The Watchers from within moments, Revealed

A Novelette by
Mark Paul Jacobs

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2010  by Mark Paul Jacobs
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Cover design by Mark Paul Jacobs

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The Yaakmen of Tyrie   Part 1:  Confluence (Free!)
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The Yaakmen of Tyrie   Part 4:  Destiny (Due in 2011)

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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The Watchers from within moments, Revealed

A little girl’s scream pierced the shrouded darkness rousing Jim Vedder from his restless slumber. Betty, lying beside him, shot upward like a catapult. He could feel Betty’s subtle form arching forward, attentive.
A second scream faded to a hushed sobbing. “Mommy—”
Betty leaped out of bed and rushed out of the bedroom. Jim wearily slung his legs onto the carpet and glanced at the clock: 2:14 A.M. He sighed deeply and mumbled to himself: “Three hours...”
“Jim—?”
Jim closed his eyes, his mind craving a few more seconds of precious sleep.
“Jim, get in here... now!”
Jim Vedder groaned loudly and climbed out of bed. With a tug on his robe, he wondered across the hallway to Melinda’s room. He switched on the light.
“It’s alright, sweetie.” Betty sat on the edge of the pink bedspread, rocking the girl gently and wiping tears from little green eyes. “Mommy and daddy are here to protect you. Nothing will get you... mommy promises.”
“But the dresser and the closet… have eyes.”
Betty eyed Jim sharply. “No they don’t honey,” she soothed. “The dresser and closet are made of wood; they can’t see.”
“But they watch, mommy… they watch… I know they do.”
“Go to sleep, honey. I’ll be right here.”
Melinda calmed slowly and Betty laid her gently back to bed. A minute later, Melinda was sound asleep. Betty pulled covers over her tiny body and kissed her forehead. She brushed past Jim. “Turn off the lights,” she hissed.
Barely awake, Jim followed Betty into the kitchen. Betty sat and lit a cigarette, tossing the lighter across the table. She puffed like a call girl awaiting a client.
“I thought you quit.”
“Fuck you.”
“C’mon, it’s too late for this.”
“This is your own dammed fault, Jim. She’s five years old. She hears things. She listens—”
“I can’t help that.”
“You could keep it at work.”
“You know that’s impossible now. Didn’t you notice them, Betty?” He waved toward the door. “They’ve been camped out there for a month. The media won’t let me take the garbage out.”
“I want to take Melinda away from this.”
“Where?”
“Laguna beach.”
“Your mother’s?”
“Yes, anywhere but here.”
“What you mean is... anywhere where I’m not.”
Betty took a long puff and shrugged.
“I think you’d both be safer here with me. I do have the Feds to protect me.”
“You’re the one with all the answers, Jim. The press will get bored with Melinda and me.”
“Okay, Okay. I’m too tired to fight about this right now. But I want to see Melinda whenever I want.”
“I would never dream of keeping her from you.”
“Just so we have that straight.”
“Don’t freak out. We’re not separating.”
Jim shook his head disapprovingly and closed his eyes. “I’ve got to get some rest.”
**********
Wednesday, April 7th

Jim Vedder exited the limousine at 6:00 A.M. sharp surrounded by cops and running a gauntlet of pesky reporters. He exhaled forcefully and ducked into the lobby, drawing away his usual entourage of three bodyguards.
“Doctor Vedder,” Sherry Greenholm yelled. “Doctor Vedder.” She waved a blue binder like an autograph seeker at a rock concert.
Jim smiled. “Miss Greenholm, my schedule?”
“I did the best I could. I was up to midnight.”
Jim took the book and began to read. “Sherry, I haven’t had much spare time to tell you lately, but you are the world’s best assistant.”
Sherry grinned. “The big interview is this morning. The press all drew lots and promised to combine their questions. I gave them three hours with you; I hope it’s long enough...”
“I hope I have enough material.”
“And the CIA wants to be kept informed of everything.”
“It’ll be alright, Sherry. I’ll handle it.”
Sherry brushed her short brunette hair, her eyes sparkled. “Jim, I’ve heard that two and a half billion may tune in this morning; I’m told that’s more than any broadcast in History.” She giggled.
“Thanks, Sherry. “I’ll be sure to keep that in mind; it’ll calm my nerves.”

