Rain poured over the city as Julian and the others ran for cover. Wild Eidos were calling into the night, checking out the noise Matilda had made to cover their tracks from Von and the other Artino guards.

Omen charged through the shadows, running point to ensure everyone wouldn’t be caught by surprise.

Oryx kept his head on a swivel, his Earth abilities at the ready as he charged through the streets with the others.

Matilda was hiding inside Maria’s jacket, trying to stay dry.

Up ahead, a small coffee shop surrounded by nothing but broken-down cars in their drive-thru came into view.

“Let’s go there!” Andre yelled.

With no complaints, everyone ran towards the busted windows, climbing inside and out of the rain.

Andre called back Oryx. The poor guy was just too big to get around the broken-down cars.

Julian found a booth seat in the middle of the cafe away from the windows and proceeded to collapse, trying to catch his breath. He had been in somewhat decent shape before all this. Somewhat. He never considered himself to be in a run-for-your-life type of shape. That was going to need to change.

Across the room, Andre and Kiyoka had sat down in chairs, looking out to see if they'd been followed.

Maria was busy taking off her jacket, fighting against Matilda to get it off.

“Matilda, we’re inside where it’s dry. Come on, now,” Maria pleaded with the little monkey.

Matilda stuck her head up through the neckline of the jacket, her purple eyes glowing. Finally, after realizing they were dry, her eyes quit glowing and the zipper of her jacket came undone.

“Thank you!” Maria tossed the jacket off of her and Matilda bounced down onto a table, shaking her fur dry.

“How does it look?” Julian called over to Andre.

“I think we’re alright. I’d call back Omen, though, just to be safe,” Andre said.

Julian mentally reached out to his bond with Omen, calling the wolf to his side.

A few seconds later, Omen appeared out of the shadows, shaking his fur out between Julian, Maria, and Matilda. Everyone tried to take cover, while the latter squealed in protest, climbing Maria’s shoulders.

Julian sat up from his seat. “Gee, thanks dude,” he groaned.

Across their bond, Omen sent back a mental shrug, causing Julian to shake his head.

“Quiet, guys. We gotta be quiet,” Kiyoka called over the sound of the rain.

Thunk.

Julian looked under the table to see a metal case resting against the side of the booth wall. Omen kept Kiyoka’s case and delivered it safely to him.

“Wow, look at that,” Maria whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

Julian looked up to see the rain was changing color. What had been a normal downpour was turning into a light show, as golden particles filled the raindrops, reminiscent of sparks flying through the air, but over the entire city and beyond.

They settled into silence, watching the show. Maria went to the back of the coffee shop and found some small hand towels for everyone to dry off with. As everyone got settled in and dry, Maria went back to the kitchen as the others sat back and kept watch.

“Is this how we spend the night?” Kiyoka asked, finally breaking the silence she imposed.

Julian shrugged. “I wouldn’t mind something to eat. We are in a cafe, after all. I bet we can find something.”

On cue, Maria came around the counter, her arms full of a random assortment of things, from snacks to bottles of fancy water. She even had a gas torch and stove.

“Whatcha cooking?” Julian asked, helping her set everything down on the table.

“Nothing. Eat a muffin,” she grumbled, sliding a packaged muffin over to him.

“Hey, I love blueberry,” Julian said, smirking and sitting back in his booth.

From underneath the table, Omen stuck his head up, sniffing at the muffin.

“You hungry, too?” Julian thought for a second. “Hey Andre, what does an Eidos eat?”

“They live off the energy that makes up their forms. However, they can eat for pleasure. It won’t hurt them,” Andre said, reaching over for a muffin of his own.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Wish I could only eat for pleasure,” Maria grumbled, stuffing a bite of banana nut muffin into her mouth.

“You and me, both,” Kiyoka joined her, grabbing a strawberry muffin and sitting at their table with them.

Julian pinched off a bite of muffin and offered it to Omen, who sniffed at it curiously.

Across their bond, Julian picked up what seemed to be a gag before Omen slipped back through the shadows, running from the muffin.

“Fine! More for me,” Julian called, stuffing the bite into his mouth.

“Speaking of more for me,” Kiyoka said, looking over at Julian, “I think this is going to be as private as we can get to have a conversation.”

Julian nodded, using his foot to slide the case across the floor to Kiyoka.

As the case hit her foot, her eyes went wide in surprise. “Really? Just like that?” She reached down, bringing the case up onto the table.

“It’s your case, and trust has to be earned. We need to work together to survive this, and that won’t happen if we’re continually second-guessing each other.” Julian took another bite of his muffin.

“See? I told you,” Andre smirked, taking a seat beside Kiyoka to where he could still see out the windows, but be part of the conversation.

Kiyoka nodded silently, before her hands found the combination locks of the case, fiddling with them. “Sorry about all this. Trust has been in short supply over the past few years. We’ve had to rely on just a few of us.”

Julian nodded as he listened intently.

“It's been-

Crack.

“Ouch!” Maria cursed, putting her finger in her mouth.

Julian sighed. “What are you doing?”

Maria pulled her finger out of her mouth. “I'm trying to use this stove and torch to get a heater going for us. We’re going to be cold soon.”

“Here, let me help,” Andre said, taking the stove and torch from her. “Want to see if there are any more gas cylinders in the kitchen?”

“Thanks. I’ll go check.” Maria stood from the booth, heading to the kitchen while Matilda sat in her seat.

Julian chuckled softly, shaking his head as he smiled. “You were saying?”

Kiyoka smiled back. “You two seem to be good friends,” she observed.

