I stay up all night, waiting for my little brother to return. I know he's not all that little anymore but he's still little to me.

He doesn't show up though and soon hours turn into days and days turn into weeks. His friends call me to ask what happened to him, and I, not knowing what else to tell them, say he's gone to see one of our relatives in Syrusia, a country next to Imperium, which is a complete lie. We don't have any relatives. All of them are either dead or got captured.

A few weeks later April shows up to ask me if I will take her offer and after I tell her about Elon she comes up with an idea.

"You know, Consurrexi has really good technology and can probably track him down."

After hearing that I take her offer and pack a bag. Before I leave my apartment, though, my eyes fall on the picture still sitting on the coffee table, a picture that shows a happy family. Mom, Dad, Elon, me and...

My eyes fill with unshed tears as I think about him. I don't want to think about him. Not now.

I take a deep breath and put the picture in my backpack before getting out and locking the door.

Something tells me I'm not gonna be back for a very long time.

After a long ride, with me snoozing the whole time, we finally arrive at the gates of the city. I've been to almost every city in Imperium but this one's different. These seem more guarded and as we pass underneath a scanner, it scans the car and us inside it. It works so fast you can even go through without a second of hesitation if you're in a car chase.

After giving us entry, April drives straight to a big garage in the middle of the city. There are people everywhere and it seems even more crowded than Mora. I love just how lively it is.

After finding a place to park, April turns the car off and its magnetic wheels retreat as a jack on each side of the car swipes out to bring it to the ground slowly. I jump out and take my bag with me. Time to start this. I think I already have by deciding to come here.

April leads me out of the garage and onto the busy streets. It's hard to believe that this whole city is one anti-Nex organization. Hard to believe all the people I'm passing by are a part of something I didn't even know existed.

We soon arrive at an office-like building. It's really big and seems like it's completely built out of glass. April doesn't even stop and goes right to the main desk and says something to the receptionist sitting there. He nods at her and points to the stairs – which by the way seem like a pain to climb – and she starts off in that direction after nodding back. She doesn't even look to see if I'm following her or not.

The stairs are wide and have a curved shape to them. We climb up them to the first floor where many people walk around. I try my hardest not to collide with any of them all the while trying not to lose April who glides in between them with ease.

As I'm walking suddenly an explosion goes off to my right as a door busts open and everyone jumps out of the way while a man with grey hair comes out, coughing. Smoke fills the air and the fire alarms go off, making everyone deaf.

I look around me. It's safe to say I've lost April by now. I sigh. Great.

I go to the old man coughing his lungs out. "Are you ok...?" I look at the nametag on his lab coat. Dr. Hunt.

He looks up at me, still coughing. "Oh yes...cough...I'm ok...cough..."

I look at him with wide eyes. Why isn't anyone else worried?

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to find my best friend smiling at me. She then looks back at Dr. Hunt. "What happened this time Doc? Another potion gone wrong?"

"I'm afraid so. I can't seem to understand what's wrong with these last ones. Maybe if I added a little more wolfsbane. Or maybe it's the lack of Rh. Or maybe I should add some more water. Or..."

He seems to notice me just then as he looks at me wide-eyed. I frown in confusion as he yelps and runs in the lab, shutting the door behind him. My frown deepens. What the hell?

I look at the blonde beside me for an answer but she just shakes her head and turns around, walking towards where she intended to go, muttering something about Withes being weird. Um... What?

April finally arrives at a door with me in tow. The sign on the door reads Amber Johnson. I don't know who she is but I hope she can help me find my brother.

My best friend knocks before walking in, not even waiting for an answer.

There at the desk in front of the floor length window is a woman in her mid-30s with dark blonde hair that she's put up in a ponytail and glasses that frame her blue eyes. She doesn't even look up when we enter; she just keeps going through the papers in front of her with a frown etched deep onto her brow.

April sighs as she plumps down on a chair in front of the desk while I take the other, dropping my bag to the floor next to my feet.

Amber finally looks away from the papers, taking off her glasses she turns to look at April, ignoring me completely.

All I could think about as I sat there in front of Amber, with April trying to get her to accept me, was that if I don't get in the goddamn organization then I won't be able to find him. Him as in Elon, my little brother who could be anywhere right now. Is he ok? Is he tired? Hungry? Hurt? Where the hell is he and what was that strange mark on his arm? How did he disappear?

I know I have no choice but to convince Amber that I'm worth it.

