“Dammit. Who forgot to close the blinds last night.” Daniel muttered, not for the first time. He hadn’t had anything to drink last night, but his head was pounding and his body ached. It had sounded like such a great idea to get an east facing cabin so they could watch the sunrise. However, they soon discovered the downsides on days they wanted to sleep in. Someone was always forgetting to close the blinds on the upstairs sleeping loft. He groaned as he eased himself out of bed.

“If you’re up, you can put the coffee on.” Daniel heard a weak voice call from the far side of the loft.

“You and your coffee.”

“It’s better than that flavoured water you drink.” Renée answered.

“Tea is the drink of civilization.” Daniel shot back.

“Dead civilizations, maybe.” He heard a giggle from Renee’s side of the room.

“Did Michael or Lindsay come in while you were up?”

“No, but I think they staggered in early this morning. I heard someone coming up the stairs after I came to bed.”

“I don’t see them.” Daniel said, puzzled.

René sat up in her bunk, looking around. Farrah’s slumbering form was in her bed, but Michael and Lindsay’s beds were empty. They looked like they’d been slept in, and the downstairs lights had been turned off.

“Huh, maybe they got up and went for breakfast.”

“I don’t know, but breakfast sounds like a good idea. I may get some toast started with the coffee and tea.”

“Shower. Shower first, then food. I feel like crap. I hope I’m not getting sick.”

Daniel nodded as he headed down the stairs into the kitchen as René started the shower. None of them had gotten sick so far, but living in close quarters meant that if anyone did they likely all would be soon.

***

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You look sick.” Farrah asked after the breakfast dishes had been cleared away. “In fact, you both look like you partied for a week.”

“Gee thanks, Miss ‘I think I look fresh as a daisy.’, but you aren’t looking so hot yourself.” Renée shot back, with a half smile.

“Yeah, I feel kind of warm. But it’s not like we did anything stupid last night. Maybe Michael and Lindsay brought something home with them and we’re catching it?” Tilting her head to one side, as if it would help her see something different.

"Crap I hope not." Renee frowned.

“Speaking of the terrible twosome, have you seen them?”

“Nope. But the beds are slept in, and their shoes and clothes are here. It’s not like they went skinny dipping this morning.” Daniel said “Wait… You don’t think…” he laughed.

“Maybe at two in the morning, but not in the middle of the day.” Farrah responded.

“Well, if they don’t stagger in by dinner time we’ll start the search parties.” Renée said with a smirk.

***

“Did you forget your key? Did you forget we don’t lock the doors when we’re home?” Daniel hollered, hearing someone at the front door later that afternoon.

The knocking at the front door continued.

He finally reached the door, opening it, “What the…” Daniel trailed off as he saw the official looking group standing outside the front door.

“Is it about Michael and Lindsay? Are they okay? What’s going on?” Questions spilled out of Daniel, as he took in the group.

“Who are…?” The stern looking woman who was apparently in charge of the group interrupted herself when she realized what Daniel was asking.

“May we come in?” She asked starting again, gesturing towards the door.

Without thinking, Daniel turned and waved them inside.

“Do we have company? You could’ve warned me.” René hollered from upstairs.

“I don’t know what’s going on!” Daniel yelled back, “I think they know about Michael and Lindsay.” Daniel turned to the woman. “Do you know about Michael and Lindsay? Is that why you’re here?”

“I don’t know who Michael and Lindsay are.” The lady responded. “What are your designators?”

“Our what?”, Daniel asked. “Aren’t you the police?” Confusion registering on his face.

“The police? Whatever for?” The woman asked, almost in a sing-song voice.

Daniel took a breath, “Our friends are missing. Michael and Lindsay.” He repeated. “We woke up this morning and they weren’t here. Isn’t that what you hear about?”

“I’m afraid not.” With no tone of apology in her response. “We’re responding to an emergency call. Didn’t you send it?” She asked Daniel, “Who are Michael and Lindsay? Would they have sent it?”

“Renée? Farrah?” he paused, “Did you call 9-1… I mean 1-1-1?” Daniel corrected himself in his call up to the girls.

A chorus of confused, “No! and What?” came from upstairs.

