Angie led the way down R.M.S.'s main hall with Courtney and Aashna in tow. Courtney beamed at her partners and squeed, "This is complete amazeballs. I can't believe it took until the last day of school for three of its most awesome girls to team up. I think I'm going to vomit!"

"Ugh," Aashna moaned. "You're not going to stay at an eleven the whole time, are you?"

"I'll keep it at an eight," Courtney promised. She leaned towards Angie and whispered, "Point five." While Angie flashed a smile, Courtney asked her, "So where do we start? Interview the Maroon Molecule's victims at the nurse's office?"

Angie shook her head. "Bennett said that place is chaos; we should wait until Carl's team calms the place down a bit. Let's find the most recent crime scene and-"

"Whoa," Aashna said while tugging on the blonde's sleeve. The trio came to a halt as Aashna asked, "What's the deal, Perkins? Why are you acting like you're in charge of what is obviously my operation?"

Angie calmly answered, "Because Courtney's not H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S. and I'm the senior agent."

Aashna scrunched her face in disgusted confusion. "How the heck do you outrank me? I've been in H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S. just as long as you."

"But you only work here on I.O.P. days. I have literally ten times the experience you do."

"Actually, it's nine times," Courtney corrected. "Because the tenth day is the one you swap."

Aashna protested. "It doesn't matter how many more days you work. Everyone knows the cool stuff only happens on I.O.P. days. While I'm out on awesome missions, you're probably just stopping cheaters or looking out for fake hallpasses."

Angie narrowed her eyes but kept her voice even. "Last week a rat king escaped from the science wing. I fought it with my bare hands."

"Well I was possessed. Thirty-seven times."

Courtney chimed in, "Technically that was infrasound-induced dysphoria."

Aashna flashed a palm and said, "Look. I know wedgiers better than anyone. This is my mission."

"Unfortunately it's not. End of story." Angie shut down the argument. "But I will consider your advice."

Aashna glowered at her.

"Strongly consider it," Angie offered. "Now, are we good?"

Before Aashna could argue, Angie's walkie-talkie squawked to life. A deep voice said, "This is Captain Juarez. Are any H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S. agents on the line?"

Angie answered the call. "This is Agent Perkins. We're heading towards the last known victim of the Maroon Molecule. They were attacked on the second floor boy's room, right?"

"Yes but we just got a new report," Juarez answered. "The Maroon Molecule has struck again."

Aashna shook her head and quietly asked, "How are they working so fast?"

Angie asked Juarez, "What room, Captain?"

"Men's bathroom on the first floor's East Wing."

Angie and Courtney shared a confused glance. Angie asked, "Did you say the men's room?"

"Affirmative," Juarez answered. "The vic is Mr. Pace, the math teacher."

Angie said, "We're on our way. Perkins out." She stared at her crew while sliding the radio back in her pocket.

Aashna couldn't hide her surprise. "I can't believe the Maroon Molecule is targeting adults. Even I wasn't that crazy."

Courtney nodded. "Mr. Pace is too old to handle a wedgie. He's like 37."

Aashna added, "My god. Will there even be anything left to interview? He's probably just a pile of dust by now."

"Let's find out," Angie said while speed walking towards the East Wing. "We've got to stop this maniac."

The scene outside the east wing's men's room was one of savage chaos. A lone hall monitor sealed off the bathroom's entrance with yellow crime scene tape while two paramedic live action role players struggled to keep a thrashing Mr. Pace pinned to his stretcher.

The younger EMT, a sixth-grade boy with a chestnut buzz cut, pushed down on the teacher's chest with all his strength. "Is he having a seizure?"

His partner, a seventh-grader sporting a mop of curly red hair, shook her head. "No, he's just sobbing crazy hard."

"HWA GUH GUH," Mr. Pace moaned. The blood-tinged cotton balls plugging his nostrils threatened to fly free and bombard the children. "It burns, make it stop!"

"We're trying," the younger paramedic assured him. "You have to let us put the baby powder on."

"NO I'M TOO EMBARRASSED!" the teacher protested while the girl finally got her scissors in position and cut a hole in the back of his pants.

