She has made a long drive and will continue to drive for about an hour or so. Her GPS is set to the Hargrave Institute. She turns on some music and continues driving.

-----

At the mansion, Sage enters the laboratory where Merrick is already hard at work on a large scale computer.

"I see you're either getting an early start or you pulled that all nighter that you said you were too old for," Sage greets him.

"And good morning to you too," Merrick greets him back, "I am just starting few more tests to run, while I am out, giving the tour."

"What about Starvos?" Sage asks him.

"So, he liked the name?" Merrick asks in return.

"He did," Sage answers, "but what about the news? Have they said anything about last night?"

"All of the local stations are running with the story like wild fire," Merrick tells him, while typing, "see for yourself." Merrick brings his hand up to the corner of his screen and drags a smaller screen to one that is not in use. It brings up one of the local news; the reporter is at the site of a crater, the area where Starvos found himself last night.

"This crater is the site where it is believed that the shooting star crashed," the reporter talks to the camera, "you can see the devastation of the impact."

"Devastation?" Sage asks aloud, "there's just a few trees down, this happens every time we have a storm.

"This one isn't even the worst one," Merrick tells him, "they're trying to get an interview with Dr. Mayhew, though he hasn't returned any of their calls for comments, yet."

"How are we going to deal with him?" Sage asks.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes," Merrick tells him, "but for now, we're expecting about twenty potential interns today. I'll lead the tour, if you don't mind keeping an eye on things here?"

"Sure," Sage agrees.

"Hello?" Starvos calls out, entering the laboratory. Merrick and Sage quickly turn off the screens that they were watching as he approaches.

"Starvos, good morning," Merrick greets him, "sleep well?"

"Yeah," Starvos says, adjusting his hair, "thank you for the clothes."

"You look good," Merrick compliments him, "I figured you two were roughly the same size."

"Thank you," Starvos thanks him again, "they fit great."

"My closet is your closet," Sage tells him, "and don't worry about grabbing my favorite pieces as I already removed them for myself."

"Nothing says style like someone else's hand me downs," Merrick jokes. Starvos gives a small, fake laugh as he really did not get the joke.

"Did anything . . . come back to you?" Sage asks Starvos.

"I think it's a bit too early to tell," Merrick answers for him.

"No," Starvos answers, "I was kind of expecting to dream and maybe something come back, but I didn't at all."

"You did," Merrick corrects him, "just like most of your life right now, you can't recall it. Now, Starvos, if you don't mind, I'd like you to stick with me today."

"Ok," Starvos agrees, somewhat confused.

"We're expecting guests," Merrick tells him, "come with me." They leave the laboratory with Sage following them.

-----

Sage and Starvos stand atop the main stairway in the lobby of the mansion, as several people have entered and mingle below. They are all young, approximately around the same age as Sage and Starvos.

"All of these people want to in . . ." Starvos begins.

"Intern," Sage finishes for him, "and yeah, Merrick runs a very prestigious biotech program here, designed to advance the studies of technology on the human body."

"So, they want to work for him for free?" Starvos asks.

"Exactly," Sage answers.

"In the laboratory?" Starvos asks.

"Well, not the exact one you've seen," Sage corrects him, "we have other, smaller ones for the interns and other various projects that go on here. That's a little secret between you, myself and Merrick." Sage ends the conversation with a wink as Merrick grabs everyone's attention.

"May I have everyone's attention, please," Merrick announces, "I'd like thank everyone for being here, today and I'd like to extend my most humblest of welcome to you all. Welcome to the Hargrave Institute of Biological Technology Advancement." Everyone gives him a small round of applause. "Thank you, you're all are too kind," Merrick tells them, "unfortunately we are only looking for one intern for this upcoming semester. It will require hard work, careful studies, but you will get to take advantage of all of our facilities, dormitory, and the success of biotechnology advancements."

The large doors that are the main entrance open and a girl wearing glasses, with red hair slides in between them. She quietly approaches the back of the group, trying to blend in while looking around. She and Starvos make eye contact, and she quickly turns away.

"She's cute, huh?" Sage says with a smile on his face, having noticed what just happened.

"No, I mean yeah," Starvos studies her. There's something about her but he doesn't know what it is.

"It's him," she thinks to herself, looking straight ahead at Merrick.

Merrick calls for the tour to begin and everyone begins to file behind in.

"All you have to do is hang out in the back," Sage walks Starvos down the stairs with his arm around him, "make sure everyone stays in the group, don't let anyone stray away and best of all, enjoy the tour. You might learn a thing or two."

"What about you?" Starvos asked.

"I will be in our lab," Sage tells him, "now that you're here, you get my old job." Sage pats him on the back sneaks away unnoticed. As the group begins to follow Merrick, Starvos looks for the redheaded girl, but does not see her. A knock on the large doors stops him from following the group. He opens it to find Winston with a box and small electronic device.

"Delivery for-" Winston begins before looking up and realizing it is Starvos, "it's you."

"Hi," Starvos greets him.

"You're the guy from last night," Winston recognizes him, "you're the fal-"

"Winston, hi," Sage steps between them, "I'll take that, thank you. Stylus?"

