Ears passively scanning for potential information that she could use, Rachel made sure Scarlet was okay and decided to test the waters. Ominous paths continued to open up to her and her family; only she was privileged to Scarlet’s full story, and she doubted the traumatized girl had revealed everything to her yet.
Mateo asked if they were ready to leave since they were on a clock, and Rachel turned to Scarlet for confirmation.
“That’s up to Scarlet.”
Rebuilding her nerves, she nodded, pointed fangs showing with her weak smile. “I’m okay now… It feels way better having someone to talk to.”
“Right. Let’s move,” he commanded, before guiding them out of the room and toward their airborne ride.
Word of their involvement in the operation that had closed the Crystal and eliminated the aliens had spread because military and CDC personnel thanked them on their path through the building; it was challenging to keep focused on her environment with so many things buzzing through her mind, but there was one thing that floated to the surface as they passed through the halls.
Rachel’s gaze drifted to Scarlet, their escort of six green berets surrounding them—Mateo would be joining their flight with two of his men. “There is one thing that is bothering me after everything I’ve learned about the cult.”
Left fang poking out as she drew in her black bottom lip, Scarlet’s concerned and questioning eyes met hers with the soldiers listening in, but it wouldn’t be shocking for them.
“What is it?”
“Hmm.” Focus shifting to Mateo and the sergeant to her right, Rachel made it clear she wasn’t just asking the vespertine reaper for answers. “I’ve heard a lot about them from you and the others that were involved, but not one whisper about Scarlet’s mother… I understand it is a touchy subject, yet if she’s alive, as I suspect she is, it’s a huge risk to us all.”
A groan came from the lieutenant at their point as he ran his fingers through his hair and turned to look between Scarlet and her; Rachel made sure to bring it up when they were alone in a hallway.
“She’s receiving medical treatment after the… incident; that’s all I can say.”
And it’s a lie, Rachel internally growled, hearing his heartbeat fluctuate; still, she could understand why with Scarlet here. Why he’s lying will be the real issue, which means I was right to come up with a chance to confront him.
Slowing to a stop as they reached the ground floor, Rachel forced a laugh, drawing everyone’s attention while pointing back the way they’d come.
“Uh-heh, Mateo, I left my suitcase, and maybe I should put on some pants or something if I’m meeting someone important,” she added, motioning at her sleeping shorts and sports bra, which was generally fine in Miami and a staple for many women, but just as good of an excuse as any.
“It will only take a second—I’m fast—everyone can go ahead if you want to escort me; I get I can’t be alone. I’ll be right there, Scarlet; my mind has been everywhere recently.”
Scarlet’s shoulders slumped, possibly thinking she was trying to somehow abandon her, which Rachel could further curb when showing back up like nothing happened, changed while wearing a grin.
“No, I understand…”
Mateo’s mouth tightened, likely figuring she wanted to further go into detail on her previous inquiry; cheeks puffing up and deflating, he nodded. “Huu-haaa. Okay, yeah. Sergeant Murray, see that the pilots are ready to take off when we arrive.”
“Roger that. Let’s move, boys!”
They hustled off with Scarlet’s melancholy gaze lingering on her for a moment before turning the corner; Rachel figured she could further patch things over when they got back, and leaving her intentions ambiguous now allowed her to cement further trust in her when she returned since the girl needed reinforcement.
Briskly climbing the stairs again, Rachel maintained a general smile as she whispered to the military man. “What should I wear if we are meeting someone important? I should have something for Scarlet, as well; I’m surprised she didn’t want to join me.”
“Hmm. Given the situation, anything would do,” the man grunted, his eyes telling her he knew she was stalling until they left Scarlet’s sharp hearing, which Rachel had determined wasn’t nearly as proficient as her own. “We should just hurry.”
“Uh-huh…” Once reaching the 3rd floor, Rachel’s cheery, illuminated eyes drifted to the man beside her, hands held behind her back. “I’ll be direct, what happened to her mother, Mateo? Because I know what you told me is a lie. I understand why you might want to keep that detail hidden, but I need the truth to know how to maneuver myself when she’s a threat to not only me and my family but also Scarlet herself.”
Mateo worked around his jaw for several seconds, debating how to respond. “You can’t have been this observant and calculating before The Oscillation as a nineteen-year-old girl. That [Strategic Mind] Feat is really something, and it is a part of your goddess branch?”
“Correct,” she confirmed, darting into the room to rummage through her suitcase when they arrived. “I’ll let you stew on what you can tell me while I change. I won’t be long.”
Entering the empty room, Rachel pulled up her suitcase to add a black tank top and change into denim shorts, using a pair of scissors in the professor’s desk to carefully create a hole in the back to poke her tail through.
She slipped on some sandals and tossed her used bottoms in one of the front pockets before carrying the suitcase to the exit. Nudging her head to suggest making their way to the helicopter, they started walking; Scarlet had been silent since they left, besides a few heavy sighs.
Mateo was now chewing a stick of gum by the scent of his breath, keeping pace with her. “To, as you said, put it bluntly… she’s unharmed after receiving what should have been a fatal wound. To make a long story short…
“One of the newly indoctrinated cultists had a brother that was in the National Guard; he was concerned about his brother’s new obsession in this ‘game’ and decided to follow him. When he saw some of the things the cult was doing throughout the day, he contacted a few of his police friends and tried to get some evidence to raid the place.
“He found his brother and all the cultists dead, skewered by Scarlet’s blood, and naturally took a shotgun to her… The report says her mother laughed at their futile efforts as Scarlet ran away; that’s where we come in, tracking her down after it was called in that a vampire was in Miami, and she was taken into FBI custody. That’s all I can tell you, but she has been secured.”
Rachel steamed out a long puff of air, scratching her temple as her ears tilted to the left; the Miami FBI field office was to the north of them from the conversations she’d heard, and there was a lot of bureaucracy shit happening to some degree between government, state, and military departments.
“So… the damage Scarlet did to her spontaneously healed, meaning she does have some sort of powers, and all of this could still be a part of her master plan; I can’t see someone so well connected and knowing—to the point of preparing for a ritual before the means to do it were even near completion—to not have plotted her actions to a T after accomplishing it.”
Mateo shrugged. “I’m with you; the more we discover about these people, the more suspicious they become, and we’ve only learned this much due to that Peck woman freaking out about you… Lt. Thompson tried to get clearance to raid her house, but he was denied.”
Rachel’s vision narrowed as they descended the stairs. “Which means someone higher up is taking action… For what reason, though?”
“I’m guessing you’ll know soon enough,” he growled.
They fell silent as they left the building, Rachel grimacing at the dying light that touched her light skin; her already diminished Lunar Pool began to evaporate, yet it would still be another five or so minutes until she was tapped out, and she’d already confirmed before that she could survive when on empty—she would just be as weak as a non-athletic girl.