Jim Vedder settled comfortably in his chair fussed over by a pair of makeup artists and surrounded by chattering men and women wearing headphones. Glancing above his head, he noticed a makeshift array of studio lights and two large monitors. An impeccably dressed, attractive woman in her early forties sat curtly before him. The set cleared hurriedly.
 “Good morning, this is Teresa Long of ABC news coming to you live from the offices of FastTech Corporation in Long Beach, California. It’s about… 7:03 A.M. on America’s west coast— the sun is shining, the Pacific is lapping at our shores, freeways are jammed. But most of us know that the world’s attention has been elsewhere during these last traumatic twenty-six days since the so-called Watcher phenomenon was thrust into the public’s eye. And at its epicenter, Doctor Jim Vedder, PhD MIT, and chief engineer here at FastTech. Doctor Vedder—“
“Good morning, Teresa.”
“Can you explain to the world why it has taken nearly a month for your company to release details of your research? Why has the press been kept at arm’s length?”
“Our company’s strategy from the beginning has been to proceed slowly and carefully. We were aware almost immediately there may be national security concerns, but the primary reason for our caution was the need for verification.”
“And how was that achieved?”
“A question not easily answered, Teresa. Quite simply, there was no other company or government that could verify our results.  Here at FastTech we have developed proprietary technology that has pushed high-speed photography to new and uncharted limits— almost 750 million frames per second; that’s five times faster than any camera in the world.”
“And this is used for…?”
“Super fast cameras have many useful applications, but they are used primarily for research. For example, we can observe the first moments of an explosion, or study the tension on a water drop.”
“And this is how the Watchers were discovered?”
“Yes, about a month ago we were manually scanning images at about 266 MFPS and—”
“MFPS...?”
“Millions of frames every second.”
“Okay.”
“That’s when our technician began to notice blurring on some of our images.”
“Blurring?”
“Yes, actually they resembled a darkened cloud. Blurring commonly occurs when the subject is travelling faster than the shutter speed of the imager. In reality, cameras of this sophistication use lasers, prisms and mirrors; not shutters.”
“Were they Watchers?”
“We kept the camera stationary and ran about two seconds at our top range at about 746 MFPS. Of these billion and a half images, we discovered three ‘incursions’ of about 65 consecutive images— that’s an infinitesimally short period of time.  But luckily, in one instance, the subject stood motionless long enough for a clear capture.”
Teresa motioned off camera. “And here is the picture that shocked the world— one of the most discussed and scrutinized photos ever taken.”
Vedder glanced up and a familiar image appeared on one of the overhead screens. Half of the picture was shaded in gray in what appeared to be scales or armor. The face was most terrifying, long and gaunt; it appeared to be a horrific skeleton with only a stitch of clingy skin. But the eyes! The eyes were the sum of all human nightmares— tiny, red, pupil-less slits, and staring directly into the lens.”
“Oooh...” Teresa shuddered dramatically. “I still can’t get over that face.”
“We have more,” Vedder said casually. “…although that one was probably the clearest image.” A series of photos flashed on the screen. “Here, this one is interesting; you can clearly see some kind of appendage— a tail with a stinger, perhaps.”
“Yes, the famous tail. Some say it looks like a scorpion.”
“And here, we have a good shot of its wings.”
“I’ve heard them described as hornets from hell, Dr. Vedder. But the head and face look so human-like, and the eyes so chilling...” Teresa glanced down at her notes and cleared her throat. “And now Mr. Vedder, I must ask a few tough questions.”
“Certainly.”
“I’m sure the world wants to know why you’re so certain this isn’t a hoax.”
“We at FastTech were very concerned at first…I’m mean, our very reputation is at risk with these revelations. But with careful, repeated tests our fears were eased. That’s when we decided to notify the government, which led to us going public.”
“Repeated tests?”
“Yes, we set the camera up in many diverse locations: downtown Los Angeles, the beach, deep in a cave...”
“And the Watchers showed up?”
“Yes, in most cases.”
“But everywhere, always...?”
Vedder hesitated. “No, not always. Don’t forget that the Watchers flutter in and out of existence in mere millionths of a second. They are quite difficult to detect.”
“And that’s why we can’t see them?”
“Think of them as a bee buzzing around your head, but the bee is flying around at a fraction below the speed of light, and for a fraction of a moment.”
“A bee— what a great comparison; they do look like insects, or a miniature version of the witch’s monkeys from the Wizard of Oz.”
“Anything travelling at that speed for that short period of time would be imperceptible to your eye.”
“But still there, right?”
“Yes.”
“And a rather large bee, wouldn’t you say?”
“Using some of our images, renowned Exobiologist Dr Nigel Rush of the University of California San Diego has estimated the creatures to be about thirty inches long— about the size of a large dog.”
“I think that’s why so many normal everyday citizens are so disturbed. The idea that something exists, just in front of us, we can’t see or touch, but watching us; observing us. It’s downright creepy. Do you have any clues to where they’re from?”
“I can’t even speculate. I’m an Optical Engineer, not a physicist or biologist. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Rush with us this past week.”
“I’m sure you’ve kept up with the theories, though?”
“Of course, I’d have had to been in a coma to miss the chatter.”
 Theresa snickered. “Many seem to think they don’t come from earth or even space. But from a different… dimension. This sounds like Science Fiction, doesn’t it?”
Vedder shrugged. “I think it’s possible. They don’t appear to be creatures that could have evolved like us. Just imagine what life must be like for them; we would appear to them like statues. Or maybe, they’re perception of time is totally different from ours. What do they eat? How do they breathe? The questions are endless.”
“Do you think they’re intelligent?”
“It’s hard to judge based just on the images we’ve taken. Communication with them would be interesting, though.
“Have you tried?”
“We don’t even know if it’s possible.”
“Why not try?”
 “Nobody has yet come up with a plan to—”
“Nobody?”
“Not yet.  Don’t forget this phenomenon is relatively new. We’ve hardly had a chance to catch our breath.”
“Then you don’t think it’s impossible?”
“I’m sure someone in the scientific community will come up with a clever idea. I’d put those sorts of questions to more enlightened people like Dr. Rush. But if you want my opinion, I think the differences between us will be just too great.”
“Thank you, Dr. Vedder, I do realize some of these questions are beyond your expertise, but the world will appreciate your insights. Do you think they’ve always been among us?”
“There are a lot of great minds working on that question right now, Teresa. I can only say with certainty they were present at virtually the very moment our fastest cameras were switched on.”
“Do you think they’re a threat? Many are disturbed by those barbed tails.”
Vedder hesitated. “I can’t say for certain. The Department of Defense dispatched several employees to monitor our processes; they arrived almost immediately after we notified them of our observations.”
“Yes, the government. How do you feel about their involvement? You are a private company—”
“Actually, we at FastTech welcome scrutiny.”
“Really?”
“Yes, we sincerely do.”
 “Okay... And what is FastTech up to right now?”
“My staff has working around the clock developing a new system that will quickly analyze trillions of our images and extract any anomalies.”
“Watchers?”
“Right.”
“And what will this new system accomplish?”
“We’ll know exactly when and how often these incursions occur.”
“So… we should get even better pictures in the days and months to come?”
“Yes, collaborating with other researchers around the world should produce a more complete mosaic.”
“And you will share your technology?”
“FastTech has already pledged to do so. We have been working closely with a company in Hong Kong and another in London.”
“And this will provide some validation?”
“Yes, Teresa. We certainly hope so.”
Teresa pushed a plug firmly into her left ear. “My producer just informed me that FastTech stock has gone from $4.25 to $850.00 a share this past week alone.”
“Yes.”
“…but has since been pulled from the AMEX exchange, since your CEO Mike Adams made this announcement on Friday.”
“I’m painfully aware of that, Teresa.”
“You could have personally made tens of millions?”
“Actually, last Thursday I was a billionaire on paper.”
“How do you feel about that?”
Vedder chuckled. “Honestly, I haven’t had much time to think about it; although my wife might have a different opinion.”
Theresa shifted uncomfortably. “Was Mr. Adams’ actions a response to those who doubt your claims?”
“My boss, Mr. Adams has stated repeatedly that honesty and openness would be our best policy here at FastTech. Any notion we’re profiteering would be deadly to our little company.”
“I see…”
“FastTech’s business is high-speed photography; tracking strange trans-dimensional creatures is best left to someone else.”
“Then who do you suggest: the government? Academia?”
Vedder shrugged. “Frankly, that is none of our concern. Our company’s short term position is to share our technology openly; after which, we expect to have only a minor part in researching this phenomenon. We at FastTech wait patiently to hand this thing off to more enlightened and capable minds.”
**********
Monday, April 11th