Ten feet away, Angie's crew watched with horrified intrigue. Angie placed a hand over Aashna's eyes, but the girl simply stood on her tiptoes to view the scene. "I've seen tons of butts, Perkins." Aashna caught a solid glimpse of Mr. Pace's red, chafed, and swollen posterior. She reflexively gulped and admitted, "Though none this bad."

Courtney looked down at the girl and asked, "Didn't you make half your victims bleed? I would have guessed that was impossible from a wedgie."

Aashna watched the junior EMT slather lidocaine cream over Mr. Pace's freshly powdered butt. She calmly explained, "You have to go atomic. And be brutal about it."

Angie motioned her crew to follow as she approached the first responders. "What's the situation?"

"Hang on," the older girl said while Mr. Pace began to slip out of her grip. "I could use a hand here. Jason, give him a sedative."

Angie helped pin her teacher in place while the junior EMT shoved a handful of Benadryl into Mr. Pace's mouth. Jason massaged his throat, then the teacher's spasms finally weakened. The older girl sighed in relief and told her colleague, "Strap him down and get some vitals." She wiped sweat from her brow and told Angie, "Okay, now we can talk. You're H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S., right? I think we met during that ringworm outbreak."

Angie nodded. "Was it Jane?" The paramedic nodded, so Angie asked, "How many victims have there been? And were they all this hurt?"

Jane answered, "The hall monitors are the ones keeping full count, but I've handled six cases so far. I don't know exactly how many others the rest of the R.M.S.E.M.T.L.A.R.P.s have managed ,but it's a lot. And yeah, they're all this injured."

Aashna motioned at Mr. Pace. "But kids handle it better than him."

Jane shook her head. "I don't know about that. I treated one of the Black Atom's victims back in the day, and he was nearly as hysterical as this one."

Angie said, "We have to ask him-"

Aashna interrupted, "Who did you treat? Was it Alex? Alex Volkov?"

Jane considered the question for a second, then asked, "Was he the one on the news?" When Aashna nodded, Jane said, "Then yeah, it was him."

Aashna fell silent and Courtney said, "Let's stay focused. We need to get information if we're going to stop this jerk. Can we ask Mr. Pace some questions?"

"You won't get any answers," Jason answered. He told his partner, "Pulse is a little high at 114, but pressure seemed reasonable as far as I could tell from palpation. He's stable, but the Benadryl knocked him out hard."

"It's for the best," Jane told Angie's crew. "Poor son of a gun deserves whatever moments of peace he can come by. We'll bring him to Nurse Holt's office. It's a madhouse down there, but once he's awake we can radio you. Until then, you'll just have to investigate the scene."

Angie nodded, patted her unconscious teacher's hand, and watched the paramedics wheel him towards a cardboard ambulance. Jane opened the rear doors, then she and Jason hoisted their patient into the waiting red wagon. Jane sealed him inside, offered Angie a respectful nod, then hopped into the driver's seat.

Angie watched her pedal the vehicle away, then approached the officer securing the scene. "Did you see the attack?"

The monitor adjusted his blue cap and shook his head. "No, ma'am. I was just the first to arrive after the emergency call came in. The crime scene's all yours. Just be warned, it's not for the squeamish."

"We'll manage. Do you have any information that could help us?"

The office pulled a folded manila envelope from a pouch on his kit belt. "I heard H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S. was working on the case, so I grabbed this before I headed over here. It's not much, but here's everything we've compiled on the Maroon Molecule."

Angie accepted the file and said, "Thanks, officer. We'll take it from here."

The boy nodded, then walked away. Once he was gone, Angie spoke to her team. "Courtney, you're good at putting puzzle pieces together. Sift through this and see if there are any clues the hall monitors missed."

Courtney eagerly accepted the file and flashed a thumbs up.

Angie faced Aashna and said, "You and I are going to survey the crime scene."

Aashna couldn't hide her shock. "We're going in the men's bathroom?"

Angie shared her unease. "We'll take precautions."

The bathroom door swung open to reveal pitch blackness.

Hssssshhhh-whoooosh.

