We arrived at our new home for a while. It looked like it could've been some sort of mall, though it was picked clean.
"Settle in, everyone!" Porter announced. "You've got a choice to be either a civilian or a soldier," Immediately I knew I wanted to be a soldier. "You must be at least thirteen. If you're interested, follow me," Tom, Hal, Lillian, and a few other people followed Porter. Rebecca stayed behind with Matt. We went into another big room and I soon realized about a third of the people had come. "We need mature adults, preferably with military experience, to help lead us and the civilians," A man with long gray hair in a ponytail and dressed in full camouflage stepped up.
"Dan Weaver, Cornel," He said. Porter nodded.
"Ah, yes, Dan," Porter smiled. "And your second-in-command?"
"Well, I choose a man I thoroughly trust in. Mr. Tom Mason," Tom stepped forward and shook his old friend's hand. The process continued, soldiers stepping up and choosing their second-in-command. By the end, there were 7 leaders and 4 second-in-commands (some chose to go solo). The soldiers were given their first assignment, Tom and a doctor named Micheal Harris were to go on a food run early the next morning.
…
Rebecca Mason woke up with a jolt. A bell was ringing, signaling the first assignment of the day. It was Tom's. But he looked so exhausted, and Rebecca knew he'd been up late training to be a soldier. She decided to go by herself.
"Rebecca!" Dr. Harris smiled and hugged the woman. They were good friends since their college days, and when Ben was little and needing a lot of lung surgeries, Dr. Harris did them. Rebecca and Dr. Harris even dated for a while before Tom came along.
"Micheal," Rebecca returned the gesture.
"I thought Tom was coming?" Dr. Harris asked as they began to walk.
"He was up late last night, and he looked so tired, and I couldn't bring myself to wake him," Rebecca responded, laughing a little. The two continued talking, and soon they reached about central Boston where they could look. They went into a store, but it was picked clean. The two walked out.
"Do you hear that?" Asked Dr. Harris. He was referring to the low hum that was getting louder. The pair had no time to identify the noise before a fiery explosion blew them apart.
…
The Masons and Lillian were enjoying lunch. Tom was informed that Rebecca took his place and was grateful he had such a caring wife.
"Tom!" Weaver was jogging to him. "We need to talk, alone," Tom nodded and left with Weaver. "There's been an explosion."
"What? Where?" Tom asked, wondering why Weaver was telling him this.
"Right where Rebecca and Harris were scavenging. I'm so sorry, Tom, but she's dead," Tom backed up against a wall, his heart both pounding and shattering. Rebecca, dead? First his son and now his wife? What else would these aliens take from him? "Tom? Can you hear me?" Tom could hear Weaver, though he couldn't answer him. His mind was racing. He had to tell his sons, he had to tell Lillian. Poor Lillian, he thought, losing her mother, then Ben, and now her only mother figure, Rebecca. Who would be a mother figure for his sons? Would they ever get over the double loss? What if they were driven to hurt themselves, even kill themselves...
"Tom, I'm going to get Anne, okay?" Anne? Why did he need a doctor? He was fine. He was breathing, wasn't he? He was still standing. Wait, no he wasn't, he was curled up in a ball on the floor. Who was looking? How embarrassing. But Rebecca...
"Are you there?" Anne was asking. Reality finally came back into focus.
"Yeah," He responded.
"Okay, great. Can you tell me your name?" Why did she want his name?
"Tom Mason," He said.
"Can you tell me your kids' names?" Anne asked. Why was she asking him these stupid questions?
"Lilli-" Tom caught himself. Lillian wasn't his kid. "Hal, Matt, and B-" Tom caught himself again. Ben was dead. "Hal and Matt," He corrected. Anne nodded.
"We think you had a panic attack. Do you have a history of those?" Tom shook his head, and Anne wrote on her clipboard. "What's the last thing you remember?"
"Weaver telling me that..." Tom couldn't finish his sentence. "I've got to tell Hal and Matt," Said Tom, getting up and leaving the room. He found his two sons looking scared.
…
"Lillian Javries to the strategy room, Lillian Javries to the strategy room," A loud voicr was saying through a bullhorn. Lillian was outside, shooting with perfection. She was extremely talented in weaponry, as it turned out. She heard the message and put her gun on her back. She went inside and into the strategy room.
"You called?" She said, poking her head in her room. Porter and the first- and second-in-commands were all there. Except Tom.
"Yes, Ms. Javries," Porter began. "Mr. Mason is excused from this meeting and a few others, and he and his son, Hal, are relieved of duties until their grieving is over. We need you to take their place," Lillian nearly choked on air.
"That's two shifts," She said incredously. She knew she couldn't handle that.
"If you pull this off, you may have a permanent spot up here," Weaver said in all seriousness. Again, Lillian choked.
"I'm fourteen," She said simply.
"Yes, and there are thirteen year olds on the vanguard," A tall, young man who looked like he was in his mid-twenties said.
"Okay," She said, sighing. "What's going on?" Porter explained their plan of attack. "Wait," Lillian interrupted. "Why don't we stay behind in the bushes, moving every time they search for us, and when they give up then attack?" She piped up.
"Genius," An older man Lillian knew as Terry Clayton muttered. She felt her cheeks go red as Porter looked impressed. The meeting continued for a few more hours, and by the end, Porter knew Lillian needed more power in the hierarchy.