Anand had experienced three rifts in his life and this was by far the worst one. The rift itself wasn’t anything special but people were panicking more than usual. There were persistent screams coming from around the city. It was understandable, no one had ever seen a rift appear in the same location back-to-back. Worse yet was the fact that there were four other rifts around the world. Anand had no time to worry about that though.

“According to the map, there’s a few people still in the mall,” Ray said. The voices emanating from the Glaives were modulated. It took a couple of seconds to get used to it.

“At least we’re not close to the rift this time,” Anand replied.

He could see the rift floating miles away. The Riftwalker that emerged was another odd mixture. It walked on legs covered with matted fur. Jagged claws protruded from massive paws that crushed cars underfoot. Its body was made of cracked stone with dangling tentacles in place of arms. Stretching for hundreds of feet, their tips dragged against the concrete. Its face was a gross amalgamation with eyes and ears of a feline and the mouth of a squid with stone teeth. Anand shuddered at the sight.

“That thing looks gross,” Ray said and jumped off the roof, landing with a three point pose. “I’m gonna call it… Golem? Yeah, Golem.”

“That’s not our priority,” Eve replied as she rappelled down the building.

Anand silently followed as he skated down the side of the building. A cracked line remained on the bricks he’d passed over.

“According to my map, there’s some folks at the mall. Let’s get them out of there.”

“Just make sure they’re actually human.”

“How hard is it to tell if it’s an Oghrodi or not?” Eve asked.

“You’ll know,” Anand said grimly. “Keep your scan going while we search.”

The ground shook even with the Riftwalker and BEARS fighting miles away.

Anand stepped into a small store in the mall and said, “They should be right around-”

He was stunned by a metal rod. Someone screamed and swung again. Ray quickly grabbed the rod and pulled it away. He took a fighting stance but hesitated.

“Hold on,” Anand said calmly as he saw the frightened group of civilians.

“Are any of them… you know?” Eve asked quietly.

Anand examined every face in the small crowd. There were seven people all wielding different tools from around the clothing store. All of them were shaking. It wasn’t just because of the ground. They were scared.

“What are you?” one of them yelled. Anand was shocked to see his father staring back at him. He was leading the group.

Anand couldn’t for the life of him figure out how Arjun gained people’s trust. Now was not the time to try and figure it out. He had to focus on the task at hand. Unfortunately, he drew a blank.

“Please remain calm, citizens!” Ray said confidently. “We are agents of the Gaia Defense Force. I am Scorch!”

“I’ve never seen an agent like you!” Arjun replied. The civilians started raising their weapons again.

“Wait,” Eve said calmly. “If you take a look at our shoulders, you’ll see the GDF logo. If you’ve ever seen an agent’s uniform, it carries a similar patch.”

The group hesitated and looked at each other before turning to Arjun for guidance. He was stumped and had no idea what to do. Eve and Ray looked to Anand, hoping he had any ideas.

“Regardless of our positions, it is unwise for you to stay here,” Anand explained. He hesitated and looked back at Ray. This was his strong suit.

“The nearest Runner is a couple blocks away,” Ray said and gestured to the civilians. “You all need to get there. If you’re more comfortable carrying your weapons, go ahead. Either way, we need to go.”

With that, Anand started to walk away. After a couple of seconds, the group followed. Ray stayed to their side and Eve trailed behind. Anand kept an eye on his map to make sure there weren’t any other people in the mall.

“Please remain calm as we step outside,” Anand instructed. “Stay between Scorch, Horus, and I.”

“The big red guy is Scorch,” a teenage boy in the group said. He looked a few years younger than Anand. “So the yellow one is Horus, right? Who are you?”

“Volt.”

“You don’t have the flair Big Red has.”

Ray snickered. “He’s got you there, Volt.”

“Yeah, you gotta have flair,” the boy said.

“I apologize for my lack of flair.” Anand grumbled.

“Do not bother the man,” Arjun said. “He is clearly doing a job and is thus focused.”

“So, you believe that we’re with the GDF.”

“Hm.” Arjun grumbled in a tone that Anand recognized. His father only made the sound when he admitted he was wrong. It was rare.

“I apologize for my earlier doubts,” Arjun said. As if he had given a command, the other civilians also apologized.

Anand tried to hide his agitation and replied, “Don’t worry about it. We’re coming up on the Runner. Horus, can you get on top and keep an eye out?”

