result of past nuclear plant accidents—and that research was ongoing to determine their origin and the best way to subdue them. But if they bred too much and attracted too much attention, that explanation would become harder and harder to swallow. Our saving grace was that they hadn’t spread to other countries yet—or at least, there’d been no reports.
We needed to keep it that way.
“Landing in five.” The pilot’s announcement broke through the quiet.
I shifted in my seat, wanting a distraction, and glanced out the nearest window as the aircraft tilted. I watched the thousands of lights of downtown Chicago rise to meet us. The evening felt so clear and calm, so comfortingly normal, that if it weren’t for my still-damp hair and sore thigh, it would be hard to believe we’d just been battling monsters.
This was what we were fighting for, I reminded myself. A world where we could all sleep peacefully at night, where families could vacation without fear, where couples could enjoy their late-night dates and children could play out on the streets. The world as it should be.
I was among the first to unbuckle when the aircraft touched down on the roof of our base. I stood up slowly, testing out my right leg, and winced slightly. It hurt more than when I’d sat down, probably due to swelling where the beak had caught my suit. I was going to have one ugly bruise. But it could have been a lot worse. Like, no-leg-at-all worse.
“You okay?” Gina asked from beside me, obviously noticing my grimace.
I nodded. “Yeah. I can still walk and run. I just need some rest.”
I moved toward the door, wanting to get ahead of the crowd. I was definitely looking forward to resting. It wasn’t late, but my little swim had taken more out of me than I’d realized.
The door drew open, letting in a chilly waft of air, and I was on the verge of leaving when Bryce called, “Hold up, folks.”
We all turned to see him staring down at his comm screen.
“We’ve just had another summons,” he announced.
My breath caught. “Another one?” Our team had never had two calls in a single day.
“In Chicago?” Sarah asked incredulously.
“Nope. Washington, D.C. They’re short-staffed because New York State borrowed from them. They’re requesting any recruits available.” Bryce glanced up at us. “Satellites flagged an unnatural frequency at a closed church, and the D.C. chief needs a team to investigate. Suspicion is there’s a bird trying to nest there, because it hasn’t posed a threat yet.”
“And we have to leave now?” Roxy asked.
“First thing in the morning,” Bryce replied. “They’re keeping an eye on the building for the moment, but I need you all here by four a.m. sharp. Go to bed as soon as you get home, and you’ll be bright and fine.” His face twitched in a dry smile.
I glanced at my watch—21:45—before Zach grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs after him.
“No rest for the wicked, eh?” Gina murmured from behind us as she followed.
No… No, I guess not.
Darklight Chapter 2
Captain Bryce gave us his usual short “goodbye” grunt as my teammates and I hopped from the chopper to the air pad. He stayed behind to discuss the next morning’s strategy with the pilots.
We entered the Bureau through sliding steel doors and were greeted by familiar obsidian-black walls. The tired shuffling of our boots echoed from the vaulted ceilings. After a night like this, the main hallway always seemed never-ending.
Everyone stayed silent until we reached the elevators. Roxy hit the down button.
“Have a good night,” I called in her direction.
“Yeah, sweet friggin’ dreams,” she muttered. The rest of the crew shook their heads, trying to laugh through their sighs.
As they filed into the elevator, my brother, Gina, and I split from the group, heading toward the giant metal door that always reminded me that my bed was close.
Zach pulled his ID from his suit’s breast pocket and pressed it against a dark gray pad on the wall. Three low beeps rang out, and a clunk sounded through the hall as the door unlocked. I reached to pull down the handle, but Zach slapped my hand.
“Take it easy, gimp.” He grinned.
I rolled my eyes while he pulled the massive door open, and we started down a much smaller hallway into the residential staff apartments. I wonder if Mom and Dad are still awake.
The narrow white walls of the base’s family housing were lined with sporadically placed numbered doorways. Zach and Gina