Dr. Anika finished wrapping her arm, the graze from the bullet still stinging beneath the bandage. She grabbed a blanket and gently draped it over Jor'Danna's shoulders, her hand softly rubbing her back.
"How old are you, sweetie?" she asked gently.
"Twenty-four," Jor'Danna replied, her voice hollow as she stared down at her trembling hands.
She's just a child, Anika thought to herself, heart heavy.
"I can only imagine the pain you must be feeling right now," she said. "Who was he? Boyfriend?"
"Fiancé," Jor'Danna interrupted quickly, her voice cracking as her eyes welled with fresh tears. "We were getting married in three days."
Anika inhaled sharply. "My word. I'm so sorry."
"He didn't deserve to die," Jor'Danna cried, her voice barely above a whisper. "It should've been me. I'm the one with these powers."
Anika leaned in, her curiosity tempered by compassion. "I was meaning to ask... did he know?"
Jor'Danna nodded slowly. "He was the first person I ever showed them to. It wasn't on purpose. It just... happened. He tried to surprise me three years ago. I came home to find rose petals everywhere, a cake on the table, and a poster that said Will you be my princess?" She let out a soft laugh through her tears. "I guess the shock triggered something in me, because suddenly... there were two of me standing in the room."
Anika's eyes widened, listening intently.
"His eyes got so wide," Jor'Danna continued, "and I could tell he was just as freaked out as I was... but then he softened and said, 'Damn, I didn't know you were a triplet.'" She smiled faintly. "He accepted me. No fear. No judgment. That's when I knew he was my soulmate. It was our secret ever since."
Anika placed a comforting hand over hers. "He sounds like a beautiful soul. A gentle man with a strong heart."
"He was," Jor'Danna whispered. "And now he's... gone."
She grew quiet for a moment, then added, "I knew we weren't safe. After what happened yesterday at the car wash... I had a feeling he'd come back."
Anika's eyes narrowed slightly. "So that was you yesterday... I heard a commotion not long after I checked in. Tires screeching down the road."
She turned to her laptop and quickly opened a file. "My tracker recorded a spike in energy yesterday at the exact same time. Same location. I knew something was off."
She paused, scanning the readings.
"Jor'Danna," Anika said slowly, "I think you're one of them."
"One of who?" Jor'Danna asked sharply, rising to her feet and clenching her fists. "Who are you?"
"Hey! calm down," Anika said softly, raising her palms. "I'm not here to hurt you. I promise. I'm here to help."
Jor'Danna didn't move, her stance still guarded.
"Just... bear with me," Anika continued. "Let me ask a few questions. You said you're twenty-four, right?"
"Yes," Jor'Danna said, eyes narrowed.
"What time and date were you born?"
"October 2nd. Around 3 a.m. Why?"
Anika typed quickly, pulling up a chart and several overlaid graphs. She turned the screen toward her.
"Take a look at this. You see this energy reading from last night's attack?" she said, pointing. "Now look at this one from twenty-four years ago during Libra season. October 2nd, to be exact. That was a full moon, wasn't it?"
"Yeah," Jor'Danna said slowly. "That's what my parents told me."
Anika zoomed in. "These frequency spikes are nearly identical. Same pattern, same radius. And here," she added, opening another screen, "this one was just captured during the moment you... activated, at the restaurant."
Jor'Danna stared at the screen, jaw slightly parted. "What... what does it mean?"
Anika took a breath.
"Twenty-four years ago, on New Year's Day, there was a massive blackout. The night sky shifted. I had a vision, one I've never forgotten. In it, I was told that twelve children would be born throughout that year. Children who carried a rare genetic mutation triggered by a new frequency that penetrated Earth's atmosphere that night. It changed something in our planet.
She turned toward Jor'Danna with deep intensity in her eyes. "I've been tracking that frequency ever since. I think you're one of them. A Starseed. And if I'm right... that means you're not just gifted."
Anika leaned in closer.
"It means you're in danger."
Jor'Danna backed away slightly. "Why would I be in danger?"
"Those people who attacked you... they've probably been watching for a long time. Waiting. Studying."