A pair of headlamps activated to reveal swirling motes of dust and fiberglass.

Hssssshhhh-whoooosh.

The bathroom door closed and sealed the two oversized hazmat suits inside.

Hssssshhhh-whoooosh.

With each deep breath, the filters struggled to filter out the noxious mix of sweat, blood, and rancid garbage filling the air. Angie jutted her chin forward and managed to tap the microphone's button at the bottom of her helmet.

"Agent Perkins requesting a com check."

The crackle of Courtney's walkie-talkie preceded her answer. "Courtney Tyler on the line."

Aashna's absurdly large suit madly flapped around as she repeatedly jumped up to chin her radio. At last her transceiver crackled and the girl panted, "Agent Shaan reporting in."

Courtney's voice asked, "What's it like in there?"

Angie and Aashna stopped a few feet into the room. Angie couldn't fully hide her annoyance while answering, "We could've seen better if you hadn't killed all the hallway lights before we entered."

Courtney answered, "It's way more dramatic this way. The footage from your helmets is going to be perfect for my next documentary."

"Awesome," Aashna flashed a gap-toothed smile and dramatically flipped her fishtail braid.

Angie told the girl, "The cameras are pointed at the room, Aashna."

"Oh," the girl pouted.

Courtney asked, "But seriously, notice anything odd yet?"

Aashna struggled to maneuver a few more feet forwards. "The gravity's off - it seems less than half of the main hallway's."

Courtney explained, "That's not the gravity. You're just too small for the suit."

"Guys, be serious," Angie warned.

Courtney said, "I'm trying to be. Someone answer my question!"

Angie reached out and stabilized Aashna as she tripped over her suit. Angie swung her light around the room and took in the scene.

A gaping crater over the ceiling stall; its rough edges resembled a jagged-tooth beast.

Scuff marks on the wall beside the stall door.

An abstract spatter of blood on the middle of the floor.

A chip of red plastic mixed amidst the hemorrhagic spray.

A set of enormous crimson footprints leading towards the door.

A shallow dent in the wooden entryway five and a half feet high.

Tiny shreds of maroon fabric scattered near the entrance.

Angie finally answered, "There's a lot to take in. Courtney, focus on reading the file. I'll radio if we need help. Aashna and I are going to figure out what happened here."

"Fine," Courtney sighed. "I'll just be out here dying of anticipation. Courtney out."

Angie took a few careful steps forward. She swung her headlamp up at the destroyed ceiling tile. "What do you think, Aashna? They had to have been hiding up here and then burst down, right?"

Seconds passed without an answer.

"Aashna?" Angie asked while turning around. She found her partner staring down at the puddle of blood on the floor. "Aashna, are your coms still online?"

Aashna pulled her arm out of its sleeve, then reached up to thumb her mic. "Yeah. What were you saying?"

Angie pointed at the ceiling tile. "I was saying that the Maroon Molecule had to have jumped out of there. Do you agree?"

Aashna finally pulled her gaze away from the blood and studied the hole. "No. They fell."

Angie cocked her head and studied the jagged edges. "Huh. Guess it does look like that."

Aashna joined her partner. She popped her right arm back in its sleeve, then slowly traced its index finger to each piece of evidence. "They were hiding in the ceiling. They expected to slowly remove the tile, drop down, and silently attack. But the tile burst under their weight. They crashed to the floor and knew they had to move quickly. So they flung open the door and left those scuff marks. Mr. Pace was running away when the Maroon Molecule tackled him."

Angie knelt near the pile of blood. "And that's from the wedgie?"

Aashna shook her head. "No, that'd be too much blood even if he had hemorrhoids. That's a nosebleed from his head hitting the ground as he fell. He was hurt and scared, but he fought. He kicked or maybe thrust an elbow backwards and caught the Maroon Molecule in the face." Aashna pointed at the plastic chip. "That's a piece of their mask."

Angie began to visualize what had transpired in her mind's eye. "The assailant was stunned. Mr. Pace got up and nearly made it out."