However, the far more interesting discovery was Scarlet’s thoughtless stroll into the twilight; her skin wasn’t burning, and some of the soldiers that had been with Rachel when they tested it made a note of the strange inconsistency when they neared the vehicles, causing the girl to freak out a little while checking for damage.
Rachel came up with an answer, though; her mind returned to the song the cultists sang that the vespertine reaper recounted to her since it was burned into her memories.
Twilight spoke to Scarlet before Veronica sealed her away… Welcomed not by the light, nor the night, she became the Bringer of Twilight. The darkest night, the brightest light, history tainted by the twilight… Vespertine is a word relating to, occurring, or an activity made in the evening… Twilight. Scarlet is safe during the evening and night while harmed by dawn and most of the day.
Her smile became drained as Mateo kept a close watch on her from the moment they entered the dying sunlight. “Hehe. If you’re wondering if I’m okay, I’ll be fine—oof, just don’t ask me to run laps or fight anything anytime soon… I’ll probably be sore for a week.”
A sly tilt came to her face, vision shifting to her right as a doctor talked about the unicorn Mythickin at the other hospital. “Unless… I can get someone to heal me.”
Mateo shook his head, focus moving to the horizon as they made their way to his men and the loud and quite large military helicopter on the open lawn; dozens of military vehicles with Mateo’s men talking amongst themselves sealed off the area.
“Isn’t it exhausting?”
Rachel lifted an eye. “Hmm?”
“Scheming… Plotting all the time… Listening to who knows how many people? I already want this to be over just to go home and crack open a beer with the gang… I need to tell Vincent’s wife that last month was her last Valentine’s Day with the man she loved…”
Her ears fell a tad at the sobering comment as they neared the whirring blades. “Because… I don’t want to have that happen to my family, Mateo. We’re in a whole new world now, and I have to learn as fast as I can how to navigate it.”
Scarlet’s hands were knotted at her front as they neared, looking between them, air trapped in her lungs—if she had lungs—while awaiting what she expected would be terrible news that would separate them.
Mateo gave her response a melancholy nod, motioning for his men to help them up as he went to distribute his parting orders to meet them at the hospital and set up an area for them to have in private; she could tell the man was growing to respect and reevaluate her potential threat level more and more with each interaction.
She waved at Scarlet with a grin as the men helped them up to take one of the seats, handing them big headsets; the soldier hesitated upon seeing her left-tilting ears and smiled, unsure if she had human ears to use them, which she did not. Still, she accepted them, holding the microphone to her mouth.
“I can manage my hearing just fine, thank you. Oh, Scarlet!”
“W-What?” she asked, trying to find a comfortable way of wearing the headpiece with her pointed ears. “Do you need to go after this? I, umm… I get it.”
“Huh?” Rachel grinned and lightly slugged the girl on the arm as they sat next to each other, soldiers buckling them in. “Where did you get that silly idea? I told you I wouldn’t abandon you, and I’m not planning on it.”
It wasn’t a lie; she hadn’t planned on it thus far.
Relief melted the tension away from Scarlet’s face as she smiled and nodded, speaking through the device. “Thank you, Rachel… I honestly don’t know what to do anymore. I’m so lost.”
In other words, Rachel internally sighed, I’m the only thing providing you a way forward because no one else is crazy enough to take a chance on you. She really has been screwed over by everything she’d known and left to go insane… What horrible parents.
“Of course! Oh, Roy, can you secure that suitcase? Scarlet needs to find something to wear when we land, too.”
“Me? I, uh… are you sure? I don’t want to take all your clothes… I just feel so helpless,” she cried, making Rachel snicker.
“C’mon, Scarlet! I’m not going to let you meet some military big-shot in your nightwear—well, my nightwear! Haha!”
“Hehe. I guess I should wear something… a bit more decent,” she mused, plucking at the shorts and slightly baggy t-shirt she’d stolen; the girl was a fair bit smaller than her, which required her to really pull on the strings of the shorts.
Thankful to have the family she did—as imperfect as it might be with Alexa in the picture—Rachel looked forward to hugging her parents when they met again. She had no clue what was going to happen with Scarlet, but Rachel had this unusual gut-tightening feeling she needed to keep this unstable, traumatized bloodsucker attached to her leg; if she let Scarlet go on her own, something terrible would happen.
The helicopter lurched as it took to the air, soldiers waving them off. They swung east in the dying light of twilight, moving over the ocean and giving them a full view of Miami and the surrounding cities.
Silence took them, excluding the two pilots, and Rachel’s wide field of view, fully in focus, allowed her to see things with new eyes from the vantage point, helping to distract her mind from her sore muscles and patched-up cuts.
A few fires were being managed by the military and local infrastructure from who knew what cause, making her realize how little she actually knew. When in her little bubble at the university, she’d had time to scope everything out and identify who were the key players, but now seeing the scope of the world, she saw how vulnerable she was.
I have a lot of little bits of information from the local military and pieces regarding the Crystals… The bigger stage is what I have to leverage my way into in this short window if I’m going to have control over my life in this new world structure. Mom, Dad… everyone could be affected by this meeting.
Scarlet squeezed her hand, drawing her gaze; the girl gave her a weak, fanged smile and let go, which was big, telling her that she was doing better. Relief may have come to the vamp girl, but for Rachel, the walls were closing in, and the pressure was mounting against her chest.
“I’m going to meditate, Scarlet, Mateo; I need to get more answers regarding this System before we arrive.”
The military man shot a wry smirk her way, seemingly relaxing a bit more now that they were in the air, yet the green berets still scanned the shore and waters for potential attacks.
“A bit young for a wheelchair, but I’ll call one for your old legs; just don’t freak out when you’re in a new place.”
Scarlet giggled, and Rachel followed it with a nod; relaxing as best she could, she sat back, closed her eyes, and receded into her mind.
Entering the white mental space, Rachel didn’t have the patience to stand still, walking the edges while experimenting with the creative aspect of the place and being reminded of her grandfather’s meditation lessons on the Taoist concepts of Neidan and Waidan or internal and external alchemy.
Less interested in the fantastical worlds she could internally create or the luxury accommodations, such as the college kids she’d listened to seemed to be into, she promptly got to work; it was weird to Rachel that people actually wanted to live in this place forever. She saw this space as only a tool to be used, and she didn’t get the appeal of being trapped in some delusion of reality; people needed to touch grass.
She came to the conclusion that, in a way, this internal world was similar to the discussions she’d had with her grandfather on Neidan and cultivating one’s spirit, yet far more visceral; it was the perfect combat simulator. like an advanced form of shadow boxing.
Playing with her imagination, she summoned multiple copies of Tyreese—her Muay Thai trainer—from various years in her memory, analytical mind setting them to face each other and fascinated at the results.
