In the beginning

We pull up outside Dr. Mead’s apartment as the first hints of dawn begin to tinge the sky with pale light. Her silhouette is a shadow of concern as she waits on the curb, urgency etched into every line of her body. When the van comes to a stop, she doesn’t waste a moment and hops quickly inside.

“We need to talk. Someplace where no one else can hear us,” she says with a palpable sense of urgency, her eyes darting nervously around.

Gerard offers the treehouse, but Liam is quick to object. “No— it’ll be safer in my apartment,” he asserts.

I concur, realizing the treehouse’s proximity to a dense population, posing an unnecessary risk to innocent bystanders. “Right, the treehouse is right next to a complex of shops and apartments. We can’t risk involving innocent people,” I add.

Sarah, always the one to voice our collective concerns, chimes in, her voice tinged with worry. “What about the other guys at the camp? We just left them there like sitting ducks—”