. Sirens wailed somewhere far off—rescue crews finally pouring in now that the dome was gone—but they were distant, useless noise. None of them would be able to work their way through the crowd to reach the girls in time.
Only we could.
Tomo surged ahead, his breath ragged but steady. The man fought through three demons with his bare hands tonight—nothing about him should be steady—but somehow, he kept moving like a freight train. Determined. Focused. Scared only for the lives ahead of him.
Micah stumbled once, clutching her bandage and bleeding arm, but she didn't slow down—not even a fraction. Baby flanked her just in case, one hand ready to grab her if she faltered.
Josh ran like a man chased by time itself. Flames flickered up his arm off and on—not strong, not controlled, just raw instinct pushing through exhaustion. Every time they sputtered, I felt my heart clench a little tighter.
James jogged backwards half the time, crossbows raised, scanning the rooftops. "Movement at six—no, false alarm—my bad."
We were all too ragged to talk, too wired to breathe right, but the determination was the same across every face.
We were getting them back. Or else.
A collapsed bus blocked the road ahead; the pavement split open beneath it like something had taken a bite out of the earth. Tomo vaulted the debris. Josh followed. Micah winced climbing over as James helped her. But kept up the pace.
Baby reached back, grabbing my arm, and pulled me onto the ledge just before it crumbled.
"Eyes up," she said. "Your head's drifting."
I didn't deny it. I couldn't.
Because the closer we got, the harder it was to ignore that sinking weight in my chest.
"Evan," Baby said quietly, "you're allowed to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid," I told her.
She raised a brow.
"...Okay, maybe I'm terrified." My voice cracked more than I wanted to.
Baby softened—a rare thing when speaking with me. "Good. Only stupid people aren't scared when everything they love is on the line."
We hit the next intersection fast, turning toward the school district—toward the shelter.
Closer to them.
Duke slowly briefly looked toward the horizon. "The sun will be up in three hours. If we don't make it before then, the roads will flood with civilians even more than they are now, once the word spreads. We'll lose our window."
Josh didn't slow down or even glance back.
"We're not losing anything," he snapped. "Not this time."
A burst of heat flared around his shoulders, weak but bright. A flare of pure will.
Micah called, "Josh, save your energy—"
"Don't tell me to save anything!" He barked, voice cracking. "I'm saving her!"
His steps lost a little stride for a second.
I grabbed his arm and steadied him. "Don't be a hardheaded dumbass; you're not alone, and we are fighting for both of them!"
For a moment, the flames died to embers.
We sprinted the next block in silence—until Uncle Marcus's voice echoed in my mind.
Bring them home.
He trusted us. All of us. Even Josh and I.
Micah slowed just enough to jog beside me. "Evan," she said, "this isn't just about saving them, you know that."
"Not now, Micah," I muttered.
"Yes, now." Her voice sharpened as she tried to remind me. "Because if you wait too long—life will move without you."
I opened my mouth to argue—
—but the ground trembled beneath us.
Tomo skidded to a halt. "Everyone, stop!"
James snooped, weapon raised. "Something's coming!"
Baby stepped in front of Micah. Duke raised both his guns, a glowing line forming across them.
I exhaled once. "Guess things were too quiet for a minute there."
From the cracked asphalt ahead, a shape crawled up—long limbs, too many joints, and fissures barely glowing like molten cracks of obsidian.
A demon, but it was a leftover. Wounded—but still hungry.
Its eye snapped to us.
Josh's flames flared violently.
"Move," he snarled, pushing around me.
I stepped to the side, not because I wanted to, but because this thing delayed us by even one more minute...
...it could cost them their lives.
Josh showed no hesitation, ending it into ash with a fire blast plastered to the face after he punched it to the ground with one hit.
"No more delays, or we take them out—no mercy."