Sparks flew and the wire bucked as the wire touched the doorframe. Beside me, another wire did the same with the bedframe of the little cell.

Behind me, the pipe leading into the toilet ruptured. Water sprayed in onto and around me—

I threw up the Wretch before the spray reached the wire. For the time being, it blocked the water’s spray.

She tried to slam the door, but the cell was small enough my foot was close. I flew a foot forward and blocked the slam.

Instead, she hit my forcefield, knocking it out. I grabbed the mattress, and hauled it to one side, fabric serving to block most of it. Then I flew forward again. Back into the hallway, with doors to individual cells on each side.

This monster kept thousands of people prisoner. The cells didn’t need bars, only alarms. She was good enough to keep prisoners in line. She’d fight people with new powers and she’d win.

She’d broken more water lines, and she’d broken more parts of the ceiling, bringing the wire down.

Turning the length of hallway into an impossible hazard.

Without warning, Colt tried to fly through, aiming for a gap. The invisible force hit her, punting her into the corner of a doorframe. She landed in electrified water, and the nodes on her arms glowed as they struggled to absorb the energy, while her own body convulsed.

I tried to get to her, and it was too much. The occasional splash in my direction was as dangerous as the swing of a sword.

“Lookout says they’re sending more of their core team. Mathers and Valefor,” Swansong relayed. She stepped forward and blasted—

She was hit by the invisible force that was the Custodian as she used her power. The blast came precariously close to me.

“Don’t use powers! It was in the memo,” Sveta chided.

“I wanted to drain the water.”

“She’ll divert your aim or make us hit each other! She’s not that strong on her own!”

She was strong enough. The hallway was all wires, water, and I didn’t see a clear way forward.

“Go parallel!” I called out.

“Precipice, Swan!” Tristan and Byron clarified. “Force her to split!”

The second they were out of the jailer’s door, I slammed it behind me. It formed a seal that kept her from getting in or out.

Once I gauged I was safe, I flew out into the hallway again. I made my bid for the door, weaving through wires and spraying water with my forcefield up.

I tried my aura, fearing an imminent hit, and I got further than I had so far. A third of the way down the hall before she gathered composure enough to grab and hit me, driving me down toward the water.

I fought, Wretch lashing out and finding purchase in nearby wall, in floor.