The main entrance of the police station was partially blocked by a barricade of broken furniture. A metal chair jutted out between two overturned desks, and beneath the layer of snow that had blown in through the windows, small tracks could be made out, leading in and out of the building. Alex stopped in front of the door, studied the marks, and adjusted the shotgun strap on his shoulder. After what had happened in the street, it would have been easy to assume the remaining rats had all fled together. He wasn't willing to bet on that.
"Ariel, can you pick up any movement inside?"
"The sensors are detecting several small heat sources on the ground floor and intermittent readings on the stairs. The structure and the metal elements are limiting the scan. I can't confirm the presence of humans from this position."
Behind him, Eira clenched her hands inside the pockets of her coat. She had looked up at the upper windows again and again since they arrived, hoping to spot a light or a familiar silhouette. She had found nothing. Alex understood her impatience, but rushing in could put them both in danger and alert anyone hiding upstairs.
"We're both going in. Stay behind me and don't leave the light. If you hear anything, tell me before you move toward it," Alex said.
Eira nodded and swallowed. She looked as if she wanted to say she knew the building and could go first, but the sight of the marks on the floor changed her mind. Alex turned to the three creatures waiting among the snow-buried vehicles. Vela raised her head immediately, alert for any signal; Roka stayed by the door with her tail stretched out across the street, and Suri was sniffing the surroundings, following a trail that disappeared behind a patrol car.
"You three stay here. Keep watch," Alex ordered, gesturing toward the street with an open hand.
Vela made a low sound of protest, but backed off when Alex insisted. Her size made it impossible for her to follow him through the hallways without wrecking half the station. The remaining drones split up to watch the perimeter and the windows. Two smaller units slipped through the gap in the doorway and switched on their spotlights. Their beams swept across the walls, revealing an abandoned reception area, dark stains on the tiles, and an overturned front desk.
Alex nudged a loose board aside with his foot and stepped in. The wind stopped hitting him directly in the face, but the air inside was just as unpleasant. It smelled of damp, piled-up garbage, and a bitter trace he recognized immediately: animals that had been shut in for far too long. The drones' spotlights moved ahead, stopping every few meters to light up open doors and corners where a rat might be hiding. Eira followed so closely that at one point she stepped on the heel of his boot.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"It's fine. Just try not to do that when I need to shoot."
The girl lowered her eyes, embarrassed, and put a little more space between them. Alex didn't press it. Tension could make anyone stumble, especially after spending so long running from those creatures. In front of the desk lay damp papers, a broken mug, and a portable radio with a dead battery. A side door tapped softly against its frame every time a draft blew through the lobby.
"Movement to your right," Ariel warned in his mind.
Alex turned before she finished the sentence. Something dark appeared beneath the seats of a waiting area. The rat, about the size of a medium dog, crept forward low to the ground, baring its teeth. Another one peeked out behind it. Alex raised the shotgun and fired a shot that shook the walls of the lobby. The first animal slammed into a row of chairs, and the second lunged sideways, trying to reach Eira. One of the drones swooped down to intercept it and fired a short burst. The creature rolled across the floor, hitting the front desk before going still.
The blast kept echoing through the empty rooms. Eira instinctively covered one ear while Alex checked the hallway the animals had come from. He didn't like firing in an enclosed space; every shot wiped out, for a few moments, any chance of hearing nearby movement. He nudged the spent shell under the desk with the toe of his boot and moved on once Ariel confirmed the immediate corridor was clear.
"Do you always carry those things with you?" Eira asked, looking at the drone that had just saved her.
"Almost always. They're more useful than a flashlight, and they've got better aim than I do when something comes at me from behind."
"That last part doesn't sound hard," she murmured, almost without realizing it.
Alex turned his head, surprised. Eira flushed red all the way to her ears.
"I didn't mean…"
"I know what you meant," he replied with a brief smile. "And you're probably right."
They continued past a row of offices. The names of the officers were still on some of the doors, though many of the nameplates had been torn off. In an interrogation room they found a split table and claw marks in the paint. The ceiling had a hole next to an air vent. Eira lifted her face toward it and stood motionless for several seconds.
"Through there," she said at last. "Not that exact vent, but I used one of those ducts to get out. Lina helped me climb up. The others made noise so the rats would go somewhere else."
Alex looked at the opening. It was narrow, too cramped to crawl through easily, and the metal around the edges had been bent. He found it hard to imagine how Eira had made it through without cutting herself, until he remembered how small she was and how desperate she must have been. She ran her fingers over an old scratch in the wall.