Her perception of him didn’t really change the results since, as a little teenage girl, he’d been a giant, terrifying man, yet, he grew less intimidating each year she’d trained with him.
Still, the early, invincible image she had of him was generally beaten by the more experienced versions of her trainer as he grew year by year, showing there was something deeper at work unrelated to her personal views.
Whatever this place was, it accurately depicted someone’s abilities, which was a massive identification to make early on. Summoning a floss pick to play with something in her mouth to ease her tension, despite obviously not needing it in the mental space, she mused on how fascinating it was to see habits carried over.
Next, she threw up the hobgoblin, without his blade, having him fight Tyreese, her, and many other martial artists she’d met throughout the years; in every instance, when not taking into account the environment or the moon, she and everyone else lost—handily.
“Misfortune…” she whispered, glaring at the extremely physically powerful hobgoblin at his peak when not blinded by pride going toe to toe with her fully lunar-charged clone, observing her form and technique.
The creature’s armor certainly did help him, and his earrings made it impossible since it could swiftly snowball with the slightest momentum gained; of course, all of this was without a weapon, and Zoe’s earlier comment about something to further enhance her combat potential made her ears twitch.
How far could she actually push this fight simulation, though? She finished with the hobgoblin and went to the meat of what she truly wanted to know, knowing it would put a bitter taste in her mouth.
Arms crossing under her bust, gut and eyes tightening, Rachel placed both the white and blue moons she’d experienced in Anthony’s Quest overhead, clearing the stage and setting the environment to the dark, misty woods; her clone looked across the field at her opponent: the grinning vespertine reaper, taken from the moment she’d went to kill the toads.
Her fingers dug into her sides as the girl giggled, madness in her crimson eyes; she vanished in shadows to appear above her—in shock at the tactics and lack of hesitation, Rachel watched her bloody, crystal scythe liquify to spread as an umbrella and engage her lunar clone.
Mouth a line, she paused the scene, walking around whatever this was because it was not Scarlet; this was someone, likely whatever became of Veronica, using her abilities to their fullest and without a shred of moral restriction. She mirrored her fighting style to trade blows with Rachel as the liquid curtain rained crystal needles—it was over in less than ten seconds—white and red roses growing out of her veins.
She instantly identified my weaknesses and blocked my view of the moon while remaining on the offensive; Scarlet is far more adaptable than she looks if she has the mind to do it… She is the strongest opponent I can face right now; not even those insanely powerful and trained aliens stood a chance. Well…
Recalling the damage Scarlet had taken, even if she’d faced multiple toads, made her realize how utterly outclassed they were in that Crystal attack; strangely, the only alien she could replicate in this space was the one she’d fought, adding more depth to her knowledge of the place.
I have to personally meet and contend with the person to have an accurate base, I suppose. What are the conditions; do I have to see them in combat? No… It’s proximity-based.
Flipping between the green berets and how close they’d interacted, she discovered a set distance of between three to five meters. Certain things were also impossible to uncover, such as the berets that wore masks had static-like faces once removed.
There were limitations to this mental space, but it would be an indispensable asset, and it might even be possible to sleep in this meditative state; she’d have to consult her grandfather for advice in that area because that could completely change the game.
“Hmm?”
Rachel’s mind was instantly diverted as her status window popped up, indicating changes to her Feats and putting a smile on her lips.
[Strategic Mind I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Mental Acceleration I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Beastial Instinct I - Advanced to C-tier]
“So… even in here, I can exercise these Feats? They’re advanced through use then, and there could be hidden Feats I can gain through certain actions, plus whatever Cerridwen and this new goddess Eostre blessed me with. Hmm…”
Leaving it there for her initial assessment and deep dive, realizing she needed to look up who this new goddess was, her anxious feelings dissipated, and Rachel created an armchair to drop into.
In listening to all the college kids discussing The Oscillation and the System, she’d been mildly surprised at the forethought many had regarding the change in their society; sure, most of it had been wrong, but what they had gotten correct was huge.
Unfortunately, there was an expiration date on the worth of such information, which was why she had to move fast. It was nearly priceless at the start, yet word would swiftly spread, diminishing the value, which put a timer on all she’d gained through this experimentation, and she needed someone with a lot of influence to sell it to; whoever she was going to meet better have the sway she required, or she was screwed.
Pulling up the menu, she studied her level 6 advancement—Anthony hadn’t been joking when he said level 5 was huge—processing her options:
x2 Stat Points
x1 Feat Extension Points
x1 Refinement Points
x1 Stat Modifiers - Lev. 5 Perk - Minor improvement to a Secondary Stat
x1 Branch Feat Unlocked - Lev. 5 Perk - Attack, Defense, or Utility
For Stats, she threw one point into Toughness to compensate for her Power and handle the recoil of her Speed; it was the remaining point that made her frown.
Continuing to pump points into her Dexterity seemed like the right decision, but if all of this testing and the previous battle showed her anything, it was that she needed better long-term stability in a fight.
Eyeing the Stat Modifier, she hummed; sure, right now, Endurance was Below Average—and she felt it—yet something to take note of was that the modifier didn’t specify how much it would improve. A minor improvement to an extremely high Feat could mean nothing if the amount was fixed, but in a lower Grade Feat, it could significantly improve the base.
Deciding to test it before adding the Skill Point, if anything, to have another piece of information to add to the value of her proposition with the military, Rachel sank the upgrade into Endurance.
[Endurance Grade Modified - Increased to Above Average]
Rachel internally cheered; from Below Average to Above Average was huge. She’d been right in there being a hidden number given between each Grade, this was a flat amount boosted, otherwise it would have only advanced to Average.
Sure, it could have boosted one of her higher Stat Grades, yet, due to it being a rounded number and not a percentage, that difference would likely be minimal compared to increasing the lower ones.
Now comfortable with adding the point into Endurance, she moved on to the next item on the agenda; Refinement, Feat Extension, and this new Branch Feat that bypassed the limited equipped and appeared to be linked to an Achievement of advancing to Level 5.
Refining a Feat was fairly straightforward; it would increase its base abilities, and a swift examination of her list made her curious. It didn’t specify what could be refined since this System was a fair-bit hands-off when it came to possibilities, though that also made it flexible.
Her eyes hovered over one Feat in particular that had Zoe seething due to how broken it had proven to be, and she pulled the trigger. Her smile grew at the notification.
[Primal Force X] - Refinement Time - 7 Days.
It was unexpected that it needed a set period to accomplish, but she should have expected it, given the name; still, Zoe’s explanation as to why it was so broken had completely sold her.
Zoe… you’ve created a monster, she thought with a laugh. An EXP base multiplier that will be shared with those in our party and might be multiplicative or additive with other Mythickin joining in to increase the overall EXP pool? So much to test.
