Chapter 4: Hidden Truths and Close Calls
At once, Luna coursed through the alleys in the cool night air rubbing along the skin of her body. The dull buzz of the broken emerald fragment in her pocket soothed her, but it left an unsettling feeling due to its not-complete power. Every moment passed on Earth increased the risk of exposure.
Her mind replayed the time when she was along with Ethan. Too sharp, too insistent: the young officer. Those piercing blues seemed to see right through her carefully constructed façade, and the questions lingered long above her head.
I can't let him interfere. He's already too close.
But that wasn't Luna's only problem. The emerald had attracted attention, not just from a theif but possibly more. Luring itself into the crowds of humans and any other lurking forces in this strange new world to potentially underestimate.
A faint piece of music wafted through the air as Luna turned down a much quieter street. As her hearing tuned into the very source of the melody, she followed it to an insignificant bar hidden deep within a dark alley. Its flickering neon sign cast a dim glow over the entrance.
The sparse clientele was a mix of craggy looking dudes and shadowy folk, their mumbled laughing conversations as one. Luna, however, did strike that immediate impression with anybody whom she happened to stand out from even inside a dim, smoky bar; her otherworldly beauty.
She moved to the bar counter, with her emerald eyes sweeping across the room. If there were any thieves-about whom she would like to hear stories-or anyone else interested in her stone-this was as good a place as any.
The bartender, a grizzled man with a scar running down his cheek, eyed her warily. "What'll it be?"
Luna flashed a winning smile, "Something strong."
The man raised an eyebrow but complied, sliding a glass of amber liquid toward her. She sipped it cautiously, the unfamiliar burn surprising her.
"Not from around here, are you?" all said in a tone that was relaxed, but there was an element of probing to it.
Luna shrugs her shoulders. "You could say that. I'm... just passing through."
The bartender gave a slow nod and kept the eyes on her for a split moment longer before moving to the next customer.
Luna had hardly finished her drink when a shadow fell across her. She turned to see a tall man with a lean, wiry build and piercing gray eyes. He seemed very casual leaning against the bar, with an easy posture-but gaze starkly intense.
"You are looking for something," he said in a low voice.
Luna's muscles tensed at that as she felt all her instincts warning her to be careful. "Aren't we all?" she replied smoothly.
The man made a smirk and tapped his finger on the bar. "You don't belong here. And whatever you're searching for... well, it's dangerous."
Luna narrowed her eyes. "You know something?"
"Maybe." He leaned closer, voice lowered to a whisper. "But I'd leave while you still could if I were you. There are watching people, and they don't take kindly to outsiders snooping around."
However, the man stood straight and disappeared into the crowd before Luna could ask him more.
The heavy atmosphere of the bar now had Luna exiting the door, on high alert, and ready to pounce. The street outside was quiet, and the only sound was the distant hum of traffic. She walked fast, her soft-stepped feet muted against the pavement.
She caught the sudden movement at the edge of her vision. Luna spun around and instinctively reached her hand for the shard on her chest.
A figure stepped from the shadows, its face obscured within a hood. "You've got something that doesn't belong to you," they said, their voice altered using a distortion of metal.
Luna tightened her grip on the shard. "And who are you to decide that?"
One of its hands raised something, weapon-to-his face - something that looked unknown, faintly gloving in the dim light.
In a reflex action, Luna jumped sideways as the weapon discharged a pulse of energy. The incendiary blast such scorched the pavement of the floor where she stood a while ago, the acrid stench of burnt asphalt filling the air.
A sharp kick followed her attack - quick and precise movements. The figure clearly stumbled, but several weapons were on her again.
Luna's brain worked in circles. She couldn't afford to be caught, much worse losing the fragment she had just recovered.
Before the figure managed an encore shot, a steel whistle roared through the air. Luna and her attacker spun and gazed toward Ethan walking out from a corner without his gun raised.
"Drop," he commanded, voice steady.
The figure hesitated as the gaze shifted from Luna to Ethan. Seized by the moment, Luna lunged as if in a blur, disarming the attacker and pinning the body to the ground.
Ethan approached, eyes flicked to Luna. "You've got some explaining to do."
"I'll assume that's your shielded way of thanking me," Luna replied, shooting him a glare.
He ignored her words, concentrating on the subdued figure. His crouched form drew closer, pulling back the hood to reveal a man with ravaged, terrified eyes.
"And your service orders?" he demanded.
The man looked silent and avoided answering. Instead, he seemed to be looking around for something, an escape route perhaps.
Luna leaned closer and turned her blazing emerald eyes on him. "Now, tell me what I want to know."
The man swallowed hard. "I—I don't know. I was just told to look for the stone and bring it back. That's all I know, I swear!"
"Nah," said Ethan, sharing an exchange of glances with Luna as suspicion only deepened. "This gets better, and better."
With the attacker binded and the immediate danger cleared away, Ethan confronted Luna. "You're going to tell me what's happening. No more games."
Luna crossed her arms on her chest; her face was saying defiantly, "And if I don't?"
Ethan pinched his nose bridge and sighed. "Look, I don't know what the hell you're into but if people are coming after you with... whatever that was, you're not going to make it long out there on your own."
Luna paused a moment. What could she possibly trust about any human, especially Ethan's piercing insight? But she couldn't deny that his presence had rather saved her.
"Fine," she said with apparent reluctance, "but only because I don't have time to argue."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "I'll take that as a yes."
Leaving the scene behind, Luna's thoughts churned in her mind. The attack had confirmed her fears: the broken stone's energy was attracting attention. And if she didn't act fast, Earth would be just as dangerous as the battlefield she had left behind.
For now, she would have to trust Ethan, though it was a risky business. However, she wouldn't let her guard down even for a moment.
The game was getting serious, and Luna was determined to win.