My feet dug into the doughy forest floor as I sprinted down the snow-coated path. The brittle salty wind from the ocean filled my lungs with each deep inhale I took. It commanded the hairs along my bare arms to rise at the chilling air brushing against it. The rustling of leaves was drowned out by the overpowering crash of the waves below. I pushed my body further, to run faster, against the aching of my legs. Ahead of me, the canopy of leaves opened up above letting the amber light cut through to reveal the rest of the island. Veltrace Island extended into the horizon; the light of the rising sun grew behind Mt. Multski, letting the land be warmed by its soothing touch. A beautiful mosaic of green spread around the island as layers of powdery snow lay against the leaves, longing to hit the ground. To the right, the ocean rippled towards then expanse of Vancouver, the city looked gorgeous baked in the morning light, to my left, the sparse forest continued up the top of the island. I continued to run further down the path, I could hear the voices of the rest of the residence on the island doing their morning routines, kids would be playing around the lake in the centre of the island, some adults would be setting up for activities or having some coffee. While they did their routines, I took a run around the island as I always did, to help start the day with a clear mind. I was greeted by waves and smiles as I passed by the newer houses around the island that were made to accommodate the larger number of people coming in every few weeks. Even with the icy weather, it still felt soothing to feel my heart race, the wind caressing my hair and my feet plant into the spongy soil. I stopped at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the ocean and the surrounding islands, a thin mist layered the surface of the water to be slowly carried away by the breeze. A bench sat semi-awkwardly upon the top of the cliff, I had discovered it on one of my runs and it just became my thinking place. It's just far enough away from the houses to feel like a park, but close enough to the ocean that the waves aren't thundering crashes, only soothing rumbles that filled the air. It was the place beside my room where I felt free, but even my room wasn't as secluded as here. I sat down and looked over the ocean, I took a deep inhale and let it all out, feeling the pressure alleviate from my chest.

"I had a feeling I would find you here." A voice called out from behind me. I turned to find Elaine Colts. Her emerald eyes sparkled as the sun glinted of them, the same light that also made her fair skin glow a radiant orange. Hair had grown out to shoulder length and she had changed out her purple highlights for a dark green, unlike her eyes. She was wearing her leather jacket and her signature scarf that seemed to be powdered in the dirt.

"You're back!" I shouted as I got to embrace the girl.

"Yeah. We just got back from Winnipeg."

"And how did it go? Did Vortex give you as much trouble as we thought they would?" I asked as I sat back down and she sat beside me.

"They were trouble, but it's nothing Adam and I couldn't handle."

"Where is he anyway? Is he inside?"

"No, Akari called us just before we were about to leave. She sent him and the rest of the team on another mission."

"She never mentioned another mission to me."

"She could just be reducing your load; you've been working really hard these last few months. You need to give yourself a bit more of a break."

I sighed, "This is my break. My runs every morning. I don't have time during the day to relax with Vortex causing chaos and Transgress trying to get new laws pushed."

"That's exactly why you need a break." She placed her hand on my arm, her vibrant green of her eyes were giving me a silent plead. "You haven't let yourself rest since Oliv-"

"It's been nine months since he died Ellie, I've grieved and I've moved on because the rest of the world doesn't have time for me cry about it every day."

"That's not what I'm saying Stephy. I'm just saying, the world won't collapse if you give yourself a day off." She gave me a soft smile with weighted worry behind it. I didn't mean to read her emotions but every so often my powers would act on their own accord, she was feeling sadness for me that stemmed from love, the same way you would feel sad for a kitten without a limb. I thought about the last few months and how I've been working alongside Akari and Maxwell to keep this branch of the Foxhole functioning with all the new Amps that have been coming in since we were exposed in February.

"Maybe you're right," I stretched my arms, taking in all the rays of the sun as they poured on to me. "but not right now, things are too intense right now."

"Okay, just think about yourself a little more."

"Will do, just after I deal with another meeting. Progress report stuff."

