Odyssey Of Survival-Chapter 182 - The Last Six

Nate turned to Madison, his expression tense but composed. "Take Alice and get Bella," he instructed firmly. "I'll handle things on my end."

Madison nodded, grabbing Alice's wrist. Without hesitation, she vanished, teleporting the two of them away in a flash of purple energy. Now alone, Nate took a deep breath, glancing down at the street below. Since there was no longer a reason to hide his abilities, he bent his knees slightly before launching himself off the rooftop. The moment his feet touched the ground, his muscles tensed, and he exploded forward, sprinting through the empty streets. He avoided using his lightning, knowing it would draw unnecessary attention, but even without it, he was fast—blurring past buildings and traffic like a ghost in the morning.

The sight of a black van parked outside his home made his stomach tighten. It was identical to the one at Madison's house. His heart pounded. Had they already gotten inside? Was he too late? A cold chill ran down his spine, but he didn't hesitate. Without missing a beat, he vanished from his position, reappearing inside his bedroom in the blink of an eye. The moment he entered, he skidded across the wooden floor, his body coming to a sudden stop as his eyes darted around the room.

The scene before him was nothing short of shocking.

Sera's shadowy tendrils slithered across the walls, the dark mass wrapping tightly around several men in tactical gear. They were mummified, their bodies completely restrained, their weapons useless against the inky darkness that had already claimed them. The air was thick with the scent of fear, sweat, and something else—something unnatural. Nate's eyes widened as he turned toward Sera, who stood there with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.

She met his gaze and simply shrugged. "They opened fire first."

Nate exhaled sharply, his initial shock fading as he processed her words. "Then they got what they deserved."

He took a step forward, scanning the room before his eyes landed on Sera again. "Where's my mom? Where's Cleo?"

Almost as if on cue, his mother stepped out of Sera's shadow, her expression calm—too calm. Nate was stunned. There was no fear, no shock on her face. Instead, she looked at him with the same warmth she always did, as if the sight of men being swallowed by living darkness was just another normal occurrence in her life.

He stared at her, his mouth slightly open. "Since when... have you known?"

His mother smiled, the kind of smile that carried both understanding and secrets. "Sera told me," she admitted, her voice steady. "But we can talk about this later. Right now, you need to go before more of them arrive."

Nate clenched his jaw, hesitating. "What about you? I can't just—"

His mother stepped forward and cupped his face gently, cutting him off. "Nothing will happen to me. You need to focus on keeping yourself safe."

His throat tightened. He wanted to argue, to protest, but deep down, he knew she was right.

"Don't worry," Sera added. "I'll make sure it looks like these guys were never here."

True to her word, the moment Nate turned around, he heard the sound of shadows shifting, swallowing everything in their path. By the time he looked back, the room was spotless—no bodies, no weapons, no sign that anything had happened. It was eerie how efficiently Sera erased all evidence.

Taking a deep breath, Nate stripped off his damp nightwear, quickly changing into more comfortable clothes. He didn't have time to waste. As he pulled a jacket over his shoulders, he watched as Sera touched Cleo's shoulder, and in an instant, the little girl melted into the darkness, disappearing into Sera's shadow.

With everything in place, Nate and Sera headed for the front door. The black van still sat there. They needed to move fast.

Sera slipped into the driver's seat which surprised Nate while he climbed into the passenger side. His muscles were tense, his mind racing. "First step?"

Sera started the engine, her voice firm. "Ditch the car."

As the vehicle rolled away from the curb, Nate took one last glance at his house in the rearview mirror.

There was no turning back now.

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Nate kept his eyes on Sera as she gripped the steering wheel, the glow of the sunlight reflecting off her delicate features. The morning air outside was thick with tension, but inside the car, the mood was strangely casual. After everything that had just happened, after the ambush and the escape, Sera was driving as if it were just another random day out.

Nate raised a brow. "Where did you even learn to drive?"

Without taking her eyes off the road, Sera responded in a monotone voice. "YouTube."

Nate's head snapped toward her in disbelief. "What?"

"You heard me." She adjusted her grip on the wheel, guiding the vehicle smoothly around a bend. "Watched a couple of tutorials. It's not that hard."

Nate blinked. This wasn't the first time he noticed it—Sera learned things unnaturally fast. Too fast. If she saw something once, she could almost always replicate it. Whether it was driving a car, using a weapon, or even picking locks, she adapted with unnatural ease. He had seen her ability to manipulate shadows firsthand, but now he was starting to think her talents extended beyond that.

He shook his head, deciding to focus on the task at hand. "We should be close to the drop point."

Sera nodded and drove in silence for a few more minutes before Nate gestured towards a dirt path that led toward a steep cliff. They had reached the location—a remote spot overlooking a roaring tide. The sun reflected on the surface of the water below, casting golden ripples over the endless waves. It was the perfect place to get rid of any evidence.

