Episode 38

Two Roads in a Wood

"This looks incredible!"

Hilary could barely contain her awe as she stared at all the newly unveiled exhibits on the museum's main floor while Jess blushed sheepishly beside her.

"It was nothing, really."

"Are you kidding? I would never have dreamed about doing something like this! All the signs are clear, and none of the information is confusing. And the way you've used the space? Jess, this is amazing!"

At that moment, Hilary was certain that if she'd said any more, her assistant would have been a deeper shade of red than her husband's old Ranger suit. And that was before Hilary had even delivered the actual news of the day.

"I'm just glad you like it," said Jessica. "Honestly, I had no idea that it would end up being this big when I first thought of it."

"Well, I'm glad you kept on dreaming, and I'm even more glad you decided to make it a reality," Hilary decided. "Seriously, you've got guest speakers booked every day until summer break! I don't know if we'll even have space for all the people wanting to come here."

Even Hilary had no idea how big the project would become when Jess first pitched it, but the personal assistant had risen to the challenge. And in doing so, everything Hilary had ever hoped for the museum was suddenly falling into place. It might not have been exactly what she'd envisaged, but Jess had taken those imaginations far further than Hilary could ever have hoped on her own. And in Hilary's mind, there was only one way to truly show her gratitude.

"You know, all this work you're doing is way above and beyond your current job," Hilary said. "I just don't think it's really worth your time now."

Jess' head whipped around, face scrunching in uncertainty. "You mean you don't want me as your assistant anymore?"

"Oh no, Assistant would definitely still be in the title I'm thinking of."

From there, Hilary let it hang, silently snickering as she watched Jess's brain compute, then go haywire, before finally letting her jaw drop in shock as she read the offer between the lines.

"Director?" she squawked. "You want me to be Assistant Director?"

"You've more than earned it," Hilary grinned. "There is no way that I could have run this place without you. Of course, I can't promise City Hall will let it come with a huge pay jump, but…"

"I'll do it!" Jess practically leaped into Hilary's arms, squealing with excitement as she squeezed her tight. "I promise that you won't regret this! Oh my God! I need to call my mom!"

The girl practically flew from the lobby, her still impossibly high heels clacking on the stone floor as she danced toward her office. In her excitement, she almost bumped Ray, who was striding toward Hilary with a beaming grin of understanding.

"Gave her the news then?"

"Talk about a Kodak moment," Hilary smiled. Then her face fell with a morbid horror. "And I just realized how badly I dated myself with that statement."

"Just try working in a building filled with teenagers," said Ray. "Trust me, nothing will make you feel older. I can assure you, it's an incredibly mid experience."

"Speaking of," said Hilary. "You're here awfully early."

"School's done for the week, and I didn't have any appointments," Ray replied gleefully. "I thought I'd take the opportunity to see if my wonderful wife wanted to clock off early as well."

With a satisfied grin of agreement, Hilary's only reply was to step into her husband's offering embrace and kiss him deeply. It was an excellent idea, and it couldn't have been better timed. Jess had the museum well in hand, Hilary was actually on top of her paperwork for once, and Scolex's spectacular fall from public grace meant their nemesis was far too busy with PR problems to focus on harassing the city.

For the first time since Hilary had first arrived in Lakeview, since even that dreaded night when Doc had called them with his fateful warning, a sense of serene calm fell upon her. There was still plenty to do, and they were far from out of the woods, but it finally felt like there was a chance to take a breath and revel in the quiet. Of course, there was still one more person on Hilary's list to thank.

"You know, none of this would have been possible without you, either," she said.

"What do you mean?" Ray asked. "Science and computers? You've been all over this for as long as I've known you."

"I know, but I meant everything else," Hilary replied. "First Boston, then back West, and now to Lakeview. I know that every time we've moved, it was because of me, and sometimes even before you were ready. And while I know that you know I'm grateful, that doesn't mean I don't want to voice it every now and then. Show my appreciation."

"If I had the chance to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing," Ray said warmly. "In it until the end."

And as Hilary took his hand and strolled out into the museum, she couldn't have been in further agreement.

"Mr. Scolex! Mr. Scolex!"

It was like a surging tide, a sea of reports batting against the limo as it pulled up beside the building. It was all the security could do to just keep them back, the only protection from scrutiny as Scolex emerged from the car and scowled at the ravenous horde.

Vultures, the lot of them.

