When Valeria returned to their room later that night, she collapsed onto the bed, utterly exhausted. She expected to hit a soft mattress, but hit the ground with a thud.  Thunder crackled overhead, followed by the soft pattering of raindrops as they hit the ground. The night sky offered limited visibility, and her innate night vision hadn't kicked in yet.

"Where am I?" Valeria groaned, pushing off the ground, her hands grasping tufts of moist grass and mud. Had she teleported outside somehow? Was this real? Or just a dream? A flash of lightning lit up the sky, bringing her surroundings into focus.

She sat in a meadow, with fields of grass stretching out as far as the eye could see. Large stone structures loomed over her, their shadows coming alive as lightning continued to pulse overhead. Two men and a woman conversed nearby, and with eyes narrowed, she observed their features.

One of the men was older with a long white beard, while the other was younger, with long brown hair. While the older man was dressed in a flowing dark robe, the younger wore a dense set of metallic armor. "They won't come," the younger said.

"They will," the elder replied. "We can end this war, tonight."

They continued talking, but Valeria had zoned them out. She studied the woman, who looked familiar. The eyes stood out the most - she'd recognize those hazel eyes anywhere.

"Erin?" Valeria asked. There was another flash of lightning, and she covered her eyes. A crack of thunder bellowed overhead, but that's not all she heard. A piercing scream split her ears, overwhelming her senses, and everything faded to black.

"Time to get up, girl," Jada said.

Valeria sat bolt upright in bed, her forehead damp with sweat. The grassy field and its stone structures were gone, replaced by their small hotel room in Coterel. Jada stood over her, eyes narrowed.

"Bad dreams? Well shake them off. Why did you sleep in your Aegis anyway?"

Valeria studied her leather clad arms and cursed her stupidity. She was so exhausted last night and forgot to change. "It was cold in here," she lied.

"Well, change out of it," Jada said. "You and Frank are going back to the house today."

"We are? Really?" she asked with surprise. The odd dream seemed less important - all she wanted to do was go home.

Jada threw clothes onto her bed. "You and Frank are. I have to deal with Sovereign matters. Frank will be here in a minute with breakfast. Don't forget - you will meet with Erin tomorrow. Win her trust - okay?"

Valeria nodded. "Got it. See you later." After Jada left, she dressed in civilian clothes, packed the Aegis in her bookbag, and waited until Frank entered the room.

"Morning, kiddo," Frank said, holding two cartons of food. "I got an omelette and waffles. I'll let you pick. After we eat, we're heading home."

An hour later, Valeria and Frank entered their row-house back in Brooklyn. Entering the house felt surreal; the past two days felt like an eternity. Back in Coterel, Valeria had wondered if they would need to relocate, and her imagination went wild with different outcomes. The most extreme involved Frank and Jada dumping her off at the detention center as an extreme form of retribution.

"See," Frank said, looking around the foyer. "Everything is just like we left it. It's gonna be okay, kiddo."

"Frank," Valeria said, choosing her words carefully. "In case anything shitty happens, I want you to know I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," he said. "I shouldn't have gotten mad at you yesterday, it really wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known."

"Well," Valeria continued, eyes downcast, "If I cause trouble again, I'd understand if you want me to leave."

Frank turned and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me, kiddo. I gave you my word. I promised to always look after you, and that won't change whether it's in this house, or any other. Okay?"

Valeria looked up at him, her weird internal conversation replaying in her mind. I finally have people I care about, and I don't want to let them go. The urge to hug her new father-figure was undeniable. While she knew it was too soon to display this type of affection, she couldn't resist the urge this time and hugged him. She wasn't surprised when he hugged back.

"Guess you kinda like me, huh?" he said with a laugh. "I could get used to this."

"Don't get too used to it," she said, resisting the urge to laugh as she released him. "I've got enough friends."

"I won't," he said, a smile across his face. "I'm your guardian - not your friend. Go work on your homework. I'll be washing dishes down here, so let me know if you need anything."