"Do you know which floor they stayed on?" Alex asked.
"We were on the third. After we split up, I never saw them again. If they had to move, I don't know where they would have gone."
"We'll start there. If they're still inside, they'll have heard the fight outside. And our shots."
That didn't seem to reassure her. Eira looked toward the stairwell at the far end of the corridor, where the darkness was so thick the spotlights could barely show the first few steps. The two drones moved ahead of them and cast parallel beams along the railing. The floor was covered in trampled papers, old blood, and rat droppings.
"Ariel, any alternate way up?" Alex asked.
"There's an out-of-service elevator and a secondary staircase at the other end of the floor. I recommend the main staircase: it offers better visibility and allows for a faster retreat. I'm detecting movement on the upper landing."
Alex raised a hand to stop Eira and took position against the wall. He waited while one of the drones rose slowly until it was level with the landing. The light revealed a peeling wall, an exit sign, and several fresh scratch marks. Then a thick tail appeared and vanished behind a toppled cabinet.
"Just one," Ariel reported. "Larger than the previous two."
"I'd hope so."
They climbed carefully. Alex kept the shotgun aimed at the gap between the cabinet and the wall, while Eira stayed two steps below. The rat burst out without warning, shoving the cabinet aside with its back. It was low and broad, its fur covered in hardened plates. Alex didn't have room to bring the gun to bear without risking his balance. He twisted his body aside, let the animal close in, and struck it with his glove square on the jaw.
The electric discharge crossed the point of contact with a sharp crack. The rat writhed and collapsed onto the landing, hitting the railing. Alex pulled his hand back immediately, feeling the familiar tingle running up his forearm. He didn't need a second discharge; the animal lay sprawled and didn't get up.
"Warning," Ariel said. "The energy expended during the fight outside is still significant. I recommend saving your discharges for situations where contact is unavoidable."
"I figured," Alex replied quietly. He leaned against the wall for a moment and flexed his fingers inside the glove. "But that one didn't leave me many options."
Eira looked at the rat with a mix of revulsion and awe. She had seen Alex use electricity before, though out in the street everything had happened too fast to make out the details. This time she had watched the blow from just a few steps away. The creature still gave off a nasty smell of burnt fur.
"Does it hurt when you do that?" she asked.
"It wears me out. And if I overdo it, I imagine it'll hurt a lot more. That's why I prefer the shotgun when I've got room."
Alex moved ahead to check the first upper floor. From there, part of the reception area could be seen through the stairwell. The shadow of one of the drones swept over the lower steps, distorted by the light. They found no human signs, only dragged desks and open rooms. In one office there was a pile of shredded blankets the rats had used as a nest. Small bones and food wrappers lay nearby.
Eira stopped in front of the mess. She recognized a red backpack crushed between the furniture and took a step toward it. Alex stopped her with a hand on her shoulder while one of the drones inspected the corner. There was no movement. When she was finally able to go closer, Eira picked up the backpack and examined the torn fabric.
"It's not any of ours," she said, letting out a breath. "For a moment I thought…"
She didn't finish the sentence. Alex put the backpack back where it had been without asking for an explanation. At this point in the catastrophe, finding a familiar object could be almost as terrifying as running into a living creature. He waited for Eira to collect herself, and they moved on.
At the end of the corridor, a dull thud made them stop. The noise came from the ceiling, right above their heads. Then came a quick scraping sound, as if several claws were dragging across a sheet of metal. Eira's eyes snapped upward as she remembered the narrow duct she had escaped through. Alex signaled the drones to split up and search the vents.
"Two small signals above the drop ceiling," Ariel warned. "They're moving toward the stairwell corridor."
"Then let them come out before we get upstairs."
A ceiling panel came loose and fell a few meters away. A rat dropped down after it, landing on its side before scrambling up. The first drone fired immediately. The second creature, faster, launched itself from the hole straight at Alex. He ducked, felt its paws brush across his hood, and spun around with the shotgun half raised. The animal slammed into the wall and tried to right itself; Alex fired before it could leap again.
Eira had taken cover behind a doorframe. She waited until Ariel confirmed there were no more signs of movement above them, then stepped out slowly, looking at the panel hanging from the ceiling by one end. Her hands were tense, but she hadn't screamed or bolted into an unfamiliar area. Alex valued that kind of caution more than any attempt to look brave.
"You're doing well," he said as he reloaded.
"I'm trying not to get in the way."
"That already helps a lot. The last thing we need is for one of us to rush in."
