"I can't do this," Juliana pressed her hands to her temples as she paced across the floor of the PROBJet. "Let's cancel. Let's go home."

Chase stood a few feet away from her, his eyes dark with worry. The ambitious and extroverted Juliana almost never cancelled on anything, let alone an Order of Chance Ball. She'd seemed fine this afternoon, looking over the outfit her stylist had assembled for the evening and calling various foreign celebrities to confirm their attendance. But now that all the members of Project PROB but her and Chase had left the Jet, her doubts were beginning to show. 

"Come on, Jules, breathe," Chase slowly approached the distraught Queen, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "This ball is important to you. Everyone you know is going to be here. Are you sure about this?" It felt odd for him to be the strong one for once, but from the look on Juliana's face, he could tell she appreciated it.

"What if she shows up? I can't face her after what I did to her," she buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "It's been three years. I thought she was gone." Chase sighed, wrapping his arms around her back. He'd figured her worry had something to do with her sister. Project PROB's meeting after their experience at Glenn Richards' house had been less than satisfactory. All their analysis had given them was exactly what they had before: a strong suspicion that it was Ravenna who had kidnapped Maddie Thornton. They had no idea how, where, or why. 

An invisible spider was much worse than one you could see. An invisible spider might as well be on the back of your neck. Chase's own words came back to him as he recalled standing in front of his bathroom mirror, armed with a toothbrush as his eyes searched frantically around the room for a lost arachnid. Ravenna was scary enough when they knew her location and motives, but now that she had disappeared...

"She is gone! She has done absolutely nothing for three whole years! What makes you think she'll come back now?" Chase didn't totally believe his words himself, but he was doing his best to reassure Juliana.

"It doesn't add up. It doesn't make sense," Juliana stepped away, straightening her hair and running her hands across her face as she put every ounce of her training into regaining her royal composure. "Where did she get the money to pay Richards? With Roy and the Jackers out of the picture, who's her new source of funding? I can't help but get the feeling that something big is going on here."

"It may be. It may not be. Only time and a good, proper investigation will tell us. But you were the one who taught me the importance of doing your job- even when it seems like the worst possible thing to do. Come on, Jules. Let's go out there and look good for the Order, for our country. Let's go do our jobs." He squeezed her hand reassuringly and she smiled softly.

"Okay," she said in an uncharacteristically small voice as they made their way down the ladder of the Jet to the ground. A red carpet was rolled out for them from the Jet to the entrance to the huge banquet hall where the event was to take place, but it only took them a moment to realize that something was very off.

They were met by the perfunctory media presence that was expected at a Ball attended by the Queen- plenty of cameras flashed at them and even followed them as they walked- but it was nothing like it usually was. There were no reporters scrambling to get Juliana's opinion on the latest global events. No citizens rushing to the front of a burgeoning crowd to snap a selfie with the passing Queen. No children in Numbers helmets or shirts emblazoned with the Crimson Angel wings. Overall, their welcome seemed sad and deflated. Two people who had frankly grown used to being treated like heroes everywhere they went were being all-but ignored.

Juliana's grip on Chase's arm tightened as they entered the banquet hall where Hayley and Astrid waited for them, both looking equally confused.

"Where...where is everyone?" Hayley looked out over the railing at a dance floor that was empty save a few members of the Arcanese Parliament and Order officials who casually mulled about.

"I don't understand," Juliana looked around, flustered. For the first time in her glittering royal life, she was being ignored. "I made all the calls. I was confirming invites up until an hour ago!"

"Hey, I think I figured out what's going on. I don't think you guys will like it, though" Adrian jogged up a flight of stairs to meet the rest of Project PROB. His blazer was slung over his arm and beads of sweat covered his forehead.

"Ravenna," Juliana muttered under her breath, reaching for her bracelet.

"No, actually..." Adrian trailed off. "You guys need to come see this."

A tangible silence fell over the group as they followed him out a large glass door to a secluded little balcony. His words were almost scarier than an outright attack by Ravenna would've been. At least they had fought the Raven before. They knew what to expect. But now, they stood in silence in the cool night breeze, looking down at the city. On the side of every even remotely translucent building and projected on every large screen in sight was the same video message. Cars had stopped in the middle of the street, and crowds of people gathered around the screens, watching the message intently. 

At first, the clips were played in such rapid succession that Juliana barely had time to register them all individually. All she was able to make out was a shot of Roy's younger brother Harry walking home from school and tripping when a rock hit his backpack, followed by childish laughter in the distance. 

"Every day I live in constant shame and fear," came a voiceover of what sounded like Harry himself. "My brother is dead. My dad stepped down as Prime Minister. My mom barely even talks anymore. My family is ruined. Queen Juliana did this."

