Chapter 5: Now or never

I reacted instinctively, firing my gun at the creature's arm. The bullets tore through its scales, causing it to recoil in pain.

"Desmond, get up!" I shouted, rushing to his side.

Desmond scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. "Thanks, Wesley," he panted.

Ivan and Luna were still fighting off the other creatures, their movements swift and deadly. But there were too many monsters, and we were starting to get overwhelmed.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Ivan shouted, dodging a creature's attack.

But it was too late. The creatures had us surrounded, their eyes glowing with an unnatural hunger.

As the creature emerged from the darkness, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly energy, Ivan, Wesley, and Luna sprang into action.

Ivan raised his hands, and a burst of electricity shot out, disabling the power grid and plunging the area into darkness.

Wesley cupped his hands around his mouth and unleashed a sonic scream, the sound waves so loud that they felt physical.

Luna, meanwhile, charged forward, her daggers flashing in the dim light as she attacked the creature.

The creature let out a deafening roar as it stumbled backward, covering its ears in pain.

But just as quickly as it had begun, the attack was over. Ivan restored the power, and the lights flickered back to life.

Wesley and Luna stood calmly, their faces expressionless, as if nothing had happened.

Ivan nodded at them, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Good work," he said, his voice low.

The creature, meanwhile, lay motionless on the ground, its eyes frozen in a permanent stare.

The rest of us stood in stunned silence, unsure of what to make of what had just happened.

But Ivan, Wesley, and Luna just acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, their faces calm and collected.

It was as if they had done this before, and were used to keeping their abilities a secret.

Wesley grinned at Desmond, clapping him on the back. "Great job, Desmond! You're a natural!"

Luna and Ivan nodded in agreement, their faces serious. "Yeah, you really held your own out there," Luna said.

Ivan added, "We make a good team."

Desmond's eyes widened in confusion. "Wait, what? I didn't do anything! I just stood there!"

Wesley chuckled. "Oh, come on, Desmond. Don't be modest. You were instrumental in taking down that creature."

Desmond shook his head, his face reddening. "No, I wasn't! I didn't do anything!"

Luna and Ivan exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable. Wesley just kept grinning, his eyes glinting with amusement.

It was clear that they were hiding something, but Desmond had no idea what.

Wesley's grin faltered for a moment as his eyes met Kelly's. She was standing a short distance away, her arms crossed and a skeptical expression on her face. For a moment, Wesley and Kelly just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Then, Wesley's grin returned, but Kelly just turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Wesley watched her go, a thoughtful expression on his face. Desmond looked at him curiously, but Wesley's expression turned neutral, and he turned to leave without saying a word.

Kelly's eyes narrowed as she watched the group from afar, her voice low and conspiratorial. "There's something up with that group... Something suspicious."

Chase, Sage, and Jake exchanged skeptical glances, but Kelly's expression remained serious.

"What are you talking about, Kelly?" Chase asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Kelly's gaze flicked back to the group, her eyes lingering on Wesley, Luna, Ivan, and Desmond. "I don't know, but I've been watching them. They're always in the right place at the right time. And have you seen their scores? It's like they're cheating or something."

Sage's eyes widened slightly. "You think they're hacking the system?"

Kelly's nod was almost imperceptible. "I'm telling you, there's something fishy going on. And I aim to find out what it is."

As Kelly spoke, Luna was dragging Wesley away, whispering something in his ear. Ivan was helping Desmond to his feet, dusting him off with a casual air.

Kelly's eyes lingered on the group, her mind racing with possibilities. She was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.Luna's grip on Wesley's ear tightened. "Shh, not so loud," she whispered, her eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening.

Wesley winced, rubbing his ear. "Ow, okay. Sorry."

Ivan chuckled, clapping Desmond on the back. "Good job, Desmond. You're a natural."

Desmond grinned, still looking a bit dazed. "Thanks, Ivan."

As they walked away, Kelly's eyes followed them, her expression thoughtful. She was more convinced than ever that something was off about that group. And she was determined to find out what it was.