Ben Greene walked across the snow covered grass towards the college's frontage steps. Randy Revell had been drinking and smoking cannabis all morning, and he and his friends were harassing a girl with glasses who's father was a scientist.

Zac suddenly pointed a finger towards Ben and with a chuckle that betrayed him as being as 'high as a kite', he said, "hey Rand...it's the college !"

Ben saw them start the approach, so he tried to avoid them by crossing to the other path, but Randy and Zac still managed to halt him in his tracks.

"So...where are you going? Did I say you could move...look at you standing there all pathetic and like some ass jerk...I'm the best at the youth scheme...you were only picked out because I allowed it..."

Ben laughed at him, "I was picked as the best, because I am the best..."

Zac looked at Randy, "I think he is disrespecting you Rand..."

Randy leaned over the defiant Ben as he was a foot taller, "yeah...I know"

From the nearby shuttle that had just touched down, Greg was coming down as the ramp extened with a low hum. He paused and focused on what was going on through his sunshades.

Randy placed a hand over Ben's shoulder to lean in a barriage of abuse - but stopped when Zac tapped him on the back and nodded towards the Visitor male, as he was strolling over.

"Sir!", saluted Randy with respect. Zac did the same.

Ben used that as his excuse to pick up his bag and his books that had fallen onto the snow covered ground. Greg came forward and helped, their eyes briefly meeting, "are you alright Ben?"

Ben wasn't. He felt humilated at having to get bullied by Randy and Co right in front of him. So feeling embarrassed, he nodded and snatched up his stuff, "I'm fine...just leave me alone..."

And then he hurried off.

Greg sighed as he watched him go and straighened his cap, he turned and focused on Randy and Zac, "what was that all about? The scheme is not designed to bully weaker individuals into submission", he told through his vibrated undertones.

Randy chuckled, "But sir...he doesn't count - the likes of him are not accepted in our society!"

Greg stared at him and stepped forward, "Oh? Because he is different?"

"Pretty much so - he's what we call - a queer ", laughed Randy. It was good to teach these aliens a think or two.

The Visitors eyes narrowed behind the shades, "Really...", Randy was still laughing, "...a queer , huh?"

VVV

Ross Morrell called in to his wife at the research center.

"Hey, you forgot your lunch this morning..."

Toni took the paper-bag from him and rubbed a hand up and down his arm, "Carla with my Mom?"

He nodded, he looked down.

"Hey...why don't you call in at the plant...talk to Alex...tell him that you didn't mean to walk out"

Ross shook his head quickly not wanting to listen to all that again, "No way! I quit because you are a scientist"

Toni's face fell, "But that's just so unfair"

Suddenly there was an enormous explosion from outside and within a split second the windows came crashing in, sending them both flying behind the labs work bench.

Toni cut her hand on some fallen glass as she tried ro crawl over to Ross who was covered in dust.

Another explosion rocked the building.

Amy Appleton came stumbling through the door and landed beside them.

"They are fire bombing all our cars in the lot...everything is ablaze!"

Ross rolled over and went to stand, Toni grabbed his arm, "Ross no!"

Ross gently pulled his hand out from hers and walked in a stoop towards the lab's shattered windows. The blinds were hanging loose on one cord due to the damage, but it didn't stop him seeing the scene that was playing out in the lot.

He witnessed an array of cars in the lot ablaze sending acrid black smoke pouring into the sky. There was a group of youths dressed up in party masks, hoods and scarfs...anything to disguise their identities. But that wasn't enough, as the police sirens weiled in the distance, Visitor shock troopers were already on the scene and they didn't take prisoners.

One youth was grabbed by one of the troopers and had his head smashed so hard up against a unscathed van, he fell to the floor motionless.

Another youth went to run and had a blue bolt sent through him from on of the aliens rifles. And as Ross looked on in sheer horror, he could atually see two troopers deliberately shove one of the bombers head straight into a burning car...the guy screamed in terror before being thrown to the tarmac and having him put out of his misery with a laser bolt through the head.

Ross ducked back. His heart was racing. What the hell was going on? Yes these youths were retaliating against this conspiracy by fire bombing scientists vehicles, but what kind of saddistic display were the Visitors putting on?

Toni was at his side, "Ross? What is it...let me see..."

But he stopped his wife looking out the window, he just looked at her, holding her gaze as he her face, "Oh my god... what are we up against?", he whispered.

Toni swallowed and rested her head on his chest.

VVV

Ralph Harrison packed up his film crew after yet another broadcast about sorting out Africa's enviromental issues. It was icy cold and he pulled his furred hood around his neck as the snow continued to fall over Washington. For once in the 3 months since the Visitors first arrived, the mothership was invisible to the human eye.

Gerald stepped out of the Senate building and looked about him.

Ralph shivered and rubbed his hands together as he approached the Visitor flagship commander under the over-hang of the foyer.

"Have you seen snow before Gerald? Does it ever snow on Sirius...?"

