Joel walked through the rubble-strewn street, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His knuckles were raw from the fight with Rook. He wiped a streak of blood from his lip and spotted Emma and Sophia a few meters away, leaning against a flip up car.

  “You guys okay?” Joel called out, his voice hoarse but laced with concern.

  Emma looked up, her face smudged with dirt and her hair disheveled. She gave him a tired smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. How about you?”

  Joel chuckled, though it came out more like a cough. “I’m good. Just a little bruised up. Nothing I can’t handle.”

  Emma nodded. “I’m fine too. Just… tired.” She winced as she adjusted her stance, a faint bruise already forming on her cheek.

  Nearby, Leo and Luis jogged over, their movements quick despite the surrounding chaos. “All civilians have been evacuated,” Leo reported, his voice steady. “The area’s clear.”

  Luis’s eyes widened as he took in the state of Joel, Emma, and Sophia. “Whoa, what happened to you guys? You look like you got hit by a hover-truck.”

  Joel rolled his eyes with a smile on his lips. “You should see the other guys.”

  Sophia grinned, but her expression quickly turned serious. “Wait, where’s Freddie?”

  The group froze, their eyes scanning the wreckage.

  Luis spotted him first. “Over there!” he called, pointing toward the steps of the National Gallery. Freddie was slumped against the stone stairs, his head resting against the railing. Even from a distance, they could see the bruises on his face and the blood trickling from a cut above his eyebrow.

  The team rushed over, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Emma was the first to reach him, dropping to her knees beside him. “Freddie! Are you okay?” she asked, her voice tinged with panic.

  Freddie’s eyes fluttered open, and he blinked up at her, a dazed smile spreading across his face. “Oh, hey guys,” he said, his voice weak but cheerful. “Did I win?”

  The group let out a collective chuckle; the tension easing slightly. “Yeah, you did,” Joel said, his grin returning. “You took that guy down like a pro.”

  Freddie’s smile widened, his pride evident despite his battered state. “Awesome.”

  Just then, Robert descended from the sky as he landed on the pavement. His eyes immediately went to Freddie, and he hurried over, kneeling beside him. “Buddy, are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

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  Freddie smirked, though it was a little lopsided thanks to the swelling on his face. “I’m more than fine,” he said, his voice gaining strength. “You see that?” He pointed toward the destroyed entrance of the gallery, where chunks of stone and debris littered the ground. “I did that.”

  Robert followed his gaze, a proud smile spreading across his face. “I knew you had it in you,” he said, clapping Freddie on the shoulder gently.

  Freddie’s grin turned triumphant. “Take that, people who doubted me.”

  The team laughed, the sound carrying over the quiet street. For a moment, the weight of the battle faded, replaced by the warmth of their camaraderie.

  Freddie groaned as the team helped him to his feet, his legs wobbling slightly under his weight. “Easy there,” Robert said, slinging Freddie’s arm over his shoulder.

  Freddie winced, but managed a grin. “Yeah, well, I’ve had worse. Rob, remember that time I tried to lift a car with my telekinesis and dropped it on my foot?”

  Robert rolled his eyes, though there was a fond smile on his face. “How could we forget? You wouldn’t stop complaining for weeks.”

  Sophia stepped in to support Freddie’s other side, her expression calm but concerned. “Let’s just focus on getting you patched up. You’re no good to anyone if you pass out.”

  Before they could take more than a few steps, Darian’s voice crackled through their earpieces, his British accent sharp and urgent. “Team, listen up. The mercenaries have retreated to Hyde Park. They’re regrouping, and we can’t let them slip away.”

  Robert frowned, his hand instinctively going to his earpiece. “Hyde Park? Where’s that?”

  There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by an exasperated sigh. “You’re kidding, right? It’s one of the largest parks in London. How do you not know where Hyde Park is?”

  Freddie, despite his battered state, couldn’t resist chiming in. “Uh, maybe because we’re not from here? Just a thought.”

  Darian’s sigh was audible even through the comms. “Right. Other dimension. I forgot. Listen carefully, then. Head northeast from your position. You’ll see the Wellington Arch—big, fancy thing, can’t miss it. Go past it, and you’ll hit the park. The mercenaries are likely holed up near the Serpentine Lake. Move quickly, but stay sharp. They’re not going to make this easy.”

  Robert nodded, his expression serious. “Got it. We’re on our way.” He turned to the team, his voice firm. “You heard him. Let’s move.”

  Luis and Luis exchanged glances. “Hyde Park, huh?” Leo said, a grin spreading across his face. “I could use some relax time?”

  Leo elbowed him lightly. “Focus, Luis. This isn’t a sightseeing tour.”

  As the team began to move, Freddie groaned again, leaning heavily on Joel and Sophia. “Hey, uh, not to be a buzzkill. Can someone carry me? I’m not exactly in top form here.”

  Robert glanced back at him, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Come here,” as Robert carried him on his back.

  Emma pulled out a small medkit from her belt and handed it to Sophia. “Here, patch him up as we go. We don’t have time to stop.”

  Sophia nodded, her hands moving quickly to clean the cut on Freddie’s forehead and apply a bandage. “You’re lucky you’ve got a thick skull,” she said, her tone dry but not unkind.

  Freddie smirked. “Yeah, well, it comes in handy when you’re as clumsy as I am.”

  The team moved through the streets, their pace quick but cautious. The surrounding city was eerily quiet, only the distant wail of sirens and the sound of fire could be heard. The Wellington Arch loomed ahead, its grandeur a stark contrast to the chaos they’d just left behind.

  As they passed the arch, the sprawling greenery of Hyde Park came into view. The park was vast, its trees and pathways illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights. In the distance, the dark expanse of the Serpentine Lake glimmered under the moonlight.

  Robert stopped at the edge of the park, his eyes scanning the area. “Alright, everyone. Stay alert. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”