Han was restless. He had never had so much free time in his life. And he had never been so still. He never thought he would miss nights of patrol, but he did. He couldn't even go to Third Company's morning meetings to stay in the loop, as he was supposed to be in class.

He hadn't even made it until dinnertime after school before he called up Rand. "Save me," he said into the phone.

"From what? Is something after you?" she asked, mildly alarmed.

"From boredom."

She gave a frustrated sigh. "It's barely been a week since your injury. You know how long I've been on desk duty? Three months, Han. Months."

"Okay, okay, yes, you have it worse. What're you researching today?"

"South American archaeology, particularly in Bolivia."

Han gave a fake snore, throwing himself back onto the couch. "This is just making me more bored."

"Trying to figure out any sort of clue as to what this mysterious weapon is that Orsini might have gotten his hands on."

Han sat back up suddenly. Maybe it wasn't so boring after all. "Can I help?"

"Now you want to help? You literally snored at me."

"Well, I didn't know the stakes. Now I do, I wanna help."

"Fine. Come to the mansion."

Rand hung up the phone and Han was out the door in a matter of seconds.

***

"Am I ever going to drive that car again?" Orion asked from the doorway of the garage as Han got out of the car.

"You can drive it now, just have it back by nightfall," Han said with a smirk, throwing Orion the keys.

"Gee, thanks," Orion said, hopping down the steps and heading for the Jeep, his go-to car choice. There were several to choose from, all different kinds, from practical to luxury, convertible to SUV.

Han went inside and found Rand in the library, where she spent most of her time these days. And taking up most of the sitting spaces were the members of Easy Squad. Deb, who was blessed with the power of a bee and had some wicked cool powers, flung her long brown hair over one shoulder as she looked up at him.

"Come to help now that you're on desk duty?" she asked with a smirk.

Han ground his teeth. That was Deb for you, needlessly antagonistic. "I'm not on desk duty. I'm on a very important mission I'll have you know. I'm a spy. Like James Bond."

Nash, gifted with the powers of a rhino, gave a small snort of laughter at that and then immediately turned read. "Sorry," he said, covering his face with his book. But his ears, too big for his head, were still in view.

"What? I could be like James Bond."

"Suuuuuure," Deb said, twirling a strand of hair in one finger and turning back to her book.

Han looked at the last member of Easy Squad for some kind of backup. Micah, a tall, lanky kid gifted by some kind of small pig species that Han could never remember the name of, sat on the floor, leaning against the love seat. He was the newest member of the team and so therefore, Han figured, was the most likely to want to impress and please. "You could be James Bond," he said unconvincingly.

Han rolled his eyes and moved to sit next to Rand on the couch. "You all wouldn't know spy talent if it hit you in the face." He poked Rand's arm. "Any new developments?"

Rand didn't even glance up from her book. "In the hour since we last spoke? No. Still reading. Here." She handed him a book from the pile in front of her.

"The Patriarchal System of Rule in Level Five Demon Clans of South America," Han read off the cover. "Riveting."

"You wanted in? This is in."

Han settled in, kicking his feet up. If he was going to do this, he might as well get comfortable. He was only four pages in and wanting to break his other arm to get out of this job when something caught his eye.

At first, he wasn't sure what it was about it. Something in his mind was stirring, but he couldn't make sense of it. He had just read about a demon king known as the Delicate Destroyer, who would kill creatures with a single cut from his nail, in an expert place. But during his rule his name was changed to the Demolished, after his hands were cut off in a duel with another demon king.

Han glanced to the prophecy on the white board, as his thoughts started to become more solid. "You're not the Alpha," he said out loud.

Rand looked up from her book, her eyes wide. "What?" she asked, her voice quiet and masking her pain.

Han immediately felt bad. Taking Rand back to a moment that haunted her, when she had first heard those words uttered from Orsini's mouth, was maybe not the most sensitive move. But he had to follow the thought. "Orsini told you that you're not the Alpha."

"Right, what's your point?"

