The gang stood at the edge of the beach, with the morning chill biting through the air. The ocean stretched endlessly before them, waves crashing against the shore in rhythmic pulses. They were all clad in sleek wetsuits crafted by Sarah, their designs snug and flexible for movement. Under their arms, they each carried surfboards they had picked up from a small shop nearby.

  Katherine rubbed her arms and scowled as another gust of wind blew past. "I don’t know why I came along." she muttered, pulling the collar of her wetsuit higher around her neck.

  Owen smirked, stepping forward. "Last one in is a coward!" he declared before taking off in a sprint towards the sea.

  Grace, Jason, and Will exchanged quick glances, then bolted after him without hesitation, their laughter mixing with the sound of the waves.

  Katherine stood frozen for a second, stunned by their sudden rush. Then she clenched her jaw, her competitive spirit flaring. "Hell no."

  She thrust her hand back, releasing a powerful gust of wind from her palm. The force launched her forward, sending her soaring over the sand towards the water.

  Owen charged into the water, with his surfboard skimming the surface as he dove forward. The cold waves lapped against his wetsuit, but he barely noticed. With strong strokes, he paddled out, and then using kinetic energy, he propelled himself forward, cutting through the water with ease.

  In one fluid motion, he shifted his weight, pushing himself up into a standing position.

  The wave he was riding grew, lifting him higher as he balanced effortlessly on the board. A wide smile spread across his face as he bounced with the rhythm of the water, completely in tune with the movement of the sea. The wind rushed around him, and for a moment, it felt like he was flying.

  Owen glanced back over his shoulder to see how the others were doing. Jason was already riding a wave, balanced perfectly atop his board, but the others were still struggling to find their footing. Will was flailing in the water, his board slipping beneath him. Owen grinned and swerved his board towards him.

  He raised his hand and lifted Will from the water and placed him on top of his board. He then sent the boy gliding across the waves, and Will’s excited shout reached Owen’s ears as he began to ride the wave with wide-eyed exhilaration.

  Owen then shifted his attention to Grace, who was also struggling in the water. He halted beside her, glancing around the water to spot her board. After a moment of searching, he raised an eyebrow. "I guess you’ve already lost your board, huh?"

  Grace shook her head, her face flushed with frustration. "It slipped out of my hand when I went into the water."

  Owen chuckled softly, kneeling down beside her. "Alright, guess you’re riding with me then." With a firm grip, he helped Grace onto his board and positioned her behind him.

  "Hold on tight."

  As soon as Grace grabbed onto his wetsuit, Owen made the board move forward. The sudden burst of speed sent them both shooting forward, and Grace’s eyes widened in surprise. Her grip on him tightened instinctively, and Owen could feel her tense against the movement.

  Meanwhile, Katherine was struggling to find her balance on her board. She wobbled from side to side, unable to stay upright. Just as she felt herself teetering, Jason came paddling by, sitting atop his own board.

  "Don’t tell me you don’t know how to surf." Jason called out, his tone light but teasing.

  Katherine narrowed her eyes at him. "I’ll figure it out eventually." She muttered under her breath, but her focus was shattered when she lost her footing and fell straight into the water.

  Her head resurfaced moments later, her brows furrowed in frustration. She shook the water from her face and glared at the board that had betrayed her. Just as she prepared to try again, Jason paddled over, offering his hand.

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  "Need a hand?"

  Katherine hesitated, staring at his outstretched hand, then sighed and took it, allowing him to help her up. "Fine, teach me then."

  The crew continued riding the waves, laughter and shouts of excitement filling the air. Owen and Grace glided effortlessly across the water, moving with the speed and precision of a well-tuned speedboat. The wind rushed past them, sending sprays of seawater into the air as they carved through the waves.

  But as they ventured further from the sea, Owen suddenly slowed to a stop. Grace, still holding onto him, blinked in confusion. She poked her head out from behind his back and followed his gaze.

  A massive wave was rolling towards them, growing larger with each passing second. Its towering height cast a shadow over the sea, the water churning beneath its force.

