The smoke hadn't cleared yet.
The whole court was burning, chain fence melted into black curls. Sirens wailed in the distance — police, ambulances, maybe Division 7 backup.
Rashad stumbled through the haze, chest heaving, the world ringing in his ears. His skin still glowed faintly beneath the soot, veins of gold fading back to normal.
Talia was coughing, eyes wet, clutching her side. "Rashad… what the hell was that?"
He looked at her, guilt biting his throat. "Mi… mi couldn't stop it."
"Couldn't stop it? Yuh just—" She gestured at the chaos. "—flatten half the court, mi G!"
Rashad's voice dropped, hollow. "If mi never do dat, they woulda kill we."
She fell silent. The sound of crackling fire filled the gap between them.
Then a shout:
"Rashad Myles! Freeze!"
Division 7 soldiers staggered to their feet, armor scorched, rifles shaking in their hands. One of them leveled a gun at him — trembling, terrified.
"Stay where you are! You are under arrest for unauthorized manifestation of divine energy!"
Talia grabbed Rashad's wrist. "We haffi move—now!"
He nodded once. His legs felt like lead, but adrenaline carried him. They sprinted down the narrow lane, smoke chasing behind them like a ghost.
They ducked through backstreets — zinc fences, barking dogs, the heavy stench of diesel. Talia led the way, darting around corners like she'd done it a hundred times before.
"Dem nuh go stop, Rashad," she said between breaths. "Once Division 7 put yuh pon list, dem hunt till yuh drop."
"Mi know."
"So wha di plan?"
"Find Kayo."
She stopped. "No sah. That madman?"
"He the only one who can help mi control this ting again."
Talia stared at him, eyes narrowing. "Last time yuh follow Kayo, people dead. You forget that?"
Rashad looked down. "Mi forget nothing."
They reached a small bridge over a canal — murky water, the hum of frogs. Rashad leaned on the rail, sweat dripping off his chin.
He looked toward the city skyline — distant lights flickering, the night wind thick with sirens.
He could feel it — that old power still whispering inside him. The Anointing wasn't just back; it was calling.
He clenched his fists.
"Mi never ask for this," he muttered.
Talia folded her arms. "Nobody does, Rashad. But now yuh have it, so what? Hide forever?"
Before he could answer, something moved in the shadows.
A voice came from the dark. Smooth. Familiar.
"Hide forever? That don't sound like the Rashad I trained."
Rashad spun around — and there he was.
Kayo Deen.
A tall man with locs tied in a rough bun, eyes glowing faintly amber. His clothes were worn, but he carried himself like a storm.
Talia stepped back. "Kayo? You still alive?"
He smirked. "Barely. But mi see the news already — big explosion in August Town. Guess who the star?"
Rashad's jaw tightened. "Mi didn't mean for it—"
"Doesn't matter what yuh mean. What matter is, Division 7 know you out here again. They coming for all of we now."
Kayo walked closer, his presence heavy, like gravity bending around him.
"You want to live, Rashad? You want control? Then come back to the circle."
Rashad looked up slowly. "Mi done with that life."
Kayo chuckled — low and bitter.
"You done? My youth, the Anointing never done with you."
He stepped aside, revealing a small glowing sigil burned into the ground.
The same mark from Rashad's palms.
"Welcome back, bredda," Kayo said. "Time fi wake the chosen again."
Meanwhile, at Division 7 headquarters in New Kingston…
Director Amara sat in front of a wall of monitors replaying the explosion in slow motion. Her nails tapped the desk in rhythm.
"Subject 014 and Deen — both alive."
She smiled coldly.
"Good. Let the city burn a little. The people must remember why they fear the Anointed."