There had been a hard frost that morning as Ralph Harrison entered through the entrance hall of Susan Feldman's appartment block.

He rubbed his cold hands together to keep warm and looked about the hall - it all seemed strangely quiet, just the distant honking of car horns and traffic from outside in the street.

He climbed the steps to the second floor and moved towards Susan's appartment, the front door was on ajar.

"Susan?", he called - there was no answer from within the appartment, just the same as when he tried to call her on the telephone for the last few nights.

"Susan..?", he called out again. Ralph pushed the door further open and peered around - the appartment was just like as if somebody had just decided to up and leave on a whim, even the iron was still on.

Ralph went over and unplugged it, then turned to the answerphone on the side table near the sun-lit window. The display was flashing up 16 messages, 4 of which he knew were his own.

Ralph swallowed down nervously and looked about him, something strange was going on...

...and as he left the appartment his blood was left running cold.

VVV

Dr Vincent Lee was attending the Visitor science seminar at the Memorial research center. He found a seat in the busy atrium with many other high ranking science professionals, all eager to learn something new and revolutionary from the Visitors.

The hype and the buzz were electric around him, it had been a long wait due to all the recent cancellations, but now it looked like that it was all set.

Senior Visitor science officer, Rosa of the Washington flagship stood on the center stage with other members of her team and explained agendas that were some what elementary but in sheer comparison, too far fetched and high tech for even the brightest Earth science buff to comprehend.

As the Visitor scientist spoke, Vincent looked about him and all his peers felt the same way. This was not what anybody was expecting at all.

When the seminar finally did come to an end, Rosa and her science team thanked everybody for attending - and with all the help the human race was giving to them, they were all too glad to be starting to repay their debt.

Vincent collected his coat and moved towards the exit of the atrium where Rosa stood shaking hands with other science buffs as they vacated the building,

She turned and extended her arm to Vincent as he approached, "thank you Dr Lee - I hope you are satisfied with our seminar today..."

Vincent shook his head, hoping that his feelings hadn't betrayed him - he was not wanting to reveal that he never understood a word of it.

"The most fasinating load of bull I'd ever care to listen to, I sure...", he smiled politely, shaking her ice cold hand and then moved up the corridor, Rosa glared after him then turned and glanced at the Visitor security officer Kyle with a knowing nod. Kyle actioned his men and they marched up the corridor after him.

VVV

Ralph Harrison had left his appartment and crossed the neat lawn to the waiting Visitor shuttle craft that had just that moment arrived.

Commander Gerald hopped out wearing his dark shades - he stood at the ramp, "Good...I am glad you received my message, Ralph", he beamed with a smile.

Ralph paused at the base of the ramp looking up at him, "Yes I did Gerald, when I got back earlier, what is this about? Can I ask?"

Gerald broadened his smile, "I promised you a tour of the mothership here in Washington - a proper tour that only a few of your people have had access to...I have time in my busy schedule to take you around personally..."

He moved aside to let Ralph enter- the newsman looked thrilled and hurried through the opening, Gerald's smile faded and followed suit with the ramp lifting after him.

VVV

At the chemical plant in Baltimore, Alex Fisher stood in his office rubbing his temples and then feeling suddenly cold with the hairs rising at the back of his neck, he turned around and nearly jumped put of his skin.

"Adam! Jesus H Christ, you gave my heart a flutter there!", Alex gasped.

Adam stood in the office doorway where a split second ago, there was nobody, "I do apologise...but I have brought you a gift"

Alex frowned, "a gift?"

Adam nodded and stepped foward and planted a box right on the desk in front of the plant boss. Alex could see that the box was made of some kind of strange glass or crystal or some strange material alien to Earth.

"Please accept this..."

Alex took the box and gently opened it up to reveal a diamond ring, he gasped in awe, "Adam...thank you...thank you so much"

Adam put his hands together, "It's a mere token for your loyalty to us...a thank you for your continued support and together we can make this plant the best in the country..."

Alex slipped the ring on his finger and looked up, "This is too much but...thank you...we of Earth are so lucky to have met you guys..."

"It's destiny that bring yours and my people together, Mr Fisher..."

VVV

Sam Walker had parked the car up onto the curb and watched Kath Wagner and Maggie Winters hurry up the steps of the police precinct.

Inside, Helena Shaw looked up from her position at the front desk with a welcoming smile, "Can I help you girls?"

