Author's notes: This is the third story from the Roachia Universe. While the first half is concurrent in time with Before Dawn, it is still recommended to read Before Dawn first.

For all the Roachia fans out there - thanks for waiting! I had suspected that this story would be a long one and it didn't disappoint me. It is actually longer than Before Dawn, which had been my longest story to date. As with the other Roachia stories, characters from other shows will make an appearance, including MacGyver, Star Trek Voyager, and The Magnificent Seven. For all the Blair and Jim fans, please be patient. They will appear in the last half of the story, I just needed to get Jeff caught up with them.

As always, I have many people to thank: My Real Life friend and practically brother Joel, an engineer who, whenever I ask if something is possible, gives me his 'thoughtful' look and utters the truly insightful, 'Maybe'. His-off-the wall comments led to a few of the Roachian inventions. To Sealie, whose long discussion over Roachian biology and other deep science fiction topics has been greatly enjoyed and appreciated. To Shallan, my military advisor, for her helpful tips on sneaking into enemy territory and military etiquette. And to my dear friend Zadra, who always finds the plot holes. Of course, many thanks go to Wolfpup and Susan, who keep my grammar and puncuation honest.

And with this story, I send a heart-felt prayer to the students and their families who were effected by the Columbine tragedy. It brought home the unimaginable pain of a parent losing a child to violence.

Please send any comments to spacecloud@juno.com

Enjoy the ride.

Disclaimer: Most of characters are not mine. I'm borrowing them out of deep reverence, affection and respect. I will accept only personal fulfillment, and no monetary gain. If you do sue, you will not get much and I will send over my Black Lab mix, who will stare at you pathetically for hours and probably con you out of all your food.

Please do not reproduce, copy, or otherwise use any part of this story without permission from the author.

Rated PG-13, mostly for a little violence and language.

UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS

C.L. Combs

But since when is life fair?

- Excerpt from the journal of Samuel K. MacGregor, day after Sealand invasion

Lansbury, two days after Sealand invasion

The world around him didn't seem real. Colors were gray, sounds muted. It was more by habit and instinct that led Jeff MacGregor's feet from the train station to his home. With his thoughts and emotions in dark chaos, the outer world didn't have much meaning.

All the news had been grim since word of the invasion had reached him yesterday morning. Hopeless reports of new bombs and extremely high death tolls filled the media coverage. It seemed that everything and everyone around him kept trying to tell him that his eldest son was not coming home.

NO! Jeff's mind shied away from that thought. Blair was alive. Hurt and in danger, but Blair was alive. Not that anyone would have believed Jeff if he said that, of course. But then, Jeff had told few of his 'sixth sense' when it came to his sons. Most had noticed Jeff's natural compassion and understanding with people, a gift that had been passed down in differing degrees to his sons. But who would believe that Jeff had a sense of his sons at any given moment, even with one away at Glendale and the other in Sealand? It was a gift that was unheard of now, as mystic and legendary as the guides who once led sentinels. It was an ancient ability that ran in his blood as it had once ran in his ancestors'.

Jeff rubbed his face as he waited for a street light to turn. Just as the bond told him that Blair was alive, it also told him he was hurt, confused, and terrified. It tore into his soul, knowing that his son needed help but not being there to give it. He had to reach him, had to rescue him. He had to go to Sealand.

Of course, no one would understand that and many would try to stop him. The exception would be Sam, who would probably try to go with his father if he knew. Jeff crossed the street, mentally running through his plans. He would leave a message for Sam, pack up a few supplies, then start his mission this evening. No one had to know what he was doing until he was gone. With luck, no one would miss him too much until he was on his way back with Blair.

With this purpose in mind, Jeff entered his two story home. Walking towards the den, he was already thinking through the message he would leave for Sam, gently informing the teen of his intentions and warning him not to follow.

Abruptly, someone grabbed for his arm. Jeff instinctively jerked out of the hold, turning to see an unfamiliar man in his living room. Face full of menace, the larger man was again reaching for Jeff as he backed away. Forcing all other thoughts out of his mind, Jeff suddenly shoved an end table into the intruder's path. Spinning on his heel, he dashed towards the back door of the house. He had barely taken a couple of steps when he was thrown face-first into a wall. Though stunned, Jeff managed to latch onto the floor lamp next to him. He swung it behind him. As a cry rang out, he struggled to rise when another hand again shoved him into the wall. He tried to twist out of the grip as he felt the bite of a needle on his neck. Vision darkening, Jeff slipped to the floor.

The sun was just dipping below the horizon as a trim, dark skinned man walked from the Express station. Frank Colton shifted his light duffel over his shoulder as his steady pace carried him towards his friend's house. After finally receiving leave from his security position, he had made a beeline to Lansbury. He was needed here. Knowing Jeff, he'd either be in the depths of grief or planning his rescue attempt into Sealand. Frank would stand by him regardless.

