THE SHADOWVERSE

Nowhere to Hide

Less than an hour later, Rose woke up. She rubbed her eyes and massaged her head, squinting at the light of the setting Sun. Her surroundings were significantly different from what she last remembered. Her head throbbed.

"Oh my God, what happened?" she said to herself. "Hello?"

Her voice echoed through the hideaway, and the others, preparing to leave, heard it and ran to her. Ryan got there first, almost tripping over his own feet. "Rose!" he exclaimed.

"What happened?" she asked, squinting again to make out Ryan's form.
"I-I don't know, but what's important is that you are OK."

"Ryan?" she asked, trying to make out the expression on his face.

At least she remembers me, he thought. "Yeah, that's me! Ryan Slade, remember?"

"Yes, where is everybody else? Where am I?" she asked, taking in this unfamiliar location.

"You are on Herook," Sonovan said.

"How do you feel?" Johnny asked. "You don't look good at all."

"Yeah, of course she doesn't. Duh. She's been through a hurricane," Dustin said.

"Yeah, not happy land," Sam added.

Rose stood up with Ryan's help, still confused and lost. "There you go," he soothed. By this time, he had already shrunk from his power form.

Squinting her eyes, she recognized Sonovan. "Wait a minute. I know you. You are Sonovan Lung."

"Yes, I am," Sonovan said. "It is a pleasure to truly meet you. Your friends have told me much about you."

Without warning, Rose emitted an ear-piercing scream and collapsed to the ground. The memories of what Justice had done returned to her in a flood. "No! No! No! What happened? Dad? Dad! No!" she cried in sorrow and bewilderment. Tears streamed down her face at the memory of her father's death at her own hands.

"Rose! What is going on?!" Ryan shouted, kneeling by her. Her forehead bowed to her knees while she wept, vibrant red hair draped over her like a shield.

"Dad!" she cried again.

"What? What happened to your dad?" Johnny asked her. "Rose!"

Dustin and Sam, along with Jane, also lowered themselves to huddle round her. "Rose, you need to tell us," Jane said. "Please . . ."

So vivid was the memory. Nothing she did could drive it out of her mind. The knife as it pierced Henry's skin, over and over. His final conversation with Rose. Titan's response through her. All of it returned to her memory, unrelenting and clear.

Because if I know my daughter well, she never goes down without a fight.

There is not a fight to compete in, I'm afraid.

Rose, if you are in there, never stop fighting. You hear me? Never stop! I love you.

I know.

It was all too much for her. The voices resonated, reverberated, and echoed everywhere, with no regard for her feelings. She sobbed with increased ferocity every passing second, and the only thing the others could do was try to comfort her.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Johnny said, looking at them in concern.

Ryan was close to crying with her and totally out of whack. This was Rose—the girl he had a crush on that stood taller than Everest. The person he believed would always be far stronger than him. But now, she was . . . human. Broken. Vulnerable.