Big Thanks to E for the review! LY!

The remaining students of Coates were dutifully filing into the cafeteria for lunch. Emmy glared as they each passed the hatch; Caine had put her name down, neglecting his own, on the rota for cooking and she was standing serving food with a hair net—a flipping hair net! —to the rest of the school. She could tell when Caine and his posse entered as everyone parted for him at the front.

He grinned gleefully at her. "I'll have a burger please," he ordered cheerfully. Emmy took a burger and slammed it on a plate before handing it to him. "Where's service with a smile?" he joked.

"Next!" Emmy called, making Caine move on.

"I love your new look," Diana was equally aggravating. Though she wasn't so pleased at Emmy's misfortune.

When the queue had all been seen to Emmy and the other servers were allowed to eat. She plated up a Caesar salad for herself and scanned the tables, noticing Piper, Alexa and Shelley in their usual seats. Piper's reconciliation with Caine wasn't going to make good lunchtime conversation. The poor girl was so gullible she didn't recognise that he only made out with her because he was drunk and she had been the closest female to him—after all she had spent the entire evening hovering around him.

Diana Ladris was probably the only person Emmy could abide in the entire room, so Emmy elected to sit beside her at Caine's table. When Emmy set her tray down, Caine and Drake glared at her.

"What are you doing here?" Caine snapped.

"Eating my lunch," Emmy shot back, and tucked into her salad.

"I like the idea of a bit of female company around," Diana smirked.

"Shouldn't you be working?" Caine asked, trying to get her to leave.

"I already served, that's my job done. The rest can clean up."

The cafeteria was normally full of chatter, but not today. "So Diana," Emmy tried to initiate some conversation, "what have you been doing this morning whilst I've been slaving."

Diana leaned in close to Emmy as she answered, "Caine was trying to fine-tune the details of this afternoon. As you know, he's doing a little demonstration for everyone. Then he's going to pick on some people to showcase their own powers—probably people who are loyal. He'll ask all of those with powers if they'll do what they're told. We'll need you—" Diana stopped abruptly and flicked her eyes to Drake. He was ignoring the conversation. "I'll explain later."

Caine had kept his eyes on the doors, to see if anyone was ready to leave yet. Noticing a group of seventh graders walking towards them, Caine stood up on his seat and stepped onto the table. Everyone whispered when they noticed him and clearing his throat stopped their speculations. "Afternoon everyone," he said to them all with a smile. "I hope you all enjoyed lunch, I know I did." Caine patted his stomach for effect. "In fact, I think we should show our gratitude to everyone who has cooked." Caine led a round of applause that the crowd enthusiastically picked up and cheered along with him.

The only people not doing their best were at his own table. Drake glared at Caine's showmanship, and Emmy and Diana had a small minute clap. Caine stopped and lowered his palms to quiet them down. "There is a small matter of business that I must attend to now." There were murmurs of confusion in the cafeteria. "I'm sure we've all heard of rumours regarding strange goings-on before any of the happened." They knew what he meant—the talk that at night some people did seemingly magical things. "And so, I think it's best if the truth outs."

Caine focused on a particular bin, and as his extended arm was slowly raised, so was the bin. He waited until the bin was ten feet in the air before he gazed at every face in the room. Shock. Disbelief. Confusion. Except on the faces of those who already knew; even the more pious were gleeful—the power they possessed was about to be revealed. He threw the bin upwards, and within inches of the high ceiling the bin froze in mid-air. The slack jaws were a beautiful sight, especially as the bin twirled above their heads. He set it gently back down in its rightful place. It was conveniently next to Frederico, giving Caine some inspiration. He had disobeyed the rules on staying away on Emmy after all.

"Agh! Shit!" Frederico screamed as he rose.

"Now, now," Caine soothed. "You can show yours too if you're a good boy." Frederico stopped protesting and obliged to being raised until he was high above the other students. "The important thing," Caine boomed, "is that I am not the only person here special talents." He lowered Frederico with a thud that would make anyone else topple over. But not Frederico; he remained perfectly on his two feet.

Frederico jumped suddenly unto a table six feet away with no effort. He leaped from table to table in lightning speed, shocking those sitting there. After the fifth spring he perched on the balls of his feet with a feline grin.

