Zavier forced his way into the room and ran to the kids, putting his arms around both of them. Tess worked around Zavier's bear hug, touching their faces and checking them over for injuries. Finding none, she hugged them too, both kids crying in the middle of the huddle. Luna was rubbing Cass's back in soothing circles trying to calm his shaking. Zavier pulled Cass down to sit on the edge of the bed, then got on his knees on the floor in front of him. With a soft gesture he cupped Cass's face in his hands.
"Hey Buddy," he said in a gentle voice, "look at me for just a minute, okay?" Cass kept his eyes closed, tears forming heavy puddles before rolling down his cheeks. "I know that was a lot but we're okay. You're okay. Can you look at me please?"
Zavier reached up and gently rubbed the back of Cass's head while keeping the other on the side of his face. Luna sat next to him and rubbed his back. Tess looked on in concern but kept her eyes locked on the broken window facing the wooded back yard.
Finally the shaking stopped and Cass opened his eyes. He looked into Zavier's and saw nothing but endless, patient support. Zavier's knees were beginning to ache but he would sit there as long as it took. Zavier took a deep slow breath and Cass followed.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
In.
Out.
Within a few breaths Cass and Zavier's breathing had synched up and Cass could feel his heart rate slow. His mind had previously been a jumble of emotion and reaction, and Cass could only remember the last ten minutes in flashes of panicked bursts. His hands still shook but he gripped them tightly, his anxiously moving thumbs the only indication that the anxiety hadn't left him fully. "I'm okay Dad, thanks."
Zavier got to his feet with the groan of every man over 40 standing up, then kissed Cass on the forehead. He cupped Luna's face and kissed her on the forehead too, relief flooding him that they were both okay. Then he went to Tess and tried to do the same but she shooed his face away.
"Here," she said, pointing to her cheek. "Don't block my view."
Zavier had always been the long-term planner, the one who planned for every emergency. Even knowing that zombies were fiction, his brain wouldn't allow him to not plan for potential zombie attacks. He briefed his family on what to do when trapped in a car that had fallen into water, or ways to escape being zip tied. For every obscure threat to his family that kept him awake at night, he had a plan for each of them. That made it all the more ironic that he was so laissez-faire on the day-to-day issues. He planned for the long term and generally thought that everything was going to be just fine the rest of the time.
Tess was the opposite. She rolled her eyes every time he came up with 'Another Plan.' She knew he had multiple life insurance policies on both of them and knew where the paperwork for them was, but had no idea how much they even were. Where he was planning, she was action and reaction. Zavier knew that as long as there was a potential threat to her kids she was an arrow quivering on the string. A fast-twitch muscle about to explode into action. Every one of her lean muscles was taut and primed for action in this moment. He knew that if this kept up he'd be massaging knots out of her back for hours tonight.
"Honey, let's get the kids out of here so we can figure this out." She glanced over at him with her peripheral and nodded.
"Kids, let's go," he said as he turned to leave, then stopped short. The body of the squirrel was gone and in its place was what appeared to be a cloak or robe made of the fur of the animal.
Suddenly a voice boomed in their heads and their vision went blank. In a moment they were nowhere, with no one but that voice. Zavier turned his head but there was nothing in every direction. The voice spoke in the clipped, official tone of a military officer giving a status update.
** System Announcement: Integration protocol successful. First encounters complete. 5% casualty rate - within standard tolerances. **
"While you are in this space you are safe. This is an opportunity to acclimate to the new reality. Your world has undergone a significant transformation under the Unity Protocol. The initial phase - integration verification of local wildlife - has been successfully completed, confirming compatibility with the enhancements. Standard protocol is a leveling of power and assignment of skills and abilities suitable to your race. The goal of these enhancements is to provide a baseline level of strength and abilities to survive the upcoming challenges meant to prepare you for full integration."
"As inhabitants of Earth, your diversity and adaptability are far beyond the universal mean. There is simply too much diversity among the residents of your planet for the standard blanket approach. Instead, you will require a tailored approach to bring everyone to a standardized level of capability. The System will direct your initial enhancements based on observed actions and identified weaknesses. This automated guidance will occur until you reach level five in your development. To optimize The System's understanding of your potential it's important that you engage vigorously and diversely in challenges during these early stages."
"At level five you will regain autonomy over your advancement and gain the ability to take on exciting new classes and abilities. If you choose not to assign your advancements directly The System will conduct the assignment automatically. Epigenetic changes are locked out until that time so that we have the opportunity to stabilize your biology. A user interface, your Personal Enhancement Display, will soon become visible to you. This tool will provide ongoing updates about your abilities, enhancement options, and overall progression. It is designed to be intuitive and will expand in functionality as you advance. It has built-in tutorial features meant to support and educate, so do not neglect it."
"Your environment has altered permanently. This change is part of a broader enhancement program designed to escalate your personal capabilities. Opting out is not an option and attempting to do so will place you at a significant disadvantage both in terms of personal power and environmental adaptability. Challenges will escalate, and survival will depend on your willingness to engage and evolve."
"Some of you are likely questioning the absence of direct guidance towards the most effective routes to power. Such information will become available as you approach The System's upper echelons, but due to the challenges brought on by your diversity extensive real-world testing will be required first."
"Now it is time for you to review and reflect on what you have learned. 24 hours of 'safe zone' time is now provided to all individuals to explore and familiarize themselves with the enhancement interface. This period is critical for planning your initial steps on this new path of power."
"Furthermore, as an incentive, The System rewards notable achievements during the integration phase. Here are the rankings for today's early accomplishments - these are meant as a reward and a gauge to test your progress against those you may soon be in competition with. Please note that you will only see the rankings that are local to your area:"
First kills:
[No written name available]:
First kill. Immediate advancement of two levels.
Planetary first. Two additional rewards to be issued at level five
Zavier Torres:
Second kill. Immediate advancement of one level.
Double kill. Two additional rewards to be issued at level five.
Tessa Torres:
Third kill. Immediate advancement of one level.
Two protective kills. Protective reward to be issued at level five.
Luna Torres, Cassian Torres:
Fourth kill (tied). Immediate advancement of one level.
Joint effort recognized. Team reward to be issued at level five.
Mason Cane:
Fifth kill. Immediate advancement of one level.
First human kill. Offensive reward to be issued at level five.
"Prepare yourselves. You are part of a new world order, where your growth is imperative not just for personal advancement but for collective survival."