He had been keeping an eye out for Jeff since they were kids. The memory of the newly orphaned eight-year-old sitting sadly on his grandfather's back porch was engraved on Frank's mind. Such quiet depression was unnatural to the Colton brothers peeking over the fence. It wasn't long before Frank and Jesse had coaxed the boy into a ball game. From that moment on, the sensitive and intelligent kid next door had quickly slipped into the Colton family as one of their own. Frank was just as protective of Jeff as he was of his two younger brothers. Yet the friendship was far from one-sided. Jeff had also been there for Frank, through school, promotions, the devastation of Harbor Bay, and the loss of Frank's wife. They had been through a lot together.

Frank closed his eyes a moment, images of two teenagers jostling each other as they raced down a staircase flashing through his mind. He adored Jeff's sons. It hurt to think that the enthusiastic light known as Blair Sandburg MacGregor may have been extinguished. Taking a deep breath, Frank shook his head and continued walking. If it had, Jeff would know and Frank would grieve with him. If it hadn't, Frank would follow Jeff to where ever they needed to go to get the boy back.

He was almost to the house before spotting a vehicle in the driveway. Assuming that it was one of Jeff's colleagues visiting to offer condolences, Frank continued at his steady pace. Then he spotted two large men walking out of the house. Jeff was tied and slung limply over the first one's shoulder.

"HEY!" Frank shouted, racing up to the men. The second charged to meet him. Throwing punches, Frank struggled to escape the man and reach his friend, but the other was much larger and stronger. One clean blow sent Frank to the ground, grazing his head against the stone flower bed border. Stunned, Frank gazed at the men shoving Jeff into the back seat, then tossing the extra rope into the trunk. Yet they didn't push the lid down hard enough to lock it. With a final surge of energy, Frank managed to crawl to the vehicle's back bumper as the men climbed in the front. Desperation gave him the strength to climb into the trunk just before the vehicle pulled away. Once inside, the throbbing head finally overwhelmed him. Frank slumped to the floor unconscious.

In the growing darkness, the vehicle pulled into a hidden airstrip just outside the city. A large Roachian plane sat there, ominous in its sleek lines and cruel purpose. A ramp was extended out underneath. The vehicle chugged up the ramp, then within seconds withdrew inside. Soon the plane rolled down the hard dirt runway, lifting up into the air towards the lost zones.

One step at a time. I have to take one step at a time.

- Excerpt from the journal of Samuel K. MacGregor

Mound compound in lost zone, formerly known as Leesborough, two days later

Landing hard on the wood floor, Jeff curled up in a protective gesture. He tried to breathe through the pain as the world spun crazily around him. Everything hurt after endless hours of interrogation and beatings. Jeff wasn't sure how long it had been, but he knew he hadn't given them the information they wanted. There was no way he was going to give them the science plans. Whenever he felt himself weakening, he'd picture Sam's face. He would not destroy his son's best chance for a future.

"RISE!" Jeff forced his eyes open enough to squint at the speaker. The metallic tones of the translator was grating on his nerves. When he was hit on opposite sides by the guards' hard, thick tails, he managed to pull himself onto his knees. There was no way he could stand.

"Enough slowness! Tell us ~pop~ information!"

"No," Jeff managed to croak, staring defiantly back at the Speaker. The Roachian was taller and more purplish in color than the drones that had been dragging him around. Squinting hard, Jeff could make out the wings neatly folded on its back. The analytical portion of his brain hazily noted that it must be a Chosen One, picked to mate with the Queen and her court. Boy, do I rank or what?

"What ~snap~ we let ~pop~ son of MacGregor ~crackle~ Sealand live?"

Jeff swallowed hard. Hope rose for a moment, then reason deflated it. He had lost his mental link with Blair after he had woken up from his abduction. As hard as it was, he knew he had to face up to what it meant. Grief added a rough edge to his voice as he shouted, "Then show him to me!" He stared directly into the compound eyes, hoping the multiple images of himself was giving the bastard a headache. Time seemed to stand still as he pitted his stubbornness against the alien's strong will.

In spite of the odds, it was the alien who finally looked away. "~pop~ you allow no ~snap~ choice. You will be given ~crackle~ drugs!"

Jeff did not break his stare, though his stomach dropped to his knees. The drones grabbed him under the shoulders and dragged him away.

Outside the mound a mile away

Frank's eyes blinked open, staring at the ceiling above him. Sluggishly, he searched his memory, trying to place himself. Finally, he gave up and decided to try changing the view. Pain flashed through his head. Closing his eyes, he waited until he could think again. Then he tried to figure out what had happened.

He had reached the point where he had climbed into the trunk of the vehicle when he heard someone enter the room. Cautiously, he opened his eyes again. While he wasn't sure what he was expecting, it certainly wasn't a teenage girl. The young woman sat a tray and a small lantern on the low table. Her brown braid swung down to middle of her back. When she turned around, Frank was struck by the mix of innocence and sorrow on her freckled face.