Jim Vedder sat at the conference table squirming uneasily under Herb Williamson’s steely gaze. Over the past week, Vedder noticed the government bioweapons specialist’s disarming habit of scanning everyone’s eyes; perhaps it was Williamson’s CIA training. “I think we all understand your concerns, Dr. Rush,” Vedder said. “But you must realize our employees have been thrust into an unprecedented, and sometimes hostile, situation.”
 Ever the dull academian, Dr. Nigel Rush removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Please accept my apology, gentlemen. I’m afraid, twenty hours a day and seven days a week have taken its toll on this 63 year-old body. Apparently, up to now, most of our time has been focused on possible fraud and not studying the Watchers. I hope we can alter this trend, starting now.”
 Herb Williamson sighed audibly. “Everyone should be reminded that extraordinary claims do require extraordinary evidence. Verification is of utmost importance, especially in this case. I can’t imagine a more extraordinary situation.”
Mike Adams stroked his stubbly chin and nodded. “I’m not afraid of healthy skepticism, Herb. I’m just asking you to be fair.” 
 Vedder sipped his double Latte. “Well then… Let’s put everything on the table. Give me an assessment. How has my staff performed?”
“Extraordinarily well,” Williamson replied somewhat flatly. “Everyone has passed the interviews and polygraphs with flying colors.”
“You sound a bit disappointed,” Mike Adams added.
Williamson’s face twisted. “The whole world is watching our every revelation, Mr. Adams. You must understand the government’s position.”
Adams chuckled darkly. “The world is watching us, watch the Watchers…”
Nigel Rush cleared his throat. “And what can you add, Mr. Bommareddy? What conclusions have you reached about FastTech’s software?”
 Sridhar Bommareddy, Software Specialist on loan from the US Defense Contract Audit Agency, pushed his glasses to the ridge of his nose. “So far,” he said in a soft voice. “My staff and I have found no abnormalities.”
Once again Vedder caught Williamson’s probing eyes.
 Bommaready continued: “I commend Mr. Taij Harding and the rest of your staff, Mr. Vedder; they have been extremely patient and quite open to scrutiny. Mr. Harding’s software is clearly documented and concisely written. We have had many people working around the clock examining every line of code. The probability of fraud is extremely low.”
“But not impossible?” Williamson asked.
“No, but very improbable. Obviously we’ve had multitudes of individuals who have offered theories of how these images could be faked, yet there is no evidence of such tampering present here. We have also examined whether these images could have been projected in some manner from outside sources. And once again, we found no plausible methodology.” Bommaready shook his head. “Gentlemen, if this is a sham, then the perpetrators are geniuses, or are familiar with techniques well beyond our sharpest software specialists.”
“Thank you, Sridhar,” Rush said. “And furthermore, I have more outstanding evidence captured just hours ago.” Rush clicked on his laptop and an image appeared on a screen above the conference table. The image was divided into four separate quadrants, each with different view of a single nightmarish Watcher.”
Williamson gasped. “Geez...”
“Wow,” Adams chimed.
“Yes,” Rush said dryly. “This, gentlemen, is the first captured three dimensional view of the creatures. Up until now, it has been extremely difficult to synchronize our four cameras, so we set this little trap—”
“Interesting choice of words,” Adams said.
Rush peered over his glasses’ rim. “Indeed not a trap in a physical sense, Mr. Adams. It would be quite ridiculous to attempt to trap a creature that only exists for mere millionths of a second, would it not?”
Adams rolled his eyes.
“Please, watch...” Rush clicked his mouse and the images came to life. The first few moments were of an empty room. Suddenly a Watcher appeared out of thin air and fluttered around the camera. In an instant, the creature halted and twisted its scaled torso, turning its barbed tail menacingly toward the camera; its red eyes still blazing directly into the lens. Just as suddenly, the creature evaporated.
“That was rude,” Adams said, his voice quivering.
“Did everyone notice the shadowing?” Nigel Rush said. “Remarkable... And all of this in a mere 486 frames. This is by far our longest and best documented encounter.”
“And clearly,” Williamson added. “We can see this monster materialized nearly instantaneously before the first frame of the incursion, and dematerialized a microsecond after the last. There was no blurring— no apparent transition.”
“Could this be evidence that the Watchers can manipulate their own reality?”
Williamson hesitated, clearly pondering his words carefully. “I think what we have are trans-dimensional beings that can alter the speed in which time itself passes— simply fantastic.”
“Can I add something, Nigel?” Jim Vedder asked.
“Certainly, Mr. Vedder.”
“Is anyone here concerned that these latest images show this creature in a fairly aggressive posture? Do you suppose they can slow enough to threaten us? Thousands of hostile creatures this size would be horrific if unleashed.”
Rush sighed. “That is a fair question, Mr. Vedder. And a question best asked of a physicist, not biologists such as me or Mr. Williamson. The image I just displayed is the longest incursion captured to date. Perhaps this is some limit in which they cannot pass. We can never be sure, unless we observe them…”
“—slowing?”
“Yes, Mr. Vedder.”
“456 frames is an extremely long incursion,” Vedder continued. “But it’s interesting that even much slower high-speed cameras could have easily captured these images; the images would be blurred, yet still present.”
“And these cameras are relatively common?”
“There may be a dozen, active...”
“Perhaps they had detected these incursions, only to discard the blurred images as aberrations.”
“That could very well be,” Vedder replied. “But I wasn’t made aware of any such observations, even after our images were made public. I’m thinking that maybe these creatures were attracted to our camera because it’s currently the fastest. Like moths to a flame.”
“An intriguing thought,” Rush said. “The internet chattering class has also suggested this. I often wonder if the Watchers were attracted by the cameras because we could finally observe them, or were the Watchers always present, only now we have the ability to see them?”
“This leads to a question of their intelligence,” Williamson added. “If they’re attempting to communicate, then why not try interfacing directly with us?”
“A valid yet chilling prospect, Mr. Williamson; yet this harkens back to the physics involved and whether they are somehow limited in their abilities to alter time. We may never know the answer to that question, but the fact remains that no image has ever been taken with both humans and Watchers present.”
“Nonetheless,” Williamson continued. “We can assume they are flesh and blood creatures, or some variation thereof; they seemed to have evolved eyes and ears, and a mouth for consuming nutrition. Wherever they evolved, they have attained lighter than air flight, which in turn implies some sort of atmosphere.”
“And a tail with a stinger... They are certainly either predator or prey, most probably both.”
“And this also means there are most likely other creatures of their ilk; all with the ability to bend time to their will— incredible.”
Nigel Rush sighed. “Yes, an endless stream of most fascinating questions.” Rush removed his glasses, flashing a rare smile. “As a scientist, I feel so very fortunate to have lived long enough to see this day.”
Jim Vedder took one more look at image of the menacing Watcher and shook his head.
**********
Sunday April 17th