“On it,” Eve replied and grappled on top of the Runner.

The civilians near the Runner started to panic but the other GDF agents nearby quickly calmed them down. Without explaining what the Glaives were, the agents easily gained the crowd’s confidence. Arjun’s group joined the small crowd as they piled into the Runner.

“Keep an eye out and bait away anything you see before it gets here,” an agent said quietly to Anand.

“We will,” he replied.

The ground shook furiously as the raging battle between Golem and the BEARs continued. Anand and Ray paced in opposite directions around the crowd. Eve slowly spun atop the Runner. Horus had a cyclopic telescope for an eye that could easily identify things from long distances.

“We’ve got trouble,” Eve said only loud enough for her team to hear over voice comms. “Six blocks to the west.”

“Got it,” Anand replied. “You two head out. I’ll touch base with the agents and catch up.”

“Roger,” Ray said and began running with Eve.

Anand approached an agent but was stopped from explaining the situation.

“Just cuz we’re not Glaives don’t mean we don’t know our jobs,” the agent said with a smile. “Y’all handle the beast and we’ll take care of these folks.”

Anand nodded and skated away, getting one last look at his father as he stepped into the Runner. He dashed through the city and quickly caught up to the others. He slowed down to match their speed as they arrived near an apartment complex. Bags of abandoned groceries and damaged vehicles occupied the street. There was a familiar stench in the air. It was the same one that almost made Anand gag only duller.

He scanned the street and something caught his eye. A long, slender tail with liquid oozing off as it was disappearing around a nearby building. Shedded scales littered the ground behind it. Anand opened his map and checked the radar. Whatever he saw was barely out of his range.

“Guys, down the street. I saw something near that leasing office. I’m not sure if it’s an Oghrodi but it’s definitely not human,” Anand said. “Horus, get to the highest roof. Scorch, through that building. I’ll wrap around the other side.”

“On it,” Eve replied.

“Roger,” Ray confirmed.

Eve ran towards an apartment building while Ray went into another. Anand ran down the street and turned the corner. There was a faint trail of sludge that seemed to end abruptly near a building. A window shattered nearby. Anand spun furiously to find the source of the sound.

“Volt! Above you!” Eve screamed.

A large shadow covered Anand. It grew as the creature producing it dropped. It would’ve crushed Anand had he not dashed to the side. Ray burst through a lower window and tackled the beast out of the sky. It skidded to a stop a few feet away.

“You okay?” Ray asked as he landed near Anand.

“Yeah. Don’t ignite yet,” Anand instructed. “Horus, we’re going to push this thing back. Be ready to shoot.”

“I’m ready,” Eve replied.

The Oghrodi took a moment to assess its opponents, giving Anand a chance to get a good look at it. Its head resembled a helmet with small slits running along the sides of it. Its arms and legs were bulky and hooved. When it took a heavy step, the concrete cracked under the weight. The most familiar part of it was the long tail that stretched from the back of the creature’s neck and trailed along the ground. It was covered in slime and scattered scales. Anand was certain this was the same creature they’d watched earlier.

“Strong,” it growled while straightening itself.

“What the?” Ray muttered. “Volt, Horus, you heard that, right?”

“Yeah,” Anand said.

“Only through your mic, but yeah,” Eve confirmed.

The Oghrodi lunged forward and punched Ray’s shield, shaking him. He skidded back and simultaneously drew his sword. The Oghrodi was surprised by the hidden weapon and took a step back. Anand took the opportunity to get behind the enemy. The treads on his shoes shifted and there was an audible crackle as he launched forward. He used his momentum to punch the creature’s tail. Anand felt a heavy impact and shock but the tail didn’t break. Instead, Anand fell forward from whiplash. He slid while turning around and regaining his footing. He was sure he had hit a soft part of the tail but even near the tip, it was incredibly dense. The creature shuddered but quickly recomposed itself.

“Not enough.” The Oghrodi’s growl sounded like a chuckle.

As it turned to face Anand, a bullet whizzed past its head.

“How’d I miss?” Eve cursed through grit teeth.

“It’s tougher than the simulations,” Ray said and tackled the Oghrodi from behind.

It held back his shield with its tail and laughed. Ray mockingly mimicked his opponent and ignited his shield. The Oghrodi recoiled as part of its tail was singed. While it was briefly distracted, Ray drew his sword and swung at the creature. He cut into the Oghrodi’s arm but it remained steadfast. The creature swung wildly, sending Ray and his weapon flying into a nearby wall. It crumbled under the weight of the Glaive. Ray leapt out of the way as the wall crashed to the floor.