Aashna offered a grave nod. "That's when the Maroon Molecule leapt forward and shoved him into the door. Mr. Pace's head slammed against it. He was stunned but still managed to desperately claw all around. He tore a few shreds of the wedgier's cloak, then…it happened."

Aashna fell quiet and awkwardly shifted inside her suit. "He was so close to getting away."

Angie looked around the scene once more, then back at the ceiling. "Whoever's behind this was big enough to cause the tile to drop. Those things can't handle much more weight than your average sixth-grader." She clenched her jaw but failed to gather any other useful information from the nearby evidence. "Aashna, can you figure out anything else about the Maroon Molecule?"

The girl shook her head. "No. Let's leave." She started to walk back to the door.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Aashna sternly said while opening the door and stepping back into the hallway. She turned to her right and found Courtney sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. The thin case file was open in front of her. Aashna pointed at the rear of her suit and said, "Unzip me."

A few seconds later Aashna climbed out of her gear. She took a few deep breaths, then swallowed hard while Courtney unzipped Angie. She spun on her partners and asked Courtney, "What did you figure out?"

"Not much," Courtney answered. "It's like Bennett said. There's no clear pattern at all. The victims seem completely random. The best I can tell, the Maroon Molecule's motive is just to hurt people."

"No." Aashna stepped towards the girl and craned her neck to meet her gaze. "Whoever would do what we just saw would have a better reason than that. You're missing something."

Courtney withered under Aashna's furious glare. "Maybe. I'll keep looking."

Angie said, "You can spend a few more minutes reviewing things, but if that doesn't change your mind then stop. We can't waste all day on the file. Your first instinct is usually the right one anyway."

Aashna clenched her hands into fists and stormed down the hall.

Angie asked, "Where are you going?"

"Nurse's office," Aashna waved her off. "I'm getting some answers, then beating the Maroon Molecule to a pulp."

"Agent Shaan," Angie warned, "you can't just decide where you go. You need to talk to your partner first."

"I did talk to you. You're not listening, so I'm leaving."

Angie warned, "Agent Shaan, I'm ordering you to stand down."

Aashna halted, spun around, and stared Angie in the eyes. "We've never worked together. I don't know you and I'm not taking orders from you. I'll come back when I'm done."

Courtney and Angie watched her round the hall and disappear. Courtney suggested, "Something's up with her. Maybe give her a minute?"

Angie considered her suggestion and said, "Fine. I'm going to see if there's any more evidence in that boy's room we were originally headed for. Then I'll check on her."

Courtney offered, "I'll review this file a bit more. If I don't find anything that changes my theory, I'll start thinking of a way to catch the Maroon Molecule."

Ten minutes later, Angie silently marched down the halls. The boy's room had revealed nothing save for a dusty smeared handprint near the urinal where the attack had occurred. She thought to herself, If Courtney can't figure out how the Maroon Molecule thinks and Aashnaa didn't get information from the victims, I don't see how we'll solve this case.

Angie let out her anxious thoughts with a deep sigh as she reached Nurse Holt's office. She stepped inside to find a frazzled Betty triaging a waiting room full of injured students. Betty spotted her, ripped a thermometer out of a red-faced boy's mouth, then angrily flung the instrument aside. "Finally! Are you here to help?"

Angie said, "No. Didn't Libby's team show up?"

"Yeah, then they all disappeared. I've been waiting nearly a half hour for them to come back. Are you free?"

Angie's face fell. "Sorry, but I've got my hands full. Did Aashna come by here?"

"Yep. She wanted to ask the Maroon Molecule's victims some questions. I said fine, then she made the first kid she talked to cry. So I kicked her out."

"Any idea where she went?"

"Nope," Betty answered. "Now if you're not here to help, get out. And tell Libby, Ike, and Carl that they're the worst."

"I'm sure Carl had a good reason for-"

"Don't care, get out," Betty said before shoving Angie out the door and slamming it closed behind her.

Angie sighed and tried to figure out where Aashna could have run off to. She came up empty and settled on unholstering her walkie-talkie.

"Agent Shaan, it's Agent Perkins. What's your location?"

