The Team Returns — Eliza Morningstar
The clinic parking lot was quiet when Eliza, Elijah, Evan, and Marianne pulled in. The drive back to the clinic had been silent — not from lack of things to say, but from the weight of what they’d found. Eliza pushed through the clinic doors first, the warm air hitting her face. Samantha was waiting in the hallway, eyes wide.
“She’s awake,” Samantha whispered. “Not fully, but… she’s awake.”
Elijah’s breath caught. Marianne’s shoulders softened. Evan exhaled slowly. Eliza nodded. “Take us to her.”
###
Aiyana Red Elk — Point of View
The room was warm. Quiet. Different. Aiyana blinked slowly, her vision still fuzzy around the edges. She heard footsteps — more than one set — approaching the door. Her pulse quickened. The door opened. Four figures entered, silhouettes at first, then faces. One of them—her breath hitched. She saw the man with the badge. The one who found her. The one who stayed. Her lips parted.
“... Greyhawk…?” Her voice was thin, but Elijah heard it.
###
Elijah Greyhawk — Point of View
Elijah froze in the doorway. He hadn’t expected her to recognize him. He hadn’t expected her to speak at all. Elijah stepped forward slowly, hands visible, posture soft. “Yeah,” he whispered. “It’s me.”
Aiyana’s eyes filled with tears — not panic, no fear, but relief. “You… didn’t leave,” she whispered.
Elijah swallowed. “No. I stayed with you until help came.”
Aiyana closed her eyes briefly, a tear slipping down her cheek. “Thank you.”
Elijah’s voice was gentle. “You’re safe now.”
###
Eliza Morningstar — Point of View
Eliza watched the exchange from the foot of the bed. Aiyana, recognizing Elijah mattered deeply. She remembered the moment someone found her. It meant she had an anchor. Eliza stepped closer. “Aiyana, I’m Eliza. I’m with Tribal Police, too. You’re safe here. You’re not alone.”
Aiyana looked at her — wary, exhausted, but present. Eliza offered a small, steady smile. Aiyana didn’t smile back, but she didn’t look away. It was enough.
###
The Interruption — Agent Carter Hayes Arrives
The hallway erupted with noise — heavy footsteps, raised voices, the unmistakable sound of someone demanding access. Eliza’s expression hardened.
Marianne muttered, “He followed us.”
Evan stepped toward the door. “I’ll handle it.”
But Hayes reached the doorway before anyone could intercept him.
###
Agent Carter Hayes — Point of View
Hayes stopped short when he saw the group gathered around the bed. “She’s awake,” he said, breathless. “I need to speak with her.”
Eliza stepped between him and Aiyana, calm but immovable. “No.”
Hayes blinked. “Excuse me?”
“She just woke up,” Eliza said. “She’s disoriented and scared. And she’s not being questioned tonight.”
Hayes lowered his voice, but the edge remained. “I’m not here to interrogate her. I’m here to gather information.”
Elijah stepped closer, protective. “Same thing.”
Hayes glared. “You can’t block me from a witness.”
Eliza didn’t flinch. “She’s not a witness. She’s a child.”
###
Aiyana Red Elk — Point of View
The raised voices made her flinch. Her breath quickened. Her fingers curled into the blanket. Elijah noticed immediately. He stepped closer to her bedside, voice low and steady. “You’re okay. We’re right here.”
Aiyana focused on his voice, grounding herself in it. The shouting faded.
###
Agent Carter Hayes — Point of View
Hayes saw the fear in Aiyana’s eyes — and something in him shifted. He wasn’t the one she trusted or the one she recognized. And he certainly wasn’t the one who found her. He exhaled sharply.
“I need something,” he mumbled. “Anything.”
Eliza nodded once. “You’ll get a briefing. From us. Not from her.”
Hayes clenched his jaw but didn’t push further. Not tonight.
###
Eliza Morningstar — Point of View
Eliza waited until Hayes stepped back into the hallway before turning to Aiyana again. “You did well,” she whispered. “You’re safe.”
Aiyana looked at her, then at Elijah, then at Samantha. For the first time since waking, she believed it.