My stomach was aflutter with anxiety as we made our way under the eaves and then onto the portico leaving the Type R to lock up behind us. Both of us had flicked on our hoods but we needn’t not have worried because whatever material our new apparel was made of was water repellent.

The first person out of the house was a woman I’d have called Cassandra’s older sister were it not for the subtle creases of crows feet and laughter lines. I’d expected a harsh woman with an almost acerbic tongue from the way I’d been strung up as pickings for the machinery to grind. It appeared I was mistaken.

Here was a homely woman, petite like her daughter with eyes wrought in worry. She really didn’t look like someone who’d do something out of spite; perhaps she was someone people took advantage of due to her soft spoken nature. Mrs. Harper barely spared a glance at me as she advanced on Cassandra. That was because I’d never met her before all of this.

“ Cassie?” the woman said as she called the girl in question, hesitating as she was approached.

“It's me mum,” Cassandra croaked as she flicked the hood off her head. Dishevelled hair showed just how distraught her mother had been as she buried her in her bosom.

“ How?” Mrs. Harper said as both women wrestled with the waterworks and hiccups. “It's a long story Mum,” she said, glancing towards me as she held her mum's arms in hers. Mrs. Harper also turned to regard me as if she didn't know what to make of me, even after I'd pulled back my hood she didn't recognize me in the least.

That settled it—I wouldn't have put it past that Yoshiko woman to have put her up to it. Did she really use her knowledge of psychology to appeal to Mrs. Harper's grief? Before I could feel any more awkward under her appraisal the missus of the house broke the spell. Clustered around the doorway were the three Kaufmanns currently in the house.

“ Come inside dearies,” Mrs. Kaufmann's voice broke the spell. “ We were just about ready for breakfast, chop chop," she added with a clap of her hands.

Breakfast was a hushed affair. Everyone was silent and lost in their own thoughts except for the furtive glances that Cassandra’s mother was throwing my way. Cassandra was embarrassed and didn’t speak up even though she could see what her mother was trying and failing to hide.

Everyone was understandably too nervous to voice the unspoken. It was reasonably quiet too―little Heidi was nowhere to be found and so was one of Lucas’ older brothers Jakob. Maybe they were off visiting their cousins elsewhere—

Before long however, we were already staring at the bottom of our cups and someone was on their second to last crepe. It was Mrs. Harper who broke the silence—

“ We weren't introduced,” Katie Harper said. Her eyes were leveled at me, aquamarine like her daughter’s. They were red-rimmed and from sleepless nights no doubt. The eyebags were not hard to miss.

“ A week ago I was told that my Cassie had been in an accident that had to have her put under—five days ago, Lu picked me up from the airport and told me everything was okay. He didn't tell me what had happened only that Cassie's car had been a completely written-off,”

There was a lull of uneasiness that fell over the table. Nobody so much as twitched—

“ Someone care to tell me why my Cassie looks as though she came from a morning run— huh?”

“ I can explain,” Cassandra said as she put an arm over her mother's trembling palms. We had talked about how we were going to keep our stories straight before we left the ship.

“ It is true, I was admitted in a hospital with a concussion—had he not saved me from the wreckage I worse would have happened to me mum,”

“ Some attorney or someone other called me to tell me she could help sue the one responsible,” Mrs. Harper put across. “ You mean to tell me that they lied about it huh?” she chuckled as she stared at the table as if it'd wronged her.

“ Would you believe me if I told you that whoever you were suing is right here with us?” Cass said, giving her mum an uneasy smile. Mrs. Harper's gaze whirled from the table to me, surprise and confusion written on her features.

“ How? Why?” she said, looking from me to her. “ Why would they do that to someone who saved you?”

“ Well…I don't know mum. They think he's some sort of alien,” she said. I could see Lucas freeze and trying very hard not to look towards my direction to see how I'd taken it. A massive frown marred Mrs. Harper's features,

“ Why didn't you tell me earlier Cassie? Are you tangled up in some psychotic types?,” Mrs. Harper said, looking around the table. “ Or are there men in black suits after your friends? I know cover ups happen but really—Is that true Mr. Ryan?”

“ I'm not sure Ma'am…and uhm, just call me Ryan,” I said, scrunching my face to feign worry. “ But the thing is, they won't stop at nothing until they get their hands on me…and by extension Cassandra. I heard that the accident happened while some other group was driving after her as she came to warn us— She was admitted, I had to break her out before they realized she was there,” Then it hit me. I'd forgotten to ask what they looked like because I was sure as hell that they weren't Central Intelligence.

“ Which reminds me…did anyone suspicious come by the farm on the day Lucas and I left?” I asked, looking at Lucas. It was Mrs. Kaufmann who answered for him,

“ Now that you mention it—”

The blood froze in my veins.

“There were a couple of tourists who came looking for directions, told me they were birdwatchers I think,”

”What did they look like?” Lucas spoke up.

“ Uhm, they had radios, polarized aviator glasses, utility vests and hiking equipment on their vehicle…”

“ An olive green Wrangler ?” Cassandra said suddenly on her feet.

“ Yes…how'd you know?” Mrs. Harper said, her brows almost flying to her hairline.