Nodding, she waved goodbye before heading upstairs. She emptied her bookbag across her bed and removed the Aegis. Studying the black and green suit, she took a seat at her desk and turned the computer on. An idea came to mind as she pulled up the web browser and began her first search.

"Strange Vault." No interesting web results.

Valeria tried, "Strange Vault 2011," but that query did not return anything interesting either, so she tried another one.

"Vault of Wonders, 1992." No interesting results.

Valeria tried searching the last name she discovered last night; Midas Vault – 1872, but that search failed too. While the other names didn't spark much interest, she knew the name Midas sounded familiar. She did a Google search for Midas and found results for a familiar American company.

Midas: Brakes, Tires, Oil Change, All of your Auto Repair needs.

Valeria shook her head. There was no way that vault was put there to fix cars. She decided to try Wikipedia next, and the search for Midas brought up a page about a mythological figure named King Midas. She read the page and found a passage that sparked interest.

"The most famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold."

She paused, considering this a moment. She wondered if that was the Rogue Faction's best kept secret? Some artifact that turned everything to gold? The rest of the page described how Midas' gift became his curse. Everything he touched turned to gold - including food and water. This led to his death by starvation and the moral of the story; greed will lead toward one's downfall.

Was this some sort of clue? A warning about what to expect in the vault?

Valeria tried a few more searches, but came up with no further clues. She gave up her search and worked on her homework until dinner time. Frank had cooked his mother's Italian pasta recipe. They had an enjoyable meal and he offered to help with her assignments, but she declined.

She went back upstairs, finished her homework, and began her bedtime routine. Once in bed, she lay awake as thoughts raced in the back of her mind. She had no idea what she would say to Erin tomorrow. Jada ordered Valeria to win her trust, but how would she do that?

She thought of different excuses she could tell, but kept coming back to what Jada said. Tell Erin where you come from, and what you've been through. This way, you can prey on her sympathy. But the whole idea made her uneasy. She didn't want to prey on Erin. She didn't want to deceive or mislead her.

With that last thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep.

                                #

She awoke the next morning refreshed; there were no nightmares this time. She had breakfast with Frank, and the two of them sat at the table conversing in civilian clothes. He was returning to police work today, but said he would have his cellphone on in case of emergencies.

"If it's serious," he said, wiping his mouth, "just text the word – Lamb. Got it?"

Valeria raised an eyebrow. "Lamb? Like the animal?"

Frank shook his head. "It's an old slang version of Lambster or Lamster, which means someone on the run. If you think you're in danger – text me, put on your Aegis, and do whatever it takes to reach Coterel. Do you understand?"

Valeria nodded. "Gotcha. Thanks." Once finished with breakfast, she rode her bike to school and ran into Sai near the bike rack.

"Hey, V. Have a good weekend?"

Valeria's lips pulled back into a smirk. A good weekend? How about one of the weirdest weekends of my life. "Uh...yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Nothing too exciting. Are you still grounded?"

She considered this a moment. Technically she was, but Jada wasn't home. "No. Why?"

"Well, want to hang out after school?"

Valeria studied him a moment. "Maybe. Let's meet up after school and I'll let you know." His offer was enticing and she wanted to say yes. But she still had to meet with Erin today, and everything hinged on that.

Grinning, Sai said, "Alright. I'll walk you to class."

Valeria paid little attention as they walked into the school, her focus centered on Erin. She said goodbye to Sai before her first period class. To her surprise, Erin's seat was vacant.

Shit.

A whiff of intoxicating perfume invaded her nostrils. Gagging, she resisted the urge to vomit as a familiar voice addressed her.

"Hey there, girlfriend," Sheri said, taking the seat beside her and brushing away a strand of long blonde hair. "Do anything crazy this weekend?"

When the nausea passed, Valeria exhaled and attempted a fake smile. Crazy? she thought,  "if you mean hiding out at an outlaw headquarters - sure. "Not really," she lied, "still grounded."

"That's too bad," Sheri sputtered, chewing gum loudly. "By the way, Erin wanted me to give you this," she said, offering a plain white envelope.

Valeria took it and noticed the seal was broken. "Hey! Did you open this?"

