Chapter 54.1
(Extended Ending)

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• Amir •

Amir hated hospital drink machines. But Luna wanted a water bottle. She favored Dasani to the staff's beverages. He struggled to leave her and not protect her, but his wife's needs came first.

He was beside her family in the cafeteria. He couldn't think of anything else but to make sure his wife was safe. Losing her after her near-death experience would have been devastating.

He hated that she withheld the organization's poisoning from him, but he understood it. She expected him to search for a cure. He was confident that he could work on some formulas and come up with an antidote. To begin, he needed to know her dosage.

His veins tingled.

His spidey sense tingled, and when he turned around, Luna wasn't next to him.

His stomach churned once again.

He rushed into Luna's room, only to find it empty. He closed his eyes to connect with her but failed. Concerns emerged.

Where are you?

He ran to Vikram after seeing the family in the hallway. "Hey."

"Hey, Amir. Why are you out of breath?" Liberty held Sarah's hand and asked.

"Have you seen Luna?"

"She's not in her room?" Vikram asked, and Amir shook his head. "Okay. Don't panic. Maybe she'd been evaluated."

Amir nodded. "If that was the case, I'd sense her. Or connect with her."

Inhaling, Vikram closed his eyes. "I can't feel her anymore."

The five of them searched the room for her whereabouts.

"There was a nurse and an orderly who walked by with a wheelchair earlier," Amir paced the wall. "I didn't see them stop here. I kept my eyes on them."

"They might have taken her somewhere," Elizabeth remarked.

"Is Mommy on her way home?" Sarah's faint voice broke the silence, and her lower lip quivered. "I want Mommy."

Sarah cried. She missed her mother terribly.

Amir and Liberty crouched and held her hand. "We know, baby girl," he whispered. "We're looking for Mommy right now."

Vikram had his eyes closed when Amir turned to look up. "I don't have anything. I can't seem to connect with her."

He stood and kicked the wall, grumbling. "She's gone. They took her when I was at the drink machine."

Vikram approached with his hands on his shoulders. "Bro, relax. I'm sure she's going to the bathroom."

Liberty answered, "Yeah, I'll check out the lobby," but Amir stopped her at the door.

"This room has a bathroom."

She frowned. "Why don't we split up and go through the hallways?"

"And I'll stay here with Sarah in case she comes back," Elizabeth added.

He lowered his waist to meet Sarah's gaze. "Sweetheart, Papa must go. When I find Mommy, hopefully, she'll be able to leave here."

She hugged him and grinned. "I love you, Papa."

"And I love you, baby."

Elizabeth's lips twitched as she slid Sarah back into her lap. "Please find my daughter."

Amir touched her shoulder and nodded again before he neared the doorway.

"We'll be right back, Mom," Liberty vowed.

They circled the hallway.

"Do you think she went to the gift shop?" Liberty wondered.

Both men shook their heads. "Someone took her. I have a hunch," Amir said, brushing his hair.

"How do you know?" Vikram asked.

"I can't connect with her, and neither can you."

Why can't I sense her?

Both Liberty and Vikram agreed.

Then a member of the hospital staff approached Amir and touched him on the shoulder. "Hello, are you Amir Khan?"

He nodded to the Asian woman. "I am."

"There's a phone call for you at the front desk. He claims it's urgent."

"Oh. Thank you," he replied, puzzled by the hospital call.

Stepping up to the counter with Vikram and Liberty behind him, Amir answered, "Hello?"

"I assume you've noticed she's missing by now?"

Panic exploded. "General Davenport? Where is she? Lay one finger—"

"Too late, Mr. Khan. Luna's sedated."

Amir grabbed the counter, his legs shaking. That peculiar feeling reminded him of when he thought he'd lost her weeks earlier due to her gunshot wound. She had to be alive.

"Amir?"

He inhaled. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing serious. Just caged her."

Wait. What?

Amir left the counter, focused on General Davenport's words. "You've been keeping her in a cage?"

"Among other stuff." A pause. "Luna is alive. Somewhat. She's certainly not having fun."

Like a heat wave, rage surged through Amir. The phone was crushed by his fingers. It didn't take a genius to figure out why the general did something to Moon.

BARDA.

He'd been living under a maniac. He only wanted to murder him.

The intercom announced a first-floor emergency.

"You're dead, General," Amir murmured, looking at Vikram and Liberty. "So dead."

"Great, but let's move on. Are you there, Mr. Khan?"

"I'm here. You'll die before sunrise tomorrow."

Davenport chuckled. "Come to the laboratory. Alone. Titus knows which one I'm talking about. Ask him."

Huh? Titus was involved in this?

"And Amir? I'd hurry. Her capacity to breathe is lessening."