Easy Squad was looking up from their books now, too, watching Han as he went over to the prophecy, and pointed at it. "The General thought you were the Alpha. But Orsini told you you weren't. And yet, you could feel it. Like how I'm feeling it. Something stirring. Just like King Luke said. The balance is off."

King Lukenga was king of the Asari tribe, their pacifist vampire allies.

"Yeah, so?"

"So when Orion told you the General might think you were the Alpha, you avoided it. You didn't want to think about it. Why?"

"I don't know," Rand said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

But Han knew when she got stubborn it was only because there was something she didn't want to admit. He was on a roll now. "Because you felt that it could be true. That you could be a part of the prophecy. And it scared you."

"It didn't scare me," she protested, a bit too loudly.

"Of course it did," Han argued. "I'd be scared. I am scared, even now."

"Get to the point," Deb said, rising from her seat and crossing her arms just like Rand did. Although Rand would kill him for even thinking it, they were more alike than they both realized.

"The point is, maybe Orsini was right. You're not the Alpha. But that doesn't mean you aren't a part of the prophecy. The Alpha is just one name listed. One of the thirteen."

I pulled the paper from the whiteboard and read aloud, the stanzas just below the bit about the Great Betrayer.

"There will be thirteen
A lucky number
For an unlucky mission

The Alpha will lead the pack
The Alpha will question last
The Alpha will hold the wounds
And find his reward when all is lost

The Warrior will be a great weapon
The Warrior will lead his own
The Warrior will make the greatest sacrifice
And be reborn

The Hybrid will stand in two worlds
The Hybrid will know all
The Hybrid will be the first to believe
And the last to act

The King will learn what love is
The King will choose no side
The King will be given a gift
And a curse

The Avenger will suffer loss
The Avenger will double down
The Avenger will make the final move
And finish it all"

"So you're saying I'm not the Alpha," Rand said, realization dawning on her, "but one of the others. The Warrior or the Hybrid...." She trailed off, her eyes going wide.

"Or the Avenger," Han finished for her.

She snatched the prophecy out of Han's hand and read it over carefully once more. 

"But there aren't thirteen," Nash pointed out. "There are only five people named in the prophecy."

"Because we don't have the whole thing," Han explained. "We're missing pieces of it. Pieces that King Luke didn't have when you got this from him."

Rand held out the prophecy to Han, glaring at it until he took it from her hands. "We have no idea what it means. It won't do to dwell on it."

Han knew she was just being stubborn again. Refusing to believe the evidence. But Han couldn't ignore it. "We have to find the missing pieces," he said.

"Good luck with that," Rand said. She went back to reading her book. Easy Squad was quick to follow Rand's lead. Maybe she wasn't their squad leader anymore but she still had a presence about her that made people do what she suggested.

Han frowned, looking down at the prophecy. He was right. He could feel it. And the gorilla was with him, stirring uncomfortably at the thought of having some kind of destiny it couldn't control. Han didn't like it either, but he couldn't ignore the evidence.

Han stayed to help with the research until after Easy Squad left for patrol. But he was only half invested in what he was reading, his mind wondering instead where in the prophecy he belonged. Would he be the Warrior, making the greatest sacrifice? The King, who would receive some kind of curse? None of it sounded promising. He needed to get his hands on the rest of the prophecy, but he had no idea how.

Finally Han couldn't looking at another word. Even Rand had put her book down and was stretched out on the couch, eyes closed. But she was still awake, Han could tell.

"Have you given any more thought to my proposition?" Han asked.

Rand opened one eye and looked at him. "Proposition?"

"To move in with me."

"Oh." Rand sat up. "Right. Um... well...."

Han was surprised by her hesitance. It was a no-brainer to him. "It's cool if you don't want to. I just thought it made sense."

"It does make some sense," Rand said thoughtfully. 

"Then what's the issue? Is it me?" Han imagined himself to be a delightful roommate, despite what his obnoxious siblings might think. 

"No, of course not," Rand said quickly. 