“No, we’re not that kind of responders.” She corrected, “If you don’t know why we’re here perhaps Michael or Lindsay called us. Where are they?” She glanced around the cabin.

“That’s just the thing. We don’t know. We’re not sure if they came home last night. ” Daniel was getting worried now, “It’s not unusual for them to disappear for a day or two but all their stuff is here. We’re not sure what’s going on. We thought you were the police telling us something had happened to them.” He scrubbed his hands across his face.

“No, we’re not the police. What are their full names and ages?” She gestured for a suit beside her to take notes.

“Michael Williams 34 and Lindsay Harris uh…” Daniel thought for a moment, “ 32.”

The suit beside the woman started typing on his tablet before looking at her and shaking his head.

“Well, it looks like we have either a problem or a mistake.” She seemed to grow taller, if that was possible, “We were summoned here by our emergency locator system, but it seems no one who has access to it called us. Do you have any guests?” she eyed Daniel.

“No guests, just the three of us, plus Michael and Lindsay.” Daniel confirmed, shaking his head. “They’re usually the ones who bring guests back. We’ve been here almost a week, but haven’t had anyone over for days.

“So if you didn’t call us,” She started, “and there’s no emergency, why are you dormant? The intimidating woman asked.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Daniel raised his eyebrows.

The stern looking woman looked like she was about to answer him, then she stopped herself and turned to her associates. “We’re done here. I’ll meet you outside.” She said dismissively.

After the rest of her group obediently filed out and closed the door, she turned to Daniel, Renée, and Farrah.

“May I have a look around?” she asked waving around the cabin, “Specifically where Michael and Lindsay slept last night?”

“I…guess?” Farrah said. She led the way upstairs to the sleeping loft. Pointing at the two bunks pushed together, “That’s where Michael and Lindsay usually sleep.”

The woman knelt down and peeled back the sheets. She touched the pillow and rubbing her fingers together, “Do you know for sure if they came home last night or not?”

“Not for sure, we thought we heard them and their stuff is here, but no one actually saw them.” Farrah responded.

"And you all slept here in the same area?” She didn’t bother looking at any of them, as she continued her search of Michael and Lindsay's beds, “Have you felt sick this morning?" She asked. “Soreness? Like a hangover?”

“Yes, we all sleep here.” Farrah exchanged looks with Renee and Daniel, “And yes we’ve been a bit run down this morning.”

The woman frowned and started back downstairs, the group of friends followed.

“Without being indelicate...” she started, before pausing and looking at each of them in turn, “Can I assume that none of you are what is referred to as one-percenters? None of you are worth hundreds of millions of dollars?" She looked at them each of them intently.

Daniel, René, and Farrah exchanged puzzled looks.

“Not Michael or Lindsay either?” the woman probed.

“Well, I guess my family might be worth a few million dollars.” Farrah said. “But not hundreds of millions.”

Daniel and René just shook their heads. "We don't know those sorts of details about Michael’s or Lindsay’s finances, but certainly nothing like that, unless they were hiding it." Daniel answered.

"Well then, this presents a puzzle,” the woman pondered. “because you're all presenting as dormant, but you don't seem to have any knowledge of it. This shouldn't be possible." It almost seemed she was talking to herself.

“What are you talking about?” Farrah asked.

The woman’s gaze focused on Farrah, as she stood and extended her hand. "My name is Victoria Thompson.” She shook each of their hands in turn, “I represent a biotechnology firm, and for some reason it seems one of our products is inside you.” She stepped back to regard the group, “All of you.” She opened her arms as if including them, “That shouldn't be possible." Her hands returned to her sides.

Daniel, Renée, and Farrah exchanged shocked looks. “What do you mean… Inside us? Do you mean we’ve been infected with something?” Renee asked, panic registering in her voice.

"I wouldn't say exactly infected.” Victoria Thompson said in a calming tone. “But then this shouldn’t be possible at all."

“Well then what would you say?” Farrah asked. “Does this have anything to do with where Michael and Lindsay are?”

“I’m afraid that Michael and Lindsay may no longer be with us.”

“Wait what you mean ‘No longer with us.’ ?” Farrah demanded. “Are you saying this thing killed them? Where are they?”

“If you say they came home last night, and they aren’t here now, based on what I found in their beds, I have to assume that they are dead.” Victoria Thompson said coolly, as if this sort of thing happened every day.