A rare Southern California shower pelted Vedder’s windshield as he pulled into his mother-in-law’s Laguna Beach driveway. He pressed a button on his cell phone and glanced around uneasily.
“It’s me,” he said softly.
A few breaths later, the door slowly lifted. Vedder pulled forward.
Betty greeted him at the door with a quick hug and a hurried kiss. “Is the coast clear?”
“Yes,” he responded wryly. “I thought the rain would give me cover.”
Betty pressed a button and the door clunked downward.
“Has there been any trouble?” he asked.
“No,” she replied softly. “A couple of reporters came around a few days ago. Once they found out you weren’t here, they left us alone. Jesus, you look tired.”
“Daddy!”
 Jim knelt and scooped Melinda into his arms. He hugged her tight. “How’s my little princess?” Jim glanced up to catch his mother-in-law’s rigid face and crossed arms, framed beneath the kitchen’s arch.
“She needs to go to bed.”  Connie’s grey eyes pierced like daggers.
“Mother...”
Jim held his daughter tightly. “I miss you so much.”
“Are you going to stay, Daddy?”
Jim caught Betty’s eye. “No, honey… Daddy still has some work to do.” 
“Finding the Watchers?”
Betty snatched Melinda from her father’s arms. “Daddy has other business to take care of, baby.” Betty released her to the floor. “Go with Grandma. It’s time for bed. You can talk to daddy in the morning.”
Connie shook her head. Melinda waved goodbye and took her grandmother’s hand.
Jim sighed. “Has she been better?”
“Mom or Melinda?” Betty replied with a smirk.
“I could give a rat’s ass about your mother.”
“Jim—” 
“Yes, I meant Melinda.”
“She’s been better, since you...”
“Good.”
“We just had to get away. You understand, don’t you?”
“I know.”
“How have you held up? Mom and I watch the news every night after Melinda goes to sleep.”
“I could sleep for a day. I can’t get used to the hotel.”
“I’ll get you some coffee.”
Jim stepped into the living room and flopped onto the couch. He flipped on the television and began surfing channels. He stopped abruptly, staring at a screen graphic. The host’s voice carried an awkward glee.

“Now, just 52% believe the Watcher phenomenon is real, 46 % think it’s an outright hoax, and only 2 % have no opinion at all. This is down sharply from the 65 % who believed just two weeks ago. Are we looking at a clear trend…?”

“You’re taking quite a beating,” Betty said, stirring a cup of steaming coffee. Jim took the cup and sipped.

“Well the problem is confirmation, Tony. These devils seem to pop up only in front of the cameras at this one solitary California company.”
“Are you joining the ranks of Hoaxters? Those who firmly believe this is the world’s greatest prank?”
“All I’m saying is that until we see these things confirmed by multiple, independent sources, many will find this hard to believe.”

The screen faded to commercial.
Betty sat next to Jim and slipped her arm under his. “Wouldn’t it be nice if this all turned out to be some kind of vicious joke?”
Jim eyed her suspiciously.
Betty snuggled closer. “I don’t mean you, but someone else with some ingenious scheme. If this all went away, we could all piece our lives back together again. And I mean everyone—”
“Nobody more than me wishes this was just a nightmare, but I keep waking up day after day to the same old problems. Honestly Betty, this is looking more legitimate each day.”
Betty closed her eyes. “So many want to believe otherwise, Jim; they just want to ignore these things, even if they do exist. Maybe that’s the only way we can keep from going completely insane. All of this does sound insane, doesn’t it?”
The commercial ended.

 “And now we have a special guest... please welcome California’s senior Senator Walter Jones, who happens to be a member of the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Senator Jones…”
“Thank you, good to be here.”

 “He’s such a jerk,” Betty interjected.
 
“First, Senator... more and more of the general public are beginning to doubt the existence of the Watchers, and according to our most recent poll, 52% believe it’s a downright hoax. What do you think? Do you think the Watchers are real?”
“Well, that’s not up to me to say… I mean, we have government experts working alongside these FastTech people.”
“And this private company has cooperated?”
“From what I’ve heard, FastTech has been very accommodative.”
“That brings up a good point, Senator. How much has all of this cost the taxpayers?”
“Congress has appropriated 50 million dollars for research. After all the publicity this has gotten, I feel we owe the world some answers.”
“And if this turns out to be a hoax?”
“Then I think the world will breathe a sigh of relief.”
“I mean, how will this affect the government’s reputation, Senator? More specifically, how would this affect your reelection plans?”
Jones shuffled uncomfortably. “We have no choice but to investigate claims that may be a matter of national security. At this point we can only assume these creatures are real. But if this is proven to be a fraud, I will assure you and the American people that the perpetrators will be brought to justice...”
**********
Monday April 26th (five days until London and Hong Kong go online)

Jim Vedder stepped out of the elevator on the twelfth and final floor of FastTech’s office building and peered around like a secret agent. He entered a stairwell and struggled upward; the door at the top was uncharacteristically ajar. He caught his breath and opened to bright California sunshine.
“Hello Jim,” Mike Adams said flatly, looking out over the busy streets below. “Pull the door shut, would you?”
Vedder secured the door and strolled to Adam’s side. “What’s up, Mike?”
“Are London and Hong Kong on schedule?”
“We should be ready on Saturday.”
“Good, good.”
“Are you ready for the Senator?”
 “Oh yes… the Senator… one o’clock, sharp. Don’t forget your hip waders.”
 Vedder slowly raised his face to the warm mid-morning sun. “Is there anything else on your mind, Mike?”
“Jim.” Adams started slowly. “I’m beginning to get a sinking feeling about all of this.”
“Believe me, Mike; we’re all had moments—”
“I mean, I’ve poured everything I’ve got into this company, both financially and emotionally. And the thing about it is, right when business is looking up for us… we have the fastest camera in the world, stock going up, and then—”
“I guess you can say fate has not been kind to us this spring.”
“Seriously, FastTech is taking a beating here. I can see only a downside to this. I could lose everything. My greatest is fear is not that these monsters do exist; it’s that they don’t!”
“That’s understandable.”
“Listen, Jim. I trust you more than anyone. Is there any way this could be a hoax— an inside job? You know the staff better than anyone. I have to hear it from your lips, and with nobody listening? I have to be reassured.”
Vedder shook his head and pondered his words carefully. “I can’t see it, Mike. Everyone’s been checked out, polygraphed and background checked— you name it. Not even those government people can come up with a method, or even a valid motive. And whoever could pull something like this off would be in some hot water if caught. No, it doesn’t make sense. And don’t forget the incursions are continuing, sometimes hundreds a day. Somewhere, somehow, they’d slip up.”
Adams exhaled slowly. “Thanks Jim. I just had to hear it from you.”
“Mike, you’re not alone in this boat. All of us would go down together...”
Adams grasped Vedder’s shoulder and smiled faintly. “Now, let’s go in and reel in that dip-shit Senator.”
**********
Thursday April 29th (37 hours until London and Hong Kong go online)

“Jim,” said Taij Harding. “I think you’d better take a look at this.” 
Vedder scooted his chair around the cubicle’s wall and pulled up next to Harding’s cluttered desk.
Harding pointed to a series of colored graphs displayed across his computer’s screen. His voice lowered to a whisper. “I think it’s pretty clear now...”
“Are you sure about this?”
‘Statistics don’t lie…”
“Geez—“
“The number of incursions has dropped by half in just the past 12 hours, and they’re only twenty percent of what they were just two days ago. This does not look like an aberration, this looks like a trend.”
Vedder shook his head slowly.
“And the durations are definitely decreasing.”
“I think we’d better tell Adams...”

