Zack retraced his steps through the old mill, now abandoned by Greed, his eyes landing on something unexpected on the floor. It glinted ominously under the harsh fluorescent lights of the old coffee shop. He reached for the necklace with narrowed eyes, recognizing the craftsmanship immediately—it was Wiccan.


    An uneasy knot formed in his stomach as he pocketed the jewellery deciding to talk to Deb, the only other person outside of the silo that night. He was worried Greed may have a Wiccan helping him, which would mean their chances of defeating him were slim. He drove to her apartment.


    "Deb," Zack began, when she opened the door to her apartment, "I found this at the mill, do you know anything about it?" He pulled the necklace from his pocket and held it up to her.


    Her eyes flicked to the necklace and back to his face, a perfect poker expression in place. "Looks Wiccan to me. Wonder what it was doing there."


    "Right," he scoffed, flipping the necklace so the symbols faced her. "It''s just you said you were hiding in the walk-in where you found Olivia, this necklace was right across from it. If you looked out the window you would have seen who it was."


    Deb''s jaw tightened, but she remained silent. Zack stepped closer, his voice low and edged with a warning. "Why are you keeping things from us? Greed is dangerous and if a Wiccan is helping him then we need to know."


    A smirk played on her lips and she rolled her eyes. "Like how you told everyone about your plan to stop Wrath? What you think I can''t handle a situation without your help?"


    "I think we need to do this one together, Greed is far more powerful them the others," Zack explained, trying to sound commanding.


    "I can take care of myself, I''ve fought a sin before." She stood her ground, the tension between them growing until Deb grabbed Zack''s arm and twisted it behind his back. "I''m not just some weak girl you need to protect," She muttered into his ear.


    Zack''s eyes flashed pink and he twisted his way out of her grasp before putting her in the same hold. "I never said you were weak, but you are human," Deb slammed her heel down on his toe, causing him to howl in pain and release her. She turned to face him, their faces centimetres apart; breaths mingled, as they both started to lean toward each other.


    "Kenneth and Brian," Zack whispered against her lips, "they could have killed John and me the other night but Greed stopped them."


    Deb pulled back, looking into Zack''s eyes. "What are you saying?"


    "I''m saying be afraid," he said, stepping away from her, the moment broken. "I know I am."


    The silence hung heavy as he left, but not before catching the uncertainty in her eyes. In the elevator, he found Danny waiting for him, claws extended in a casual display of power.


    "Zack," Danny greeted with an all too charming grin. "What a surprise running into you here."


    "What are you doing here?" Zack demanded, leaning against the wall, attempting nonchalance.


    "Oh come now, are you still mad about the whole Brian and Kenneth spat? Believe me, they''ve learned their lesson." Danny seemed all too thrilled at the memory of what he did to the pair.


    "You didn''t answer the question," Zack said firmly, meeting Danny''s gaze head-on.


    "Well a may be a sin but I still need a roof over my head" Danny chuckled, the sound echoing off the elevator walls. "I was told this was a particularly charming neighbourhood. I must say the neighbours here are quite unique,"


    "Stay away from Deb," Zack countered.


    "I have no intentions of harming her," Danny retorted, then added, "I don''t lay a finger on other''s covenants, not really my thing."


    Zack stiffened. "You killed Olivia,"


    "That was not part of the plan. She attacked Duncan and defended himself." Danny shrugged, the doors dinging open to his floor. "But trust me when I say this, Duncan learned his lesson too. Now I believe this is where you get off,"


    As Zack exited onto the ground floor, unease coiled tighter within him. He couldn''t shake the feeling that Deb—and all of them—were in more danger than ever. Danny had eyes everywhere, but Zack couldn''t explain why they seemed to be on him and not Ethel.


    ---


    The moment Zack stepped into Ethel''s dimly lit apartment, he could feel something was off. He found the group huddled around a cluttered coffee table that bore the weight of countless books and maps of Waterloo.


    "I got your text," Zack said, as he approached the table. "I have some new information on Greed, he''s living in Deb''s apartment building."


    "We know," Ethel retorted without looking up from the map she was studying. Her fingers traced the lines that marked the streets of downtown Waterloo with surgical precision. "Ashley and Kristian saw Brian driving him over there. Brian and Kenneth seem to be the weak points."


    "Or maybe they just don''t care if we know," Kyle interjected from his perch on the armrest of the couch, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "They''re confident enough not to bother with subtlety."


    "Overconfidence is their weakness then," Ethel declared, her gaze lifting to meet Zack''s. "We strike tomorrow night. You''re coming with us."


    "Tomorrow?" Zack shook his head. "We need a plan before we attack,"


    "We don''t have time to plan," Ethel stated coldly. "Greed paid me a visit and he made it very clear his next one would be the last."


