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But Owen was ready for that. “She changes how she looks. Obviously. And when was the last time you saw her as your mother anywhere aside from in private? By the way, cool party, Jazz. Looked like fun. My invite must have gotten lost in the mail.”

Nick paused, thinking as hard as he ever had. His mother didn’t work. She was always at home, unless she was out as TK. And anytime she’dsaidshe’d gone somewhere it’d always been alone. Though he didn’t want to believe a word coming from Owen’s mouth, part of him—a small, quiet part—doubted his own memories.

Before.

After.

Nick grasped the only thing he could. “What would stop any of us from talking about her? One of ushadto have mentioned her to someone outside of our families.”

“Yeah,” Owen said. “That’s where it getsreallyinteresting. Watch.” He looked around and brightened when he saw a man running toward them, arm stretched to catch a neon-green Frisbee spinning through the air. He jumped and his fingers closed around it. “Hey, man!” Owen called. “Great catch. Ask you something?”

The man eyed them curiously before nodding. He jogged over to them, gaze darting to the blood on Owen’s shirt. He slowed, stopping a few feet away, looking unsure. “What’s up?”

Owen looked back at Nick. “Tell him about her.”

Good. Owen was wrong, and Nick would prove it. Then, after this farce was over, he’d smash Owen’s face in for ruining their goddamn picnic with his idiocy. Nick said, “My mother’s name is Jennifer Bell. She lives with us. I see her every day.”

Or, at least, that’s what hetriedto say. What came out instead was, “My mother’s name is Jennifer Bell. She…” But he could go no further. It felt as if his lips had been glued shut, and no matter what he did, he couldn’t force the words out. He began to feel dizzy as he strained, and all that came from him was a low hum, as if he were exhaling through the tiniest of cracks.

“Nick?” Seth asked, sounding worried. “Are you okay?”

Nick shook his head. He tried again. “Mymotheris…” His mouth didn’t work. His throat didn’t work. His tongue was dead.

“Oh no,” Jazz whispered, expression spooked as she turnedtoward the man with the Frisbee, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but where he was. “Jennifer Bell. She…” Her face turned bright red, the cords on her neck sticking out.

“Uh,” the man said. “I don’t do drugs unless they’re prescribed by a doctor. No shame, but not for me.” He backed slowly away from them before turning and running back toward his friends.

“You’re under her control,” Owen said. “You have been since just after Gibby’s graduation. Which, congrats! Sucks you didn’t get to be valedictorian. Though, you looked great walking across the stage.”

He yelped when Gibby kicked his injured thigh, groaning and rocking back and forth. “Goddammit.Would you stop it?”

Gibby went back to Jazz, who high-fived her.

Owen glared at them but kept his distance as he sat back up. “Same thing happens with everyone else who knows she’s here. Any of you try and say anything about her, you won’t be able to. And usually, you won’t even remember trying. Call them and ask if you don’t believe me. Cap. Officer Rookie. Miss Conduct. Oh,excuse me.I mean Mateo.”

That scared Nick more than he cared to admit. He thought they’d been careful, always aware of their surroundings. How much had Owen seen?

“Say that you’re telling the truth,” Seth said slowly. “Say that she’s not who she says she is. That she’s… your stepmother. I’ve seen her use her powers. She’s telekinetic. We’ve all seen what she could do, and not just on prom night.”

Savagely, Nick thought that’d be the end of it. That they’d cornered Owen and he had no way out.

Or so he thought.

Because Owen said, “Yeah, see, she isn’t. Not really. And no, it’s notmakingyou believe she is, either. There were witnesses at the prom, right? They all saw TK coming through the ceiling.”

“Then how does she do it?” Jazz asked.

“This is my favorite part,” Owen said, eyes alight with excitement. “You know what my dad did to me, right? Gave me those pills. Made me who I am.”

“Did to you,” Gibby echoed, her scorn clear. “As if you didn’t have a choice.”

“I didn’t,” Owen snapped. “He…” His chest hitched, and Nick didn’t think it was all for show. Or, if it was, Owen was a damn good actor. “He did things to me. Things you wouldn’t even begin to understand.” Nick was stunned when Owen wiped his wet eyes as he scowled. “I am who I am because of him. I trusted him. He was my father. I thought… if I did what he asked, he’d…” Owen looked away.

“Bullshit,” Nick said, causing Owen to jerk his head toward him. “I don’t give a damn about your daddy issues.Hedidn’t make you try and kill us.Hedidn’t make you kill anyone else. You did that all on your own.”

“And that’s your problem,Nick.It always has been. You’ve never been able to think of the bigger picture. Always about yourself. I’ve never met a more selfish person in my entire life. You want to know the truth? Fine. Those pills I showed you in my father’s tower? How do you think he made those?” He raised his hand before Nick could speak. “That was rhetorical. You have no idea.” He leaned forward, eyes glittering darkly. “He used her. Her powers. Her abilities. He used her blood, her DNA, and reverse-engineered Extraordinary abilities in pill form.”

“He didn’t do anything with them,” Seth said grimly. “As far as we know, no one has taken them. If they had, Nova City would becrawlingwith Extraordinaries.”