"Dekka," Caine called to the solemn girl who sat by herself distant from anyone else. The girl stared at him, not happy at being involved. She stood up and kicked a chair away from her, and it had the gravity beneath it cancelled. Caine saw Brianna, a cocky sixth grader get up, stand up and take the initiative to showcase herself. Caine could only tell that she was doing laps of the cafeteria by feeling the brushing wind as she passed.

The room was in disarray—people were appearing from nowhere. A group of girls were screaming—the reason clear when Bug revealed himself to be in a headlock by one. Then a shockwave almost knocked Caine to the ground as the table rocked.

"Control them!" Emmy commanded Caine. He looked down at her scowling ferociously and she had a point; he couldn't let them run riot.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Caine roared. Miraculously, it worked. They all froze. "Good to see we all know who's in charge. Those with powers please follow me into the assembly hall. The rest, tidy up."

Caine jumped down from the table and looked at Diana, Drake, and Emmy as a signal to follow him out of the cafeteria. Caine could feel every kid cower as they passed; he and those who were under his control terrified them. Computer Jack fell in behind as he had been instructed to earlier, clutching his invaluable PDA.

"Emmy," Caine quietly said when they were in the hallway.

Emmy stopped listening into the fears of all those in the cafeteria, including Piper and her friends. She now focused on Caine.

"I'm going to ask them if they're loyal. You check if they will do as they're told or could be problematic. Got it?"

"How many people?" Emmy asked.

"Uh, twenty-six, if you don't include us and Diana."

"The more I do at a time, the more difficult it is to tell whose thoughts belong to who. Do it individually, that'll get the best results."

Caine puckered his face; that would take a lot long time. "Okay."

The assembly hall still had the seats that had been set up early the day before for a special assembly—some talk for ninth grade and above on drinking from the local police. Caine deliberated over whether standing on the stage would be necessary.

"Please spare us that," Emmy urged. She smirked humourlessly at him.

He compromised by sitting on the stage's edge. His little army quickly filed into the hall and sat down. Computer Jack sat in the front to avoid the attention that Caine and the others got by standing at the front.

"I'm going to ask you all one question individually. An honest answer is best. Computer Jack, go through the list."

First up was Bug, his answer to the question of whether he was loyal to Caine was an unsurprising "Yes".

Diana lost interest by the third name. There was no need for her to be there other than to intimidate them all. She noticed some quiver when they saw her scowl. Each time Computer Jack called a name he looked at Emmy—Caine must have filled her in on her duty. Emmy gave nothing away with regards to what she heard, but Computer Jack seemed to grimace every so often—correlating whenever a person who Diana guessed was lying was asked. The guy was definitely smart if he understood that something would happen to those people. A few of those asked didn't try to pretend. Dekka, a weird lesbian, had an unequivocal "no", while Taylor, the school gossip, hemmed and hawed.

…

"So we know who's loyal," Caine said, sitting back in the Principal's chair. "It's what to do with them now that's the query."

Caine was still on a high from his display, aggravating Diana. She didn't know if his smug satisfaction was more annoying than the blaring horns and shouting coming from outside as cronies were learning to drive in the car park.

"I say we kill them," Drake suggested, with tangible glee.

Diana let out an exasperated sigh. "We can't do that!"

"Why not?" Drake challenged.

"Because, didn't your dad ever tell you that murder is a big no-no in the eyes of the law?"

Caine got involved. "Diana's right, killing them is out. It would spook everyone and turn them against us. Besides, I don't want them dead, just that they can't get in my way."

"Then what do we do?" Drake huffed. Trust Soren to take his bitch's side.

The three quietly thought it over, the ticking clock a count down of the time they had. They were leaving early tomorrow morning and they needed the disloyal powerful to have been dealt with by then.

Diana knew Caine had an idea when his mouth evolved into a grin. "I got it," he declared. "Didn't Computer Jack say that powers come from the hands? That's why Brianna runs with her palms behind her, and you, Diana, can get your best readings by holding hands with someone."

"Good thinking," Diana praised, but sharpened her tone. "But if we chop off their hands then odds are they'll die from blood loss or infection. So how's that of any use?"

Caine took a slow deliberate breath and exhaled it. "Don't be so quick to underestimate me," Caine calmly warned. He had a temper when he was undermined and Diana just about got away with constantly criticising him.

