“Weapons.” finished the Agent, “The central lens is just as it seems, the method by which I see, both in the standard visual range, and in what you would call infrared, ultraviolet, and several other bands that I will explain more some other time. Normally it is recessed behind the cover that duplicates the look of your human eyes, pressed against its ‘pupil.’

“The needles around it are what we call a Tactical Contact Weapons Complement. Though small and relatively impotent compared to our more conventional weapons systems, I think you would be surprised at its punch.”

With that, John stepped to the right, focused on the bedclothes, and a hazy beam materialized between his eye and the ruffled sheets. Neal and Madeline both stepped back as a spot instantly blackened and sparked into flame where it touched. John, on the other hand, was already moving toward it. The buzzing in the air stopped as John discontinued the beam’s attack, grabbed the blanket and smothered the small but bright flame that had sparked to life in the bed’s center.

The cleaning lady would later find a hole neatly punched through the sheet and the top of the mattress. She would report that the occupants had been smoking and partying in the room, a story which would fit with the other damage she would find …

“I can also affect electronic equipment, jam radar and radio signals, and create what we call a sonic punch.” With that, he appeared to brace himself and turned toward the brown nondescript armchair in the corner.

A dull thud resounded in the room, feeling like someone had driven a truck into the base of the building, and a conical pyramid of air in front of the Agent’s eye seemed to waver. The armchair leapt backwards, crashing into the wall, then falling to the floor. A series of dents were left in the plaster where its corners had imbedded themselves.

“That was on about 25% of available power. I can also vary the focus of the wave from constant to an expansion ratio of about 100 to 1, meaning I can knock over a small crowd of people from about eight feet, or put a hole in someone’s torso from across the room. The laser I can increase to nearly treble the power of what I just used, but at this range that would have spontaneously ignited the entire mattress.

“There are other features of the weapons system, but those are the most dramatic, and, I hope, adequately demonstrative.” And with that, the Tactical Contact Weapons Array folded back into his eye socket, and the façade of an eyeball rose to cover it again.

“Neal, Madeline,” he said, looking from one to the other, “I need to know you believe me now, we haven’t much more time and we have much to discuss. Hopefully from my demonstration you have extrapolated at least a couple of things …”