The line stayed quiet. Angie grit her teeth in frustration and was about to chide her, then decided to change her approach. She switched the radio's frequency and said, "I'm on your private channel now, Aashna. This is just Angie, not Agent Perkins, You were right. We don't know each other, so I have no idea what's got you so riled up. But something is clearly bothering you. I can tell that you want to stop the Maroon Molecule. You have to be realizing that you can't solve this on your own. The only way we're going to catch them is by working together. So please, tell me where you are."

Angie was about to give up and go find Courtney when Aashna's voice crackled through her receiver. "Ms. Creek's classroom."

Angie sighed in relief. "Can I come over there?"

"Free country," Aashna mumbled.

Angie swung open the English teacher's classroom to find Aashna standing near the windows, staring at the glass. Angie quietly closed the door behind her and joined her partner. Angie waited a moment, then asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Angie gave Aashna all the time she needed to answer. She eventually said, "This is where I attacked Alex." Aashna shifted her gaze to the floor, as far from Angie as possible. "I was so angry at every person I attacked. But it was Alex who I hated the most. So he got it the worst."

Angie took a seat on top of a nearby desk. "Ethan told me that he used to get stress migraines from going to school. From what Alex put him through."

Angie nodded. "I didn't like Ethan then. I hated how boring he was, how perfect I thought he was pretending to be, how I had no choice but to live with him and his dad. But eventually, I realized he really did care about me. So I stopped hating Ethan and started hating the people who made me sit outside the bathroom hearing him vomit."

Angie stayed quiet. Aashna eventually mumbled, "I guess I hated just about everyone back then."

Angie asked, "Not anymore?"

Aashna sat on a desk a few seats away from Angie and turned away from her partner. She wrapped her arms over her chest and rubbed them. "Now I just hate one person. But only sometimes."

Angie considered this as they sat in silence. Eventually she offered, "I get why today's been hard. It's not easy to be forced to see the worst choice you ever made. I know what that's like."

Aashna huffed and rolled her eyes. "No you don't. What's the worst thing you ever did? Plant a flower wrong and watch it wilt? Chafe a kid's nose while wiping it? Build too few kingdoms?"

Angie met the girl's angry eyes. "I nearly hanged someone. I had to think about that again today when Courtney played her trailer. I had to pretend it didn't bother me so my friend could enjoy people watching her movie."

Aashna shook her head. "So you made a threat. Big whoop."

"It wasn't a threat."

Aashna remained skeptical.

Angie finally looked away and dropped her voice. "I made Canterbury to show that we could be better than how we acted during the First Foam War. That we weren't animals. I proved I was right, until I came face to face with someone who tried to destroy what I built. Then I lost control. Cindy tried to convince me I was wrong, but I wouldn't listen. I wasn't trying to kill him, but I could have. How easy would it have been for Jimmy to mess up the noose? Or us to take too long to get Damien out of it? I actually could have murdered someone."

Angie fought a pang of nausea. "Everyone thinks I was this incredible queen. But when push comes to shove, I'm actually the worst person in this school."

Aashna stared at her partner for a long moment, then offered, "You didn't do it, though. You didn't actually hurt people like I did."

"I would have gone through with it if it hadn't been for Cindy. She saved me. Like Ethan saved you. And maybe, like you can save the Maroon Molecule."

Aashna cocked her head. "What are you talking about?"

Angie explained, "You both have both done terrible things. So did Alex. So did I. But we're all trying to be better. So, what do you think we should do before we attack the Maroon Molecule?"

Aashna sighed. "Ugh. Try to talk to them?"

"And if that doesn't work, then we fight."

Aashna wavered, then added, "And then we talk to them again."

Angie smiled. "Ethan would be proud."

While the girl suppressed a dry heave, Angie hopped to her feet and patted her partner's shoulder. Her walkie-talkie crackled to life, so she whipped it out and said, "Agent Perkins here."

"It's Courtney. Just plain old Courtney Tyler, who was not even given a courtesy deputizing in times of crisis. Is Aashna with you?"

"Yeah, she's here," Angie answered. "Did you find anything?"

