(Yeah, yeah, I know I'm updating like mad. But I really have to finish this soon! Enjoy!)

PART 9 (continued): as told by Jose (Massie's Aunt)

"Despicable things," I spat indignantly as I paced the wide confines of the mayor's office. "They're here. They stole my sister's car and raced off into the sunset. I knew they would come here. When did you say they were spotted?"

The mayor, a man I didn't particularly like but admired his determination towards the abolishment of supers, shuffled some nondescript papers on his desk and cleared his throat. "A concierge from a hotel in the south part of the city reported six supers just last night. He said they attacked him without warning or reason. He identified two as being female, one dark haired, and the other blonde. There were three dark haired males, two very tall, and a small blonde male."

"That's her," I said firmly. "That's my niece. The rat. She stole a black pick up truck with the license plate AVMN 766." The mayor scribbled down the information as I spoke. "I don't like talking about her disability, but I had to attain precious information," I said, liking the authoritative tone I was using. "I asked her mother, and she said that Massie's a teleporter. I'm not sure about the others but rest-assured they're dangerous." I crossed my arms over my chest and turned to the mayor. "Well? What will you do to them?"

"I don't know Josephine, I'm a little busy to handle six teenage supers running amok in the city," he answered, exasperated. He leaned back in his chair and exhaled slowly. "Would you take care of it? I'm sure the public would approve of my entrusting this ordeal in someone who has partaken in city council meetings and such before. You're enough part of this city to handle serious issues when I'm swamped with crime boosts in the northern parts." His phone rang and he snatched it up. "Yes, hello? Another death?" he swore profusely. "Fine, send me them, I'll deal with this tonight." He replaced the phone on the receiver gingerly. "Yes, It would be good if you handled this. I'll give you two thousand dollars to catch and take care of them, you can use some of my SWAT team men if you'd like to track them down."

I smiled, satisfied. "Thank you, Mayor, for this opportunity." I left the room quickly and eagerly. I was amazed at the coincidental timing of everything. My reject niece appearing at home a day before I leave to return to Foster City, then she ends up here too? I shook my head, smirking. If only she knew fate wasn't on her side this time.

PART 9: (continued) as told by Massie

We found them at a nondescript hotel in the western parts of the city. Landon had once obtained the power of clairvoyance a longtime ago, so he was capable of pinpointing people's exact location through thought. It had taken him hours in the car to perfect it, but it was surely worth it.

There was a quiet celebration in the cramped hotel room. We hugged and exchanged stories of our tumultuous adventures. Claire was virtually attached to Cam. She simply wouldn't leave his side.

Derrick laughingly explained the confusion about the bearded men (AKA Cam in disguise) and then began retelling the story of Chris, which was a grim story, but somehow he incorporated humor into the recap.

Dempsey looked particularly beaten up, so I tended to his wounds. Claire was cooing over Cam's sore ribs, and Derrick jealously made a plea for medical attention when he saw his friends being fussed over.

"How long did you maintain physical contact with Chris?" I asked curiously as I dabbed a wet towel at Dempsey's swollen left hand.

He winced, and tried to pull his hand away.

"Ah ah ah," I scolded him, reaching to reposition his hand, then reconsidering. He was like an uncorked grenade with his gloves off.

"Ten seconds," he answered. "Ten seconds more and he would've been dead. Ten is enough to seriously mess someone up for a while. Landon took about six, but you know him…" he said, trailing off. "He's got like twenty powers to protect him and to heal him afterwards." He managed a weak laugh.

We sent Claire on a mission to retrieve food. Cam accompanied her, to her delight. We didn't bring much money, but Claire insisted she could temporarily abandon integrity, turn invisible and steal food.

When she returned with an assortment of goodies, we absolutely ravaged our portions, having lived off dissatisfying beef jerky and vitamin water during out road trips.

As we finished up eating, Landon explained the next step. "We obviously aren't safe here. We may have to go to a different country. I was thinking northern Canada. They treat supers well there, they kind of accept them, almost." He looked up expectantly, surveying reactions. "What do you guys think?"

"I'm okay anywhere, as long as there's adventure," Derrick said, smiling deviously.

"I think it's a good idea," Cam offered. His arm was slung over Claire's shoulder. For some reason I found this vaguely annoying.

We planned out our next step. When we went to sleep that night, Cam and Claire suspiciously insisting on sharing a bed (there were three double beds) meaning I had to share a bed with Dempsey, which was just incredibly terrifying considering he didn't like sleeping with his gloves on. At around midnight I couldn't handle the suspense and retreated to the bathtub with a pillow and a towel as a surrogate blanket.

The next morning we prepared for departure. We tipped the maids generously, and then hobbled down the hotel halls with our cumbersome loads, feeling uncannily optimistic.

And of course, something horrific and exciting had to happen, since we were supers and this was Foster City.

As soon as we entered the lobby we knew we were screwed. Gangs of heavily armed SWAT troops were wandering around the lobby. They were waiting for us. Outside the hotel, I could see reporters and video cameras hoisted on shoulders.

"Stop!" I hissed, backing up into the hallway. My friends followed, wide eyed. "We're so screwed."

"How do they know we're here?" Claire said wearily.

"No time to dwell on that. But I'm guessing it's Chris's doing," I said as I led them back down the hallway. "Back entrance escape route."

"Are you kidding me?" Landon demanded. "It's SWAT. Do you think they're stupid enough to let the back entrance be unguarded?"

I stopped short and turned. "Okay, I can take two people to safety."

"But you can't take Dempsey," Claire protested. "I know this sounds cheesy and stupid and it's not the time for this, but we really have to stay together." She glanced around at us, hard faced and resolute. "We're a team. And we can't keep having a few of us teleport out of here when things get rough. Especially because Dempsey can never have that luxury."

Dempsey nodded his thanks to her, and I felt like a selfish idiot for even suggesting such a thing.

"So what? We run into the crowd screaming and hope we make it out of the city?" Landon raised his eyebrows doubtfully.

"No. We try to explain," Dempsey said. "We're not bad people. We just have to let them know."

He began walking doggedly towards the lobby.

"Stop Dempsey!" I called out quietly. "This isn't how to handle things!"

I looked over his shoulder. "I don't see an alternative."

Derrick shrugged. "We can try," he said, and he took off in a light jog after his friend.

Cam and Claire were close at their heels.

I looked at Landon. He looked at me.

"We're so dead," I whispered.

"So, if we die…" Landon looked down at his feet. "Then that would suck, because you know, I'm a total lip virgin."

I laughed at the total ridiculousness of it. "We're about to die and you're worried about that?"

He shrugged and raised his arms in a defensive kind of gesture. "Just sayin'. I mean, this is kind of a big moment and it's being ruined by the fact that I've never even"—

"Oh shut up," I said, smiling, and I stood on my tiptoes and granted his wish.

He pulled away after a minute or so and smiled boyishly. "Okay. Time to meet our fate." He grasped my hand, and I was overwhelmed by how different he was when death was looming above us. "Let's do it."

We walked down the hallway at a leisurely pace. It was chaotic in the lobby, we could hear shouts and accusations and guns clicking in preparation for some kind of outburst but here we were, two former friends, current enemies, grasping hands as we hurried to greet our imminent fate.