The Chimera Sequence by Elliott Garber

have?”
    “Just the house blend. I would have gone for something cold, but Mr. Hipster behind the counter let me know that Peregrine doesn’t ruin coffee like that. Hmpf.”
    Anna looked around the room as she waited for her turn to order. People watching was one of her favorite parts of any coffee shop experience, and Peregrine Espresso never disappointed. Behind the counter, three of the rotating crew of pierced and skinny-jeaned baristas fussed over hand-poured coffee. The hipster look hadn’t been taken up with quite as much vigor yet back home, and Anna was intrigued. In fact, just yesterday she e-mailed her mom to ask about sending some of her old t-shirts. The agricultural and Wild West themes she grew up with would be perfect. Of course, no one needed to know that they had originally been designed and proudly worn without a hint of irony.
    A couple of staffer-types like Chase stood in line ahead of her, engaged in a hushed but easily eavesdropped discussion about their well-meaning older congressman’s latest social media blunder. At the bar, a bearded thirty-something juggled his espresso with a couple of yogurts, somehow managing to get the snacks into twin toddlers’ hands without spilling a drop. The golden retriever and monstrous stroller parked outside must have been theirs. Stay-at-home dad, or just back from work early? She had noticed a few like him chatting away together as she jogged through Lincoln Park last week. Quickly caught up in a highly realistic daydream featuring Anna McBride as the powerful career woman supported by a similarly domestic hunk, she tripped over a beagle and landed in a heap on the concrete. Whoops.
    “So what’s the inside scoop on this storm?” Chase asked, closing the computer. “I’m sure you guys must have access to all sorts of top-secret meteorological data, right?”
    “Don’t know about that, but I guess NOAA does keep us in the loop pretty well. Everyone thinks it’ll be a bad one, even though it’s still early for hurricane season.”
    “Right, thanks for that detailed analysis.” Chase gave her an exasperated look. “I was just looking at the satellite images online, and it’s still building strength and picking up speed over the water.”
    He’d always been a bit of a weather geek, and Anna couldn’t hide the amused smirk as she watched his enthusiasm build.
    “It’s already done some serious damage in the Bahamas, but this landfall on the Florida coast is taking longer than everyone expected.”
    “Mmhmm, I have no doubt you will keep me fully updated.” Anna’s eyes lit up with indignation as she remembered her big disappointment. “The worst part about it is that we had to cancel the president’s speech on conflict minerals! Of course, we could have done it after all, seeing as the storm hasn’t even hit the U.S. yet.”
    “Oh sorry, sis. I know you were excited about that. You had me kind of interested, too, especially with Cole right in the middle of things over there.”
    “Not exactly in the center of it, as long as he stays put in Rwanda. But yes, still right in his neighborhood.”
    Chase gave her a questioning look.
    “Haven’t you checked your e-mail? He was in the DRC today, trying to find the Virunga gorillas.”
    “No, I came straight over here, and you know I can’t check Gmail at work.” Anna was worried now. Her research over the weekend for the day’s canceled event had made her realize just how unstable the area around Virunga National Park really was. “What else did he say? Dang it, yet another reason I need a data plan on this stupid old phone!”
    “That was pretty much it, unfortunately. Just a typical two-liner.”
    Anna pulled the laptop over and opened it up, scanning through her brother’s inbox until she found what she was looking for.
    “They’re back in Rwanda now,” he said. “So it’s too late to do much worrying.”
    He was right. There wasn’t much more to the brief note from Cole. But Anna