They all sat in a circle, abandoning the table and dragging their chairs so they could sit together. The two doctors had excused themselves, and Aiya, Marvin and their team either stood or sat together discussing all they had just heard.

Grabbing a pastry thingy that was definitely a treat in today's world Betty nibbled delicately at it, making sure to drag out all the goodness it offered for as long as possible.

Betty was sitting next to Derek, who in contrast had half a bun hanging out his mouth with mustard and mayo on his cheeks while he talked and chewed loudly. At the same time. Aiya found it disgusting, and it reminded her how annoying Derek and Marvin had been as kids.

"So what, we are all gonna die in a few months? Nothing we can do? What the hell do we fight those friggin monsters for then?"

Derek was disgusted. His brain had finally grasped that shit just got really real. He was not handling it well.

"Derek, I think the point of us being here is to try and find a way to stop it. These people are looking for the best minds to come together and collaborate. No one wants to give up."

Marvin was trying to be diplomatic. Aiya loved that about her brother. He could be loud, rude and even obnoxious, but he had a big heart. He knew Derek was scared, and he was trying to help him cope the best he could.

Aiya sighed. This was a hopeless situation. No one was going to feel good after the depressing news the doctors had just dumped on them. And the old bastards hadn't even seemed to notice they had just ruined everyone's day. They dealt in facts. They didn't do empathy.

"Fuck this!" Derek threw down his sandwich onto a plate that was precariously perched at the table's edge behind him and suddenly stood.

"Derek, we can't fix it today, but we aren't giving up."

Aiya tried to reach him. Her eyes searched his trying to find the hurting man inside. It was no use.

Derek didn't get dark moods very often. He was the light in their darkest hour most of the time. But he had been shaken to his core, and Aiya could see old fears and sorrow rising in his eyes. The past was coming to haunt him.

His dark brown eyes looked torn between anger and despair. His mocha skin looked dark in contrast with the awful white room, and Aiya had a very distinct sensation that out of all of them, Derek didn't belong here the most.

His mother had been Mexican, and his father from the Bahamas. Both his parents had struggled hard yet had succeeded at building a good life before... Well before it all ended.

Derek's life hadn't been easy, but he had had a wonderful family. Full of love and laughter, and now it was only him, and he looked like he had lost them all over again.

"No! Not discussing this. You, idiots, can sit here and digest all this 'world is ending' crap, but for me, I am gonna go find a willing woman in need of a compliment to make both her and my day."

"Huh?" Errend blurted the question before Derek made it to the door.

"I am gonna go get some ass, man. I need to take a load off - literally." Derek snorted at his own comment. A little of his usual self returning with his decision.

"You want ass?" Errend still seemed confused, and his face said so.

Derek was already in the hallway and called over his shoulder.

"I am going to go fuck some woman's brains out until we both forget our names, asshole."

At this, everyone either snorted or chuckled. Once again, Derek had found a way to lighten the mood even if he hadn't meant to.

Aiya giggled as she saw comprehension finally cross Errend's face. He never smiled or laughed liked the others, but eventually, he said, "That is probably not a bad way for him to relieve himself of unnecessary stress. The endorphins alone-"

"Brother, it's all good. We get it." Marvin slapped Errend's back and smiled at him. Errend just nodded.

"Guess it's good we haven't been restricted to the rooms assigned to us. Derek might actually have a chance at running into another person."

Betty smiled as she spoke, and Aiya knew she was hoping for Derek's sake he found what he needed.

Aiya didn't miss the slight sideways glance Betty gave Marvin. If only Marvin didn't have his head up his ass. Or up his inventions more like.

Aiya sighed again. She was freaking tired.

"Does anyone have any other questions or concerns?" Aiya looked around, and finally, Marvin spoke up.

"Did they say if we are supposed to help them find this portal or not?"

Marvin scratched his head in thought before he continued.

"I know they said they think they know where it is, but I don't remember hearing when or if they plan to go there or what they will do if they go there."

"They have no idea, Marvin." Errend's face was harder, colder than usual, "That's why they need people like you. They need fresh eyes, fresh minds. This is out of everyone's comfort zone here."

Errend didn't come out and say "here on Earth," but Aiya knew what he meant. Without someone either having an epiphany or someone like Errend helping them, these scientists didn't know what to do with the portal.

Finding it wouldn't matter until they knew what they could do to the portal to stop the monsters from coming.

"I need sleep."

Betty was the first to announce this, but everyone else in their group chorused the sentiment.