Nigel Rush studied the graphs closely and rubbed his chin. “So the little buggers are getting shy, and speeding up— interesting.”
“Yes, interesting to say the least,” Mike Adams added.
Herb Williamson crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “And what does this say?”
“About what?” Adams snapped defensively.
“So, Mr. Adams, the Watchers get bashful just a handful of hours before supposed confirmation. You’re not dealing with a bunch of kids here.”
“You and the United States government can shove it up your—”
 “Mike!” Jim Vedder motioned for calm.
Adams seethed. “No, Jim. I’m not going to sit here in my own conference room and let this asshole talk to me this way.”
“The United States government has supplemented your little company this past month with millions in cash, Mr. Adams. You should be thankful—”
“Well, good… Then why don’t they just buy it? I’ve given everything away anyway. I can’t even trade my own stock.”
“It would not look good,” Williamson continued menacingly. “Especially now.”
“For whom?”
“For all of us...”
“What I see here is some ass covering. If these things show up in Hong Kong and London, then you and Senator Shithead will bask in the glory. If this thing blows up in our faces, then we’ll be blamed. Either way, FastTech is screwed.”
“You will have the unwavering gratitude of a concerned nation.” Williamson’s voice was cold, emotionless.
“Yes… FastTech: the company that brought you monsters...”
Williamson snickered. “Sometimes life isn’t so fair, Mr. Adams.”
For a second, Vedder sensed Adams preparing to lunge at Williamson, yet at the last moment, Fast-Tech’s founder somehow found the strength to relent. Vedder sighed— showing restraint wasn’t one of his boss’s strong points.
Still fuming, Adams settled back in his seat.
**********
Friday April 30th (10:30 PM PST, 8 hours until London and Hong Kong go online)

Taij Harding followed Jim Vedder into Mike Adams’ office and discreetly pulled the door shut behind him. Adams watched both men pull up chairs.
“They’re gone,” Harding reported flatly. “Everywhere, nothing... The last incursion was six hours ago, and for only three frames.” Harding shook his head. “Could the little devils know? They seem to be conspiring against us.”
Mike Adams took the news unflinchingly.
“What do we do now?” Vedder asked. “Should we call in Rush and Williamson?”
Adams stroked his chin. “No.”
“No?”
“Screw them.”
“C’mon Mike, you’re tired—”
“I want all of the government people out of here.”
“I don’t believe you’re thinking straight. We’ve already agreed...”
“I want them all out of here by tomorrow afternoon. The ballgame has changed, my friends; it’s time to play a little defense.”
“I bet Williamson’s not going without a fight,” Harding said.
“And Nigel Rush has been on our side from the beginning,” Vedder added. “He’s just a college professor, not a government man.”
“Nigel’s been great on the team,” Harding said. “Please, Mike, at least reconsider Rush.”
Adams paused and tapped his pen. “Okay. Rush can stay if he wants, but the rest of them must go. I’m deadly serious...”
Vedder shook his head. “This is a high risk strategy, Mike. How is this going to look to the public?”
Adams’ eyes blazed. “High risk?” He chuckled coldly. “Listen closely you two, everything will be on the line these next couple days. Get ready for a wild ride.”
**********
Saturday May 1st (London and Hong Kong go online)

“Hello once again, America and the world, this is Teresa Long of ABC news coming to you live from the lobby of FastTech Corporation in Long Beach, California. Well, this is the big day! The day everyone has waited so patiently for, since the Watchers became a household word almost two months ago. Today more than a hundred high-speed cameras, each designed with technology developed by FastTech Corporation, will be simultaneously switched-on in diverse locations near London, England and the metropolis of Hong Kong. Today we will finally discover whether this is truly a world-wide phenomenon, or something else… whatever the outcome, the world will certainly be paying close attention.
With me at this historic event is Senator Walter Jones of California. He is, by some accounts, both an advocate and critic of the U.S. government’s response to the Watcher investigation. Senator Jones—”
“Good to be here, Teresa.”
“Apparently, the Watchers and their advocates have been losing some steam this past month, wouldn’t you say, Senator? The latest polls show that only 34 percent think the Watchers are real. Why do you suppose there are so many unbelievers?”
“Well… other than theories and endless pictures, the fact remains that the alleged creatures have only shown up from one source, FastTech.”
“I noticed that you used the word ‘alleged’ just now; that’s a pretty strong word.”
Jones smiled. “I speak very carefully about this, Teresa. The American people deserve the truth.”
“Will you be convinced, if these other cameras capture Watchers?”
“It will go a long way to convince a skeptical public.”
We’re heard rumors that the actual number of Watcher sightings has decreased considerably this week. Would you care to comment?”
“All of these are rumors, Teresa. FastTech is still a private company.”
“But you have government people on the inside?”
“Yes, but FastTech still runs the show for…” Jones glanced at his watch. “...about five more minutes, give or take.”
“I have it from solid sources that FastTech CEO and owner Mike Adams has asked that all outsiders be removed from his properties after these other cameras are activated? Does he mean all government employees?”
“I think Mr. Adams will have a fight on his hands if he tries something like that. I must remind your viewers— the American taxpayers— that they have been covering most of his payroll this past month.”
“But it’s still a private company?”
“In my opinion, this is a matter of national security. I pledge to you and your viewers that I will do everything in my power to intervene on their behalf. I’m willing to go directly to the courts to protect the U.S. taxpayers. ”
“But that may take several days?”
Senator Jones shuffled uncomfortably. “That’s all I care to say about the matter, Teresa.”
“Sounds like a legal battle brewing—” Teresa paused. “Well, I’ve just received word that the cameras have indeed been switched on.”
“Thank you, Senator. And now, the world waits patiently...”
**********
Monday May 3rd (9:04 AM PST – 2 days after London and Hong Kong go on-line)

Jim Vedder glanced anxiously across the bank of television screens that dangled from the office’s ceiling, trying unsuccessfully to follow each chattering news network. Vedder noticed every headline repeated the same familiar theme: ‘Watcher’s fail to show’, ‘Is FastTech pulling a fast one?’, ‘Watchers go missing’. His eyes fixed on one graphic showing a poll where just 16 percent now believed the Watchers were real entities. Deep within, even Jim Vedder was beginning to have his doubts.
Suddenly, Vedder noticed ‘Breaking News’ flash across one screen; a moment later, two others followed. Vedder grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. Several in the office, including Taij Harding and Nigel Rush, stood and took notice.

“CBS News has a breaking story from inside FastTech… excuse me… we’re just getting details… We’ve been informed that even FastTech had stopped encountering the so-called Watchers, perhaps several days before other cameras were activated around the world. This is simply astonishing information, Jonathan.”
“Yes, this story has just been confirmed. Just when thought this company’s reputation could not sink any further—”
“Combined with FastTech’s bizarre decision to pull government watchdogs from their premises… we can almost connect all dots and reach the conclusion that there may be some kind of enormous fraud going on here.”
“Yes, this story is getting clearer now. What was FastTech trying to hide?”
“And who on the inside knew about this? And when did they know it?”

