Day 6 of the Los Angeles Quarantine

Tyler waited outside in his Century City apartment for Derek to come out. Nights in L.A. were usually hot, but the explosion had made them frigid. Tyler pulled his worn leather jacket tighter, the wind whipping past him like a banshee's wail. He checked his watch again. Ten minutes. Where the hell was Derek? He knew his friend was shaken, but they needed a plan. The city was a pressure cooker, and they were stuck right in the middle.

As Tyler approached the apartment entrance, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Just as he reached for the handle, the door creaked open, revealing Derek standing in the doorway. Tyler could see that Derek's face was set in a determined expression as if he had made up his mind about something. However, something was different about Derek's appearance today. Instead of his usual red and white baseball cap, he was wearing a battered black beanie that was pulled low over his brow. His baggy jeans had been replaced with dark cargo pants with multiple pockets bulging with something unfamiliar. Tyler couldn't quite make out what was in those pockets, but he could tell that it was something that Derek was carrying with him.

"Yo," Derek said. Tyler just put his hands inside his leather jacket's pockets.

Tyler rolled his eyes as they walked. "Say, with it nearly being a week since the Feds put a cage over us - we gotta get ready. I bought this... rusty metal rebar from a guy in a shady corner of town."

"Where?"

"Rancho Park. Shady-ass part a' town, man."

"Alright."

The duo walked towards the location of the rusty metal pipe. It was under two cars - a 1987 Dodge Shadow ES and a 1979 AMC Spirit GT. "Damn. That rebar's stuck under two cars. By the way, how's your mom?"

Derek grunted, a flicker of worry crossing his features. "She's weak, Ty. That damn cough won't go away. We gotta find a doctor soon, one with actual supplies, not that quack down the street peddling snake oil."

Tyler gestured towards the two cars. "Perhaps ya could... uh, I dunno... Do something to get those cars outta my way?"

"Gah, shit... Okay."

Derek stood in the middle of the deserted road, his eyes fixed on the two rusty cars in his way. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and as he exhaled, his hands began to glow with a warm golden light. With his eyes still closed, Derek raised his hand in the air and focused his energy on the cars in front of him. Suddenly, a powerful shockwave emanated from his hand, and both cars were hurled out of the way in an instant. The '87 Dodge Shadow ES was the first to be hit by the shockwave and was thrown away like a discarded latex glove. The '79 AMC Spirit GT followed, rolling over and flattening a nearby 1980 AMC Eagle Wagon in the process. As the dust settled, Derek's eyes flickered between gold and his natural brown, still glowing with a warm golden light. He had used his powers to clear the road and was drained.

"Woah, man. I think you look drained, are you-?"

"Nah, I'm fine, man. Little electricity and I'm as good as new."

With a sense of weariness, he made his way to a nearby air conditioning unit and placed his right hand on it. As he did so, he felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body. He looked down and saw golden energy flowing out of the unit and into his hand. It was as if the machine was transferring its energy into him, filling him up with new life.

For a moment, he stood there, taking in the warmth and revitalizing energy. As he lifted his arms, he noticed that they were now covered in a layer of golden energy. It crackled and sparked as he moved his fingers. He marveled at the sight, feeling alive and invigorated in a way he hadn't for a long time. The golden energy continued to flow through his arms, and he felt it spreading throughout his body, filling every inch of him with warmth and vitality. As he looked down at his hands, he noticed that they were now glowing with a warm golden light, radiating out into the air around him.

He smiled to himself, feeling grateful.

"Wow, Dex," Tyler said, his voice laced with that little flicker of surprise. "You're a freaking natural!"

"T-Thanks, man. I wanna see my mom if that's okay. Could you... take me there? She's in Vermont Square, by the way."

Tyler sighed. "Alright, dude."

As they walked towards Vermont Square, the once bustling streets were a desolate wasteland. Graffiti marred the buildings, and the air hung heavy with the smell of smoke and decay. Scroungers lurked in the shadows, their eyes glinting with desperation.

Arriving at Derek's mother's home, they entered it via the door on the porch. Opening it, there was no one. Nothing. Derek looked everywhere for his mom. He entered her bedroom, only to find her in her last moments of life.

Derek's mom, an old woman with silver hair and who preferred to watch reruns of Murder, She Wrote, coughed. Instead of Derek's valley boy, accent, she had a southern one. One which Derek tried to cover up, not wanting to be seen as a country boy in a big city. "Derek... `

Derek rushed to her, holding her hand. "Nana, it's okay. I swear!"

"Listen, honeybuns. Momma's always gon' luv ya. Yore mah kid, whutever it iz. Ah ain't leavin' yawl 'til mah soul goes tuh thuther side"

Derek choked back a sob, tears blurring his vision. "No, Nana, you can't leave me. Not now." His voice cracked with raw emotion. Despite his newfound abilities, he felt powerless in the face of his mother's fading life.

His mother continued, her voice weak but firm. "Don't yawl fret... Yawl did good, honey. Yawl came tuh say may. Thets all thet matters."

A weak smile played on her lips. "Now... promise may sumthin'. "

Derek, tears welling up again, nodded frantically. "Anything, Nana. Anything."

"Promise may... you'll use thet... thet spark... tuh help others. Don't let it go tuh waste."

Derek's voice hitched. "I promise."

Her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing shallow. A moment later, the faint rasping ceased. Derek's mother was gone. Derek's tears flew like a waterfall as he fell to his legs.

"See you around, Nana..."

Derek stood up, saddened.

"We have to go, Ty. There's nothing more we can do here."

Tyler nodded, his grief mirrored in his eyes. "Yeah, man. Let's get out of here."

Together, they made their way out of the house, their footsteps echoing in the empty streets. The night seemed darker now, the shadows deeper, as if mourning the loss of one of their own.

As Derek walked down the street, the memories of his mother flooded his mind. He remembered the last time he saw her, frail and weak, lying in the hospital bed. He couldn't help but feel guilty for not being able to protect her when she needed him the most. He had made a promise to her that he would always take care of her, but he felt like he had failed her.

Despite the overwhelming sense of guilt, a flicker of determination emerged within him. Derek felt a newfound power within himself. He had developed abilities that he had never known before, and he knew that he could use them for good. He was determined to honor his mother's memory by using his powers to help others. He knew that his mother would be proud of him if he did so.

"I'll do it, Nana," Derek whispered into the night, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll use this spark to help others, just like you wanted. I promise."