He turned to where the Oghrodi was and yelled, “You’re gonna have to do a lot better than that!”

“With pleasure,” the creature growled and ran towards Ray.

It got within a few feet of him before freezing in place. A net erupted from beneath the Oghrodi and bound its legs. An electric current ran through its legs and body.

“Thanks for giving me some cover, stupid,” Ray taunted.

The Oghrodi flailed and screamed. “How dare you?”

Anand paused and watched as the beast flailed its tail wildly. Every attack completely missed. No matter how much the Oghrodi tried, it couldn’t find Ray.

“It’s blind…” Anand said. “Scorch! Good call on the net, keep the Oghrodi there! Horus, fire at it and try to keep the hooves busy. I need an opening to get rid of the tail.”

“Why?” Eve asked while firing.

“It’s got no eyes,” Anand explained. “Its tail is probably mapping the area. Like we do but more accurately.”

“Volt! Less talking, more hitting!” Ray commanded as he ran at the Oghrodi.

It had started swinging its tail more violently to block as many attacks as possible. Ray slashed at the tail with his burning sword. He couldn’t cut into it but was able to just barely force it to the ground. With a deft movement, he swapped his sword and shield. A single heavy slam immobilized the Oghrodi’s tail. Still Ray had trouble keeping his footing as the Oghrodi fought back. Anand skated past them while building speed. He approached the wall and kicked upwards, skating along the wall towards the roof. Time seemed to slow around him as he leapt off the edge of the building. The view from the sky was astounding in the brief moment of complete stillness before Anand plummeted. Below him was the long tail of the Oghrodi still held in place by Ray. Anand pulled his arm back and plummeted towards his target. He hoped he had the necessary momentum to succeed at his plan.

“Hold him still!” Eve screamed at Ray while continuing to fire at the creature while avoiding Anand.

“I’m trying!” Ray yelled back.

Anand looked down and was impressed to see Ray not looking back.

“Just say when!” Ray screamed.

Anand focused on the distance between him and his target. The familiar message appeared on his HUD; DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE. Lightning trailed behind him as he plummeted.

He waited one extra second and shouted, “Now!”

At his command, Ray released the shield and leapt back. Before the Oghrodi could move, Anand punched the edge of the shield. Lightning wreathed around it and forced the massive weapon through the creature’s tail, severing it. Anand crashed into the floor and quickly scrambled to his feet. The tail continued to flail briefly until finally going limp.

The Oghrodi let out an ear piercing screech as purple ooze spewed from its wound. It lashed out in a frenzy and finally broke free of the net. The Oghrodi crouched and would have pounced if not for losing its footing. The ground shook violently as something crashed in the distance. Anand dared not look away from his enemy. The Oghrodi stopped and cocked its head. For a moment, it seemed almost peaceful.

Suddenly, it spun wildly while spitting a viscous liquid. Anand dodged out of the way. The Oghrodi used the chance to retreat. Even with a wounded tail, the creature seemed to know where it was going. Anand almost gave chase but Ray held him back.

“Don’t be reckless!” Ray commanded.

“I can catch it,” Anand replied.

“That’s not the mission,” Eve said. “Plus, even Golem is retreating.”

“What?”

Ray and Anand ran to the end of the block. In the distance, the Riftwalker rushed to climb into the rift as it closed.

“What… just happened?” Ray asked.

“I’m not sure about what; but I think that’s why,” Anand said and pointed to the tail they had cut off the Oghrodi.

He slowly raised his finger towards a massive stone-like structure with fur sticking out of it. The tail of Golem laid limp and lifeless near where the rift had closed. Anand was sure it was the loud crash he had heard. BEARs were gathering around the severed appendage.

“Team Goldilocks! Hey! What’s happening over there?” Boss barked.

Anand answered. “We encountered an Oghrodi. We weren’t able to capture it but got its tail.”

“Hm,” he replied. “Understood, we’re coming to pick you up. Do not touch the tail! Conrad, contact someone to come collect these.”

As Anand and Ray awkwardly circled the tail, Eve came down from the roof of her building.

“Are you okay?” she asked Ray.

“Yeah. I just had the air knocked out of me for a second,” he responded.

“Looks like training paid off.”