Jim Vedder slipped into Mike Adams’ office. “Mike, have you seen the latest?” Vedder noticed a sobbing Sherry Greenholm sitting beside Adams’ desk. Mike Adams leaned back in his chair, staring out the window.
Vedder raised his brow. “Sherry?”
Sherry blew her nose. “I just told my mother— I’m so sorry.”
Vedder rubbed her shoulder. “It’s Okay, Sherry.”
“And my cousin...” 
Vedder glanced sharply at Adams. “The press would have found out some way or another, right? Tell her, Mike.”
Adams spun slowly around. “I guess it doesn’t matter now.” He shrugged. “I should’ve turned this whole Watcher business over to the Feds right from the beginning. I took a big gamble, cooperating like I did— using my staff and putting FastTech’s face on this. I was naive to think we could come out of this looking good. I gambled with this company, and lost.”
“I wouldn’t give up yet; not while we still have cameras—”
“No, Jim. I’m afraid it’s over.” Adams snickered. “You and Nigel Rush may be the only two left who still believe in these things. I talked to Harding this morning and even he’s not so sure anymore. What do you think, Sherry?”
Sherry shook her head and sniffled. “I don’t know what to believe. This has just been too much…”
Adams waved his hand. “See...”
“Then you’re just giving up?”
“We have to cut our losses somewhere.”
“What about the staff?”
“Everyone should go. Things are going to get pretty ugly around here, real quick.”
“Security?”
“I’ve loosened up some funds…”
“Good, we have to get everyone away from here safely. There are swarms of press, not to mention angry protesters.”
“I’d like for you to stay, Jim.”
Vedder hung his head and nodded. “Okay— I’ve gotten used to that cot in the conference room.”
“And maybe Taij…”
“I’m pretty sure Taij will stay, and Nigel Rush will want to be here to the bitter end.”
Sherry sniffled. “I don’t want to leave, Mr. Adams. The press… they’re such vultures.”
Adams shook his head. “Absolutely not, Sherry. I’m sorry, but this mess had nothing to do with you; it’s me, Jim, and Taij they’re after.”
Vedder rubbed his chin. “So, you really think the Fed’s are coming after us?” 
“That asshole Senator Jones has been calling nonstop for the last hour. Do you think the good Congressman wants to commend us for our dedication?”
“What about a publicist? They could help with the press.”
Adams laughed. “I think we’re beyond hope, Jim, but nice try.”
“How long do you think we can hold out?”
“For a couple of days, at least; that’ll buy us some time.”
“Stall?”
“Why not?” Adams chuckled grimly. “At least until the refrigerator’s empty and they cart away our bones.”
**********
Monday May 3rd (7:18 PM PST)

Jim Vedder stepped into Mike Adams’ vacated office and shut the door behind him. Quietly, he moved to the window and peered out over a street teeming with white vans equipped with satellite discs and hundreds of protesters. A helicopter flew into view, hovering stationary at office height. Vedder stepped back from the pane.
Vedder tapped a key on his cell phone and held it to his ear. 
“Betty?” 
“Jim! Oh Jim—”
“Betty, listen carefully. Others may be listening to this conversation.”
“I… I thought this phone was—”
“I know, but I’m still asking you to be careful.”
“I understand, Jim. Are you in any trouble? That Senator has been all over the news today.”
“Mike’s meeting with his attorneys right now. We’re trying to sort things out.”
“Oh God… Jim.”
“Don’t worry. We’ve done nothing wrong.”
“I know, but have you seen the protests; some of them are getting violent. And the ugly comments on television?”
“I know—”
“I saw a video of your staff coming out of the building this afternoon... They had to run a gauntlet—pushing and shoving.”
“I know, but I’ll be fine. How’s Melinda?”
“Oh Jim… she’s doing just great, since…well… you know...”
“Good.”
“Jim—?”
“Betty… what’s the matter?”
“Everything’s changing, Jim… all over; it’s amazing. It’s as if we’ve all woken up from our worst nightmare. The stock market is up forty percent… people are returning to church to pray. And it’s not just in California— the whole world may never be as united as it is at this very moment.” Betty sniffed. “I can’t help but to think you’re partly responsible.”
“I’m glad in some twisted way something positive came out of all of this.” 
“Jim… I didn’t mean to—”
“Betty, I’m—”
 “I think, given some time, people may think better of you.”
“Betty, I know you want this to just go away.”
“I don’t care! I don’t want to hear about those… things, anymore.”
“Betty—”
“When this thing blows over, I want us to start a new life. No more interviews. No more FastTech, no talk of Watchers. I just want us to be like before.”
“We’ll try, I promise we will. But I have bigger issues to deal with right now.”
“I know.”
“Betty, I want you to be careful these next few days. Keep Melinda safe. There are plenty of kooks out there.”
“I will, Jim.”
“I love you...”
“I love you, too.”
**********
Tuesday May 4th (8:27 AM PST)

Jim Vedder sat silently in FastTech’s main conference room flanked by a somber Mike Adams and a yawning Nigel Rush. An unusually disheveled Taij Harding slipped through the doorway and plopped into his seat.
“Sorry,” Harding said, setting aside his phone. “Just checking some figures…”
Nigel pushed up his glasses’ rim. “Anything interesting, Mr. Harding?” 
Taij shook his head.
“It’s just as well,” Adams interrupted. “I’ve been up all night with our attorneys negotiating a deal with the Feds. I’m afraid our short-lived enclave is over.”
“Over?” Vedder asked. “When?”
“I’ve agreed to surrender these offices at 9:30 this morning. They’ll be waiting for us in the lobby.”
Nigel Rush lowered his head. “But who will carry on our work, Mr. Adams? Who will continue our research?”
“It’s the best I could do, Nigel. I’m sure you all agree we’re not holding a strong hand.”
Taij snorted. “The government’s been here since the beginning, Mike. What more could we do? They’ve been through my code more times than—” Taij’s phone buzzed.
“I think the government’s making a huge mistake,” Nigel said. “We’re fully operational at present. I’m certain keeping our research going would be relatively cheap. Why stop it now? It just doesn’t make sense.”
“Politics,” Adams replied.
Taij picked up his phone and read his message. Slowly, he closed his eyes.
The three men stared silently. “What is it?” Vedder asked finally.
“We have an incursion at 8:31 AM, 3 or 4 frames.”
Harding’s phone buzzed again.