The staircase to the third floor was narrower than the last. On reaching the second landing, Alex found a makeshift barricade of metal filing cabinets, drawers, and a door torn off its hinges. The bloodstains on the floor stretched up onto part of the wall, where there were bullet holes. They weren't recent, but they showed that someone had tried to defend that access point. Eira recognized one of the filing cabinets and moved closer, raising a hand to her mouth.
"We moved that," she whispered. "It was before I left. Bran said it wouldn't do any good, and Lina insisted on blocking the stairs anyway."
Alex examined the gaps between the objects. A rat could squeeze underneath if it found the right angle, but a large animal would have to knock the barricade down or find another way in. The torn-off door was splintered on the outer side. It was possible the group had managed to hold out, though the marks alone didn't prove they were still alive.
"I don't see any recent rat tracks on the other side," Ariel said. "The accumulated dust shows disturbances consistent with human movement, but the estimate is imprecise."
Alex decided they wouldn't try to force their way through. He found a gap above one of the filing cabinets and, after confirming there was no immediate movement, helped Eira over. One of the drones crossed first; the second stayed behind to watch the stairs. Alex climbed over afterward with some difficulty, careful not to let the shotgun bang against the metal.
On the third floor, the temperature seemed even lower. A broken window let in snow that the wind piled up in a corner of the hallway. Some doors had been reinforced with tables and chains. At the far end, a sign pointed to an emergency stairwell, but the door was barred shut from the inside. Alex took a moment to listen. In the distance, there was an intermittent tapping that didn't seem to be caused by the wind.
"Lina?" Eira called softly.
There was no answer. Alex signaled for her to wait. They approached a closed door next to a records room. On the other side, something could be heard dragging itself along, and then the unmistakable sound of a metal object hitting the floor. The drone on the left positioned itself in front of the door while Alex checked the lock. It had been forced from the outside.
"Don't open it," Eira murmured.
"Not yet."
A rat appeared at the gap underneath, pushing its snout between the wood and the floor. Alex stepped back. The creature began scratching furiously, but the door didn't give. After a few seconds, the drone fired a precise burst through the opening left by the splintered wood. The noise stopped. Ariel confirmed that the heat signature had disappeared.
"One less," Alex said.
"There are others," Eira replied, watching the hallway.
Alex looked at her closely. He didn't know whether she said it because she had heard something or because she knew the building better than he did. Before he could ask, another rat came out of an open office and ran straight for the stairs. The drone covering the rear intercepted it before it got anywhere near them. Alex waited a few more seconds. No other animal appeared.
"Ariel, can you check the rooms on this floor without breaking down the doors?"
"The units have limited visual access through the existing gaps. I'm detecting an area at the north end with signs of recent activity: small thermal variations, muffled sounds, and a makeshift barrier. I recommend approaching with caution."
Eira turned her head toward that end of the hallway. Her eyes went wide.
"There was a room there where they kept supplies. It had a heavy door. Lina said that if we got separated, we'd try to meet up there."
Hope quickened her steps. Alex had to gently take her by the arm to keep her from breaking into a run.
"First we find out who's behind it. If it's them, we don't want to scare them."
Eira nodded, though impatience trembled across her face. They made their way between overturned furniture and safety posters. The door at the north end was reinforced with a bar wedged between two brackets. There was a small opening on the side, covered by a sheet of cardboard. A whisper came from inside that neither of them could make out. Then, silence.
Alex raised a hand and ordered the drones to lower their spotlights so they wouldn't blind anyone looking out from inside. He stopped several steps from the door, the shotgun pointed at the floor but ready to come up. Eira stayed just behind his shoulder while he spoke.
"Is anyone in there? We're not here to hurt you."
A male voice answered from the other side, rough and suspicious.
"That's what they all say. Back off and put the gun where we can see it."
Alex stood still. The tone didn't sound like someone willing to listen to much explanation. Before he could reply, he saw the cardboard covering the opening move. The barrel of a gun poked through it.
"Put that down," Alex ordered firmly, raising the shotgun just enough to cover the door. "I won't shoot if you don't."
"I told you to back off!"
The bar on the inside screeched. The door opened just enough to reveal two people behind a makeshift barricade. A woman held a gun pointed toward the corridor; beside her, a broad-shouldered man was doing the same. The woman's face was tired and her hair was a mess, but her stance was steady. Her eyes moved from Alex's shotgun to the two drones hovering at his sides, and her expression hardened.
"Drop the gun!" she demanded.
