Giving up any hope of help, I try to pacify the woman.

“He’ll be fine. He’s a Librarian. We’re made of sturdier stuff.” I grimace while awkwardly patting her back.

I’ve only seen the man once and from a distance. His tall, bulky stature, dark features, and body built like a tank could terrify his enemies with just its appearance alone. That, and the man had a face that looked like death itself wouldn’t want to fuck with him.

He didn’t look the type to fall without destroying his enemies beforehand in some epic bloody scene, laughing menacingly while he ripped their limbs off.

“He was chosen as a Librarian for a reason,” I tell her.

“He has the capabilities to protect his Library and himself. That's why he was given that position. We need to stay hopeful and do what we can on our end.”

The woman stops crying and looks up at me. Her eyes are now swollen from her tears, her makeup faded and smeared across her red face.

She inhales deeply before wiping her tears away. She rolls her shoulders back and closes her eyes for a brief second before once again opening them. She stares at me, resolution set in her eyes as she regains her composure.

“You're right,” she reassures herself aloud, nodding her head. “Dolph's no weak man. If anyone can survive, it's him.”

“Thank you,” she whispers gently, a lighter look in her dark green eyes.

“Ah, I’m Aileen,” she says, almost flustered, placing her hand out to me.

I smile and place my hand in hers. “I’m Rhys, Sector Five’s Librarian.”

Aileen’s eyes widen slightly as she quickly straightens her shoulders.

“So what can I do to help?” she asks, wiping her smudged face and fixing her loose hair.

I look around the room. “Can you tell me what happened at your Library?” Hoping for more information on this oncoming threat.

“Could you remember anything about the people or supes who attacked your Sector?”

Aileen’s eyes flicker as she recalls the attack. “It started just like any other day. I was checking the Library's systems at the reception desk…I'm the Third Sector’s Library assistant. Sorry, I should have said that first.” She gives me a sheepish smile as she continues.

“Anyway…I was going about my daily jobs. Dolph was down in the Vault completing his work with the Records when all of a sudden, an explosion rang out from the top floor of the Library. It all happened so fast. Debris came pouring down to the main floor, flames and black smoke spreading from one level to the next. It moved like an entity with its own mind, burning everything it could get its clutches on.” Her eyes narrow.

“Now I realize that that was probably them too. People attacking from the inside.” She scrunches her face up in anger as she continues.

“People were screaming, and our staff was trying to get everyone out safely, but before they made it to the doors, a blast threw everyone back.” Her eyes close tight with her next words, sadness, and sorrow laced through her tone before she opened them again.