Dawn was finally coming in the thick valleys. One of the few vistas not touched by the tripod calamity. Still warm in golden leaves and green grass. The Hudson water crystal against the orange rays from the sun. Instead of three there were so much more. Surmounting over twenty people. It was a party of the survivors of one tripod. Some from all walks of life, most military. A few of the Scouts 84 unit, such as Webb, Riley, Shiva and Lilja. Women and men, even an orphaned five year old boy who was being tended to by Scarlet, a private of the Marine Corp. They were all refugees now, left to fend for themselves in their trails with no food, water, shelter, weapons and no peace. All scarred from what they had seen. All had lost something dear to them. However, their hope had been renewed in something they never suspected. Another incomprehensible fourth kind that appeared only to save them. She was being carried by Riley after her demonstration to their previously skeptical eyes. Now that they'd seen it, anything was possible. The knowing someone was with them who gave them that was instilling. The party as a whole was one in the worry that she may not wake up.

As Riley passed through, the eyes would obsessively stare. Like seeing her even unconscious was the proof they needed that the night before actually happened. For hours it was revisited and discussed, impossible to debunk. The conversations always ended on the same note. That no matter where they went, they had the most powerful weapon they ever seen watching out for them. Shiva, Webb, and Riley feared she may have passed the threshold of no return to kill the tripod. There was not much they could do but wait. They wouldn't share that knowing with the refugees.

Then Lilja stiffened in Riley's arms, jolting straight like a reflex. He stunned at first until her arms pushed his away. "I'm fine." She croaked. "Let me go. I'm fine."

Shiva caught up in a breathy smile, "Lilja?"

Riley gently helped her back on the ground. Her eyes weren't even open yet, but her face was wincing and curving into a scowl against the pain in her head. Most of the refugees were ahead following Webb, but a few startled to see her waking up.

"You alright?" Riley asked wearily. Lilja stumbled forward at first in a stagger. Taking intermittent and heavy breaths. Then she fumbled out the party hacking and heaving, retching by a tree. Shiva left Riley's side to check on her.

Lilja wiped the vomit from her lip, holding herself up by a tree stump. She started to breathe more equally now, and said in a sunken voice, "I killed it."

"We need to catch up." Shiva warned, "But yeah… yeah you definitely did. In front of all the refugees, too. You're kind of a legend now."

Lilja stood straight and gazed her reddened eyes to Shiva. "They all saw it?"

"Well yeah." Shiva said like it was obvious. "Got some new people to shepherd. Webb is back, too."

"Webb?"

"Yeah, he was in the other cage thing you pulled down. As well as a few others from Scouts 84." Shiva helped her walk back up the incline with the others. "I hate to ask it, I know you're feeling like shit but… we've been wandering in these woods for hours. Didn't want to risk running into a tripod on the road. But we're in need of provisions badly. Do you know if any are close?"

Riley walked close beside them, wanting to overhear, as well. Lilja groaned in annoyance, but she relented anyway. After a moment, Lilja sighed and stated, "There's three I can see up hill. They're west. They're stationed there, not moving. We keep walking straight we'll pass them."

"Good," said Riley. "A small town is coming up through the valley. We can stop and rest there."

Lilja finally had a chance to look around at their new party members. Soldiers and refugees alike. The most startling was a young boy who looked to be just a toddler, being carried by a female soldier. He had the same exhaustion as all of them. He moved his weary eyes to her and stared. Lilja stared right back.

"A lot of these people were in those cages for days," lowly explained Riley. "Some of them won't even talk. Not that I can blame them."

"They were taking people up in those ships one by one. Doing God only knows what." Shiva glowered to the downtrodden faces.

Riley said, "I don't even think He knows."

Lilja wilted to even think it. "Vines," she said, "They're starting."

Riley asked her then, "Starting what?"

Webb finally stopped before the crowd and called for attention, "Everyone. Listen up, everyone. Can I have your attention, please?"

