Like the sudden shutting off of a gas valve, the flames immediately died, and as if a downpour of rain suddenly fell and then evaporated, the leaves and charred trees smoked but no longer burned.

The only sound was the spitting of dying embers.

“Listen to me!” he yelled. “This can all stop! Right now!”

“Mr. Chance!” the voice on the bullhorn called out. “Your family wants you to turn yourself in—”

“You saw how quickly I put out that fire! Watch your satellites! Above the fires in California!”

“William! Do not move! Drop to your knees!”

William slowly began to step back, holding up his hands. “Are you watching? The fires? There were storms in Louisiana and we stopped them! There’s no more violence in Washington! Watch your satellites!”

He braced for the command to fire, the sting of bullets. The seconds it took to scurry back to the others felt like a lifetime.

The immigrant man cowered behind the truck, and William swallowed, compelling him to come towards him. With fear in his eyes, the man stumbled forward, straining to keep William from touching him.

The man stiffened as William reached deep within their connection with a simple command.

Stop. Stop the flames.

The man slumped, and William knew. All across burning San Joaquin Valley, the flames began to snuff out, as if a torrent of water had been tossed upon it. While he could not see it, William had no doubt that all that remained was scorched earth.

“Did you see? It’s over! The fires are out!” William called out.

He could see in the distance several of the soldiers clustered around large satellite phones, pointing excitedly.

Conferring with a soldier on the phone beside him, the man with the gray hair raised the bullhorn to his mouth. “William. No one wants to hurt any of you. You all need to come forward and surrender yourselves.”

“We can control it! All of it! No more people have to die!” William yelled.

“People are still dying, William!” the man responded.

“That’s impossible,” William whispered to himself. He then cupped his hands to his mouth. “It’s over! All of it!”

“William, whatever you’re trying to do, it’s not working. People are still dying! We just checked with the hospital at the edge of the hot zone!”

“Lily!” William called out, motioning for the girl. She cautiously approached as William let go of the immigrant, who staggered back, running for the truck.

He reached out and took her hand, feeling the furious dark, pounding just beyond their connection. William reached deeper within Lily, commanding her to stop the sicknesses.

Nothing came from her. The weapon inside lay dormant.

“I’m sorry,” he heard Lily say.

William looked to the girl. “Lily, I don’t understand.…”

“William, you have five seconds to get to the ground!” the bullhorn screamed.

Suddenly he knew.