"Jack, Jack, wake up!" his mother's voice called from downstairs.
Jack groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Ugh… already? Fine, I'm up."
He sat up, grabbed a shirt from the floor, and sniffed it. His face twisted. "Great. Smells like a dead raccoon."
He yanked open his closet, rummaging through the mess. "Mom, you didn't wash my clothes!"
From downstairs came the sharp reply: "You're twenty now. Wash them yourself."
Jack slammed the closet door shut. Unbelievable. After a frantic search, he pulled out a wrinkled tank top. He stared at it in disbelief. "Really? First day on the job, and I'm showing up like I'm going to the beach. Perfect."
He threw it on anyway, tugged on a pair of shorts, Jack trudged downstairs, the floorboards creaking under his bare feet. The smell of bacon hit him like a wall, and his stomach twisted.
"Mom, seriously? Bacon? You know I don't eat that."
She didn't look up. She sat at the table in her robe, hair pinned back, stabbing her fork into a strip of bacon. "There are eggs and coffee. Pan's right there."
Jack yanked a plate from the cupboard, muttering, "Best first day ever." He scooped the scrambled eggs from the pan—cold, rubbery, clumped together—and dropped into a chair.
He shoved a forkful into his mouth. Bland. Dry. Figures. Even the eggs taste like they've given up on me.
"Is it good?" finally glancing at him.
Jack forced a nod. "Yeah. It's fine mom. Where's William?"
Her face softened, almost glowing. "He woke up early, made breakfast, even woke me up. Then he went to school." She rose, carrying her plate to the sink. Her voice dropped into something close to reverence. "Thank God for giving me a caring son."
Jack froze mid‑bite. His jaw tightened. There it is. The reminder. William the golden boy. And me? Just the screw‑up in a tank top.
He stabbed at the eggs, chewing harder than necessary. "Glad he's perfect."
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
She turned, arms crossed now, studying him. "You could learn from your younger brother, you know. He doesn't complain. He doesn't make excuses. He just… does what needs to be done."
Jack's fork clattered against the plate. Of course. Lecture number one: Be more like William.
"I'm not William," he said, sharper than he intended.
She hesitated, her eyes flicking. "No… you're not. William makes things easier for me. You… you make things harder."
The words landed like a punch. Jack's chest tightened. Not even a denial. Not even a token 'I love you both the same.' Just… no. You're not.
He swallowed hard, the food suddenly heavy in his throat. "Guess I'll just keep disappointing you then."
Her eyes narrowed. "Don't twist my words, Jack. I'm telling you to grow up. You're twenty. Start acting like it."
A car horn blared outside.
"Beb! Jack! Let's go!"
She turned back to the sink. "Your friend's here. Don't be late."
Jack pushed back his chair, the legs scraping against the floor. "Thanks for the meal, Mom." The words came out stiff, automatic.
He stepped outside into the morning light. Rayen leaned out of the car window, grinning.
"What's with your face this morning, dude?"
"Nothing. Just didn't sleep well." Jack climbed in, slamming the door behind him.
And now I get to face the world looking like a hungover tourist. Perfect. Just perfect.
"Rayen," Jack said, his voice low but urgent. "Start the car."
The engine growled, The car rolled onto the road, Jack lowered the window and let his head fall against the frame. Heat rushed in, the wind biting his skin like sandpaper.
"Cheer up—it's our first day at work," Rayen said, trying to sound upbeat.
Jack forced a smile. "I'm excited, Rayen. Really."
Rayen shot him a sideways glance. "Liar. I know you. Is it your mom again?"
Rayen's grin vanished. "She's still blaming you? Jack, it's not your fault. It's those damn supers."
"Hey, eyes on the road," Jack muttered.
"Sorry. I just hate seeing you like this. Move out already."
"I don't have any money, in case you forgot."
"Then move in with me."
"And become a burden on another family? No, thanks."
Rayen shrugged. "Well, suit yourself. Oh—almost forgot. Amy called me yesterday. She asked why we dropped out."
Jack's head snapped toward him. "What did you tell her?"
Rayen smirked. "The truth, of course."
Jack glared.
"I'm kidding. I wasn't about to tell her my friend needs money, so he found a job that he will be working all day with no time for college. So I lied; I told her we were going on a vacation."
Jack slumped back. "You didn't have to drop out with me."
