Tendrils! Hands from the darkness grasping at him. A large tree standing tall in a cavern a blaze. A strange light emanating from the center. A tall figure blasts away the darkness.

"Eary!" Luke nudged the teen awake. "We're here!"

He nudged again as Eary's vision came into focus. The images of his nightmare slowly dissipated as he took in his surroundings. The passengers had all lined up in the aisle. Eary got to his feet and followed closely behind Mei.

"Hey. How was your guy's ride?" Eary asked in a groggy yawn.

"Fine." Mei yawned.

"It was ok. We fell asleep a bit after you two." Alice drowsily stated. She then continued, "How about you two?" Referencing Sakile and Calvin ahead.

"Slept OK. How 'bout you, Sakile?" Calvin asked in a drowsy stupor.

Sakile responded. "Just fine."

Just then, the line then began to move. The crowd of refugees shuffled off the bus into the cold Colorado climate.

The mountain air was thin and brisk. The kind that goes right through you, Eary thought as they all got off the bus. Standing before him was a large brown shingled building. There were dozens of windows, complete with tan shutters. The roof was steep and pitched. To the right, a makeshift parking lot with few cars.

"Holy shit, it's fuckin' cold!" Alice exclaimed, warming herself with her hands.

"Ahhh! Eary get us inside! If we stay out here any longer, my nuts are gonna freeze off!" Mote exclaimed loudly.

Eary opened his hoodie, allowing the small creature inside. "Stay still." Eary whispered as he positioned Mote in his sweater inconspicuously.

The wind whipped harshly around the crowd. "Fuck!" Luke recoiled from the cold.

"Everyone! Follow me!" Victoria yelled against the wind, drowning out most of her voice.

However, there was no mistaking the crowd quickly making their way down a long paved path to the large hotel's double doors.

"This place is nice," Eary thought as he made his way to the white marble floor of the lobby.

Large vaulted ceilings, stylized in the lodge manner, cast an aura of intimidation and coziness. While warm lighting lit the interior. As they approached the desk, Victoria spoke to the girl behind the counter. After a brief word, she addressed the crowd again.

"Attention! You will each be given a pair of keys. These are the keys to your new apartments. If your key number starts with 2, 3, 4, or 5, then that is your floor. You need to head there. You all must be very tired. Generalized clothing and groceries, along with other essentials, have been outfitted in each suite. The elevators are just around the corner. I will bring you there, then it is up to you to find your rooms. Personnel will report in the lobby at 6 a.m. sharp. Students will report to the professor by 8. Those of you who are neither will report to the Star Gazer's bar and grill by 9."

As Victoria finished, she led the group along the corridor to the elevator. Once there, she distributed the keys,

"Are there any more questions?" Victoria busily asked.

"Uh yeah." Alice stated bluntly."So.... How long are we here? Can we call our families? Can we..."

Victoria cut her off. "No, you may not contact anyone from your pasts. Each of you has been targeted by very ruthless people. If those people know you're alive, then your families will be in danger. You must refrain, no matter how difficult. Other than that, we don't know much right now. You'll all be informed when there is a development."

And just like that, Victoria turned and walked away.

"Hmmmm." Alice folded her arms.

"Hey, Eary. We're on the third floor." Luke stated playfully to his young charge.

"Really?! Hey Mei! What floor are you on?" Eary inquired.

"Three." Mei responded happily. "Me too!" Eary exclaimed excitedly.

"Ahhhhhh!" Eary and Mei jumped up and down in enthusiasm.

"Umm, us too." Calvin shyly added, giving a big smile.

"This is going to be great! We're going to have so much fun together!" Mei cheerfully stated to the two boys.

Eary enthusiastically replied, "Yeah! Hey, we should do a....

"E'llo again." A familiar British accent approached from behind Eary.

"Oh, Denby! What floor are you on?" Eary stated, transfixed by his English admirer.

"I'm on two. How about you lot?" Denby asked, holding up his key.

"Thank God for that." Luke whispered under his breath as he pushed the elevator button repeatedly.

"Aww, too bad. We're on three." Eary pouted.

Denby replied slyly, "You'll just have to come down and visit me sometime."

Denby's words were like rain in a drought to Eary's heart.

"DING," the elevator opened.

"Alright, Romeo. Let's go!" Luke grumbled as he led Eary onto the elevator.

"Yes! Of course, I will!" Eary exclaimed enthusiastically as Luke finished dragging him along.

"See ya later, love!" Denby shouted as the doors closed.

"Eeeeeeeeee!" Eary squealed in delight at the recent developments in his love life.

Alice coolly joked. "Take a teenager, kidnap him, shoot at him, send a torso monster at him. Give him the slightest inkling that he's getting laid, and there, all better now." Alice joked.

"Oh, it's not like that. I'm sure we're just going to hang out and watch a movie. I don't even know that he's gay." Eary dismissively stated.

After a brief pause, Sakile spoke up "That English dude is one hundred percent gonna fuck your little brother. You know that right."

Luke sighed a loud sigh as the elevator erupted in giggles as the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

"Hey, Eary." Luke lamented. "I was 16 once. I get it. But please take it easy on me. I just found out I have a little brother. He seems to be a pretty good kid, and I'd like to keep him that way. I don't want to meet my family with a corrupted Eary. Ok?"

Eary considered Luke's dilemma. Denby was cute, but he could control himself.