"Nope," Courtney immediately answered. "Everything points to targets picked at random. The Maroon Molecule is either trying to get the school to fail the audit or hurt as many people as they can. Maybe it's both."

"Did you come up with any way to catch them?"

"Duh," Courtney said. "Only took me a minute. We caught the Black Atom with a trap. We'll have to do the same thing again. We just need the right bait"

"She means me," Aashna quickly surmised. She snatched the walkie-talkie from Angie's hands. "What did you have in mind?"

"We head to the news studio and broadcast a school-wide video. You challenge the Maroon Molecule to a fight, they show up, and we catch them."

Angie gently took back the radio. "Do you think they'll fall for this?"

Courtney's answer didn't come right away. "It would be better if their primary motivation was to be the Black Atom. But they clearly were inspired by you, so I figure it's a coin flip."

Angie immediately said, "I don't like those odds."

"Neither do I. But do you have a better idea?"

Angie sighed and admitted, "No. Good work, Courtney. We'll meet you at the studio."

Fifteen minutes later, Aashna stood in front of a bare wall while staring at a video camera. Courtney stood behind it, adjusted the focus, and flashed a thumbs up. "Okay, I think I've got this thing figured out."

Angie finished setting up the lights and boom mic. "You think?"

"I'm not usually behind the camera and for some reason our two usual models are missing. The broadcast might not look perfect, but it'll do. Aashna, are you absolutely sure that you don't want a script?"

Aashna growled, "Yes. Stop asking. Let's just get started."

"Okey dokey," Courtney shrugged. "Then we're on in three…"

Aashna stared into the camera's lens and pictured her image being broadcast to every student in the school.

"Two…"

Aashna's stomach churned. She turned to Angie and couldn't hide her nerves.

"One…"

Angie nodded and mouthed, You've got this.

"Action."

Aashna stared into the camera's red light, narrowed her eyes, and got to work.

"My name is Aashna Shaan. But a lot of you know me better as The Black Atom." Aashna's face twitched, but she kept her gaze locked on the lens. "I attacked a lot of people and caused a ton of pain earlier this year. But the Maroon Molecule outdid me on both counts. The only thing they haven't beaten me at yet is a straight fight.

"So this message is to you, whoever you are. Aren't you getting bored of skulking in the shadows? Of attacking scared people who barely fight back? Don't you want to prove to everyone that you're actually the better villain?

"If so, and if you really know The Black Atom's story, then you know where to find me. I'll be alone and waiting. If you're not too scared to face me, I'll see you there in fifteen minutes."

Aashna watched the camera's light disappear and asked, "Good?"

Courtney answered, "Perfect. I think we've got a real shot at drawing them out."

Angie added, "Now we just set the trap. Courtney and I will find a spot to hide. Lure the Maroon Molecule far away from the access hatch, then we'll all grab them."

Voice firm, Aashna said, "No. I'm going alone."

Angie didn't hesitate to answer. "Absolutely not. H.A.L.L.P.A.S.S. agents always work in teams. You're not doing this by yourself."

Aashna stepped towards Courtney and Angie. "There aren't many places to hide on the roof. The Maroon Molecule will spot you and leave. The only real chance we have at drawing them into a trap is if I'm alone."

Courtney admitted, "She has a point."

Angie shook her head. "We don't know much about the Black Atom, but they're probably at least a seventh grader. They're going to be bigger and stronger than you."

"I can take them," Aashna promised.

"Aashna -"

The girl allowed her face to soften. "I have to do this. Please let me."

Angie closed her eyes and shook her head. After ten seconds, she quietly said, "Fine. Courtney and I will clean up the crime scenes while you face them. But if you're outmatched, run away."

"Deal," Aashna lied, then marched past her partners and down the hall without another word.

Aashna finished climbing the ladder, popped open the access hatch to the roof, and hoisted herself up. Once she was steady on two feet, she kicked the door closed and stared at the sky above.

Dark storm clouds roiled amidst a strong breeze. A distant clap of thunder preceded a few drops of rain landing on the girl's face.