The Feat Extension was more restrictive, giving her three options that included her previous ones, which was interesting:
Strategic Mind I: Split Focus - Allows the user to split their attention to multitask better.
Mental Acceleration I: Rapid Mode - Allows the user to enter an advanced mode for two seconds; 5-minute cooldown.
Divine Beast Empowerment I: Seventh Sense - Further delving into the supernatural aspect of the Feat, the user is able to sense potential threats and adds a minor penetrating affix to bypass all cloaking methods.
It amused her that it named it a seventh sense since [Beastial Instinct] was technically her sixth. The fact it gave her more perception abilities was huge, especially given what she’d seen from the Scarlet Hand, and, while the others were far from useless, the potential of a seventh sense was too great to pass up, given the unknown elements the Crystals and Legendkin Quests brought—she went with the last option.
Finally, her mind centered on perhaps the most fascinating—and potentially alarming—development: her Branch Feat that came in the form of an Achievement of reaching Level 5. One, in particular, threw up more than a dozen red flags.
She wished she could have talked to Zoe and Anthony about it to see if she had the same development as a Beastkin and Legendkin, but she doubted it, given the unreasonable Defense Feat.
Attack Feat Branch: Curse: Karma I - Place a curse on the user’s opponents [Current Max: One] that takes damage the user receives (recoil True Damage), amplifying the user’s Power and Toughness Stats. Modified by Power and Toughness.
Divine Defense Feat Branch: Less is More I - All areas of exposed skin gain a dampening field equal to [Lunar Hair], and any damage taken to those areas is linked with the Feat, further increasing its Tier. Modified by Toughness, Resilience, and the [Lunar Coat] Feat.
Utility Feat Branch: Lunar Recovery I - Moonlight has a minor healing effect for the user that restores their Energy and body over time; added effects under different lunar spheres. Modified by Constitution, Stamina, Endurance, and Lunar Energy Type.
Running her fingers through her long hair with agitation, she glared at the blessed Feat.
What the hell, Cerridwen—Less is More Divine Defense—do you want me to be an exhibitionist?! I mean, I’m not one to be shy about showing off my body, but that doesn’t mean I want to go nude. Shit.
She reasoned it could be one of the new figures the nightmare goddess told her about—Eostre, or even this Moongmor person that was supposed to guide her—and she had no clue what this new goddess personified, but she wasn’t feeling the forced lifestyle choice that would bring her to degrees of shame with her mother she’d never live down.
I’m not going to be that girl; sorry to not feed into whatever sick fetish whoever gave that to me has… but these other two are tough. Lunar Recovery is so, so tempting, yet it only works under moonlight, while the curse is always active, and I can expand the number of opponents it can affect. It has to be Karma, and I love the name.
Done with her selection, Rachel exited the inner world; she had her resume now and what she had to offer fresh in her mind. It was time to make her case and adapt to whatever came from this interview; in a way, this was a job application that would decide more than just her future.
Vision clearing, she quickly took note of her changed surroundings—she couldn’t hear the helicopter—and her brow furrowed as very few and muffled noises fed back to her sensitive, stiffening ears. She was in what appeared to be a padded white room in a wheelchair.
She had to admit, this was not the best first thing to see after waking up; it definitely didn’t give her a lot of confidence in setting a good first impression.
Where the hell even are we?!
Scarlet leaned forward from her foldable metal chair, giving her a sharp, toothy smile. “Spooky place to wake up, huh?
“No… kidding,” she chuckled, head turning left and right as she swept the very bare room; it wasn’t that big, and the only thing besides them was a table with an open laptop on it and a wire running to the padded doorway. “It’s hard to hear anything in the base outside… Did they—”
The raven-haired girl swiftly nodded. “Yeah, it was a rush job ordered by the Army dude over Florida right now; I heard he basically stole the padding from some company warehouse and created this room like two hours ago, transporting it in the helicopter. How are you feeling?”
Seeing the concerned look in her blue eyes, Rachel figured her X-ray eyes could see how strained her muscles actually were, and a thought occurred to her.
“I’m managing… Actually, Scarlet, is my body any different than it was the last time you looked?”
Almost solid red eyes taking the place of her sapphire, Scarlet swept her figure with drawn-in lips. “I mean… kind of? It’s more of a feeling rather than me knowing what I’m looking at, if you get my meaning. I know you’re stronger and tougher, but you’re also in a very weakened state… Ugh. It’s like… predator instinct,” she uncomfortably mumbled, blue irises returning as she rubbed her arm.
“Cool. Cool.” Rachel jokingly played off. “So you’re like my wellness nurse here to tell me to take it easy, huh?”
“Hehe. Well, that is one way to look at it,” she whispered, regaining a smile.
“I hear ya! So… what are we supposed to do?”
Scarlet pointed at the laptop. “The military dudes said to press the enter key whenever you get back, and it will connect us to the big boss or whatever; they were being super mysterious. I’m kind of hyped. Hehe. So… should I press it?”
Taking a breath and leaning back, Rachel did a once over to make sure she was presentable; it was nice to have Scarlet there to guard her body while she was unconscious since someone could have done anything to her without her knowing.
The vespertine reaper had changed into one of the newer and tighter blue tank tops that weren’t stretched out by her figure yet, fitting the girl somewhat comfortably, and, as a surprise twist, one of the elastic knee-length skirts that her mother had bought her the previous month; she only wore it once since—she had to admit, it worked for the girl.
“Yeah. Let’s do it!”
Scarlet lifted her eyes and hissed with apprehension while scooting forward and tapping the enter; it was too light, making her smack it again.
The screen brightened, showing a program Rachel hadn’t seen before; the words ‘connecting’ were on the screen. Scarlet and she looked at each other as they waited, and after a full, uncomfortable minute, a man in his late forties or early fifties connected.
Voice deep and waving someone off-screen away, he sat back, military vest heavily decorated as his hands settled in his lap. His dark brown eyes turned to them as the door shut; by the fractured conversations she heard on the other side, this man was in an office at the Pentagon.
“Rachel and Scarlet, as I’m told.”
Tingles ran up her arms, and a lump formed in Rachel’s throat as she took in the sober military officer, unable to breathe as she saw the four stars on his jacket; this was far more attention than she had anticipated.
“My name is General Dallas—I doubt you’ve heard of me—but allow me to be very clear. I am not here to play games, girls, so I will get straight to the point. I am told you have details no one else can give me, and by the conversation I had with Lieutenants Thompson and Herrero, you have my undivided attention, so don’t waste my time because this will go straight to the President.”
Internally panicking at the sudden development, Rachel did her best to keep her composure—this wasn’t the guy over Florida—this was the guy likely overseeing the whole situation in the United States, if not its presence on the world stage.
Straight to the President? Shit… This could turn south really fast.