Gerald broke into a smile, "Once it did...in the high mountains...", he had faraway eyes, "...but all that was such a long time ago..."

Ralph cleared his throat, "it is remarkable what you have planned for Africa...that continent has been a problem for as long as I can remember...with your help, we can finally help these people"

Gerald chuckled, he decided to sound sincere, disguising the fact that as they spoke, most of the African tribes were being massacred for sport...he and his Visitor fellows at arms found that the tribal warrior instinct in these black skinned creatures was just perfect for target practice and the strongest could be used as cannon folder against the 'enemy'

"those poor people are starving Ralph...it pleases us enormously knowing we are helping those who are unfortunate in your world"

Ralph bit his lip. He had made the decison to 'keep in' with the Visitors. Afterall, Gerald had been quite clear about whose side he was on and there was still the fact about the missing Susan Feldman...a vacant seat beside him at the news center was all what was left of her.

He moved Gerald inside the foyer inner and turned, "Gerald I have some concerns..."

Gerald tilted his head, "Oh? What kind of concerns...?"

The newsman's voice became a hush, "At my building, I think...or I believe...it is being used as a safehouse for scientists...you know, those who don't want to register..."

Gerald broke into a pleased smile, "Your loyalty to us is profound - now, tell me exactly, in full detail, what you have seen..."

VVV

Randy Revell, in Visitor youth scheme uniform, went into the locker room to get undressed and take a shower.

He was feeling quite pleased with himself, especially since Ben hadn't shown up for practice.

Greg was suddenly in the doorway and watched him undress, then he stepped in and shut the door making Randy turn quickly, "Sir...I never saw you there"

Greg approached him frowning, "No? Tell me, why do you like to intimidate Ben Greene?"

Randy opened his locker and pulled out his 'Star Wars' themed towel and slung it across his shoulder, "because he is a queer ...a ...the most disgusting creatures you'll ever encounter on this planet", he chuckled casually.

Greg folded his arms across his chest, "really? You find being different, disgusting..."

Randy frowned at the alien, now conscious that the alien male could see his ness, "yeah...don't you?"

Greg chose his words carefully, "not really...I find it interesting...", then he stepped forward and placed his hand onto Randy bare chest, his eyes meeting the humans - just to let the human understand what he meant.

Randy stepped back, he shook his head in sheer shock, "What? You sick - faggots on Sirius?", he glared at the alien, "...get your dirty hands off me...you just wait till I tell everybody else!"

Randy turned pulling his jeans on and reaching for the door. He heard the alien call his name.

"Randy?"

Randy turned to give the Visitor some much deserved attitude, but gasped out in sheer horror of what was infront of him.

Those eyes! What the hell had happened to Greg's eyes..they were like...he gasped again staring...frozen to the spot.

"Do you think that Ben was frightened when you preyed on him?"

Randy turned and tried the door, "Jesus H Christ..what the hell are you!"

The locker room door wouldn't open, "I have locked it...twisted the locking device right off infact"

Randy slowly turned around to face the alien, "but it's made of steel or something...", he trembled.

Greg came forward, those snake like eyes boring straight into him...and then the alien grabbed him by the neck and lifted him right off the tiled floor of the locker room.

Randy couldn't breath, the aliens superhuman strength closing in around his windpipe...and then it closed its grip further and crushed every bone in Randy's neck...

...and finished off with hurtling Randy's lifeless body across the locker room, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor...

VVV

Ross Morrell flicked through the TV channels as his wife was in the bedroom packing. He sat down on the sofa with the remote control in his hand as Kristine Walsh was finishing a report.

"...and there was fewer terrorist attacks today led by the ever growing scientists conspiracy...this comes after a report that details any scientist that has not registered their whereabouts by the weekend will be automatically arrested..."

Toni was in the doorway leaning on the frame, "Where are we going to go? We can't just run with a two year old...it's not fair on her...anyway, this is our home, why should we have to go?"

Ross jumped up and held his wife's shoulders tightly, "Didn't the otherday tell you that? The fire bombing? And what about last week when you said you felt like you were being followed home and I said that you were just being paranoid..."

"You think that I was followed?"

Ross shook his head, "I just don't know what to believe anymore honey...all I know is that the world has gone completely mad...and what about these friendly ...when ever did you see as much as a weapon on them when they first appeared...look at them now...they are virtually posted on every street corner watching your every move wityh a rifle slung over their shoulder..."

Toni was close to tears, "But where Ross...where are we gonna go..."

Ross cupped his wife's cheek with the palm of his hand, "I know someone..."

VVV

Sam Walker was happy for them to stay as his appartment in Maryland, but as Toni went into the spare bedroom and saw to a grizzerly Carla, Sam pulled Ross into the small kitchen, "You can stay, like said...but keep the fact that your wife is a scientist quiet from Kath...she wouldn't understand like I do..."

Ross slapped a hand over Sam's shoulder, "thanks buddy, I really owe you for this...plus if what you say is true about a hiding place deep in the smokey mountains, hopefully it won't be for too long..."

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