“Can you believe we had to go back to work so soon after a freaking invasion?!” Jeff said throwing a hand into the air. “Like there were actual killer robots in the city. And we’re gonna just keep doing corporate emails like that make senses. Not fair man.”
“It’s what happens when the aliens don’t wanna invade our half of the city,” Seth shrugged his shoulders as the elevator doors dinged open. Both of them stepped inside and hit the button for the first floor.
“Crazy,” Jeff’s face grew serious and he folded his arms holding onto his jacket. “The kids still have nightmares about what happened you know?”
Seth nodded slowly and frowned. “I can imagine. It was hectic during the attack.”
“Beyond hectic. If those purple and blue guys from the news hadn’t showed up. I don’t know what would have happened,” Jeff laughed softly. “It’s weird being in the debt of an alien. I think? What are the odds right?”
Seth smiled looking his way, “I’m glad you and your family were able to be saved. Who else would annoy me at work?”
Jeff grinned and stepped over and wrapped his arm around his shoulders tightly. “I’m so glad you think of me as a friend. And you care! I should bring you by for dinner again. The wife didn’t dislike having you over last time. Plus, the kids can tell you all about their favorite super heroes instead of us. I think purple is their favorite color now.”
The elevator dinged open and they stepped through, Seth trying to push him off but not a lot of effort into it. As they walked into the lobby Seth blinked, shocked to see Kathryn waiting for him. She was wearing casual clothes this time around. Regardless Jeff let go of him immediately and rushed over to her.
They hugged and Jeff grinned before pointing back to Seth, “He admitted he cared about me. I feel touched. He loves me.”
“I can guarantee he does,” Kathryn said and smiled an evil smile in his direction. “It’s nice seeing you again. Really.”
“Definitely. You should come to dinner too. Seth invite Kat with us!” he shouted almost angrily and then checked his phone. “Crap I wish I could talk but work had us late. I’ll see you both. Remember what I said about dinner!”
Kathryn watched him go out the door and then turned to look at Seth and smiled holding a hand in front of her face. “So Violet, when were you going to invite me to dinner huh?”
He rolled his eyes. “You’re sticking with that name huh?”
“Yes,” she kissed him lightly. “Now answer that question.”
“Okay kitty Kat,” smirking he shrugged, “Never because I didn’t plan going to dinner with them again.”
She pinched his side and took his arm leading him through the spinning doors, “It’d be fun. I like Jeff.”
“You like a lot of people.”
“So do you, even if you won’t openly admit it,” she said leading him to the train for the main location. “Behave when we see everyone.”
“Why wouldn’t I? We survived an alien invasion, right?”
She rolled her eyes but smiled as they got on the train and took it back toward the pier. Once they were off at their stop they took the stairs up to ground level and looked at the city as the repairs continued to be underway. The destruction had been wide spread but in the past few months the city had managed to pick itself off the ground and persevere. But even more than that people remembered the six strangers that had come out and fought for the city and its people.
“You guys are late,” Jack said from the table outside.
Sitting at an outdoor table with an umbrella through the center were the other four and Ben, waving them over as they came through. Everyone had their drinks and bread at the table but no one had ordered food proper. “Not my fault Violet distracted me on the train.”
“Don’t put this on me kitty Kat,” Seth said waving his hand in front of his face. She made claws at him and pawed at his face.
“Ignore Jack,” Sarah told them. “We only just got here ourselves.”
Cal peered over his glass, “Ignore Jack? So the usual right?”
Jack pouted hard, “A guy dies for a month and suddenly everyone is on their dirt.”
Marco kissed his head lightly and smiled. “It’s alright Jack. We still love you.”
A waiter came over to them, looking at the seven people present and hesitated before raising his menu. “Can I get you all anything?”
“Give us a minute,” Marco told him and smiled. “Next time you come by we’ll be ready.”
Nodding he scurried away and Marco handed menus over to them, getting nods of thanks from them. Looking down Marco sighed and reached into his shirt and pulled out his necklace. The red stone was there and it was in pristine condition. No cracks to be seen.
“Has it worked for anyone else?” he asked nonchalantly.
One by one they revealed their stones looking at them but they each shook their heads. They hadn’t been able to visit the dream place either since they defeated the Taq-Law or transform. It was as if the batteries suddenly stopped working in them after the big stunt with Marco. But none of them lamented it.
“I think they’ll come back. Just gotta recharge the batteries,” Jack said with a small smile. “Ley said that they were ours. That we were the protectors of this planet right?”
“You think they’re gone?” Ben asked softly as if it could potentially summon them again. “The Taq-Law I mean.”
“If Taq-Law or anything ever come here we’ll be waiting to kick their asses back into space,” Seth said smirking.
“Now you sound like Jack,” Sarah laughed and everyone else joined in with her.
Marco raised his glass slowly and looked at each of them and they took the hint, raising their own. “We were strangers at first and we went through a lot along the way. But we gained a lot. We came far and I think I can call you all friends. Plus, the world didn’t end and I’m definitely glad for that.”
“Speaking of that I’ve been thinking,” Jack said.
“Never a good sign,” Marco and Sarah chimed together and the rest chuckled.
Rolling his eyes he smirked, “We don’t have a name for ourselves. And any good team needs a name, right?”
“Here we go,” Seth mumbled.
“Let him speak,” Cal chided.
“Well we protected earth from an alien robot menace. And we got our powers from crystal rock things. So why not call ourselves the Terra Defenders.”
Kathryn thought for a moment, “Terra like Latin for earth?”
“Hell yeah. What do you think?”
“I think Terra Defenders is too clunky,” Ben touched his cheek for a moment. “How about Terran Knights?”
They paused chewing on the name for a moment but one by one they smiled nodding their heads.
“It could work.”
“Sounds fitting.”
“A little bit catchy.”
“That’s my Ben for you.”
Marco nodded, “So it’s decided. If anything, or anyone ever tries to come back here and mess with our planet. They’ll have to deal with us. The Terran Knights.”
The Harlequin Library 