Kevin’s heart sank hearing these words. He stared at his hands. He couldn’t deny what just happened, as much as he wanted to.

Stewart was right.

Kevin kept his head down, ashamed to look at his friend. Not only had that whole violent ordeal just happened, but it had happened with his best friend nearby. A familiar fear crept back into his psyche, one he hadn’t felt in years. He remembered his lonely childhood, the bullying about his scars, the cruel notes left on his desks by other kids. That had been bad, but this would be worse. 

I was alone back then. Everyone was afraid of me.

His mind drifted to the day he met Johnny. He hadn’t cared about his injuries then, and he didn’t now. Neither did Sara. They became his best friends because they accepted him; and now this.

You guys made me feel like I was normal.

Tears welled in Kevin’s eyes, and he resented what he was. Now, Johnny and Sara would fear him. He would lose his friends. He would lose absolutely everything.

I’ll be alone…again.

“He did this to you, didn’t he?” Johnny asked, breathless.

Kevin blinked, confused. “He?”

“Yeah, that kid from school. He must’ve somehow turned you into a Jin.”

Kevin was stunned at his conclusion. He didn’t even know what to say. Should he deny it? How could he deny anything, after what just happened? His mind spun as Johnny continued to speak.

“I’ve been watching videos on YouView about people encountering Jins and having strange things happen to them,” Johnny said, his eyes wide with disbelief. “I didn’t want to believe it, but with what just happened … I feel like I have to.”

As Johnny rambled on about his theory, Kevin remembered what his mom told him last night about relying on his family and friends. Johnny hadn’t run off when the burning started. He had tried to help. He’d stayed nearby, even put himself in danger for Kevin’s sake. This realization brought a smile to Kevin’s face. Maybe he wasn’t alone. They could figure this out together.

Glancing around the demolished area, he spotted his helmet and gloves. The race. They had to compete. He was sore, but he stood up, determined to continue. Johnny stopped rambling as he saw Kevin gather his things.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Johnny asked.

“We have to get going.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“They’re going to disqualify us if we don’t hurry.”

Kevin rushed toward the exit with his helmet under his arm, but Johnny rushed in front of him, blocking him from the door.

“Hold it! Time out!” Johnny yelled. He stood firm, and Kevin knew he had no way of getting past is friend. “You’re not going out there, not after what happened. You need to get checked out, bro.”

Kevin met his gaze. He knew keeping his hopes up was pointless. Johnny wouldn’t accept that he was a Jin. What was he supposed to say? “Johnny—”

“Kevin, I’m serious! We need to take you to the hospital, or maybe the Advent Guard. Whatever that Jin did to you, what if—”

“I lose control?” Kevin finished his sentence.

Johnny looked away, feeling guilt for bringing it up.

Kevin shook his head, his jaw set. “If I turn myself in now, everything we worked so hard for will be for nothing. We have to race, Johnny. I want to race.”

Johnny’s jaw dropped.

“If it were just me, of course I’d quit. But we’re a team. You and Sara have a real chance to make it to Nationals this year, but not if you skip this race.”

“Forget Nationals!” Johnny snapped, throwing up his hands. “Forget the race, man. We need to get you to a doctor or someone … I mean, what if this is permanent?”

Kevin smiled and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. He could see Johnny visibly tense at the touch, and Kevin tried not to let that hurt his feelings.

“I’ve dreamed of this day since I was little,” Kevin said. “And this race isn’t just about me. It’s about you guys. I would never forgive myself if I ruined this for both of you. I wanna race with my friends.”

Johnny looked down, weighing his options. The rules were clear: Call the Advent Guard at any sign of Jin activity. But this wasn’t just anyone. This was his best friend. They had years of trust built up between them. Surely, if Kevin said this was OK, then it was actually OK, right? Johnny scratched his head in frustration. He knew it was a bad idea, but Kevin was right: This could be the only chance they’d get. He let out a sigh of defeat.

