Carter handed the vials containing the newly created virus to Circe. "This is it," he said. "This is the virus you requested me to create for you."

"Perfect," said Circe. She caressed the vial in her hands like it was the most valuable diamond in the world. Of course, she didn't realize that the virus contained a pathogen that would destroy it, along with its flea carriers, almost immediately after the swarms of fleas were released. "After all these years, my dream will finally be achieved!"

"That's great," said Carter. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my nephew and I have somewhere we need to be."

"Why, yes, you do," said Circe. "At the ceremony."

"Excuse me?"

"Our ceremony is for everyone," said Circe. "Including you. Do you not want to see your hours of work finally come to fruition?"

"Well..." Carter cast a glance at Conner, who seemed to be teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown. "I suppose it would be nice..."

"I think he just wants some time," Conner offered. "Time to enjoy his last moments as a man."

"Nonsense," said Circe. "Once you two become women, you will regret ever being male at all."

Well, this is just great, Conner thought. He and Carter wouldn't have time to get out of there before the bomb went off. He'd just have to hope Lanie, Olivia, and the others would survive.

***

Lanie, Olivia, Zoe, Saige, Miles, and Rachel snuck through the corridors of the Genetics Engineering building. Ricardo had stayed behind to guard the truck, meaning they were on their own. The teens were carrying two crates that Ricardo had provided-both of which would have to be taken to the building's main power generator. If the bomb went off there, it would take out the entire building in a ball of fire. So the teens' plan was to set the explosives with a 20-minute timer so they could get out, rendezvous with Carter and Conner, and escape the building before the bomb went off.

"Do you guys think it's kind of weird?" Olivia asked in an undertone as they walked. "It doesn't seem like there's a whole lot of guards around here."

"Probably because Circe has everyone gathered on the top floor," said Lanie.

"Yeah, but still," said Olivia. "You'd think there'd still be some security around here."

"Do you think the witches are expecting us?" Miles asked.

"I hope not," said Lanie. "I hope we can sneak in and set up the bomb."

"What if we don't make it? What if they catch us before we get out?" Saige asked.

For a second, Lanie didn't know what to say. "Then at least we'll be able to take out Circe and her evil company," she said.

***

Carter and Conner stood awkwardly on the topmost floor of the Genetics Engineering building. Of course, it wasn't really a "floor" in the usual sense. They, along with all the other guards and Genetics Engineering employees, were gathered on the roof of the building. In the center of it all, Circe stood atop a pedestal in front of three giant glass tanks of fleas that were buzzing about and itching to escape. At Circe's side were the two witches Josie and Lauren.

"Gathered friends!" Circe declared with the pride and gusto of a ringmaster announcing the world's greatest circus act. "Today we witness the dawn of a new era. The dawn of the era where the world is free of the taint of the male gender. Soon we will be an all-female society, with no men at all. There will be no more 'mankind,' only womankind."

She's insane, Conner thought to himself, Just like Angelina. And Miss Johnson, apparently.

"Thanks to the works of Dr. Carter Halbrook, we now have the virus that will change every male's gender," said Circe. "And these swarms of fleas will spread the virus through every corner of the Earth." She plugged the vial containing the virus into a pump connected to all three tanks. Circe pulled a lever, and the pump started to send the virus into all three of the tanks. When the virus flooded into the tanks, the fleas buzzed harder than ever, as if the virus was causing them pain.

"Now..." Circe said, reaching for another lever, "We release the swarms!" She pulled the lever, and the tops of the tanks opened up. The swarms of fleas immediately poured out of their tanks and flew out into the air. The fleas flew out and clouded the sky like locusts.

"Come on, Conner," Carter said in an undertone. "Maybe we can slip away-"

"Move out of the way!" said a new voice. Carter looked to see one of the other witches, Michaela, barging in. "I must speak with Circe!"

Carter and Conner watched as Michaela ran up to Circe. "My lady," she said, "I must tell you-"

"Hold on," said Circe. "Something's wrong."

Circe and everyone else looked up at the swarms of fleas and saw that they were already dying. The buzzing noise died down as the fleas died and fell through the air like raindrops. "What the hell is going on?" Lauren asked.

"Why are the fleas dying?" said Josie. "They were supposed to spread everywhere and keep breeding until they'd invaded the whole world!"

"We can deal with that later," said Michaela. "Circe, I've been monitering the security cameras, and I witnessed something very disturbing."

"What is it?" Circe asked.

"Those kids that broke into our Jackson compound," said Michaela, "They've broken into here, too! And they appear to be carrying crates of bombs to the main generator!"

Circe went red in the face. "I should've known this would happen!" she said. "Guards! Witches! Spread out and find these intruders!"

"Yes, my lady!" said Michaela.

"And you," Circe said to Carter, "We will have words once we've sorted this out."

***

When the alarms went off, Lanie, Olivia, and their friends froze in their tracks. "Oh no," said Saige. "They've detected us!"