"Mr. Scolex! Can you comment on that creature's claim that you created them?"

"Mr. Scolex! Is there any relation between the robots you've dispatched as security and the ones terrorizing the city?'

"One of your inventions has already empowered a monster, what steps are you taking to keep people safe from your technology?"

Sheltered from the downpour, a waving hand was the only comment he gave as Scolex entered his building to leave the scavenging press outside.

"Like seagulls at the beach," he said bitterly as his assistant, Patricia, approached. "Give them time; they'll find someone new to cancel. What's on for the day?"

But the look on his assistant's face was as hesitant as it was wary. "The Japanese investment meeting's been postponed," she said. "And the mayor's office called, hoping for a conversation at the earliest convenience."

It took all Scolex's effort to maintain his composure, to keep an expression of steely indifference as he processed the news. The same as it had been all week. "It seems I have some work to do. Screen my calls and update my calendar. I'm not to be disturbed, understand?"

"Of course, sir."

Spinning on his heel, Scolex strode for the elevator, hitting the button for his office before inserting the key into the panel. With a flash of light, he vanished, spiriting up to the secret floor where Xaviax's throne surveyed his domain.

The chamber was empty, an isolated void, as Scolex slowly stepped across the cold reflective floor. Ender was meant to meet him, which meant the better be a damn good reason for why he didn't.

"Update! Now!" Scolex barked as he strolled into the lab, finding Ender engrossed at the terminal.

"Well, your stocks have dipped again by another few points; if I were that guy on TV with the buzzer, I'd be warning to sell, frankly," Ender replied. "Looks like a few angry mobs have shown up at the construction sites, and boy, have they got some rude messages on their signs. Speaking of rude comments, probably best you stay off Twitter…"

"I meant the plan!" Scolex warned. "I didn't create you to be my PA."

"But I think I'd look absolutely fetching in a pencil skirt."

"And you'll become intimately acquainted with a pencil if you don't tell me what I want," Scolex growled. An icy fury cracked beneath the threat, one that came not from Scolex but the darkness from within that he'd embraced. "Update, now."

"Well," Ender gulped. "Things are progressing… well. It's mostly just final calculations at this stage, along with a few minor technical fixes. Thankfully, all the key components were installed across the city before this whole PR mess. Otherwise, we'd have a real pickle on our hands. Time is on our side."

"Only it's not," Scolex decided. "Because everything we plan for still requires Dr Hawkins. And without her, it doesn't matter how far anything else has progressed."

"Hmmm, it is a conundrum," Ender admitted. "I suppose there aren't many tricks left in the bag."

With a clenched jaw, Scolex looked out of the lab window to the city below. It was a sunny day, the perfect kind to create for Lakeview's citizen's enjoyment. They were out enjoying their fleeting and shallow revelry while his attempts to further humanity were either floundering or falling apart. And soon, even the parts that were still standing were going to come under fire. For so long, Scolex had cultivated city hall's favor, knowing full well that too much scrutiny would only impede his plans.

Now, he was too committed, and closely watching eyes would likely begin uncovering his grand designs. They were so close! And yet, it was still too soon to reveal his vision for humanity. The people weren't ready, not yet, and certainly not when Hawkin's hand was the strongest it had ever been.

Scolex needed to tip the scales, and he needed to do it soon.

And then an idea struck him, a cold and dark idea born from a voice that lingered in the shadows of his mind.

"The time is almost here," Scolex decided as he stepped into the shadows. "And we must be ready for the final push. There are things that I need you to prepare, a number of them, and then I need you to go out and find the Rangers."

"Oh?" Ender asked, with a tone that was both curious and excited. As Scolex stepped away, the darkness curled around him, the black of robes of Xaviax falling upon his shoulders as the hood cowled his face in shadow.

"Yes," said Scolex. And then the mask appeared before his face, concealing him within as his voice reverberated with metallic menace. "We wouldn't want them getting too comfortable now, would we?"

The sun was out, and so were crowds that gathered at the city's eponymous lake. The golden light of late spring was basking down on them, bringing glee and a desire to relax with its warmth. They were done in everything but name. No more papers, no more tests. Just one more tokenistic week of class before graduation. And as far as the Rangers were concerned, it was definitely time to celebrate.

Making the most of the spring air and the sun, the team had set up a volleyball net on the sandy shore, and what had started as a few friendly passes had turned into a hyper-competitive battle for supremacy. After half an hour, the scores were neck and neck, with neither side prepared to let the other hold their lead.

