As the initial shock began to wear off, the group of displaced people started to regain some semblance of composure. The panic that had gripped them earlier was slowly being replaced by a determined urgency. They realized that standing around, staring at the rift, wouldn't solve anything. Survival was the priority now.

A man in a torn business suit stepped forward, his voice firm despite the tremor of fear still lingering in it. "We can't just stand here," he said, addressing the crowd. "We need to gather supplies. Food, water, anything that can be used. If we're going to figure out what's happening, we need to stay alive first."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group. People began to nod, their expressions shifting from terror to resolve. The woman with the mole turned to her children, her voice steady. "We'll help. Stay close to me, both of you. We stick together."

The teenager who had been clutching his phone looked up, his face pale but determined. "I'll check the area. Maybe there's something useful in those... structures." He gestured toward the broken buildings scattered around the clearing.

A woman with a backpack slung over her shoulder stepped forward. "I have a first aid kit. If anyone's hurt, come to me. And if we find any food, we should share it—we don't know how long we'll be here."

I watched as the group began to organize itself, their fear giving way to practicality. Angela leaned in, her voice low. "They're smarter than they look. But they don't know what they're dealing with."

I chuckled darkly, my gaze sweeping over the clearing. "No. They don't."

Lisa crossed her arms, her expression sharp. "So what's the move? Let them scavenge while we figure out what that rift really is?"

I nodded, my smirk cold. "For now. But we're not just going to watch." I turned to Angela and Lisa, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"We'll help them gather supplies. Gain their trust. And then…" My eyes flicked to the rift, its green glow pulsing like a heartbeat. "We find out who sent them here. And why?"

The group split up, fanning out across the clearing. Some headed toward the broken structures, prying open twisted metal and searching through debris. Others ventured toward the tree line, looking for anything edible or useful.

The woman with the mole and her children stuck close to a small group near one of the collapsed buildings. I approached them, my expression neutral, my voice calm. "Need any help?"

I crouched down beside the woman with the mole, my hands already reaching for a twisted metal beam half-buried in the debris. The muscles in my arms flexed as I lifted it effortlessly, tossing it aside with a clang. "We'll find something," I repeated, my voice steady, calm.

The woman watched me for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly—assessing, sizing me up. Then, she nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'm Mira," she said, gesturing to the two young adults beside her. "And they are my children—Nicole and Bill."

I wiped the dust from my hands, my gaze flicking between them. "Dexter," I replied, my tone casual, but my eyes sharp. There was something familiar about the way they moved, the way they looked at me—like they knew they should be afraid, but couldn't quite place why.

Nicole stepped forward, her dark eyes locked onto me, curious and cautious. "You don't seem as freaked out as the rest of us," she observed, her voice tinged with a mix of skepticism and intrigue.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair as if trying to compose myself. "Let's just say…" I paused, glancing at Angela and Lisa before turning back to Nicole, "I am freaked out. But I'm trying to appear calm." I shrugged, forcing a dry chuckle. "Panicking won't help anyone, right?"

Nicole studied me for a moment, her expression softening slightly. "I guess not," she murmured, though her eyes still held a hint of suspicion.

I gestured to Angela and Lisa, who were helping sort through the debris nearby. "She's Angela, my wife," I introduced, my voice warm as Angela looked up, offering a small, reassuring smile. "And this is Lisa. She's Angela's sister."

Angela stepped forward, wiping dust from her hands before extending one to Nicole. "Nice to meet you," she said, her voice genuine and warm. "Though I wish it were under… better circumstances."

Lisa grinned, crossing her arms as she gave a small nod. "Yeah, 'nice to meet you' feels a little weird when we're all stuck in the middle of…" She gestured vaguely at the rift and the chaos around us. "…this."

Nicole laughed softly, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. "Yeah, no kidding." She turned to Bill, who was watching us with a guarded expression. "This is my brother, Bill. And our mom, Mira, is over there." She pointed to where Mira was helping another group sort through supplies.

Bill nodded, his arms still crossed, but his posture relaxing slightly. "So… what's the plan?" he asked, his voice gruff but less hostile than before. "We just… wait for answers?"

I shrugged, crouching down to help sift through the debris again. "For now, we focus on survival," I said, my tone practical. "Food, water, shelter. Once we've got that handled, we can figure out the rest."

Angela knelt beside me, her fingers brushing dust off a half-crushed box as she pulled it from the rubble. "And if we do find answers…" she glanced at me, a knowing smirk playing on her lips, "…let's just say Dexter's good at handling the unexpected."

Lisa snorted, rolling her eyes but smiling as she tossed a dented can into the growing pile of supplies. "That's one way to put it."

We moved the salvaged items to the center of the clearing, where a makeshift pile of food, water, and blankets was forming. The others murmured their thanks as we added our findings, their faces a mix of relief and lingering fear.

Angela, Lisa, and Mira grouped together, sorting through the supplies and organizing them into neat piles. Nicole, however, lingered near me, her dark eyes studying me with a mix of curiosity and boldness.

"Is she really your wife?" she asked suddenly, her voice low, almost accusatory. "I mean… she seems a lot older than you."

I chuckled, turning to face her with a playful smirk. "What? Are you jealous, little beauty?"

Nicole scoffed, crossing her arms, but I caught the faint blush creeping up her neck. "I'm just asking."

I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Yeah, she's really my wife." I glanced over at Angela, who was laughing at something Lisa had said, her confidence and poise undeniable. "And she's everything I need."

Nicole bit her lip, her gaze flicking between Angela and me, a hint of something unreadable in her eyes. "Huh. Didn't expect that."

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