Jor'Danna's breath hitched. "What do I do?"
"We leave. In the morning," Anika replied firmly.
"Leave? And go where? I have a job... my parents... I need to tell—"
"There's no time," Anika said, already pulling out her phone. She dialed quickly and put it on speaker.
"Hello? Yes, this is Dr. Anika. I've just had a family emergency come up, so unfortunately I won't be able to host the seminar this week. I appreciate your understanding."
She ended the call, exhaling.
"Where will we go?" Jor'Danna asked, her voice trembling at the sudden realization that her life in California was unraveling.
"I have a home in Tennessee," Anika said, now scrolling through morning flight options. "It's quiet. Secluded. Big enough for you to have space, but safe enough for us to figure out what's happening without being watched."
Jor'Danna turned on the TV, needing a moment of normalcy, but the image that met her stopped her cold.
"Oh no," she whispered, raising the volume.
The news anchor's voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Breaking news. Just an hour ago, a fatal shooting occurred outside of Bottega Louie restaurant. Twenty-six-year-old Khalil Donaldson was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities confirm that a woman was seen fleeing the incident. Her identity remains unknown. LAPD is working with private investigators to locate her."
"No. No, no, no..." Jor'Danna gasped, burying her face in her hands. "They think I'm missing."
As the broadcast shifted to a live press conference, Anika's body went still. Her eyes locked onto the screen. A cold chill rippled down her spine, her breath catching in her throat. The world seemed to mute around her, everything slowing to a crawl.
There, standing beside the LAPD Chief was a face she hadn't seen in years.
Stone-faced. Calculated. Familiar.
Jor'Danna noticed the shift in Anika's energy. "What is it?"
Anika's voice came out low and stunned. "It's my ex-husband."
She blinked, heart pounding. Anika grabbed her bag, shoving papers and tech into it with a frenzy.
"I'm guessing he's bad news," Jor'Danna said, concern rising.
"He's part of something that connects directly to you and your abilities," Anika replied, her voice tight with unease. "He's probably the one who sent those people after you. And if I'm right, we're both in danger."
Jor'Danna swallowed. "Dr. Anika, right?"
"Yes?"
"What... exactly do you do? Like, what's your actual job?"
Anika zipped up the bag, barely pausing. "I'm a Spiritual Practitioner and a Professor. I host global seminars on astrology and cosmic energy studies. But before this?" She hesitated. "I worked as a Military Scientist. Top clearance. And let's just say... the work I did might've put me on a few lists."
"So you're AWOL?" Jor'Danna asked, wide-eyed.
"No, nothing like that," Anika said quickly. "I resigned years ago. Legally. But my interest in what I discovered never went away. I buried it until now. Until you. Until him. It feels like the past is demanding to be reckoned with."
Suddenly, headlights poured through the hotel window. Three unmarked black SUVs pulled into the lot.
"We have to go now!" she snapped. She tossed Jor'Danna a hoodie. "Put this on. My rental's out back."
They raced down the stairwell and out the side exit, slipping into the alley behind the hotel. Anika popped the trunk, tossed her bag in, and the two women jumped into the car.
As they sped off into the night, Jor'Danna stared out the window, the streets of LA glittering under city lights. Everything looked surreal. The palm trees, the traffic lights, the noise, it was all suddenly foreign.
She blinked slowly as tears blurred her vision. Her heart ached.
This was her home. Her city. Her life. Gone in an instant.
Her wedding... her dream career... her best friend... her parents.
Now all of it felt like a ghost slipping through her fingers.
Anika reached over and gently rubbed her arm. Her voice softened. "I know what you're feeling. I had to leave my home, too. After I resigned and finalized my divorce, I left New York for good."
She paused. "Let yourself feel it, sweetie. I'm here."
Jor'Danna gave a small, broken smile as warm, salty tears streaked through her mascara. She turned her face back to the window, letting the silence hold them.
Moments later, Anika's cosmic energy tracker pinged sharply.
She glanced down. Massive energy surge detected.
Location: Colorado.
Anika's stomach flipped. Her breath caught.
Another one. Another Starseed...