"Hi there," the young woman softly greeted as she noticed his eyes were opened. "How're you feeling today?"

Frank tried to sit up, only to fall back down and grunt with pain.

"Easy there," she cautioned as she jumped to help him sit up again. "You have to be cautious with that head of yours."

"Do I know you?" Frank croaked as he leaned his aching head against the headboard.

"Well, you probably don't remember me," she replied, picking up a glass and pouring some water into it. "My boyfriend and I found you when we were searching for spare parts in the old airport hanger. You were pretty much out of it at the time. Preacher helped us get you out of there before the Roaches found you." She brought the glass over and held it so he could drink.

As he drank, vague images of the young girl and a teenage boy with straight dark hair flashed through his mind. "Where was I? Did you see anyone else?"

"No, just you, and we didn't see you at first. You were in the trunk of a human vehicle. We were kind of surprised to see it there, since most of the human equipment was shoved into the corners, probably to make room for all the Roaches' stuff. JD, my boyfriend, he wanted to see if there was any blankets or parts or rope or such that we could use, so he jimmied the trunk open. At first, we thought you were dead, but then I noticed you were breathing. So we got you out of the trunk and managed to drag you to a corner. We knew we couldn't get you out of there by ourselves, so I ran to get Preacher while JD hid with you. Do you think you could handle some broth?"

Frank wasn't sure whether his head was swimming due to the blow or to the girl's rapid words. Suddenly realizing that she had asked a question, he cautiously nodded his head. As she turned back to the tray, he questioned, "Who's Preacher?"

"Rev. Josiah. He used to be the preacher in our town. Huge guy, really smart, but as gentle as they come." She carried a mug to the bed then helped Frank wrap his hands around it. "Except when it comes to the Roaches. If it hadn't been for him, JD and I would have been killed when the Roaches found our hiding spot." Painful memories darkened the pretty face. "The Roaches just came in so fast after the bombing, there just wasn't time to get away."

To turn her thoughts away from the past, Frank asked, "Where are we now?"

"In an old inn about a mile away from Delroy. We've been hiding here while Josiah and JD repair an off-road vehicle. Then we're going to try to get back to a safe zone."

Sipping the broth and hoping it would stay down, Frank was pondering his location. "You mean, I'm all the way to Leesborough?"

The girl looked at him, puzzled. "Yeah. Where were you before?"

"Lansbury."

"Lansbury?" the girl repeated, eyes wide. "That's way up North. Surely the Roaches haven't made it that far yet!" At Frank's cautious head shake, the girl relaxed. "Then why were they there?"

Frank closed his eyes and rubbed his head. "Two men abducted my friend. I managed to crawl into their vehicle just before it took off." He lifted his head to meet the young woman's gaze. "Are you sure you didn't see anyone else by the vehicle?"

Sadly, the young woman shook her head. "We only found you."

"Damn, why would they take him to the Roaches?" Frank growled, then dropped his aching head back into his hands. His worry for Jeff was multiplying along with his headache.

The young face frowned a moment in thought. "I wonder if they were some of those human-looking Roaches."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, one day JD came across this guy he thought was another survivor like us. Only when he turned, the guy tried to kill him. When I saw what was happening, I shot him with my rifle. Only the guy bled orange instead of red. Josiah said the Roaches' blood is orange, so somehow they've got Roaches that look like humans."

Frank tried to wrap his mind around the thought that Roaches could look like humans, but it only made his head pound harder. He could feel himself beginning to drift.

"I think you've had enough," the girl observed as she caught the mug before it could slip through his hands. "Why don't you go to sleep? Preacher said sleep was the best thing for you."

"I need to find Jeff," Frank protested softly, unable to keep his eyes open.

"You need to get your strength back first," she pointed out.

Frank realized that he didn't have the energy to argue. Hazily, he looked at the young woman helping him. "What's your name?"

A smile brightened the freckled face. "Casey."

"Thank you, Casey." Then Frank fell back to sleep.

Next morning, jail cell inside mound

She had never realized before that one could be both bored and tense at the same time. During all of her adult life, Jane Mullway had been a woman of motion. Her time had been carefully managed between the lab and teaching, just barely squeezing in time for the normal day to day chores. Even her vacations were filled with activity. Never before had she not had something essential that she simply must do. But that was before her abduction.

It had happened while she was walking the single block between the parking lot and her small condo. It had never occurred to her before just how dark and secluded that path was. All the other times she had worked late, her dog Bear had been with her, adding the security of the big dog's protective nature. Yet Bear had died from old age only two days earlier. So there was no one there to hear her scream when the two huge men jumped out of the bushes and grabbed her.

