“It’s not something you missed. I have the inside line both because I’m ICDC and because Admiral Moore keeps me updated. I get the impression he’s trying to frighten me more than inform me, sometimes. But I might be biased.” She hesitated. “To the point, though, this whole thing has mobilized extremists of all stripes. Riots, sabotage, incidents of what I suppose are terrorism are becoming more frequent on Earth. The Miners Guild headquarters in Detroit was firebombed last night.”

“Because I’m a miner? That’s a stretch.”

“It doesn’t have to make sense, Ivan.” She got up, gave him a sympathetic look. “I just wanted to let you know.”

He watched her until she turned a corner and was out of sight.

Outstanding. This just gets better, doesn’t it?

If ever there’d been any doubt, this settled it. He could never be associated with his family again. This wasn’t going to go away, it wasn’t going to get better. Even if, by some miracle, he was somehow “cured”—whatever that might mean—the nut-jobs wouldn’t accept that he was no longer a danger. They’d never stop until he’d been found and eliminated.

It was time to accept reality. He would do whatever it took to keep his family safe. Including never going near them again.

42.In the News

42.In the News

Seth watched the Vid, his eyes getting larger and rounder. Burning buildings, police in riot gear being slowly pushed back as rioters advanced, throwing rocks, bricks, and burning objects. Every so often, the program cut to a view of ICDC headquarters, taken at an angle that ensured the viewer would make the connection and could read the protestors’ placards.

What are you hiding?

Are they already dead?

ICDC replaced by Pod People?

This is the End Times

Prayer is the only solution

Humans first!

No more lies!

“What exactly do these people want the ICDC to do?” Aspasia asked, from the next table.

“Take it back? Make it so it didn’t happen? Say it ain’t so?” Seth glanced at her and shrugged. “Take your pick.”

“But—”

“Look, Spazzie, you’re a big girl,” Tenn said. “People throw food riots when there’s no food, housing riots when there’s no housing, because if you blow a fit, someone will make it all better. That’s the theory, anyway.”

Seth agreed. Tenn could be a pain, but sometimes he managed to really hit the nail right on the thumb. “Mm, yeah. So this group doesn’t like the idea that there are extraterrestrials out there. Not sure why, but if they have a public conniption, maybe it’ll turn out to have been a big joke.”

“You guys need to pay a little more attention.”