Area 51, Nevada

"Mrs. Black?" asked the Air Force Officer in his dress uniform, as the squad of airmen aimed their assault rifles at the helicopter.

Winona stepped out of the helicopter, the same one that had ferried David and Julius to Washington DC the day before. She'd been quite active since returning to her husband at Skyfall while her "brother" had worked his "magic" here in the US. After making sure her extended family was safe, she'd begun the process of getting ready for this moment. While she didn't know exactly what was going to happen, she did know when she needed to arrive, and what she needed to bring with her, and more importantly, whom she needed to bring with her. While the helicopter, a derivative of the UH-60 Black Hawk affectionately termed the Hippogriff by the employees and interns at Cerberus, could carry over a dozen people, today it had carried merely half that, including the pilot.

"I'm Winona Black," she said, looking at the rifles of the airmen. "Though, I'm not sure why I warrant such an auspicious greeting …" She then noticed the golden oak leaf and the officer's name plate, "Major Mitchell."

"Ma'am, you've just landed a civilian helicopter on one of the most secret facilities the United States has," explained Mitchell. "Just be glad the President has instructed us that you're not to be harmed."

Another passenger left the helicopter, who wrapped his arm about Winona's waist. "Thank you Major," said Sirius.

"And you are, Sir?" asked Mitchell.

"Sirius Black," he said. "I'd offer to shake you hand, but I get the feeling that I'm not exactly wanted here."

"You're all not exactly wanted here, but then, we're in the middle of an alien invasion, and they're not wanted here even more, so we're making allowances," said Mitchell. "Mrs. Black, I've been instructed to bring you inside the facility. There's been an incident, and the President and Secretary of Defense would like your explanation."

"My explanation?" asked Winona.

"What'd Jimmy do this time?" asked Sirius.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss it," said Mitchell. "If you'll accompany me, ma'am?"

"You think I'm going to let my wife go into your secret facility without me?" asked Sirius.

"Sir, until you've been vetted, you're not even allowed to be where you're standing right now," said Mitchell with a glare. "Im making an allowance because your brother-in-law saved the President's life. But, the generosity of the US Government, and particularly, the US Air Force, only extends so far. As of now, I'm to escort your wife into the facility to meet with the President, Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and the head of this facility. Your pilot will be allowed to finalize the landing of your aircraft, but then the lot of you will be kept here until such time as a decision has been made as to your disposition."

Sirius looked at the gaggle of RVs that sat not two hundred meters away, "I assume we'll have as much freedom as the other unauthorized guests?"

Mitchell looked over himself, then looked back, "They brought an alien corpse with them, so they're excused. Plus, they're citizens, not foreign nationals."

Sirius smirked, "Well, I'll have you know I have joint citizenship, thanks to my lovely wife here." He gave Winona another one-armed hug. "Harry, Sue, Dora, and Hermione are all Brits, but I'm naturalized. Probably know more about how your government works than most of those campers in their caravans."

"Be that as it may, you, your aircraft, and your passengers, are to remain here, under guard, until a decision has been made. I'll escort your wife, and hopefully, for your sake, she'll be able to convince my superiors to be lenient."

Winona turned to Sirius and said softly, "Siri, just stay here. I'll take care of things. Have Dora and Hermione start unloading, but be ready to take off on a moment's notice."

Sirius furrowed his brow, "Why?"

"If there's an alien corpse here, then likely there's an alien ship out there," she said, gesturing out past the mountains that bracketed the secret airbase. "If you can figure out where, then that'd give us an advantage."

"And advantage against whom?" asked Sirius.

"The aliens, hopefully, but if worst comes to worst, it'll allow you and everyone else an excuse to get to safety," explained Winona. She then gave Sirius a peck on the lips, and stepped away. "Stay safe Siri. I've got to go meet the President." She then gestured at her outfit, similar in style to the one she'd worn when she'd first met Sirius, though the colors were different, "Think I'm dressed well enough for the President?"

"Winnie, if that was good enough for Her Majesty, it'd good enough for the President of the United States, might even be too good for him," said Sirius with a smirk. He then waved her away, "Go, I'll take care of things here."

Winona turned, and her heels clacked lightly on the concrete as she cross to Major Mitchell, "Lead on Major."

Surprisingly, all of the airmen followed Mitchell and Winona back to the hangar, leaving Sirius alone outside the Cerberus helicopter.

"Well, that's odd," he said, then shrugged. "Let's get to work," he said, turning and looking into the helicopter. The three women in the passenger compartment began to unload the crates, making sure to match their serial numbers against an inventory sheet. Everything here was both expensive and custom made, and while it was brought to defend against the aliens, it wouldn't do to have things lost due to negligence. It could mean the difference between life and death later.

Ten minutes after Winona was escorted away, a dark-skinned pilot, still in his flight suit, jogged up to the helicopter.

"Can we help you with anything?" asked Sirius, who was sitting not he edge of the Hippogriff's sliding door.

"Perhaps," said the pilot. "I'm Captain Steven Hiller, United States Marine Corps."

"What can we help you with, Captain Hiller?" asked Sirius. Behind him a pink haired woman peeked out of the passenger compartment.

"I was wondering if I'd be able to get a lift?" asked Hiller.

"A lift where, and why us?" asked Sirius, standing.

"I need to get to El Toro, it's a Marine Corps Air Station, it's outside of LA," said Hiller.

"You are aware that LA got hit by those aliens, right?" asked Sirius.

"I flew against them this morning, after the cruise missiles didn't to shit against their City Destroyer," spat Hiller. "Downed one of their Attackers somewhere between here and Twenty-Nine Palms."

