We were walking down the streets in our costumes. Fallon was in a glittery red dress; Erica was in a tight white dress; I was in a dark blue dress; Benny was in a brilliant blue tux; and Rory had on a full black tux. We had our masks on. My dress was one size bigger and it was itching the hell out of me.

"This dress is so tight that my boobs are about to pop out," grunted Erica as she pulled up her dress.

"I can't even move my face in this mask," said Benny. "We had to get the masks that frame faces."

"Guys, you need to focus," said Fallon. "Ethan could be here or somewhere. We need to find him before Stern does."

I hault into a stop. My friends looked back at me.

"Sarah, what's wrong?" asked Erica.

"Guys, I can't do this," I blurted out. "I'm just not ready to see Ethan again."

"Sarah, we miss him a lot," said Benny. "And we can't believe that he's been alive along."

"You guys don't get it. I don't love him. I'm in love with him. Since the day he died, I have had so many hallucinations of him that I can't tell which is real or not."

"Sarah, none of that matters now," said Fallon. "Ethan matters. We have to find him. Stern is there and so is Jesse. He sent us here to help him."

"Okay. Let's go."

"Don't worry, Sarah," said Benny. "We're not gonna let Stern get to him."

The five of us walked into the fancy DiLaurentis hotel. All of the guests were unrecognized with their faces hidden behind their masks. From top to the bottom, everything was elegantly glamorous. All of these shining chandeliers, fancy dresses, and sparkly diamonds made me feel like a toothless hilly billy.

"Alright," said Fallon. "One of you come with me to scope out the place."

"I'll go," said Rory.

Suddenly, a hand pulled me onto the dancing floor. The guy yanked me against his chest and started to dance with me.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Sarah, it's me. Jesse."

"You son of—"

"Sarah, I'm sorry, but I'm working as a double agent. I'm on your side."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was helping Ethan. I was keeping Stern from finding Ethan. Listen to me. Stern is trying to find the Optimus force."

"Optimus Force?"

"Brother of the Phoenix force. Stern wants it to rule the world. He's looking for the jewel in the bottom of the hotel."

"What does this have to do with Ethan?"

"He knows that Ethan came back to life and wants him dead. I'm keeping him from finding Ethan."

"We're trying to find him before you guys."

"Find him now. I'll try to stop Stern as much as I could."

"How do I know if I can trust you after what happened?"

"Sarah, I'm not lying. You have to trust me. Just hurry and find Ethan. Your last chance. Go!"

Once the music stopped, I walked away from Jesse. Benny and Erica were next to the bar.

"Was that Jesse?" asked Benny.

"Yes, he's helping us," I informed him.

"What?"

"He's keeping Stern from finding Ethan. We have this chance."

"Sarah, we don't even know where Ethan is," said Erica.

"Stern wants the Optimus force. It's a jewel at the bottom of the hotel. He wants to take over the world with it."

"Let's find this thing. Come on."

We went into the elevator and pushed the bottom to the basement. In the basement were old things and decorations. It looked like some antique shop.

"Looks like no one's been down here in ages," smirked Erica.

"So what does this jewel look like?" asked Benny.

"I don't know," I answered. "Jesse never gave me a full description. It could be underground or on the wall."

"If it's on the wall, let me do the honors," said Erica.

She stood in front of them. "Eee–yah!" She slammed her forehead against the brick wall. Pieces of brick collapsed onto the floor once they met Erica's forehead.

"Damn, Air," chuckled Benny.

"There's nothing back there," I said.

"Let me get this one." said Erica. She slammed her forehead against the other wall and it broke.

Benny and I started throwing the pieces away looking for the jewel. Nothing but brick and dirt were in there. It was frustrating.

"Where could it be?!" I grunted.

"Guys, is that it?" asked Benny.

He pointed to a glowing blue thing in the wall. It was a beautiful rare diamond. I've never seen anything like it.

"Whoa," I said.

"Careful, Sarah," Erica reminded me.

I carefully reached out for it. It was so shiny and gorgeous. My palms finally grabbed it. So soft and gentle.

"That's the Optimus," asked Benny.

"I think it is," I said.

Suddenly, a hand gripped my throat. It was Stern. His palm caused my throat a piercing strike of suffocation.

"Give it to me!" He demanded.

"Let her go!" yelled Benny.

He blasted green lightning from his palms, which knocked Stern against the wall.

We ran towards the elevator and pushed to go up. It took awhile. Maybe Stern took the stairs.

We were back at the party. Rory and Fallon were there.

"We found it," I said. "The Optimus."

"Who were y'all running from?" asked Rory.

Suddenly, gunshots startled the room. Everybody started screaming and running away. Stern and his bodyguards has machine guns in their hands.

"Sarah, give me the Optimus and no one gets hurt," grinned Stern.

"Eat…my…shorts," I hissed.

"Very well then."

Before he could shoot at us, Benny threw himself in front of us. Once Stern started shooting, Benny's skin transformed into diamonds—bulletproof diamond shield.

"Clever, Benny," said Stern.

"Erica, go long," I yelled. I tossed her the Optimus. She caught it and started running. "Fallon!"

Fallon caught it. Stern then shot at her. Fallon threw the diamond to Benny. Before the bullet could hit her, Jesse leaped out in front of her and collapsed to the floor.

"Jesse, are you okay?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I heal," he said.

"I-I didn't know which side you were on."

"Now you know."

Benny yelled, "Rory!" He threw it to Rory.

Rory accidentally drops it. The diamond falls to the floor in front of Stern.

Blue smoke comes out of the broken diamond and floated up into Stern. The wind grew stronger and Stern was glowing blue. He menacingly laughed as he absorbed all of its power.

"Guys, we have to go," yelled Benny.

All of us, including Jesse, ran out of there. The streets were empty and not a sound was occuring.

"What did I do?" said Rory. "I dropped right in front of him."

"It's not your fault," I told him.

"He has the Optimus now," said Jesse. "We have no idea what we are going up against."

"Stern is more powerful than anyone alive," Fallon informed us. "He can destroy anyone and anything at the blink of an eye."

Suddenly, a figure from across the street caught my eye. A lanky person with a black hoodie jacket on.

"Black Hood," I pointed out.

Black Hood started running as we began to chase. We chased into an alley, but we were going to give up that easily.

At last we stopped at the dead end between two stores. Black Hood's back was facing us.

"No way out now," yelled Benny. "No more hiding. Show yourself!"

The mysterious Black Hood turned around face to face with us. He carefully removed his black hoodie. A black mask was covering his face.

After a paused moment, he slowly took off his mask dropping it to the ground. Each of us gasped in horror as we gazed at him. Ethan.

Ethan, Ethan, Ethan!

"Ethan," I breathed.

"Remember me?" He asked.

"How?" asked Benny.

"Wasn't I the one who told you that you weren't the only powerful one here?"

"It was you the entire time," said Erica.

"I kept my eye on all of y'all."

"No," I whimpered. "That's impossible! Ethan, you're dead!"

"Sarah—"

"No!"

"Sarah, it's me! I'm back. I never left."

I collapsed into his arm sobbing like a three year-old. "I missed you so much."

"I did too."