Caine punched a button on the desk's phone that connected him to the phone out in reception where Computer Jack was trying to conceive his idea of a communications system—it would be useful for between Coates and Perdido Beach. "Jack," Caine said, "get in here." Computer Jack dutifully did as he was told and entered, frightened of them all. "I've had an idea about powers," Caine began. Computer Jack nodded, still standing by the door in case he needed a quick escape. "Would they still work if a person's hands were encased in cement?"

Drake chuckled with excitement, and Diana narrowed her eyes at Caine. "I thought you agreed we couldn't hurt them?" she hissed.

"No," Caine said with a bemused smirk. "I agreed we couldn't kill them. This wouldn't kill them, would it Computer Jack?"

Computer Jack was still shocked at the horrid suggestion of Caine. Everyone knew that Caine was a cruel person, but few would think any boy who seemed that charming could have such dark thoughts. "No it shouldn't," Jack stuttered. "And I think the cement idea would work."

"Good," Caine beamed. "We couldn't have done it without you."

"What?" Computer Jack asked.

"You are the one who told us about hands being the source." Computer Jack felt his insides twist. He couldn't be an ideas-guy backing this monster. "That's all Computer Jack," Caine dismissed him.

"Drake round up anyone who can help you with that tonight. And, Diana, make a list of people we can take to the town. We only want people who we can count on to represent us well there. So no druggies, and leave any little kids here. Also, all of those with powers will stay here, except the VIPs."

Drake snorted, "Pfft, you think you and Ladris are so important."

"Yes I do, Drake," Caine answered, raising his hands as a warning sign. "Now the pair of you," Caine pointed towards the door and it gently swung open, "go do it."

…

Emmy stood on Petal's bed and ripped off the posters that hung above them.

"Are you sure you can do that?" Alexa asked, watching Emmy.

"Petal left the night before they all vanished. Someone died—her granny, or a carrot, or whatever. I doubt she's coming back, and I am sick of looking at this poster. 'Your dreams become reality by thinking they already are real'. Yuck!"

"We're not going to be here for long," Alexa reminded her.

"I know," Emmy agreed. "But one less night with them and I will sleep easier. I should have done it yesterday." Alexa was staying with Emmy after her roommate had thrown her out hours after the adults had vanished. She had packed up Alexa's stuff and left it outside the room—minus anything she had taken a fancy to and kept for herself.

"I think this is the first time we talked all day," Alexa said.

"We talked earlier—remember the interrogation?" After Caine's big reveal Emmy had been banned from his next decision meeting and had been forced to stay in the dorms with her clueless friends. They had bombarded her with questions on if she knew. She'd stuck to the story that Caine had only told her yesterday about it. Then after dinner Caine announced his plan to go down to the town and all those going with him in the first batch had to have a drill on it.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Alexa apologised. "We were all a bit… shocked."

'And then some,' Emmy said to herself, knowing what they had all been thinking.

"You didn't miss much after dinner. Piper still thinks she has a chance Caine."

Emmy groaned and tore another poster off. "I doubt dating is a concern of Caine's right now," Emmy sniped.

"I'm excited to go to the town," Alexa was continuing with mind-numbing chatter. "It would be cool if the four of us had a house."

"No, Caine wants me staying in a house with him and Diana, to keep an eye on me. God, when those two are argue they really go at it."

"It could be worse, they could hook up."

Emmy chuckled a mean laugh, "That will never happen. Diana's too stubborn that she wouldn't give Caine the satisfaction."

The wall was empty, and Emmy hopped from the bed to her own bed. She noticed the cautious look that Alexa was giving her, and delved for answers. Max was lying in the Nurse's room and rumours were spreading about why that was, all involving Emmy being rescued by Drake. Some were closer to the truth than others.

"What is it Alexa?" This didn't make Alexa provide a response, and so Emmy gave her a little more encouragement. "Is it about Max?" Alexa nodded. "He just slapped me," Emmy pointed to her healing lip, "that's all. Drake stopped him before he did anything else." The knock on the door relieved Emmy—she didn't want to think anymore on what could have happened.

Emmy opened the door to Diana. "Hey Diana, what's up?"

"Can I speak to you alone?" Diana's eyes passed over to Alexa.

