Hidden in the Stars~{Book 1 in the Emerald of Annihilation Trilogy}

Prologue

Prolugue

Thunder shook the house and lightning flashed. Rain pelted the house like bullets. 6-year-old Dylan shot up out of bed. His stuffed lion clutched to his chest. Fear tugged at him. He whimpered. "M-mommy? Daddy?" He heard nothing at first, then yelling caught his attention. It sounded like his father and another man.

Dylan got out of bed and walked out of his room, easing his bedroom door open ever so silently. Even if he didn't the Thunder and men yelling would have drowned it out. Young Dylan made his way, one step at a time down the steps to the main floor of the house.

The yelling got louder. Sitting on one of the steps, Dylan peered through the bars of the railing, down to where his father was arguing rather loudly with a man about the same age as his father if not a bit older. The man had this evil gleam in his eyes. A look of aggression on his face. He had a mystery in his attire and pure poison in his tongue.

Dylan's eyes flickered to his father. He looked tired. Like always. He had a protective glare in his eyes and pleading words of anger in his mouth. "Marcus! You and I both know I could never give you the code to that algorithm! It's just too dangerous! What you are doing.....It's....it's inhumane!"

The man's threats made Dylan tremble. He clung to his lion tighter. "Please, Marcus! I'm begging you to leave me and my family alone! I will call the authorities if you continue to threaten us." The man laughed. A dull, evil, blood-curdling laugh. "I have more allies than you could ever imagine Daehyun. I will be back. And if you don't have the information for my plans......"

His eyes drifted up to the staircase, where little Dylan sat trembling, eyes wide. His lips curled into a snake-like smirk. "Then your family will pay the price you owe. And I will get what I want. With you dead...or alive."

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed, lighting up the evil man's face. "Dylan!" He looked up to see his mother, who gathered him up into her arms and carried him to his room. "Mommy? Who was that man? He-he was scary."

His mother sighed softly and brought his blankets up to his chin. "He was.......-your father used to work for him......that's all...." Dylan reached for his stuffed lion. "Is he going to hurt daddy?" His mother's eyes held sadness. Her son had seen and heard too much for his young age. "He won't hurt your father...or us....your father is a strong man. He'll protect us."

Dylan snuggled his lion. "Like Superman?" His mother smiles a little. Her son was so innocent and fragile. How she wished he could stay like that all his life. "Yes, Dylan.....exactly like Superman."

She kissed the top of his head and walked to the doorway, pausing to turn off the light. "But Mommy......" Dylan's soft voice held regret and doubt in them. His eyes rested on the stack of comic book in the corner of his room his father had bought for him on different occasions. A sadness that filled the whole house. A whisper that was left ringing in her ears after she left the room.

"Superman dies......."

~ 3 Years Later ~

The sounds of shouts filled my ears as I clung to the tall wooden pillar. I watched as fire filled my sight and smoke filled my lungs. I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout, but I stood. Unable to move as our house burned to a crisp.

"Dylan!" I turned and ran into my father's strong arms as he embraced me. "You're not hurt?" I shook my head. "I-I'm scared, dad..." Held me to his broad chest and stroked my hair. "I know son. I know..."

He pulled back and looked me in my eyes. "Dylan I need you to do something for me alright? Can you do something for me?" I nodded, not sure what to say or do? My father pulled out from his pocket a green stone in a chain.

"Pretty rock." I mused. He smiled kindly. "Yes, it is pretty. I need you to keep it for me. Safe from everyone." I looked up at him. "Even mom?" He nodded grimly. "Only you and I must know about this."

He pulled me close. "Maybe one day you will not be chased, and will actually settle down. Have a family maybe. But I want you to know. If you do ever take this out of hiding. it will be for someone you care deeply about."

I nodded not understanding much of what he was saying. "D-Dad? Are you leaving?" He smiled a little. A sad, tired smile. His dark black hair that was usually neatly combed back was sprawled across his forehead, sticking to his skin with sweat. "We need to say goodbye...for a while. I might be back. But if not.....,"

He reached around and fastened the chain to my neck, and tucked it into my shirt. "Take care of mommy like a good boy alright?" I nodded. "That's my soldier boy." He smiled and kissed the top of my head.

"I love you, Dylan. Always remember that." He stood and ran into the distance, fading in with the gunfire and shouting. " I will father," I whispered. "Dylan! Dylan are you ok?!" My mother ran up and hugged me. "Where is your father?"

I could only look in the direction my father had run. He broke out in the distance, yelling for us to run, and not look back. Mom picked me up and ran, for both our lived, as explosions were all that was in my ears