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I try to use e Five’s telekinetic grip is too powerful

It all happens so fast

Five pluritted, unable to ht appears in front of Nine--he’s teleported "NO!" Nine screaht’s heart

Five lurches backwards, shocked, as he realizes what he’s done Eight’s eyes are wide, a spot of blood forers away from Five, towards , but no words come out He collapses

I scream as the fresh scar burns across my ankle

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

I WALK THROUGH A DECIMATED CITY I’M RIGHT in the middle of the road, but there isn’t any traffic Totaled cars are piled up on the sidewalks, s nearby--the ones still standing, anyway--are cru and covered in scorch lass

The city isn’t fao I’et here?

The last thing I resmell fills the air, inescapable My eyes burn froh the e in the distance; so forward through the deserted war zone At first, I don’t think there are any people Then, I notice a handful of filthy utted re trash barrel, war and shout

"Hey! What happened here?"

Seeing htened, one by one disappearing into the shadows of the building I guess I’d be wary of strangers too if I lived through whatever happened here I keep h the broken s and sagging doorways My ears perk up; if I strain to listen, I can almost hear a voice carried on the wind

JohnHelp me, John

The voice is thin and distant, but I still recognize it Ella

I realize where I araphically, but where htmare It feels so real, but then so did those horrible taunting visions that Setrákus Ra used to inflict on me I close my eyes, focus, and try to force myself awake It doesn’t work When I openin this broken city

"Ella?" I say, feeling a little silly speaking to the thin air "Where are you? Hoe get out of here?"

There’s no response

A torn piece of newspaper blows across e of the Washington Post, so that must be where I am The paper is dated a few years from now This is a vision of the future and it’s one that I hope never comes to pass I remind myself that this is how Setrákus Ra toys with us Everything here is his creation

Even knowing that, the picture on the front page causes es froht over the White House The headline is just one word, in bold capital letters

INVASION

I hear a ru sound fro towards it A darkslowly, flanked on all sides by Mogadorians I quickly co into one of the nearby alleys for safety, but the Mogs don’t see behind the truck They’re hus, all of thery,with their heads down, their faces griadorian warriors arside them, the dark tattoos that cover their scalps displayed proudly Unlike the hu--an event of soadorians want the huain Johnthis way

I slip into the crowd and walk along with the hulance around The Washington Monuedly on the horizon, the top half of it sheared off A feeling of dread fills my stomach This is what the future will look like if we fail

The crowd is led to the steps of the Lincoln Me for this sick Mogadorian sideshow to begin The A above the Me a red Mogadorian sy the sides of the road--well, I think they’re stones at first On closer inspection Idown the center of his forehead The Mogadorians have broken down the statue and tossed it out of the Memorial

I push my way to the front of the crowd None of the huer to be at the front, so they letwarriors stands at the base of the steps, keeping watch on these dispirited people, their cannons pointed into the crowd

Setrákus Ra lounges in a throne at the top of the Lincoln Memorial His massive frame is clad in a black uniforadorian sword protected by an ornamental scabbard is laid across his lap Seven Loric pendants hang fro in the afternoon light His black eyes idly scan the crowd They pass right over me and I flinch, ready to run, but he doesn’t seem to notice me

Johndo you see asp Ella is seated in a smaller throne next to Setrákus Ra She looks older and paler Her hair is dyed jet black and bound in a tight braid worn down her shoulder She’s wearing a dress so elegant that it almost seems meant to taunt the tattered humans that stare at her in awe Her face is stony, like she’s long becorim scenes like this one