    "And your first thought was let''s make it easy for him," Kyle chuckled, shaking his head.


    "I can''t believe I am saying this but Kyle is right," Zack looked over to Ethel, "All you are going to do is put your covenant in the line of fire, which is exactly what Danny wants,"


    "Enough!" Ethel slammed her hand down on the table, causing everyone to fall silent. "We either wait for him to come to us or we strike first. Our only chance of winning is catching him off guard and we need a hands on deck."


    "Speaking of all hands on deck," Ashley piped up, her brown hair falling into her face as she leaned forward. "Is John not coming? and followed up do we really need Mister Cautious over there?"


    "John can''t make it tonight," Ethel replied, her tone softening for a moment as she looked at Zack. "And Zack has proven himself in a fight against a sin. I know we can''t defeat the entire covenant, but we can cut off the head."


    "Which is...?" Zack hesitated, knowing the answer but dreading its confirmation.


    "Danny," Ashley said, flicking the picture of the man over to Zack. "Take out Greed, and the rest will crumble."


    "Are you sure?" Kristian chimed in, finally looking up from the table. "What if we take out Danny and nothing changes."


    "Revenge is a powerful motivator," Kyle remarked dryly, breaking the silence. "If we strike at Danny, do we honestly believe the Supremes will just scatter like frightened mice?"


    "More likely they''ll come at us with everything they''ve got," Zack thought out loud, his face clouded with worry. "They''ve gathered strength from every covenant they''ve destroyed. We''d be walking into a bloodbath."


    "Bravo, Zack," Kyle said, giving him a slow clap. "You''re the only one here who managed to grasp the obvious."


    "Look this is happening with or without you, Zack," Ethel finally said.


    "Can you just give me a day to think about it?" Zack pleaded, he needed time to think of an alternate solution.


    Ethel looked around at the others before turning back to Zack, "You have twenty-four hours,"


    "Thank you," Zack said with a look of sincerity. He headed for the door needing a plan to stop the bloodbath before it began.


    With a frustrated sigh, Zack dug through his pocket for his phone. He needed a voice of reason and someone who could offer him some clear advice. Finally pulling out his phone, he dialled Paulina.


    "Paulina," he started, words tumbling out in a rush. "I have a massive problem. Ethel is determined to attack Greed and his covenant, but there is no way we win in a head-on fight. I can''t save them from themselves."


    "Zack," Paulina''s voice was steady, unwavering, as she spoke. "Right now they are operating on fear. That fear is driving their survival instincts. Maybe that''s what they need is a voice of reason."


    "Ok, but without a voice of reason they are going to end up dead," Zack ran his fingers through his hair.


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    "There is another option," she replied. "An understanding voice, a leader who speaks to their fear but offers a better solution. You need to be that leader Zack."


    "I don''t know if I can be," He felt heavy with responsibility.


    "You won''t know until you try. Remember this though, you have already proven yourself time and time again. You resisted your sin''s calls, you built a covenant without being a Supreme. You can do this if it is what you want."


    "Thank you," Zack whispered, he ended the call, it was time for him to make his choice.


    ---


    Meanwhile, Deb sat cross-legged on her living room floor as she scrolled through her messages. The message from Rob caught her attention: Ethel plans to go after Greed and his covenant. She had to reread the message to make sure she was reading it right, "I have to help them." she muttered


    "Help who?" Jessica''s voice caught Deb off guard and she jumped, looking up to meet Jessica''s gaze.


    "Zack and Ethel. They might be going after Greed tomorrow," Deb said, showing Jessica the message.


    "Deb, we agreed—a normal life. Remember? My job at animal control, your focus on your studies. That''s our world now," Jessica reminded her gently, yet firmly.


    "But we can''t just do nothing," Deb scoffed, tossing her phone aside. "You know they are walking into the lion''s den,"


    "It isn''t our problem, we aren''t exorcists anymore," Jessica returned, as she made her way over to the kitchen. "We made a deal remember. They let us walk away and in return, we promised not to meddle in the supernatural world again."


    Deb''s argument faltered against the truth in Jessica''s words. Yet, the idea of abandoning her friends to face the unknown alone made her feel sick to her stomach.


    "That''s easy for you to say, they aren''t your friends," Deb murmured, more to herself than to Jessica. Her eyes met Jessica''s, pleading with her to help.


    "I already broke the rules once," Jessica replied after a long pause, "I won''t get pulled in again, the only thing that waits for us in that world is death."


    "Fine you can stay here then," Deb started again, a note of desperation creeping into her voice, "I''m not going to abandon them. If I can help then I will."


    Jessica leaned against the kitchen counter. "Threading the needle, Deb. That''s what we need to do here. We navigate this life carefully, without getting too close to one side."


    "Sounds like a fancy way of saying we need to save our asses," Deb retorted.