  Grace’s breath caught in her throat, her grip tightening around Owen’s waist. "Uh… Owen?" she asked, her voice cautious.

  But instead of concern, a devilish grin spread across Owen’s face. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he leaned forward slightly, bracing himself.

  "Oh, this is gonna be fun."

  As the water rose beneath them, Owen swiftly turned the board around. They then shot forward towards the shore, with the roar of the wave behind them.

  Further out, Will was struggling, frantically paddling in a desperate attempt to beat the wave to shore. Owen reached out his hand to him, and using kinetic energy, yanked him and his board alongside him and Grace.

  The wave now loomed over them like a moving wall, eclipsing the sky and casting a dark shadow over the water.

  Further ahead, Katherine and Jason had also noticed the incoming wave. Katherine’s eyes widened slightly before she instinctively acted. Without a word, she shot her hands beneath her and released a powerful burst of wind, launching herself high into the air in a single, graceful arc.

  Jason stared after her completely in disbelief. "She just abandoned me."

  When the others sped past Jason, he frantically paddled after them, his arms moving wildly through the water. "Wait for me, damn it!"

  But the towering wave came crashing down, engulfing all of them and swallowing them in its churning waters.

  A moment later, Katherine descended onto the shore, landing lightly on her feet. She folded her arms and smirked, waiting as the ocean receded before her.

  Eventually, Owen emerged from the water, dragging both Grace and Will behind him. Their wetsuits dripped as they staggered onto the sand, coughing up seawater.

  Jason stumbled out right behind them, swaying unsteadily before collapsing onto the ground with a groan.

  Owen released Grace and Will, placing his hands on his hips. He let out a breath and grinned. "That was close."

  Grace, still catching her breath, pushed herself up on her hands. "I thought we were gonna drown."

  Owen turned back to the sea, the excitement still shining in his eyes. "That was great," he said. "Let’s go grab the boards and go again."

  But his enthusiasm quickly faded as angry stares came from all around him. Owen raised his hands in mock surrender, realising that maybe going into the cold waters again wasn’t what the others wanted to do.

  ***

  At the holding facility, Sonya stood in line with the rest of the Arden officers, arranged in neat rows inside the hangar bay. The air was tense, the silence broken only by the echoing sound of approaching boots.

  From the main entrance, units of peacekeepers were marching into the hangar, their presence commanding immediate attention. They strode past the officers and deeper into the facility, having arrived to take full control after the imprisonment of the former warden.

  Among them, a single man stopped in the middle of the formation. He was draped in a sleek black and silver coat, the top half of his face obscured by a sharp black visor with a singular red eye that shifted and focused with eerie precision.

  He turned his head slightly towards the rows of officers—towards Sonya. Without a word, he raised a hand and pointed. The officers around her immediately stepped aside, creating a clear path as if a storm were approaching. Each heavy step he took made those nearby retreat further.

  The man stopped right in front of her. "Are you Sonya Hilton?" he asked.

  "Yes, sir." she replied firmly.

  Without warning, his hand lashed out and struck her across the face. The crack echoed through the hangar, making even the most hardened officers flinch. Sonya's head turned with the force, but she didn’t stumble.

  "The main escapees came from your class," the man said coldly. "You should be grateful you haven’t been punished further."

  Sonya slowly turned her gaze back to him, looking directly into the shifting red eye of his visor. "May I ask who you are… sir."

  The man leaned further into her face. "I am captain Lawrence, squad captain for squad three."

  Lawrence’s red eye flicked as he stared down at her. "You’ll be coming with me," he said flatly. "Your knowledge of Owen Walters and Isaac Temple might prove useful in capturing them."

  Sonya remained quiet for a moment, her gaze unmoving. Then she gave a sharp nod. "Yes, sir."

  Without another word, Lawrence turned on his heel. "Follow me." he ordered as he began walking back towards the other peacekeepers.

  Sonya stepped forward, falling into step behind him. As her boots echoed against the hangar floor, she spoke up. "Where will we go?"

  Over his shoulder, Lawrence answered, "Gaast City. But first I’d like to gather some inmates from here, a few of them seem to have some useful powers."