Maggie approached the counter, "Yeah, you sure can...I'm Maggie Winters - would you contact my brother Jimmy Winters - He's a cop at this precinct..."

Helena turned and unclipped the roster from the hook, "I thought he was on vacation..."

Maggie shook her head, "No...he's not at home...and anyways, he's always informs me when he goes away on vacation because he gets me to feed the cat"

Helena put back the roster and removed her specs, "then I'm sorry - I just don't know"

Just then, Officer Sean Steele and his female Visitor partner Phillipa enter the foyer. Helena held out her arm to them, "Hey Sean! Have you seen Jim around?"

Sean approached the counter removing his police cap, "I thought he went away..."

Maggie whirled around before Helena could reply, "No! He would have said something!"

She was getting agitated now and, worried, Kath came forward and placed a comforting arm around her, "I'm sure he's okay...", she soothed trying to calm her down.

Helena agreed, "yeah...give him a call tomorrow - I'm sure he'll turn up"

Sam then came in, "So? What are they saying?"

Kath turned, "We have done all that we can...lets get her home Sam"

Sam nodded and lead them out into the bitter cold outside. Helena waited for the doors to swing shut before she opened , "She's gotta point about Jim...he wouldn't have just gone away on a whim, would he?"

Sean didn't know what to think, but with Phillipa now narrowing her eyes at him, he didn't respond.

"Sean...lets go...we have not completed our shift"

Sean rolled her eyes at Helena and followed the Visitor on her way.

VVV

On the Washington flagship, Deborah stood in the open doorway of the conference room with her scanpad, "I am very sorry to interrupt your meeting Supreme Commander, but I have just found Ralph Harrison...he was wandering around the corridors unsupervized..."

John shot a glare towards Gerald who sat to his right, the commander sighed, "Damn it...I forgot about him...I left him to wait in my office"

"Then you were careless over your own security here!", John cried, "...you should have secured the door...it is a good job he knows nothing of our mission"

Gerald cleared his throat, "he doesn't...but I will check and test him if he does...we need to pacify him, he's getting suspicious of us since we took his colleague"

John stood up, "Then see to it that his suspicions are no more Commander"

"I will...", Gerald told, "...and he can simply disappear too if I sense he will be an obstacle to our mission"

Deborah stepped forward, "He is right outside...shall I show him in?"

John moved to the opposite door, "Yes...Gerald can see him, I have other matters to attend to on the L.A ship..."

Gerald watched the door slide shut behind John and turned to Deborah, "You best show the human in..."

VVV

Ralph Harrison had completed his tour, of course he had seen much before hand, but this time it was much more indepth.

"You say it's dangerous to go into the restricted areas..", asked Ralph as he walked along side Gerald through the busy hangar of the Mothership, "...but what I have observed, your personnel come and go through those areas quite freely and without protective clothing"

Gerald kept a level head - even with differcult questions like this being shot at him.

"there is an area within the doors...an airlock if you like...to change in and out of radioative suits..."

Ralph wanted to ask more , but Gerald over rode him by gesturing him out to the waiting shuttle nearby, "Jason...Ralph is ready to go back now...are you ready to dis-embark?"

Jason could sense that his commander wanted shot of Ralph, "Yes sir...I am all set to go"

A little disappointed, Ralph turned and shook Geralds cool hand, "well...thank you Commander...it was enlightening for sure..."

Gerald smiled, "I promised a tour and I gave one, now...if you excuse me - I have much to attend to"

Jason was already waiting at the ramp to see Ralph aboard the shuttle - the newsman nodded and with a farewell smile, hurried into the craft.

Within minutes, Gerald watched as the shuttle manouvered out of the hangar to take Ralph home. Michele was then at his side, "does he know anything?"

Gerald turned to her as they made their way across the hangar, "No...I am confident that he doesn't...but he is eager to learn more...he asks too many questions"

Michele shrugged as they entered the corridor, "Maybe I can suggest we offer him a place here on the ship"

Gerald stopped in his tracks and frowned at her, "and why do you suggest that?"

Michele smiled, "keep him close by - if he is hellbent on finding out a lot more about us, than we are lead to believe, keep him nearby - it will be easier to keep an eye on him - and if he does stumble in an area he shouldn't be in...", she trailed off knowingly.

Gerald liked the sound of it, "yes...I like your plan...I'm sure a tour of the final area would be the very last thing he would want"

Michele laughed, "the last thing anyone would want...if they had a choice..."

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