Anika's eyes stayed locked on the flashing data.The exact same frequency signature as Jor'Danna's... and it was still rising.
Jor'Danna noticed her silence. "What is it?"
Anika exhaled, her hands gripping the wheel a little tighter. "Tennessee's going to have to wait."
Jor'Danna blinked, confused. "Wait—what? I thought we were heading to safety."
"We are. But not directly. Another signature just came in." She held up her wrist, letting Jor'Danna see the pulsing coordinates on her tracker. "Same surge pattern as yours. Same energy. And it's coming from Colorado."
"Another Starseed?" Jor'Danna asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Anika nodded. "Yes. If I'm right, they're probably experiencing something similar to what happened to you.
Jor'Danna leaned back in her seat, trying to process everything. "So what are we doing?"
Anika looked over at her, expression firm but kind. "We're going to help. If they're anything like you, they'll be scared. Confused. Alone. And if someone's already hunting you... it's only a matter of time before they're hunted too."
There was a beat of silence. The weight of responsibility settling in.
Jor'Danna looked down at her hands. "I don't even know who I am yet."
Anika gave her a soft smile. "Sometimes the best way to discover your power... is to help someone else find theirs."
The words sat heavy, but not burdensome. Purposeful.
Jor'Danna finally nodded. "Okay. Colorado it is."
As the lights of LA faded behind them, the sky ahead grew darker, and far more dangerous. But this time, they weren't running.
They were answering a call.
Those two hours in the air felt heavier than gravity.
Neither Anika nor Jor'Danna said much. The silence between them wasn't awkward, it was sacred. Heavy with questions, unspoken fears, and the invisible thread pulling them toward something bigger than themselves.
Jor'Danna stared out the window, the Rockies cutting through the clouds like jagged teeth. Her eyes were tired, but her spirit was restless.
"Do you think they'll be like me?" she finally asked.
Anika glanced over. "No two awakenings are ever the same. But the pain that comes with it?" She paused. "That's universal."
The plane began its descent into Denver. Anika checked her energy tracker again. The surge had intensified.
"Still active," she murmured. "Whoever it is... they're not stable."
Jor'Danna clenched her fists. "What do we do when we find them?"
"We protect them. Ground them. And if they're in danger..." Anika's jaw tightened. "We do whatever it takes."
As the plane touched down with a jolt, the runway lights streaked past like falling stars.
Anika's tracker pulsed hard again.
"They're close," she said as they pulled away from the airport in the rental. "About twenty minutes out."
Jor'Danna nodded silently, heart thudding in her chest.
"I just want to say," Anika added as she turned onto the main road, "I'm proud of you. Truly. The strength you've shown... it's remarkable."
"Really?" Jor'Danna's voice was soft, like she didn't fully believe it.
"You lost the love of your life not even 24 hours ago," Anika continued. "You left everything behind. And yet, here you are holding yourself together with grace."
Jor'Danna let a small, sad smile slip through. "My fiancé used to say, 'You're definitely a Libra,' every time I had to deal with hard stuff. I don't know... I guess I just feel like I have to deal with what's urgent first. My own pain can wait."
Anika gave her a look of deep admiration. "Your strength is definitely admired."
"Thanks," Jor'Danna replied quietly, her gaze returning to the window, watching a world that would never look the same again.
The road stretched silent ahead, the trees casting long shadows under the dim Colorado moonlight. Anika's grip tightened on the steering wheel. She opened her mouth to speak, but then slammed the brakes.
SCREEECH.
A figure bolted into the road. He hit the hood hard, flipping over the front end of the rental car with a sickening thud before tumbling across the pavement.
Jor'Danna yelped, grabbing the door handle, heart hammering in her chest.
The man scrambled to his feet, panic in his glowing eyes. Without a word, he dashed off into the darkness.
"Was he—"
"That's him," Anika cut in, already flinging her door open. "We have to go after him."
"Hey! Wait!" she called as she took off.
The man spun around mid-stride, hands up. "Stay away from me!" he shouted, voice hoarse and wild.
"We're just trying to help!" Jor'Danna yelled, running close behind.