“I guess that’s it then,” Johnny said quietly. He extended his fist, his expression settled. “We’re gonna race, and we’re gonna win this thing. And immediately after that, you’re gonna get checked into a hospital. Understood?”

Kevin smiled in relief. He removed his hand from Johnny’s shoulder and fist-bumped him. “Thanks, bro.”

They gathered their gear and headed out of the locker room together. As they entered the hallway, Kevin whispered again.

“One more thing: Don’t tell Sara just yet. Not until I turn myself in.”

Johnny nodded. Together, they headed upstairs.

— ✧ —

Seats at the racetrack were nearly filled. Agent Reynolds managed to have the last couple of rows to himself. He overlooked the open arena. Around him, vendors weaved through the crowd with snacks, while several security personnel maintained watch. Unbeknownst to the crowd, these security personnel were Advent Guards in disguise, awaiting orders.

Through his Bluetooth headset, Reynolds was communicating with Dr. Milan.

“Are we aligned with the probable reality?”

“Affirmative,” the doctor replied. “Once the race is over, you’ll find him behind the bleachers, before he heads back to the lockers. The capture must take place then.”

“I’m counting on you, Doctor,” Reynolds said under his breath, before disconnecting his headset.

He raised his binoculars, just like many of the others around him. It didn’t take him long to spot two people emerging from the men’s locker room: Kevin and Johnny. They were joined by their teammate, Sara, who seemed upset. Perhaps they were late he thought; Kevin seemed calm.

Of the three of them, it was Johnny who drew Reynolds’ attention. He was distant, nervous, and sweating.

What’s with him?

— ✧ —

Elsewhere, in Section 18, scientists monitored the reality they were searching for. Another opportunity to capture their new target: Kevin. They watched the moment Kevin and his team would win the race. It then fast forward to the moment Reynolds and his men would tackle Kevin to the ground behind the bleachers. The images continued to loop, to that fixed point in time.

Within the machine’s artificial psychic space, Stewart and the other Seirei Jins fueled this ever-repeating system with their energy. Their minds echoed Kevin’s name again and again. In his mind, Stewart could see this same fixed loop of reality that the scientists saw. He knew Kevin was the Advent Guard’s target. He had to break free from the machine’s control. Yet, though he tried, his mind and body wouldn’t respond.

He searched alternate timelines for one in which Kevin would be saved. What if he could divert the projected reality with another? Was that even possible? If it was, he was the only one who would be able to figure it out.

The search led him to a faint harmonic tone. A vision burst forth within him: a white gemstone, floating in a void. The sound from the stone reverberated in Stewart’s mind, and a soft voice emerged alongside that sound. In his vision, he saw Kevin holding the floating stone, his eyes matching its white brilliance, runes glowing over his face and body. Kevin spoke, but Stewart couldn’t hear the words. He tried to read Kevin’s lips, and he realized the boy was repeating the same sentences over and over.

“He is summoned. We are coming. He must answer the call.”

Stewart’s eyes widened as he connected the dots.

I have to stop this.

Using sheer willpower, the depth of which he didn’t even know he possessed, Stewart channeled his powers. He visioned himself creating a barrier within his tube shaped prison, blocking the machine was piercing into his mind, but he knew it was only temporary as cracks formed around his barrier. He had to act fast. In his mind’s eye, he could see outside of his pod: the giant machine that held him in his psychic prison, the scientists at their stations monitoring the alternate reality he and the other jins were forced to find. Stewart focused on the inner workings of this machine. Inside was a large bolt attached to one of the many hydraulic cylinders powering the machine.

With all of his might, Stewart managed to unscrew the bolt. Little by little at first, and then growing in speed. The might of the machine’s psyche broke through the barrier taking back Stewart’s control, however the teen succeeded. The bolt within the machine fell to the ground, the rhythm of the hydraulics began to move erratically. The cylinder dropped. The scientists did not notice. Though the machine continued to operate, a cooling fan within came to a halt. The machine’s temperature slowly rose, one small degree at a time.