Oval alien eyes squinted in her direction. “On whether or not you comply, swiftly and willingly, with our demands.”

Okay, an increasingly uneasy Dev told himself: while the utilization by the alien Vantolos of the word “business” had been unexpected, following it with “demands” was downright unsettling. Assuming the exchange was being relayed back to Washington, Langley, Colorado, and other important strategic locations across the country, he could imagine the effects. How was the president reacting? Would he trigger a sequence of predetermined commands, would he be consulting with congressional and military leaders, or would he be preparing to make a hasty address to the nation? Were NORAD and others making ready to attack the alien mothership? But how could they do so with any remotely reasonable hope of success without any knowledge of the aliens’ military capabilities? The demonstrable fact that the visitors possessed sufficient technology to power a huge ship between star systems suggested that whatever weaponry they controlled likely consisted of something more lethal than gunpowder and flaming arrows. The trio of worrying devices being held by the larger alien hinted as much.

Glancing to his right, he hoped that if it was a grenade Reed was fondling in his pants pocket, the big man would give the situation a good deal of thought before activating and releasing it.

Easy now, he told himself. Gavin Reed had been selected to the contact team because like the rest of them he was unlikely to do anything untoward. That meant he had the ability to observe and analyze before reacting. Sure enough, Reed’s hand stayed in his pocket, along with whatever resided there.

“What kind of demands?” Pavesi finally inquired.

The slitted orange eyes focused on her while the two minor oculars located above appeared to brighten slightly. “We will present you with a list tomorrow at this same time and place. It is not extensive, nor are the quantities of material demanded excessive in volume. Similar requests will be made, at the equivalent local times and places, by our contact teams operating near your other major cities.”

“I see.” Pavesi mulled the alien’s response, uncomfortable with its brusqueness. No hint of negotiation had been mentioned. She had to ask the necessary question. “What if we refuse to comply with your demands?”

A deep rushing sound came from the much bigger alien. As it spoke, or rather reacted audibly, the surface of the half-domed helmet it wore rippled like pond water around a tossed stone, suggesting that the material of the helmet was not as solid and inflexible as it appeared.