The party started to slow, with Lilja, Riley, and Shiva catching up to listen. Webb gave a short glance of acknowledgment to Lilja, certainly relieved she was finally awake. He waited for all the tired and traumatized faces to stop and listen. "We'll be coming up to Stuyvesant. There's no telling if there are tripods in or near the hamlet. However, if we're gonna continue without interruption we need rest and food. We'll scope it out from a distance, make sure it's safe, then retreat there. The nearest refuge with military protection is Boston, so we'll be making our way there. It'll be long and it'll be dangerous. If you all want to survive you need to listen to the armed forces in the group. You need to trust in our strategy. Any interruption can very well cause the decimation of our entire group. It's imperative you do as we ask. I'll also add that we have two individuals travelling with us you may or may not be curious about. I assure you there only goal is the protection of you and everyone else. Let them do their job and they'll do it. Do not distract and do not tempt them. Their abilities are to be used in means of our survival, and survival only." Webb gestured to Lilja and Shiva, gathering all of the confused and frightened glares of the crowd. All Lilja could read was fear, they feared them. With that, she let her shameful eyes fall to the ground. I saved them, and they still don't think anything else of me.

One refugee, an older man asked aloud, "What's this strategy? How are you supposed to keep us safe? I've seen battalions of your units pulverized in moments by those things."

"Because we have Shiva and Lilja," said Webb, gesturing to the two again. "You all saw proof of it last night. That's not the only tripod she's killed, either."

A woman asked fearfully, "But we don't understand. What did she do? How did she…"

"You all need to trust. Not distract and not tempt. You do that for them, they will protect you." Webb interrupted suddenly, holding a calming hand up to the scattered whispers and gaunt faces.

Robbie asked quieter to Webb directly, "We're going to Boston?"

"That's the plan, yes. We'll be sticking to the woods to avoid the roads. That's where they've been hunting. With that said, let's be off. You'll be able to eat and get a few hours of sleep when we get to the hamlet."

Their group was becoming a migration, simply moving on to the nearest haven of survival, not certain it would be, either. They were all just surviving. Clamouring through thick woods and terrain to keep breath, but none of them truly believed they were heading to salvation. It was just delaying the inevitable. Waiting for the moment their fear to be the pull of the rug.

They bordered Stuyvesant, and Webb made sure to check with Lilja that it was safe to enter town. When she gave the go ahead, the sun was already starting to set. An entire day of travelling, no food and no water. Seeing a grocery store was quickening their famine, and Webb and soldiers knew it was where they'd be sleeping tonight. The town was not untouched. There were scattered rips of clothing, dust piles filling the gutters, and buildings nearly demolished. Broken down vehicles surrounding a large mound of earth by ball diamonds. It was clear a tripod had emerged here, but fortunately it moved on a while ago.

Inside the grocery store, the power was out, and it looked to be untouched by any scavengers or other refugee groups. The people hoarded the shelves, eating anything they could get their hands on. Riley found a few cases of water bottles and was handing them out steadily. Shiva checked on Scarlet and the little boy.

"Does he like bananas?" Shiva asked sweetly with a bunch in her hand.

Scarlet was sitting on the floor with the boy who was starting to upset. She smiled up at the gesture, "Yeah, I think so. What you say, Jack? Want a naner?"

Jack didn't speak, he whimpered as he huddled into Scarlet who took the banana for him. She was trying to get him to eat and drink, but he was fussing. "I know he's hungry. He's gotta be."

"Shock is settling," replied Shiva as she sat down with them, listening to the crowd of people take what they needed and shuffle for a place to rest. "We're somewhere safe, he's gonna take this moment to come to terms with what he saw, what he went through. Give it time, he'll eat. I think he just needs a cuddle."

Scarlet folded him into her arms tighter. Petting down his blonde, ashy hair. He started to settle, and it brought Scarlet the first smile in days. She was a woman close to Shiva's age. Still young but grown enough to take care of herself and the boy confidently. A black woman with short, curly black hair and large brown eyes. She was a private in the Marines, giving Shiva and herself some common ground.

