Volume II - Episode 75 Where: Cologne, Germany When: 1 month and 12 days after E-Day, 2:48 pm Cathy sat back, finally satisfied with the reflection staring back at her in the mirror. It was a big change. But that's exactly what she'd been hoping for. Oh, Rob. I wish you were here. I miss you so much. There was a commotion going on somewhere else in the hospital. Excited voices spoke in German, rapidly spewing words she had no absolutely hope of understanding. Only one word made sense to her, emphasised by the fact that they kept repeating it over and over and over again. "Maelstrom." About fifteen minutes later, there was a rattle at the door and Monika stepped inside. "Oh my God," she said, beaming. "Your hair looks gorgeous!" "Thank you!" Cathy said, genuinely delighted at the compliment. "Hey, what's..." "Listen," Monika said, interrupting. "Something has happened. I told them you wouldn't know anything, but they won't listen." "What? Who? What's going on?" "Krystal Beaufort - that girl you came to Cologne to find - I need you to tell me everything you know about her." "I...Krystal? I've told you pretty much everything already. I don't..." "No, Cathy, listen to me. I need you to tell me everything. What was so special about her? What was so special about the building she was living in?" "Special? Monika, I don't understand. Rob and I came here looking for her, and we found her at her uncle's apartment. She was already dead when we got there." "But why was the Academy so interested in finding her? What was so special about her?" "What do you mean by 'special'? She was a spellcaster. She was enrolled to start at the Academy this year. I...I guess I just really don't understand what you're asking me." For the first time ever, Cathy suddenly got the distinct impression that Monika didn't believe her. "Monika? What's happened? What's going on?" Monika considered for a moment before pulling out an iPad. She turned it on and showed Cathy a photo. "Look at this. Do you know what this is?" Cathy's brow furrowed. She studied the photo, utterly confused. "No, I...I mean...that looks like Krystal's neighbourhood. But what...what is that?" Monika studied Cathy's expression carefully for several seconds before replying. "We don't know. Nobody knows." Chills ran down Cathy's spine. The thing in the photo...she had never seen anything like it before in her life. But even as that very thought occurred to her, she realised it wasn't exactly true. Oh, Rob. Where are you?