He hesitated, then turned to face them. His body tensed. His eyes lit up again, brighter this time as his fingers twisted in the air, moving in sharp, unnatural patterns.
Anika stopped in her tracks, confused. "What the— I... I can't move."
Jor'Danna skidded to her side. "What do you mean?"
"I'm stuck, I can't—" Anika's voice cracked.
Her arm jerked violently, turning against her will. Hand flying to her own throat. Her fingers clamped down.
Jor'Danna's eyes widened. "No! stop!"
The man's hands mirrored the motion, as if pulling invisible strings. "I said leave me alone!" he snapped, trembling with rage.
Jor'Danna rushed forward, but suddenly she too froze mid stride. Her body refused to obey.
Anika choked for air, her knees buckling.
Then a rush of wind, and a pulse of power.
Jor'Danna's eyes ignited with a glowing light.
In an instant, two glowing doppelgängers split from her body, sprinting forward with supernatural speed. One of them slammed a fist into the man's stomach, sending him stumbling. The other twisted his arm behind his back, forcing him to the ground.
He groaned, pain ripping through his voice.
Anika collapsed to her knees, gasping as control returned to her limbs. Jor'Danna dashed toward the man.
"Wait! Look, I'm just like you." Her voice was urgent but gentle. "You don't have to fight. We're trying to help."
He blinked up at her. The glow in his eyes flickered, his defenses wavering.
"Sorry," he panted. "I thought you were trying to take me back."
"Back where?" Jor'Danna asked, cautiously.
"To Wisconsin."
Anika approached, steadying herself. "Wisconsin? Is that where you're from?"
The man nodded. "Yeah. I left a few years ago. Been on the run since."
"Why?" Jor'Danna asked.
"They kept me locked away. Military men. Scientists. They tested me, made me train, and made me use this thing I can do. They took blood. Controlled everything. I don't even know how long I was in there. I just wanted to do something bad enough for them to let me out. But they never did."
He shook his head, breath shaky.
"So on my 19th birthday, I ran. Used my power to escape. That was the one rule they gave me. To never use my power to harm any of my handlers , but I couldn't take it anymore. I...accidentally killed one of them. They've been after me ever since. Sending people. Assassins."
Jor'Danna's face tensed. "There were people after me, too."
"How many?" Anika asked.
"Too many to count," he whispered. "I barely sleep. Somehow, they always find me."
"They must be tracking you," Anika muttered, lifting her tech-enhanced watch. She scanned his body.
A red signal pulsed beneath the skin between his thumb and index finger.
"You've been chipped," she said grimly. She pulled a pocketknife from her coat. "This might hurt."
He winced as she dug into the skin and removed the tiny device. Blood trickled, but relief washed over his face.
"The one that came after me tonight he was different." His voice faltered. "He was immune to my power."
Suddenly, Anika's right ear began to ring. Her body snapped to alert.
She turned just in time to duck.
A pole whooshed past her head, slamming into the wall behind her.
"It's him!" the man shouted.
A dark figure blurred into view, striking Anika with brutal force. She crashed against the wall with a grunt, dazed.
The attacker charged at the man and Jor'Danna. She tried to intercept, but was too slow.
WHAM.
Jor'Danna flew across the alley, landing hard against a dumpster.
Anger rippled through her. She snapped back to her feet and summoned three new copies of herself.
The figure was seconds from striking the man again when Jor'Danna's doppelgängers collided with it. One struck midair. The other punched the attacker straight in the chest, launching them backward.
The final doppelgänger slammed its heel down on the attacker's arm with a sharp CRACK.
The figure shrieked in pain then exploded into black ooze, dissolving into thin air.
Breathing hard, Anika stumbled up. "Get in the car now!"
Jor'Danna's copies vanished as she swayed. Blood dripped slowly from her nose.
She staggered. The man caught her, holding her up as they ran for the car. They dove into the back seat, slamming the doors shut.
Anika peeled off into the night.
"I didn't catch your name," she said, glancing in the rearview.
The man wiped blood from his lip, still catching his breath.
"Brevin," he said. "Brevin Tollison."