"I should have known you and your-" Winston tries again.

"Do you want me to sign for this or not?" Sage asks. Winston hands him the device and a stylus.

"You can catch up with the group, Starvos," Sage tells him.

"Starvos, huh?" Winston asks him, "funny someone with superpowers would end up here. It makes you wonder what really goes on here."

"Super, what?" Starvos asks confused.

"Thanks, Winston," Sage shoves the device and stylus back into his chest, "it's always a pleasure." Sage slams the door in his face.

"This isn't over by a long shot," Winston shouts, before leaving.

"I'll take this," Sage tells Starvos, you can catch up with the rest of the group.

As Starvos re-enters the group he notices the redheaded girl lagging behind them. Starvos walks up to her. She acts if she is listening intently to Merrick's guided tour. Starvos stands beside of her and listens in too. The group begins to walk again and they walk side by side. As much as he wanted to, Starvos forces himself pay attention to the everyone ahead of him, but he still can't fight the feeling of being near her. A feeling so warm, so kind, it's almost like he knows this feeling from before, but does her know her?

"I never thought-" she begins.

"It's amazing, right?" Starvos accidentally interrupts her.

"Oh, yes," she replies.

"I'm Starvos," Starvos introduces himself.

"Starvos?" she says with question, "I'm Reya."

"Reya, it's nice to meet you," Starvos smiles at her.

"How long have you been here?" Reya asks him.

"Not too long," Starvos answers her, "I arrived just last night, I'm . . . I'm a friend of Merrick's."

"Oh, a friend," Reya walks alongside of him, "he's seems like a really great guy."

"It seems that way," Starvos agrees. Merrick clears his throat to get them to stop talking and the tour continues.

-----

A short while later, Merrick has led the group, outside to the conservatory.

"We will stop here for a short lunch break and reconvene in about an hour," Merrick tells them. As they disburse, several of the students gather around Merrick, asking him several questions. Starvos strays from the group, with Reya close behind him.

"Starvos?" she calls for him, placing her hand on his shoulder. This touch, it's something he's felt before, at least it seems familiar , there is something about her.

"Yes?" he turns to her.

"I just wanted to say thank you for hanging back with me," she thanks him.

"Of course, anytime," Starvos smiles at her. They stare into each other's eyes for a moment.
-----

At that time, a car drives into the driveway of the Hargrave Institute of Biological Technology Advancement. It is driven by a woman and unbeknownst to her, something flies overhead of her car, also entering the estate.

Inside, a large computer sounds alerting Sage that a trespasser has made their way onto the property.

"Oh, no, not today," he springs up from his seat.

-----

Out in the conservatory, Starvos and Reya continue their conversation.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Starvos asks her, "I feel like I've known you before."

"Starvos," Reya places her hand on his cheek.

The red light of a droid scans him and Reya, catching Starvos's attention.

"Unidentified," a droid in the air finishes scanning them, "must exterminate." Two small red circles light up for it's eyes, and two rays shoot out, ripping through the concrete of the conservatory, towards Starvos and Reya. Reya gives a small gasp, as Starvos grabs her leaps out of the way with her. The other prospects scream in terror.

"Everyone inside," Merrick orders them. Several of the prospective interns dash inside.

"You too," Starvos orders a star struck Reya.

-----

At the front of the building, the woman steps out of the car and immediately turns her head upward, seeing the droid that has followed her.

"Identified," the droid says allowed, " eximius humanus, Gia-"

"You've picked the wrong day to mess with me," Gia interrupts the droid. She begins to levitate into the air, until she is now even with the droid.

"Must exterminate," the droid orders itself. It's two small circles for eyes glow red, and two rays shoot out at her. She swiftly dodges them in the air, but now has to contend with the droid's tube whipping out towards her. Gia concentrates on it, take control of it, using telekinesis, and swings into the droid's rays. The rays slice off the top half of the tube and it falls to the ground. The droid immediately desists it's powerful rays, just in time for a second tube, from behind her to whip towards her. Gia turns and with one hand, stops it before making contact with her. Gia now concentrates on the two droids at the same time as she slowly lowers herself back to the ground. As if she is holding them with an invisible chain, she lands on the ground with one hand raised towards each of them. Gia suddenly claps her hands together, sending the two droids careening into each other. There is a small explosion in mid air as the impact destroys both of them.

-----

Inside the mansion, Merrick has hoarded the his prospective interns into a room where they cannot see what is going outside. He closes the door and follows them, leaving Starvos and Reya outside.

Starvos has nabbed the attention of the droid and raises his arms, that now have the yellow glow to them. His hands emit rays of yellow light upwards to the droid, who successfully dodges them.

"Starvos, look out," Reya shouts. Starvos turns just in time to see a metal tube whipping toward him from a second droid. He quickly raises his right hand and it emits yellow rays, knocking the tube away from him. He begins using his arms to fire at both of the droids, while dodging them at the same time.

A shadow from the air casts over Reya, who looks up to realize that she is being scanned.