Anand ignored his friends while examining the tail. He was mesmerized by how it still looked alive even while lying limp on the ground. The transparent viscous ooze continued to pool underneath it and mix into purple blood spewing from where it was chopped off. He began to get closer when he heard Boss yell.

“Hey! What did I say about touching the tail?”

Anand shook his head and refocused. Papa BEAR was standing over him. The giant maw of the mechanized beast was terrifying.

“Uh, right. Sorry,” he said.

Papa BEAR crouched and its gate opened while two Breakers flew overhead. They looked slightly different from others Anand had previously seen. A large claw was attached beneath each of them. One landed and a group of GDF agents wearing hazmat suits stepped out. They carefully collected the Oghrodi tail and as much of the liquid as possible. Another group set up tape and quarantined the area. The Breaker lifted off and joined the other which hovered over Golem’s tail and gripped one side within its claw. Once both vehicles had a proper grip, they lifted the massive object off the ground and flew high into the sky. The clouds hid them from view as they returned to the Midwest GDF Base. Alec tapped Anand’s shoulder and gestured towards Papa Bear.

“We’re taking them back to the teleporter. Are you coming or should we leave you here?” he asked.

“Oh, sorry. I got distracted,” Anand replied.

“I see that. Come on. You don’t want to keep Boss waiting after a mission.”

Anand joined Ray and Eve who were already talking to JP and Gale.

“Congrats, guys! You got out of your first mission with minor damage!” JP said excitedly. “I’m glad to see you’re so good at defending yourselves.”

Alec returned to his station and said, “I’d say they were better at offensive strats seeing as they actually wounded an Oghrodi.”

“How about we say it was both and never hear this argument again?” Gale interjected. They turned to Team Goldilocks and continued, “I’m proud of you guys. I don’t know what you did or how but your training has clearly paid off.”

“We couldn’t beat him though. And the electric trap didn’t last very long.” Anand replied.

Ray patted Anand’s back. “Hey, we got something.”

“Yeah. This’ll help the GDF a ton. At least, I assume so.” Eve added.

“You would assume correctly,” Boss said from his station. “For now, we will return you to the teleporter and you can go home.”

“Wait, already?” Anand asked. “What about debriefing?”

“Listen. This mission was unprecedented. Don’t forget that five rifts opened around the world. The experienced agents need to touch base. You’ll be debriefed tomorrow.”

Anand began to say something but stopped himself. He and his friends sat in the seats that had been installed for them behind the control stations. Eve and Ray chatted, trying to engage Anand but he silently looked around. Conrad was rapidly cycling through radars and displays while talking to multiple teams. Alec and JP were hovering their controls while anxiously watching their surroundings. Gale continued to monitor everyone’s health but seemed more relaxed than the others. Boss silently controlled Papa BEAR, turning in his seat occasionally to check on everyone.

“We’re almost to the teleporter,” Boss informed them. “Anand, Ray, Eve; sheath your Glaives and teleport to CahlU. People should be heading back home soon.”

“Already? There was a lot more damage today than ever before,” Anand replied. “There’s literally Oghrodi blood in the streets.”

“People don’t like being told to stay still or in one place.” Boss groaned. He seemed more annoyed by the population than Anand’s concerns. “We have teams already repairing minor damages and cleaning the streets. Machines are fixing any major damages. By tomorrow, only surface level damage will remain.”

“Okay,” Anand said warily.

He sheathed his Glaive and adjusted his glasses as they reappeared. He was surprised to see no bruises on Ray. He knew the Glaives were powerful but assumed it was possible to be damaged inside them. Anand still had a lot to learn about them.

They arrived at their destination to see a surprisingly busy teleporter. At least a dozen agents were waiting to get in. Gale exited the BEAR with Team Goldilocks to check for any wounded agents. The rest of Team Lucky departed for the hangar.

“That’s not normal, is it?” Eve asked.

“Some agents teleported here from around the world. You guys will eventually be cleared to do the same,” Gale explained.

Anand furrowed his brow. “You say ‘all over the world’ but they’re all speaking English.”

“That’s your Collar,” Gale answered. “Any language we have access to is in the GDF system and auto translates as long as you’ve got your Collar on. Yours are defaulted to English but you can change it up as you like.”

“Is it automatic? What if I want to hear the way someone is speaking?”

“Turn off the translator. It’s all in the manual.”

