Dreamless

Aeneas.”
    A long, sticky tube uncurled from underneath Automedon’s human tongue and seemed to throb in Orion’s direction. Then it rolled back up and retracted in a swallowing motion into Automedon’s mouth. For a moment, Helen thought she was going to be sick.
    “Come on! Before it’s strong enough to stand,” Orion growled in her ear, and the two of them ran away as fast as they dared while carrying injured passengers.
    Before the News Store even came into view, Helen knew something was terribly wrong. She could feel the ground trembling, and glanced over at Orion.
    “It’s not me!” he said. “Those are impact tremors.”
    Turning the final corner, they were enclosed in a dark pall.
    “Shadowmaster!” Helen yelled at Orion. “The Hundred must be here somewhere. They have a new one. I saw it at my track meet. . . .”
    Helen’s feet slowed as the darkness began to dissipate ever so slightly. She knew this darkness; she had seen it more than once. Through the clinging shadows that reached like smoky hands, she saw Hector slamming someone—the source of the darkness, Helen realized—against the sidewalk repeatedly. It was Lucas. In a flash, Lucas changed positions, got the upper hand, and tackled Hector, punching him savagely. Snapping herself out of her stunned daze, Helen screamed something unintelligible, and ran the rest of the way with Orion close behind.
    “Helen!” Kate yelled, and Helen pulled up short.
    Following the sound of Kate’s voice, Helen looked and saw her crouched down over Jerry, who was unconscious and bleeding badly. Next to them, Claire and Matt had Jason and Ariadne wrapped up so they couldn’t see or hear. Helen gave the kids to Kate while Orion put Luis down next to Jerry. Helen spared her father one worried look, and then threw herself at Lucas.
    As she knocked Lucas off Hector, she saw Orion dart in behind them to wrap an arm around Hector’s throat in a chokehold. Helen used her superior strength to shove Lucas to the ground. She tried to pin him under her, but he had always been better at grappling and easily slipped out from under her, reversing their positions. He secured her hands over her head, and even though she was stronger, she knew she was trapped. Helen considered shocking him, but she was dehydrated from frying Automedon and knew she couldn’t fully control her bolts.
    “Please, Lucas, don’t do this!” Helen pleaded as a last resort. At the sound of her voice, he paused and seemed to wake from his trance. A confused look flashed across his face and he jumped off her.
    “I’ll get Hector out of here,” Orion shouted as he struggled to keep Hector from pulling free. “Come on, big guy. Time for a swim!”
    In a blur of speed, Orion managed to break Hector’s stance and carry him off toward the ocean. As soon as the Outcast was too far away to affect the Delos family, their demeanors changed from anger to painful regret. Claire and Matt released Jason and Ariadne, and Lucas dropped his head into his bloody hands, covering his eyes. Helen wanted to reach out and comfort him, but she knew she shouldn’t touch him. Instead, she just stared at Lucas with her heart in her throat.
    “I always knew there was more in you. Something hidden, but I never . . . What is going on?” Kate asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. Helen turned to look at her, and saw that she was barely keeping it together. “Does your father know?”
    “No. Kate. Please,” Helen stammered. Looking down at Jerry’s bleeding head, she was overcome with worry. She had no idea what she needed, or wanted, to say.
    “Let’s get everyone inside,” Matt said calmly, looking over the shell-shocked faces around him to the riot that was still consuming the town. “First things first. We need to get indoors.”
    They carried the wounded to the couches in the café area at the back of the News Store, and the twins immediately went to work assessing the severity of everyone’s injuries. Luis only had a concussion, but little Juan had four broken ribs, a broken arm, and a cracked skull. The twins looked at each other solemnly and prepared themselves for their work.
    “Just stand back,” Claire warned Kate and Marivi when they gasped at the twins’ glowing hands. “It’s okay, really. Healing is one of their talents.”
    “What do you mean, talents?” Kate pleaded. “Helen, you have to tell me what’s going on!”
    Helen didn’t know what to say. She looked down at her