"Unidentified," a third droid says allowed, "must exterminate. Engaging missile launcher." The chest of the droid opens, revealing one gold missile and it fires at Reya. She gasps as the missile heads towards her.

Starvos suddenly dives in front of her and raises his arms. The yellow rays shoot from his hands, deflecting the missile as it is just a foot above them. The missile deflects from them and begins spiraling towards the mansion. A new shadow passes overhead, catching Starvos and Reya's attention. They look up to see Gia gliding overhead and she uses her telekinetic abilities to stop the missile before it explodes into the mansion.

"Watch it next time," she barks out at Starvos. She must use most of her concentration to direct the missile. "Cover me," she orders, two droids perform a quick scan.

"Identified," one of them calls out. Starvos emits his yellow rays and send the second droid crashing into the first one.

Above them, on the second story deck, Sage rushes out, right into the line of the third droid. He is scanned;

"Identified," the droid scans him, "eximius humanus, Sage H-"

"Not, today, droid," Sage calls out, hoisting a weapon of his own.

Gia is able to direct the missile to the two droids Starvos crashed into one another, as they fall. It collides with them, making an explosion in mid air. Gia lowers herself to the ground.

Look out below," Sage yells, warning them. The third droid crashes down onto the conservatory ground, having been sliced in half. The three others look up to find Sage leaning over the deck, as Merrick walks back out.

"Starvos, Gia," Merrick calls them, "I'm glad to see you've met."

"You can thank me later," she huffs, "he almost sent a missile into the mansion."

"I had to save-" Starvos begins.

"Me," Reya interrupts him.

"Very well," Merrick says, "I will need to you to go back with the other students." Reya looks down at the ground as she walks in between everyone and back into the mansion.

"I'm sorry," Starvos apologizes.

"Sorry for what?" Merrick asks him, "you have nothing to be sorry about. We'll talk more later."

-----

The day passes and turns into evening. Merrick has dismissed nearly all of the prospective interns except for Reya. Reya enters the laboratory, looking around, and sees Merrick sitting on a stool. Gia stands in the corner with her arms folded.

"Thank you for staying so late." Merrick greets her, "it's my understanding that you have witnessed quite a bit, today."

"Yes, sir," Reya says quietly, "I didn't make it in before the door closed."

"Yes, that was my doing," Merrick admits, "I apologize." Reya looks up at him, surprised, while Gia gives a small huff.

"I promise not to tell anyone what I saw," Reya offers.

"I certainly hope you will keep that word," Merrick tells her, "and I want you to understand, what I'm about to say, is not influenced by what happened today. I would like to offer you the intern position, here at my institute. I studied every single resume I received and had already made up my mind before today. I really hope you'll accept this position."

"Of course," Reya smiles, "and I'll never speak of what happened here today with Starvos or anyone."

"Excellent," Merrick smiles in return, "but since you were witness to that, I think you'll find what goes on here fascinating. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow?"

"Yes, sir," Reya smiles.

"Thank you, that is all," Merrick tells her. Reya nearly skips out of the room full of glee.

"Do you think that was a wise decision?" Gia asks him.

"Of course, I don't do anything without a good cause, you know that" Merrick replies.

"She'll go great with your newest ward," Gia scoffs.

"He isn't a ward, none of you are," Merrick tells her, "I do, however, think we need to get to the bottom of this attack today."

"Gee, I wonder why they attacked us?" Gia sarcastically asks, "could it be because you're housing a fallen star? You do know they tried to attack the girl too, after they couldn't identify her either."

"That is most interesting," Merrick says, "speaking of our "falling star," do you know where he is?"

"He's on the deck, with Sage," she answers him.

-----

Away from the Institute of Biological Technology of Advancement, in a dark, undisclosed location, Dr. Mayhew spins around in his large chair. He is watching a monitor that shows feedback from the droids that attacked Starvos earlier. He watches as Starvos saves Reya, using the rays from his hands to redirect the missile, then how used them to make the droids collide. The monitor rewinds and he watches it again. This pattern repeats a few times.

"You're the falling star from last night," Dr. Mayhew says aloud, "and exactly what I need."

-----

The sun has begun set as Starvos stands on the deck of the Hargrave Mansion. The wind gently blows through his hair. Starvos stares out into the sunset colored sky. Sage walks up to him, from behind him.

"The stars will be out soon," Starvos tells him.

"Are you okay?" Sage asks him. Starvos does not give a reply. "You did well today," he tell him, "Starvos, you did what we'd expect anyone to do and for that, we thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," Starvos calmly replies without looking away from the sky, "so many things happened today, so many . . . feelings."

"Don't mind Gia," Sage tries to comfort him, "it can take some time for her to grow on people."

"She was fine," Starvos says, again without looking back to him, "I'm glad she was here."

"And the redhead?" Sage asks. Starvos finally turns his head to him.

"I know this will sound weird," Starvos admits, "but,for a brief moment, a very brief moment, I thought she might know something, maybe I knew her or maybe she knew me.." He has now turned back out to the sky, "I can't help but to feel like I should know her, but I don't. I still don't know anything." The wind gently blows through his air.

End