Anand noticed many people looking at his group but trying to hide it. He did his best to hear what was being said but too many voices overlapped. They cascaded trying to drown each other out. Anand could barely hear himself think. He fished his phone out of his pocket to check the news and noticed a text from Priya.

Come home, please -Mom

Is something wrong? -Anand

Beta, please -Mom

Anand hesitated and said aloud, “Um, guys. Head back without me. My mom wants me home, for some reason.”

“She’s probably worried because it was your first mission,” Ray replied.

“Tell her we said hi. We’ll tell the professors something came up,” Eve said.

“Thanks.” Anand turned to Gale. “Um, could I get a ride home?”

Gale looked around and found a GDF vehicle.

“Yes. It looks like transportation is available.”

Gale and Anand left the line and stepped into the black sedan parked nearby.

Anand let out a deep sigh. “So, how did we do?”

“During the mission?” Gale asked. “Based on what I saw, you did well. Only Ray and Eve can confirm if you communicated well. Not to mention, your team successfully got part of an Oghrodi. We haven’t gotten something that fresh in years.”

“What’s next?”

“Research, lots of it. Not only do we need to learn about the tails, we need to figure out why that rift appeared in almost the exact same place as the one a few months ago. Not to mention, why did rifts appear simultaneously?”

“Right,” Anand replied.

He remained silent for a moment.

“Gale, you mentioned that the translators are automatic. Is that why we understand the Oghrodi?” he asked.

Gale sighed. “Yes. We’re not sure what part of our system integrates with theirs or how. But something is causing a weird connection between us and allowing us to understand each other. Only a bit though. We can’t understand everything they say.”

“Why are we fighting if we understand each other?”

“Do you think we haven’t tried talking?” Gale asked rhetorically. “This has been going on for a decade. Diplomacy repeatedly failed. The Oghrodi want something. I don’t know what but if I had to guess it’s the Origin Stone. We’re defending it as much as possible.”

“Odd that they attacked the same place again if they know the stone isn’t here,” Anand replied.

“You’re telling me,” Gale said as they pulled into Anand’s driveway. “Get some rest. We’ll figure this stuff out tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Night.”

“Good night.”

Anand approached his front door. Before he gripped the handle, the door swung open. Priya pulled him in and hugged him tightly.

“Aa gaya, beta,” she said with a crack in her voice.

“I did. You okay? What happened?” Anand replied.

He could feel his mother shaking. Even Sonia looked at him with concern. Anand’s heart started to pound and he felt a chill run down his spine.

“Tell me, are you okay?” Priya asked.

“Yeah, I am. Obviously. You don’t need to worry about me,” Anand answered. “What happened?”

“You’re right. I can’t help but worry…” Priya let out a heavy sigh. “I haven’t heard from Dad.”

“Wait, what? Are you sure he didn’t leave a message?” Anand turned to Sonia. “Brat, did Dad text you?”

She replied in a softer tone than usual, “No.”

“I couldn’t reach anyone at his office either. I don’t know what to do,” Priya said and started to cry.

The tears trailed on streaks that had been on her face for a while. The pounding in Anand’s chest grew faster and he felt the same sensation in his head. He walked his mom to the couch and sat her down before pacing around the room. For a minute the only sound in the entry room were Anand’s light footsteps.

“Okay. Okay… Mom, get some rest. I’m sure Dad is just busy or maybe had to deal with the GDF. I’ll ask them tomorrow morning,” Anand said.

“What about school?” Priya asked.

“Ma, think of this as part of work or something. Figuring out what happened to Dad is more important than one day of school. Either way I’d miss it since I came here.” Anand sighed. “I’ll worry if we can’t find him.”

Priya nodded.

“Okay, make sure to get some rest,” she said and turned to Sonia. “Come on, you still have to go to school tomorrow. Your brother will take care of this.”

Sonia groaned and groggily nodded before making her way upstairs. Priya followed closely behind after hugging Anand.

“Good night. I love you. Get some sleep,” she said.

“I know,” Anand replied softly. “Love you too.”

He sat down on the couch and rested his head. He had seen his father not one hour ago. Arjun had stepped into the Runner. The agents had it under control. Anand’s mind raced with thoughts of what could have happened. For once, he couldn’t bring himself to focus. With a deep sigh, Anand made his way upstairs and stepped into his darkened room. He stumbled into bed. He felt no excitement about the successful mission. There was no way to know what happened to Arjun. All he could do now was wait.