"Alright, guys, last point," Abbey cheered from the sidelines, "I'm getting hungry."

"You heard her," Miguel grinned as he readied to serve.

"May the best man win," Zeke chuckled.

On the other side of the net, Erika and Lena shared a look of condescending amusement.

"You're certainly welcome to try," Erika replied.

"But we've got this in the bag!"

As the tense standoff readied on the makeshift court, Abbey settled in beside Valerie on the sidelines. While a day by the water in the sun was definitely what the doctor ordered, she was more content to bask on a towel than dive after ball on the sand. Besides, joining in would mean missing out on the show, especially when Miguel was wearing his board shorts.

With his gaze narrowed, Miguel took a wide stance as he readied the ball, nodding to Zeke in silent confirmation. On the other side, Erika and Lena maintained their look of amusement, refusing to give anything away. For a moment, it was as if the very air had stopped, tension tightening as both sides readied to give it their all.

And then Miguel shot the ball across the net toward the open patch of sand.

Ready for the serve, Erika darted to the side, deflecting toward an awaiting Lena. Already in position, the android took the pass and sent it souring, arcing over the net for Zeke and Miguel. They'd timed it well, but Abbey could already see their problem. The boys were ready for the return and launching on the offensive.

Skidding low, Zeke dug beneath the ball and passed, providing the perfect set-up for Miguel to send it rocketing back. It was a good play, split up from the aggressive serve, the girls were in no easy spot to intercept. But difficult didn't mean impossible. From her crouch in the sand, Erika shot ahead, diving with a heavy swing to stop the landing. With all the power she could muster, the ball rebounded back to the net, right to where Zeke and Miguel were waiting for a perfectly coordinated block.

All they had to do was jump into the ball's path and smack downward to send it hurtling for the final victory. But even with Erika down in the sand, their remaining member wasn't out. As the boys rushed to the net, Lena kept low, shooting upward to strike from beneath. And by the time Miguel and Zeke had seen her, there was nothing they could do. With a bounding leap, Lena fired into the air, shooting toward the ball in a bid to change its destiny. As the boys launched, Lena's fist collided, spiking down to the other as Zeke and Miguel collided. The ball hit the sand, and the boys thumped beside it as Valerie cheered from the sidelines.

"Woooo! Way to go!"

On the winning half of the court, Lena and Erika cheered and high-fived as the boys wandered over to join and revelry. In the heat of the game, the match had been life or death; now that it was over, none of it even mattered.

As she watched her friends and boyfriend laugh in their revelry, Abbey couldn't help but take a moment to smile. It had been a long year, longer than she ever had thought possible; it felt like a lifetime ago that she'd met so many of them for the first time. When it had just been her and Zeke, a dynamic duo of best friends, joined by a surly Erika for a volunteering shift at the Hub. Or when she'd stepped into the school's lobby to welcome Miguel and Lena to Lakeview.

They'd gone through so much since then, they all had, but nothing warmed Abbey more than seeing all her friends laughing together as if they had been all their lives. Very briefly, Miguel cast a look in her direction, catching her eye as his smile broadened from elated to tender. An expression that Abbey matched.

It had been barely months since they'd finally surrendered to their feelings and admitted them to each other, and already, she could barely imagine her life without him. His calm that balanced out her chaos, the soft warmth of his embrace. It had been terrifying, especially after everything that had been put between them, but taking that plunge and giving the relationship a shot had been the best decision Abbey had ever made. And she never wanted to take it for granted.

Having caught her eye, Miguel started wandering over, his bare chest glinting in the afternoon sun, and Abbey made a show of her appreciation by slyly lowering her sunglasses to peek over the lenses.

"Not going to join the fun?" He slyly asked.

"Maybe I'm just enjoying the view."

"So that's why you've perched yourself up here," Miguel replied. "And not at all because it's the best place to be seen from the sand."

Up on a hill, lounging on a towel, showing off the cute, cerulean one-piece that she may have bought the previous day once it was suggested they all go to the lake. Why, Miguel, whatever could you be talking about?

Abbey really had to owe it to Erika and Lena; once upon a time, she'd have never had the confidence to lie about in a swimsuit in hopes of drawing the attention of her boyfriend. But now, here she was, lounging across the sand like a Grecian statue, waiting to be painted like a French girl.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Abbey giggled. "I just didn't want to get in the way of your fun. Why? Are you seeing something you like?"