"Then we've gotta hurry," said Zoe. She and the rest of the teens took off at a run down the corridor. But when they rounded a corner, they found a group of guards-led by Josie and Lauren-headed their way.

"There they are!" Josie exclaimed.

"Run!" said Olivia. She and her friends turned and ran back the way they came.

"Wait," Lanie said after they'd rounded a couple corners. "We'd better split up. Zoe, Olivia, you and I will keep going to the generator room. The rest of you, draw them off."

"Okay," Saige said, knowing that this wasn't the time to argue. At the next fork in the hallway, Saige, Miles, and Rachel hung back while the others ran off one way. When Josie, Lauren, and their soldiers came into view of them, Saige, Miles, and Rachel took off in the other direction.

"Stop them!" Lauren barked. She, Josie, and their soldiers chased after Saige, Rachel, and Miles, pursuing them until they got to a dead end in the corridor.

"Oh, fuck," said Rachel. "I think we made a wrong turn somewhere!"

"Indeed you did," said Josie. "Now, let's see what's in that box of yours."

Rachel reluctantly put down the box she was carrying. "I don't know if you..."

"Open the box, dammit!"

Rachel opened the box to reveal...a bunch of cans of peaches.

"Peaches?" Lauren said indignantly.

"Yep," Miles said with a smirk. They'd taken two boxes with them just in case something like this happened. One was a decoy with a bunch of canned peaches, and the other one-the one Olivia, Lanie, and Zoe had taken-actually did have the explosives.

"You miserable children," said Lauren.

"Hey, I'm 19," said Saige. "I'm a legal adult."

"But they're not," said Josie, indicating Miles and Rachel.

The teens all huddled together. This was it, they thought. This was where it ended for them. It had been a grand ride, but it was over now. They would only have to hope their friends would successfully plant the bombs and blow Genetics Engineering to kingdom come.

Suddenly, there was a gunshot. For a second, the teens wondered if one of the Genetics Engineering guards had tried and failed to shoot them. But then they saw one of the guards fell dead to the floor.

"Who-" Josie started.

"Stand down!" said a new voice. A new squadron of soldiers, armed with guns and rifles, was charging down the hallway toward the witches and guards that were cornering the teens. And in the lead was-

"Mr. Al!" Miles exclaimed. "You found us!"

"Yep, I did," said Mr. Al. He glared at Josie and Lauren and said "So these are the witches that kidnapped you."

"And you're that douchebag who instigated the witch hunt in Kentucky," Josie said with distaste. "And murdered countless other witches before that."

"I did what I had to do," said Mr. Al. "Just like I have to shut down Genetics Engineering now."

Mr. Al raised his gun and aimed it at Josie. But then Josie flicked her hand to the side and made the gun fly out of his hand. Cursing, Mr. Al drew his thick police baton. Before Josie could react, he swung the baton and whacked her in the side with it. Josie doubled over, giving Mr. Al a chance to kick her and knock her onto the floor. Before she could get up, Mr. Al pulled another pistol out of a hidden pocket in his combat vest and shot Josie with it.

"No," Lauren growled. She might've had issues with Josie, but their bond had been strong enough that she felt anger at Mr. Al killing her. She formed a blue ball of magical energy in her hand and prepared to hurl it at Mr. Al. But before she could throw it, Saige came out of nowhere and tackled her. Lauren cursed and wrestled with Saige, quickly coming out on top and pinning her to the floor. Lauren grabbed Saige's throat and started choking her. "Die now, you bitch!" she said.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a gunshot, and Lauren loosened her grip on Saige's throat. When the witch collapsed, Saige looked and saw Mr. Al standing above her with his pistol in hand. "Are you okay?" Mr. Al asked.

"Yeah," Saige answered. She looked around and saw that Mr. Al's men had taken down the rest of the Genetics Engineering guards.

"Mr. Al," said Miles, "How did you know we'd be here?"

"Skylar told me," Mr. Al answered. "Zack-or Zoe-has been texting her and keeping her updated on your progress with Genetics Engineering. So Skylar was able to tell me all about your little scheme here."

"I'm guessing Skylar's not here?"

"No, she isn't."

"Figured as much."

"Where's Zoe?" Mr. Al asked. "And apparently there were some other kids you were conspiring with-"

"Yes," said Saige. "They went to take the explosives down to the building's main generator."

"We were supposed to meet them back in the garage," said Rachel. "But if the witches figure out-"

"We can't take that risk," said Mr. Al. "Come on!"

***

Lanie, Olivia, and Zoe took their box of explosives-the real one-and navigated the corridors to the building's generator room. They ran into several guards on their way, but Lanie took out every single one of them with her magic. And before long, they came to the door to the generator room.

"Okay," said Zoe. "This is it. This is the-"

"Stop right there!" said a female voice. The girls turned to see Circe storming toward them, her fists clenched and her face the color of molten lava. "You three are in a heap of trouble..."

To be concluded...