"I was in the mechanized unit at Whistler. Front lines with the Gustav. Didn't do us much good. I was certain I'd be zapped away with that beam they have, but one focused in on me. Like it actually saw me. Next thing I knew I was in that cage. I saw Jack. I couldn't save his dad from being sucked up in that thing fast enough. So… I made it my mission to make sure he's safe. At any cost." Scarlet explained her story quietly with Shiva, certain not to wake him now that he was asleep. She continued, "I don't have much experience with kids. I don't know the first thing of what I could say to comfort him or make him feel safe… because…"

"You don't believe it," said Shiva sullenly. "I get it. I do. I've… been watching a little girl. Well, she's barely a little girl. But I know a little thing about that helplessness in wanting them to feel safe. But you don't even feel safe. Just wait, though. After some time, you'll find your sense of safety is with them. Maybe they'll start to feed off it in turn."

Many of the refugees ate and were eager for sleep and nothing else. They sat together in the front of the store, wanting to keep a watchful eye out the panel windows for the haunting shadow they dreaded. A few didn't sleep, including Lilja and Shiva, who felt responsible in staying alert. Especially Lilja being the only one who could tell if one was close. There was some silent chatter, faint whispers of fear and weeping. Rustling of food packages and clothes was a faint comfort in knowing they weren't alone. But Lilja knew the majority of them had nothing to share for the two but fear. They'd stare at Lilja without words, flicking their eyes away when she noticed them. No one but Riley, Shiva and Webb had words for her. Much like her days in the lab, she was seen as a problem to be avoided. Even though they weren't, it only made Lilja feel more alone.

She came and took a seat next to Shiva by a cashier till. Lilja was visibly upset, not glaringly, but Shiva could see the pent-up shoulders and weary stare.

"What's up?"

Lilja didn't answer right away, she glanced to her for a second before going back to her fidgeting fingers. "They're all staring at me."

Shiva sighed and admitted, "Well. You did go super saiyan on a hundred-foot alien killing machine right in front of them. I think they're just in reasonable shock."

"When will it go away?"

"I don't know. Maybe it won't. Who cares if they stare? A lot of the people have seen the worst, they're not exactly worried about where their eyes are going." Shiva explained, "Give it time, they'll accept you. Who knows, you might even make some friends."

Lilja raised a skeptical brow. "We're here to protect. We're not here to make friends. That's the last thing that matters."

"You can make relationships, Lil. You're out of the lab now." Shiva's eyes kept glancing passed Lilja's head before returning to her. She was discreet about it until she wasn't. "Cute boy staring at 3 o'clock."

Lilja flummoxed, "Three oh clock?"

"Don't be obvious about it. He's been staring at you for a while. Your right."

Lilja immediately whipped her head right, creating a groan from Shiva who snatched her arm. It was Robbie a few heads away, but to Lilja, she saw a boy her age under the light of the moon. His staring flicked away as soon as she turned her head. But it was clear he was staring.

Shiva chastised, "Jeez… I said don't be obvious about it. So, don't turn your head a full 180 degrees and stare back."

Lilja turned her gaze forward, "Sorry."

"So…" Shiva's tone raised with a teasing smile, "What you think, he's cute, right? You two are like the same age. You're both traumatized teens living in an apocalyptic world. It's like a romance novel."

Lilja's cheeks burned, but she wouldn't show it. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Just… looking for something hopeful in a hopeless world. Maybe a cute teen romance might make things a little less shit. It might be good for you, too. Really good. You deserve something to make you happy, Lil. You haven't since the day I met you. The lights are there, but there not on. You coast through the motions. Yesterday was probably the first time I've ever seen you feel something."

Lilja said back quickly, "Because when I feel things, people get hurt."

"The only thing you hurt last night was that thing. Wasn't for you, none of these people would be here now."

Lilja hesitated, but the thought was something she wasn't adept in controlling. She glanced back to Robbie, catching Shiva's attention. When the air got dense suddenly, Shiva whacked her shoulder.

