Ivy yawned as she entered the lab. Most of the Supers were already waiting, gathered around one of the tables. The rest had been pushed aside to make room.

Spencer and Claire stood at the other end of the room, speaking in hushed tones. As Ivy walked over to them, they glanced at her with concerned expressions.

"Something wrong?" Ivy asked.

"Well, not exactly," Spencer said. "But it is kind of concerning."

"What?"

"It's Malcolm," Claire said. "Apparently he's acting weird."

"Weirder than usual?"

Spencer nodded. "The guards watching the security cameras said he moves like clockwork. Paces his cell for awhile, sleeps for awhile. Back and forth every few hours."

"And?"

"He usually doesn't sleep through the night, but he's been out since around the time we got back last night."

Ivy frowned. That didn't seem too strange, but it was out of the ordinary, then who knew what Malcolm was up to? She couldn't help but remember what he'd said about concussions. But he'd been fine since they locked him up, hadn't he? "Are they gonna send someone in to check on him?"

"It could be a trap," Spencer said. "For now we just have to wait and see. I mean, he's only been sleeping a few hours more than usual, but still. We have to be careful. He's so powerful—"

Dr. Newman cleared his throat. "Everyone, listen up."

The Supers quieted down. Dr. Newman continued. "We've been working on this for a while." He pointed at the device sitting in the middle of the table. "It's a bomb."

Everyone took a step away from the table.

"It's not complete," Dr. Newman said sternly. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. With a sigh, Dr. Newman continued. "Additionally, we've put together this flash drive." He held up the drive. "We've been working on a plan to take down Scorpion. Many of you contributed your ideas, and this is what we came up with.

"The flash drive can be connected to any of Scorpion's computers. It'll locate their servers and download all of the information, then wipe the servers clean. In addition to that, it will interrupt any signals. Phones and internet will go down. None of Scorpion's information will make it out of the building, except on our drive. The bomb is a prototype, and as I'm sure you can guess, it's to take down the building."

A couple of Supers cheered. Ivy felt a smile tug at her lips. It was all coming together. They were going to end Scorpion.

"Now, I'm not very happy with this idea, but it's the only way to make sure everything Scorpion has is destroyed. I am, of course, worried about your safety. We'll set a timer, but once the bomb is activated, you'll need to get out fast."

"Couldn't we activate it remotely?" Ivy asked. "Like what Scorpion was going to do in D.C.?"

Dr. Newman shook his head. "We thought of that, but we couldn't get it to work. The flash drive knocked out the signal when we tried to test it. And we need to make sure they can't send any information out of the building. Anything that could be used to salvage the organization needs to be destroyed."

"How long until we can do this?" Spencer asked.

"Hopefully in the next few weeks," Dr. Newman replied. "We need to finish the bomb prototype and make sure it works. And recruit some more Supers, if possible."

Ivy nodded. In the weeks since Scorpion's attack attack on D.C., their numbers had risen from about forty Supers to over a hundred. Scorpion had been recruiting too, Ivy was sure, but they had the list they'd found at Tyche Labs.

The other Supers began making their way out of the lab. Dr. Newman picked up the bomb and examined it.

"Is there anything else you need?" Ivy asked him.

"Actually, there is one thing," Dr. Newman said. "There's something we need for the bomb. A chemical."

"Where can we get it?" Ivy asked.

Dr. Newman chuckled. "You can't just buy it. It's very dangerous." He set the bomb down. "You remember when I mentioned that I used to work for the government?"

Ivy nodded.

"Well," he continued. "I still have some friends in government labs. I contacted one of them and he said he could get me the chemical. I just need someone to pick it up."

"I'll go," Ivy volunteered.

"Are you sure? You must be exhausted after what happened last night."

"I'll be fine," Ivy said. "We're just picking up a chemical. What could possibly go wrong?"

Dr. Newman considered it for a moment. "All right, if you're sure. I'll go get his contact information."

While Dr. Newman disappeared into the crowd of Supers heading for the door, someone tapped on Ivy's shoulder. She turned to see Tyler standing next to her.

"You're going on another mission?" Tyler asked.

"Yes," Ivy said. After a moment of hesitation, she added, "You want to come?"

"Can I?"

"It should be an easy mission," Ivy replied. "I guess you can come along. I mean, you'll have to check with Spencer, but he'll probably say it's okay." Tyler's face lit up. "Go wait by the jetchoppers," Ivy told her. "The rest of us will be there in a few."

Tyler joined the last of the Supers leaving the lab. Dr. Newman handed Ivy a piece of paper with the information she would need and she followed them out.

She found Claire, Spencer and Ace training on deck. Ace barked, alerting the others to Ivy's presence. Once Ivy told them what the mission was, they joined Tyler and boarded one of the choppers.

