Prologue

There's something deeply soothing about looking up at the night sky and seeing a canvas of stars as far as the eye can see. No boundaries. No beginning, or even an ending. Only the soft light to pierce through the darkness of space. Peter cradled the back of his head with his palms, fingers woven together as he let the peace settle on his chest, laying across him like a soothing blanket. The night was cool, only just cool enough to wear his brown leather jacket. The leather had long since grown worn over the years, at the elbows in particular, but he refused to part with it. The same devotion and attachment was shown to the cassette that was clipped to his belt loop.

He chose not to listen to the music right now however, instead wishing to listen to the silence of a desert night. It was interrupted though, with the sound of a sky light roof opening on the monstrosity of a van he was resting atop. He craned his neck just in time to watch Jane pop her head and chest out from the vehicle, she swatted him aside as she locked a circular device into place on the roof. Erik followed after her, both him and Jane staring up at the sky, as if Peter wasn't even there.

Peter joined them, looking back up at the stars, he had heard of Jane obsessing over anomalies and she had wanted to bring every witness she could. He came for her of course, what was he if not a good friend? When nothing happened though he opened his mouth to say something witty, brilliant and devastating all the same time. He was instead interrupted by Jane, "wait for it." She urged both men who began eyeing her with skepticism. He heard Darcy's muffled voice from in the van with which Jane answered with a sharp no.

Peter rolled his eyes, he liked this about Jane however, she was passionate, and this obviously meant a lot to her. Even if nothing happened, he got to enjoy a peaceful evening stargazing, and spending time with his friends. There wasn't much out here in the ass end of New Mexico, but he had this and for that he was grateful.

Silence settled among them all again, however fleeting before Erik turned his attention towards the woman. "Jane, you can't keep doing this." Peter smirked slightly at the fatherly tone to his voice.

Jane looked irritated, and descended back into the van with frustration tainting her words, "the last seventeen occurrences have been predictable to the second."

"Jane, you're an astrophysicist, not some storm chaser."

"I'm telling you, there's a connection between these atmospheric disturbances and my research." Peter turned back to looking at the sky as Erik followed Jane back down, content to relax a little bit longer before they undoubtedly went back, empty handed. "Erik, I wouldn't have asked you to fly out here if I wasn't absolutely sure."

Their words were muted in his mind though. His attention now turned to the sky that was twisting and turning, growing tumultuous. Blocking his view of the stars, lines of light crisscrossed against the growing dark clouds on an otherwise clear night. It was beautiful, and Peter was stunned for just a moment before he finally spoke up.

"Jane? I think you're gonna want to see this." He said, the others fell silent and he heard shifting from inside the vehicle. Peter wiped a hand over his eyes, blinking to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. When the clouds remained and grew thicker Peter knew he wasn't dreaming. He looked as Jane and Erik once again popped out of the van, both of them stunned by the same sight.

"I thought you said it was a subtle aurora!" Erik stared at her with curiosity and wonder in his eye.

"Go!" Jane commanded, dropping back inside the van, followed by Erik. Peter almost didn't make it as the van kicked into gear. Darcy always did have a lead foot. Peter looked at the two scientists with irritation over almost being thrown from the roof of the van, but they weren't paying him any attention anyway. He was distracted too when the nose of the vehicle dipped into a small ravine, one of the doors flinging open.

"Fuck!" Peter surged over and grabbed the handle and slammed it shut before anything could damage the equipment inside.

Jane was half hanging out the window as the winds kicked up around them, Peter could hear the roaring from inside. She had a small camcorder on her hand, filming as best she could. "Get closer."

"Right. Good one." Darcy snarked back.

"Go!" Jane called while Peter had his face stuck against the window peering upwards at the sky, from the billow of clouds a tornado was descending towards the ground, all dark clouds and ferocious winds.
"You can't be serious!" Peter cried from the back, his face grave with concern and maybe even a bit of terror. Jane's only response was to laugh as they got closer, he could see in the rear view mirror however that Darcy agreed with him.

As the tornado touched the dusty ground it kicked up all manner of debris, pebbles, sand, grit and grime went flying against the van. Everyone released a collective gasp at the sheer power of the event. The clouds ahead were bigger than the van itself, and faint blue light shone between them, differentiating them against one another.

That seemed to be enough for Darcy, the van swerved off and Peter could've kissed the woman. "What are you doing?" Jane called out, reaching across for the wheel of the van.

"I am not dying for six college credits!" The van started to swerve and shake as the two fought over the wheel and Peter reached out for anything to help keep him stable. He wasn't worried at this moment about being scolded for touching the equipment this time around. Jane quickly won out, and they drove even closer to the epicenter of this freak storm.

Blue light shot across the clouds as thunder cracked around them, Peter's heart was racing in his chest. "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit." He started to repeat, over and over like a mantra, this was the end wasn't it? He hadn't often thought of the ways he was going to die, but he certainly didn't expect driving head first into a tornado!

The sounds thundered around them, roaring around the van, which at this point was the only thing keeping them safe, Peter was sure of it. He couldn't take his eyes away from it all though, staring out the window, watching all the while he swore he saw a silhouette outside. There was no way, no one was out here before and no one would be out here now of all times! Yet, as they drove closer the crack of glass and the shouts from himself, Darcy and Jane made the terror in his chest grow. The vehicle shuddered to a stop only one thought on his mind; they had just hit someone.

Peter was stunned, looking at everyone else in the car, Erik looked like he'd had about as much excitement as he'd ever wanted. Darcy and Jane exchanging looks up front as they all panted for air. Not a moment later they were all reaching for the door handles, jumping out of the car, the figure had crashed against Peter's window, and was closest to him. Peter ran through the dirt and pebbles towards the body while Darcy cried out behind them.

"I think that's legally your fault."

"Get the first aid kit." Peter called back before Darcy could continue with any other smart remarks and comments. He knelt down beside the man, noting long blond hair and broad shoulders. "Do me a favor and don't be dead. Please!" He said, Jane kneeling down by the man's other side, Peter was busy watching the man as he struggled upright, looking dazed, confused.

Jane was not looking at him though, instead up at the sky, "where did he come from?" She asked, it was then that it hit Peter, the storm was gone, and there was nothing left to show of it except the man on the ground between them. What the fuck was going on?