She had woken up surrounded by Roachians. It had been horrifying to discover they wanted information on how to create a virus that would kill most of the human population. Though she had been able to endure the interrogations and torture, the drugs had been her downfall. Jane was still ashamed of how easily she had answered their questions while under the drug's powerful influence.

Afterwards, she had expected to die. It was well-known that the Roaches viewed any female as a threat to their queen, immediately killing women and girls upon capture. However, she seemed to be the exception. The Roaches decided to keep her alive just in case they needed more information. She had been thrown into a cold cement room with a sink, a hole, and a few blankets and mattresses.

Already in the room was Dr. Felix. Jane hadn't decided whether that was a good thing or not. It was embarrassing to have to share the facilities with a strange man, especially this man. The tall, husky engineer was egotistical and grumpy, prone to long speeches complaining about everything from the room to the Roaches and just life in general. Jane had never seen the use of complaining, so the man was soon driving her crazy. Then his mood seemed to shift from practically begging her to confide in him to having nothing to do with her. She just couldn't figure him out.

Once she was well enough to stand, she spent days roaming the cell, looking for any weakness that would allow them to escape. She couldn't find one, much to Felix's amusement. Finally, she had to give up. But without anything to work towards, her boredom grew overpowering. In desperation, she managed to create a checker board on the dirt floor. Using the small gray and blue tiles that had fallen off the wall around the sink, she taught the game to Felix. It was the only thing that broke up the monotony.

With a sigh, she scratched another mark on the wall to join the 32 other marks. She had been in this damn cement box for 33 days. She almost wished the Roaches had killed her off immediately. The waiting to either be killed or forced to give more information was nearly as hard to endure as the torture. She pushed up the sleeves of the large sweatshirt she wore, wondering what to do that would break up the boredom.

The loud clunks of the outside opening brought Jane back to the present. It was too early for lunch, so that meant there was some other reason for the Roaches to enter the prison. Were they going to interrogate her again? Or had she outlived her usefulness?

"Stand back," the electronic voice ordered. She and Felix stood in the far corner, watching and wondering. Two more drones entered the cell, dragging a shaking man between them. Jane's eyes grew wide. Even from a distance, she could tell the man was having convulsions. How much of her medical training did she remember? Would it be enough to help the man with only a standard aid kit at hand?

The drones dropped the lanky man to the floor, then turned to leave. Once the door had been locked, Jane rushed to the man's side. Thankfully, the convulsions were ending. His naked body was covered with extensive contusions, lacerations, and burns. Probably like I was a month ago. "Help me move him!" she ordered as she felt for the man's pulse.

"What's the use? Looks like he's going to die anyway." Dr. Felix grumbled.

"It's a reaction to the drugs," Jane explained forcefully, grabbing Felix's arm and pulling him towards her. Together, they managed to lift the now limp man and carry him to one of the mattresses. After a quick check for broken bones, she rolled him over onto his side in the recovery position. "Get me the aid kit," she ordered while her hands gently wrapped a blanket around her new patient. He should be okay now. At least, I hope he will. Jane vaguely remembered a study where they had estimated that two percent of the population would suffer severe reactions to the interrogation drugs used by the Roaches. This poor man must be in that two percent. Who are you? Why are you important to them? Whoever he was, she would not allow him to die.

So long, Sam MacGregor. Hello, new world.

- Excerpt from the journal of Samuel K. MacGregor

Jail cell, three hours later

Blair was crying. Jeff could hear the heart-wrenching sobs. Yet when he tried to reach his son, his hands hit a barrier. Desperate, Jeff slammed his fists against the wall, over and over again. However, the unseen material refused to let him pass. Then from behind, he could hear Sam's scared voice calling for him. Turning around, Jeff ran a couple of steps before he hit another barrier. Frustration filled his soul. He ran back and forth within the confines, shouting, "Sam! Blair! Can you hear me? Sam! Answer me! Blair! Blair!...

With a gasp, Jeff's eyes flew open. Pain and confusion assaulted him from all sides. Shivering, Jeff closed his eyes again as the memories surged through his mind.

"Easy there," a deep female voice soothed.

Jeff forced his eyes open to find a petite woman watching him with concern, honey blonde hair flowing past her shoulders. "Do...I...know...you?"

She gave him a sad smile and shook her head. "No, we've never met before. My name is Jane Mullway."

The name sounded familiar, but Jeff was too exhausted to figure out why. "Mine's Jeff MacGregor." Holding his bruised ribs as he struggled to sit up, Jeff missed the woman's eyes widened in recognition. Besides, he suddenly realized he had more immediate concerns. He quickly yanked the blanket back up. "What happened to my clothes?"

Jane tried to keep the smirk off her face. "I don't know. But they left some sweats for you when they dropped off lunch." She handed him a sweatshirt.

