El stared down at the getaway ship through the fractured glass floor, his chest rising and falling with labored, furious breaths. His sharp features were cast in the eerie glow of the green gas that still lingered in the air, his eyes narrowing with unbridled resentment.
"Damn them," he hissed, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Toxic moved swiftly toward the edge of the glass, her expression unreadable, her body taut with readiness. She prepared to leap after the ship, but El's voice thundered through the room, stopping her mid-motion.
"Stop, you damn bitch!" he roared, spinning toward her. His eyes burned with fury, his voice sharp and commanding. "You've already let them slip through your grasp once, and I won't tolerate another failure!"
Toxic froze, her stance rigid, her face flickering with something between shame and fear. "El, we can still catch them—"
El raised a hand to silence her, his lips curling into a sinister grin. His voice dropped to a low, venomous tone. "It's not over," he said, his words deliberate and chilling. "Contact the others. Alert every Legion member. No matter where they run or how far they hide, we will find them."
He stepped closer to the edge, his gaze fixed on the retreating ship as though sheer willpower could drag it back. The anger in his expression slowly morphed into something darker, something almost ecstatic.
"And when we do…" His voice dripped with malice as he turned to Toxic, his grin spreading into a twisted smile. "Our god will rise again. His power will reshape this world—and no one, will escape their fate."
The fractured glass beneath him creaked ominously as he turned away, his long coat billowing behind him. Toxic stood still, her sharp eyes glinting as she activated a communicator embedded in her glove. Her voice was cold and efficient. "This is Toxic El's protector. Prepare the others. We have work to do."
El walked past her, his hands clasped behind his back as his laughter echoed through the room—low, cruel, and filled with promise.
------
Upon seeing the Finder in Miles's hand, Page's breath caught in her throat. Without thinking, she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her relief spilling out in waves.
"You idiot," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You really did it!"
Miles winced, his face contorting in pain. "Ouch—my arm! My arm, woman!" he cried out, his voice strained.
Page gasped, pulling back quickly, her hands hovering near his shoulder. "Oh no! Sorry, Miles, I didn't mean—"
Miles managed a weak smile, his face pale but his eyes warm. "It's okay," he said, his voice softer now. "Honestly, I should be thanking you. You made the machine that'll help me find my friend."
He shifted slightly, trying to rise to his feet, but his legs trembled under him. Page darted forward, slipping his arm over her shoulder to support him. "Easy there," she said, her voice steadying.
As she helped him, Miles glanced at her curiously. "Still… why would you create a machine that could put your whole world at risk?" he asked, his tone curious but without judgment.
Page hesitated for a moment, her eyes distant as they stared at the Finder in his hand. Then, with a deep breath, she began. "Well, you see, Miles… my dad is from the Outworld, and my mom is from Amethyst. I never grew up with a dad. I've never even met him." Her voice faltered, but she pressed on. "That's why I created the Transverse Finder—to find him. To see the part of me I've been missing all my life."
She paused, biting her lip as a small, self-deprecating smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I know it's probably silly. Maybe even selfish. But I had to try—"
Miles cut her off, his voice firm but kind. "It's not silly, Page."
Her eyes widened slightly, meeting his gaze. The sincerity in his expression softened her doubt.
He leaned back against the edge of the ship, letting out a shaky breath. "I came to Amethyst for the same reason. To find someone important to me. You're not alone in this."
Page scratched the back of her head awkwardly, a small smile breaking through her tears. "I guess that makes us kindred spirits, huh?" she said with a light giggle.
She extended her hand to him, her expression bright despite the weight of their shared burdens. "Let's try this again. I'm Page."
Miles looked at her hand, his own trembling slightly as he reached out to take it. With a firm shake, he managed a small but genuine smile of his own.
"Miles," he replied simply.
For the first time since the chaos began, the weight in the air seemed to lift, replaced by the faintest spark of hope. The hum of the ship's engines was a distant murmur as Miles and Page sat in the quiet, their breaths heavy but steady.
"Hey, Page," Miles started, his voice trembling. His gaze dropped to his lap, his hands clenched tightly. "Now that I think about it… I'm so sorry." His voice cracked as tears welled in his eyes. "I didn't know El was the bad guy. I was so desperate to find Laurel… I didn't think. I got everyone you cared about killed because of my selfishness."