"You drop yours," Alex replied. "I have no intention of fighting anyone."
"Then stop pointing that at us," the man shot back.
"You started it," Alex said, without taking his eyes off their hands.
The moment hung suspended for a few seconds. Behind the woman, two more figures could be made out, both hidden behind a table. One of them seemed to be clutching something to her chest; the other was staring at the drones with wide eyes. Alex could feel the tension building in the air. The survivors didn't know Ariel or understand why those machines were with him. As far as they were concerned, an armed stranger had just shown up in the hallway after a string of gunshots.
"Lina!" Eira finally cried, stepping out beside Alex. "Lina, it's me!"
The change was immediate. The woman blinked, as if she had heard an impossible voice. For an instant, she kept the gun raised, unable to tear her eyes away from the small figure who had stepped out from behind the stranger. Then she slowly lowered the barrel.
"Eira?"
"I'm here! I'm okay!"
The woman knocked aside the bar that had been holding the door half open. Alex stepped to one side, still alert, while the man hesitated before lowering his own weapon. Eira barely had time to move forward before Lina came out into the hallway and caught her in her arms so tightly she nearly lifted her off the ground.
"Damn it, Eira!" Lina exclaimed, her voice breaking. "We thought the rats had gotten you before you could find help!"
Eira clung to her without answering. Two more girls appeared behind them. One, unable to hold back, let out a cry of joy and threw herself at both of them; the other approached more cautiously but ended up hugging them from the side. The four of them stood squeezed together by the door, laughing and crying at the same time, trying to talk over one another.
"You came back!" Yuli exclaimed through her tears. "You really came back!"
"You said you'd return," Nara murmured, her voice shaking. "But it had been so long that we started to fear the worst."
"I told you I'd come back," Eira replied, pressing herself against them. "I promised. I went out to find help, and I wasn't going to leave you here."
Lina pressed her lips together, trying to keep her composure. She brushed aside a strand of hair stuck to Eira's forehead and examined her face, her hands, and her coat, looking for injuries. Her expression was fierce, almost angry, but Alex caught the relief with which she let out her breath once she saw that Eira could stand on her own.
"How did you manage to get back?" Lina asked, pulling away just enough to look her in the face. "When you went out through the duct, the rats were everywhere. We tried to keep an eye on the exit, but after that we had no way of knowing what had happened to you."
"I found someone who helped me," Eira explained. "There were times I thought I wouldn't make it back, but I kept thinking about you all and what I'd promised."
Yuli hugged her again, which made Nara laugh through her tears. Alex lowered the shotgun completely. There was no point staying in a combat stance when the hallway had filled with such obvious joy. Even so, he ordered the drones to watch both directions. The reunion had been loud enough to attract any rat still nearby.
Bran stayed by the door, slightly apart from the group. He had lowered his gun, but his eyes kept roaming over Alex's gear, from the shotgun to the gloves to the hovering units. His expression shifted between distrust and a curiosity he tried to hide behind a scowl of annoyance.
"How sweet," he finally remarked. "Are we done with the hugging, or is someone else still missing?"
Lina whipped her head around so fast that Bran raised his hands.
"It was a question," he added.
"Then learn to ask better ones," she shot back.
Yuli let out a short laugh, still clinging to Eira's arm. Nara, a little embarrassed at having cried in front of a stranger, wiped her eyes with her sleeve and finally looked at Alex. Lina turned toward him too, without entirely losing her caution.
"Is he the help you went to find?" Nara asked.
Eira nodded, stepped back a little from her friends, and held out a hand toward Alex.
"Yes. This is Alex," Eira said, introducing him with an emotional smile. "I found him when I needed help, and he agreed to come with me to get you. I told you I'd come back with help, remember? Well, here we are."
Lina looked the young man up and down. Her features were striking despite the exhaustion and grime of being shut in, and her expression remained defiant even after recognizing Eira. Alex noticed she didn't seem used to accepting help without first understanding where it came from.
"Thank you for bringing her back," she said at last. "And sorry about the gun. We didn't know who you were."
"After what's in here, I'd have done the same," Alex replied. "I'm Alex. Is everyone all right? Does anyone need help walking?"
"We're tired, but we can move," Nara answered, slowly regaining her calm. "We had very little food left. We didn't know how much longer we could stay locked in."
"I could've held out," Bran cut in. "What I couldn't stand was listening to Yuli talk about food every five minutes."
"Because you were hungry and you ate the last portion that was mine," Yuli shot back, crossing her arms.