"Then what is it?"

"I just, you know, I want to stay here. Take care of Orion."

That didn't make any sense. "Rand, he's fine. He's fully recovered."

"Yeah, from the gunshot, sure. But he still needs help with other things."

Han shook his head, confused. "Like what?"

"You know... research and stuff."

"You can live with me and still help with that. Look, you don't have to make excuses, if you don't want to live with me, you can just say so. I won't be mad." He said it, but he felt mad. Or at least, irritated. He wasn't sure why, but it was stirring within him, the gorilla starting to huff.

"No, that's not it. It's just that...." She looked down at the floor, as if she could find more excuses there not to live with him.

Han could tell there was something she wasn't telling him. "What is it? What aren't you saying?"

"It's nothing."

"I can tell when you're hiding something. What's going on?" Rand was the easiest person for Han to read out of the group. Orion was like a closed book. Liam only seemed to have two settings, sarcastic fun or grumbling grouch. Lani was always too busy reading everyone else to give much away about herself. But Rand, Han could always tell what Rand was thinking and feeling. He always liked it, it was one of the reasons he felt closer to her than the others.

Rand grabbed at her hair nervously. This was a bigger deal than Han thought. "I made Orion a promise. When he was shot, and we were waiting for the Collective to come, he asked me not to leave him. And I promised I wouldn't."

Han scoffed, disbelieving. He remembered the promise, made while it wasn't sure whether Orion would live or die. "I don't think he meant for the rest of your life. I'm sure it's fine if you leave now. He's fine."

"It's not about what he meant. It's about what I meant, when I promised him."

Han sat unmoving for several moments, staring at Rand. This didn't make any sense. He tried to figure it out in his head. What had he missed? Then he remembered the conversation he'd had with Rand outside Orion's hospital room. "You said that you guys kissed once.... But you said it was just a stupid crush and it was your fault and it was over. Is that... is that not the case? Is there something going on between you two?"

"No, of course not."

"Are you guys, like, together?" Han stood, the gorilla within him getting even more ruffled. He couldn't sit anymore. Why was he so floored by this? He felt like he had stepped into some kind of alternate universe. He had been surprised enough when Rand had told him she had kissed Orion. 

"No, but I...."

"What?" Han said, his voice sharp. "Just say it."

"I'm in love with him. I don't... I don't want to leave him. That's it."

Han opened his mouth to speak but realized he didn't have anything to say. His chest felt tight and hot, and the gorilla wanted to shout, wanted to pound its chest, something to let out its aggression. But why was he feeling aggressive? None of it made any sense. 

"Han?"

"So you lied before, at the hospital."

"Yeah," Rand said, her voice low. "I guess I did." She stood and stepped toward Han, but he stepped back. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said. "It was just, you know, kind of private and complicated."

"Yeah, no, I get that." Han shook his head to clear it. This was not how he had thought this conversation would go at all. Rand in love with Orion? Did he love her? Why weren't they together if he did? "So... we lie to each other now. That's something we do."

"Han-"

"Nope. It's cool. I get it. We all have our secrets, I guess. Well, not me. What secrets would I have?" He was the real open book, he realized now. At least, with Third Company he was.

Rand reached out to him but Han pulled away. "I should go. I have some fake homework to do for my fake schooling tomorrow." Why was he being like this?

"I'm sorry I lied," Rand said. "I wasn't trying to keep things from you."

"No, I get it. Really, I do. We don't have to talk about it anymore. I really should go. I'll call you later, okay?"

Rand gave a nod, and Han rushed out of the house. He took the Tesla again, and was out of the garage and practically flying down the driveway like a bat out of hell.

What was wrong with him? It was just a stupid secret. So what if Rand had lied? So what if she liked Orion? Or loved him. Why was he so bothered by it?

Han had only the sound of the tires on the pavement to answer him, along with the pounding of his heart. But it told him enough. He knew why.

Because, somewhere inside him, he had thought it would be him Rand would fall in love with someday.