“ Those are the people who chased me…I thought I'd lost them.” Cassandra said. “ They were in a convoy of five cars—”

I had a bad feeling. I’d heard stories of some people whose eccentric hobbies made them dangerous daredevils as well as those who bordered on the unhinged. If they could blend seamlessly and look like tourists, then they were more than they let on. Regardless of whether they were bona-fide ufologists obsessed with aliens who might have let their obsessions go too far they were a dangerous variable all the same.

If they weren’t ufologists or alien enthusiasts they might be xenophobic doomsday preppers with way too much time and money on their hands. I had to suspend all unbelief and go with the worst case scenario; I did not dare to think I’d figure out humanity because they would always find a way of surprising me. I hated surprises.

“ Is something the matter…if they are dangerous people, then we can call the police,” Mrs. Kaufmann said, as if to do just that as she stood up.

I almost laughed deprecatingly. I’m not sure calling the police was the right idea and besides, I could neither disabuse Mrs. Kaufmann of that notion nor blame her for her wilful ignorance.

“ I don't think that will work Ma…” Lucas said. “ It’ll only draw more attention to them,”

“ Lu is right,” Mrs. Harper said.” If someone could frame dear Ryan while claiming to be someone from some government agency―I even checked their credentials myself. In this age of identity theft and technologies we don’t even understand who knows who they can trust.” I had to give it to her, she made a good argument.

“ Mum…I think I want to go somewhere until this cools down,” Cassandra said. “ It's going to be a wh―” My phone rang interrupting her.

“ Excuse me…” I said rooting for my phone in the Kangaroo pouch as I stood to pick the call. The caller ID was one I did not expect but neither was I wasn't surprised about it. I shared a look with Cassandra knowing she’d intuit who was calling as I removed myself from the dining room.

“ Ryan—you have incoming!”

‘Shit,’ I swore ducking back into the dinning room. I interrupted whatever it was they had been talking among themselves as they turned at my entrance.

“ How long?” I asked.

My alarm must have shown on my face because Cassandra was not the only one who'd caught it.

“ T-Minus 10.. Ghosthawk UCAV. Primary transponder was scrubbed but I have a reading on the secondary…It's a repurposed military vehicle,”

“ Cassandra—we're leaving!” I blurted.

“ Now wait a minute young mister, who gives you the right to take my daughter away from me?” Mrs. Harper snapped. The retort died in my throat―of course Cassandra could make her own decisions.

“ Terrestrial vehicles are 15 minutes away. If you leave now you can get an early lead. I looked over Spacelink images for the last three days. The drone has been passing over the Kaufmann farm every 4 to 6 hours,”

I kept my voice level so it wouldn't come out as if I was talking down on Cassandra's mother. I really needed to invest in a good pair of hearables for calls though,

“ Probability that they have had their own surveillance net is high. If they note your terrestrial vehicle I guarantee that they’ll make an appearance in person; pulling up specifications― attempting to triangulate operator’s location,”

“ We have a drone bearing down on us Mrs. Harper so unless you want to put the rest of them in danger —” I left the rest unsaid.

“ Mum—I'm sorry but he's right. I dunno who we're dealing with,” Cassandra said, extricating herself from her mother's death grip. “ I promise I'll stay in touch,”

“Cassie…” Mrs. Harper muttered crestfallen.

“ Ma… Pa” Lucas spoke up as he shared a look with his parents.

“ Go son—” Mrs. Kaufmann said, shaking her head.

I wouldn't have begrudged him tagging along, we needed more muscle but the way his mother readily acquiesced left me with whiplash. Then again Mrs. Kauffman was not a mother hen—Lucas wordlessly nodded to his father and ran upstairs.

“ T-minus 7 minutes to intercept. Plotting an optimal pick up point —UCAV will be in visual range in 2 minutes; I am not detecting any types of weapons on it. I need you to be in the move Ryan.”

“Weapons?”

“ Only point defence systems are available I'm afraid— I would not recommend using plasma pulsers or mass drivers in the atmosphere if you can help it. The EVA is also not outfitted for ranged engagements and its EMP is short range. The drone is shielded from military grade EMP and any attempts to stall it will have the operator know something is up.”

‘So we’re damned if we make a move and damned if we don’t’ I felt myself seethe.

“Who are you talking to?” Mrs. Harper inquired.“ How did you even know huh?”

“ An informant,” I lied, stymying the bite from my voice. It had been a while since I’d thrown a sarcastic jab at someone's way; habits were very hard to change. But Mrs. Harper gaped like a fish all the same. She was not fooled even as she regarded her daughter for answers.

“ In due time mum, I promise,” Cassandra reassured her as she gave her a peck on the cheek.

“ T-minus 6,” Irina warned.

“ Mrs. Kaufmann, thanks for everything,” I said and just in time for Lucas to come downstairs lugging three duffel bags. One of them was obviously Cassandra's gym bag― with an unspoken farewell to his parents, including a stoic father , Lucas joined us in the foyer. I tapped the haptic key in my pocket as we burst into the driveway. The doors opened and Cassandra took the wheel. While I called shotgun besides her, Lucas took the back.

There was no delay as the car went from neutral to reverse and with a lurch Cassandra backed us out of the driveway amidst the popping of gravel.

“ Where?!” Cassandra yelled as we hit the farm road.

“ Follow the navigation cues,” Irina said through the car speakers. Indicators are projected through the Type R’s TOLED windscreen. I’d almost forgotten it had such a feature. Cassandra whipped the wheel to the left before engaging the drive.

“ Visual contact !”