The sound of metal scraping against metal jolted me awake. My eyes blinked open to a dimly lit room, sunlight leaking faintly through the edges of the vehicle door. The muffled hum of voices drifted in from outside — dozens of them, merging into a steady buzz. Then came footsteps — a familiar, steady rhythm — approaching closer.
The door creaked open, and Joeress's face appeared in the gap.
"Cirus, time to wake up. We've arrived," he said, voice low but firm.
I nodded groggily and pushed myself upright. My muscles ached from the rough bedding, but I ignored it and began fixing the sheets. The lingering chill of the metal walls still clung to me.
Outside, the buzzing voices grew louder. As I stepped down from the vehicle, sunlight flooded my vision. I raised a hand to shield my eyes, squinting at the crowd gathered near a stage.
"What's going on?" I asked Joeress.
"They're volunteering to help gather specimens for the researchers," he explained, gesturing toward the crowd.
The crowd stretched far across the clearing — people standing shoulder to shoulder, their faces tense with excitement. Hundreds of them. Maybe more. The air felt electric, a mixture of determination and desperation swirling together. Some faces were hopeful, others uncertain. For many, this wasn't just volunteering — it was a chance to earn desperately needed money.
"Come on," Joeress said, nudging me forward. "Colonel's waiting."
I followed him, weaving through the mass of eager volunteers. The closer we got to the colonel's office, the quieter the crowd became — some people were hesitating now, murmuring to themselves, uncertainty flickering in their eyes. I wondered how many of them would still be here by the end of the day.
Then I saw her — my mom — standing near Aunt Gaizell.
"Mom?" I whispered, barely believing it.
Her gaze caught mine, and in an instant, she was running toward me, arms wide, tears streaking her face.
"Cirus!" she cried, her voice cracking.
I barely had time to react before she threw her arms around me, holding me so tightly it hurt. But I didn't mind — I clung to her just as fiercely, tears burning my eyes.
"I was so worried," she sobbed. "What happened? Where have you been?"
"I'm sorry," I choked out. "I'm sorry I'm late…"
Aunt Gaizell's hand landed softly on my head. "Welcome home," she said, her voice warm yet thick with relief.
I wanted to stay in that moment — to let my mother's arms erase the memories of cold nights, fear, and near-death. But our reunion was cut short by Joeress's voice.
"Cirus… you ready?"
I swallowed hard and pulled back, wiping my face. "I'll be back soon," I told Mom.
She cupped my face in her hands, eyes still glistening. "I'll be waiting."
Inside the building, we were greeted by two guards stationed outside the colonel's door. Their eyes scanned us coldly.
"Halt," one of them barked. "State your purpose."
"We're here to report to the colonel," Joeress answered.
"Let them in," a woman's voice called from behind.
I turned to see a brunette woman in a crisp suit, clipboard tucked under her arm.
"Ms. Chasty," the guard muttered, stepping aside.
"Follow me," she said briskly, leading us down a long corridor. Armed personnel stood stationed at nearly every corner, their rifles resting heavily against their chests. I couldn't shake the tension in the air — everything felt on edge.
I caught sight of a heavily guarded room filled with crates. The soldiers outside it stood rigid, their eyes sharp and unmoving. Whatever was inside those crates wasn't ordinary cargo.
At the end of the hallway stood a large double door. Ms. Chasty opened it with practiced ease.
"The colonel isn't here right now," she said. "You can wait inside."
"Thank you," Joeress replied, stepping in first.
The office was quiet, almost unnervingly so. We sat down, the silence pressing in around us. I shifted awkwardly in my seat, my gaze drifting to the window.
Outside, the crowd had thinned. Some had clearly backed out — fear winning over greed.
"About the humanoid that saved you before…" Joeress's voice cut through the quiet.
I turned to him. "What about him?"
"He's the one who saved you again, isn't he?"
I froze. The words hit me like ice. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.
Joeress exhaled, as though he'd already guessed my answer. "I thought so," he muttered.
"How… how did you know?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Joeress hesitated before answering. "He told me where to find you."
My mind spun. Lae had spoken to him?
"When?" I pressed.
"That night — the one when we were searching for your tracker signal," Joeress said. "I was outside trying to track you when I felt this… gust of wind. I turned around, and there he was — wings spread wide. I tried to shoot him, but he deflected my bullets. Then he said, 'I know where your teammate is.' I didn't trust him at first… but then he showed me your necklace."
I instinctively reached for the pendant hanging against my chest — still there, cold against my skin. How had Lae taken it without me noticing?
"What else did he say?" I asked.
"Nothing. He just… left," Joeress said.
Before I could respond, the door creaked open. The colonel walked in, followed closely by a boy — younger than me, maybe by a year or two.
"Sorry for the delay," the colonel said, his voice gruff yet calm. "You may remain seated."
Joeress straightened. "Sir, I'm here to report that we've completed the assignment."
"Good. And I've been informed about the incident with one of your teammates." His gaze hardened slightly. "He's been replaced. This is Ian."
The boy stepped forward, extending his hand. His smile was polite but cautious.
"Good day," he said. "I'm Ian Sebut. I'll be your new teammate."
We exchanged introductions, shaking his hand in turn.
"Now that introductions are done, is there anything else to report?" the colonel asked.
"That's all, sir," Joeress replied.
As we left the office, Ms. Chasty greeted us.
"How'd everything go?" she asked.
"Fine," Joeress answered.
"Since Mr. Ian is new," Ms. Chasty added, "I'd like you to mentor him — help him prepare for what's ahead."
"I'll do it," Joeress said.
"Good," Ms. Chasty smiled faintly. "Mr. Ian — behave yourself."
"I will," Ian promised.
"Cirus," Joeress said, turning to me, "you can go on ahead. I'll catch up later."
I nodded and stepped outside. The cool air filled my lungs, and in the distance, I spotted my mom and Aunt Gaizell still waiting for me.
I didn't walk — I ran, throwing myself back into my mother's arms. This time, I didn't let go right away.
I was finally home.