Ears passively scanning for potential information that she could use, Rachel made sure Scarlet was okay and decided to test the waters. Ominous paths continued to open up to her and her family; only she was privileged to Scarlet’s full story, and she doubted the traumatized girl had revealed everything to her yet.
Mateo asked if they were ready to leave since they were on a clock, and Rachel turned to Scarlet for confirmation.
“That’s up to Scarlet.”
Rebuilding her nerves, she nodded, pointed fangs showing with her weak smile. “I’m okay now… It feels way better having someone to talk to.”
“Right. Let’s move,” he commanded, before guiding them out of the room and toward their airborne ride.
Word of their involvement in the operation that had closed the Crystal and eliminated the aliens had spread because military and CDC personnel thanked them on their path through the building; it was challenging to keep focused on her environment with so many things buzzing through her mind, but there was one thing that floated to the surface as they passed through the halls.
Rachel’s gaze drifted to Scarlet, their escort of six green berets surrounding them—Mateo would be joining their flight with two of his men. “There is one thing that is bothering me after everything I’ve learned about the cult.”
Left fang poking out as she drew in her black bottom lip, Scarlet’s concerned and questioning eyes met hers with the soldiers listening in, but it wouldn’t be shocking for them.
“What is it?”
“Hmm.” Focus shifting to Mateo and the sergeant to her right, Rachel made it clear she wasn’t just asking the vespertine reaper for answers. “I’ve heard a lot about them from you and the others that were involved, but not one whisper about Scarlet’s mother… I understand it is a touchy subject, yet if she’s alive, as I suspect she is, it’s a huge risk to us all.”
A groan came from the lieutenant at their point as he ran his fingers through his hair and turned to look between Scarlet and her; Rachel made sure to bring it up when they were alone in a hallway.
“She’s receiving medical treatment after the… incident; that’s all I can say.”
And it’s a lie, Rachel internally growled, hearing his heartbeat fluctuate; still, she could understand why with Scarlet here. Why he’s lying will be the real issue, which means I was right to come up with a chance to confront him.
Slowing to a stop as they reached the ground floor, Rachel forced a laugh, drawing everyone’s attention while pointing back the way they’d come.
“Uh-heh, Mateo, I left my suitcase, and maybe I should put on some pants or something if I’m meeting someone important,” she added, motioning at her sleeping shorts and sports bra, which was generally fine in Miami and a staple for many women, but just as good of an excuse as any.
“It will only take a second—I’m fast—everyone can go ahead if you want to escort me; I get I can’t be alone. I’ll be right there, Scarlet; my mind has been everywhere recently.”
Scarlet’s shoulders slumped, possibly thinking she was trying to somehow abandon her, which Rachel could further curb when showing back up like nothing happened, changed while wearing a grin.
“No, I understand…”
Mateo’s mouth tightened, likely figuring she wanted to further go into detail on her previous inquiry; cheeks puffing up and deflating, he nodded. “Huu-haaa. Okay, yeah. Sergeant Murray, see that the pilots are ready to take off when we arrive.”
“Roger that. Let’s move, boys!”
They hustled off with Scarlet’s melancholy gaze lingering on her for a moment before turning the corner; Rachel figured she could further patch things over when they got back, and leaving her intentions ambiguous now allowed her to cement further trust in her when she returned since the girl needed reinforcement.
Briskly climbing the stairs again, Rachel maintained a general smile as she whispered to the military man. “What should I wear if we are meeting someone important? I should have something for Scarlet, as well; I’m surprised she didn’t want to join me.”
“Hmm. Given the situation, anything would do,” the man grunted, his eyes telling her he knew she was stalling until they left Scarlet’s sharp hearing, which Rachel had determined wasn’t nearly as proficient as her own. “We should just hurry.”
“Uh-huh…” Once reaching the 3rd floor, Rachel’s cheery, illuminated eyes drifted to the man beside her, hands held behind her back. “I’ll be direct, what happened to her mother, Mateo? Because I know what you told me is a lie. I understand why you might want to keep that detail hidden, but I need the truth to know how to maneuver myself when she’s a threat to not only me and my family but also Scarlet herself.”
Mateo worked around his jaw for several seconds, debating how to respond. “You can’t have been this observant and calculating before The Oscillation as a nineteen-year-old girl. That [Strategic Mind] Feat is really something, and it is a part of your goddess branch?”
“Correct,” she confirmed, darting into the room to rummage through her suitcase when they arrived. “I’ll let you stew on what you can tell me while I change. I won’t be long.”
Entering the empty room, Rachel pulled up her suitcase to add a black tank top and change into denim shorts, using a pair of scissors in the professor’s desk to carefully create a hole in the back to poke her tail through.
She slipped on some sandals and tossed her used bottoms in one of the front pockets before carrying the suitcase to the exit. Nudging her head to suggest making their way to the helicopter, they started walking; Scarlet had been silent since they left, besides a few heavy sighs.
Mateo was now chewing a stick of gum by the scent of his breath, keeping pace with her. “To, as you said, put it bluntly… she’s unharmed after receiving what should have been a fatal wound. To make a long story short…
“One of the newly indoctrinated cultists had a brother that was in the National Guard; he was concerned about his brother’s new obsession in this ‘game’ and decided to follow him. When he saw some of the things the cult was doing throughout the day, he contacted a few of his police friends and tried to get some evidence to raid the place.
“He found his brother and all the cultists dead, skewered by Scarlet’s blood, and naturally took a shotgun to her… The report says her mother laughed at their futile efforts as Scarlet ran away; that’s where we come in, tracking her down after it was called in that a vampire was in Miami, and she was taken into FBI custody. That’s all I can tell you, but she has been secured.”
Rachel steamed out a long puff of air, scratching her temple as her ears tilted to the left; the Miami FBI field office was to the north of them from the conversations she’d heard, and there was a lot of bureaucracy shit happening to some degree between government, state, and military departments.
“So… the damage Scarlet did to her spontaneously healed, meaning she does have some sort of powers, and all of this could still be a part of her master plan; I can’t see someone so well connected and knowing—to the point of preparing for a ritual before the means to do it were even near completion—to not have plotted her actions to a T after accomplishing it.”
Mateo shrugged. “I’m with you; the more we discover about these people, the more suspicious they become, and we’ve only learned this much due to that Peck woman freaking out about you… Lt. Thompson tried to get clearance to raid her house, but he was denied.”
Rachel’s vision narrowed as they descended the stairs. “Which means someone higher up is taking action… For what reason, though?”
“I’m guessing you’ll know soon enough,” he growled.
They fell silent as they left the building, Rachel grimacing at the dying light that touched her light skin; her already diminished Lunar Pool began to evaporate, yet it would still be another five or so minutes until she was tapped out, and she’d already confirmed before that she could survive when on empty—she would just be as weak as a non-athletic girl.