"You never proved it was yours."
"It had my name on it!"
"Could've been a different Yuli."
For the first time since entering the building, Alex heard a genuine burst of laughter. It came from Eira, who covered her mouth almost immediately. Yuli shot her a look of mock indignation before smiling too. The argument seemed far too ordinary for a hallway full of dried blood, but that was exactly why it helped the mood relax.
Alex waited while they gathered their things. They hadn't kept much: a few backpacks, some empty bottles, warm clothes, and the weapons they had used to defend themselves. Lina checked the barricade one last time, making sure they weren't leaving anyone or anything important behind. Nara helped Eira fasten her coat while Yuli fired questions at her without waiting for an answer to the previous one.
"Hey, Eira, are those drones Alex's?" Yuli asked, pointing curiously at one of the units watching the hallway. "And another thing… what was that roar we heard a while ago?"
Eira looked at Yuli and then at her other friends. The smile from the reunion was still on her face, but she didn't know how to explain everything that had happened since she left the station.
"It's a long story," she replied. "Let's get out of here first. It's really cold, and we can talk once we're somewhere safe."
"Agreed," Alex said, checking the hallway. "Grab whatever you still need and let's go."
Bran snorted and slung a backpack over his shoulder.
"Sure, let's follow the stranger with the flying toys. Great plan."
"Bran," Lina warned.
"What? I'm just saying a stranger shows up with guns and flying gadgets, and you all trust him already. I have a right to be suspicious."
"You have every right to be suspicious," Alex replied. "But if you want to check the way out yourself, go ahead. My drones are covering the stairs."
Bran looked at the lit corridor and decided not to answer. Lina shouldered past him to take the lead. Despite her prickly attitude, Alex saw her make sure Yuli's and Nara's backpacks were properly strapped on before heading for the door. It was clear she felt responsible for the group, even if she showed it in her own way.
The way back was faster than the climb up, but not entirely uneventful. At the barricade on the second floor, one of the drones picked up movement under a filing cabinet. Alex called a halt and sent the unit forward to check the gap. A young rat shot out toward the landing, more frightened than aggressive. The drone took it down before it reached the first step. Yuli jumped and nearly bumped into Nara.
"That was up here too?" Lina asked, clenching her jaw.
"There could be more hiding in the hallways," Alex explained, checking the next flight of stairs. "Best thing is to stay together and keep moving."
The warning was enough to make everyone continue carefully. The voices died down as they entered the ground floor again. The reception area, now lit by the drones, looked even more run-down than before. Alex led the group through the gap they had used to get in, checking every corner until they reached the main door. Ariel informed him that the outer perimeter was still under watch and that the three creatures were nearby.
The first gust of icy air hit Yuli as she stepped out into the street. She huddled inside her coat and let out a white cloud of breath. Then she lifted her face toward the gray sky and stood staring at the buildings buried under the snow. She had been shut in for so long that even that devastated landscape seemed like an improvement.
Nara came out behind her, helping Eira step around a piece of wood. Lina came next and scanned both ends of the street with a wary look. Bran was the last of the four to cross the threshold. For a few moments, the group stood together in front of the station, savoring the simple fact of being outdoors without hearing rats scratching at the door of their shelter.
"I can't believe we made it," Nara murmured.
"I still don't believe it," Yuli admitted. "Actually, I need someone to pinch me."
"Gladly," Lina said.
"It was a figure of speech."
Eira smiled. Her friends kept asking how she had found Alex, and she answered in short sentences, still overwhelmed at being together again. The reunion had completely filled their thoughts; for a few moments, the four survivors didn't even notice the enormous tracks crossing the snow in front of them.
Vela appeared first. Her head rose above the roof of the vehicle, and the feathers on her neck stirred in the wind. Behind her came Roka, heavy and silent, while Suri slipped along the opposite side with nimble steps. The three of them approached, drawn by Alex's presence, and took up positions around him as they usually did.
Lina was the first to spot them. Her expression changed so abruptly that she couldn't get a single word out. She backed up and bumped into Bran, who had just turned to look down the street.
"Shit!" he exclaimed, raising his gun. "It's those things!"
Yuli screamed and grabbed Nara's arm. Nara took several steps back until she was against the door. Lina found her voice again and stretched an arm out in front of the other girls, urging them to back away. All of them suddenly remembered the enormous figures they had seen from the third floor, tearing the rats apart in the middle of the snowstorm.
"Alex, get back!" Lina shouted. "Don't go near them!"