    "It''s a way of saying you are too close to this," Jessica admitted, sparing a glance at Deb. "Zack is your ex and you clearly still have feelings for him. You can''t approach this situation without bias."


    "And you lost Abby, Bill and Pablo in a year," Deb shot back, her eyes fierce. "All connected to Ethel, so don''t act like your choice isn''t fueled by bias too."


    Jessica paused, her hands gripping the counter until her knuckles turned white. She looked up, her expression softening just enough as she released her grip. "I know, but that is why I can''t lose you too. I''ve lost too much, I need you to choose us."


    Deb felt the argument slip through her fingers like sand. She wanted to scream, to argue, to do anything but feel this helpless. Instead, she turned away and disappeared into her room.


    ---


    Zack fumbled with his keys, the familiar jingle sounding far too loud in the hush of the hallway. He decided he needed to talk to Danny again, alone. This wasn''t a conversation he could risk having other emotionally charged people there for.


    "Hey, where are you off to?" John''s voice came from behind him, casual but carrying an undercurrent of suspicion.


    "Grabbing some food," Zack lied smoothly, tucking his keys into his pocket and hoping John would just move on.


    "Mind if I join? I''m starving," John said, falling into step beside Zack despite the clear reluctance written in the lines of Zack''s posture.


    "Well. I was kind of going to just walk around and do some thinking too," Zack fumbled through his words, his mind churning as he tried to figure out how to ditch John.


    "Oh no worries, I can be quiet. You won''t even know I''m there," John pressed with a smile.


    "I guess that would be ok," Zack could think of any other reason John shouldn''t come.


    "Great!" John clapped him on the back as they headed out into the night.


    After grabbing their food, Zack led them to the Blackwood Industries building. The small office building stood like a dark sentinel in the evening light, its windows reflecting their approach. Danny was easy enough to google, as Greed he amassed a tech empire and this was just one of his buildings. As they entered the front foyer, Danny was there waiting, his cool gaze assessing.


    "Zack, I thought you wanted to have this meeting alone," Danny said, his tone deceptively mild.


    "I did, but John was.. persistent," Zack offered weakly, cursing his luck.


    "Of course," Danny drawled, a smirk playing on his lips. "But it isn''t John that I''m concerned about,"


    Then, as if on cue, Ethel stepped forward from the shadows, her presence commanding and unyielding.


    "Ethel," Zack started, shocked by her sudden appearance, "What are you doing here? I still have time left."


    "Oh no did Ethel break the rules of your agreement?" Danny quipped, amusement lacing his words. "Who could have predicted that?"


    From above, Amanda slid down a concrete column with the grace of a cat, landing softly next to Danny. Duncan appeared from a nearby office, his lanky frame casting a long shadow across the floor. In the periphery, Brian and Kenneth lurked silently, their intentions as clear as the menace in their eyes. Kristian and Ashley moved forward from their hiding places, their eyes locked on Danny.


    "Danny, I came here just to talk, we don''t have to fight each other," Zack tried to de-escalate the situation, but he could see some claws begin to extend. Eyes began to glow and Zack realised he was losing control of the situation.


    "You see that''s your problem, Zack, you believe the best in people. So you are shocked when they reveal their true natures," Danny replied, seeming almost excited about what was going to happen.


    Ethel''s eyes shifted to their vibrant green, and time slowed to a halt around her. She moved quickly, knowing there was a limit to her power and the clock was ticking. But as she reached for him she felt an intense heat like no other, Danny was encircled with blue flames, so hot they couldn''t be seen with the naked eye. Amanda had anticipated Ethel''s move and countered it with her own. With her time up, everyone snapped back into motion.


    "Predictable," Amanda taunted, her lips curling into a smirk as she turned to see Ethel pulling away from Greed.


    With that, the rest of the vessels and Supremes sprung into action. Brian melted into the shadows, and vanished from sight, leaving only the echo of his departure. Kenneth plunged his hands into the ground causing thick roots to erupt from the earth.


    Kristian, using all of his strength, lunged at Duncan, but the wiry Supreme stepped aside, evading the attack with ease. Frustration mounting, Kristian focused his energy on a nearby water pipe. Water burst from it, Kristian guiding its spray to send Duncan stumbling backward, drenched and caught off guard.


    Meanwhile, John squared off against Kenneth, sending several kinetically charged stones his way. Kenneth struggled to dodge the minor explosions each one created, but John didn''t notice Brian rising up through his shadow. Brian breathed a black smog that surrounded him and he collapsed asleep on the ground.


    "Dammit, John!" Zack swore under his breath. He turned away from Greed, his eye shifted pink as his human side slipped away. He rushed to John''s aid, but Kenneth''s vines catapulted him into the cold embrace of the concrete wall. Pain blossomed across his back, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to heal.