"Right. Sorry, everyone, I shouldn't have kept you. It's been a long day, and even though they fed us while they talked, it has still been hours of sitting here listening to doom and gloom. Does everyone remember where to go?"

Aiya felt bad. She hadn't been thinking. It had been hours since they had arrived, and the day had been depressing and longer than usual. Looking at her team, she saw the weariness in their eyes. Some looked exhausted others looked drained of all hope. She didn't blame them.

And what the hell was their part in all this? She suddenly felt extremely guilty for talking her people into coming. They were only eleven people in total, even with Derek joining their ranks.

Eric, Chris, Petra and Tony were their other four drivers beside Marvin, Betty and Errend. Eric's wife Sam was their ammo queen and supply chief.

The woman was amazing, and Aiya was glad she hadn't just married Eric but had joined them as well two years ago. She kept Eric focused which was hard because he was easily distracted. But he was their only other tech-head besides Marvin.

He could wire almost anything and was excellent at retrieving maps from somewhere; Aiya had no idea where, when they needed to scout new areas. He was older and had been a hacker before the world had changed. Now he worked miracles with garbage.

Then there was Tony's partner Alec. The man was a mystery but amazing with a sniper rifle. He also had crazy, almost ninja-like skills that made Aiya feel guilty like she was stereotyping him because he was Asain—or mixed Asian?

Aiya wasn't sure but was too conscious of herself to ask. Yet even though he was quiet and she didn't know him well, he was a valuable member, and she knew he made Tony happy, and that was more than enough for her.

Tony was their mechanic slash medic, and he helped Marvin with his projects during their down time. He also did most of their vehicle repairs when he didn't have to patch anyone up.

Marvin helped on occasion with vehicle repairs, especially when he needed a break from trying to invent something new, finding the more mundane job of fixing cars a way to zone out and let his brain relax. But more often, it was Tony helping Marvin.

Actually, without Eric or Tony, Marvin's inventions may never have happened in the time frame they did. Having a good team had been essential in many aspects of Marvin and Aiya's life.

Aiya wasn't sure how she had become the leader. Marvin teased it was because she was the bossiest, and no one else had the energy to argue with her.

Aiya felt it was more likely no one wanted the responsibility of making choices that affected everyone else's lives. It was a heavy burden. One she had taken on regarding Marvin when their parents had died.

Granted, she had been wounded the night her parents had been killed and technically, for the first three months while she fought a reoccurring fever, Marvin had cared for her. Finally, the government had collected survivors placing them in camps, and she had been able to get antibiotics for the infection in her blood.

Aiya made the appropriate noises as everyone filed out, saying their good night's, but her mind was consumed with worry, guilt and a little dread if she was honest.

After everyone left, it was just her, Marvin and Errend. Errend was staring at her, a calculating look on his face, a feeling of cold determination emanating from him.

"Aiya, you need to stop. You did not force these people to come. They chose. Yes, you offered the choice and told them you were coming, but they each made their choice in the end."

Errend's gaze pierced her like a bullet to her soul. How did he know what was going on in the privacy of her mind?

She heard Marvin chuckle slightly.

"Don't look so surprised, Aiya; your emotions tend to play on your face like a high school drama. Hard not to know what you are thinking when you're not in combat mode." Marvin gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Aiya let out a heavy sigh. Right. Derek and Marvin had enjoyed torturing her when they had been kids for that exact reason. They could always tell when she got upset.

Rubbing her face with both hands and leaning forward, hanging her head between her bent knees, she tried to collect herself.

Before she had a chance to sit up and inform the overly wise men that they were wrong and it was her fault everyone was here, instead of just Errend and herself, the conference room door slowly swung open, getting everyone's attention.

Aiya's eyes grew wide as a very pale-skinned little girl timidly peeked into the room. Her eyes were a vivid violet that created a stunning contrast with her almost white skin and silky white hair.

She heard Errend suck in a sharp breath. His face registering some emotion for half-second, the most emotion he had shown since the train, as he stared at the girl.

The girl's large violet eyes glanced over all of them, and Aiya felt some kind of energy kiss her skin as the girl's eyes swept past. Marvin's eyes went wide with the feeling as the girl looked at him and his hand involuntarily tightened on Aiya's shoulder.

Errend hissed quietly when the girl's eyes travelled to him. They rested there, staring into Errends eyes the same way he stared into Aiya's, piercing his soul, and Aiya felt the air grow thick with energy and tension.

"Your mommy's friend Errend." The girl's voice was quiet, melodic and sweet but confident without a hint of the normal shyness or uncertainty an ordinary girl her age would have after barging into a room with three strange adults. "Mommy is waiting for you."