Emmett wasn’t sure how long he and Clara sat on the couch, but the window opening jolted him awake.

It was still light outside, and Athena was coming in through the window. She set a microwave and a mini-fridge down on the floor before climbing through herself. Despite her height, she slipped through easily. She’d been incognito, wearing a faded band shirt and jeans without a mask, and her long white hair was pulled up. The same type of magic that hid the inside of the apartment also obscured Athena when she came and went.

Emmett was envious.

Athena brushed off her hands. “Look at you two, finally taking a break. No, no, don’t get up on my account!”

But Clara had already gotten up and ran over. She looked up at Athena expectantly.

Athena put a hand on Clara’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. There’s still a lot of drones and mechs around the lab…”

Athena trailed off. She didn’t have to say the rest.

Clara nodded, crestfallen.

Emmett and Athena shared an uncertain glance. They all knew the lab was lost, and that they wouldn’t be able to go back—not for the foreseeable future. But Clara still clung to hope that they’d be able to get back in, eventually. Maybe even break her father out…

But that could only happen if the Brotherhood withdrew some or all of their forces, and only if they were absolutely certain that Midas wasn’t still there.

With each passing day, it looked like the Brotherhood was going to turn the lab into a new base of operations.

Athena said, “Look… I’m sure Emmett and TINA are almost done with the disguise program. Right?”

Emmett both frowned and nodded. “Another couple days.”

TINA chimed in from his phone on the kitchen table. “We are on schedule to complete phase one by this weekend. So long as Athena continues to bring us raw material.”

Athena smiled down at her. “That’s perfect. Then we’ll be able to go out and get you some fresh air. That will help take your mind off of things.”

Clara nodded and muttered, “Thanks.”

Athena stacked the microwave on top of the mini-fridge, carried them over, and set them beside the kitchen table. “I’m making soup. Anyone else interested?”

Both Emmett and Clara grabbed a stool by the counter while Athena pulled out two pots and hotplates.

“It’s not pizza, but there’s not many places serving and who’s got the money for takeout every night…” Athena pulled out two packets of dried noodles and a packet of freeze-dried soup toppings. The bag was a one-stop addition for everything from onions and herbs to tiny shrimp. Apparently, Athena had become a connoisseur of dried foods over the years she’d been living off-grid as a mask.

Clara perked up, and as the noodles went into the water, her stomach started growling. Emmett felt his spirits rising as Clara’s did.

Ever since he’d gotten the fusion battery implant, he hadn’t needed to eat as much. His body had begun using some of the fusion energy and converting it to glucose, much like plants use photosynthesis to make glucose out of sunlight. The difference was, Emmett’s body needed the complex mixture of Mutagen-A and blood nanites to achieve the same thing, and his body was many times more efficient at it.

Normally, photosynthesis was only 6-8% effective. A human couldn’t have used regular photosynthesis to survive. Even standing outside naked in the sun all day wouldn’t produce enough energy to maintain their body heat, let alone enough energy to do any physical activity. That was if they could even take in enough carbon dioxide to make the process feasible.

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But because of his upgrades, Emmett had cut his food intake in half. If he and TINA worked together, they could probably change his body to 100% rely on fusion.

Emmett ultimately decided against it. For one, he didn’t want to over rely on his battery, especially since they didn’t have the facility or equipment yet to make a replacement. And two, it felt like a step too far.

Most days, Emmett could forget just how far he’d come and just how many changes he’d made to his body. But his lack of appetite was hard to overlook. Clara was eating more than him, even in the midst of her depression.

Athena added freeze-dried toppings to both pots. “Did you guys take your multivitamins today?”

Both Emmett and Clara shook their heads. His body still needed vitamins and minerals, but it seemed like his inorganic parts now ran exclusively off of fusion.

Athena set pills and bowls down on the counter for both of them, then gave them a squinted glare, like she was reminding them that she wasn’t their mother.

There was a lull between them as Athena cooked, and Emmett seized the opportunity. “So, have you made any progress tracking down those mages?”

Athena glanced up at him, and Emmett nodded toward Clara.

Clara noticed. “What?”

Athena gave Emmett a side-eye. “He’s trying to guilt me into telling you both about my exploits.”

“Is it working?” Clara asked.

Athena sighed. “Yes. I guess now’s as good a time as any… The Felwardens and the Cabal of Jesiré have history going back centuries—most of it bloody. Before the war with the Deep Ones, the feud between the Felwardens and the Cabal had just started back up.”

The smell of onions and shrimp had filled the air. Athena turned off the hotplates. Emmett divided one pot up between Clara and himself.

Athena leaned on the counter, ate from her pot, and continued talking.

“I was looking for one Felwarden in particular. It took a few weeks to find a trail. I went up to Hoffewick, but it was a dead end. I would’ve been back sooner but the Deep Ones attacked.” Athena paused to eat before continuing. “My only other direction is here in Belport.”

Clara asked, “Do you have a lead?”

“Not yet. I’m waiting for my contact in the Cabal.”

Emmett said cautiously, “You’re helping the Cabal? …Aren’t they vampires?”

Clara added, “And the Felwardens are assholes.”

Athena chuckled. “Sounds like there’s a story there.”

Clara let the soup fall out of the spoon. “They attacked the lab when I was younger. They almost breached the living quarters. If it hadn’t been for Dad…”

“Ah, I see… I’ve never been fond of the Cabal. They’re vampires… so by default, they’re not wholesome individuals, but they keep most of their own in line. They have a code. The Felwardens are zealots who don’t care about things like collateral damage. I tend to have a problem with that.”

Emmett blew on the soup, even though he didn’t need to. “Why get involved at all?”

Athena took a long slurp of soup from the pot, which was still steaming. She set it down before answering.

“Because one of my old friends is in the Cabal, and she asked for my help.”

Emmett tried to read Athena’s expression. “...She’s a vampire?”

“Yes.”

Clara swallowed. “You’re not a vampire, are you?”

Athena smiled, baring her clearly human teeth. “She offered to turn me—several times—but I never took her up on it.”

“Good,” Clara replied, going back to her soup.

Emmett nodded. “She must be a good friend for you to get involved.”

Athena scoffed. “I haven’t known you both that long and I still got involved... But yes, she is a good friend. I owe her a lot. Helping her with this is the least I can do.”

Clara leaned on the counter. “Maybe we can repay the favor—after the mask protocol is finished.”

Athena glanced between the two of them like she was sizing them up. “Maybe…” She paused and took another long drink of soup from the pot.

“What’s wrong?” Emmett asked.

Athena wiped the corner of her mouth. “It’s not you guys. I was just hoping to have better luck with all of this. Tell you what, if I still need help tracking down this lead by the time your mask protocol is finished, then you can tag along.”

Clara pumped her fist in the air. “I can’t wait. Between us and TINA, I’m sure we can find what you’re looking for.”

TINA chimed in, “I won’t have full access to phone and communications networks like before, but I will still be able to search them intermittently.”

Athena replied, “At this point, every little bit helps.”

Emmett finished his soup and said nonchalantly, “It’s the least we can do.”

Athena returned his smile. She turned and put the empty pot in the sink. Then she walked over to the window.

“Leaving already?” Clara asked, dejection seeping into her voice.

Athena chuckled as she climbed out the window. “Yeah. We’ve all got work to do, and someone needs more appliances to salvage.”

~ ~ ~