Aashna clenched her hands into fists and marched out to the middle of the roof. She slowly scanned all around, but saw no signs of life. She walked around the three A.C. units, then stopped behind the last grey block. She saw nothing, but felt the unmistakable chill down her spine that meant she was being watched.

"I know you're here," Aashna said. "Too scared to come out?"

"Just waiting," a guttural voice quietly answered.

"Waiting for what?"

"To make sure you're alone."

Angie saw a blur of movement from the corner of her eye. She leapt forward to gain some distance, spun around, and spotted him.

The camouflage was immaculate. Aashna watched as the grey cube seemed to birth her greatest foe. He uncurled himself to reveal that he had at least a foot and thirty pounds on her. She studied the only part of him that wasn't painted - his stark grey eyes.

The boy flatly said, "Hello again, little one."

"Hello, asshole," Aashna greeted the boy who had once dropped from the ceiling to slam a hatchet into her neck. "Figures it's you."

The boy cocked his head. "How so?"

"Killing me was one thing. That was a foam war. But I heard about what you did to Courtney. You scalped her." Aashna's voice wavered with fury as the rain fell harder. "You're sick."

"Not sick," the boy shook his head with uncanny slowness. "Angry."

"Angry about what?" Aashna asked.

"Everything."

"Bennett and Yen said you weren't with the rest of the people they slaughtered this morning. You're not a Dark Brother anymore. So start talking. Why are you doing this?"

The demon stayed silent.

"You really want to destroy this school?"

"Yes. And everyone in it."

"Why?"

Aashna waited for an answer he wouldn't share.

She shouted, "Why are you like this?"

The boy's eyes narrowed and his body trembled.

"Why-"

"ENOUGH!" the demon shouted. "Just die!"

Aashna blinked, and by the time her eyelids slid open he was upon her. A trembling fist arced from high above and slammed towards her nose.

Aashna jerked back and felt a whoosh of wind in the strike's wake. She pushed off the balls of her feet, tried to tackle her attacker, and cried as her face slammed into a firm outstretched palm.

Aashna crumpled to the ground and grit her teeth against the waves of agony spreading from her bleeding nose.

A strong kick flew towards her ribs. She barely managed to roll away in time. She leapt to her feet, stumbled, and retreated a few steps backwards.

The monster stood tall and watched. Aashna swiped a hand over her aching face, flicked red liquid aside, and spat a bloody glob onto the ground. "That all you got?"

The Maroon Molecule nodded in respect. "You're strong, Aashna. You were me, once. You hated this place and wanted to crush every worthless person in it. Join me. Let the Black Atom and Maroon Molecule burn this place to the ground. We can show these animals who really controls their fate, who holds power."

Aashna shook her head as the rain poured harder and collected a red-tinged puddle at her feet. "I don't want power. I just want to stop you."

The demon flashed a sharp-toothed smile. "Then try."

Aashna dug her nails painfully into her palm and focused on that instead of her swelling nose. She sprinted forward and threw a feint left jab towards the boy's kidney, then juked to her right and tried to punch his ribs.

The boy effortlessly ignored her first strike and slammed his elbow down onto her right wrist. While she was stunned, he spun and landed a roundhouse kick across her cheek.

A baby tooth rocketed from Aashna's mouth and left a trail of bloody saliva. Aashna stared at in shock as it bounced off the ground, then cried in agony as the demon punched her hard in the tailbone.

White hot agony raced up her spine like an electrical cord. Aashna stumbled, tripped over her feet, and collapsed to the ground. Tears filled her eyes as she sucked in a half-mouthful of dirty water.

The demon offered, "Try feinting with dominant hand."

Aashna slowly craned her neck towards the monster, but he was no longer focused on her. He slowly spun in a circle and scanned the roof. Once he'd completed his revolution, he cocked his head and offered an inquisitive stare. "You actually came alone."

"Yep," Aashna moaned while placing a madly shaking palm onto the ground. She tried to push herself up, collapsed, and then placed both hands on the cement. She finally managed to get back to her feet while groaning, "I wanted you all to myself."

The demon watched her for a long moment. He stared at her bloody face and bent back. "Leave."