"Hey! Don't do that!"

"What?"

"Read his mind!" Shiva hissed quietly, "You can't do that."

"Why?"

Shiva fumbled for words, "Because… you just can't. That's cheating. The whole point of relationships is learning about that person through what they do, what they say. It builds anticipation, admiration, and it's just the human thing to do. You never had to deal with this, but it's kind of a gross invasion of privacy. Like the worst kind. How'd you feel if someone was reading yours?"

Lilja let that idea stall her, then she got thinking about it. For the first time she understood a part of the fear people had for her. Especially in the lab. Shiva was right, her thoughts and memories were sacred. If someone had the ability to read them without her consent, she'd feel violated. "Yeah." Lilja cooed back, almost shamefully, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"You tried, though." Shiva smiled, "Which means you kind of want to, don't you? With the kid. It's okay to like a boy, Lilja. It's the most human thing you could do. It's what makes you human."

Lilja gazed back to Robbie discreetly. He was looking ahead, talking with Riley who was at his side. Not comfortably, he had a broken spirit just like everyone else. Riley was certainly trying to build it back, but he had seen things he kept deep inside. Lilja wouldn't dare try to look inside his head again, but she could tell what was in there was horror after horror. Even so, she remembered the teen magazine. He looked like the boys in their brightly coloured clothes. With white teeth, and smooth warm skin. Soft and sparkling eyes. Shaggy dark brown hair that was grimy and unkempt, but even so, she wanted to know what it felt like. The first boy her age she had ever met. It was hard not to be curious.

Lilja could feel Shiva's eyes on the back her head. She stole her gaze from Robbie to say to her flatly, "All I saw was that he was scared of us."

Shiva's smile faded a bit, shrugging her shoulders as if she wasn't expecting anything else. "Who isn't, right?" Then she started to adjust herself against the back of the till. "I'm getting some shut eye. You down for first watch?"

"Yeah."

The adrenaline that had been coursing for the last few days was finally starting to settle. Her eyes screamed for sleep, but she wouldn't. The fear of a tripod catching them by surprise was still keeping her alert. It was only a matter of time before one did, and the waiting was the most gruelling especially now. Because now was finally the time to rest. They were cunning creatures, proving their ability to hide and stalk. Even in the comfort of dead silence she was still not confident they were safe.

There was a light snore carried through the grocery store. A few louder than others. The moon was giving some light from the windows behind them, but not much else. It was such a strange ambiance. Never had Lilja been in such a domestic situation with others. Never were so many with her and not behind an observation glass. Even stranger was that she was the one who was supposed to protect them. Being around them even for just a day was surreal. Oddly comforting to hear the chatter, their comfort and solace in one another, their simplicity. She wanted it, too. She was destined to be a weapon against other countries – other humans. She never anticipated she'd be the last weapon to fight for them.

Hours went by, and eventually Shiva woke up for her watch. Giving Lilja the time to finally sleep. When she did wake up, it was to the horror of a tripod horn just outside. Heavy rain accompanied by the whirring engine and tidy quake of their footsteps gaining closer. Her whole body thrusted into action, nearly standing up until Shiva pulled her down.

Shiva put a finger to her lips and hushed, "Stay still."

Lilja froze but her body was shaking. She slowly glanced along the grocery store at the other faces. All wide eyed and thrown back into the terror with only a moment of relief. They were petrified to their places. Most hugging the walls or shelves. The soldiers' shepherd them in groups, waiting for the signal from Webb to either stay still or run. Riley was holding Robbie back from just under the window, but both of their heads still preened back to look.

There was barely daylight outside, the sun wasn't over the hills yet. But it was enough light to see it passing through a street over. It's headlights searching through every crevice of the town to find human life. Lilja glanced back to Shiva, and relieved that she was using her abilities. She was in her stance – head craned down and right fist to her chest. It allowed her to stay concentrated. She was basically making a movie with her mind in someone else's, every scene needed to be captured impeccably. It was life or death. There was a lot of shushing from some refugees who weren't complying, simply because they weren't understanding. But Shiva was adept – a true artist in shrouding with just her mind. The tripod wouldn't have been alert even if she wasn't there. Lilja caught that it was heading somewhere with captured humans for something uncertain – but whatever it was, it was bound to be horrendous. She had rescued the lot of refugee and soldiers last night almost by the last beat of her heart. The worst was knowing she was helpless in saving everyone.

