“I still don’t trust you, Ken. Not after what you did.” Aji said.

Ken sighed. “I told you, it was my dad that did that. I would never do anything to hurt you.”

Aji growled. “Really? Because I’m pretty sure I left YOU up there. No one else.”

Ken grabbed Aji’s hand suddenly. He fell to his knees.

“Stop being dramatic.” Aji rolled her eyes.

“I’m-“ Ken froze.

Aji rolled her eyes again. “Get up, Ken.”

When he didn’t, she kneeled in front of him and waved in front of him.

“Hello? Ken?” Aji asked. She started to feel her heartbeat speed up. “Ken?”

Suddenly, Ken took a gasping breath.

Aji stood up. “Get up Ken.”

He instantly got to his feet and left her room without saying anything. He went down the stairs and out the door. He shut it behind him.

Aji stared out the door with confusion. Then shook it away and went downstairs to her dad’s bedroom.

“Dad? What are you doing?” Aji asked.

Miles was leaning over. He held something in his hand. He turned to Aji when he heard her voice. He was forcing his eyes open and under his eyes were huge bags.

“Look.” He forced the thing in his hand into hers.

Aji grabbed it and started reading it aloud.

“To the Spiders, I have a few of your friends. They refuse to say their names, unfortunately. But fortunately for me, I have loyal sons. They’re among you. Closer than you think. I recommend not trusting each other until you figure out who. If you don’t find them in five days, your friends will die. And the city will be mine. Signed, Time Clock…” Aji trailed off.

Miles slumped down on his bed. “What are we going to do?”

A shadow covered Aji’s gaze. She crumbled the paper.

“I think I have and idea who this guys sons are.” Aji whispered.

Miles turned to her. “Who?”

“My friend Ken has kept telling me the accident with my suit was his dad’s fault. And I remember him telling me he had a brother. And his name starts with a T.”

——————

“Theo!” Aji screamed. “Get out here, Theo! I know who your father is!”

A blur of green and black rushed at her. Aji fell under it. When she looked up, a furious Theo stared down at her.

“How? How do you know?” Theo demanded.

Aji sneered. “Your brother and father aren’t very good at keeping secrets.”

Suddenly, Aarin and Ben leaped from the shadows and pinned Theo.

“What the fuck, Theo?” Aarin growled. “We trusted you.”

Theo sneered at him. “Big mistake.”

Aji got to her feet. “Get him to his feet and in one of those glass things.”

Aarin looked up at her. “Why should we listen to you?”

“He’s all of our enemies. Not just yours. Now do it.” Aji pointed at the glass containers.

Suddenly, Aarti leaped at Aji. “No!” She screamed.

Aji pushed Aarti off of her. “Aarti! He’s on the bad side! You shouldn’t protect him!”

“I don’t care! He’s my boyfriend, and I’ll join him if I have to!” Aarti snapped. She walked over and pulled Theo away from her brother and Ben.

“Thank you, Aarti.” Theo kissed her cheek softly.

Aarti smiled at him.

Aarin, Ben, and Chris lined up beside Aji and stared Aarti and Theo down.

Both side continued growling at each other until a loud voice came from above them.

“Well, hello, Spiders!”

A man descended from the ceiling and landed behind Aarti and Theo. He had a large clock as his head. A brown suit ran over his body and smaller clocks lined it.

Theo and Aarti sneered at the four people in front of them.

“It seems our backup has come.”

Aji, Ben, Aarin, and Chris backed away as the man stepped in front of the duo.

“Don’t be scared. I just want to talk. Let me show you your friends.” The man raised his hand and cages lowered themselves from the ceiling slowly.

Aji looked up at them and spotted Gwen, Pav, Peter, and Mayday in them. There were five empty ones as well.

“You’re never going to get us in those.” Aji growled and looked back down at the man.

The man laughed and lowered his hand back to his side. “Try me.”