"Of course I did.  You know I can't resist any juicy gossip. I figured it might be a secret or a love letter."

Valeria's mouth dropped. "Love letter?" She had felt something during their encounter in the kitchen, but never expected Erin to feel the same way.

Sheri rolled her eyes. "It's the twenty-first century. My gaydar has always been curious about that one. But don't worry - it wasn't a love letter. The paper inside was blank. Between you and me, that girl has always been a strange one."

Valeria opened the envelope, removed its contents, and realized Sheri was right. The paper inside was blank.

"See," she said, leaning over to look. "I told you."

Valeria studied the blank piece of paper multiple times. She knew it must be some sort of riddle. "Did she say anything else?"

Sheri slouched back in her chair. "Nope."

Throughout the morning,  Valeria ignored her classroom teachers and focused on the blank sheet of paper. What am I missing here? she wondered. The envelope was also blank and unadorned except for a wax seal. It was imprinted with an odd symbol that resembled a star.

Was that a symbol of their Faction? They're called Celestials, right? Valeria knew the latin root of the word Celestial pertained to the sky and stars, but wondered what kind of clue Erin was getting at. She wondered why Erin would give her this during the day, when it was impossible to see any stars. The only thing visible during the day was...

She perked up a moment as the answer suddenly revealed itself. She raised her hand and waited to be called on.

"Yes Ms. Ramirez?"

"I'm feeling sick! I think I have to throw up!"

"The period is over in twenty minutes," the teacher said. "Can't you wait to see the nurse?"

Valeria shook her head. "No! It's an emergency!" she exclaimed, trying to retch and act like she had to vomit. If she took a few more whiffs of Sheri's perfume, she might actually have to puke.

Groaning, the teacher said, "Alright, Ramirez. There's a copy of tonight's assignment on my desk. Take it before you leave."

"Hope you're not pregnant," Sheri teased behind her.

Valeria ignored her and ran for the door. She ignored the teacher's protests, exited the classroom, and sprinted down the hallway. At the school's exit, she removed the envelope and walked outside. "The only star you can see during the day," Valeria uttered aloud, removing the blank paper, "is the Sun."

She held the paper above her, making sure to bathe it in sunlight. As she did, handwritten words materialized on the page:

"Dear Valeria,

You must know what I am by now. If you still would like to meet, I have listed directions to my favorite tree, a White Pine near the back of the school. It's a peaceful and secluded area, where I hope we can talk during lunch. I hope to see you there,

Erin."

Valeria followed the directions to the field at the back of the school, a little oasis embedded within the massive buildings nearby. She held the letter up, checking for directions until she found the solitary white pine behind the school's cylindrical track. The track was deserted, but she could still hear cars honking and police sirens, as the tree and the field surrounding it marked where the school grounds ended and the city began.

Sure enough, she found Erin sitting cross legged beneath the tree with her eyes closed. She wore a simple white shirt and jeans, her bushy brown hair tied back in a ponytail. She opened her eyes and smiled as Valeria approached.

"Hey, Valeria."

"Hey."

"I'm really glad you came. I've missed our phone chats the past few days -"

"Can we cut to the chase," Valeria said, trying to act disinterested. "Don't act like nothing happened."

Sighing, Erin pointed to a spot in front of her. "Okay - sit down. We have a lot to discuss."

Valeria sat cross-legged in front of her. "First, I just wanted to say –"

"You're welcome," Erin interrupted. "And I just wanted to say, I seriously thought about turning you in. All of you."

Valeria exhaled, her insides writhing. So Erin had thought about betraying their friendship. While it was nice she was being  honest, the sting of a potential betrayal still felt like a knife in the back.  "Then why didn't you?"

"It's complicated."

Valeria shook her head. "Well try and simplify it for me."

"You have to understand," Erin pleaded, "Ever since the Tyrells adopted me, they warned me about Rogues. They warned me how you're all greedy, malicious, and evil. It's all I ever knew about your kind."

"Maybe I am all of those things."

Leaning forward, Erin said, "You're not any of those things. I know because I felt it. In fact, I sensed something completely unique about you. You're special, Valeria."

