“You can see everything from here,” Summer told Ashton, as she led him to the safety fence that marked the edge that visitors were meant to go, “Even the world beyond the city walls. Coming here always takes my breath away.”

  Summer glanced over to see Ashton’s reaction, only to see him completely taken in by the view. She was glad he finally seemed relaxed. He must have been so nervous when he warned her. Now all she had to do was muster up her courage and keep true to her word. No matter what she heard tomorrow she would accept everything.

  Every fear and worry would be as small and insignificant as the buildings they could barely even make out. Even the Old Town, a place with haunting memories, seemed pathetic. Just outside the city nature was thriving, unconcerned for the hundreds of thousands of problems locked within. Every time she felt overwhelmed, all she needed to do was remember this view.

  Feeling mentally prepared at last, Summer returned her focus to Ashton, determined to peacefully spend the rest of the evening at his side.

  "Should we head back?" Ashton asked, "It is a long drive and we don't know for sure what is coming tomorrow."

  "What do you mean?" Summer asked, "Didn't Harper already fill you in?"

  "She only warned me about the main topic," Ashton revealed, "Since there is no training scheduled it might show up as a computer course, or it might be a surprise training."

  Summer bit her lip in an attempt to hold back her disappointment. "Can't we just stay together like this for a little longer?"

  "If you still feel this way after tomorrow, I will be happy to go on more dates with you," Ashton replied, "However you feel tomorrow, I don't want this moment to be one you will regret."

  Those words stung, and Summer lashed out before she could stop herself. "If you are so certain I will regret this, why even come?!"

  Ashton was silent for a while as he tried to formulate a response. "Everything I could tell you only sounds like a lame excuse," he admitted, "I must truly be selfish. I'm not ready to say goodbye yet."

  Why was Ashton so afraid of rejection? Would she find out the reason tomorrow? "I don't care if I regret this moment," Summer declared, "Right now all I want is to make the most of the time we have together, and I can't imagine anything changing my mind."

  "Nothing at all?" Ashton asked with a slightly bitter smile. He still seemed uncertain but before she knew it his face was in front of hers and he gave her a peck on the lips. It reminded her of the very one she had given him after the interview. "I should drive back."

  Summer obediently handed over the keys, struggling to process what had just happened. Did this mean the ever cautious Ashton actually liked her back? But why would he show her now right before she was about to find out whatever he was so afraid of? No, she was the one who had pushed him to this. The drive back went by in a flash, with neither of them saying a word. Just like that, the night was over.

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  Even the next morning Summer wasn't given much of a chance to think about what happened. She was awoken by a phone call from Harper inviting her to a private training to catch her up on the details so that their joint training later that day could be on equal footing. Once she arrived, Summer saw that she really was the only one there. The only one who didn't know. But that would change as soon as she walked through those doors.

  Harper came out to meet her. "Is everything alright?" she asked, "If you don't want to take this training you can leave."

  So she had put Ashton up to this. Summer felt a bit better knowing Ashton hadn't been trying to scare her off of his own accord but it was still frustrating. "If I leave now, I know there will be no going back," Summer replied, "I won't miss out on this opportunity just because I am a little nervous."

  "Well said," Harper acknowledged with a smile, "Come in. We have a lot to cover."

  Summer quickly followed her inside. It was just a simple meeting room with a power point presentation cued up. The title was concerning, but she took her seat without asking questions. She had already been given plenty of chances to run. That said, what exactly were the facilities?

  "First I will start with a basic overview of what the rest of your team already knows," Harper began, "The Facilities are government institutions similar to prisons for those with dangerous powers. Each facility is assigned a number that signifies the level of threat each of its occupants are. The first facility houses dangers that could threaten the whole country, and maybe even the world, while the last only holds minor threats who are just a bit too strong for an ordinary prison."

  "Why is it important for me to know about them?" Summer asked, confused.

  "Part of your job will be to work with the facilities to apprehend threats," Harper answered, "In the past the facilities were an act of mercy. For threats like the ones we were facing there was very little we could do other than kill them. However, now with Gale's Serum, a different approach has been offered to us. One that would have given each of your teammates the chance to live a normal life rather than a life within the facilities."

  This must be what Ashton had meant, but Summer still couldn't imagine him being a dangerous criminal. "How?"

  "Each of them belong to the rare innocents kept by the facilities only because of the nature of their power," Harper explained, "Had the serum existed back then, they could have been freed from their cursed powers and lived normal lives."

  That definitely made sense for the Smith twins and Kayla, but what about Ashton. "Electricity and lightning are both powers I have seen around before," Summer pointed out, "Why would Ashton have to be in a facility?"

  "In his case it was more about the magnitude than the power itself. Any kid on the street can give you a static shock, but Ashton could blow the power of an entire city, maybe more," Harper told her, "He was a minor when he was taken in, and could not control his power. There is a reason he can walk freely now."

  "There must have been an incident," Summer realized. Everything was starting to make sense. After all, Ashton had never shown off his power. In fact he seemed uncomfortable with it.

  "That is why we need you on this team. You have the power to save others, and even your own teammates from that fate. You have never been hurt by your power, but you have never relied on it either. That is also why you make such a great pair with Kayla,” Harper confirmed, “As for the incident, I think it is Ashton’s business whether or not you are told the details.”

  Harper ended her private training on that note, after letting her know that the remaining information would be covered with the rest of the team. How would she face them now that she knew? More importantly, how would they treat her now that they knew she knew?

  Summer couldn’t help but feel they were pitiful, but she also knew the last thing they needed was pity. She needed to compose herself before the next training, but she couldn’t even tell anyone what was going on. Secrets were heavier than Summer had realized.