The voice on the other end of the line was as smooth and professional as Agent Thorne himself. After a brief, almost unnervingly polite exchange, Sera found herself agreeing to a meeting. The address on the card led her not to some clandestine government facility hidden beneath a mundane office building, but to… a surprisingly well-maintained food truck parked just outside of Bumblebrook's perpetually bewildered town limits.

  The truck, emblazoned with the rather uninspired logo "DAP: Delicious & Anomalous Provisions," seemed innocuous enough. It even had a chalkboard menu advertising "Singular Sandwiches" and "Quantum Quiches." But the subtle shimmering around its edges and the fact that it didn't seem to be connected to any power source suggested there was more to it than met the eye.

  As Sera approached, Agent Thorne emerged from the truck, a small, almost imperceptible smile gracing his lips. "Ms. Moon. Punctual, I see. Please, come in. We have much to discuss, and the 'Temporal Tacos' are surprisingly good."

  Sera eyed the food truck with a healthy dose of suspicion, but curiosity (and the faint aroma of something vaguely cinnamon-y and possibly sentient) won out. She followed Thorne inside.

  The interior of the DAP truck was far larger than its exterior suggested, a feat of spatial distortion that made the library's shifting bookshelves seem almost pedestrian. It resembled a high-tech mobile command center, filled with glowing screens, humming devices, and several other impeccably dressed individuals who nodded politely in her direction.

  "Welcome to our mobile unit," Thorne said, gesturing around. "We prefer a… low profile. Less paperwork that way."

  He led her to a small table in the corner, where a plate of what looked like iridescently glowing tacos awaited. Sera cautiously declined.

  "So," she began, cutting to the chase. "The Department of Anomalous Phenomena. What exactly do you do?"

  "In essence, Ms. Moon," Thorne explained, his tone measured, "we monitor, study, and, when necessary, contain… deviations from baseline reality. Things like the rifts, the creatures they bring, and… individuals such as yourself."

  Bartholomew, who had materialized silently beside Sera, let out a low growl that sounded suspiciously like static interference. Thorne's smile didn't waver.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  "Your… companion is welcome, of course," he said smoothly. "We have a strict 'no prejudice against extradimensional entities' policy."

  Thorne then opened the briefcase he had been carrying. It wasn't just any briefcase. This one shimmered with an internal light, and the air around it crackled with a faint energy.

  "This, Ms. Moon, is a Trans-Dimensional Containment Unit. It's designed to safely interact with and transport… volatile anomalies." He paused, his gaze meeting hers. "And it could also be your ticket to understanding the rifts."

  He proceeded to lay out his proposition in more detail. The DAP needed individuals with unique abilities to explore and map the other sides of the rifts. Sera's connection to the shadows, coupled with her apparent resistance to some of the more extreme reality glitches, made her an ideal candidate.

  "We offer resources, training, and access to information that you wouldn't find anywhere else," Thorne said. "We can help you understand your powers, your lineage, the truth about the Shadow Weavers."

  "And what do you want in return?" Sera asked, her skepticism still firmly in place.

  "Your cooperation," Thorne replied simply. "Your willingness to use your abilities to help us understand and, if necessary, control the escalating anomalous activity. We believe that by working together, we can prevent a… catastrophic breach."

  He then leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly. "We know about the Ink-Stained Guardian, Ms. Moon. We know about his plans. And we believe that you are the only one who can truly stop him."

  The mention of the Guardian caught Sera's attention. The lingering unease from their encounter in the Archives still haunted her. The idea of facing him again, armed with more knowledge and resources, was… appealing.

  Thorne then presented her with a contract, a document filled with more legalese than any spell Page Turner had ever tried to decipher. Sera skimmed through it, her eyes catching phrases like "interdimensional non-disclosure agreement" and "potential temporal paradox liabilities."

  [New Quest Alert! Sign on the Dotted Line (Probably in Another Dimension)! Decide whether to join the Department of Anomalous Phenomena. Potential Rewards: Access to advanced anomalous technology, a snazzy uniform (probably), and the distinct possibility of encountering your alternate reality self who might have questionable fashion sense.]

  "A uniform?" Sera asked, a flicker of amusement in her voice.

  Thorne's smile returned. "Standard issue. Highly resistant to temporal fluctuations and surprisingly flattering."

  Sera looked at the contract, then at Bartholomew, who merely shrugged his furry shoulders. The decision was hers. It was a leap of faith, a step into a world even stranger than the one she currently inhabited. But the lure of answers, the potential to make a real difference, and the undeniable fact that her life had already been irrevocably altered… it was hard to ignore.

  "Alright, Agent Thorne," Sera said, picking up the pen he offered. "Let's talk about this uniform."