Valeria's eyes narrowed. She was getting tired of people calling her special, and not explaining what that meant. Why would people say that anyway? "Oh, I'm special?" she said, her tone sarcastic. "Either that's a joke, or you think you know me now, huh?"

"That's just it!" Erin protested. "I don't know you, but I want to! How did someone as good as you, end up with them?"

"I'm not good at all -"

"Stop that," Erin interrupted. "Stop saying that. I have always been able to detect evil, and I didn't see any in you. I know you had a chance to avenge your parents, but you chose not to. What happened to your parents?"

Valeria's eyes widened and her mouth went dry. She had no idea how Erin knew about her parents, and this aroused fear and suspicion. In that moment, she set her feelings for Erin aside and realized there was so much she still didn't know about her.

"I don't want to talk about that with you, Erin." Valeria didn't want to think about it either, but it was too late. Her body trembled and tears formed around her eyes. While Jada had ordered her to use her trauma to win Erin's sympathy, just thinking about it disgusted her; there had to be another way.

"Where were you before you came to New York?" Erin pressed. "What happened to you as a child? What's your real last name? Why do you want to hide from the world–"

"You don't want to know those answers, Erin!" Valeria snapped, hands trembling. "Even if you did care, what gives you the right to pry into my life? People like you do not want to know about people like me!"

"But I do!" Erin countered. "I want to understand –"

"You want to understand?" Valeria asked, her voice trembling. She tried to stop herself, but the word vomit erupted like a volcano. "You want to understand how I watched gang members butcher my parents as a child? How I had to starve and struggle on the streets, both in Central America and here in the United States? You don't want to hear those things, Erin. You will never understand where I come from, so don't even try."

Erin's face contorted, and she looked like she was on the  brink of tears. "Okay. What can you tell me?"

Valeria took a deep breath, trying to think of a way to salvage the situation. Part of her didn't want to trust Erin at all; she was weird, judgemental, and just too nice. They were enemies - but Erin refused to act like one, and it made her nervous. After a brief pause, she found a rational response. "I can tell you I've had a difficult life. But just when things looked bleak, Frank and Jada rescued me. They took me in, believed in me, and gave me something to strive for. They gave my life meaning. Do you understand?"

Erin nodded. "I do. While I can't possibly imagine what you've been through, I do know what it's like to feel lost, like you don't belong in the world. And like you, I was alone until the Tyrells adopted me, believed in me, and gave me something to strive for. Do you understand?"

"I do. So where do we go from here?"

"There's a second reason I didn't turn you in."

Valeria rolled her eyes. "How many reasons are there?"

"Three."

"Alright. Get on with the second."

"The Tyrells adopted me for a reason." Erin closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "They protect me because I'm the Chosen Savior."

"Savior?!" Valeria asked with disbelief. "Chosen? What does that mean?"

"It means darkness is coming," Erin said, eyeing their surroundings with suspicion, "and I'm the only one who can stop it."

"Uh huh. Sure," Valeria replied with disbelief. "What kind of darkness are we talking about here? Like...end of the world? Angels and demons –"

"Not that biblical nonsense," Erin interrupted. "Our faction has a prophecy about the end times, and it's different. The one part everyone in my faction remembers is: the shadow will divide the world in half and ruin the civilizations of man."

Valeria raised an eyebrow. "Divide the world in half? Isn't that what Thanos did in the Avengers movie?"

Frowning, Erin said, "Those movies are stupid. We don't think the prophecy literally means someone will kill half the population. It means someone will become powerful enough to start a massive war, one that will divide the world into two sides like the Dark War."

"The Dark War?" Valeria asked. Her mind drifted back to the nightmare she had two nights ago. "What is this...Dark War?"

"Its ancient history," Erin said. "As the Chosen Savior, supposedly I can prevent this from happening if I can stop the shadow."

"The shadow?" Valeria asked with sudden interest. "Who or what is that?"

"I'm not entirely sure. But I feel like a shadow has been stalking me. I think I saw it at your house."

