Rei blinked her eyes, seeing a gray concrete ceiling with cracks and bumps across the solid structure.

Are we in the rubble?

No….. We’re not, Luna’s computer psychic link replied.

Rei sat up on a dirty mattress and rubbed her head, feeling like her brain fell off a frying pan. Luna laid on another mattress next to Rei’s left side, sitting up as she gazed around.

They were inside an empty concrete chamber with a strong smell of sewer water. Gross, but there was no sewer water anywhere. Perhaps they were still deep inside the sewer level beneath the city.

Luna massaged her forehead, snarling a bit. “Who the hell brought us here?”

In front of them, a rusted metal door clicked and opened with a slow creak. Then a crow man in a black hood stepping through, carrying a tray of anti-biotics.

He paused at the catgirls. “Oh! You are awake now.”

Luna quickly padded her hands around her waist, but she couldn’t find her gun.

“My apology, but they ordered me to take your weapons.” The crow placed the tray on the floor. “But don’t worry. My leader placed them in a safe locker.”

Luna snarled and leaped toward the crow. She slammed him against the wall, pushing her arm against his throat. “I can still kick your ass, birdbrain!”

“Please!” the crow squeaked. “I mean you no harm!”

“Bullshit!” Luna raised her left hand up, extending her claws out. “Tell us where we are before I rip your beak off your face!”

The crow struggled. “You’re at the Nocturnal settlement! I found you inside the elevator shaft close by! Please don’t hurt me!”

“Nocturnal settlement?” Rei asked.

Luna released the crow. “It’s a sanctuary for sewer dwellers. Homeless, scavengers, anyone who wanted to live like rodents. We called them Nocturnals because they always like to stay in dark places beneath the city.”

The crow coughed while rubbing his throat. “We are not homeless! We preferred to live in our own homes. Away from the corporate tyrants who treated us like slaves. It is better to live down here than up there with the mindless animals.”

Luna rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“I’m so sorry about my partner,” said Rei, approaching the crow. “My name is Rei, and she is Luna. Thank you for saving us.”

The crow smiled. “I’m Dan, and you’re welcome. We Nocturnals usually keep our distances from outsiders to conceal our present. You never know who is a criminal or….. A monster.”

“Speaking of monster.” Luna crossed her arms. “We are hunting one now. Have you seen anything strange in your level?”

Dan rubbed behind his head. “I don’t recall….. But I have orders to bring you to our leader when you wake up. He has questions about your presence here.”

“Good. Maybe he will tell us anything happening around your hood.”

The crow nodded. “I believe so too. But let me check your injuries first before we meet him. I’m surprised both of you are standing.”

Luna smirked while flexing her muscles. “My sexy body is full of mechanic muscle implants. I can survive any fall. Not even a train can kill me.”

Rei dropped her mouth. “Wow!”

She never thought her partner was strong as a tank. No wonder Luna told her to cuddle with her during the elevator’s fall.