"Shhh!" Rex hissed, leading Thirteen through the library. "Why here?" Thirteen asked. "Last place Six will look for us," Rex replied, flopping into a chair. Thirteen sat on a table. "He's not that stupid. Six knows where you are. The fact that he doesn't find you right away means he's being nice and giving you extra time to play," she scoffed. "Whatever you want to call it," Rex said. Thirteen crossed her arms. "Trust me. I know Six better than you do. I've had time to learn why I should hate him," she said. "Why would you hate Six?" Rex asked. "Why indeed?" she teased. Rex opened his mouth to say something but the wall behind them crashed open, letting in an evo. Rex instinctively leapt out of the way but Thirteen remained seated. "Thirteen!" Rex yelled. The evo's hand flew at her and even then, she didn't move. Rex sprinted forward and tackled her, sending them both crashing into a bookcase. "Are you insane?" he asked. "Little bit," she replied, pushing him off her and then jumping out of the way as the evo's tail just narrowly missed them. Rex got to his feet. "What are we waiting for?" he asked, running at the evo. Thirteen caught his arm. "Leave it be," she ordered. "What are you talking about? It'll hurt those people!" Rex yelled. "And who's to say those people don't deserve it?" Thirteen asked. Rex yanked his arm away. "I am!" Then he took off running towards the evo. "Bad choice, Rex," Thirteen declared. "Thirteen!" She turned a bit, rolling her eyes as Six ran to her side. "Have you become part dog?" she asked. Six ignored the comment. "Why aren't you assisting Rex?" he asked. "I knew you'd show up eventually. Why bother," she said. Six shook his head. "We'll talk later. Holliday's waiting outside. Now go!" And then he followed Rex into battle. Thirteen sighed. "Whatever."
"This is hopeless! I can't get through it!" Rex yelled to Six. "Keep trying," Six responded with. Rex raised his fists once more. "MOVE!" Rex barely managed to turn towards the command when Thirteen appeared beside him, stabbed through the evo's tough skin with her arm. "This is why I said to leave it," she hissed as the skin sucked her arm in to her elbow. "Thirteen!" Rex yelled, grabbing hold of her arm. "Let go or it'll eat you too you idiot!" she yelled. "Not a chance!" Rex grunted. "Rex! Get out of there!" Six yelled. "Go!" Thirteen hissed. "Look, you came back to help and look where its got you." "Yes, look where this has got me." The skin had spread to her shoulder. She fought Rex off with her opposite hand. "There is a reason I don't do well in teams. It is because of these incompetent assumptions that I came to help you," she snapped. "Then why'd you come?" Rex asked. "For the same reason I bother doing anything. For myself," Thirteen replied, before the evo skin completely absorbed her. Her hand was all that showed as she reached out. A series of black marks similar to Rex's appeared on her hand. She touched the evo and the thing lit up like a gothic Christmas tree. The skin peeled away, revealing Thirteen in the midst of the skin. Her eyes glowed black. The wind picked up and the skin floated away a bit before vanishing completely. Thirteen's eyes closed and she fell, landing on a parked car. The former evo, a man, also fell but Rex caught him. Providence guards flooded the streets. "Thank you," the man cried as Rex lowered him to the ground. "It wasn't me. It was her," Rex said, pointing. Six was already beside the car with Holliday. "Excuse me," Rex said, running to them. "What's wrong?" he asked Holliday. But when he looked at Thirteen, he knew. Her eyes were still black and her hair was totally white. Holliday released her eye socket and looked at Rex. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," she said.
"Hey, you're back!" Bobo greeted as Rex and Six walked in, carrying Thirteen. Holliday came in behind them. "Whoa, what happened?" asked Bobo, hurrying over to the desk that Thirteen was now set on. "Why didn't we take her to the infirmary?" Rex asked. "Good question," Bobo said. "Now what happened?" Holliday adjusted a desk lamp so it was right over Thirteen. "Because White refuses to acknowledge that there may be a second cure. And since she doesn't work for Providence, White has banned her from anything besides a room." "Well, that's stupid. Now, what happened?" Bobo asked. "So do you know what's wrong with her?" Rex asked. "No, I'm taking a shot in the dark but" Holliday drifted off. She turned to Six. "Do you know what's wrong with her?" she asked. Six reached into his pocket and withdrew a small bottle, offering it to Holliday. "Give her one of these," he instructed. Holliday took it, popping the lid off and withdrawing a small green pill. "Nice of you to mention that," Rex commented as Holliday opened Thirteen's mouth and dropped in the pill. "Now stand back," Six instructed. Holliday and Rex immediately stepped back. "What?" Bobo asked, pulling his finger from his ear. Thirteen sat straight up, a flame shooting from her mouth as she coughed. Bobo barely managed to dodge. "Told you," Six pointed out. Thirteen coughed, her hair bleeding to red and then settling on black. She glanced sideways at the four gathered next to her, her eyes blue once more. No one spoke for a moment. "What was that about?' Rex finally asked, his voice breaking the silence and making the situation far more real. Six and Thirteen exchanged a look. "I'm not at liberty to tell you that," Six said, still looking at Thirteen. She held his gaze. "It's none of you business," she said. "Yeah, right!" Rex hissed. Thirteen's eyes shot to him. "I don't know if you realized this but we're a family here and that makes you part of it too. Maybe a widowed aunt that's available or something. But regardless of that, you're still part of our family which means it is our business if something is wrong with you. We can help!" Rex said. Thirteen looked away. "I don't need anymore family so thanks but no thanks. I would rather be eaten alive by another evo."