    Ethel, meanwhile, glimpsed a momentary advantage. Her gift of foresight revealed an opening, and she seized it, contorting Amanda''s arm with a swift maneuver and following through with an elbow to her opponent''s face. The crack of cartilage was satisfying as she broke Amanda''s nose, even if she knew it would heal.


    "Good shot," Amanda spat, blood trickling from her lip.


    Ashley joined Kristian and clashed with Duncan, determination etched into her features. But Duncan had already recovered from Kristian watery assault; with a savage twist, he summoned chains from within his body, and they moved like vipers toward the young vessel. Ashley cried out as they ensnared her, causing Zack to turn toward her.


    "Now where do you think you''re going," Kenneth''s voice dripped with condescension as he and Brian pressed their advantage, pinning Zack and the recovering John to the ground with the roots.


    "Let Zack and John go, you don''t get anything for killing them. They aren''t a part of my covenant," Ethel bargained with Greed while holding Amanda back.


    "Kill Kristian," Danny proposed, his voice a smooth caress in the tumult, "and I will let them walk away."


    "No!" Ethel''s laugh was bitter. "I won''t be like them,"


    "Come now," Amanda chimed in, her gaze flickering to Ethel with contempt. "Don''t act like you are better than us. You may be a Supreme but to what? A bunch of useless vessels,"


    "Careful, Amanda," Danny said, his eyes locking onto Zack struggling to hold back the roots. "Some have more promise than others."


    "Looks like you have a choice to make here," Amanda cooed as Duncan approached with Kristian and Ashley in chains. "Your vessel or Gluttony''s?"


    "This attempt to fight us was pathetic," Brian hissed, his claws digging deeper into Zack''s flesh. Zack stifled a groan, his mind racing for a solution that got everyone out of this alive.


    "I won''t do it," Ethel bellowed, looking Greed dead in the eye. "You might as well kill me because I won''t kill them."


    "Oh sorry, but that wasn''t one of your choices," Amanda threatened, lifting the chained Ashley up by the throat. "I guess I will just have to make it for you,"


    "Stop," Zack interjected through clenched teeth, "If you do this there will be no going back."


    Amanda almost laughed at his thin threat, "This isn''t my first kill kid, you''ll have to do better than that,"


    The clang of metal against stone echoed as two knives sailed through the air, their blades glinting ominously before burying themselves into the flesh of Brian and Kenneth. They crumpled to the ground, gasping from the sudden assault. From the shadows, Deb watched the men crumble, before tossing three flash bangs into the center of the room.


    "Cover your eyes!" Danny''s warning came too late, a series of blinding flashes erupted, scattering light like shrapnel across the room. The Supremes recoiled, momentarily disoriented by the detonation of flash-bangs.


    "This is our chance to get out of here," Zack grunted, shaking off the haze as he rose to his feet. His gaze fixed on Duncan, who had placed himself between them and the exit. They charged at each other, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, and when they collided, it was with a sound like thunder, sending ripples through the air.


    "Get out of our way!" Zack spat out, as they both skidded across the floor, neither gaining ground.


    "You all die here tonight," Duncan retorted, standing his ground. But as he locked eyes with Zack, he caught a shimmer of brilliant pink flared within them like a rose quartz. Duncan hesitated, and that was all it took.


    With this new glow, Zack''s telekinesis forced Duncan through the front of the building. As the dust settled Zack''s eyes dimmed back to their usual shade, while everyone made their move to the exit.


    But Duncan wasn''t done with them yet, with his covenant still recovering he needed to buy them time. this time it was Ethel who charged forward, hands gripped his shoulders, aiming to use his own momentum against him. She twisted his body, and their struggle moved closer to the edge of the construction site next door—a four-story drop dug for the building''s new parking lot.


    "Ethel!" Zack shouted, raising his hands in an attempt to catch her before they went over the side. But Duncan''s reflexes were swift; a chain shot out, striking Zack in the face. John rushed over to catch him but Zack''s concentration was broken by it.


    "Ethel!" Zack shouted as Ashley and Kristian raced past him toward their Supreme. They were too late, Duncan spun around, his arm hooked around Ethel''s waist, pulling her along as gravity claimed them both.


    "No!" Zack''s shout echoed through the night as a sickening thud filled the air.


    The dust settled in the aftermath, the silence of shock filling the air. Zack rushed to the edge, peering down into the darkness below. There, among the debris of construction, lay Duncan and Ethel—motionless in a growing pool of blood that seeped into the ground.


    There was commotion from inside the building, "Zack we need to go now," John murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He started to drag Zack away from the scene, but Zack still couldn''t move his feet. "Please Zack, if we don''t go now we will die just like her," John begged. But Zack couldn''t bring himself to move, it was Kristian who helped John get Zack to his feet and led him away before the Supremes arrived. All four of the survivors felt the sting of their loss.