or

ing for air, desperately searching for safety. Panic suffoca

m the police radio strapped to my hip. The static buzz c

ackup-imme

ned and urgent. I turned to see him gesturing at me, his f

ated from her family in the chaos, her tiny frame trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. Her wide eyes were

We'll find your mom and dad, okay?" I stood and reluctantly hurried over to S

The disbelief in his tone mirrored the turmoil in my own mind. "And

?" he asked, his voice sud

ied, my voice faltering slightly.

hed, shoulders slumping with the weight of the incoming call. "I'll be right back, George. Gather the

hat backup?!"

he officer shot back

posture sagging under the burden of the chaos around us. I'd never seen him like this before-he was always

ousands of dollars either destroyed or still smoldering from the earlier fires. The fire department had managed to douse the flames, but the acrid stench of burnt deb

volunteers trying to reunite them with their owners. It didn't make sense. My eyes landed on something odd near the wa

e exotic pet escaped in the confusion. People

le girl when I felt a firm grip on my arm. I turne

uels said, his face tight with i

going on?" I asked,

is head, his jaw cle

he call? What did they say?" I presse

only seen when he was at the end of his rope. He sighed, as if resi

rsing through me. "The C.I.A.?

er the case," Samu

dent caused by some reckless teenag

jurisdiction, George. They don't need anything

help!" My voice rose, anger sharpening every word. "The C.I.A. doesn't care abo

don't like it either,

YOU! YOU HAVE TO BELI

smeared with soot, hair wild and tangled, was being restrained by

hing over. Samuels followed close

"She's been saying the ones who did this were

k," Samuels o

hone at us, her hands shaking. "They were tall, nearly as tall as the fountains, with sharp t

said dismissively. "You can't spread false al

ked, her voice cracking. "

began, but before I could finish, a d

a blinding explosion tore through the air, sending a shockwave that rattled my bon

screamed, breaking into a run, her cries of "Aliens! A

ust as she'd described. My heart hammered against my ribs. I'd n

is wasn't just a nightmare. This wa

as gone. And nothing wou