"Thomas!"
The boy was bent over on the sand, clutching his back as if something were burning beneath his skin. His breathing came out in broken gasps. Sunny tried to hold him up.
"What's wrong with you? Thomas!"
He couldn't answer.
Just then the city loudspeakers sounded.
"Attention. All civilians located on the coast of the Blue Sea must evacuate the area immediately. We repeat: evacuate the area."
Sunny lifted her head.
"Shit, Thomas!"
With effort she managed to get him to his feet. Thomas could barely support himself. He leaned his weight on Sunny's shoulders, and she began dragging him toward the city.
But they didn't get far.
Two figures appeared in front of them.
One was far too tall—more than two meters. The other was small, even shorter than Sunny. Both wore white robes with hoods that concealed their faces. The red light of the moon barely traced their silhouettes.
Sunny felt her legs beginning to tremble.
The tall figure spoke first. His voice sounded deep, but the language was incomprehensible.
The smaller one replied in the same language.
Then the shorter figure stepped forward.
"Is this the missing piece?"
The tall one inclined his head.
"Target located."
It took Sunny a second to understand they were talking about Thomas.
"Hand over the piece and we will leave."
Sunny couldn't speak.
She only knew one thing: she couldn't let him go.
The figures began to approach. The sand crunched under their steps.
"Stay away from us!" Sunny shouted.
The smaller figure moved first.
It was so fast Sunny barely saw the strike.
A sharp shove to her chest sent her flying backward. She fell onto the sand, dragging Thomas with her.
Before she could stand, the tall man had already grabbed Thomas by the collar and lifted him effortlessly.
Thomas groaned from the pain in his back.
"Sunny…"
The girl tried to get up, but the world seemed to spin.
Then something happened.
Thomas felt a sudden surge run through his body, as if something had ignited inside his chest.
He twisted violently.
With a kick he broke free from the giant's grip.
He fell sideways onto the sand, rolled, and staggered to his feet. He ran toward Sunny.
He was a step away from reaching her when the smaller figure appeared in front of him.
The blow came like a hammer.
The fist struck directly into his face.
Thomas heard a dry crack inside his head and was thrown backward. The sand scraped his cheek when he hit the ground.
He tasted blood.
He stood again, swaying.
Blood ran from his nose into his mouth.
"Who are you?" he spat. "What do you want from me?"
The smaller figure tilted its head.
"To take you where you belong."
A pause.
"You are one of us."
He didn't finish the sentence.
Something fell from the sky.
Dylan Clarck descended like a projectile.
The impact threw sand in every direction. The hooded figure rolled several meters before getting back to its feet.
"Thomas!" Dylan shouted. "Are you alright?"
The smaller hooded figure didn't respond.
It leapt forward and launched a punch straight at Dylan's chest.
The impact rang like metal striking metal.
Dylan stepped back half a step—but he didn't fall.
He answered with a brutal hook to the hooded figure's side.
The blow lifted the man off the ground and hurled him several meters backward.
But the stranger stood up again.
Too fast.
The fight exploded.
Fists. Kicks. Sand rising with every impact.
Now the giant advanced as well, moving with a speed that didn't match his size.
Dylan blocked a blow from the giant and answered with an elbow straight to the neck.
The sound was sharp.
In the distance, engines began to roar.
Army spotlights were already sweeping across the coast.
Then the giant spoke.
"We must leave."
The smaller figure looked at Thomas.
Even from that distance, the boy felt that it was staring directly at him.
"We will return for you."
The two figures stepped back.
A second later, they vanished into the darkness of the coast.
The sirens were still sounding.