"I know Amber. I understand that you don't know her but I do and we need every single hand we can get. You know it too. It's how it works..."

"If I were to accept every single person I see on the streets, we would've already been defeated by now. They would've found out we exist and got rid of us before we even had a chance to blink."

"This is not just anyone we're talking about though! I've known Evin since we were both children and I'm telling you that we can trust-"

"How long has it been since you last saw her, huh?" When April remains silent Amber continues. "If I remember correctly then you have just returned from Dural where you've been living with your mother for at least the last 5 years. She" she points at me accusingly, "could be working for the Nex as a spy for all we know and now you've stupidly brought her here and put us all in danger. You're a good agent April, you really are, but you need to stop being so naive and grow up. Start acting more responsible. I've nominated you as one of the agents worthy enough to get on the Rostra and you're just one step away of doing exactly that. The tests you have to go through aren't just physical, you know, and for all I care you just failed one."

April looks down in shame as I think about what I can say in my defense but before I can the door bursts open and Doctor Hunt rushes in dragging a guy in with him by the arm. He is tall, has dark brown hair and sharp features but what strikes me the most about him are his eyes; bright blue-ish purple and full of life. He looks bored and doesn't seem to want to be here.

Doctor Hunt starts talking but upon seeing me, staring at him like everyone else, he yelps and jumps behind Purple-Eyes. I frown. What did I do?

Amber sighs impatiently. "What is it this time Doc?"

A finger comes out from behind Purple-Eyes' back, pointing at me as a small voice follows. "h-h-her... sh-she's...she's..." He doesn't finish as his head comes out a little and his eyes meet mine. He yelps and jumps back to his hiding spot.

Amber looks really tired right now. "What's going on with him this time Etan? And why are you here and not training?" She asks Purple-Eyes.

My eyes widen at his name. Etan... That's... Ha! no way... nope. I look at April to find her already looking at me wide-eyed.

"I don't know. And I was training when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started dragging me here. The only thing he said was that it's really important." When he talks I can't help but notice his voice being so deep and so similar to my dad's. Just a coincidence though. definitely. Yup.

Amber closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose tiredly before sliding her glasses back on, sighing deeply. "Either talk right now or get out of here Doc. I've got pressing matters I need to attend to."

With this the Doctor jumps out starts talking fast. Really fast. No one understands anything.

"Doc! Talk slower!" Amber snaps at him, clearly frustrated.

Doc turns to look at me, pointing an accusatory finger towards me. "She! She's a Phoenix!" He shouts, his voice trembling a little and fear shining in his eyes as if I might jump out of my seat and strangle him to death.

Everyone turns to look a me with frowns on their faces as I just look confused. Phoenix? Phoenixes don't exist. They're just legends. Is he crazy or something?

Etan looks just as confused as me. "But I'm the only remaining Phoenix in the world. There's no one else left."

So Phoenixes exist?

"That's because you two are siblings!" What the hell is wrong with that guy?

"I don't have siblings."

"I only have a younger brother who went missing a few weeks ago." We both say. I don't want to mention Etan, my older brother who got many years ago. I don't want to think of him.

Amber, after hearing us, turns to look at Doc. "Have you accidentally drank one of those potions of yours again?"

Doc scowls at her, then stomps towards me, taking my arm and drags me out of the office, motioning for the others to follow.

He us to the door I saw him come out of before. He opens in and walks into a big room full of glasses, bakers, potions, computers and many other things. I think this is his lab.

He takes me to the center of the lab where there's a huge tube made of glass that has computers and many, many buttons sitting around it on different tables. The buttons aren't even connected to anything. They're just there.

He walks up to the glass and pushes it and to my surprise a part of the glass opens up like a door, one that I didn't even know was there. He pushes me in and walks back, the door closing behind him, disappearing just as it had appeared.

He then walks up to Etan and, taking his arm, he drags him to the other side of the big tube and does the same thing he did to me.

After Etan's in, he looks at me with confusion as Doc puts his hand up on the glass wall right between me and Etan and another glass wall starts coming out of the ground, growing until it reaches all the way to the top.

Etan and I turn to look at Doc as he pushes a few buttons and two small tubes come out of the ground, one in front of me and one in front of Etan.

"Put all your valuables and flammables in there. Keep your clothes on." We do as we're told and the tubes retreat back into the ground before disappearing.

We both look at Doc questioningly. He turns to look at Amber and April. "Ready?" After getting they're nod he turns back to us before pushing a button.

Before I can even blink I am suddenly surrounded by flames.