Aashna grimaced as she was wracked by a fresh jolt of pain. "Wi-will you st-stop? Stop hurting people?"

The Maroon Molecule narrowed his eyes. "No."

Aashna clenched her jaw, flicked her tongue over the new gap in her teeth, and narrowed her eyes in fury. "Then I'm staying."

"You cannot win."

Aashna silently considered his point. He's right. I can't take him in a straight fight. But I hit a nerve when I asked him why he was like this. Maybe I can throw him off his rhythm.

Aashna snarled, "Why are you doing this?"

The boy stayed silent.

Aashna asked, "You're going to kill me if we keep fighting. Is that what you want? To murder a little girl?"

The Maroon Molecule's neck spasmed.

Aashna repeated yet again, "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm winning this fight!" the assassin shouted while stomping towards Aashna. She spun to her right and tried to launch a side kick at his shin. He jumped over her strike and, while landing, pushed her down to the ground. He grabbed Aashna's shirt and yanked her back a split second before her face would have slammed into the cement.

Aashna reeled in shock as he placed a palm on her back and pinned her to the ground. "I have had everything taken from me this year," the boy snarled. "Every fight, lost. The Dark Brotherhood, gone. My home, ashes."

Aashna stayed still under his grasp. She spit away the accumulating rainwater and asked, "Your house burnt down?"

The Maroon Molecule growled, spun her around, and grabbed her by the throat. He raised her to the air, ignored her desperate clawing at his hand, and squeezed.

The demon trained his empty flint eyes on hers while she gurgled for breath.

He loosened his grip just enough to let her breathe. Aashna gasped, "We can help you."

"NO!" the demon shouted. "People always say that. How, Aashna? How can you help? Can you give me back my house? Every single thing I owned? My dog?"

The boy's face shattered and tears welled in his eyes. "No one can fix this."

Aashna asked, "You've been hurting people all year. Has that helped?"

The Maroon Molecule scrunched his face in fury.

"Has it made you feel better?"

"Not…not yet."

"Then maybe you need to try something different," Aashna said.

His glare didn't soften, but he set her on her feet. Aashna stared up at the broken boy before her. For the first time, his guard seemed down.

This is it, Aashna realized. My only shot to take him out once and for all.

Aashna sucked in a deep breath, ignored the pain pulsing throughout her entire body, and thrust her right hand forward.

He couldn't react quickly enough to stop her.

Aashna grabbed his bloody palm. The boy tried to pull away, but she stopped him with a gentle squeeze.

He stared at her wounds, then down at the ground. "It's too late. After everything I've done, after all the people I've hurt? There's no coming back from that. So why stop being the Maroon Molecule?"

Aashna recited the words that had once failed to move her, then added her own.

"I've been where you are. I was so ashamed of who I was that I would have risked anything to escape it. I hurt people, I hated myself; hell, I still do. But people kept offering to help. Eventually, I was ready to stop pushing them away. I let them in. I'm not perfect, but I'm better. And that's enough to keep going."

The boy met her gaze and said, "It's not that simple."

Aashna assured him, "It can be." She let go of his hand and held out her palm. "I used to be The Black Atom. But I'm starting to like Agent Shaan. Who are you?"

His back fell until he was nearly her height. He looked at the bloody water beneath him and admitted, "I don't know."

Aashna asked, "Who did you use to be?"

Rain fell, thunder cracked, and finally, he answered.

"John."

"Hello, John," Aashna thrust her palm towards him.

The former Dark Brother stared at her for a long moment.

Aashna assured him, "Changing isn't going to be easy. But you're tough. And the only way you're sure to fail is if you don't try."

John took a deep breath and clasped her hand. "Hello, Agent Shaan."

Aashna managed a smile. She motioned towards the entry hatch. "Let's go clean up this school. I'll be right behind you."

John offered a small nod, then led the way. Aashna followed close behind and unclipped the walkie-talkie from her kit belt. "This is Agent Shaan, who has once again done the impossible. The Maroon Molecule has been stopped. If anyone needs me, I'll be opening a tab at the Spittoon. Last team to finish their mission is footing the bill."