Alexa took her cue, "I'll go chat with Piper and Shelley."

Emmy gave Diana some respect by not trying to pry her brain for answers as she silently watched Alexa put on her shoes to leave.

"What's happening?" Emmy asked with urgency.

"Caine's came up with a plan for people who aren't loyal. Cementing their hands to prevent use of powers."

Emmy silenced her gasp by putting her hand over her mouth. "What, how can he? How can you let him?"

"I'm not letting him do anything?" Diana protested. "I don't like this one bit, but we have to do something, and the only other suggestion was murder."

Emmy's face quivered with revulsion. "I bet I know who thought that one."

"Yes, and tonight he and Caine along with some thugs are going to round them all up. Caine's not expecting much compliance, so he wants us staying away from it in Mose's cottage for the night. Now pack some stuff."

Emmy grabbed a bag and packed her pyjamas along with underwear and snacks—it could be a boring sleepless night and she would need sustenance. She then had a small thought about Alexa—she would wonder about Emmy and might try to look for her. "I'll pack some of Alexa's things and tell her to sleepover in Piper's room. I'll say you want to hang out with me."

Emmy dropped a bag for Alexa off at Piper's room and walked with Diana to the cottage. The sun was setting and the tall trees that framed Coates' grass area cast long shadows; perfect hiding spot for anyone wanting to harm others. The cottage wasn't much of a home: a small kitchen with one bedroom and bathroom.

"You know," Emmy said when she had changed into her pyjamas, "in movies if someone gets powers they get a choice to be good or bad. I never picked to be on the bad side."

"What makes you think we're the bad side?" Diana asked. She sat down beside Emmy at the small kitchen table

"Look whose side we're on; Caine, who has Drake and the bullies."

Diana shrugged off the observation. "I never picked to be on their side. God knows, I want nothing to do with Drake. I picked the side that would protect me better without having to think about others. So what if that makes me a bad person? I'd rather be bad than getting my hands cemented. Would you?"

Emmy agreed, and tried to reason with herself. The only reason she was here was because Caine was her brother, that wasn't her fault. And he couldn't have been all bad if he cared enough to protect her and Diana. She liked how Diana had put it; selfish protection. But maybe Diana wasn't here just because Caine protected her, perhaps there was loyalty.

"How do you feel about Caine?"

Diana raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Don't you already know?"

"Yes," Emmy admitted, "but I want to fill the time."

"Honestly, I don't know how I feel."

"True," Emmy said with a small laugh. "Objectively you find him handsome and charming. Good boyfriend material if it weren't for his major faults of egotistical and manipulative. You don't think he's capable of love, or if you are yourself. You might be similar, which puts you off."

"You should be a psychiatrist," Diana laughed off the vulnerability that Emmy evoked by reading her mind. She didn't like imbalances of power that weren't in her favour.

"Shall we reset the scales?" Emmy asked, with a mischievous grin.

"I'd love to," Diana said. "Tell me, how did you get sent here?"

"Have I never told you? I had an older friend who was apparently a bad influence, and my parents were afraid of having a difficult child again."

"Were you good friends?"

"No, I only liked her because she was older and popular, and she only liked me because I did what she wanted. I was her mini-me."

Diana and Emmy talked the evening away. Neither had ever had a true sincere friend, owing to them both perpetually playing games to achieve maximum popularity. But they respected one another and didn't need to be false or cruel, so conversation flowed. They stopped talking when a cry was heard from the school building.

Emmy looked at the clock on the wall—it was almost midnight. "It must have started."

"Yeah," Diana agreed. "Let's try to sleep."

There was one small bed and no sofa so the girls squashed together. "To ease my fears," Diana said with an audible smirk, "please tell me you're not gay."

"As far as I know, no. You?"

"You don't listen to rumours do you?"

"Possible overcompensation," Emmy giggled.

"What?" Diana snapped, and aimed her elbow to Emmy's side as retaliation.

"Ah! You hit my boob!"

"Haha, oops, sorry. Night Soren."

"Night Ladris."

They didn't talk for the rest of the night, but the shouts and screams that soon sounded as if they were from outside stopped them from having a deep sleep.

In the next chapter we're going to town, and I can not find any descriptions for Howard or Quinn! So if anyone can locate them it would be very appreciated if you sent them to me in a review or PM