In a dark hole in West Virginia, dozens of people silently sat in cells and ate. They didn't speak. Their instinct told them all what to say – and that was nothing.
Two heavily armed guards walked in. One was chewing a beef sausage. The other had a burger. The hamburger eating guard banged on the cell door with his billy club. "Hey Gunneson, do you want to get out of here?"
Gunneson quietly sat inside reading text books and ignored.
The guard gnawing on the sausage banged on another door. "Hey, lady. You want out."
Dreenan grasped the bars, tears in her eyes. "Please, I just want my baby. Please."
Novak stood at his cell door. "Hey, don't you know it's inhumane to torture the zoo animals."
The guard ignored him. "Ain't no babies down in this rat hole. You want out?"
"Yes, please. Let me go find my baby. I must find my baby."
The guard finished his burger and shook his head. "Sorry. Wish I could. But we got orders to keep you here."
Gunnesson laughed. "Yeah, sure. I'll bet it's breaking your heart."
"No man, I really am sorry. First they say you're aliens from outer space. But yesterday was the Superbowl."
"The Superbowl?"
"The Superbowl, and the whole country suddenly got real hungry."
"They infected everyone during the Superbowl?"
The guard nodded. "Except for Robbins. His head kind of exploded into something ugly and he drove his face through a wall. But the rest of us just headaches and ached all over and real hungry when the sound came." He pulled out a ration bar. "Then the Captain ordered everyone that was on duty to go watch the screech."
"If you've been improved then let us out!"
He shook his head. "We tried. We told the Captain that since we are all aliens now we aught to let all y'all go. But no, he said he didn't have the orders. So we're prisoners here too."
Gunneson shook his head. "That's crazy. You can't just let us rot down here. I'm going stir crazy!"
"You think it's boring sitting in your cages watching us watch you? Well it's more boring for us watching you in your cages and now it's worse because it don't make one damn bit of sense."
"At least you get to go home at night."
"My home is a three high bunk rack down the hall. Twelve hours a day, seven days a week we get to march back and forth looking into each cell to make sure you're still there. You got it better than I do."
Novak stared. "It's a trick."
"Lieutenant Novak, you know how stupid Uncle Sam is."
The White House guards ushered Molly into a small office. Inside, Dr. Fenway sat behind a desk. On the desk was the dark dress she usually did briefings in, along with clean underwear, panty hose and shoes. A computer and printer were on the desk. She waved awkwardly. "Hi, Nigel."
He looked at her with something between suspicion and disgust. "Eaten any good cows lately?"
She nodded. "Yes, Dr. Fenway. I am infected. So is Sean. Deal with it. We've got two hours to get a briefing together for the President." Fortunately they had left a pack of baby wipes for her. It was the emergency bath. She quickly took off yesterday's jail clothes and began performing an overall cleaning of her body, starting with the most smelly areas."
Nigel watched her wash. "Are you trying to seduce me? You know, a quick Bill Clinton for infecting my soul?"
She rolled her eyes. "I thought it was Arthur's part to do the rude, sexist comments."
"Well it looks like I'm going to have to take over. Ramsey didn't make it."
She winced. "What? That's awful. How?"
"He jumped off the balcony of his apartment when he realized he was infected."
She shook her head. Everyone said they'd kill themselves if they were infected. He was the last she thought that would actually do it. "I didn't think he had the balls. And the others?"
"J.T., Lucas and the others are alive. J.T. and Lucas are infected."
She scrubbed her back end again, making sure it was clean. "Nigel, we have to brief the President. For your information, I am trying to prepare for the part. Also, I'm pregnant and sex is the furthest thing from my mind."
"Who is the lucky father?"
"Sean." She started dressing. "I haven't even told my mother yet. You're the only one in Washington who knows."
"To what do I owe this singular high honor?"
"Nigel, we have a job to do and not much time and not much information to go on. We represent both sides and I have seen both sides. We know each other. We're professionals and scientists. There isn't a better qualified team. Now get off your high horse and let's get a summary briefing done for the President and the Cabinet."