As he runs to alert the others, jinking from side to side, missiles launched from the helicopters hit the pavement around him; they can't get a lock on him, but the shrapnel and shattered pavement they kick up sting. Zack enters this new fray, jumping up onto one of the burning SUVs, drawing the fire down as he absorbs its energy output, and sends a tremendous force blast toward the helicopters. Olivia, now completely healed thanks to Eva's efforts, raises her arms and throws up an extended half-spherical force field around them all, to insulate everyone from the bullets and the missiles coming from above. Only air can get through.
Zack smiles, seeing his sister standing strong. Blake shouts at everyone to walk over the bridge to the other side, to make their escape through the woods. Zack runs toward his father and signals for him to get out of the car. When he realizes that Jim isn't moving, he pulls his father carefully from the car and places him in a fireman's carry over his shoulders. Meanwhile, Blake is carrying Wally, and Eva and Isabella are up front with Olivia right behind both of them, maintaining the shield as it moves along with them. She struggles to morph it enough to keep from dragging debris along with them, but manages to maintain its integrity.
The group halts their advance as UNSTF agents appear at the far end of the bridge. Zack looks behind him and sees agents in formation advancing from the other side. The protective field soon dissipates, and Olivia is too drained to muster another one.
"It's over, Zec!" Ambassador Jabieko shouts from inside the helicopter. "If you resist us, you will die!"
Zack looks around and sees Isabella kneeling, holding Olivia's hand. Olivia and Eva stand next to each other, glaring at the helicopter. Blake lays Wally against a SUV and holds his hand over Wally's chest, trying to stop the loss of blood from multiple gunshot wounds.
Zack lays his Dad gently on the pavement in front of him. He can't read any thoughts coming from Jim, certain that the only father he remembers, the only father he's ever known, is dead. The erstwhile prince closes his eyes, knowing the end is near. He's failed his parents, sisters, friends, and his race. Seconds later, he feels the agony of an electric shock that consumes his body. His regenerating powers try to combat the shock, but the voltage keeps getting stronger. He looks behind him and sees wires from a Taser attached to his back. He tries to overpower the pain and reach the wires; but before he can, he falls head-first to the pavement.
Chapter 21
A bright flash of light forces Zack to open his eyes. It takes him a couple of seconds to regain his sight, and when he does, he finds that he's no longer on the bridge. The only thing he can perceive, floating in front of a purple background, is the ghostly figure of an older woman. He feels like he's seen this woman before, but for the life of him, he can't remember where or when. "Zec, my son," the woman says clearly, "your story does not end today." She strokes his forehead with her finger. An explosion of light blinds him once again, and he feels an incredible surge of energy suffuse his entire body, reminiscent of how he felt the night of the school dance fire.
When he opens his eyes again, he's back on the bridge, sitting up. He turns to the agent holding the Taser. The agent squeezes the trigger, sending another electrical shock through Zack's body. Zack, unfazed, stands up and pulls off the wires off his back. He's glowing with supernal energy that makes him as radiant as an angel — an avenging angel, ready to take the fight to a deserving enemy.
It's clear to the enemy that this is a defining point, and that if they don't win now, they never will. "Kill them all!" Jabieko shrieks into his comrade from his helicopter, which lags behind the others. All the agents open fire again.
To no avail.
Zack instantly draws upon his new energy reserves, taking hold of his own powers as well as those of the other Azhalians around him. The fires of the burning SUVs snuff out, the UNSTF agents feel a wave of weakness, and the air goes as cold as a ghost's kiss. The bullets coming their way puff into dust as he absorbs their kinetic energy. Zack lifts a dense force field to shield his group, steels his skin, closes his fist and then, with one powerful punch, strikes the pavement with such force that the bridge shatters and everything falls. In midair, he refocuses the force field to protect his parents, sister, Blake, Eva, and Wally, defending them from the fall, falling debris, and the cold Delaware River water.
As the bridge continues to crumble, concrete fragments and shredded metal tumble into the river, taking agents and cars into the water with them. An enraged Jabieko orders the helicopter gunners to fire toward the river.
As they turn to do so, a missile hits the tail of one of the gunships, blowing off the counter-rotor. "We've been hit; we're under attack!" he pilot shouts over the radio. As the chopper spins helplessly down toward the river, unable to stabilize, the sky lights up as fireballs are launched from below. The helicopter carrying Jabieko swerves abruptly, but is hit by a fireball and twirls down onto the river's edge, auto-rotating just enough to make the crash survivable.
Jabieko slowly opens his eyes as the water rushes in. He tries to unbuckle himself, but it's jammed. He uses his alien strength to tear off the seatbelt. He checks on the pilot and copilot, but they're
