“Who’s there?” My voice wavered.

“What are you doing, Ell?”

“Shh!” I snatched the flashlight from Martin. Cautiously, I pointed the light towards the snapping sound, squinting as I faced the rain.

“I heard something,” I whispered. “Footsteps.”

“Can’t have been. It was just the rain hitting the—”

From behind a wide tree, a figure emerged wearing a long cloak and walked slowly toward us. I pointed the light directly at him and he removed his hood.

“No way.” I started to shake.

“What?” Martin whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“I know him.”

“Who is this guy?”

“He’s from the hotel.”

“What’s with the getup, man?” he asked the stranger with a louder voice.

“Don’t be alarmed,” said the stranger. “I mean you no harm.” He held his hands palm up at his sides. “I am unarmed.”

“Did you follow her from the hotel, bro?” Martin demanded.

“Yes. It was necessary,” the man replied.

I shook my head in disbelief. “What?”

“You were stalking her?” Martin squared his shoulders and took two steps forward.

Then from behind another tree, the gargantuan bald man from the restaurant stepped forward, He stood close to seven feet tall. Like the gray-eyed man, he was also wearing a long auburn cloak.

“I know taekwondo,” threatened Martin.

“We don’t want to fight,” the huge man said.

“There is no time for this right now,” the gray-eyed man said, turning as if we should follow him. “Everything will be explained to you later, but right now they have the girl, and we must move.”

“Katie? You know where she is?” Martin’s eyes grew wide.

“The Ras took her.”

“Hold up, who’s Theras?” Martin asked. “Where are they taking Katie?”

“The Ras are a people. Come, we must hurry.”

“We’re not going anywhere until we know who on earth you guys are,” I said.

“We’re not from Earth,” the large man said, shaking his head.

“What?” Martin blurted.

“Please listen,” the gray-eyed man said. “I am Keiran Anmus, and this is Jarek,” said Keiran, pointing to the muscle mound standing next to him. “Ilta’s gone to track the Ras—she’s the woman that was with us at the restaurant.” Keiran looked pointedly at Jarek then back at us. “The Ras have probably returned to the vortex point by now. Time is of the essence.”

“Ell, if they know what happened to Katie…” Martin turned to me, conflicted. I couldn’t blame him—I didn’t know what to do. “We need their help. What other choice have we got?”

Words failed me. There was nothing else I could have said at that moment that would reassure my friend or even myself. We had no other choice and no time to deliberate.