Jeff immediately pulled it on, wincing from the numerous injuries. Then he realized most of the cuts and burns had been bandaged. Pointing at the gauze wrapped around his wrist, he lifted an eyebrow in Mullway's direction.

She smiled. "I interned as a physician before going into research." Jeff gave her a weak smile in return. Jane noted that it was a rather charming smile. Then she turned to pick up a bowl. "You need to eat this to get your strength back up. We lucked out this time and got soup." Jane ignored the grumble from Felix on the other side of the cell. They had fought only fifteen minutes ago because he wanted to claim the third bowl as his, since the other man was too sick to eat it. Just when she didn't think Felix could get any more selfish, he surprised her by sinking lower. However, Jane Mullway was not one to back away from a fight, especially when she knew she was right.

"Thanks." Cautiously sniffing the bowl, Jeff managed to lift it to his mouth and take a sip. He paused as his starving stomach fought against having food again. "What do you normally get?"

Chuckling, Jane replied, "Whatever can of something or other the Roaches pull out and heat up. Sometimes it's a vegetable, sometimes we luck out and get stew or hash. I just hope we don't get the heated tartberries again. Some things just aren't meant to be hot."

Felix snorted. Jeff carefully turned to look at him, squinting his blurry eyes.

"That's Dr. Ted Felix," Jane introduced.

"Hello," Jeff greeted. Felix just shrugged his shoulders at him.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Felix got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Jeff took another sip of soup, a feeling of unease gnawing at the back of his mind. Pushing it to the side, he turned back to Mullway. "Where are we?"

Jane shook her head. "All we know is that we're still prisoners of the Roaches. I think they're keeping us alive just in case they have more questions."

Worriedly, Jeff searched his mind, staring at the bruises on his arm. "The last thing I remember is being strapped down on a table. They had tried one drug which simply made me attempt to throw up my stomach. But I don't remember what happened after they gave me the second shot."

Gently laying a hand on his shoulder, Jane softly explained, "I think you had a severe reaction to the second drug. You were still having convulsions when they brought you in here." She met Jeff's gaze bravely. "In everything that I've read, the Roaches are unable to force information out of prisoners who react to the drugs."

Jeff closed his eyes and swallowed hard. That meant the incredible amount of technological information in his head was still safe. Sam's future was still secure.

"Why don't you get some more sleep?" Jane suggested, noting the exhaustion in Jeff's eyes. She took the bowl from Jeff's hands and helped him back down. As he laid his head on a pillow, Jeff realized he felt like something was missing. Sleep stole upon him before Jeff could sort out what it was.

That evening, a mile from the mound

Frank was carefully picking at the stew Casey had brought. Not only was he not very hungry, but he could tell the girl hadn't been cooking for very long. I'll have to introduce her to Mama, she could teach her. Frank refused to think that he wouldn't be seeing his mother again. He looked up when the door opened.

A tall, husky man with curly, graying brown hair entered. In spite of the man's size, Frank could see the compassion in his eyes. "Hello, Mr. Colton. My name's Josiah Smith."

Frank smiled. "Call me Frank. You must be Casey's Preacher."

A faint smile of remembrance crossed his face. "The teens tagged me with that name during youth camp. Sounded more friendly to them than Reverend. But you can call me Josiah."

"All right, Josiah." The two men shook hands.

"How's the head?"

Frank shrugged. "Hurts, but not as bad as before."

"Those head injuries can take some time to heal."

"I don't have time." Frank placed the food tray to the side. "I hate to think of what the Roaches have done to Jeff by now."

Josiah was studying him closely. "Casey said your friend was abducted by those human-looking Roaches."

"That's the only thing that makes any sense."

"Why would they want your friend?"

Frank closed his eyes for a moment, then made his decision. "My friend is Jeff MacGregor."

"Jeff MacGregor?" Josiah repeated, astonished. "THE Jeff MacGregor? The same Jeff MacGregor who invented the sea barrier?"

"Yep, that Jeff MacGregor," Frank answered, worry clouding his eyes. The Jeff MacGregor who is my friend and practically my brother.

Josiah's face turned grim. "Not the type of person you'd want keeping company with Roaches."

"Jeff won't tell them anything willingly," Frank explained. "He knows exactly what's at stake here and Jeff can be extremely stubborn when he wants to be. What worries me is wondering what they're doing to him to change his mind."

"I don't like any of the implications," Josiah replied thoughtfully. "If they can reach MacGregor in Lansbury, who else is next?"

"There were rumors of at least three other disappearances before Jeff, though one was killed during the attempt. It's being kept hush-hush, but I work security at the capital, so I hear things."

Josiah's eyes narrowed a moment. "Were there any women in that group?"

Frank searched his sore mind for an answer. "Yeah, Jane Mullway the microbiologist."

