Jared

After I had left my room I found out it was only about six in the evening, no reason for her to be asleep unless she'd been having trouble sleeping at night. I quickly got the things together for a party and even ordered a few UV lights in, just enough light to sustain Mike while the party was going. Around eight we were ready. Kindra had found and woken Rachel up, though she still looked very sleepy. Everyone was here, even Ivar but he still looked a little grumpy. He was off at a table in the corner talking with Jessica, no one else was near them.

I made my way over and smiled at Jessica, "Would you excuse me and Ivar for a minute Jessica. I need to speak with him alone."

Jessica made her way over and started talking with some of the other people and I sat down across from him and smiled, "I don't want you thinking I'm just being protective of Rachel."

"But you are aren't you?" Ivar snapped back.

"Yes," I conceded. "But not for the reason you think. I bet you've noticed she's been tired lately?"

He nodded and I continued, "She fell asleep in my arms around five today, five in the afternoon. She hasn't been sleeping well because she feels it was her fault they both died."

"Why didn't she tell anyone?" He looked very ashamed.

"What's the reason anybody keeps a secret like that?" I rhetorically asked. "Fear of what we'd think of her, guilt for letting them come, frustration that she couldn't save them. Pick one but I know she feels all three and possibly more." I knew his next statement so I said one more line, "Just because the reason doesn't sound good in after thought doesn't make it less of a reason for past actions. Think about it."

I stood up and joined the party. A few hours later the party was dying down and people looked ready to leave. I called everyone together and had them all sit in a circle.

"All right," I stood in the middle and turned occasionally as I spoke. "I have been studying your different genetic codes and I was completely unable to determine how to change them and make them superior. It's because I don't know your powers. I was pacing in a small circle, "Does this mean I don't know how to improve your powers? Of course not. You all can do it, you all know how to improve them, not the technical details of it but the little pieces."

"How does that help?" Marty asked. "We don't have your power."

I grinned, "You don't do you? That's why you are all in a circle. Just this once I want to see if it works, I can do it on an individual basis if this works. Take the hand on the person on either side of you and focus your magic through you body and don't let it enter the person beside you." I sat in the middle.

Kindra sat in my lap and I could feel her seeping her power into me, helping me see.

"I want each of you to focus your power in a small area in front of you," I had my eyes partway closed. "You too Marty, you can affect a small or large area with your power, I think."

I saw very quickly how to improve Sterling's power, but it was very similar to my old one. The others were so close but it eluded me, I could feel them getting tired, so I tried one last effort. I extended my power to the group and let it flow through each of them and just feel a small portion of what they felt, each in turn. I could see clearly in each one of them what to do.

"That's enough," I felt the magic fade and they rose. "I'm going to absorb what I learned. You should probably all rest now."

I heard them all slowly wander away except Kindra. She stayed on my lap and I think she eventually fell asleep. Her power helped me to see more clearly how their powers worked, the effect faded while she slept but I still knew the feeling. I was there until early the next morning and I even past someone in the hall while carrying Kindra to bed. I reached my bed without meeting anyone else.