Sirius looked interested, "So, you're the one who brought in the alien then."

"Yeah," said Hiller with a cocky smirk.

"Well, We can get you out to El Toro, though you'll have to give my godson directions," said Sirus. "Though, why're you heading out there anyway? I mean, if it's an airbase, or air station, or whatever, shouldn't you superiors be able to arrange some transport for you, even if it's the middle of a war?"

"It got hit this morning, probably after we tussled with their Attackers in retaliation, though they've been hitting pretty much every military installation between their targets anyway," explained HIller.

"If it got hit, then why go?" asked Sirius.

"My girl, I told her to meet me there yesterday, before the aliens hit. If she's lucky, she got out of LA in time, but since she wasn't there before we took off … I'm worried. Nearly took off with a Huey before I saw this Black Hawk you've got here, and thought, why get in trouble for AWOL and stealing Air Force property, when I can get it for AWOL instead?" joked HIller.

"Well, we can get you to El Toro, even pick up some people if they're there, but it'll cost you," said Sirus.

"What?" asked Hiller.

"We've got to pick up that Attacker you shot down on the way back," said Sirius.

"Why?" asked Hiller. "Not that I wouldn't be willing, but why pick one up?"

Sirius pointed to the gold and silver symbol on the side of the helicopter, "My wife, and in fact, everyone here aside from myself, works for, or interns with at least, Cerberus. It's a think tank, though my brother-in-law's got fingers in pretty much everything. You know the Space Shuttle?"

Hiller nodded, "Almost got to be a pilot."

"Ah, then you'll know about the boosters then. I don't understand it myself, but apparently the original design was faulty, but Jimmy, he's my brother-in-law … saved the President I might add … but Jimmy, in the early eighties, right after he got me out of Azkaban, he invested in the company that made them. Owns practically half of it himself, or rather, he did before selling the shares to Cerberus, but he made sure the boosters were safer, so that when they got cold, they wouldn't explode. Saw a video of the tests myself, if that had happened on takeoff, it'd have destroyed the shuttle. That's the kind of stuff Cerberus does. Go in, make things better, pushes things forward, bits and pieces here and there. I think they even helped design the Mars rovers, not that anyone cares with the aliens or anything, but when they land tomorrow, they'll do great things because of the batteries that one of the companies Cerberus owns is better than it would have been otherwise."

"Oh, I remember now, you guys helped Northrup get the ATF win," said Hiller. "Nice bird, though I'm looking forward to the JSF competition myself."

"Well, enough of that, come on, if we're going to sneak out of here, we best do it soon," said Sirius, gesturing for Hiller to come closer."

Hiller looked around at the boxes stacked just outside of the rotor wash area, "You planned on leaving, didn't you?"

"Not planned, exactly, but it was a contingency," said Sirius. He then shouted into the helicopter, "Harry, pop the door, you're getting a navigator."

As Hiller strapped into the co-pilot seat of the Hippogriff, and Sirius slid, the door shut, he looked around. "Wow, aren't you a little young?"

Sirius, looked from Hiller to Harry, and then to his cousin and the pair of rising Seventh years on the passenger compartment, "Well, yeah, he's a bit young, but he's a natural in the air. Best flyer I've ever seen."

"Well, once we get through with this, we'll see about showing you someone better. I out-flew one of the alien Attackers, one of the few that have, I'm sure I can give junior here a run for his money," said Hiller. He then noticed that the rotors were already spinning, but he'd not head the engine start, "It's quiet."

"Special stealth systems," explained a bushy haired brunette. "I'm Hermione Granger, techno-thaumaturge with Cerberus," she said, extending her hand to the American Marine.

"Captain Steven Hiller, USMC, though once they hear about this I might be looking for a job," said Hiller.

"Well, call us, we're always looking for good men and women," said Hermione.

"Already recruiting Hermione?" asked Harry as the rotors got up to speed.

"Never too early," she replied.

"I never asked, but isn't here a danger just taking off?" asked Hiller.

"Nah, they won't even notice we're gone," said Harry with a smirk. "I'm Harry, by the way," he said. "I'd shake your hand, but I'm kind of busy."

"More of those stealth systems?" asked Hiller.

Hermione smiled uncomfortably, "Yeah."

Hiller gestured to the pink and red haired women seated beside Hermione, "Well, as long as we're doing introductions, might as well finish up."

"I'm Sue, Sue Bones," said the redhead. Like everyone else except for Sirius, she was wearing a fairly utilitarian jumpsuit, with a white a black color scheme and the Cerberus logo above her heart and on both shoulders. "I'm an intern with Cerberus, but that's mainly because Harry wanted me along. I'm actually planning on going into law enforcement like my aunt."

Hiller tried not to stare at the seventeen year-old's prominent chest, and instead looked to the woman on the other side of Hermione, interested by her pink hair.

"I'm Tonks, though you can call me Dora if you want, everyone else does," she said. "I'm with Cerberus Security, though only for the duration, since I usually work for Madam Bones, Sue here's aunt."

"So, what are a bunch of Brits doing at a secret American military base?" asked Hiller as Harry lifted the helicopter off the ground.

"My wife," explained Sirius, "She brought us along, said that we needed to be here. Heck, only Hermione and Harry worked for Cerberus before yesterday. I came because Winnie came, and Sue came before she wasn't about to let Harry go off on another adventure of his without her, they're engaged by the way, and Dora was asked by her boss to look after Sue."

"Okay, but why here?" asked Hiller.

"Because we needed to be here, or so Winnie claimed. I can't really tell you more than that, it's against the law," explained Sirius. "Secrecy and all that rot."