"All right, over a month ago, JD and I saw the Roaches escort a woman to the old jail house. Since she was female and small, I'm willing to bet she's human and not one of those undercover Roaches. Now, that area is all covered by mound dirt, but I'd bet you they're still using it for prisoners."

"If you could draw me a map, I'll go in and see if I can spring them."

"Well now," Josiah drawled, "That's a mighty big job for one man, especially one still recovering."

Frank looked him straight in the eye. "You have helped me enough. I don't want to draw you or the kids into the line of fire."

"We've already been there and most likely will be again," Josiah pointed out philosophically. "However, I have an idea. JD and I should have the vehicle ready in another couple of days. That night, JD and Casey can finish loading while you and I search for your friend and any other scientist they've abducted. All goes well, we meet the kids on the road north, and we all escape. If we don't show up by the appointed time, I'll tell them to leave without us. Deal?"

Frank again shook Josiah's hand. "Deal."

Morning, two days later, jail cell inside mound

Sitting on a mattress and wrapped up in a blanket, Jeff watched Mullway and Felix play checkers on the dirt floor. From time to time, Jane would flash him a concerned glance. Jeff returned a weak smile. He knew she was worried about him. During the time he'd been in the cell, he had mostly slept. Fatigue still sank deeply into his bruised and aching body. Jane suspected he was just recovering from the torture and his violent reaction to the drugs. However, she wasn't very happy about the tiny amount of food Jeff was able to force down. Jeff tried to eat more, knowing he'd need all the strength and energy he could get. Yet his stomach rebelled, churning with nausea with every mouthful. Not that Felix minded. The engineer was happy to eat what Jeff couldn't. Again, Jeff tried to pinpoint what bothered him about Dr. Felix but gave up. His mind was too exhausted to make the connections it would have normally raced through.

Drawing the blanket tighter, Jeff pictured Sam in his mind. Between the Sealand invasion and Jeff's disappearance, the teen had to be worried sick and possibly grieving for his brother. But no matter how hard Jeff tried, he couldn't feel Sam. It was like his gift had been muffled, preventing Jeff from reaching out in a way that was usually second nature to him. He wondered if that might be why he couldn't reach Blair before. Had they given the drugs to Blair, producing a similar reaction in his son? Jeff swiftly turned his mind from that possible hope and back to the problem at hand. There had to be a way to get out of here and back to Sam. Again, Jeff sorted through their options and resources, searching for a way for the prisoners to escape.

At the sound of the outside door, the three prisoners looked at each other. Even without timepieces, they sensed it was too early for the next meal. They all stood up as the Chosen One, surrounded by guards, entered the hall outside their cell. The purple Roach stood close to the bars and stared at Jeff. Jeff stared back defiantly.

Then the Roach threw something at Jeff. Jeff caught the small object on a gold chain. Looking down, Jeff felt a numbing cold penetrate his body. It was Blair's star medallion. The medallion that Blair never took off, not even to bathe.

"~snap~ one is gone. ~crackle~ other will be taken ~pop~ you don't give us ~snap~ information." Stunned, Jeff raised his eyes to stare at his enemy. Again, it was his captor who broke the gaze first. "You have ~crackle~ tomorrow." The Roach turned around and left with his guard.

Confused and worried, Jane cautiously asked, "Jeff?"

Jeff couldn't answer her. He could barely breathe. Even though he had been telling himself to accept that Blair was dead, he wasn't prepared for this small bit of damning evidence. He violently turned and marched to the corner, collapsing down into a ball facing the concrete. Burying his head into his crossed arms, Jeff felt his heart break.

Several hours later, just outside the mound

Frank laid flat on the embank, staring at his goal. It was the first time he been this close to a Drone mound. It actually looked like a mound of dirt, though admittedly a very large one. The crown was comparable to the height of a four story building, while the base covered close to a hundred city blocks. Now Frank fully understood how the Roaches could incorporate several of the human buildings inside their own structure. Josiah had observed them build the mound while covertly picking up the spare parts he needed. General Thornton would be thrilled to have an eye witness report on Roachian construction.

However, that would be well into the future. They had more immediate concerns, like finding a way inside. Somewhere within that mound of dirt was his friend. Frank was determined to get him out. He again surveyed the area between the embankment and the mound, searching for Roaches. It was all fine and good for Josiah to say that the Roaches were too cocky to post regular guards around their installation, but Frank still felt exposed.

"Here," Josiah whispered, breaking Frank's concentration. He handed him a piece of plant.

Frank studied the blue-gray stalk a moment, pulling it away from his face when the putrid odor reached his nose. "What's this?"

"It's what the locals call Roach plant. It'll cover our human scents with a Roachian base scent. That will prevent them from sniffing us out."

Wrinkling his nose, Frank smeared it on his arms and legs. "Does this stuff really work?"

"It's kept them from sniffing out the kids and I for nearly two months."

"Sounds like a vote of confidence to me."