The scumbag hung up before Amir could react. He waited for the phone to ring again. He caught himself and forced a smile before handing the phone to the secretary.

"Who was it?" Vikram asked, holding Amir's shaking shoulders.

His chest constricted and his eyes burned. "It was the one who took Luna."

"Who?" Liberty gasped.

"I don't think I should say anything because he told me to come alone. Usually, that means . . ." He threw his hands over his head and bolted toward the nearest stairway. Vikram and Liberty followed after. "He has her in a cage and is giving her lethal chemicals."

"Let's rally everybody and go get her," Vikram suggested.

Kicking the door's wall, Amir shook his head. "We can't. He ordered me to come alone."

"Did he tell you where she is?" Liberty asked, and Amir frowned.

"I have to go to Titus. He's involved in this somehow."

"Wait. Titus? The teen mafia hybrid kid?" Vikram's eyes widened. "Why kidnap Luna?"

"I . . . I don't know. He told me Titus knows her whereabouts."

"Okay, brother. We'll go there."

Amir looked away. "You can't. But I need to use the car."

"Sure." Vikram gave him the SUV keys. "Take it. Connect to me once you find her."

He nodded and gave them a quick hug. "Tell Sarah that we love and will see her soon."

"Okay."

After saying his goodbyes to both of them, Amir left the hospital just as the sun broke through the thick clouds. Luna's incident haunted him. He shouldn't have left her room, but he hadn't anticipated General Davenport taking her.

He deceived them.

That man fooled their entire group, and who knows what the community was about.

Amir rushed to Escape, attempting to avoid the police.

There was a teen superhuman who had a lot of explaining to do.

He parked the car behind the abandoned factory on the same road as Titus's club shortly after noon. The potholed path wasn't exactly a road. He didn't want his arrival revealed. Something was up with Titus. His age and appearance were warning flags. In the state of Louisiana, unprotected from BARDA, with other superhumans?

Amir walked silently through the weeds and entered the wooded area behind the building. He traveled across the uneven ground under bright sunshine and September breeze. He raced through the trees to the overgrown field.

He last visited the club with Luna when the field was empty. While wildflowers filled the landscape, thorns tore his clothes. She had a passion for the flowers. She couldn't take her hands off them while they were training with the hisyl. She'd grab those gorgeous plants and pop their heads off as soon as they sprouted.

He stopped at the dark entrance with a crooked grin.

Beautiful Moon.

His heart raced at the thought of dancing with her.

Amir searched the steel door for holes or latches. There was absolutely no chance that this door would ever open.

He stepped back and checked the property's front. It looked like a shed, not a club. He crashed through empty boxes. In the back, there was a loading hangar.

Jackpot.

As he touched the thin gaps between the doors, Amir heard the amazing sound of locks clicking. He entered a dusty room quickly. He sauntered over white containers and rows of documents as he skirted the wall. Liquor filled the air. He opened another door ahead. The hair on his neck stood up and a chilly shudder ran down his body as he entered the dark hallway with dry erase boards covered with anime characters.

Trojan.

Activated.

Amir sprinted out of the passageway, only seconds away from slipping into a light bulb. He stopped when he saw the hollowed end of a handgun.

That would hurt.

The bouncer, still in overalls, was the proud owner of the redneck killer. "Hands up, Sugar, and don't even think about trying something you might regret."

Sugar?

He raised his arms, jaw gritted. "There is an active Trojan here."

"And your point is?" the bouncer continued.

Amir cocked a brow. "So Titus is helping Trojans—the bad ones?"

"That's his business." The bouncer stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "Where is that lovely wife of yours? Is she around?"

When the bouncer looked behind him, Amir took advantage. Before responding, his hand shot out. He took the weapon from the man and turned it. "It doesn't feel good to have this pointed at you, does it?"

"Nope."

"Thought so." Amir's trigger finger itched. "I'd like to keep my body intact."

The bouncer chortled. "Well, you do have a nice body."

In Amir's mind, a piano began to play.

"Oh, how cute," murmured another voice. "It's a match made in heaven."

Titus.

"Nah, he's not Moon," Amir answered, gripping the gun's barrel.

"Did you really think you could slip by me and I wouldn't notice?" Titus remarked.

Amir grinned while watching the bouncer. "Would that matter?"

"Yeah, if you were trying to sneak in and not pay for a dance." Amir saw Titus emerge from the shadows. He wore All Monsters Are Human t-shirt and gray workout trousers."Amir put down the gun. Nobody wants you."

Amir scowled coldly and let heat embrace his hand. Warmth wafted the smell of burning metal. He gave the gun to the bouncer after it had become useless.

The bouncer sighed at the gun. "I hate when people touch my stuff."

