5. Attack

Eagle awoke the next morning with a feeling of anticipation. It seemed a dream that his friends had arrived the evening before, but the rapping on his door and a stern, familiar voice alerted him that it was not so.

"Eagle, are you up?" asked Mika. "Hikaru, Lantis, and the others are having breakfast. You're going to sleep through their entire visit! I'm coming in."

He sat up just as the door slid open. She strode right past him and pulled the curtains back. He flinched as the light entered the room. "Mika," he murmured, shielding his eyes, "could you be a little gentler in the morning?"

She laughed, remarking that her position was more befitting of a nanny than a guard, and walked into the bathroom. He heard the shower running. Seconds later, she emerged carrying a neatly-folded towel and what looked like his apparel for the day. He stood, accepted them, and thanked her. She grinned, shaking her head, and committed to seeing him in the next 10 minutes.

-o-

They arrived just as his parents were leaving and seated themselves opposite of their guests. "What took you so long?" called Geo, a couple of seats down. Eagle shot him a childish grin and Mika informed him of the situation of Eagle oversleeping, which was received with exasperation and an assertion of no surprise.

Lantis smirked. "You have not changed at all" he said. Hikaru expressed that she was glad Eagle had not changed. She did not realize the effect her words had on Eagle. He was more determined to tell her his feelings at the first opportunity.

He picked up his fork and began eating. The sooner breakfast is over, the sooner they can start their tour and the closer he would be to occupying her attention.

-o-

"You can't go out like this, Eagle. You need to change," Mika said pointedly, placing her hands on her hips. Lantis, HIkaru, and Geo stood near the door and watched as their conversation take place. "We've gone out many times before without my disguise," he whispered back.

She did not budge. Rather, she insisted, "On any other day, it would be fine. However, the state of the union address is taking place this afternoon. There are going to be many people coming, some with strong and opposing views. You'll make it too easy for someone to spot you by going as you are." He placed a hand on her shoulder and assured her that they will all be fine, as they are traveling as a group. "Besides," he added, teasingly "you and Geo should be capable of keeping us safe."

She cocked an eyebrow and insisted that they should not tempt fate. Nonetheless, his decision was fixed and she had no choice but to go along with it.

They first explored the archives and museum, neither of which was very interesting to any of them. Geo nonchalantly suggested that his training facility was immensely more exciting than any of the historical artifacts and volunteered to guide them at the end of the day. He delved into detail about the state-of-the-art combat simulation they had just configured earlier in the month and spoke amorously of the new equipment that were just waiting to be inspected.

Hikaru strode between them, inquiring about the swords and whether they still require mental energy to activate. "Oh no," Mika chimed in, "we're trying to move away from using mental energy when it is unnecessary. I don't know about Geo's, but most of the new recruitments' training is now centered on building personal strength and less on silly, fancy weapons." Geo, being a seasoned fighter, balked at her dismissal of one of his key interests.

Eagle chuckled, "You'll hurt Geo's feelings if you continue speaking that way." The girls giggled and began talking on other subjects. Geo took their exclusive conversation as a sign to rejoin Lantis and Eagle at the front. "So how are Cephiro and out other friends getting along?"

According to Lantis, Cephiro was determined to be in a prosperous state, much like it was during the last pillar's reign, and its people happy and accountable for their home. He related it to Autozam and mentioned that he was glad to see Autozam's air clearing up.

Eagle hesitated a moment before asking if Hikaru and the other two girls from another world visited frequently. Lantis paused a moment before affirming that they did visit very often, sometimes staying for weeks at a time, as the time difference between the worlds were different. Cephiro's time ran longer and slower than that of the other world's. "I see," said Eagle quietly. "I do remember hearing them say that before."

They ventured through the streets for another hour, dodging into shops every now and then to point out the well-renown specialties of the area. Mika was quick to circle Eagle whenever the civilians approached him. She seemed more tense than usual and her eyes flitted back and forth around the room. Eagle understood her concern but was, admittedly, feeling somewhat annoyed at being treated like a defenseless being.

Glancing at her watch, she whispered that they should head back soon in order to make it to the president's address. They exited the shop and turned a corner to head back.

On the way, Eagle spotted an ice cream parlor. "How about it?" he said playfully to Hikaru. Hikaru nodded and seconded the idea. Lantis opposed it, reminding the two of them that they had an appointment to keep.

Eagle glanced at his bodyguard, who sighed and asked him to stand in front of the window where she could keep an eye on him as she retrieves the snack. Geo volunteered to accompany her but not before giving Eagle a firm suggestion to do as he was requested. The two of them received only an innocuous smile as a guarantee.

While they awaited the officers' return, Hikaru recounted with relish the many sights they had seen that day. "Are you enjoying your first visit to Autozam?" Eagle asked her, hoping that he could nurture her desire to extend her stay.

"I am—" she began, before Lantis quickly drew her and Eagle aside.

A shot sounded out and seemed to have travelled past them and straight through the window, into the parlor.

Eagle saw, standing across the street, a cloaked figure holding a gun; it was aimed at them. "Shield!" he yelled, stretching his arm before the three of them, but the force-field he remembered being able to summon long before did not appear.

The person aimed again but missed. There were screams everywhere. Lantis had Hikaru safe—good. The blurred figure was aiming again. "Shield!" Eagle cried again, his mind giving way. Someone knocked him aside and onto the ground just as another shot was fired. He did not feel anything.

"Eagle!" he heard Hikaru and Lantis call, before everything vanished out of sight.

The scene reappeared again before his eyes. He was staring at the sky. Her blonde hair was thrashing against his face as she shook him. "Eagle! Eagle!" his bodyguard cried. He was alive.

Geo nudged her. "Mika, go!" he commanded her. "Go after him! I'll get Eagle and the others to safety. We don't know if there are any others! Go now!" She looked down and stole one last glance. He felt her arms release him as she straightened up and dashed off.

A/N: What will happen next? Dun dun dun… Keep reading to find out hehe.