"I might be."

"Hey! Lovebirds!" Erika called from the volleyball court. "We're getting something to eat!"

"Buy you a smoothie?" Miguel offered.

"Such a gentlemen." Abbey didn't even need to tell him what, Miguel knew exactly what her favorite was. Just as she knew his.

Of course, lounging in a swimsuit for a boyfriend to see was one thing, but if Abbey was going to wander around, she would want to be a little more modest. Just as she was reaching into her bag for the matching wrap skirt to drape around her waist, her phone buzzed.

"Go on ahead," she insisted. "I'll just check this."

With a smile and a wink that made Abbey's heart squeal, Miguel went off to join their friends as Abbey reached for her device to check the notification. And when she saw what it was, she nearly screamed.

Admission Office. Waitlist Acceptance.

Harvard.

She couldn't believe it. It happened. Despite all odds, it actually happened.

She got in!

"Hurry up, Deryck! All the good spots are nearly taken!"

Urgh! Whitney couldn't believe it. It was like every loser, and their dog had decided to come to the lake. First, she had to completely rethink and replace her wardrobe (she couldn't go out in what she already had! People had seen her in it, and it was so last season), and then actually find a parking space (because apparently, the city couldn't spring for decent valet service), and now there was basically nowhere for her to sit confidently while feigning disinterest in all the enviously staring eyes.

Honestly, what did a girl have to do to strut her stuff these days?

Of course, didn't help that her company was lagging behind.

"Sorry, Whitney!" Deryck huffed behind her as he hefted the mountain bags. "I just don't want to drop anything!"

"Well, we need to pick it up," Whitney decided as she surveyed the sandy shore for another good spot. "I can't believe all the best places are taken!"

"I know," Deryck agreed. "I didn't realize that being fashionably late meant arriving after everyone else."

"Just because they got here first, that doesn't give them the right to sit wherever they want," Whitney pouted. "Where else are the important people meant to go if everywhere's already taken by… everyone else?"

"Hey!" Deryck realized. "There's a spot over there!"

With a scowl, Whitney turned to where he was and nodded. It was an empty place, alright, but right up the shore, way too close to the water's edge with no convenient angles for people to see her. No way. She could definitely do better than that. She deserved better than that. And she was not going to debase herself with anything less.

"There has got to be a spot for important people somewhere," Whitney decided. "Come on, Deryck."

With a flick of her hair, she strutted off along the sand, leaving her hapless boyfriend/ bag carrier to dutifully follow.

"…and one Mango Blast," Erika announced cheerfully as she delivered the ordered smoothies. Sitting with the others at a picnic table at the edge of the sand, Miguel happily took his drink before staring at the one that remained unclaimed. Abbey had said she was right behind him, and in high spirits as he'd gone ahead to make her order. But for some reason, in the ten minutes it had taken for them to order and receive, she still hadn't come to join them.

He was just about to voice his concern when he saw her slowly walking toward the table in a daze. At first, Miguel was worried, but as he saw the look on Abbey's face, he realized that while some kind of shock had definitely slowed her, it came with elation.

"You sure took your time," Erika noted as Abbey finally reached the table.

"Taking in a little extra sun before joining us?" Lena probed.

"No…" Abbey's reply seemed more like an escaping breath to steady her thoughts to form a coherent response. Miguel wasn't sure that he'd ever seen her like this, and a smile crept to his lips as he saw his girlfriend's overflowing excitement. Reaching around her waist to give a squeeze of comfort and support, she looked up with a knowing grin. Whatever was causing this, it had come from that message.

"What'd the message say?"

And as Abbey took one final deep breath, eyes watering with unbowed joy and excitement, she finally gave her news. "I got into Harvard!"

For a moment, the only response was a shocked silence, stares with hanging jaws as all of them took a moment to process what she'd said. And then, at last, Miguel broke it with an almost gasping reply of disbelief. "That's amazing!"

And then squeals of absolute joy sounded from the girls. Within seconds, they were on her, holding her tight and bouncing with excited celebration. At first, Miguel was beaming as he watched them, basking in Abbey's exhilarating joy and with nothing but pride and happiness. Ivy League Law had been her dream for so long, an enormous stepping stone to the career she wanted to pursue. And now she was on the track to what she always wanted to do: making a better future for all.