"No problem! Just tell me what you need me to do." Eary stated cooly.

"Nothing below the belt!" Luke said, looking at Eary, eyes half massed.

"Well, what if we're here a long time?" Eary whined.

"Eighteen. You can do what you want at eighteen." Luke cheerily stated.

"Fine..." Eary grumbled.

The group made their way down the hall.

"Hey guys! Are our rooms next to each other?" Mei enthusiastically asked.

Eary looked at his key (327) it read. "Yeah, we're here." Eary replied, standing next to his door with Luke.

"We're in three twenty-eight." Calvin said happily as he passed the group.

"Three twenty-nine." Mei said, looking at Calvin.

Luke unlocked and opened the door. Alice and Mei then disappeared into their apartment. Calvin and Sakile had already entered when Eary realized he was the only one left in the hall. Hurrying inside, he walked into a small living room. A love seat, mauve in color, sat across from a flat-screen mounted to the wall. Further ahead was a kitchenette, with a small circular wooden table on the path leading in. To the left and the right of the tan wallpapered room were two white doors.

"I'll take the one on the right." Luke said as they walked through.

Eary went to the door on the left. Inside was a queen-sized bed, complete with dark blue hotel bedding. Dark mission-style end tables sat next to the bed. While at the foot sat a large dresser.

"Hmph. Not bad." Eary thought to himself as he collapsed on the bed.

He hadn't been in an actual bed since the night before his abduction. His tired body sunk into the surprisingly soft bed. Before he knew it, Luke was nudging him awake again.

"Eary. C'mon, bud, it's time to eat." Eary opened his eyes in surprise.

"You cook?" Eary asked in a groggy stupor.

Luke coolly replied, "Hell yeah, I cook! I cook everything. You're gonna like it."

Eary was amazed at the prospect. But just then, a strange burning sensation hit his eyes.

"Oh my god. *cough* *cough* What is that *wheeze* *cough* burning feeling in the air?" Eary struggled to speak, gasping for breath.

"Oh, that? Those are world-famous cowboy chili beans!" Luke boasted.

"Yeah, I like my food hot!" Luke cheerily moved to the wooden table, complete with several dishes and pots.

Eary, trying not to be rude, joined him. "Here, take a whiff of this!" Luke proudly instructed as he lifted the lid off a large black pot.

The steam hit Eary's face like mustard gas. His sinuses opened immediately, and his eyes began to horribly water and sting. *cough* *cough* *cough* Eary gasped for breath as Luke patted him on the back.

"That's how you know that's the good stuff." Luke breathed in heavily. "Yeah, really breathe it in."

*hack* *gasp* *cough* Eary didn't know how he could stand it. "How *cough* Are you not dying?" Eary asked between gasps.

"You gotta get used to it. Hot food is like a double-edged sword. The taste is amazing." He said as he served Eary up some beans. "But it can be a little rough at first. You gotta ease into it." Luke said knowingly.

Eary stared warily at the questionable dishes. Besides the molten beans, there was a strange dark green plant-like food to go with them. The ribs, however, did look inviting. Eary picked one up and took a bite. The sweet and tangy sauce caramelized the meat. Which effortlessly fell off the bone.

"Mmmm! Wow!" Eary exclaimed in delight.

"I'm telling you," Luke replied.

"Hey! Excuse me!" A loud voice thundered from Eary's room.

A bright blue flash of light streaked from the dark corridor and plopped menacingly on the table. "You two's were eatin' without me!" Mote angrily accused the pair.

"Oh yeah. What does Mote eat anyways, Eary?" Luke inquired, shoveling a spoonful of beans in his mouth.

"Everything. Remember, he can eat people if he wants to." Eary said blandly.

"Wh-what! An outrage! I, a fellow travel companion, reduced to being treated like a pet! Hmph!" Mote crossed his arms in a huff as Luke set down another plate and served up the moteling.

"I was only kidding, I didn't forget ya." Luke slyly poked back. Mote turned back to the plate Luke set for him.

He stared at it until Luke asked, "What's wrong, Mote?"

"This is the first time I've been set a place for. We were always hiding back home. That's all." Mote replied somberly.

He then shot out his tongue faster than the eye could see and took the whole plate into him.

"I should invest in paper plates, I see." Luke retorted, strangely numb to the sight.

The three finished their meal. Eary enjoyed all of it. Even the funny green stuff and the hellfire beans.

Eary and Mote did the dishes while Luke put them away.

"This is the last plate?" Luke asked, drying the dish with a rag.

"Yeppers!" Eary cheerfully replied.

"Alright, why don't you go hit the shower and get ready for bed. Make sure you get everything you need." Luke instructed.

"I will." Eary said as he made his way to his room.

"Living with Luke is going to be awesome!" He thought as he gathered pj's and undergarments. After his shower, Luke and he said goodnight and departed to their rooms.

As Eary slept, a strange darkness crept over his dreams. Suddenly, he was standing in a room of three men. He recognized one of them as Johnathan.

The other man was blonde and muscular. With a cold expression. The other was draped in dark clothing with a hood obstructing Eary's view.

"How many have we collected thus far?" The man in darkness asked.

"1,500 give or take." Johnathan replied nervously.

"Still not enough! Sasha! How has progress come along on the dna diluter, Sasha? The man named Sasha grinned a large grin. As he was about to speak when Eary jolted from his sleep.