Titus swung his legs on the counter like a spoiled schoolboy. The dim bar lights clouded his oddly colored eye ring.

Amir watched him. "We must talk. Now."

Amir roared as his incredible brightness dimmed. He flew across the empty dance floor for the emergency exit cluster.

The Trojan, or whatever he was, turned and saw a guy change into a human—his dazzling physique was covered in powdery skin, and his shoulders were roughly the same breadth as his pelvis—the second before the two men collided like two stones rolling down a hill. The crash shook the walls and cages overhead.

"Bollocks!" Titus said. "Can't we just sing a song?"

The Being had his arms around his waist as Amir slammed him back against the wall. Plaster exploded. The Being clung on. The man was powerful.

He turned, breaking Amir's grip, and his hazy arm reached for his chest. Amir swung his palm to blast the obnoxious jackass into the next year.

"Guys! There is no fighting in my club!" Titus screamed. "I had to break a few fights this week, and I'm exhausted!"

Both ignored him.

"Take it outside!" he yelled, "Or else!"

"What exactly are you?" Amir murmured. "You aren't a Trojan, but something greater."

Amir's palms emitted white fire.

'You have no idea what you're toying with,' The Being growled, blasting his words directly into Amir's head, which infuriated him.

Amir let go of his energy ball.

It connected with The Being's spine.

He jerked backward, looked at Amir, then jerked sideways. His shape sharpened.

The room shimmered with static electricity from Amir's fingers. The Being infuriated him.

"You might want to reconsider that," Titus advised. "Zander wants blood and can crush you instantly. Goodbye, Prince."

Amir was ready to tell Titus what he thought of his offer when another body appeared from his office corridor. A beautiful, dark-haired woman. She seemed normal. Her jaw fell. "Zander?"

The distracted Being glanced briefly in her direction as Amir's energy started to wane. Zander must have spoken to her because she scowled and said, "But you're fighting someone like him."

Amir's brows perked.

Zander faced Amir and moved back. A half-second later, a man the same height and age froze. Eyes and hair were white.

"Selena," he said. "Wait for me in Titus's room."

The woman's scowl reminded Amir of Luna, twisting his chest. "Huh?"

He narrowed his eyes and faced her quickly. The bouncer grabbed her arm across the huge floor. "Let's visit Titus's museum to see the items he has gathered since 1610. It's amazing."

What?

"Why is that man fighting with Zander?" she said.

"Come on. Titus has nine cases of Egyptian statues back here," the bouncer added.

Zander gaped. "Egyptian statues?"

Bouncer winked. "Among other things."

"Thanks, Axel," Titus said.

Zander's lip twisted while walking. "I'm not sure about this."

Titus laughed. "Axel isn't interested in her."

Wait—what in the hell was going on? Those two were a couple?

"You want to tone down the light?" The Being gazed at Amir. "You're blinding me over here."

He beamed. "Good."

"Guys! What did I say?" Titus demanded. "Cool it. Now."

Amir wanted to punch Zander, but he wasn't attacking. His aura calmed. "You don't have good table manners."

Zander smiled.

Amir scowled.

"You two ought to get along." Titus smiled. "You find loyal people in war. A war among superhumans."

Zander and Amir stared before snorting.

"No, thank you," Amir responded.

Titus laughed. "Okay. This hour excites me. Here's Zander, an Engineered Soul who has just emerged from his ten-year cocoon and decided to grace me with his magnificent presence because he needs a piece of Tanzanite to thrive in this messed-up world, and here's Amir Khan, The Wizard of Oz. Oh, wait. I'm sorry. He's looking at me like he wants to beat me senseless."

"Something like that," Amir snarled.

"And what did I do, Your Highness?" Titus asked, and Zander laughed.

Amir's fists tightened. "Like I have to tell you."

Titus moved. "I have no idea what's going on. I'm going to guess. I don't see or feel Rogue. Something happened? Perhaps after your infiltration at Ramsey?"

Amir moved closer, enraged.

"You infiltrated Ramsey Sanitarium?" Zander laughed. "That's insane."

"Screw you," he said, watching him.

Zander sighed heavily. "Our mutual alliance will come to an end if you keep that attitude, homie. No one tells me off."

Amir blinked. "Screw. You."

"You're pushing it," Zander hissed.

Amir addressed the shadowy Engineered Soul. "Really? I have a lot of pent-up rage that I'd like to unleash on someone."

"Guys." Titus sighed, sliding off the bar. "Can't you two work it out?"

Zander continued. "You think you can take me, dude? I've taken every serum."

"Let's put your moves to the test, Big Boy," Amir said to Zander.

The Being poked Amir's shoulder. "It's on."

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