Once they stepped out of the vehicle, the air hit them like a cold slap. The wind howled through the open space, carrying the scent of salt and earth. Sera pulled her hoodie tighter around herself while Cleo, standing beside her, rubbed her arms against the chill. Nate, however, barely seemed to notice it.

He walked behind the vehicle and pressed both hands against the trunk. With a steady breath, he pushed. The car didn't just roll forward—it practically glided, as if it weighed nothing at all. Sera's eyes widened slightly. She knew Nate was fast, but she had never seen him use his raw strength like this, not without his lightning or fire. Even without his abilities, he was still something beyond human.

Cleo, who had been watching with wide eyes, suddenly grinned. "Did you just push a whole car down a cliff?" Her voice was filled with childish wonder. "That was super cool."

Nate smirked and ruffled her hair, making her squeal in protest.

A loud splash echoed from below as the car disappeared beneath the waves, swallowed whole by the darkness of the ocean. With the evidence taken care of, Nate turned back to Sera. "What about the bodies?"

Sera, ever calm, slightly tilted her head towards the now-gone vehicle. "Already inside."

Nate nodded in approval. She had thought of everything. No trace, no loose ends. It was almost unsettling how efficient she was at things like this.

With the mess taken care of, Nate exhaled, glancing back at the horizon. "Alright, next step is linking up with the others. We need to move fast."

Sera pulled her hoodie over her head, stepping beside him. "Agreed. Where do we start?"

Nate clenched his fists. "Madison and Alice are getting Bella. We regroup with them, then we figure out our next move. Whatever's coming, we're not running anymore."

Sera smirked slightly. "Sounds fun."

Nate took one last glance at the now-empty cliffside, then turned toward the road ahead.

---

Nate knocked on the door of Jack's lab, his mind racing with everything that had happened. He was sure Madison would have come here. The moment the door creaked open, Cleo slipped inside first, her small figure darting past Jack as if she owned the place. Nate and Sera followed closely behind, their expressions tense.

Inside, Madison stood near one of Jack's cluttered workbenches, her arms crossed as she studied them. The moment her eyes landed on Cleo, a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Hey, Cleo," she greeted warmly.

But Cleo hesitated. Her wide eyes darted to Madison, then quickly back to Sera. Without a word, she rushed behind her sister and clung to the back of her cloth, peeking out cautiously. It was clear she didn't remember Madison well—after all, she had only seen her once before.

Nate exhaled, his focus shifting immediately to Jack. "Where's Ray?" he asked, his voice laced with urgency.

Jack's expression darkened. He shook his head slowly. "They got to him. They got to everybody."

For a moment, silence filled the lab. The weight of Jack's words settled in Nate's chest like a lead brick.

"The only ones left… are us."

Nate frowned. This wasn't making sense. "How?" he demanded. "How do they even know? How did they find us so fast? And most importantly—how the hell did they capture them?"

Jack's response was to pull something from the side of his belt. A sleek, matte black gun. The very same model the armed men had been carrying at Nate's house. The moment Nate saw it, his instincts flared. Before he could react, Jack lifted the weapon and pulled the trigger.

Time froze.

It was pure instinct. Nate's mind reacted before he had time to process what was happening. He felt everything slow to a crawl. The bullet hovered inches from his face, frozen in midair. But something nagged at him. Jack wasn't attacking him—he was proving a point.

Gritting his teeth, Nate extended his hand, positioning it right where the bullet would have struck his head. Then, he let time resume.

The bullet slammed into his palm.

Pain ignited instantly. It wasn't a normal bullet. A searing sting shot through his skin as a strange gas hissed from the impact point. His eyes widened as he felt something—something foreign—seep into his body. His muscles tensed involuntarily.

Jack smirked. "Go on, Nate," he said, his voice calm. "Use your powers."

Nate's breath hitched. He clenched his fists, trying to summon his speed—to feel the rush of energy surge through his limbs. But nothing happened. His body felt sluggish, heavy. His connection to his abilities was gone.

Madison stepped forward instantly. "What the hell did you just do?" she snapped, her voice sharp, eyes flickering with a dangerous glint.

Jack turned the gun in his hands, twirling it between his fingers. "This," he said, holding it up, "is what they're using. Some kind of suppressant."

Sera's eyes narrowed as she studied the weapon. "A power suppressant?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah. The bullet doesn't kill—it injects something into the bloodstream that blocks abilities. Probably temporary, but long enough for them to take us in."

Nate flexed his fingers, trying to push past the effect. His palm still burned where the bullet had struck.

"How long does it last?" Madison asked.

"No idea," Jack admitted. "I'd guess a few hours, maybe more. Long enough to render anyone powerless."

Sera's jaw tightened. "That explains how they captured the others."

Jack tossed the gun onto the workbench. "They're not just tracking us. They're prepared for us."

Nate clenched his fists. This wasn't just some random hunt—they had planned this. They knew what they were dealing with.

And now, the only ones left standing were them.