HEROES III

The Seventh Touch

A few minutes earlier...

At the same time the blast was tearing through Scarlet Fox's headquarters.

At the same time chaos was swallowing the party hall.

Merson, Mirabel, Schizzel, Kaiden, and William were already approaching the area.

The party building was still several blocks away.

They moved quickly through the streets.

Every second mattered.

Mirabel walked ahead of everyone.

Her face was tense.

"We need to hurry."

Nobody argued.

"We don't know how much time we have."

William nodded.

"If Total leaves that location..."

Mirabel finished his sentence.

"It might be the last place we ever find her."

The group fell silent.

That thought alone was terrifying.

Kaiden finally broke the silence.

"Wait."

Everyone looked at him.

Kaiden pointed at Merson.

"So if we actually find Agent Seraphine..."

Merson answered immediately.

"You guys go after Total."

Kaiden blinked.

"And you?"

"I'll handle Seraphine."

William looked at him.

"Alone?"

Merson nodded.

"Alone."

Kaiden stared at him for a few moments.

Then surprisingly—

"Good."

Merson frowned.

"Good?"

Kaiden rubbed the back of his neck.

"Don't get me wrong."

Merson folded his arms.

"Oh, this should be interesting."

Kaiden sighed.

"You kinda pissed her off."

Silence.

Merson stared.

"What?"

Kaiden pointed at him.

"You know exactly what I mean."

Merson looked away.

Kaiden continued.

"Back at Heroes Academy."

"You remember?"

Merson remained silent.

The others exchanged looks.

William coughed awkwardly.

Schizzel pretended to be interested in a nearby building.

Mirabel looked away.

Merson finally sighed.

"Yeah."

He remembered.

The rules.

The rejection.

The party.

The way T.L had looked at him before she left.

Kaiden lowered his voice.

"I'm just saying..."

"If she sees all of us coming with you..."

He shrugged.

"It might not go well."

Merson looked down.

For once he had no comeback.

Because Kaiden was right.

Schizzel stepped forward.

"Don't worry."

Everyone looked at her.

"We've got this planned."

She smiled slightly.

"If we find her, I'll explain everything."

Kaiden nodded.

"Good."

Schizzel continued.

"We need her to understand we're trying to help."

Mirabel looked toward the distant skyline.

"Then let's move."

They were about to continue—

When suddenly—

A strange sound echoed through the air.

WHOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

The ground trembled.

Everyone stopped.

"What was that?" William asked.

Then they saw it.

A gigantic white wave.

Racing across the city.

Heading straight toward them.

Mirabel's eyes widened.

"No..."

The wave tore through the skyline.

Towering buildings were sliced apart.

Windows exploded.

Entire rooftops vanished.

The white energy stretched farther than any of them could comprehend.

"GET DOWN!" Merson shouted.

BOOOOOOOM!!!

The shockwave hit.

The force alone threw everyone backward.

CRASH!

Kaiden slammed into the ground.

William rolled across the pavement.

Schizzel skidded several meters.

Merson hit a wall.

Mirabel nearly lost her footing.

The white wave itself passed above them.

Its angle higher than their position.

But the force behind it was enough to make the city shake.

Building after building was cut in half.

The sound was deafening.

People screamed in the distance.

Car alarms erupted everywhere.

Dust filled the air.

Then...

Silence.

For a moment nobody moved.

Kaiden slowly lifted his head.

"What..."

William stood.

His face pale.

"What was that?"

Merson looked toward the horizon.

Completely stunned.

Even he looked shaken.

Mirabel rose slowly.

Her eyes fixed on the distant source.

The party hall.

Her expression hardened.

Then she spoke.

"Schizzel was right."

Everyone turned toward her.

Mirabel's voice was urgent now.

"We need to get Total."

"Now."

Nobody argued.

Not after seeing that.

They immediately began moving again.

Running.

Faster than before.

But Kaiden stopped for a second.

He looked back.

At the skyline.

Several skyscrapers had been cleanly sliced apart.

Smoke rose everywhere.

The destruction stretched farther than the eye could see.

His face tightened.

Then he looked toward Mirabel.

"The first blast..."

Everyone slowed slightly.

Kaiden continued.

"The first blast was smaller than this."

"What is that?"

Mirabel stopped.

Her face went pale.

For the first time since they arrived—

She looked afraid.

Genuinely afraid.

William noticed immediately.

"Mirabel?"

Mirabel stared toward the party hall.

Then whispered,

"This blast..."

Her voice shook.

"It reached the whole world."

Everyone froze.

Kaiden's eyes widened.

Merson looked at her.

"What are you saying?"

Mirabel swallowed.

Then finally spoke.

"Total has touched all seven books."

Silence.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Schizzel felt a chill run through her body.

William looked stunned.

Kaiden's jaw dropped.

Even Merson couldn't find words.

Because they all knew what that meant.

The seven LATOT divisions.

Complete.

Finished.

Awakened.

Mirabel slowly clenched her fists.

"We're out of time."

Then she looked directly at them.

"If we don't get to Total first..."

Nobody finished the thought.

They didn't need to.

The consequences were too terrifying to say aloud.

Mirabel turned.

"Move!"

And together—

Merson.

Schizzel.

Kaiden.

William.

And Mirabel.

Rushed toward the ruined party hall.

Toward Total.

Toward destiny.

And toward a Full Total who had just awakened completely.