“Then where are their bodies?” Fair asked exasperated.

“That’s why I have to assume that they are dead. Because of this…” She said holding up her fingers and showing them the dusty residue she had been rubbing.

“But wait, are you saying, that that is…” Farrah pointed, “is them?” she shuddered. She saw the panic in her other two friends, “That their bodies are dust? What are you saying? That they were vampires? Do we look stupid?" She was straining to keep her emotions under control.

“No, not vampires. That would be silly.” Victoria Thompson dismissed, “I'm not sure how to explain this, but it looks like they came into contact with one of our products last night, and it killed them. Then consumed their bodies.” She said matter-of-fact, “The big question now is why is it in you three, and why are you still alive?"

The three of them held up their hands, examining them, staring at them in horror. "You mean... That's inside us? The thing that killed them and ate them is inside us?" Renee said in almost a whisper.

"I don't know any other explanation at this point.” She shrugged, “I've been working with this product for decades, so without further testing that is my hypothesis."

“But, but what is this… Thing?” Farrah demanded.

“This is a cutting edge nanotechnology. It’s in the experimental stages and usually under heavy security.”

“So how did it get to a beach hut in New Zealand?” Renée blurted.

"Do you recall the satellite that crashed yesterday?” Victoria Thompson asked, “It was one of our testing facilities.” She continued after the friends all nodded, “It should have burned up in the atmosphere taking the nanotechnology with it. At this point I'm guessing your friends came into contact with a piece of wreckage that had some of the nanotech and it killed them. Apparently you are the only ones it came into contact with after that, and it is currently active in your systems."

"If this is true... Why are you telling us this?” Daniel chimed in, “Shouldn't guys in black suits be bundling us off to secret test sites or erasing our memories? Or just killing us?"

"Well yes, those things have happened in the past.” Victoria Thompson confirmed matter-of-factly, “However this is a unique situation. I need to know why you're still alive. It's my responsibility to understand what is going on. I would prefer your willing help,” she paused, “but I will take your unwilling help if necessary."

“And if we’re unwilling?” René asked slowly.

"Tourists suffer tragic accidents on vacation every day."

Something about her stoic demeanour worried the friends.

The three of them stared at each other and at her.

“So…” Farah started. “What does our willing assistance look like?”

“I would like to monitor your conditions and try to determine why the nanotechnology has not killed you… Yet. I would also like to know how it is affecting you and any further developments that you encounter.”

“So, this is something that really could kill us, as in make our bodies disappear like Michael and Lindsay?” Farah established.

"Unfortunately so.” Victoria Thompson continued, “The nanotech is designed to prolong life and increase resistance to disease. It's also designed to provide physical enhancements and other advantages. However it needs to be tailored to specific individuals, or so we thought. That's why it should have killed you.” She half laughed, an action that unnerved the friends, “The nanotech inside you is generic. It hasn't been tailored to your DNA. In the past, that has always resulted in the death of the host.” She shrugged, “I need to understand why you are different. It could change the research in ways we haven't foreseen."

“You mean…” Daniel started. “This could cure my diabetes?”

“You’re diabetic?” Victoria Thompson asked. She turned to the others “Are either of you diabetic?”

“No, but I have endometriosis.” Renée said.

"Stage IV cancer. Brain and bone." Farrah said quietly. "This vacation was going to be my last."

Renee gasped, covering her mouth.

“When were you going to tell us?” Daniel asked, putting a consoling arm around Renee.

Farrah shook her head and sighed, “I didn’t want you to worry. I didn’t think it would be fair to take away any fun from you guys.” She avoided eye contact with her friends, “It’s not important.”

“What do you mean, not important?” Renee frowned.

Victoria Thompson cleared her throat, “I realize this is a difficult time for you all, but can we please stay on track? Those suits outside will be starting to wonder what is going on, if I don’t wrap this up in a timely fashion.” The friends all nodded and fell silent, “Were Michael or Lindsay ill or sick?”

“Nope. They kind of lucked out. They didn’t even have allergies.” Daniel answered.

“Your conditions may just be what saved you.” She stared at them intently. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she fixed on each of them in turn. She held up her hands as if she was scanning their aura like a faith healer.

