"Would you shut the hell up?" Lia hissed. "I don't want to be here any more than you do."
She dropped into the chair beside an empty seat. A glass of scotch sat waiting there, untouched. Lia stared at it with a mix of shame and grief.
"I suppose this was your doing too, Jax?" she muttered.
"Yup. Aiden's favorite drink," Jax replied through gritted teeth. "He'd be here sipping it right next to you if you hadn't given that damned order."
"Now, now, let's all calm down," Aisha interjected gently. A lavender bush sprouted beside the table, its fragrance soothing. "Lavender helps with anxiety," she added with her trademark smile.
Kez joined them, his wolf padding to his feet, the crow bristling on his shoulder. "Look, Jax. Lia didn't give us an order. We had no leader. We were anarchists from the start. We did what we had to."
Levi blinked back into the physical world, mumbling, "I barely knew the guy, but I knew he had to be stopped."
Lia's voice cracked. "Jax, listen. We all loved Aiden. He was the face of the revolution, the strongest of us all. We were engaged!" Tears spilled as the words tumbled out. "But we did what we had to. Look around you — our ideals were realized. People are happy, Jax!"
The room trembled faintly as Jax glared at them, rage simmering. Kez's crow flared its wings, and the wolf growled low under the table.
"Let's get this over with before I get too emotional," Jax said with a sarcastic smile. He stood, raising his mug high. "To Aiden."
The rest of The Hand echoed the toast. Each took a sip, then poured a measure into the glass at the empty seat.
Just then, the tavern's holo-communicator buzzed to life. A hooded man sat upon a throne of stone and rubble. Silence stretched, heavy and eternal, until he spoke.
"Are you sick of equality? In this new world, we are not created equal!" His voice dripped with malice. He rose, revealing a physique like a Greek god, scar slashing across his torso.
"Why should Ascendants like myself be equal to normal humans? Even among Ascendants, there were classes during the revolution. And now we throw it all away because a handful of people said so? Today, I say enough!"
His voice thundered louder with each word. "I announce the beginning of a new age — the age of the Apex Faction! Those of you who are strong, join me before it's too late. I will rule this world, and I am coming for the heads of The Hand and all their allies!"
The transmission cut. Silence followed. Aisha's plants shook violently as she collapsed to her knees, tears streaming. Lia sat frozen, staring at the hologram, barely breathing. Jax buried his head in his hands. Kez stroked his crow, face twisted in a solemn frown.
Levi blurted out, "Table Mountain. South Africa."
Jax shot to his feet, grabbing Levi by the hoodie and hauling him into the air. "What the hell did you just say, boy?" The earth trembled beneath them.
Two vines lashed out, yanking them apart and forcing them back into their seats. "This is not the time or place, Jax," Aisha said firmly.
"It's unmistakably Aiden!" Jax snarled. "And Table Mountain is where our final battle ended!"
"What do we do now?" Kez asked, calm but grave.
"Lia?" he pressed. Silence.
"LIA?!"
Before anyone could react, Lia's body went limp. She collapsed from her chair.