For just a short while, everything was perfect. My mom was back. Things between Tommy and me were finally settled. Betty and Brose were as rowdy together as always. The mere thought of my dad was...well, just a mere thought. Nothing more. And, at least for a bit, things were peaceful. I took some time to work on my powers as well.

"What's something that makes you really angry?" Tommy asked me, gently punching my shoulders. We were standing behind the cabin, closer to the woods. Mom had forced me to go outside so that I wouldn't accidentally light the place on fire. Now, if I end up lighting the entire forest on fire, then that'll be her fault.

"Get angry. Fuel your powers up."

"I'm not much of an angry person."

"That's such a lie. You were so mad after that night I rescued you."

"Uh-yeah, because you failed to tell me that you were lying about your entire identity. You still suck for that."

"Maybe, but it all worked out in the end, didn't it? And this whole...lightning power situation will work out too."

"Will it? All I can do is use my gun, really."

"And that's good enough, Ember. Honestly. You're more powerful than all of us combined."

"Sure, it's good enough, but I know I can do more. I just have some sort of weird feeling within me. Do I sound crazy?"

"...Yeah, you might've hit your head too hard as a kid."

"Tommy!"

Now it was my turn to punch him in the shoulder. But this time, I punched him a lot harder.

"You're not helping."

"Alright, alright. But I seriously don't know what to tell you. As you said, you have some sort of feeling within, so just...be with it. Calm your mind and focus. Think of what you want to do."

"Okay...I want to create a thunderstorm. A big, violent one."

He gave me the weirdest look in response.

"You know, Ember, for once I'd like to enjoy a little sunshine. Maybe take my fiancé out for a picnic? Is that too much to ask?"

"No, you can still-wait, fiancé? Me?"

"Yeah. You left me at the altar. We're still engaged."

"That's how it works? I wasn't aware."

"Well, you know how we are. We're non-traditional. And second time's a charm, anyway."

"Not the third time?"

"No. Next time I see you in a wedding dress, I'm marrying you. That's for certain."

"If you even see me in a dress at all. I might be too lazy to put another one on."

"Then wear whatever you'd like. As long as I get to marry you, Ember. That's all I care about."

"Tommy-"

"How's it coming along?"

Mom interrupted us. She walked our way, though she quickly noticed that she had interrupted our conversation, so she hesitated for a second.

"Am I-"

"You're fine," I quickly coughed out. "And it's going okay. Tommy just said I need to focus some."

"Well, give it a shot. I want to see what my daughter is capable of. Especially if you're part of a gang."

She motioned for me to go ahead. I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to sit. I felt the grass underneath, gripping it as I took deep breaths, trying to imagine a thunderstorm within my mind. Just something. Anything. My mind went back to that night. When I fell from the bridge. Tommy wasn't the only one to go after me that night. That one strike of lightning got me before he did. Like it chased after me. I knew I could be one with it if I just focused more. Centered its energy around me again. Nobody else. I zoned in on where I was. Where I had sat down. I visualized dark clouds forming right above me, as if I were a part of them. My fingers twitched, creating sparks of lightning throughout the sky. I didn't realize what all I had created until I heard Tommy's voice shout.

"EMBER!"

An incredibly loud boom shook me out of my daze. I was soaking wet. He was too-a bad thunderstorm had occurred out of nowhere. There were no previous signs of one, which meant I had to be the cause. I hastily got up and went inside the cabin, where mom had prepared a nice fire.

"It's about time you moved," she sighed. "You were out there for almost half an hour."

"Was I? ...I had no idea."

"I tried waking you up repeatedly," Tommy sighed, wrapping a towel around me. "You weren't budging. I couldn't even pick you up."

"...I see."

"What happened with you?"

"I don't know, exactly. I was just able to see the thunderstorm form. All of it. It was like I was the thunderstorm itself. I could see everything from above."

"Huh. That sounds like something that could be useful."

"That sounds like something that could be dangerous," mom quickly added. "If it stuns you like that, you'll be vulnerable. I don't like that one bit."

"But Tommy's right, mom. I could use that ability somehow. Maybe spy on people with it. The only thing is, I could only do it if people are outside-at least until I can find a way to form a thunderstorm inside. And I'll have less than half an hour to spy on them since the thunderstorm will cause them to seek shelter, surely."

