-Okay a brief author's note, a reader by the name of Rouge4ever (nice on misspelling the name, it's Rogue, actually) pointed out in the review section that I may in fact be stealing X men's ideas, in that, Dempsey has an ability daringly similar to that of Rogue's. No, you see, Rogue steals energy subsequently leading to death, Dempsey just kills. A significant difference. Thanks.

PART 6: as told by Claire

A death touch—since when did superpowers become so grim?

There didn't seem to be anything remotely murderous and fatal about Dempsey. He seemed to be more in touch with mediocrity than anything. He never discussed anything abnormal, likewise did anything abnormal. He practically epitomized normality. So how did he end up with an ability like this?

"We've run out of food again," Derrick muttered, as he prodded the ashes in the dying fire.

Landon lit up the bonfire pit again with a halfhearted wave of his hand. "We'll get Chris to bring some more."

"Hey!" Chris said, defensive. "I'm not some servant boy. If I'm going to participate in this extremely dangerous operation, I want real duties."

"Such as?" Landon probed, raising his head expectantly, and so began a mindless argument.

"Just shut up!" I exclaimed impatiently after enduring three minutes of their inane bickering.

Dempsey's eyes seemed to glimmer with respect. "Thank you," he said, and a drawn out silence followed this.

The five of us, a team, sat huddled around a fire in the middle of a forest. At one point we were discussing invasion tactics, but then the conversation broke apart and suddenly we were having a heated debate over who would win in a fight: Landon or Dempsey. Dempsey didn't involve himself incidentally. He watched everything unravel, smirking, and didn't stop smirking until we agreed that Landon would win the fight.

I had yet to return to the school. They would wonder where I went. They would infer homesickness after I validated my innocence. They would think I went home for a few days to my family. Really I'd been kidnapped by a flying boy and was secretly forming a rebellion with a supposed dead former student and two other current students—oh, and the nice flying boy, also a former student—and together we would undermine the founders authority in drastic ways and take down the entire school. I don't particularly know why I was there, but it was something to do.

"Okay, Claire has to go home, we don't want suspicions arising," Landon proclaimed, standing. "Derrick. Would you be so kind?"

"You wanna fly piggy back style, or would you rather be in my arms?" He grinned devilishly.

"I'd rather walk home, with Chris and Dempsey, thank you," I said, trying with no avail to mask my amusement.

We set off slowly and carefully through the dark forest, picking our way anxiously amongst the pathless woods.

There was little conversation during our short journey home. It was only about an two hour hike to Landon's hide out, but there were several streams to be crossed, and that's where we met difficulties.

When we approached the stonewalls that enclosed the school grounds, Dempsey suddenly jerked Chris and me aside and pushed us to the forest floor.

"Don't, move," he said through clenched teeth.

An armed guard wandered by, whistling eerily, and we waited in our uncomfortable positions for several minutes.

Finally, Dempsey helped us up. He was uncharacteristically nervous; this worried me.

"They have guards patrolling the perimeter. This is new. I don't know why they've set up guards." He cursed under his breath. "Do you think a physic in the school saw our attack and warned the founders?"

"Impossible," Chris assured him. "Physics only see things that are certain. Do you really think our plan will be a success?" He shook his head in disbelief. "Hell no."

"Then why guards? And why now?" Dempsey demanded.

"Anyone there?" an unfamiliar voice called out uncertainly.

Instantly, we were silent. We pressed ourselves against trees and held our breaths. But we heard no parting footsteps.

I held out a hand to each boy. Chris, understanding quickly, grasped my left hand and nodded. But Dempsey slowly raised a gloved hand to my face and shook his head slowly. I could only make people invisible with me if we maintained physical contact—skin to skin. Clearly, this wasn't going to work with Dempsey, unless I could endure the horrific pain promised by his touches.

I looked to Chris, grimacing. We had to return to the school.

Dempsey sighed under his breath and nodded his approval. We were to leave without him.

I switched to invisible mode, and Chris went with me. We crept along the trees until the guard was within our sight. He was pointing a flashlight in the general direction of Dempsey's hiding place, a rifle slung over his shoulder. Feeling impulsive and stupidly brave, I slipped the rifle from under his arms and whacked him over the head with it. He crumpled. I suppressed a yelp.

Chris laughed nervously.

"Dempsey!" I hissed. "It's safe!"

Dempsey emerged from his hiding spot, skeptical. Then he too saw the unconscious guard and began to giggle uncontrollably.

Within seconds the three of us, two of us invisible, dissolved into nervous giggling fits.

Suddenly a hand clamped down on my shoulder, and the sheer shock caused me to jump out of invisible mode.

I whirled to face my next opponent, only to see a guard, much larger than the one I took out, and much more menacing.

"You think they put average people on guard duty?" he said, frowning. "I can see through your trick."

I swallowed. Run? Surrender? Attack?

"What are you three doing out here past curfew?" he demanded suspiciously. "And what's Nathan doing on the ground?" he pointed to his assaulted co-worker.

"He took me by surprise," I explained nervously. "I can't control my reflexes…"

"You'll have to come see the founders with me," the guard sighed. "They set up a guard specifically to prevent these kind of things."

"What kind of things?" Chris asked, and Dempsey silenced him with a cold glare.

"Suspicious things, that's what," the guard answered mysteriously, and he pointed towards the school building. "In you go."

Before we could obey—or otherwise—Derrick landed on the man from above, clawing and yelling and kicking. The man resisted the surprise attack quite well, and managed to pull Derrick from him and toss him. Derrick spun upwards and disappeared into the dark sky.

"What on"—the man never completed his thought. Derrick struck again, very hard this time, and the man fell. He didn't move after that.

Derrick landed messily in front of us, bowed, and put a hand on Dempsey's shoulder. "I guess I'll have to fly you up, Dempsey, considering we don't really want you invisible at the expense of Claire's life."

We all stared at each other, shocked and confused for a moment. Then Derrick clapped and said, "Well go, you idiots!"

Chris and I disappeared and hastily made our return to the school. Derrick and Dempsey disappeared into the darkness of the forest.