Rayen's voice softened. "And leave you alone in this mess? No way. You can't even tie your shoes without me." He grinned. "We're brothers. I'm with you."
For the first time that morning, Jack smiled.
"There it is," Rayen said.
"That's the face I like to see. I think she likes you. dude She was worried about you the most. Why dont you give her your number?"
"I don't have time for dating. I've got to think about my future."
The car jolted to a stop, tires spitting gravel.
Jack's hand slammed against the dash. God, my chest—thought we hit a wall. What the hell is he doing? "What the hell, Rayen?"
Rayen's eyes were wide, locked on the dirt road ahead. "Dude… look. its Volt Sentinel"
Jack followed his gaze. Two figures stood in the middle of the desert track, framed by endless sand and scrub. A man in cobalt blue straddled a woman in crimson, pinning her to the ground. Blue lightning crawled over his arms, sparking against the dirt.
"You devil!" he roared, voice echoing across the barren flats. "You killed my friend!"
The woman spat blood, her grin sharp and mocking. "Which one?"
His fist came down like a hammer into her face, The impact cracked the earth, sending a shockwave through the ground. The car rattled, dust pluming into the air.
Rayen ducked. "Holy shit—what do we do?"
Jack's eyes stayed locked on the fight.
The woman twisted suddenly, her hand glowing red as she slammed her palm into the Volt Sentinel chest. The blast hurled him across the dirt road, gouging a trench in the sand. Blue lightning arced wildly, scorching the ground black.
Volt Sentinel rose, veins lit with electric fire, eyes blazing cobalt. With a roar, he charged, each step cracking the dry earth beneath him.
"We shouldn't be here. Back us up. Now." Jack's voice was tight, urgent.
Rayen threw the car into reverse, wheels crunching over loose stone.
She met him head‑on. Red and blue collided in a blinding flash, the explosion fliped the car sideways. Jack gripped the door handle, heart hammering, We're dead. We're already dead.
"Rayen—you good?"
"Yeah. You?"
"I'm fine. Can you move?"
"Yes, but my windshield—my car—"
"Not the time. We get out first."
Jack kicked the windshield until it shattered, then hauled himself onto the overturned frame. He reached down, pulling Rayen through the car window.
Another shockwave slammed into them, hurling their bodies off the overturned car. They crashed into the dirt behind it, the wreck shielding them from the storm of sparks. Move, damn it. Don't freeze.
"Rayen, move! Get behind the wreck, it's the only shield we've got!"
Jack glanced back at the fight. The woman dangled Volt Sentinel by the throat, holding him aloft with one hand, her laughter cutting through the crackle of lightning and the rumble of shifting earth.
Her glowing red eyes snapped toward him. "I see you," she hissed.
Jack's stomach dropped. She's looking right at me. No, no, no—why? "Oh, shit. She saw me."
"What do we do, dude?" Rayen whispered, though his voice shook too much to sound brave.
A sharp crack split the air. Volt Sentinel's body hit the ground like a broken doll. He's down. If she can crush him, what chance do we have?
"Little mouse," the woman called, her voice dripping with menace. "I've found you."
She appeared behind Rayen in a blur. rayen screamed, Jack's heart lurched as he turned—too see her shadow looming behind his friend.
Her fist punched straight through Rayen's back, hand burst through his chest, his body remained upright, swaying, eyes wide with shock. Blood dripped from her knuckles, pattering onto the floor.
Rayen gargled, blood bubbling at his lips as his body trembled, still upright. Then she yanked her fist free, and he collapsed in a lifeless heap at Jack's feet.
Jack couldn't move.
The world had gone silent, except for the pounding in his ears. Sparks still rained, the storm still raged, but it all felt distant, like he was watching through glass.
Rayen's gone. No—he can't be. He was just here. He was just breathing. Talking. Laughing. He can't be—
His throat closed. His chest heaved, but no air came. His hands shook so violently he thought his bones might rattle apart.
Do something. Move. Run. Fight. Anything.
But his body refused. His legs were stone, his voice locked behind his teeth. He stared at the heap on the ground, at the blood soaking into the dirt, and his mind screamed the same word over and over:
No. No. No.
The woman's shadow stretched toward him, long and sharp in the flicker of lightning. Jack's vision tunneled, the edges of the world collapsing until there was only her—and the unbearable emptiness where Rayen had been.