Soon, both men were running bent over to the edge of the mound. Josiah silently knelt and began brushing the dirt away. Mystified, Frank joined him. Only when their efforts revealed a stick and mud structure did Frank realize Josiah's objective. Josiah then pulled a small hacksaw out from under his shirt. He cautiously sawed at the sticks. Frank found a rock and began to chip away at the mud, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to check for Roaches.

Within minutes, they had created a hole large enough to crawl through. Josiah waved Frank in, then pulled off his dark jacket. He crawled in after Frank, using the jacket to cover up their entrance and hopefully future escape route.

Inside the mound was a dark tunnel of gray mud, lit by glow stones embedded in the ceiling. Throughout the tunnel walls were small alcoves. Josiah had noticed during his covert searches that the average drone or worker would duck into the nooks and cover his face if a female or Chosen One walked by. Josiah and Frank made use of them now, ducking into each one and checking for Roaches before darting to the next one.

Suddenly, Frank heard the shivery, clicking sounds of Roachian legs. He pressed himself back into the mud alcove, praying the enemy would not spot him or Josiah in the adjacent alcove. Slipping out the gun that Josiah had given him, Frank held his breath. He watched as three light gray Roaches, barely discernible against the mud, walked by. None of the three were over six foot and walked lightly across the ground. Must be workers. Frank was almost glad he didn't have to shoot. Workers were at the bottom rung of the Roachian ladder, sterile creatures who worked almost constantly during their short lives. Besides, it would have made noise that might lead the drones into discovering them. Once the sound of Roachian legs disappeared behind the bend, Frank and Josiah continued on their way.

Further down, Frank paused when the tunnel widened out into a small room. Tunnel openings could be seen spaced evenly around the oval. Off to one side, there was a small mud mound. Frank could see a couple of shovel-shaped tools resting next to the door. Using prearranged hand signals, Josiah indicated that it was a tool and supply hutch. During the construction, Josiah had discovered that such little hutches contained the items required for maintaining the mound, including cleaning supplies. They had decided ahead of time that Josiah would plant an explosive next to volatile cleaning chemicals. Such an explosion would create a diversion to cover their escape. Josiah waved to the tunnel that appeared to go in the direction of the jailhouse as he crept to the hutch. Taking a deep breath, Frank slipped into the tunnel. He really hoped he wouldn't get lost, because this was one place he definitely did NOT want to ask for directions.

Jail cell

Jane kept glancing at the silent figure curled up in the corner. It didn't take a genius to realize that the Chosen One's words had been some kind of threat. It was also obvious that whatever the item was that had been thrown to Jeff had devastated him. Yet even hours later, Jane could not bring herself to disturb the man she was beginning to think of as a friend. She could only wait and hope Jeff knew she would provide him an ear if he needed to talk. Yet the gloom she did not understand weighed heavy in the air. Even Felix had refrained from breaking the silence. When the outside doors clanked open, Jane and Felix again jumped to their feet. Jeff didn't move.

But instead of the Roach she had feared, a trim black man in dark clothing entered. He quickly studied the two scientists, raising a finger to keep them silent. Grabbing the key from a nail near the entrance, the man hustled to the locked door. Spotting the figure in the corner, he himself broke the still air with a quiet whisper. "Jeff?"

Immediately turning around, Jeff's red eyes widened. "Frank?"

By the time Frank had opened the door, Jeff was there to greet him. Frank pulled his pale friend into a gentle but warm embrace. "Easy, bro," he barely breathed, noting the weight loss and the slight tremors.

Jeff fought to keep from crying, soaking up Frank's strength. In his grief and turmoil, he had asked for a sign and here was his friend. Perhaps God had not abandoned him after all.

A couple of feet away, Jane smiled. For the first time, she herself had hope that they could escape. Watching the two men embrace, she missed the movement behind her.

Felix could no longer contain his anger. How did a human get in here? How dare he invade Roachian ground! He slipped a knife out from its hiding place and stepped towards the unguarded back of the rescuer.

~Spitz~ Jane, Frank and Jeff turned around at the soft sound, seeing Dr. Felix staring at the round hole in his chest as orange fluid flowed out. Jane and Jeff stared in horror as the figure collapsed. Frank quickly realized that this was one of the human Roaches Casey had told him about. He nodded his thanks to the man standing in the doorway.

Josiah quickly studied the two prisoners. While the lady was small, she appeared reasonable fit considering the circumstances. However, Frank's friend looked like a light breeze could knock him down. Josiah reigned in his anger at the dark bruises and bandages, wondering what other damage was hidden beneath the gray sweats. He added the abuse to the column of evil he kept against the Roachians, then put it out of his mind. Now they had to complete their escape. Glancing down and realizing the prisoners only wore socks, Josiah resigned himself that they still had a long way to go. He waved to the others to follow him. Jane swiftly joined him at the door, eager to get out of the cell she had spent 35 day in. Frank draped Jeff's arm over his shoulder and gently wrapped his arm around Jeff's waist. Together they walked out the door and towards freedom.

