My greatest fear was not being in control. And that's exactly what my powers as an apex were doing to me.

"But why me, dad?" I asked, my lips shaking violently.

He put both his hands on my shoulders and let out an apologetic smile, "That is, without a doubt, my fault-"

I stepped back, letting his hands drop to his sides. "I don't understand! Who even are you and mom?"

"Burn, powers are hereditary. Your grandfather-"

"But you told me that both your families hated you for running away. I never got to meet them!"

"That is half the truth-"

"All these lies! I had a right to know! How about Atlantis? Was she a part of this too? Was she dragged in all you mumbo-jumbo and ended up dead?"

My mouth felt dry as the last few words left my mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way-"

"It's okay. I understand but Atlantis-"

Suddenly, Sebastian's face appeared through the corridor. "We've really got to get a move on, Burn!"

The others were waiting down the hall. Bethany spun around to face me as she heard our footsteps.

"The closest exit is just around the corner but it's guarded...heavily," she spat out.

I pulled the strap from around my neck and let it hang down as my hand uncomfortably adjusted to the heavy feeling of the gun in my hand.

"I can control feelings- well, not really- and look into people's minds. I can do this," I whispered to myself as I tore through the others.

"Burn, stop!" I heard dad shout as my fingers slipped from his grasp.

That was enough to get the guards' attention. My finger slipped under the gun and pressed as hard as it could before I had a chance to the people that were going to be the victims of the bullets.

The sound of the bullets as they flooded out of my gun and the shrieks banged against my eardrums.

I witnessed each soldier drop to the floor, one after the other.

I had powers that I could use to peacefully stop them. But I couldn't use them because I didn't know how to.

But I was fine. Fine with brutally slaughtering people to protect others.

Who was I to choose who lives?

Or who the bad guys were?

I was standing over five men sprawled across the floor because of my gun. Maybe they were right to want to kill the apex?

I am dangerous, I thought.

The others were behind me staring at the bodies.

"Burn-" Sebastian started off, walking towards me.

The last thing I needed was his thoughts on my behaviour rushing in. He probably hated me. He was going to hate me more when he found out what I hid from him.

I backed off rudely and groaned. "No, don't. I'm a selfish monster."

I turned my back towards them and started for the exit. The others were not far behind me.

Dad smiled at me, putting a hand around my shoulder as we pulled open the door, and said, "You really are my daughter-"

Two guards stood behind the door, holding guns. All of us sprawled down to the floor in time as the shots began firing.

Dad's tight grip on my hand loosened as he snatched the gun from my hand.

"I'm going to distract them. I love you, Burn. Stay strong, Burn," he whispered and pushed through the two, heading down the staircase.

"Daddy, don't!" I screamed but came out as a cry, knowing from Raven's memory that there's a dead end at the bottom.

I hurried the others up and forced them to the top of the staircase.

I hauled the gun from Tyson's hand and sprinted down the staircase after the two soldiers. None of us could shoot since each target was moving too fast.

One set of staircase left.

Suddenly I heard two gunshots. It wasn't my gun though.

One of the guards collapsed onto the floor and I recognised it to come from dad's direction. There was one still standing pointing his gun to dad.

I heard my cry as I shot a bullet through the guard.

I looked over the guard's body and saw dad.

His body stiffened as his knees smashed into the ground and his skull slammed to the floor. The crimson on his shirt slowly spread to the back of his shirt as he laid there motionless.

"Daddy!" I sobbed. I stuffed my fist into my mouth as the cries turned into screams.

I stared at his lips where the smile was usually placed when we fought for the tv remote on the couch.

Bullshit the people that said that love, at first sight, isn't real. That moment when that man walked into my hospital room when I was born, fell in love with me on the first glance.

At least he'll be in a better place. A place where his family isn't being hunted.

Tears, that I hadn't known had begun, were hot on my cheeks and stung my eyes.

The last words he'd said echoed against my eardrums about staying strong.

I'll stay strong, daddy.

Somehow I stood up and began running up the stairs. Familiar faces began appearing.

At the top, mom stood waiting, her clothes eyes hanging in the same desperation as her words. "Your dad?"

I didn't want to talk about him. I couldn't face her.

I shook my head and whispered, "He died saving us."

Mom let out a sharp breath and I heard a sob escape her mouth. "You know, he'd told me about the happiest day of his life."

I simply nodded because I knew if I spoke I would break down.

"He died 16 years after that day."

"And what day was that?" I heard my voice cry out before I could stop. I didn't want to hear anything about him.

"The day you were born, Burn."