Alex turned, puzzled by the sudden commotion. Vela stopped beside him and tilted her head, studying the newcomers. Roka let out a deep snort. To someone who didn't know the creatures, the sound might have seemed like a threat; Alex knew it only meant curiosity.
"Don't shoot!" Eira cut in, placing herself between her friends and the dinosaurs. "Calm down! They're not going to hurt you!"
"How can you be so sure?" Nara asked, her voice barely audible.
"Because they're with Alex. They helped us. They're the ones who beat the rats."
Bran let out a nervous laugh that never quite became a sneer.
"Oh, we saw that perfectly from upstairs. The part that worries me is what they'll do now that there are no rats left."
"They won't do anything if you don't try to attack them," Alex replied, lowering the hand he'd been resting on the shotgun. "Put the guns away, please. You're making them nervous."
Lina looked at Vela and then at Alex. The creature's claws were stained, and there was a fresh wound on her side. It was hard to reconcile that image with the calm of the young man standing beside her. The woman didn't lower her gun right away, but she finally gestured for Bran to do the same. He obeyed grudgingly, never taking his eyes off the animal's jaws.
"Are they… yours?" Yuli asked from behind Nara.
"They live with me," Alex replied. "Their names are Vela, Roka, and Suri."
"You named them?" Bran raised his eyebrows. "Those things?"
"Of course. They even come when I call them."
As if she understood they were talking about her, Vela came closer and gently nudged Alex's shoulder with her snout. He took half a step to keep his balance and stroked her head automatically. Vela closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the attention. Roka watched the gesture and pushed her own head in too, demanding her turn with an insistent snort.
"Okay, okay, I see you," Alex said, reaching out with his other hand to pet her.
Suri then appeared on his free side and settled in so close that Alex was practically surrounded by all three. One of the creatures brushed his back with her feathers, and another nudged his forearm to make him keep going. Alex let out a short laugh, more resigned than surprised.
"Hey! Hold on! I can't take care of all three of you at once!"
Vela nudged him gently again. Roka insisted from the other side, and Suri lifted her head until she reached the hand Alex had left free. The scene was so absurd that the survivors took several seconds to react. The same beasts that had torn apart an entire horde seemed to be competing for pets like especially large, badly behaved house animals.
"This can't be real," Lina murmured, still frozen in place.
Yuli, who had started peeking out from behind Nara, let her jaw drop.
"Are they… jealous?"
"More like spoiled," Alex replied, scratching the base of Vela's neck. "And they know exactly how to get what they want."
Eira let out a soft laugh. She had been afraid of those creatures when she saw them fight, and their size still impressed her, but now she recognized the behavior Alex had shown with them after the battle. What had once seemed inexplicable was starting to feel familiar.
"They act like this around him," she explained to her friends. "Don't be afraid of them as long as Alex is nearby."
Nara watched Suri close her eyes as she was petted and slowly loosened the hand she had been gripping Yuli with. Lina remained alert, but the tension in her shoulders began to ease. Bran, for his part, looked at the drones patrolling the street and then at the three creatures, as if trying to understand what kind of person could have company like that.
Alex gave each of them a few last pats and pushed his way out from between their bodies.
"All right, that's enough. Let me breathe. Come on, move along," he ordered, pushing Vela's insistent snout aside with easy familiarity.
The creature made a sound of protest and came back one more time. Alex pointed to the space next to the patrol car, with the same patience he would use to shoo away an overly excited dog. Vela finally obeyed, though she didn't go far. Roka followed her, and Suri lingered a moment, hoping for one more pat, before joining the other two.
For a moment, no one spoke. The snow kept falling between the buildings, and the drones continued their rounds over the deserted street. Alex turned to the four survivors, who were still watching him with a mix of disbelief and caution.
Yuli slowly raised a hand, still looking at Vela, who stood beside a snow-covered patrol car.
"I have, like, a hundred questions."
Alex gave a short laugh and looked down at her.
"I can imagine."
"Perfect. First question: did you seriously just scold three dinosaurs?"
Eira laughed again, and this time Nara couldn't hold back a smile. Even Lina let out an amused snort before slipping back into her usual expression. Bran stayed quiet, his gaze shifting between the drones and the enormous creatures, still not fully understanding what he had just witnessed.
Alex shrugged. Beside the patrol car, Vela shook out her feathers, and Roka settled in next to Suri. The six of them stood in front of the station while the drones lit up the snowy street. Eira looked at her companions again and smiled, relieved to have them by her side once more.