Diane raised her hand. “I’ll go with you, Jack.” 

“You and Janet are the only computer experts. You have to keep George functioning or we’ll be in big trouble.” 

She lowered her eyes. “Yes, you’re right.” 

“I’ll take Adele. I need her strength.” 

Adele smiled. “You got it, Jack.” 

“Grab your gun and we’ll do it. The person in that boat won’t last long once he or she reaches the dock.” 

“Good luck, Jack,” Janet said. “We’ll be praying for you.” 

“Thanks. We’ll need it.” 

Adele and I went to the dome hanger and boarded the saucer. I closed my eyes and the machine began to throb with power in its innards and the screen lit up with an image of the inside of the hanger. I imagined the dome opening, and it unfolded like petals of a flower. Another thought had the saucer rising out of the hanger. My mind raced on to the east and the machine obeyed. Adele and I were slapped back in our seats under high G-force. The fast moving screen image of the ground below us suggested that we were flying at multiples of Mach speed. 

“Wow!” Adele exclaimed. “This thing kicks some serious butt.” 

“It sure does. We should be there in fifteen minutes at this speed,” 

After flying out over the Atlantic Ocean, I slowed the saucer and turned to come back up the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. I had to slow the ship in order not to overshoot the bay entrance. 

“I see the sailboat,” Adele said, pointing at the screen. 

“It’s turning into the Norfolk Naval Station. I’ll have to take this thing under water in order not to crash into anything.” 

“This thing can go under water?” Adele said, her eyes wide with excitement. 

“Yep,” I said just before I made the saucer slice under the water’s surface. 

The screen showed a murky underwater scene with bubble streams shooting past the saucer as it plowed through the water. I stayed close to the surface so as not to lose clear vision. I turned into the Naval docking area and could see the bottom of the sailboat. 

“Oh my goodness!” Adele yelled. “Those alien creatures are swarming all over that boat.” 

“Get your gun ready. I’m taking this thing up.” 

I surfaced the saucer and moved closer to the sailboat. After I opened the hatch, Adele and I climbed out and began shooting aliens. 

A screaming teenage girl was within seconds of being taken by alien creatures that were climbing onto her sailboat. Adele and I picked off as many of the creatures that we could, but it was not going to be good enough to stop the hoard from trying to get at the girl. I had to think of a way to stop them or get her out of there in a hurry. 

The only thing to do was to ram the boat and knock the creatures off and then fish the girl out of the water. It was a desperate move, but it was all I could think of. 

“Brace yourself, Adele,” I yelled. “I’m going to plow into the boat.” 

I used my mind to make the saucer collide with the boat, cutting it apart. The creatures and the girl were tossed into the water. 

“Keep shooting them,” I yelled at Adele before I jumped into the water. I didn’t have to worry about catching my breath because I was able to breath underwater. I also didn’t have to be concerned about my gun. The AK-47 is capable of being wet or even soaked in mud and still function. 

 I swam as fast as I could, but by the time I got to her, I saw that the creatures were swarming around her like a school of crazed piranhas, snapping their jaws and trashing their long tongues out in anticipation of a meal. The girl was flailing away wildly in an futile attempt to escape the aliens. I surfaced and shot as many of them as I could before I held my hand out to her. Fortunately, she had enough presence of mind to allow me to get my arm around her waist and pull her back to the saucer. While Adele shot at creatures trying to get on the saucer, I pulled the girl out of the water, and then all three of us climbed up to the hatch. I pushed the girl unceremoniously into the saucer. Adele and I continued to shoot the creatures trying to get up the saucer’s side. 

“Get in, Adele. I’ll take care of this.” 

I made the stairs move back into the saucer’s surface, knocking the creatures that had gotten onto the saucer into the water, and then I climbed into the opening and made it close. 

I jumped into the command seat and made the saucer dive. “Get her strapped in,” I told Adele. 

While Adele was taking care of the girl, I moved the saucer out of the bay and up into the air. We were on our way back. 

The girl had short black hair and a pretty face with dark eyes and pert lips. She was agitated but calm enough to reply to our introductions. 

“I’m Adele, honey, and this is Jack, our only boy. There are four more girls back at the compound where we’re living.” 

My name is Amélie Beauvais.” 

“Welcome to America, Amélie,” I said. “Are you the only human that was left in Europe?” 

“No, I . . . there was another . . . Fritz from Cologne.” 

I really got excited. “You mean there was another boy?” 

“Oui, but he was taken by the monsters. They ate every bit of him. There was nothing left.” 

I wanted to puke but I was too busy driving the saucer. I blew out a disgusted breath. 

“That’s awful,” Adele said in a somber tone. 

I seconded that sentiment, but I kept my mouth shut. I would be the only male among six sex hungry females. In my opinion that was both exciting as well as daunting. 

Amélie buried her head in her hands and sobbed. Adele and I left her cry. She needed time to settle down after a harrowing experience. 

