The People with Useless Power

Chapter Thirty-three I Guess

[A/N: tw: assault.

i'm a compulsive liar.

i am, aren't i? i've been suppressing]

"Am I dead already?" Grayson breathed out.

"Yes, Grayson, this is God you're speaking to," Vincent snickered.

"God, I'm gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay," he slurred.

"I know." He leaned down and pecked his cheek. "I know that firsthand."

The back doors slammed open, and the man with glowing blue eyes- Mark- held out his hand to Emily. "C'mon, we're here." Luna stood next to him, holding a hand out to Mara.

She took Mark's hand and they both slid out together, her and Mara. Vincent held Gray in his arms and slid out without help.

The four of them huddled together, Mara wrapping her arms around Emily's shoulders protectively. "If anyone dies," she muttered almost silently, "I will. Please. I can't bear this anymore, and I need Emma."

Emily shook her head. "Mara, we need you."

Mark and Luna walked over, Mark trailing slightly behind. His soft voice pierced through the crickets of the night. "All four of you. Um, follow me. Luna, you watch from behind." Mara bristled visibly and Emily shared an uneasy look with her.

They walked through tall grasses and Mara held her wrist, repeatedly glancing back at her. It occurred to Emily that she might actually... care.

They stepped over a puddle, and Emily slipped in. She gasped, and Mara raised her back up. "God, you're so clumsy," she snapped, and they ran to catch up with the others.

"Mara, do you... care about my wellbeing?" Emily teased.

"Of course I do, I don't want another one of my team members to die," she frowned. "I... couldn't take that, Emily."

A sudden sadness fell deep in her, and she tried her best to be careful and keep up.

They finally made it to a building. It was shattered and destroyed, looking like it was about to collapse any minute.

It was Mara's shelter.

She felt Mara's body tense up, she heard a terrified gasp, and she saw tears leak out of her eyes.

"Vincent, please tell me you and Grayson are still disguising the building..."

"We stopped after we left, Mara. I'm so... I'm so sorry."

She fell on her knees, dust and dirt rising up around her in a hurricane. "N-no... no... what happened to them...? What did I do... what did I..."

She got on all fours and let out an agonizing, tired, quiet scream. Emily's heart fell. "Mara, I'm so sorry."

"I built everything." She stood up, blood dripping from the teeth punctures in her bottom lip. "I took care of everyone. I made them feel powerful, special..." There was a sudden burst of rage and mania in her empty voice. "...and they took them."

"Not exactly," Mark chimed, and he knocked on the door, quietly, softly, and then loudly, all three in different spots.

The door beeped and he pushed it open, revealing an empty hallway. As they were herded in, Mara said, "what do you mean, not exactly?"

"Everyone in this building, right now, has been with your... organization... at some point." When Mara beamed, he let out a small smile.

"Wait, but, I don't remember her," Mara nodded towards Luna, and she frowned, furrowing her eyebrows.