The four men streamed hurriedly from the room, and congregated before Taij’s Harding’s desk. Sitting abruptly, Taij grabbed his mouse sending his cursor bouncing across his screen.
“A dozen at 8:32... nearly a hundred by 8:33...”
“Taij, this isn’t some kind of joke, is it?” Mike Adam asked.
“Where have you been hiding you little bastards? They’re all over the place, Mike— look.” Taij flipped a switch and a parade of familiar, shadowy figures fluttered across his imaging screen. The unflappable Nigel Rush pushed closer.
Harding’s phone buzzed again. He glanced down at the tiny message: LONDON. Before Taij could answer, HONG KONG was call-waiting.
**********
(8:48 AM PST –   reemergence plus 16 minutes)

Nigel Rush sat beside Taij Harding, studying the latest data. Jim Vedder and Mike Adams stood behind them, keeping a watchful eye on the world’s news. Vedder noticed that most of the networks were showing stock footage of melting glaciers and lonely polar bears. Jim Vedder read the scroll: ‘Environmental scientists baffled by polar phenomenon’ and ‘Global warming blamed for Arctic cloud’. Vedder sighed, musing how easily the press loses interest.
“This should be all across the news in a few minutes,” Vedder said. “Watchers have been detected all over the world.”
Adams pointed. “I know— Look; it’s on the BBC right now.”
“What do you think, Mike? Does any of this change our strategy?”
Adams glanced at his watch and shrugged. “I’d have to call my lawyer. We are still under agreement to...”
Nearly simultaneously, three networks flashed ‘Breaking News’. Vedder turned up the volume.

“And now for some breaking news…”
“Geez Teresa, I’m reading this, but I just can’t...”
“I know… let me try... Apparently those who wrote the obituary on the Watcher phenomenon may have been a bit premature. This morning ABC news has confirmed that within the last half-hour, the so-called Watchers have been detected by different organizations throughout the world. This is the first validation since dozens of these high-speed cameras became operational nearly three days ago, and the first claims made independent of California’s FastTech Corporation. What does this all mean, Jerry?”
“I don’t know Teresa. Is there any credibility here? The world was just beginning to heal from the emotional impact of these… Watchers. And then this bombshell, right in the middle of what looks like a huge, breaking environmental crisis? How much more can we stand?”
“Well… we’ll just have to see how this plays out. But now, back to our team at the National Center for Atmospheric Research…”

Mike Adams shook his head. “Jim, do you really think they’ll believe us after all this? Just think about how this looks to everyone on the outside. At the very moment we need confirmation, these things go into hibernation. Then, just minutes before we were scheduled to be shut down, they return with a vengeance. What would you think if you weren’t on the inside?”
“I know, it does sound fishy, doesn’t it?”
“Very fishy...”
“But I do think we have enough proof now; enough to make our case.”
Adams sniffed. “Proof, yes, but I still don’t think many will believe us, unless these things drop in long enough to say ‘hello’. And if that happened, I think everyone would be a little too distracted to care.”
Jim Vedder tapped his cheek. “Think this situation through, Mike. I believe this could be our way out.”
“What do you mean?”
“Hong Kong and London will draw attention from us, now that they’ve detected these things. And this global warming thing will occupy most of the press. I say we just close shop and surrender. The sooner, the better...”
“Go on...”
“Senator Jones will get little political satisfaction whipping us, especially since we have some vindication. We can get out of the Watcher business for good.”
“I’m for that!” Adams’ face brightened. “Taij, what do you think?”
“I could use a vacation,” Taij said, still clicking away on his computer. “London, Hong Kong, and the rest, all have my secrets anyway. Go for it!”
“Nigel?”
Nigel Rush sat silently, his bi-speckled eyes trained on the hard-copy printout spread out before him. Vedder noticed Rush withdrawing into his own little world since the Watcher’s recent return.
Adams glanced at his watch. “Nigel? We have twenty-seven minutes...”
“Oh… yes, Mr. Adams. I think it inevitable and best...” Nigel Rush circled a group of numbers and stroked his chin. He passed the printout to Harding. “Taij, can you send these off to London. I need to verify that the—”
“I think I have your answer,” Harding interrupted somberly. “This email just came in a minute ago.”
Rush leaned over to read Harding’s screen. He paused, and then returned to his printouts.
Taij Harding remained motionless.
“What is it?” Vedder asked.
“Perhaps nothing,” Rush replied. “But it appears these things have returned more invigorated than ever.”
“What do you mean?”
“Their sheer numbers, increasing approximately every fifteen minutes, and the duration of the incursions…”
 Jim Vedder noticed ‘Breaking News’ flash across all the networks. Harding and Rush looked upward.

“This is Teresa Long of ABC news. We now have extraordinary images of the Arctic anomaly that has confounded scientists for the last three hours. Look at this… It appears to be a dark cloud hovering over the Arctic; it’s quite extraordinary.”
“Yes, Teresa… everyone here is quite baffled.”
“Is this cloud some sort of temporary thing, Jerry?”
“Nobody appears to know, Teresa. I’ve talked with a few scientists and the best they could come up with is… wildfires or volcanoes.”
“Wildfires, volcanoes?”
“That’s what they said, but, there’s no evidence of any fires in northern Canada or Siberia, or of any volcanic activity.”
“Hmmm—”
“And it’s expanding at an alarming rate. The center, over the North Pole, appears to be getting darker— thickening. And it’s creeping south. Incredible!”
“Wow.”
“We have been in contact with Barrow, Alaska since this story broke, and they reported that just after the scheduled sunrise, the sky actually was growing darker.”
“Odd—”
“Let’s go to them, now.”
“Okay.”

Nigel Rush slowly rose from his chair and stood beneath the screen.

“Teresa, we appear to be having some technical difficulties with our connection to Burrow.”
“Oh, could it have something to do with this cloud?”
“I guess anything’s possible at this point. By the way, when I spoke to the journalist in Burrow earlier, he described the ‘cloud’ more like ‘shading’.”
“Shading? Like an eclipse?”
“Well, not exactly. The sun is very close to the horizon at this time in northern Alaska. He reported that the sky was darkening evenly, and not just within the disc of the rising sun. A solar eclipse is when the moon comes between the earth and sun. Besides, I’m told the Arctic is not due an eclipse for years.”
“Fascinating...”
“Here’s another interesting observation; just after sunrise, the northern lights were still visible, but many in Burrow described a lack of sharpness...”
“Sharpness? What do you mean?”
“It’s maybe not the best word...”
“Like, blurry?”
“Yes, blurry; that’s a good word to describe what they saw, I guess.”
“Anything else? What about this report of humming sounds?”
“Yes, like a horde of locusts on the far horizon, only stranger... almost indescribable...”

