"Hi Abi, It's been a while."

Silence.

"Abi? It's me, Ali. Do you remember, when we were kids, we used to hide under the bed before our parents woke up, and then grab at their legs when they tried to get out of bed. One time, we scare mom so bad she fell and broke the window. We never did it again after that, and you had nightmares about broken glass for months."

A sob, then the most broken "Ali?" I've ever heard my sister utter. "Ali? Where are you?"

"Before I tell you, there is something I have to tell you about."

"That you're a vampire? I already know. I'm not afraid, where are you?" I can hear her packing up her stuff.

"How? I mean, how do you know?"

"I'm an archeologist. You can only see ancient refrences so many times before you pay attention. Plus, when they gave us the personal effects you left behind, they included your camera. You were recording when…"

"I forgot about that."

"Yeah, trying to record what you rememberd of your attackers in case your memory changed later. Very smart. Once I saw the rest of the tape, I figured I would never see you again, but I emailed you every day hoping that I would." She is on the front steps of the muesum, walking down to the street. Maybe to hail a cab?

"Right in front of you," I reply, waving at her so she can see me. Our gazes lock, and she beams at me through tears threatning to fall. She runs to me and wraps me in the warmest hug I've experienced since I turned, before holding me at an arms distance and giving me the once over.

"You aren't here to turn me are you? I have kids at home that I would like to see grow up." Her expression is stern, but her eyes are laughing.

"No," I smile, "but I do need your help."

She locks her arm in mine and stears me away from the muesum. "There's a little cafe I just adore, nice and private, but before that, I want to hear everything."

I catch her up on my life on the walk to the cafe.

The cafe is a busy little hole in the wall place. There is enough chatter that no one can really hear what is being said at the table next to them. It is the kind of cozy, people watching spot my sister used to do all her studing in. She directs me to pick a spot before melting into the croud to place her order at the counter. It isn't long before she sits across from me with a little plastic number for the barista to find us when our order is ready.

"I knew I would find you here. You still sit with your back to the wall in a seat that can see the whole place and is ideally close to an exit. This is one of only three spots in the place that fit those requirements." She points at the other two spots I might have chosen. Both are occupied.

I chuckle, "yep! Gotta be prepared for anything."

She smiles and grabs my hand. "I'm glad you are back." She stares into my eyes, drinking in the sight of the sister she never expected to see again. The barista delivering two coffees and a slice of cake breaks the tension. I pick up my cup to smell my erswile favorite drink. I can't believe she remembered. "A latte with vanilla and cinaman. Your favorite."

Stolen story; please report.

"Yeah…" I smile into my cup and feign a sip.

"So, you said you need my help."

"Yeah, I need to borrow an artifact from your muesum."

Her smile drops, she looks serious. "What." she deadpans.

"You've heard about the videos going around the internet?"

"Like the one where someone caught a werewolf shifting?"

"Yep, that's the one."

"People are really devided on that."

"Really? What are they saying?"

She shakes her head and looks out the window, "It's not good. A lot more people than I thought believe it to be true. You know, 'pics or it didn't happen' style." I nod and encourage her to continue. "I only know one or two people who think it is just an elaborate prank at this point."

"And what do they think about the prospect of werewolves and other mythical creatures being real?"

She picks up her fork and takes a bite of cake before answering. "A lot of people are scared, like the only thing keeping regular humans from genocide is that we believe them to be mythical. They think we should go on the offensive and kill them all. There are a few who see it as an opportunity to cure cancer and other illnesses." She points the fork at me. "They want to capture all the creatures they can and dissect them." She forks up another bite, "The last group is already rule 34-ing it."

"No one is thinking of peace."

"Not really. I'm of the opinion that if your lot wanted us dead, we never would have achieved this level of technologic advancement."

"True."

She eats another bite. "So, what does all this have to do with an artifact in my muesum?"

"Let me answer that with a question: what would happen if instead of discoving the races are real and have been on earth forever, they came from space and made first contact, and introduced humanity to the wider galaxy?"

She places her fork on the plate, and rests her chin on her folded hands. I smile. She always held that position when she was thinking. "That… that is an entirely new ballgame. First contact, and a wider array of different species could force humanity to come together in an effort to peacefully explore the universe. Of course, we would have to be introduced in shuch a way that we know war is a total no-go. Otherwise, greed could take over... But that is probably the best chance for peace. Any footage taken before could just be written off as gauging advancement and temperment for contact."

I feing another sip of coffee. I wish I could actually drink it, but it would make me very sick. "Exactly. The artifact I need you to get is a key that opens a door that lets us set up a first contact situation. And I need the exact artifact because it has properties that can't be replicated in a copy."

She digs around in her purse and produces a reciept and a pen, then slides it over to me. "What's the artifact?" I write the item number and description down on the back of the reciept and side it back to her. "Oh! I just cast that one to make a copy. The copy is going on display next month."

"Really? That's lucky!"

"Yeah, I can easily make a second copy and get the original to you."

"How long will that take?"

"Two days."

"You won't lose your job?"

"There are cameras everywhere, but they can't see inside the archive drawers. I can slip it out, but it will be noticed in the next inventory in six months."

"I'll have it back to you before then. I don't want you loseing your job."

"You better. Where are you staying tonight? You could meet the kids?"

"I don't want to be a bother. I can find somewhere else to stay."

"Nonsense! Lisa won't mind, and the kids would love to see you. Meet me at the museum at five. You are coming home with us." She checks her phone. "My lunch break is over, and given what you need, I don't think you want me taking the rest of the day off." I shake my head. She shovels the last few bites of cake in her mouth, downs the rest of her coffee, and stands up to leave.

I stand with her and give her a hug. "I love you. I'll be there. And thank you soooo much."

"Of course. If you cant count on your little sister to help you prevent genocide and global war, who can you count on?" She gives me a peck on the cheek and heads back to the museum.

I collapse back in my chair and sigh.

"That went better than expected." I stiffen.

"Elder Remus? What are you doing here?"

"I've been sent to execute you for disobedience."