Spencer scratched Ace behind the ear as they climbed in. "I won't be gone long, buddy," he said. "Stay here. And stay out of trouble."

The lab they were going to was in D.C., near the White House. "We'll have to walk quite a bit," Spencer called from the cockpit. "I don't want to draw any attention by landing near the city."

He parked the chopper in a wooded area and they set off.

As they reached the city a few people cast them a second glance, but no one approached them. Fortunately the lab was near the edge of D.C., so the streets weren't too busy.

Spencer stopped and examined the address Dr. Newman had given them. He pointed at a building across the street, barely visible through the trees planted on the lawn. "That's it," he said.

They wouldn't be going inside. Dr. Newman had called his friend and told him to meet them.

"He should be here any second," Ivy told the others. She sat down on the sidewalk and watched the front door of the building.

Seconds turned to minutes. A black car pulled up to the gate and was let in, but no one else came or went. Ivy tapped her foot impatiently against the asphalt.

"Maybe we should go inside," Tyler suggested, after nearly half an hour had passed.

Ivy shook her head. "How are we supposed to get in?" she asked. "The lab's probably guarded."

"We could fight our way in," Tyler said.

Ivy drummed her fingers against the sidewalk, thinking. They certainly could, but that was the kind of thing Scorpion would do. If they hurt someone...

"Maybe one person should go," she said. "I don't want them to think we're attacking them. We just need to get the chemical and get out."

"I'll go," Spencer volunteered.

"I can go," Ivy told him.

"Ivy, you probably shouldn't push yourself too much after last night," Claire said.

Ivy stood up. "I'm fine. I'll just go see if Dr. Newman's friend is there."

Claire glanced at Spencer.

"What are you going to do?" Spencer asked. "Just walk in and ask if he's there? We should call Dr. Newman."

Ivy's shoulders sagged. "You're right. I'll call him." She heard Spencer and Claire breathe a sigh of relief as she pulled out her cell and dialed Dr. Newman's number.

"Ivy?" he answered.

"We're here," Ivy told him. "There's no sign of your friend."

"Stay put," Dr. Newman said. "I'll call him."

Ivy hung up and turned her attention back to the building. Another twenty minutes passed.

"We can't wait here all day," Tyler said.

"You're right," Ivy replied. "I'm going in."

"Ivy, wait," Spencer said. Ivy ignored him and stepped into the road.

A booth sat by the entrance to the parking lot, with a guard sitting inside. Ivy stayed out of view as she approached, ducking behind bushes and waiting for him to look away before she got closer.

"Ivy," someone hissed. Ivy turned to see the others were right behind her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea, but if we go in, we go in together," Spencer said.

Ivy was secretly grateful. She didn't want to go in alone. But a bigger group meant they were more likely to be caught. "Okay," she told them. "Don't attack anyone. These guys aren't bad guys."

"Of course," Spencer said. He smiled, but there was a flicker of unease in his eyes.

Sighing, Ivy turned back around. The guard in the booth was reading something. Ivy slipped out from behind the bushes and, keeping low, hurried over to the booth. The others followed her as she snuck around to the other side.

A metal fence surrounded the lab. Ivy inched over to the fence and grabbed one of the bars. She let her hand catch fire, and the flames burned bright white as they slowly melted the metal. The bars grew hot enough for Ivy to bend them and create a hole she and the others could squeeze through.

She let the others go through first while she struggled to catch her breath. Melting the fence was draining, but they were just getting started. She couldn't let herself tire out yet.

"Look out for cameras," Tyler said from the back of the group. Ivy nodded, silently reprimanding herself for forgetting the possibility of security cameras.

There was a small stretch of lawn between the fence and the building. Ivy scanned the area for cameras. "How are we going to get in? The entrances are guarded."

"One of the windows," Tyler said. "The back of the building probably isn't as heavily guarded. If the cameras are moving, we'll have a small window of time to get in."

Ivy stared at her a moment before glancing back at the building. "You sound like you've done this before."

Tyler shrugged. "A couple times."

Ivy sighed. Now wasn't the time to worry about Tyler's secrets. "All right. Keep to the fence. We'll make our way to the back of the lab."

There was enough shrubbery around the fence to keep them covered as they crept around the building. A few rotating cameras were perched on the roof, aimed at the lawn behind the building. Tyler scanned the cameras, silently counting.

"Well?" Ivy asked. "How much time do we have?"

"Not enough," Tyler said. "The cameras are moving too fast. They'll see us come in."

Ivy's fingers twitched. "What if I took down the cameras?"

"Well, whoever's watching the cameras would send someone to check it out. But we'd have more time."