As the tripod gradually passed through Stuyvesant, the soldiers and refugees slowly breathed out in relief. Scarlet consoled an upset Jack, and many of the women started to weep feeling the weight of how helpless their world was. Webb was always an indifferent kind of person. Speaking with logic and not emotion. "Let's get going before anymore pass through. I'll give you all ten minutes to do what you need to before we get back on the trail. Whether that be using the restroom, grabbing supplies or what have you, if you're not ready in ten, we're leaving without you. Get a move on."

The soldiers were prompt in coaxing the refugees in doing as the General said, making sure there was no reason for needless stops when they started moving. Eventually everyone was among the shelves grabbing what they needed or what they'd like, lining up for the rest room, or simply finishing a conversation with someone else. The place was bustling like a grocery store should be (all except the power).

"You should take this time to grab what you need, kid. Might not be days before we stop again." Riley advised Robbie, who moved from his spot last night to the door as soon as Webb was finished. He was certain the kid was just being proud or careless. He knew the teenager angst too well from his own adolescence.

Robbie was flat in his reply, "Nah, I'm good."

"What about pain relief for that leg?" Riley added, "Yeah. Don't need you slowing us down because of it. Go grab some medicine and an energy bar or something. Don't make me force you."

Shiva overheard the conversation as she was grabbing a few essentials. A seldom pride to hear an authoritative paternal figure come out in his voice. For Riley, he made a keen promise to himself to keep Robbie safe, he wasn't going to tolerate any recklessness. Robbie didn't argue, not with an army vet. He lazily shifted towards the medicines without a word.

Lilja was starving, but the food in the isles were so daunting in their bright colours and smells, she didn't even know where to start. Much of the fresh produce had rotted from no power for days. Anything else she wasn't familiar with. She opened a bag of chips and took a whiff. Immediately loathing the smell and setting it back to the shelf. In the lab, she ate a strict no-seasoned diet of steamed vegetables and meat. Here were cans, bags and boxes, none seemed trustworthy to put into her mouth. Yet another glaring thing that made her feel alien from the others.

She turned down the candy isle and saw Robbie through the open shelves. She immediately fled back behind boxes to hide. She asked herself why she'd even bother. It happened with a jolt of nerves, scaring her in a way she'd never been frightened before. She was familiar to despair, to dread. To such intense fear it framed her life. This fear was far different. It was as if her stomach was rising to her chest, bouncing around. She wouldn't have known it was just excitement. Lilja hadn't felt the emotion a lot. She was inconsolably shy. But she was still inherently curious.

They were both alone on that corner of the store. Lilja peeked out the box cover just a little. He wasn't aware she was even there. He was carelessly looking through medicines. Deadpanned in expression but had such sad green eyes. His bangs dangled to his face, then he flicked them out the way. It awe-struck Lilja to stillness to see more of his face. It was dirty and pale. He was not a clean and warm faced boy like the ones in the magazine. Yet he was still captivating to look at. She followed him slowly as he moved down the isle. She couldn't even blink. Every feature of his face she studied and admired. The slight bridge of his nose, small lips and downturned eyes. His sniffles and sighs as he reluctantly searched for things to grab.

Robbie went the way of the isle towards the front doors, Lilja followed in her own isle. Keeping care to not step too loudly or bump anything. The more she observed him, the more she wanted to see. She was deathly scared of him. The thought of exchanging words with him a shuddering idea. Watching him from afar was more comfort, giving her the time to feel what any teenage girl should experience. Shiva said it was okay to like a boy, but what happened after? Lilja couldn't comprehend it. All she knew was that he entranced her. Like the deer by the Hudson River, or the golden leaves above in the woods. He was something she could not understand but wanted to. He left out the isle back to the front doors, and Lilja clung to the shadows, watching him meet back up with Riley.