But as he thought about it, it slowly dawned on Miguel what it meant, what it truly meant. Abbey's dream was within her reach after years of laborious work. But fully embracing meant moving to the other side of the country. Away from him.

"That's seriously awesome, Abbey," Zeke congratulated as the girls finally finished their squealing celebration. "I know how long you've wanted this."

"Hang on," Lena asked. "How come you're only finding out now?"

"I was on the waiting list," Abbey said. "I thought it was all over when I didn't get in during early or main round offers. It's such a small percentage of people that get in on the waitlist, if they even turn to it at all. It was a super long shot, so I didn't want to get people's hopes up. But I guess it paid off!"

"This is so amazing!" Valerie squealed. "I didn't think that this could get any more exciting!"

Hard as he could, Miguel tried to maintain an encouraging face as Abbey slowly peeled herself from their excited embrace. But as she reached him, falling into his arms in celebration, she nonetheless saw the hurt in his eyes. And just as quickly, Abbey's face fell as she, too, realized what it would mean.

"Don't suppose that there's a Harvard in California I don't know about?" Miguel asked.

Sadly, Abbey shook her head, almost pained, as she dashed Miguel's final, desperate hope. "New England."

And just like that, a tense, awkward silence fell among the group as they realized the likely conversation was about to happen. And that everyone was far too close for comfort.

But before anyone could come up with a convenient excuse to flee and leave the couple alone, a scream shrieked through the air. With a single shared look, the five teens raced outside, Valerie taking her cue to back away as they darted to the source of the disturbance. They didn't need to go far.

All they had to do was run against the current of fleeing people to find the horde of menacing Cyberdrones. Ender was practically dancing in the lead, twirling with malicious glee as the citizens fled in terror. As fast as they could, the five teens raced to form a defiant line, blocking the advance as they stared their enemy down. Even as they did, they all scanned the environment. Even as the people ran, it was still too public for them to morph. It just meant they'd have to handle them the old-fashioned way.

"Got let off early for the day?" Erika sneered.

"Thought I'd bring out the boys for some fun in the sun," Ender replied. Then, with a sadistic chuckle, he turned to the Cyberdrones to give the command. "Boys? Have some fun!"

The Rangers were already moving by the time the Cyberdrones reacted, launching forward to claim their clumps before the henchmen could take more ground. With unstoppable fury, Erika pushed in hard, leaping into the thick of the henchmen's group to immediately begin throwing them off balance. One surprise strike was all she needed, and suddenly, the rest were too busy clambering to stop her from claiming the tempo.

And it was definitely time to pick up the pace.

With a smirk of satisfaction, Erika dropped low, sweeping the leg of the closest Cyberdrone before leaping into another kick like an unstoppable tornado. Coming from the side, another Cyberdrone saw its chance to strike but was nowhere near fast enough. As her feet planted down, Erika's arm snapped up to deflect, grabbing hold and spinning to send the hench tumbling over the railing behind her.

"Careful," she chuckled. "The sand can be slippery."

But as she'd handled one Cyberdrone, the others had taken the chance to close in, shrinking Erika's confines in an attempt to restrict her movements. At least, that had been their goal. Thinking fast, Erika snatched an abandoned towel from the railing, slapping it like a whip into the face of the closest bot. With a fierce crack, the Cyberdrone recoiled, enough to give breathing room as Erika dived for a better position. She'd moved just in time, twisting midair as two fists swung beneath her.

Safely on the other side, Erika took the chance. The towel cracked again, wrapping around the ankle of Cyberdrone as she yanked it back. The henchman hit the ground with a metallic clank, with the last turning just as a crimson bolt of lightning unleashed from the cocky teen's hand.

"Didn't anyone tell you? You shouldn't be out on the beach in a storm."

Down on the sands, Lena and Zeke had headed off the flank, leaping to the defense of the remaining civilians fleeing the beach. Side by side, they skidded into the path to form a defiant phalanx, repositioning to fighting stances as the Cyberdrones shifted their attention.

"That's it, we're drawing a line in the sand," Zeke warned.

But before they could lunge in to give the drones a real day at the beach, a feminine squeal pierced the air. Having strode deeper into the crowd before the madness had begun, Whitney had picked the wrong direction to flee, and now she and Deryck were backed up against the well-dug hole as the henchmen closed in. It was tempting to leave the two of them be, but Lena and Zeke's consciences won out. One look was all they needed, and they split to tackle the fronts.