The video faded into an interview-like scene, with Glenn Richards sitting at a table. "Project PROB broke into my home and threatened me for absolutely no reason." His eyes glinted maniacally. Sweet, sweet revenge, they seemed to sing. "Queen Juliana is no hero. The Crimson Angel is the equivalent of a ski mask. It's what she hides behind to get away with her crimes."

Various speakers populated the screen,  gradually filling it with more and more voices.

"Three years ago, the UN asked if one country can or should possess something like the Alpha Box. We had our doubts then, but now, the answer is a clear no."

"Juliana VanderSchee is an entitled, inexperienced brat who's totally reliant on her looks and charisma and has absolutely no idea what she's doing.

"Queen Juliana is a menace."

"Queen Juliana is NOT the progressive millennial icon she seems to be. The woman's a budding fascist."

"Arcana's never had a revolution. Their rulers can also control probability. Coincidence? I think not."

The voices all began to speak at the same time, overlapping in an overwhelming cacophony of hatred until all the screens were suddenly extinguished, leaving the city in deafening silence. Finally, one voice cut through the tense night. There was no video to accompany it, but none was necessary. Everyone in Arcana- and many others around the world- would recognize that voice instantly.

"Juliana VanderSchee of Arcana is my twin sister," Ravenna spoke. There was so much more maturity in her voice that it was almost scary. While her threats had previously been overly hyperbolic almost cheesy, she now spoke in a cold, empty monotone that tugged at your soul with every word. "I used to blame her for the life she had. The life I thought I deserved. I am beyond that now. I've destroyed the demon who ruined me. Now I'm here to face an even bigger monster- the one who kept me ruined. Every second chance I got, she stamped on it. Everything that made me happy, she burned right before my eyes. Why are you so heartless, so petty? Why, Juliana, when you have absolutely everything a person could want, can't I have the only person who ever brought a smile to my miserable face?" She clearly wasn't finished with her speech, but something seemed to break in her as her voice cracked and she let out a horrible, desperate sob.

"Ravenna...shh, it's okay. I told him you weren't ready for this. It's not your fault," an unfamiliar male voice said to no effect.

"Turn off the camera- turn it off!" Ravenna snapped between sobs. "I need him..." she trailed off before a clicking noise signified the end of the broadcast.

Chase looked to Juliana for a reaction, but the Queen was entirely blank-faced, staring at the faraway speakers that had played her sister's voice just a few moments ago.

"Hayley...I want all media info on that video! Now!" Juliana ordered, instantly snapping into Order mode as she crossed her arms over the bodice of her sparkly silver dress.

"It's been online for only fifteen minutes. Already getting millions of views and comments that you...don't want to hear." Hayley said, looking down at her phone.

"Fifteen minutes and it's already ruined an Order Ball. That's very strange, statistically speaking. Chase, can you check the-"

"Already checked the probs," Chase replied curtly. "Key numbers are down. They've obviously been tampered with."

"That makes no sense! Ravenna doesn't know how to use the Power!" Adrian exclaimed.

"Maybe the guy she's working with does," Hayley mused. "A guy who also happens to have an American accent. American men with the Power. That can't be a long list of people."

"Hey- if you guys are done talking amongst yourselves, we have bigger problems." Henry Hewkin burst through the balcony doors and effectively herded the members of Project PROB inside just as rocks started to fly, shattering the glass doors.

"They know we're here!" Juliana gasped.

"No- they're attacking every noble-owned building in the city. It's practically anarchy out there. My wife and the Montgomerys are flying the Jet away to keep it safe from the mob," the Prime Minister explained quickly. "They've even burned both of your quarters at the palace," he sighed regretfully. "It's truly a miracle you weren't there. Come, let's go."

Project PROB wasted no time in following him down the stairs.

"I've got a car waiting outside. We're going to get out of the city and as far away as we can," Henry instructed as they made their way to the ballroom's back doors.

"No." Everyone turned around to see Juliana standing with her arms crossed. "People don't turn against their government in fifteen minutes. There's obviously some serious probability manipulation going on here- even possibly some large-scale Jacking. It's nothing that anyone can do remotely. Someone is messing with the Alpha Box, and the only way for us to get out of this mess is to secure it."

"But...the Box is in the heart of the city! Going there could pose a danger to your life," Henry insisted. "As your Prime Minister, I formally advise you to leave now. Live to fight another day."

"I know you have the best intentions, but I cannot sit and watch my city burn," Juliana flicked her wrist, her gown morphing into the Crimson Angel suit as she ran toward the door.