"I can take you to your room to get cleaned up."

"That would be amazing," I said just before she teleported us to my room. The lavender wallpaper and fairy lights that were wrapped around the room, I tried to recreate the look of my old bedroom from our house that burned down earlier in the year to the best of my abilities but I came up a tad short, above my bed was one of the only photos I had left of my brother and me where we both looked happy. In the corner was a violin that I would try and practice with when I wasn't either in the Med bay or with Akari and Maxwell.

"I'll leave you to get ready and I'll find you later, maybe grab some breakfast," Ellie said as she began leaving the room.

"Wait," I called out to her as she opened the door. "Thanks for bringing me back here and for the little talk. I'm glad you're back."

"No problem." She smiled at me; a hint of redness grew lightly across her cheeks.

After a brief shower, I got changed into some jeans and a white strapped top then made my way into the halls of The Foxhole. It was a lot more crowded than when I first got here but we always seemed to have enough space for everyone. I followed the beige halls that never seemed to end down to the library where no one is ever really reading. The mahogany floor was freshly polished and even the green carpet that went through the middle of the room looked like it had been power washed. Sometimes I forget how beautiful the library is, three floors of knowledge that at first glance can be overwhelming, but just being around seemed to empower you with knowledge. Leisure sections that even without people in them, I could feel the joy and excitement radiating from them. At the moment, the library was basically empty except for three people on the dais in the centre of the room. As I got closer my best friend, Megan Clayburn, came down from the dais and embraced me in a hug.

"There you are. I'm glad I got to see you before I head out." She said.

"Head out?" I said realizing she was wearing her backpack over her black hoodie. "Where are you going."

"Akari is sending me on a solo mission. Ellie is going to take me home to Cross County to investigate the missing people cases there."

"She's giving people missions left, right and centre, yet somehow I'm the last to find out about it." I groaned. "Please be careful while you out there. This could be nothing or this could be something that you'll need back up for."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You should be worried about them." She said as she pointed at Maxwell and Akari on top of the dais. I let out a sigh before walking towards them.

"Stephanie. There you are, and you're on time." Maxwell groaned. His paper white hair neatly kept as usual and he wore a shirt and pants.

"Aren't you a bit overdressed for a progress report," I commented as we began to walk to the side of the room.

"I have a life outside of leading The Foxhole, you know." He snarked.

"Really. I honestly thought you slept here on the dais." I snarked back. He gave an approving smile.

"Stephanie, stop teasing him and be ready for the assembly. " Akari said in her calming tone. Her raven hair had silvery streaks entangled between them that seemed to complement her midnight black dress. We reached the security door between two bookshelves; Maxwell entered the passcode in the keypad by the door. It beeped three times before the door swung open. We all entered before the door closed and the floor began to descend.

"I don't appreciate you sending my friends on missions without giving me a heads up," I said to the Japanese woman.

"I ran The Foxhole for many years before I took you under my wing. I'm very sure I can send people off without needing to inform you." Akari said. She always had a way to make anything she said sound kind and thoughtful even when what she was saying wasn't.

"I'm just asking that I at least get to find out before they do," I said. The gate above closed, leaving only the light embedded in the wall, that flew by as we descended.

"She does that often when she too much in her mind," Maxwell said. "Forget that there are other people to help lighten the load." He said in understanding as if he was finding out about some of these as well. Maxwell was a lot gentler than when I had first met him, he was like a bear then and he still was but more like a papa bear protecting his den with all his cubs, reluctant with strays but willing to take them in. The platform finally reached the bottom floor opening up to the conference room, a dark wood table with fourteen seats surrounding it sat centre stage in the room, on the table, a miniature hologram projector sat idly. The edges of each side of the room had lights embedded in them, creating a rectangle of dim white light surrounding the room. I took my seat between Akari and Maxwell, waiting for the rest of the congregation to arrive. Slowly people began to pop into existence in their chairs until half of the seats were occupied.

"So, shall we begin." Akari started.