"But that's still plenty of time-"

"IT'S RAININ' CATS AND DOGS OUTSIDE!"

Brose busted through the cabin door with Betty following closely behind. Both of them were soaked too.

"It started raining out of nowhere!"

"...That would be my fault guys, sorry."

"Aw, it's alright. You ain't mean it."

"Speak for yourself, Brose. My goods from the general store are all soaked."

"I'll pay you back, Betty."

"Hey, don't worry about it. The only thing that was ruined was the bread anyway. It won't kill us to eat outta a few cans."

"Maybe your new friend can get you another loaf," Brose mumbled. Betty immediately slapped his wrist after he said that.

"What new friend?" I asked, a slight smile forming on my face. "Was it a guy?"

"No-I mean yeah, he's a guy, but he's not that kind of guy. He's the sheriff. His kind and my kind don't mix. We're criminals, and he enforces the law."

"Complete opposites? Sounds like the classic Romeo and Juliet story to me."

"No, ma'am! Absolutely not. But we were all in the general store when he came across us. He's a nice man. That's all I can say."

"Hm. Maybe when this is all over, you can become a detective after all. I'm sure he'd hire you."

"Oh, I doubt it. After learning about our history, he'll just throw us in jail with the rest of the criminals. No thanks."

"I doubt he'd throw you in jail if he likes you."

She gave me a frown while I smiled at her. She knew I was right.

"Well-whatever. Let's change topics. When are we going to finally hit this farm? I'm ready to get my hands on some action again."

"Relax, Betty. We'll hit it when the time is right. We should honestly wait for silver time to get her powers straightened out before we go and create chaos."

Tommy nudged me a little, but I had a different idea in mind.

"Let's hit it tonight."

Everyone was shocked to hear the words that came out of my mouth-even mom.

"That's sudden, isn't it? Do y'all have a plan?"

"Not that I know of. But that doesn't matter. I'll use my powers to create a thunderstorm and light those crops on fire."

"Can you create a thunderstorm without rain?"

"I'm going to have to try. But, if all else fails, at least the sudden storm will cause the people at the farm to draw back. It won't be as heavily guarded."

"What else can we do to ruin the crops instantly, just in case it rains over a fire?"

"Some sort of explosion, maybe? Some dynamite?"

"Now, Brose, where on Earth are we gonna find some dynamite around here? The general store? If we were back in Midnightsville, we could've had a shot-"

"I have some outside."

Everyone gave my mom the most alarmed look.

"And you never said anything!?"

"No. I mean, how would I even bring it up?"

"Fair point. But what if Ember's powers became unpredictable and lightning struck right by us? We'd be dead."

"That's why I keep it outside, away from the cabin. It's for emergencies only."

I didn't even want to think about how many sticks of dynamite she had.

"Mom?"

She turned toward me, her eyes softening ever so slightly.

"If you're going to use my dynamite to destroy all that hard work your father did....then go ahead. Use every last stick. Ruin the place. And make it look unrecognizable."

"Well, we have the map, and we have dynamite. That might be all we need. We'll just have to keep them dry as we light them."

"I can try to focus my thunderstorm away from us, but it'll be a challenge."

" We know you'll do great, Ember. Don't worry. We'll be prepared for whatever ends up happening. Hopefully."

"Hopefully?"

"Hopefully."

"Oh gosh."

I suddenly felt a knot in my stomach. Sure, the dynamite was a good backup plan, but still. I was worried for the worst. If this plan were to suddenly go in motion, I would seriously have to focus all my energy into making a dry thunderstorm at the right place within the right time. Something I've never done before. And I didn't want to mess this up when we've already gotten so far.

"Well...I'll try my best. But I say we hit the farm as soon as the sun goes down. It'll be harder for them to see us at night."

"Good thinking, Ember."

"Y'all be careful. Once Anthony hears about one of his major farms being attacked, I'm sure he'll plan to tighten security on all the others. So be cautious and prepared for what's to come in the future. The last thing I want is to be separated from my daughters yet again."

She kissed me on the cheek before stepping outside, encouraging us to follow. Only Betty and Brose did, but Tommy and I stayed back. She was probably going to show them where the dynamite was.

"Here."

Tommy handed me a dark cloak. The same one mom had on when I first saw her.

"Use it for tonight. It'll hide you well, especially since you'll be more vulnerable."

