Free Aces Wild: Cape High Book Six by R.J. Ross

in a self-protective manner.  There's a look on her face that I can't quite read.  I wonder how she really feels about having stayed in the same room as that power snatcher in disguise without even knowing it.
    "Wait, I'm confused," I admit.  "Why is my head empty?"  I hear a snort from the group of kids.  "Not thoughts," I mutter darkly.  "It's like... something should be there, but isn't."
    "It's your powers, Ace," Dad says.  "You were in your head, you were looking at your-- well, we call it the paint room--it's the area where your illusions start.  It looks different for all of us, but it's the same basic place.  A large room where you can build your illusions before releasing them into the world."
    "It wasn't a room," I say.  "It was a field.  There weren't any walls."
    "I... see," he says.  "That big, huh?"
    "And it was empty."
    "We'll get it back," Dad says after a moment.  "We'll get it back," he repeats, hugging me.
    "I can try and help--" Aubrey says, moving forward.  "I don't know if I can do much, but I ca n try."
    "Try it," Nico says.  I watch silently as she moves around my dad, grabbing my hand.  She doesn't look like a typical hero.  I mean, sure, I guess she's kind of cute, for a norm, but--I blink as her eyes turn white and her hair starts to float around her.  I can feel something happening, like heat flowing through my body.  It all starts at her hand.
    A second passes.  Then a minute.  Slowly her hair stops floating and her eyes turn dark blue again.  "The only thing I did was fix his blood sugar level," she admits, looking over at Nico.  "I don't know how Mimic took his powers... but he literally took them.  They're not there TO fix."
    "I see," Nico says.  "Even his basics?  Strength, speed?"
    "All gone," she says.  "Even his eyes--they're just gray," she points out.  "Ace, until we get your powers back, I'm afraid you're a norm."
    I feel like she punched me.
    "Why did he choose Ace?" Blackjack demands abruptly.  "We were living in the same dorm!  I was right here for him to grab at any time!  Why didn't he take me instead of my son?"
    "Because of this," Nico says, pulling out his phone and showing it to him.  "Your son?  He's got the potential to leave you in the dust, Blackjack.  Mimic knew that."
    "How did he know it?"
    "Because he comes from a future where he already has," Justin says quietly, making us all turn and look at the pop singer.  "I remember a little, remember?  I asked to remember Ace."
    "What do you remember about me?" I ask.
    " It's sort of blurry, because I think a lot of it was erased, but I remember one thing pretty clearly.  You... sort of wanted to die."
    What?  I stare at him blankly, wondering why in the world I would want that.  Is it inevitable?  I mean, they went to the future, but is the future set in stone?  I don't want to die!  I mean, I've been having it rough lately, and sometimes in my darker moments I feel like just walking away from it all, but--
    "We're changing the future," Max says, making me look over at him.  He'd said the same earlier, hadn't he?  Something about "If I'm going to change the future."  So... this all, Banshee at the school, meeting the Cape High guys, it's all--
    I'm so confused right now.  It doesn't help that Mom shoves her way through the crowd, glaring at Justin as if he's offended her for life.  "I don't appreciate you talking to my son like that," she snaps at him.  The look of confusion on his face is almost funny.  It would have been if I weren't still reeling over what he just said.
    "It wasn't exactly death," he says, frowning.  "I think he just... you know... wanted Mimic to do what he just did.  So he could sleep.  I got the feeling he didn't sleep a lot at all, for some reason."
    "I--" Mom starts out, but Dad drops his hand on her shoulder in a move that makes her glance up questioningly.
    "I know," Blackjack says quietly.  "It would be my fault, wouldn't it?  You chose to remember