With Zeke holding the fort, Lena bolted forward, kicking at the shins of the intervening Cyberdrones as she rushed to plant herself between the two hapless teens and the menacing gang of Cyberdrones.

"All this way to bring sand to the beach?" she scoffed. "Man, you guys are pathetic."

The first lunged with a blow so obvious Lena barely had to move, leaning back as the punch soared past her head. But while her dodge was languid and effortless, Lena's reprisal was anything but. Grabbing the outstretched arm, she yanked the Cyberdrone and kicked. With force pulling into directions, the robot toppled over as the ankle crashed into its gut, and with one swift flick, Lena sent it toppling into the hole behind her.

But as the robots crashed down the sandy slope, Lena heard Whitney scream again. She and Deryck hadn't taken the chance to run and now were in danger of being sent tumbling into the pit with Cyberdrone Lena had just dispatched.

Without wasting a second, Lena shot forward and snatched Whitney by the wrist, yanking her from the precipice just as a Cyberdrone lunged right for her. Without a target in reach, the overcommitted henchman rocketed forward before falling face-first into the sandy pit below. Now, in Lena's embrace, Whitney was white and wide-eyed with shock as she realized that the teen had saved her. But Lena had no time to take the gratitude as she caught movement in the corner of her vision.

Spinning around, she thrust Whitney into Deryck's arms, the girl shrieking as she spun like a top before being caught. Just in time for Lena to duck beneath the coming blow. The Cyberdrone had seen her occupation and taken the chance, but Lena was more than ready. As the punch soared above, Lena dived, hitting the ground before spinning to crack her leg into the henchman's ankles. With a splash of sand, the Cyberdrone hit the ground before tumbling down to join the others.

"Go! Now!" was all Lena barked before racing to rejoin Zeke.

Thankfully, he was handling himself just fine.

As Lena had bolted to the pit, Zeke had lured the others back, forcing the Cyberdrones to give chase in an unintentional but orderly line. As he moved, the rest of the civilians behind him continued fleeing, abandoning their belongings as Zeke saw an opportunity and took it. An umbrella had been set up to shade the innocent beach dwellers, creating the perfect obstacle for Zeke to control the crowd. As he moved behind it, the closest Cyberdrone reached him, just that little bit too late.

Zeke's hand snapped to the shaft and pulled, slamming down the runner to batter the henchman into the falling inner canopy. Kicking down, Zeke smashed his heel into the ankle, and the Cyberdrone dropped to the floor as the boy heaved the umbrella from the sand to flourish it like a polearm.

Not a moment too soon. The next Cyberdrones lunged in, and thinking fast, Zeke reefed up the umbrella pole to block. The weapons rebound, sheering sparks off the surface as Zeke took the chance to bat them back. With another flourish, he thrust the umbrella and rammed the catch forward. With a flash, the ribs extended as the canopy bloomed, batting back the Cyberdrones as Zeke barreled forward like a plow. As the front row toppled, the remaining got ideas, plunging in the weapons to puncture the umbrella's panels and render it useless.

Oh well.

"Don't want to relax in the sun?" said Zeke. "Your choice, I guess."

The remnant umbrella spun in his hands, reefing the weapons free as Zeke cast the tangled mess aside to close in for the final strike. The shield flared before him, springing up the batter back the remaining drones as Zeke spun into a mighty kick. As his heel cracked dead center, the Cyberdrone went flying, smashing into the comrade behind him as they landed in a heap.

But it wasn't sunshine and rainbows everywhere; further up the shore, Abbey and Miguel were in trouble. It wasn't the numbers, the terrain, or even sneaky cheap shots. No matter what the two did, they were continuously in each other's way.

As the Cyberdrones closed in, Miguel skidded back, kicking up sand as his footwork danced in anticipation. He was more than ready, the entire fight planned in his mind as the henchmen lunged with sluggish predictability. The first to leap met a faceful of sand as Miguel struck down and pounced for the others. The next one was tripped as Miguel shot past, spinning to send his heel into the face of the next. Staggered in the pursuit, they'd all lined up. Now, he just needed to take them one by one.

At least, that was the plan.

With one more charging him, the boy smirked, vanishing in a crack of black smoke as he appeared behind and kicked it to the ground. But in focusing on his group of Cyberdrones, he'd become oblivious to the rest of his surroundings, and without a second thought, Miguel took a step back.

Right into Abbey.

