They had made it outside. It was just as unnaturally silent out here. Tall, featureless buildings loomed in the pitch-black sky; nobody was around, except for a car parked in the lamplight across the street. At least there was that.
The beast brought her to the car and set her down on the ground.
Whoa!
...
It ran down the street, turned a corner and went out of sight.
Bye.
He'll be back soon.
Oh-- hello!
Hello there! And welcome to Forfeit. Take a seat.
The lady in the car seemed comfortable with everything that had just happened. She opened a door so Lily could sit beside her.
I'm Jaime, and you just met Rufus.
Nice to meet you. I'm Lily.
I see, so you're Lily...
It's a shame you got caught in the earthquake. I wish I could say that you'll be safe from now on, but who knows? This city can be pretty damn odd.
What do you mean exactly?
The city is always changing. And there are... strange things... living under the ground. We work with them to survive.
Strange things living underground... So for example, an earthquake could talk to you?
I haven't heard of that one. Earthquakes are just what happens when you stay in the subways too long.
Could have been someone else talking though. When you're new, all sorts try and talk to you down there.
...
Dealing with strange goings-on's what we're here for, so don't worry too much.
Oh, Rufus is back.
Yep. Let's go.
(Eww, a teenage boy!? What happened to the strong, silent beast?
Werewolves are a scam!)
(Looks like her tastes lean that way after all.)
I think we normally take newcomers back to the main offices to explain things. Would you like to do that?
Thanks for the offer. I don't plan to stay here, though... I'm just looking for my sister.
You mean Stella, don't you? She's a friend of mine.
Yes. So this is the right place after all.
She hasn't come home in a long time, and I found a note saying that if she were to disappear, I could find her here...
That girl is always causing me trouble.
Do you know if she's all right?
Well, I saw her quite recently, and I don't think she was planning to go back to the real world.
If we wait long enough, she should turn up at the Society main offices - the same place we want to take you. It's something of a hub.
Yeah, that chick has been turning up at HQ pretty often.
(She wasn't planning to go back to the real world...
So this place is what, a dream?...)