His words faltered, the weight of guilt crushing his chest. Tears rolled freely down his face now, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "I—I can't undo what happened. I can't bring them back. I—"
"Stop," Page interrupted sharply. Her voice was firm, but it trembled slightly as she spoke. She looked down at the deck of the ship, her hands clutching her clothes so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her shoulders shook as she drew in a shaky breath.
"You know, when I was tied up in El's office…" Her voice broke, but she forced herself to continue. "I saw every one of my friends. Young, old… they all had dreams. They had families who loved them. They wanted to make this world a better place."
Her tears fell freely now, glistening as they dripped onto the metal floor. Her voice grew softer, rawer. "It should've been me, Miles. But it wasn't. I don't know why this world is like this. Why it takes the best people and leaves the rest of us behind."
She wiped at her eyes furiously, her tears refusing to stop. "But what I do know is this: they loved Amethyst. They believed it could be saved. And I… I won't let their dreams die with them. No matter what it takes—even if it costs me my life."
Miles stared at her, his own tears blurring his vision. He reached up, wiping his face with the back of his hand as a lump rose in his throat. His voice was low, but it carried the weight of a promise. "Page… I swear to you. I'll help you find your dad. And I'll do everything I can to make sure no one else from the Outworld gets caught. I won't let that happen."
Page looked up at him, her tear-streaked face softening as a small, bittersweet smile broke through. She sniffled, brushing her hair from her face as she wiped her cheeks. "You better," she said, her voice thick with emotion but steady.
The two sat in silence for a moment, their grief and determination hanging heavy in the air. Amidst the loss and chaos, they found solace in their shared pain and an unspoken promise to make things right.
A voice broke the quiet. "Hmmm, looks like you two are getting along," Ray said, his tone dry but carrying a faint trace of amusement.
Miles and Page snapped their heads up, startled. Ray stood a few feet away, leaning casually against the ship's railing.
"Oh, Ray!" Page exclaimed, her cheeks flushing as she quickly wiped at her tear-streaked face. "I didn't see you there."
"Well, you were a bit preoccupied," Ray said with a smirk. He straightened, his arms crossed. "Now that we've put some distance between us and Alpha Dawn… where to next, missy? I've done my job getting us this far."
"Thanks, Ray," Page said, her voice earnest as she reached for the Finder still clutched in Miles's hand. She inspected it closely, her brow furrowing. "But… wait. It's not beeping. It's supposed to beep when someone from the Outworld is nearby."
Miles exchanged a glance with her, the tension between them spiking as the sphere remained silent.
"And the hologram map isn't working either!" Page exclaimed, her frustration spilling over. She handed the sphere back to Miles with trembling hands, running her fingers through her disheveled hair. "What the hell?! I worked so hard on this—perfected every detail. How is this happening now?!"
Her breaths came faster, panic flashing across her face. "It was working fine before. What if we broke it during the fight? What if—" She cut herself off, her voice trembling as her hands shook. "What if we can't fix it?"
Miles and Ray exchanged a quick, worried look.
"Page," Miles said softly, his voice steady but concerned. He placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her. "We'll figure it out. Just take a breath, okay?"
But Page shook her head, her fear rising like a tidal wave. "You don't understand, Miles," she said, her voice cracking. "This isn't just some machine—it's everything. Without it, we can't find anyone. Without it, there's no hope."
Her shoulders began to shake, and she hugged her arms tightly around herself as if trying to hold the weight of her fears inside.
Ray stepped forward, his usual sarcastic edge replaced by something softer. "Hey," he said, his voice uncharacteristically calm. "Machines break. We fix them. You're the genius who built it, right? You can do it again if you need to."
Page sniffled, glancing at Ray with watery eyes. "But what if—?"
"No 'what ifs,'" Ray interrupted, his tone firm but not unkind. "We deal with the problem in front of us, one step at a time. That's how we've survived this long, isn't it?"
Page hesitated, then nodded slowly. Her breathing steadied, and she wiped at her face, straightening her posture.
Miles tightened his grip on the Finder, determination flashing in his eyes. "We'll fix it together," he said with quiet resolve. "You're not alone in this, Page."
She looked at him, her lips trembling into the faintest smile. "Thanks," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the ship's engines.
The three of them stood there, united by the promise of what lay ahead. The journey was far from over, but they weren't giving up—not yet.