Completely out of synch, the two collided, balance thrown as their backs collided from the crossing paths. They stumbled from the impact, spinning in shock and gasping as they each realized how close the other was. For a moment, all they could do was stare. They never ran into each other, so aligned that they could practically read each other's minds. But now it had become an awkward dance, each teen skittishly stepping into the other's path in an attempt to get out of it, costing them precious seconds as they failed to get back in sync. Taking advantage of the confusion, the Cyberdrones descended, pressing them awkwardly together as the henchman came at them from all sides. And then their problems got a whole lot bigger.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Whitney and Deryck had escaped their original attackers, only to run into a whole new batch. Sanding among a group of sandcastles, Whitney was now screeching as she cowered behind Deryck, who was bravely muscling up in a vain attempt to intimidate the footsoldiers.

"I've got them!" Abbey said.

Miguel had barely said a word in agreement or otherwise as Abbey suddenly bolted off, phasing through him on her way to the rescue. Quick as a flash, she launched into the air, crashing into the first of the Cyberdrones to stand between them and their victims. As another one reached for Deryck, Abbey slapped the hand away. Kicking the robot back, she whipped around to give the couple an angry glare.

"What're you still doing here?" she hissed. "Go!"

It was easier said than done. As Abbey battled the Cyberdrones, the two teens tried to make a run for it, only to find more of the henchmen in their path. Having thrown another down, Miguel whipped around to see the conundrum, along with the corner they were all backed into.

They needed help, and they needed it now!

Knocking the final Cyberdrone to the ground, Miguel surged forward, making for the clustered group before the sandcastles to make an opening for Whitney and Deryck. It was a good plan, and if they could get the civilians out, then they could handle the Cyberdrones without any other distractions. Unfortunately, Abbey had the same idea.

As Miguel closed in, Abbey saw the blocking Cyberdrones and moved toward them. With graceful fury, she cartwheeled past the attacker in front, leaping into a spinning kick to send another henchman clattering to the ground. But by then, Miguel had already committed. Midair, there was nowhere for him to go, no way of changing directions as he descended to where Abbey was standing.

"Lookout!"

Abbey saw him just in time, not fast enough to move but enough to brace for impact. Having angled his descent, Miguel missed the direct collision, stumbling the landing instead as they collided. Flailing from the thrown balance, both of them staggered back into Whitney and Deryck. They were less fortunate.

Huddled together and bracing for protection, the young couple were unprepared for the sudden clash before them. Knocked from their feet by Miguel and Abbey's collision, the pair tumbled into the sandcastles behind them with a splash of sand.

As the two groaned on the ground, Abbey and Miguel could only stare at each other in horror, unable to comprehend how they kept colliding. And things were only getting worse. With every misstep they made, the Cyberdrones gained more ground, backing the two into each other to force more and more missteps. They needed to break out, break away. To get away from each other in hopes of regaining some kind of ground. But it was no use, and now back-to-back, the couple's movements awkwardly battered against each other as they desperately fought to hold the Cyberdrones off.

"We've got to get out of here!" Abbey realized as she staggered back from a barely deflected blow.

"I don't know how!" Miguel replied. "I can't make an opening!"

Every step pushed them closer and closer, the confines almost suffocating as the Cyberdrones grabbed from all angles in a greedy attempt to grab them. With no room to move, Miguel and Abbey were powerless to stop the henchman from their limbs, reefing them around with sinisterly playful force. And then they released them, flinging the two dazed teens into direct collision as they crashed into the sand.

Now on the ground, Miguel and Abbey could only stare up in horror as the Cyberdrones closed in, readying their weapons as the two teens braced for what was coming.

The blast never came, but neither could claim credit for stopping it. Instead, it was only sheer dumb luck.

Having managed to fight back the hordes, Erika, Zeke, and Lena had escaped to seclusion and activated their morphers. "Server Force! Login Access!"

Three columns of light burst into the sky, red, yellow, and white heralding the triumphant reinforcements as the trio launched toward their comrades. They didn't waste a second, crashing into the Cyberdrone lines as Abbey and Miguel watched in a dumbstruck daze. In what felt like seconds, the three morphed Rangers had dismantled the Cyberdrones and had spun around to face Ender and his remnants forces.

"Sorry," said Erika. "This beach is closed!"

"I wasn't in the mood for a dip anyway," Ender replied. "See you around, Rangers!"