"She told you I was allowed to bring it?"

"Yeah. She said it should fit fine."

"Hopefully so."

We stood in a moment of silence-an awkward silence-before Brose busted through the door again.

"LOOK AT ALL OF THIS!"

He came in with sticks of dynamite falling out of his hand.

"She has a whole ton! Enough to blow up an entire state!"

"Uh-okay, I have to ask. Mom, where did you get all this dynamite from?"

"...I know a guy."

I didn't ask questions anymore after that. I was just grateful that my mom didn't blow herself up yet. We decided to get a move on while there was still daylight, making sure to pack the map Mr. Richardson gave us. Everyone else wore disguises, mostly black ones, while I kept on the cloak. We discussed things further as we rode along. As soon as my thunderstorm rolls in, Tommy suggested that Betty and Brose would disperse-Betty remaining on the east and Brose on the west. Once the guards would flee to take cover, they would have to quickly move in, keeping a low profile within the crops. Every few feet, they were to place down the dynamite sticks, but only if I could create a dry thunderstorm. That way, whenever all the sticks were placed, I could use my lightning to light the fuses of each stick and blow several parts of the farm to bits. However, there was no guarantee that I could create a dry thunderstorm. If I were to create rain, Betty and Brose would have to keep the dynamite close to them. This would prevent the fuses from getting wet, but this would also make their risk of being caught a lot higher. At least with the first plan, they would be out of harm's way while the explosions are happening. And speaking of that, Tommy himself planned on sneaking into whatever he could find along the property. Any notes, papers, or anything with information regarding my dad's business would become Tommy's business as well. He figured that the guards would be too focused on the explosions to pay attention to him.

"We're here, I think. X marks the spot, don't it?"

"Maybe. But there ain't no treasure for us. Only trouble."

"You thought that sounded cool, didn't you?" Betty teased, lightly poking Tommy's arm. "You sound real scary, you know that?"

"Shut up."

Soon enough, we arrived right as the sun was down. The farm itself was huge. Thousands of tall, leafy green plants were sorted into rows, the plants nearly as tall as corn stalks. Right beside them were the guards, all of them large and wearing some sort of gray uniform. They held lanterns up, shining a light through every row, keeping an eye out for any trespassers, of course. And, for some odd reason, they all had long mustaches. I guess it was part of the look. But we figured security would be tight. Off in the distance was a small, white house, one that was slightly bigger than the cabin we were staying in. It was simple in style, with a few guards stationed around the porch. I knew there had to be more inside the house as well.

"Get somewhere distanced further away from everything," Tommy told me, pointing toward the nearby woods closest to the farm. "They'll be less likely to find you in such a vulnerable state over there. Once you start creating your storm, we'll go ahead and get going. The quicker we are at this, the better."

I swiftly hopped off Onyx, who knew to trot away on instinct. She always comes back when I call.

"Please be careful," I sighed.

"We'll be fine."

Tommy took my hand, giving it a gentle kiss before looking ahead. "Let's get into position."

So we split up, each person taking a different direction. This whole operation was dependent on how I could alter the weather, so I tried my absolute best to keep myself focused. I ended up finding a patch within the woods to sit down, taking cover underneath the oak trees I was surrounded by. I sat as I did earlier, closing my eyes as I zoned in on our overall area. I let the feeling of lightning crackle within my fingertips, creating the reaction that we were all hoping for. But something felt wrong. I couldn't tell what it was yet-I just had a gut feeling about it. I allowed my thunderstorm to travel further toward the farm, causing some of the guards to disperse once they saw what was coming. But wait. They weren't running off because of the thunderstorm. Something else was going on, too. But I was in too deep. I couldn't shake myself out of my state to see what was going on. I saw Betty from above, who was busy trying to avoid being seen. Brose was doing the same, though it looked like he had a lot more guards surrounding his area. And as for Tommy and the house...I couldn't see. But I could hear. It sounded like there was a fight going on. Punches being thrown. Shots firing. That's why the guards were running.

The first strike of lightning hit the ground, it causing the crops to catch on fire immediately. Guards who were initially closing in on Brose changed their direction once they saw the fire. They quickly ran for the house, probably looking for something they could use to help calm it down. But I knew by the time they came out it would've been too late. A few more strikes of lightning came across the fields, eventually causing the whole place to be set on fire, and explosions to erupt. My job was done, but I could tell there was still something wrong. I could no longer see Betty and Brose, and I was unable to hear Tommy through all the punching and shooting going on. Everything became chaotic. And just as I was about to come out of my state of power, I saw a familiar figure begin to walk out of the house.