However, the far more interesting discovery was Scarlet’s thoughtless stroll into the twilight; her skin wasn’t burning, and some of the soldiers that had been with Rachel when they tested it made a note of the strange inconsistency when they neared the vehicles, causing the girl to freak out a little while checking for damage.
Rachel came up with an answer, though; her mind returned to the song the cultists sang that the vespertine reaper recounted to her since it was burned into her memories.
Twilight spoke to Scarlet before Veronica sealed her away… Welcomed not by the light, nor the night, she became the Bringer of Twilight. The darkest night, the brightest light, history tainted by the twilight… Vespertine is a word relating to, occurring, or an activity made in the evening… Twilight. Scarlet is safe during the evening and night while harmed by dawn and most of the day.
Her smile became drained as Mateo kept a close watch on her from the moment they entered the dying sunlight. “Hehe. If you’re wondering if I’m okay, I’ll be fine—oof, just don’t ask me to run laps or fight anything anytime soon… I’ll probably be sore for a week.”
A sly tilt came to her face, vision shifting to her right as a doctor talked about the unicorn Mythickin at the other hospital. “Unless… I can get someone to heal me.”
Mateo shook his head, focus moving to the horizon as they made their way to his men and the loud and quite large military helicopter on the open lawn; dozens of military vehicles with Mateo’s men talking amongst themselves sealed off the area.
“Isn’t it exhausting?”
Rachel lifted an eye. “Hmm?”
“Scheming… Plotting all the time… Listening to who knows how many people? I already want this to be over just to go home and crack open a beer with the gang… I need to tell Vincent’s wife that last month was her last Valentine’s Day with the man she loved…”
Her ears fell a tad at the sobering comment as they neared the whirring blades. “Because… I don’t want to have that happen to my family, Mateo. We’re in a whole new world now, and I have to learn as fast as I can how to navigate it.”
Scarlet’s hands were knotted at her front as they neared, looking between them, air trapped in her lungs—if she had lungs—while awaiting what she expected would be terrible news that would separate them.
Mateo gave her response a melancholy nod, motioning for his men to help them up as he went to distribute his parting orders to meet them at the hospital and set up an area for them to have in private; she could tell the man was growing to respect and reevaluate her potential threat level more and more with each interaction.
She waved at Scarlet with a grin as the men helped them up to take one of the seats, handing them big headsets; the soldier hesitated upon seeing her left-tilting ears and smiled, unsure if she had human ears to use them, which she did not. Still, she accepted them, holding the microphone to her mouth.
“I can manage my hearing just fine, thank you. Oh, Scarlet!”
“W-What?” she asked, trying to find a comfortable way of wearing the headpiece with her pointed ears. “Do you need to go after this? I, umm… I get it.”
“Huh?” Rachel grinned and lightly slugged the girl on the arm as they sat next to each other, soldiers buckling them in. “Where did you get that silly idea? I told you I wouldn’t abandon you, and I’m not planning on it.”
It wasn’t a lie; she hadn’t planned on it thus far.
Relief melted the tension away from Scarlet’s face as she smiled and nodded, speaking through the device. “Thank you, Rachel… I honestly don’t know what to do anymore. I’m so lost.”
In other words, Rachel internally sighed, I’m the only thing providing you a way forward because no one else is crazy enough to take a chance on you. She really has been screwed over by everything she’d known and left to go insane… What horrible parents.
“Of course! Oh, Roy, can you secure that suitcase? Scarlet needs to find something to wear when we land, too.”
“Me? I, uh… are you sure? I don’t want to take all your clothes… I just feel so helpless,” she cried, making Rachel snicker.
“C’mon, Scarlet! I’m not going to let you meet some military big-shot in your nightwear—well, my nightwear! Haha!”
“Hehe. I guess I should wear something… a bit more decent,” she mused, plucking at the shorts and slightly baggy t-shirt she’d stolen; the girl was a fair bit smaller than her, which required her to really pull on the strings of the shorts.
Thankful to have the family she did—as imperfect as it might be with Alexa in the picture—Rachel looked forward to hugging her parents when they met again. She had no clue what was going to happen with Scarlet, but Rachel had this unusual gut-tightening feeling she needed to keep this unstable, traumatized bloodsucker attached to her leg; if she let Scarlet go on her own, something terrible would happen.
The helicopter lurched as it took to the air, soldiers waving them off. They swung east in the dying light of twilight, moving over the ocean and giving them a full view of Miami and the surrounding cities.
Silence took them, excluding the two pilots, and Rachel’s wide field of view, fully in focus, allowed her to see things with new eyes from the vantage point, helping to distract her mind from her sore muscles and patched-up cuts.
A few fires were being managed by the military and local infrastructure from who knew what cause, making her realize how little she actually knew. When in her little bubble at the university, she’d had time to scope everything out and identify who were the key players, but now seeing the scope of the world, she saw how vulnerable she was.
I have a lot of little bits of information from the local military and pieces regarding the Crystals… The bigger stage is what I have to leverage my way into in this short window if I’m going to have control over my life in this new world structure. Mom, Dad… everyone could be affected by this meeting.
Scarlet squeezed her hand, drawing her gaze; the girl gave her a weak, fanged smile and let go, which was big, telling her that she was doing better. Relief may have come to the vamp girl, but for Rachel, the walls were closing in, and the pressure was mounting against her chest.
“I’m going to meditate, Scarlet, Mateo; I need to get more answers regarding this System before we arrive.”
The military man shot a wry smirk her way, seemingly relaxing a bit more now that they were in the air, yet the green berets still scanned the shore and waters for potential attacks.
“A bit young for a wheelchair, but I’ll call one for your old legs; just don’t freak out when you’re in a new place.”
Scarlet giggled, and Rachel followed it with a nod; relaxing as best she could, she sat back, closed her eyes, and receded into her mind.
Entering the white mental space, Rachel didn’t have the patience to stand still, walking the edges while experimenting with the creative aspect of the place and being reminded of her grandfather’s meditation lessons on the Taoist concepts of Neidan and Waidan or internal and external alchemy.
Less interested in the fantastical worlds she could internally create or the luxury accommodations, such as the college kids she’d listened to seemed to be into, she promptly got to work; it was weird to Rachel that people actually wanted to live in this place forever. She saw this space as only a tool to be used, and she didn’t get the appeal of being trapped in some delusion of reality; people needed to touch grass.
She came to the conclusion that, in a way, this internal world was similar to the discussions she’d had with her grandfather on Neidan and cultivating one’s spirit, yet far more visceral; it was the perfect combat simulator. like an advanced form of shadow boxing.
Playing with her imagination, she summoned multiple copies of Tyreese—her Muay Thai trainer—from various years in her memory, analytical mind setting them to face each other and fascinated at the results.