Nigel Rush turned pale as a ghost. “Oh my dear, sweet Jesus—” Nigel moved hurriedly back to Harding’s desk. “Mr. Harding, I’d like to ask you for a most important calculation.”
Taij stared into his screensaver like a zombie. “Yes Nigel, I think I know what you want.”
“Good, use this formula.” Nigel thought for a moment before scribbling on a printout. “And this should factor for our latitude.”
Taij nodded distantly, and then clicked his computer’s calculator.
Mike Adams shook his head. “Do you guys really think this has something to do with these things...?”
“Mike—” Vedder placed his hand on Adams’ shoulder. “Taij?”
Harding clicked a few more times and stopped. “I figure, maybe a hundred minutes until these things slow down enough to...”
“—encroach upon our reality?” A doleful Nigel Rush completed Taij’s sentence. “Were those the correct words to finish your thoughts, Mr. Harding?”
**********
(9:13 AM PST –   reemergence plus 42 minutes)

Jim Vedder shot through the office and into the stairwell, taking only a moment to glance at his watch. Breathing heavily, he shuffled down the six flights of stairs and emerged, confronted by a startled gray-haired security guard.
“Mr. Vedder...”
Vedder brushed by him, exiting into the parking garage. He hurriedly found his car and pulled away with screeching tires.
**********
(9:36 AM PST –   reemergence plus 1 hour and 5 minutes)
 
Vedder sped down the Pacific Coast Highway his mind cluttered with a million thoughts. He glanced out the window, noticing a sign: Laguna Beach 22 miles. He placed his phone on the passenger’s seat and switched on the radio.

“... and Fairbanks, Alaska is the latest city to lose contact. And we have scattered reports from northern Finland and parts of Siberia. We have just been handed a report from Reykjavík, Iceland... Jesus... Henry, can you verify this? I’m sorry, but this story so bizarre that I can hardly find words to describe on the air...”

Vedder switched the radio off. He pressed his phone’s speed dial.
“Betty?”
“Jim, is that you? Where are you?”
“Betty, listen carefully. Is Melinda with you?
“Yes, she’s in mom’s room watching videos. Jim, I heard something...”
Jim Vedder sighed deeply. “Good, where’s your mother?”
“She’s out shopping— Jim, you sound nervous. I heard on the news this morning that the Senator wanted to arrest you or something. Are you in trouble?”
“No, I’m—”
“And then I heard those ‘things’ have been detected all over the world again. What’s going on?”
“Just stay put, I’ll be there in twenty-five minutes.”
“I’m going out of my mind, Jim. First, you’re being arrested, and then these ‘things’ come out of hiding. And now, this Arctic cloud. Just yesterday, the world seemed back to normal, but now it’s completely falling apart.”
“Just stay put, Betty— please.”
“Okay Jim...”
Jim Vedder disconnected.
**********
(10:08 AM PST –   reemergence plus 1 hour and 37 minutes)

Vedder pulled into his mother-in-law’s driveway and skidded to a stop. He jumped out of his car and looked around; there was no press in sight. Vedder glanced at his watch and jogged to the front steps. Betty met him there with a warm embrace. Betty’s tears fell upon Jim’s shoulder.
“It’s the end of the world, isn’t it, Jim?”
Jim held Betty tighter.
“London... I just saw the video about ten minutes ago. It was so hideous. They said there may be trillions of them. And it was all over within minutes...”
Jim brushed aside a tear. “Let’s get Melinda.”
Betty gazed into Jim’s glistening eyes. “Where... where do you want to go?”
“I thought the beach...”
“Okay,” she said, smiling dimly. “But Jim... I don’t want Melinda—” Betty could not control her widening tears. “Jim... I don’t want Melinda to—”
“I know, I know. Do we have anything?”
“I found something in mom’s basement. Dad was a biology professor at Cal Tech, remember?”
**********
(10:28 AM PST –   reemergence plus 1 hour and 57 minutes)

Jim and Betty Vedder strolled hand in hand along Laguna Beach’s white sands. Jim inhaled the cool air, steering clear of a pair of gulls pecking innocently at a clump of stringy kelp. He smiled, watching Melinda giggling joyously and chasing waves along the Pacific surf.
Jim and Betty stopped and raised their heads to the deepening sky. Jim felt a gradual but gathering stuffiness as the sea breeze abruptly diminished; a claustrophobic feeling, his troubled mind could not completely comprehend.
 Betty gripped his hand tightly. “Is it time?”
Jim Vedder smiled slightly, his eyes misting. “Yes.”
Betty pulled a bottle of chloroform from her purse. “Melinda, come here, baby.”
### END ###
To review this work on SMASHWORDS.COM  please click: 
**********
Mark Paul Jacobs lives in lovely Dauphin, Pennsylvania. He enjoys fishing the Canadian north, internet poker, and annoying his wife. Although not a full time writer, he intends to churn out a short story, novelette, or even a novel every so often, and continue to study and learn this craft that he enjoys immensely. His most notable work so far is the hard science fiction novel: The Yaakmen of Tyrie, currently available in the form of a three part serial novel (a total of five parts are anticipated). He is also quite proud of his short story: Reckoning, and his chilling novelette with the provocative title: The Watchers from within Moments Revealed. Please enjoy my works and don’t be afraid to tell me what you think on my Facebook page or by email. And lastly, please take the time to leave me a review (authors live for these!); you can do this on SMASHWORDS or any other site where my books are available. 
A few notes about the Yaakmen of Tyrie series: Part 1: Confluence currently offered FREE at . The Yaakmen of Tyrie is an action, adventure novel set on an alien world, but a world much like our own. Quintar is a Yaakman— a proud member of the latest generation of brave souls to partner with the giant shaggy bipeds to connect the three major settlements of the Great Confluence of Tyrie. Part 1: Confluence introduces us to the Lands of Tyrie, culminating with a yearly gathering known as the Council of Representatives. Most counsels are tedious and dull, but this year's Council is far from routine; there are a handful of new appointees including Quintar of the Yaakriders, the fisherman Barrazan, the hardened rancher Balyar, and the diminutive scribe Porrias. And then we have the young trapper Ruppon, who is summoned to the Council to tell a mysterious story the subject of which only a handful know. Yet all are overshadowed by the elder merchant Dumas, who issues a cautionary warning that a horrific natural danger lurks in Tyrie's shadows, unseen in generations, but deeply ingrained in the minds of Tyrie's citizens. But Dumas keeps many deep secrets, many he has pledged to his death. (Authors note: Although I purposely omit detailed descriptors, the Yaak --rhymes with rake-- is, in my mind's eye, a creature combining the attributes of a T-Rex, a Wookie, and Cousin It of Addams Family fame). Enjoy! The Yaakmen of Tyrie Part 1: Confluence (Free!): 
A note about my short story: Reckoning currently offered FREE at . Humans have evolved to their present form in a few million years. And they have risen to prominence in just a few thousand; a mere speck in earth’s unfathomable timeline. Are we the first to gaze into the heavens contemplating our fate? Here, I present a short tale pondering the shortcomings of sentience. Once upon a time, sixty-five million two hundred and forty-two thousand years ago...