"No," I gasped, clutching my chest in shock. "He's not supposed to be here."

I moved as fast as I could. Past my limit. I could hardly see anything within all the fire and smoke. I could just hear someone shouting out in pain, as if they were being tortured. I let my adrenaline power me, to the point where I almost collapsed right as I made it in front of the house where everything was happening. Tommy's arms were tied. Blood was pouring down his temple. His lips were bruised, and his clothes were shredded terribly. One of the guards kept a gun pointed to him, waiting for my dad to command. Tommy was easily overpowered.

"And to think I almost let you marry my daughter," he spat, giving Tommy a punch of his own. "You disgusting criminal."

"You're ten times worse than I'll ever be!"

"Is that so?"

My dad nodded to the guard, who cocked his gun immediately. With the little energy I had left, I ran straight into the middle of them and hugged Tommy as tight as I could, shielding his body.

"ENOUGH!"

"...Ember?"

"You're no better than him by any means," I wailed out, tightening my grip on Tommy. I could tell his body was extremely weakened. A few more hits toward him and he would've been a dead man.

"...You know, Ember, none of this would've happened if you just-"

"If I just what!? You're the one who lied! And not just to me, you lied to everyone in our family and drove mom away! I remember everything that happened. Everything. And there's no way on Earth I'm going to let you stand here and act like you're the innocent one in this situation."

"...I may not be the innocent one, Ember, but I made sacrifices. All for you. All for your sisters."

"If that's the case, you must consider mom to be one of your sacrifices as well."

"I had to do what's necessary to give you the best quality of life."

"But you didn't! You never did! You never let me leave!"

"I never let you leave because that city is full of nothing but criminals such as the one you're holding now. Thieves. Murderers. I didn't want my own daughter to be influenced by that kind of lifestyle. And all you're doing right now is proving me right, aren't you!? You're becoming like one of them."

"I'd rather be like them than be like you."

"Well, I'm not giving you another choice. Let go of him."

"I-"

"Don't force me to get rid of you the same way I got rid of your mother."

That sentence right there broke me. He said it without a mere bit of hesitation. Like I was something that could be easily discarded. His own daughter.

"I've always been sick and tired of your rebellious nature," he spat. "Why can't you be more like your sisters!? You create problems everywhere you go, you know that!? If I have to get rid of you too, then so be it."

"What kind of sick monster do you have to be to put this above your own family?"

"I'm not sick at all, Ember. I'm successful. I am the wealthiest man in the state, and soon the nation. You won't stop me. Your mother won't stop me. And your sisters-if they decide to mind their buisness-won't stop me either. You can't beat success like mine."

"Ember," Tommy whispered, his voice barely coming out. "Show him what you can do."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You know you can."

"Tommy, I-"

"Get her off him. I'm tired of this."

I couldn't even finish my sentence before I was pulled. It took four men to get me off, them dragging me across the dirt as if I were just another piece of filth. I was too weak to even do anything at this point. I felt powerless.

"Kill him."

"Dad, please-"

"You shut your mouth. Kill him! Now!"

"I'LL GO BACK!"

Dad suddenly raised his hand up, causing the men around him to halt.

"Go back where?"

"Home. I'll go back. I'll do as you say. I learned my lesson. Just leave him here. He's already in enough pain."

"Do you seriously think I should believe you after what you did? After everything you've said?"

"...I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. But please. You can...keep me there for as long as you want. Have guards surround my room. Just leave him alone. Please."

He squatted down to meet my eyes. His eyes were darkened. Cold. A look I've never seen from him before. He was a completely different man.

"You should feel lucky that I let you roam the entire mansion throughout the years. Because, for the rest of your life, you won't be allowed to even think about going outside.”

I cried out in pain as he sharply grabbed my hair, forcing me to go along with him. Tommy attempted to shout out towards us, but was quickly hushed by the other men. I could've stopped my dad in that moment. I don't know why I didn't. I just felt so helpless. Like nothing did mattered. With someone like my dad in control, I felt so powerless, even if I could summon lightning. I couldn’t escape from him. Not now. Not ever.