Valeria's eyes went wide, remembering the creepy Rogue in their backyard. Could he be the one she was talking about? "I think your shadow might be a Rogue. Maybe a bad one."

"Well," Erin said, trying to sound confident, "it's up to me to stop them."

"Up to you, huh? How do you even know you're some kind of Savior?"

Erin sighed. "I just do. Just like how I know a Rogue is destined to help me infiltrate their Headquarters. Of course that Rogue is you."

"What?!" Valeria protested.

"You heard me," Erin said, her hazel eyes focused on her. "I can save the world if I collect all five ancient artifacts passed down by each Faction. I already have the Celestial Artifact. You will help me acquire the Rogue one. It's your destiny."

Valeria scoffed, resisting the urge to laugh in her face. "Screw destiny. What if I say no?!"

"Then I will turn you into the authorities."

Valeria leaned forward, trying her best act menacing. "And what if I decide to kill you, here and now?"

Erin leaned forward, clearly not intimidated. "Go right ahead. No one's stopping you."

They locked eyes a few moments before Valeria finally backed down. "Even if I agreed to help, I have no idea how to get in the vault."

Erin's eyes flashed with excitement. "You really know where the artifact is, don't you? I can't believe it! I made some of that destiny stuff up. I wasn't really sure if you were the one to take me there."

Wincing, Valeria cursed her stupidity. She was bluffing, and I fell for it. "The one to take you there?" she asked. "How did you know a Rogue would help you? How do you even know about our artifact?"

"I already told you," Erin groaned, "The five artifacts are linked, and only a Rogue would be able to show me the way inside their Headquarters...obviously."

"What are the artifacts?" Valeria asked. "What do they do?"

Erin took a deep breath. "Those are complicated questions. All I know is they're supposed to reveal one's destiny."

"Destiny? So they do what? Show you the future?"

"The artifact I have showed me inside your headquarters with a Rogue. Now I know that Rogue is you! They really do work!"

"How do I know this isn't a trick," Valeria countered, "some way for your faction to find and destroy ours?"

Sighing, Erin said, "If it makes you feel better, I'll go blindfolded until we reach your vault. As an incentive to stay true to your word, I'll leave a letter detailing your identity at my house. If anything should happen to me, my parents will surely find it." She offered her hand. "Do we have a deal then? I will keep your identity secret, if you agree to lead me to the Rogue Artifact."

Valeria looked at her hand and refused to shake. "One more condition: I will lead you to the Rogue artifact, and I'll let you use it. But I should hold onto it - it belongs to my faction."

Erin grinned and offered her hand. "Fair enough. Shake on it?"

Valeria paused, unsure if she was making the right move. She had gained Erin's trust, but at what cost? Telling Jada about their agreement would reveal her discovery of their faction's best kept secret. Would Jada punish her for finding the vault by herself? She would want to know how Valeria found the vault, and she had no idea how to answer that question.

But those weren't the only things on her mind. She was distracted by Erin's hair, lips, and most of all, her eyes. They pierced through her in a way that few others had. Valeria couldn't explain why she felt the way she did, but it didn't matter.

She wanted to hold her hand, and that's all that mattered.

"You know what this means?" Erin said, shaking her hand. Her lips pulled back into a smile as she said, "It means we're starting an adventure together as a team, like the Fellowship of the Ring."

Valeria scoffed as she released her hand. "Now unlike the Marvel movies, those movies are dumb."

"Pfft – yeah right," Erin replied with mock protest. "How many Academy Awards have Marvel movies won compared to the Ring trilogy?"

Valeria shrugged.

"Yeah," Erin said with a laugh. "Point made."

"Hey! You said you didn't turn me in for three reasons? What's the third?"

"The third? I only said two," Erin said, standing up.

"Nuh uh!" Valeria exclaimed as she stood. "You said three!"

Erin laughed as she walked away. "Nope. You misheard me."

Valeria continued to mock protest as Erin led the way back to the school. She was completely engrossed in her conversation with Erin, and completely missed the figure silently watching them from the shadows of a nearby alleyway.