Her perception of him didn’t really change the results since, as a little teenage girl, he’d been a giant, terrifying man, yet, he grew less intimidating each year she’d trained with him.
Still, the early, invincible image she had of him was generally beaten by the more experienced versions of her trainer as he grew year by year, showing there was something deeper at work unrelated to her personal views.
Whatever this place was, it accurately depicted someone’s abilities, which was a massive identification to make early on. Summoning a floss pick to play with something in her mouth to ease her tension, despite obviously not needing it in the mental space, she mused on how fascinating it was to see habits carried over.
Next, she threw up the hobgoblin, without his blade, having him fight Tyreese, her, and many other martial artists she’d met throughout the years; in every instance, when not taking into account the environment or the moon, she and everyone else lost—handily.
“Misfortune…” she whispered, glaring at the extremely physically powerful hobgoblin at his peak when not blinded by pride going toe to toe with her fully lunar-charged clone, observing her form and technique.
The creature’s armor certainly did help him, and his earrings made it impossible since it could swiftly snowball with the slightest momentum gained; of course, all of this was without a weapon, and Zoe’s earlier comment about something to further enhance her combat potential made her ears twitch.
How far could she actually push this fight simulation, though? She finished with the hobgoblin and went to the meat of what she truly wanted to know, knowing it would put a bitter taste in her mouth.
Arms crossing under her bust, gut and eyes tightening, Rachel placed both the white and blue moons she’d experienced in Anthony’s Quest overhead, clearing the stage and setting the environment to the dark, misty woods; her clone looked across the field at her opponent: the grinning vespertine reaper, taken from the moment she’d went to kill the toads.
Her fingers dug into her sides as the girl giggled, madness in her crimson eyes; she vanished in shadows to appear above her—in shock at the tactics and lack of hesitation, Rachel watched her bloody, crystal scythe liquify to spread as an umbrella and engage her lunar clone.
Mouth a line, she paused the scene, walking around whatever this was because it was not Scarlet; this was someone, likely whatever became of Veronica, using her abilities to their fullest and without a shred of moral restriction. She mirrored her fighting style to trade blows with Rachel as the liquid curtain rained crystal needles—it was over in less than ten seconds—white and red roses growing out of her veins.
She instantly identified my weaknesses and blocked my view of the moon while remaining on the offensive; Scarlet is far more adaptable than she looks if she has the mind to do it… She is the strongest opponent I can face right now; not even those insanely powerful and trained aliens stood a chance. Well…
Recalling the damage Scarlet had taken, even if she’d faced multiple toads, made her realize how utterly outclassed they were in that Crystal attack; strangely, the only alien she could replicate in this space was the one she’d fought, adding more depth to her knowledge of the place.
I have to personally meet and contend with the person to have an accurate base, I suppose. What are the conditions; do I have to see them in combat? No… It’s proximity-based.
Flipping between the green berets and how close they’d interacted, she discovered a set distance of between three to five meters. Certain things were also impossible to uncover, such as the berets that wore masks had static-like faces once removed.
There were limitations to this mental space, but it would be an indispensable asset, and it might even be possible to sleep in this meditative state; she’d have to consult her grandfather for advice in that area because that could completely change the game.
“Hmm?”
Rachel’s mind was instantly diverted as her status window popped up, indicating changes to her Feats and putting a smile on her lips.
[Strategic Mind I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Mental Acceleration I - Advanced to D-tier]
[Beastial Instinct I - Advanced to C-tier]
“So… even in here, I can exercise these Feats? They’re advanced through use then, and there could be hidden Feats I can gain through certain actions, plus whatever Cerridwen and this new goddess Eostre blessed me with. Hmm…”
Leaving it there for her initial assessment and deep dive, realizing she needed to look up who this new goddess was, her anxious feelings dissipated, and Rachel created an armchair to drop into.
In listening to all the college kids discussing The Oscillation and the System, she’d been mildly surprised at the forethought many had regarding the change in their society; sure, most of it had been wrong, but what they had gotten correct was huge.
Unfortunately, there was an expiration date on the worth of such information, which was why she had to move fast. It was nearly priceless at the start, yet word would swiftly spread, diminishing the value, which put a timer on all she’d gained through this experimentation, and she needed someone with a lot of influence to sell it to; whoever she was going to meet better have the sway she required, or she was screwed.
Pulling up the menu, she studied her level 6 advancement—Anthony hadn’t been joking when he said level 5 was huge—processing her options:
x2 Stat Points
x1 Feat Extension Points
x1 Refinement Points
x1 Stat Modifiers - Lev. 5 Perk - Minor improvement to a Secondary Stat
x1 Branch Feat Unlocked - Lev. 5 Perk - Attack, Defense, or Utility
For Stats, she threw one point into Toughness to compensate for her Power and handle the recoil of her Speed; it was the remaining point that made her frown.
Continuing to pump points into her Dexterity seemed like the right decision, but if all of this testing and the previous battle showed her anything, it was that she needed better long-term stability in a fight.
Eyeing the Stat Modifier, she hummed; sure, right now, Endurance was Below Average—and she felt it—yet something to take note of was that the modifier didn’t specify how much it would improve. A minor improvement to an extremely high Feat could mean nothing if the amount was fixed, but in a lower Grade Feat, it could significantly improve the base.
Deciding to test it before adding the Skill Point, if anything, to have another piece of information to add to the value of her proposition with the military, Rachel sank the upgrade into Endurance.
[Endurance Grade Modified - Increased to Above Average]
Rachel internally cheered; from Below Average to Above Average was huge. She’d been right in there being a hidden number given between each Grade, this was a flat amount boosted, otherwise it would have only advanced to Average.
Sure, it could have boosted one of her higher Stat Grades, yet, due to it being a rounded number and not a percentage, that difference would likely be minimal compared to increasing the lower ones.
Now comfortable with adding the point into Endurance, she moved on to the next item on the agenda; Refinement, Feat Extension, and this new Branch Feat that bypassed the limited equipped and appeared to be linked to an Achievement of advancing to Level 5.
Refining a Feat was fairly straightforward; it would increase its base abilities, and a swift examination of her list made her curious. It didn’t specify what could be refined since this System was a fair-bit hands-off when it came to possibilities, though that also made it flexible.
Her eyes hovered over one Feat in particular that had Zoe seething due to how broken it had proven to be, and she pulled the trigger. Her smile grew at the notification.
[Primal Force X] - Refinement Time - 7 Days.
It was unexpected that it needed a set period to accomplish, but she should have expected it, given the name; still, Zoe’s explanation as to why it was so broken had completely sold her.
Zoe… you’ve created a monster, she thought with a laugh. An EXP base multiplier that will be shared with those in our party and might be multiplicative or additive with other Mythickin joining in to increase the overall EXP pool? So much to test.