Julian nodded. “We’ve been best friends since we were kids. We grew up in the same town out in Missouri and came here for college together.”

Kiyoka nodded. “That’s good to have someone you trust like that with you. Especially during all this, and all that’s coming. The future’s uncertain.”

Julian sat silently, looking between Kiyoka and Andre.

Andre took the lead. “I served as a research assistant to Dr. Miura, Kiyoka’s father. I’m in graduate school, and thanks to my parents working at an Artino Research Tower in Georgia, I secured a position here for my graduate studies.”

Kiyoka chimed in. “That’s how we met. Andre stayed at our home while his apartment was being prepared at the tower here. That was two years ago.”

Andre nodded, “Kiyoka was still in her undergrad studies at Stanford, then.”

Kiyoka smiled, her eyes going distant. “I would have graduated this year.”

Silence fell between them for a beat before Julian chimed in.

“Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I was just expelled from USF yesterday…”

Kiyoka looked up at that. “What did you get expelled for?”

“I’m poor,” Julian shrugged. “I didn’t have enough scholarship or financial aid to cover the whole tuition. I lost my job last month, so I fell behind on tuition payments.”

“What was your major?” Kiyoka asked him.

“Psychology, with a minor in Anthropology,” Julian answered, cracking open a bottle of water.

“Sounds like you like people, then,” Kiyoka grabbed a bottle of water as well.

Julian shook his head. “I like individuals. People suck.”

Kiyoka snorted, almost spilling her water. “That’s the truth.”

Maria soon rejoined them, coming around the counter with two more gas canisters.

“These should work,” Maria said, handing them to Andre. She then picked up Matilda and sat down in her seat.

The little monkey cuddled up to her, shivering a bit.

“So what were you two doing before all this?” Andre asked. “Julian was busy getting expelled. What about you? Didn’t you say you worked at Artino Industries as well?”

Kiyoka looked over at Maria questioningly.

Maria nodded, her mouth full of muffin. “I did! I was an undergrad intern working in software development. I just started there three months ago.”

“Software development?” Kiyoka asked, “As an undergrad? That’s impressive.” Kiyoka eyed her cautiously.

Maria seemed oblivious. “Thank you! It took a lot of work, and I was just as surprised as anyone when offered the position. My papa was so proud!” Maria smiled, thinking about home. “I wonder how things are back home.”

Julian nodded. He had been giving it some thought as well.

“So,” Julian started, “what about you two? What happened today that caused this mess?”

Silence hung over the room, drowned out only by the sound of the rain outside.

Julian let the question hang in the air a bit as he started to shiver.

Kiyoka fiddled with the combination locks, trying one sequence after another.

Finally, as the stove turned on, pouring heat out over the table, Andre sighed. “Today was supposed to be the unofficial end of a seven-year study conducted by Artino Industries.”

“Andre,” Kiyoka interrupted.

“It’s okay. The truth doesn’t incriminate your father, regardless of what Dr. Artino said.” Andre looked at Julian and Maria. “Dr. Miura was ending his study that Artino Industries had funded. A simple transmission of energy from the towers to the satellites in orbit was all that was required. It was approved weeks ago. However, something went wrong.”

Julian and Maria listened quietly, finishing their muffins.

Kiyoka chimed in. “I knew my father was having a hard time when he called me home last month. I took a leave of absence and returned to San Francisco. I got plugged into his research team, and he had me taking care of the creatures that were in his lab’s possession.”

Maria sat forward. “So, these Eidos have been here for a while?”

“Not like this,” Andre added. “Each lab that worked with this energy found themselves with creatures manifesting from biological data that was present in some of their research. Each lab may have two to four creatures at most. It was nearly impossible for them to survive outside of their closed environments. Until today.” Andre grabbed a bottle of water, cracking it open.

Everyone listened intently, waiting for Andre to continue.

“Now, with the energy trapped here on Earth, it’s creating a secondary bio-field to sustain these creatures.” He looked out the window, pointing towards the rain. “That’s why the rain is glowing like it is. The energy is building the sustaining system for the Eidos, hence the particles being seeded by the rain.”

Kiyoka continued messing with the case as tears formed in her eyes. “My father was trying to keep this energy and his work out of Victor Artino’s hands. And when Victor found out, he sabotaged the transfer of energy, and made my dad the villain of his narrative.” Kiyoka looked Julian in the eyes. “Victor Artino would burn the world if it meant he could rule over the ashes. He isn’t a man to be trifled with. Fortunately, neither is my father.”

Julian nodded, taking the information in. “Do you know where your father is?”

Kiyoka shook her head. “His last known location would have been at the top of the research tower here in San Francisco, overseeing the energy transfer. According to Dr. Artino, he isn’t there.”

“Something doesn’t add up then,” Maria chimed in. “If Dr. Miura isn’t at the lab, then why are his men trying so hard to recapture the tower?”

Julian thought for a second, pulling his map up on his bracer. “Earlier, when the map network came online, the research tower was coming up as a possible Eidos Den.”

Sure enough, the status was still there:

[Possible Eidos Den detected]

[Investigate To Confirm]

[Rewards: ???]

“Reward?” Andre looked the notification over. “Do you think Artino puts this in place?”

Julian shrugged. “I’m not sure, but it makes me want to check it out.”

Click.

Kiyoka chuckled, turning the case around to show the others that the locks opened. “It was Mom’s birthday.”

Andre gave her a soft smile as the others watched her open the case before them.

In the center was an Eidos capsule, shining a bright white color.