With the flourish of a twirling bow, the monster disappeared, sweeping up the remaining ruined Cyberdrones in the signature flash of green. At last, the lake was deserted, and the three Rangers made a quick look around before powering down to rejoin their unmorphed companions.

"Okay, that was weird," said Zeke. "I can't be the only one who thinks that was weird, right?"

"You're not," Lena agreed. "Show up, make a few puns, then disappear? That was way too easy."

But easy was relative, and Miguel couldn't help but share a nervous look with Abbey as Lena made their assessment. Just as quickly, they both looked away, ashamed and embarrassed at how their part of the fight had unfolded. They were Cyberdrones; they'd been walking all over them for months. And yet, today, neither's head had been in the game enough to handle them.

The others, meanwhile, remained locked in their tactical discussion.

"We should go talk to Hilary," Erika decided. "Whatever Ender hopes to gain by jumping us like that, it can't mean anything good."

"We'll go," said Zeke. "You go find Val and make sure she's alright."

"Try to dodge Whitney and Deryck, too, while you're at it," Lena added dryly. "There's a good chance they're still around somewhere, looking for problems to run into."

Then the trio turned to Miguel and Abbey, only now realizing the two had remained awkwardly silent through the whole conversation. As the five stood at the edge of the lake in nervous uncertainty, it started to become very clear that the tension between them was about more than just a few Cyberdrones.

"We've got this covered," Zeke finally said awkwardly. "Why don't you two just enjoy the afternoon?"

"Yeah," Lena agreed. "We'll let you know if anything comes up."

The two of them practically bolted, hurrying back to the museum to leave Erika caught between the nervous couple. For all her usual bravado, their fearless leader was equally looking for a swift exit.

"I'm going to find Val, tell her the coast is clear," she said. "If you want to still hang out, we could double back or…"

But as she looked to see the vacant look on Miguel's face, Abbey shook her head. "No, it's okay. After all that, I think we could do with some calm."

Erika looked unconvinced, clearly torn between fleeing as quickly as she could and staying to support and mediate. But in the end, it was a conversation that Abbey and Miguel could only have with each other. Bidding farewell, she turned and walked back up to the café where Valerie was waiting, at last leaving Abbey and Miguel alone on the shore.

For a long time, both simply stood in awkward silence, neither willing to meet the other's gaze in fear of beginning the conversation that awaited them. The conversation that neither wanted but knew they couldn't avoid forever. Then, after what felt like an agonizing eternity, Miguel finally spoke.

"So, Harvard, huh?"

"Yeah…" Still, she couldn't meet his gaze, staring at the ground, Miguel did all he could to summon the nerve to keep going. To ask for answers that he desperately didn't want.

"How long do you have to reply?"

"A couple of days," Abbey said quietly. "I guess it's enough to mull it over, but they want to so soon if they can give the spot to someone else."

This time, it was Miguel who didn't reply, nodding in sullen contemplation as the tense quite settled once more. And then, with a deep breath, he asked the question that he knew he couldn't take back.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's like I said," Abbey replied. "It was a long shot; I didn't want to get any hopes up or have to break the bad news when it didn't work out."

But Miguel wasn't buying it. "That's why you didn't tell them. But why didn't you tell me? You know that I'd have your back, that I'd be there for you if it didn't work out. And that maybe I'd want heads up if it meant that we'd have to…"

It was like suddenly the air had been stolen from his lungs, snatching the words from his lips to prevent him from saying it. As if leaving for silence would stop it from coming true. But Miguel didn't need to finish it, didn't need to voice the fearful reality that both were staring down. Where Abbey was going, Miguel couldn't follow. It was only then, as at last they forced their teary eyes to meet, that Abbey stifled a gasp, and the truth she'd long been avoiding finally hit her. As if she herself had hoped that leaving it unsaid would stop it being true.

"Miguel, I…"

"You know what?" Miguel decided, "I think I just need some time alone. But, congratulations, I know hard you worked for it. I know your family are going to be so happy."

Before Abbey could say anything else, Miguel turned and walked away, back out into the city streets to leave her alone on the shore. To be alone in his thoughts, wallowing in the inevitable future and end to the relationship that had brought him so much joy. To become reacquainted with how he would soon be.

It was something Miguel had thought he'd become numb to, had come to expect after years and years of the same thing, over and over. Everyone he knew and loved would always leave him, and any reprieve was only temporary. The same as it always was.