Fresh air. Wind. That's the first thing Trevor noticed, and he thought, Earth! We're back on Earth!

     Both Trevor and Niki zipped along fast, which meant they had to course correct immediately to keep from colliding with a three story red brick building. 

     Whoa! 

     What's going on? Trevor asked the Azure with his mind. Some new, advanced training exercise? Are we being sent out on a mission?

​     He got no response. 

     "You in contact with the Azure at all?" he called out to Niki. "I'm getting nothing."

     "Me, neither. It's freaking me out a little. When we get sent to Earth, it's for a reason, and the Azure always lets us know the reason."

     They circled each other twenty feet in the air on their anti-gravs.

     Trevor had no idea what time of day it was, or even what time of year it was on Earth. It was night. He knew that. The wind that blew dust particles in his face felt warm, so he thought, summer? Late August, maybe?

     "It's like they're punishing us," Niki said, "but why?"

     The floated over an alley without illumination of any kind. 

     Below, Trevor saw shifting, shadow shapes. How many, though?

     "We need to go down and talk to them," Trevor said. "Maybe they'll give us some kind of clue about this whole..."

​     "How good an idea do you think that really is?"

​     "We can always disappear if things go wonky. Come on. Hi."

     "I'm staying invisible in case you need a little back up," Niki said.

                                               CONTINUE

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