The three exchanged puzzled looks as she stood and moved around them seeming to examine them, without touching them.

"Did you want me to get my bag?" Farah asked, referring to her medical bag.

"Thank you, but no." Thompson answered. "This is far more advanced than anything you've encountered."

After a few moments she returned to standing in front of them.

"Well, I can tell that the nanotech is not killing you... Yet.” Farrah didn’t like she kept using, yet. “It seems to be focused on your respective conditions. I've also turned the system from active to passive so you should no longer show up on our scanners unless you wish to.” She stopped talking, seeming to be thinking to herself for a moment. “I need to tell you something. You are in a very dangerous position. I would like to continue helping you, and yes studying you,” she said reading the disbelief on Farrah’s face, “but it is prohibited by the organization I represent for people outside the organization to know about, let alone utilize, our technology. There are people who will hunt you down and kill you if they know you have our technology.” She emphasised again, “However if you agree to work with me, I can train you how to use it and hopefully learn more about how it is interacting with you."

"But, if this cures us... Won't the nanotech then kill us? Kind of like chemotherapy killing good cells as fast as it kills the bad cells?" Farrah asked.

“Under normal circumstances yes, however I have put a command in your systems that will put the nanotech to sleep if it shifts from attacking your condition to attacking healthy cells in your body. That’s the best I can do for now. However, when the alternative is death, I think a chance is better than nothing.” Thompson offered.

"How can you teach us? I assume those guys outside are going to wonder what's going on, and aren't exactly the patient sorts.”

"I've uploaded the basic tutorial programming into your core system. Until you've finished the tutorial programming your system will not be able to go active and” she held up her hands, indicating for Farrah to wait until she was done talking before questions, “at that point all it will do is alert me. Depending on how long that takes hopefully I will have new ideas about how to proceed. Then we can decide what steps to take. "

“How long does the tutorial normally take?”

“It varies but I expect you will take longer than most because you lack any of the preparatory training.” She mused. “I expect it will take you approximately a week to become familiar with the systems and how they interact with you. You will be able to communicate with each other over a distance of about ten meters, but I suggest limiting that to times when you know you are alone or in emergencies. The transmissions may be detectable over short distances so don’t take any chances.”

"What about Michael and Lindsay? How do we explain…without bodies..." Farrah asked. "What about that dust? Is that... Is that them?" She willed herself not to act squeamish.

"You said they’re used to disappearing for days at a time?” Thompson confirmed, “I suggest that you all agree they didn't come home last night and you haven't seen them. If they don't turn up by the time your vacation is over, I suggest you make a police report then. That would be the natural thing to do, would it not?” she waited for the friends to nod, agreeing with her, “As far as the dust, no it's not them. They are completely gone and I've absorbed the remaining nanobots. There's nothing left of them."

“That’s shitty.” Daniel said. “They may have been jerks sometimes, but they deserve better than that.”

"My new friend, in time you will discover people rarely get what they deserve.”

Daniel wasn’t sure if she was saying this as a poor attempt to sound sympathetic, or to just move the conversation along.

“In the meantime, I suggest you carry on as normally as possible. Study your tutorials privately. When you have all completed them, and are within range of the Internet, your systems will automatically send me an alert and I will be in touch."

"That's it? Carry on as normal, do your homework, eat our vitamins? How do we know we won't die in the middle of the night? How do we know those guys outside come back for us?" Farrah asked frustrated.

"At this point, all I can offer is possibilities. Based on my scans you should be safe for at least a few months. In the meantime I will do what I can to find out more information. As for the people outside, they go where they’re ordered. Once we leave here they'll have no reason to come back. I'm the one who decides where they go and why and I now have a vested interest in your continued survival." Thompson said as if this was enough to squelch all of their fears.

“When you want to start your training, simply say ‘System Tutorial’. If the system is ready, it will activate. If nothing happens it means your system has not yet integrated with the host, that’s you. Try it periodically until it activates. Once it does so, follow the instructions. I have attempted to ensure you can’t unintentionally damage yourselves, but humans are inventive enough that you must take responsibility for your own actions.”

Thompson turned and headed to the door, where she paused and looked at each of them in turn before opening it, and without another word she left as they watched in silence.