"Okay, then. On my count." Ivy held up her hands and took aim. Energy coursed through her veins and electricity shot out of her fingers, striking the cameras. The small blinking lights that signaled they were active went out. Smoke rose from the fried cameras.

Ivy burst out of the bushes, the others right behind her. She sprinted over to the building and stood by one of the windows.

"Claire," she called.

Claire held up her arm and closed her eyes. The window shattered. Ivy took a step back to avoid the spray of glass. The others reached her, out of breath.

Tyler grabbed the windowsill and pulled herself inside. Claire and Spencer followed. Finally, Ivy climbed in.

They hurried down hallways, checking around corners for people. The building was mostly empty, and they only saw a few scientists walking around.

"Dr. Newman said they kept the chemical locked up in storage," Ivy whispered to the others.

"Someone's coming," Claire hissed. "Hide."

Ivy ducked down a hallway and pressed herself up against the wall. The others followed her lead and they stood in silence, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Sorry, Walter, my meeting ran late. I'm headed out now."

Ivy's eyes widened. Walter Newman? She exchanged a glance with Claire, who nodded.

"Of course. Goodbye."

A man walked past the hallway they were hiding in. Ivy stepped out, taking him by surprise.

"Sorry," she said, as the others appeared behind her. "Dr. Newman sent us."

"I know," the man said. "You were supposed to wait outside. How'd you get in?"

"There's no time to explain," Ivy replied. "We need the chemical."

The man pulled a large vial out of his pocket and handed it to Ivy. "You need to get out of here," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry, we just—"

"No," the man said. "You don't understand. The president and some of his agents are here. If they see you..."

Ivy's eyes widened. "All right, we're going," she said. "Thank you." She slipped the vial into her jacket pocket.

"Be careful," the man added. "That chemical's dangerous. If it gets too hot, it'll explode." He scanned the hallway behind Ivy and the others. "I really should escort you out..."

"Thanks, but we'll be fine." Ivy gestured for the others to follow her back down the hallway. "Let's find another window and get out of here," she said after the man was out of earshot.

They rounded another corner and Ivy collided with someone. She staggered backwards and gasped. Standing in front of her was the man who'd chased her and the others during their supply run in Texas, right before the battle in Washington. The same man who questioned her after the boarding school fire.

The man's dark sunglasses reflected Ivy's alarmed face back at her. He smiled. "Hello, Ivy."

"Ivy," Claire warned.

Ivy glanced behind her to see more agents in suits. She clenched her fists, and heat pulsed beneath the surface of her skin.

"Grab them," the man said.

"Not happening," Ivy hissed. Her hands erupted into flames.

The man reached out and pulled the fire alarm sitting on the wall next to him. Lights flashed red as a shrieking filled the hallway. The overhead sprinklers came on, soaking Ivy in seconds and extinguishing her flames.

The man grabbed her arm. With a grunt, Ivy kicked him in the shin. He let go and took a step back. Ivy flicked her wrist and sent a small arc of electricity at him. He yelped in pain and stumbled backwards a few steps.

A click came from somewhere behind her. Ivy spun around to see that the other agents had drawn their guns. One of them aimed their weapon at Claire and fired.

It wasn't a bullet, but the strange device they'd seen in Texas. It hit Claire in the arm and she cried out in pain. Electricity danced up her arm as she fell to the ground.

Ivy lunged at the agent that had shot Claire, and they fired at her. A device hit her in the chest. Ivy grunted as it made contact. It crackled and pumped electricity into her body.

"Nice try," Ivy said. She held out her hand and redirected the electricity, firing it at the agent.

The agent collapsed to the ground with a grunt of pain and Ivy looked around. The others were fighting the other agents. "Get down," she shouted.

Tyler and Spencer dropped to the ground. Ivy held out her arms and sent out a blast of electricity, knocking all of the agents down. Her gaze flickered to Claire, who was lying on the ground.

"Claire," Ivy said, hurrying over to her. "Claire, are you okay?"

Claire groaned. Ivy grabbed her arm and found the device. Sparks bounced off her fingers as she pulled at it. It came off, leaving behind a burn mark on Claire's skin.

Two shots rang out. Ivy looked up in time to watch Spencer and Tyler fall to the ground. The first agent, the man who'd been after them since Ivy's fire, was holding a gun. He smirked as the other agents pulled themselves to their feet.

The sprinklers had turned off. Ivy wiped her hand on her pants and held out her hand.

"Ivy," the man said. He pointed the gun at Claire. "These shockers aren't fatal, but they can do quite a bit of damage. Come with us, and I won't shoot your friends again."

//

Sorry for the late update, I worked late last night. Thanks for reading <3