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The sharp crack of the gunshot still rang in her ears, long after it passed. In an attempt to keep calm, Emery worked on isolating its source. It wasn't too far away, and it seemed to come from deep within the town—ah! The square! That's where the rift hunters from earlier were going, wasn't it? She chewed on her lower lip anxiously, trying not to rely too much on this newfound tiny sliver of hope, but ultimately failing. If the rift hunters were there, that means Mayor Vladimir had anticipated the Crucible's arrival, and that in turn means he must have a plan, right?

Still, Emery couldn't help but be overly wary. She jumped at every little sound: at the store's metal sign clanging against the breeze, at the faint chirping of some bird perched atop the wall they'd just climbed, and even at Aubrey's voice when he spoke again. It took her a beat longer than normal to process what he had said, and by then, he was already scurrying off.

[color=#FFD2C3]"Okay! Go! I'll stay outside and keep watch!"[/color]

Emery beckoned for Aubrey to hurry, but there hadn't been a need to. He'd had that resolute look on his face already, one that gave even her a boost in confidence. She remembered seeing that same look when she first saw him racing in Kuiper; he'd won even though the odds were stacked against him. Emery nodded to herself, finding solace in his determination. However worried she had been for Auntie Mel, she knew Aubrey was a hundred times that. There was no way he would let anything happen to his mother. What she had to do now was help them in however small way she could, and that meant steering clear as Aubrey helps her out the house. The last thing they needed was her stumbling about and slowing them down.

Before she caught up to him, Aubrey had already disappeared inside. She could hear his heavy footsteps as he zoomed up the stairs, loud in the silence that draped over the streets once more. The quiet was unnerving now, but she refused to succumb to it. Instead, Emery grabbed the broomstick she found lying along the front of the Marshalls' house and held it close to her. She remained rooted to her spot by the front door, shaky hands gripping the makeshift weapon tightly, and waited for the two to come back down. With the help of her goggles, she would know when someone was coming from miles away.

To keep herself busy, she laid out the best route they could take to the skiff waiting for them using her her accurate mental map of the town. They needed to take the least crowded path, but they also couldn't go anywhere with a steep incline, or Auntie Mel would have trouble. Emery had narrowed her choice down to two—one winding around the southern edge of the town, the other going straight through the woods—when Aubrey came back out. Alone.

[color=#FFD2C3][i]Where's Auntie Mel?[/i][/color] she thought to ask, but somehow she already knew. 

Emery fought against the stir of dread at the pit of her stomach and forced herself to remain calm. She nodded absently as Aubrey told her the new plan, processing his words even though she felt like she hadn't heard anything said. It was as though she ran on autopilot. Her mind had been caught in a daze, but her body hadn't, and it compelled her to move. 

[color=#FFD2C3]"I know the fastest way to get there,"[/color] she said automatically. 

They'd barely moved when a red warning sign popped up in her goggles, blinking rapidly as it locked onto a moving target that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. A closer look showed her a brown-haired boy, probably not much older than them. He was approaching them! Unlike the soldiers she'd seen marching from the lake, he didn't wear a uniform, but that wasn't enough to placate her. Emery tightened her grip on the broomstick and stepped in front of Aubrey protectively. Odds were against them but it wouldn't be like her if she didn't try. 

What the mysterious boy yelled out caught her off guard, though. A mechanic, he'd said. Why was he looking for a mechanic at a time like this? Didn't he know they were in a brink of a possibly violent annexation? Emery looked to Aubrey for guidance, the confusion on her face blatant enough for him to pick up. Should they trust him? He was a far better judged of people than she was, and until he said so, she wouldn't be dropping her guard.

[color=#FFD2C3]"Who are you?"[/color] Emery tried to sound forceful, but her naturally soft voice didn't exactly allow her to sound menacing. She pointed the tip of the broomstick at the boy in a final, desperate attempt to look intimidating. [color=#FFD2C3]"Why do you need a mechanic?"[/color]