Webb was at the front door, as well. He asked Shiva and Riley, "Where is Lilja?"

"Around," shrugged Riley as Robbie handed him a bottle of Tylenol to store in his rucksack. "Probably admiring the macaroni noodles down isle ten or something."

"Relax," said Shiva. "She's been keeping an eye. If a tripod was near, she'd tell us."

"It's important to keep her in sights at all times. She's kind of our main defence as of now, if you didn't realize." Webb stated wryly.

Robbie asked, "How does she know if they're close?"

Shiva and Riley exchanged the same look. The look asking each other if they should say it. Webb was less generous. "You don't need to worry about that, do you?"

Riley asked Robbie then, "Wanna go check on her? You two can… exchange Pokémon cards, play hide and seek, you know… kid things."

"They're teenagers, Ken," groaned Shiva.

"Or bond over shared angst. Just make sure she knows it's time to leave soon."

"Lilja? She's the…"

"Weird bald girl. Yeah." Riley replied to Robbie, making Shiva sneak a glare up to him.

Shiva was discreetly elated Riley asked Robbie to do it, even though he was totally oblivious to Shiva's intentions. Any chance for the two to possibly strike a conversation. As she knew Lilja in her right mind would never.

As Robbie shuffled away to go find her, Webb called over the store. "Two minutes, people!"

Lilja was far too preoccupied in the candy isle now, looking over all the vibrantly coloured goods. She stopped at the smell of something sweet, almost distractingly sweet. Given her hunger, she was fast to react to it. It was a container of brightly coloured candies. Like small little snakes or worms. She read the package. Gummy worms. Certainly worms. They weren't known for being appetizing. In fact, they weren't even an adored animal. She opened the package and gingerly plucked one. A blue and yellow blob of syrup and sugar. It was strange but smelt inviting. Half the foods she had encountered warded her away based on smell, this was the first not to. She took another whiff; it passed the last test. She prepared herself and took a small nibble off the top of it. As soon as she did, she got a squishy texture that immediately graced with sweetness she had never tasted. It was enthralling all her senses, even dilating her pupils. A small rush of air from even her abilities getting stimulated by the sugar. She took a bigger bite, and the rush was more delectable. It was a revelation for Lilja. The first encounter with food outside the lab and it brought her sugar levels to new and exciting heights. Exploding her dopamine receptors like little happy fireworks. She put the whole thing in her mouth, certain she could have downed the whole container then. She grabbed it and slammed it in her pocket after shoving a handful in her mouth. She grabbed another container, then another, then another. Soon her pockets were full. She cradled as many containers of gummy worms as she could before hearing Webb call again.

"Time to go everyone!"

She darted out the isle with her haul of goods, and when she turned the corner she stopped cold. Her petrified eyes could only stare wide as Robbie startled to her with a whole shelf of gummy worms in her arms and currently filling her mouth. He didn't say anything at first, he eventually muttered a bit disturbed. "They said it's... time to go."

Lilja stepped back and around Robbie, keeping her front facing him before eventually darting past without a peep. He didn't know what to say about it, he was mostly confused.

Shiva and Riley observed amusingly Lilja munching down the gummy worms in her mouth with her wealthy haul barely keeping in her arms. Shiva wouldn't have said it but seeing Lilja finally act like a kid was melting her. She beamed a grin of pride.

Riley nearly chuckled as he said, "Holy gummy worms! Finally eating things kids should be eating."

Shiva muttered with a smile, "I don't think we have room for all of those. Maybe put some…"

Lilja's voice was muffled but she clearly shook her head and grunted an 'uh-uh'.

"Nevermind, we're bringing those along." People slowly started to gather at the doors to leave as Shiva grabbed a plastic grocery bag and opened it for Lilja. "Start putting them in. You're carrying them, though."