The Feat Extension was more restrictive, giving her three options that included her previous ones, which was interesting:
Strategic Mind I: Split Focus - Allows the user to split their attention to multitask better.
Mental Acceleration I: Rapid Mode - Allows the user to enter an advanced mode for two seconds; 5-minute cooldown.
Divine Beast Empowerment I: Seventh Sense - Further delving into the supernatural aspect of the Feat, the user is able to sense potential threats and adds a minor penetrating affix to bypass all cloaking methods.
It amused her that it named it a seventh sense since [Beastial Instinct] was technically her sixth. The fact it gave her more perception abilities was huge, especially given what she’d seen from the Scarlet Hand, and, while the others were far from useless, the potential of a seventh sense was too great to pass up, given the unknown elements the Crystals and Legendkin Quests brought—she went with the last option.
Finally, her mind centered on perhaps the most fascinating—and potentially alarming—development: her Branch Feat that came in the form of an Achievement of reaching Level 5. One, in particular, threw up more than a dozen red flags.
She wished she could have talked to Zoe and Anthony about it to see if she had the same development as a Beastkin and Legendkin, but she doubted it, given the unreasonable Defense Feat.
Attack Feat Branch: Curse: Karma I - Place a curse on the user’s opponents [Current Max: One] that takes damage the user receives (recoil True Damage), amplifying the user’s Power and Toughness Stats. Modified by Power and Toughness.
Divine Defense Feat Branch: Less is More I - All areas of exposed skin gain a dampening field equal to [Lunar Hair], and any damage taken to those areas is linked with the Feat, further increasing its Tier. Modified by Toughness, Resilience, and the [Lunar Coat] Feat.
Utility Feat Branch: Lunar Recovery I - Moonlight has a minor healing effect for the user that restores their Energy and body over time; added effects under different lunar spheres. Modified by Constitution, Stamina, Endurance, and Lunar Energy Type.
Running her fingers through her long hair with agitation, she glared at the blessed Feat.
What the hell, Cerridwen—Less is More Divine Defense—do you want me to be an exhibitionist?! I mean, I’m not one to be shy about showing off my body, but that doesn’t mean I want to go nude. Shit.
She reasoned it could be one of the new figures the nightmare goddess told her about—Eostre, or even this Moongmor person that was supposed to guide her—and she had no clue what this new goddess personified, but she wasn’t feeling the forced lifestyle choice that would bring her to degrees of shame with her mother she’d never live down.
I’m not going to be that girl; sorry to not feed into whatever sick fetish whoever gave that to me has… but these other two are tough. Lunar Recovery is so, so tempting, yet it only works under moonlight, while the curse is always active, and I can expand the number of opponents it can affect. It has to be Karma, and I love the name.
Done with her selection, Rachel exited the inner world; she had her resume now and what she had to offer fresh in her mind. It was time to make her case and adapt to whatever came from this interview; in a way, this was a job application that would decide more than just her future.
Vision clearing, she quickly took note of her changed surroundings—she couldn’t hear the helicopter—and her brow furrowed as very few and muffled noises fed back to her sensitive, stiffening ears. She was in what appeared to be a padded white room in a wheelchair.
She had to admit, this was not the best first thing to see after waking up; it definitely didn’t give her a lot of confidence in setting a good first impression.
Where the hell even are we?!
Scarlet leaned forward from her foldable metal chair, giving her a sharp, toothy smile. “Spooky place to wake up, huh?
“No… kidding,” she chuckled, head turning left and right as she swept the very bare room; it wasn’t that big, and the only thing besides them was a table with an open laptop on it and a wire running to the padded doorway. “It’s hard to hear anything in the base outside… Did they—”
The raven-haired girl swiftly nodded. “Yeah, it was a rush job ordered by the Army dude over Florida right now; I heard he basically stole the padding from some company warehouse and created this room like two hours ago, transporting it in the helicopter. How are you feeling?”
Seeing the concerned look in her blue eyes, Rachel figured her X-ray eyes could see how strained her muscles actually were, and a thought occurred to her.
“I’m managing… Actually, Scarlet, is my body any different than it was the last time you looked?”
Almost solid red eyes taking the place of her sapphire, Scarlet swept her figure with drawn-in lips. “I mean… kind of? It’s more of a feeling rather than me knowing what I’m looking at, if you get my meaning. I know you’re stronger and tougher, but you’re also in a very weakened state… Ugh. It’s like… predator instinct,” she uncomfortably mumbled, blue irises returning as she rubbed her arm.
“Cool. Cool.” Rachel jokingly played off. “So you’re like my wellness nurse here to tell me to take it easy, huh?”
“Hehe. Well, that is one way to look at it,” she whispered, regaining a smile.
“I hear ya! So… what are we supposed to do?”
Scarlet pointed at the laptop. “The military dudes said to press the enter key whenever you get back, and it will connect us to the big boss or whatever; they were being super mysterious. I’m kind of hyped. Hehe. So… should I press it?”
Taking a breath and leaning back, Rachel did a once over to make sure she was presentable; it was nice to have Scarlet there to guard her body while she was unconscious since someone could have done anything to her without her knowing.
The vespertine reaper had changed into one of the newer and tighter blue tank tops that weren’t stretched out by her figure yet, fitting the girl somewhat comfortably, and, as a surprise twist, one of the elastic knee-length skirts that her mother had bought her the previous month; she only wore it once since—she had to admit, it worked for the girl.
“Yeah. Let’s do it!”
Scarlet lifted her eyes and hissed with apprehension while scooting forward and tapping the enter; it was too light, making her smack it again.
The screen brightened, showing a program Rachel hadn’t seen before; the words ‘connecting’ were on the screen. Scarlet and she looked at each other as they waited, and after a full, uncomfortable minute, a man in his late forties or early fifties connected.
Voice deep and waving someone off-screen away, he sat back, military vest heavily decorated as his hands settled in his lap. His dark brown eyes turned to them as the door shut; by the fractured conversations she heard on the other side, this man was in an office at the Pentagon.
“Rachel and Scarlet, as I’m told.”
Tingles ran up her arms, and a lump formed in Rachel’s throat as she took in the sober military officer, unable to breathe as she saw the four stars on his jacket; this was far more attention than she had anticipated.
“My name is General Dallas—I doubt you’ve heard of me—but allow me to be very clear. I am not here to play games, girls, so I will get straight to the point. I am told you have details no one else can give me, and by the conversation I had with Lieutenants Thompson and Herrero, you have my undivided attention, so don’t waste my time because this will go straight to the President.”
Internally panicking at the sudden development, Rachel did her best to keep her composure—this wasn’t the guy over Florida—this was the guy likely overseeing the whole situation in the United States, if not its presence on the world stage.
Straight to the President? Shit… This could turn south really fast.