Then I thought of something, so I used my mind to activate the radio. “This is Jack. We’re on our way back, but I want to stop and get stuff for our new recruit.” 

“We copy, Jack,” Diane answered. “Who did you find?” 

“Her name is Amélie Beauvais.”

There were a few moments of silence before the reply came back from Diane. “Where do you want to stop?” 

“Is Janet there?”

“I’m here, Jack.” 

“Is there a mall near Toronto?” 

“There’s a big mall right in Toronto. It’s the Fairview mall and it’s located near route 404 and Sheppard Ave.” 

“I don’t have a map, Janet.” 

“You can’t miss it. It’s huge.” 

I turned the saucer north and headed to the lakes. “I’ll find it.” 

“Get us some things too, Jack.” 

“I’ll try . . . hopefully, we won’t run into any aliens.” 

I came in low over Toronto from Lake Ontario. I had a rough idea where the mall was but I wasn’t sure. 

“I’ve been here before,” Amélie said. “See that big complex over there.” She pointed at the screen. 

“Yes.” I dove the saucer and came in over the parking lot, setting it down as gently as I could. Fortunately, there were not too many abandoned cars in the lot. 

“Okay, Adele, take your gun and clips of ammo.” 

The hatch opened and we climbed out. I had to help Amélie because she was still shaky from her encounter with the alien creatures. 

We ran to the mall entrance, which I had to break open. That was a good sign. We entered and moved down a large hallway. The mall had two levels, causing me to get a crick in my neck from looking up to make sure there was no alien lurking above us. 

We appropriated carts and began grabbing everything we could. I had no idea how much stuff the saucer could hold, but I figured we might not get out again, especially if Amélie turns out to be the last survivor. 

After an hour of shoplifting, we hauled our loot back to the saucer and established a relay team to move it up into the saucer. 

After we were on board and belted in, I fired up the engines and took off. 

“That was fun,” Amélie said, showing that she had gotten over her encounter with the aliens. 

“I never thought that I would go shopping without my father’s credit card,” Adele said. 

“I never had one of those,” I said. “I had to earn the money I spent on things.” 

We flew back to Pennsylvania and came down into the open domed hanger. The dome opening closed and the saucer machine powered down. 

“Get a change of clothes,” I told Amélie. 

After she had obtained a change of clothing, we made our way back to the garage. 

I’ll get Amélie cleaned up, Jack,” Adele said with a smile. “You go make us a good supper.” 

“I will.” I headed back through the tunnel to the main house and went to the kitchen to prepare supper. The other girls entered the kitchen. 

“How is she?” Diane asked. 

“Amélie? She’s fine. She just needs cleaned up after surviving a trip across the Atlantic and a harrowing attack by the aliens.” 

“What happened?” Janet asked. 

“There were hundreds of them trying to get at her. They surrounded her boat and were climbing up on the sides to take her. We shot at them, but it was as if they didn’t care. They just kept coming. I had to ram the boat with the saucer and knock all of them into the water and then jump in and pull Amélie to safety.” 

“Did she mention any other survivors?” Sharon asked. 

I struggled to resist showing emotion. “Yes . . . his name was Fritz and . . . she said that they ate him completely.” 

“Oh my God!” Sharon cried. 

Janet sat down and bawled. Janice consoled her. 

“Maybe something has happened to the aliens and they’ve turned into zombies.” 

I tried to laugh but it came out as short sobs. “That’s not funny, Diane.” 

“I’m not trying to be funny, Jack.”

George’s avatar came into the kitchen. “There is a possibility that the virus has affected them. We can’t rule that out. They are normally aquatic, but they can breathe out of the water. We can only hope that they stay near the water and not come on dry land.” 

“We all hope that you’re right, George.” 

I went to the refrigerator and took out a chicken that I had placed in there to thaw. I went to work preparing it for roasting. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I do know that Amélie will be hungry.” 

“Can we be of assistance?” Diane asked. 

“Yes, get a pot and put water in it. You can cut up the carrots and put them in there with some salt and pepper.” 

“What can I do, Jack?” Janet asked. 

“Go find a bottle of wine . . . Chardonnay would work. Oh, and grab some potatoes and peal them.” 

The girls got to work, Work, especially cooking, has a way of assuaging a troubled soul. 

Amélie looked much better after being cleaned up and dressed, but she seemed nervous in our presence. 

“I’m Jack from Ohio. This is Diane from West Virginia, Janet form Toronto Canada, Sharon from Virginia, Adele from Texas and Janice from California.” I gestured to the new girl. “This is Amélie Beauvais form France.” 

“Bienvenue au paradis, Amélie,” Janet said. 

“Merci,” she replied. 

“Okay, you guys, no swearing.” 

They giggled. 

The girls didn’t bring up Fritz’s ugly demise. I think that they didn’t want to dwell on distasteful subjects. They and I were afraid of what tomorrow would bring.