Once they had reached the hutch, Josiah waved them ahead. With a smirk, Frank took the lead, still supporting Jeff on his wobbly legs. By the time the three had reached the hole, Josiah had caught up. "Let's keep moving," the big man whispered.

By the time they had reached the bottom of the embankment, all could hear the explosions inside. Exchanging grins, Frank and Josiah hurried their charges down the road.

At the crossroads

"Will you stop pacing, JD. You're making me dizzy."

JD threw an exasperated glance at Casey, who was leaning against the packed off-road vehicle, known as an ORV. "What time is it?"

Casey rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "About one minute more than the last time you asked."

JD only grunted and continued pacing. Finally he mumbled, "I should have gone with them."

"Preacher said that more people would only make it easier for them to be caught," Casey pointed out. "Besides, who would have driven the ORV here? You won't let me touch it since I haven't got my permit yet." Casey still felt miffed that JD had so little faith in her abilities. She would have gotten her permit, if the invasion hadn't happened when it did.

JD ran a hand through his hair. "I know. I just hate waiting. I keep wondering if they're okay."

Casey's face softened. "I know, me too. But they aren't late yet, so we shouldn't be worrying so soon."

A few minutes later, both heard the shuffle of gravel nearby. Grabbing their guns, they ducked behind the hood of the ORV until a familiar large shape came into view. They stood up, grinning their relief.

Josiah smiled back at them. "Get the engine running, JD. We've left a group of angry Roaches coming after us. Once they've put out the fire, that is."

JD jumped into the driver's seat as Casey quickly opened the door for Mr. Colton and the man he was helping. "Jeff, Jane, this is Casey Rider," Frank introduced. "Casey, meet Drs. Jeff MacGregor and Jane Mullway. JD Dunn is the young man at the wheel."

"Howdy," Casey greeted, then helped the woman to the other side.

Frank helped Jeff up into the ORV, then stared into his exhausted eyes. "What's wrong?"

Jeff gave him a weak smile. "Just about everything. But it started looking up the minute you came through the door."

Frank narrowed his eyes as he whispered, "Details, bro. I want details."

Jeff sighed. "I'm exhausted, my body hurts everywhere, my stomach is doing loop-de-loops, and I can't feel Sam."

Frank frowned. He was one of the few who knew of Jeff's gift. "What do you mean, you can't feel Sam?"

Jeff shook his head. He looked so beaten and worn, Frank's worry increased tenfold. "The interrogation drugs did a number on me. Mullway says I was having convulsions when they dumped me in the cell. All I know is that ever since I woke up, it feels like my mind has been wrapped in layers of insulation cloth. Hell, I knew there was something wrong with Felix, I just couldn't put it together."

Frank sensed there was more, but decided to at least reassure his friend about the last bit. "Jeff, there was no way you could have know he was a Roach. Hell, he looked pretty human to me."

"I knew that the real Dr. Felix was over 60 years old. There was no way that guy could have been him. I just didn't remember that fact until your friend shot him."

Frank rubbed Jeff's back, careful to avoid the bruises and sores. "You need to give yourself some time to heal, bro."

Then Josiah softly called from the other side. "You guys ready to go?"

Jeff slipped across the seat so Frank could climb in. Then JD pulled away, heading north.

A couple of hours later

Jane's eyes flew open when the ORV shifted on the mountain road. Holding her breath until the teen had maneuvered the rut, she then turned to look at her seat mates. Jeff appeared to be asleep, resting against his friend's side. She lifted her eyes to meet the other man's. "How's he doing?" she whispered.

"Sleeping soundly. I haven't seen him this exhausted since Harbor Bay was first bombed."

Jane frowned. "Something happened when the Chosen One visited, but I don't know what." She quickly explained the situation to Frank.

Frank's own face turned into a scowl as he gently pried open Jeff's fist. The sight of the star medallion sent a surge of grief through his own soul. He could only guess at how much it had devastated his friend.

"What is it?" Jane asked worriedly.

Frank took a deep breath. "It's a medallion Jeff's eldest son always wore. It was all Blair had of his mother after the Clarian invasion. In fact, that was the reason I was at Jeff's home when he was abducted. Blair had been working in Sealand, which had been invaded only a couple days before that."

Jane's face grew stricken when she realized the meaning behind the necklace. "So 'the one who is gone' is Jeff's son?" No wonder Jeff had crumbled before her. "And 'the other'?"

"Jeff's younger son, Sam." Frank gently laid a comforting hand on his sleeping friend's head. "Those two boys mean the world to him."

They both fell silent, worrying about the man whose friendship they shared.

Dawn, seven days later, one mile from Sealand's Northern border

They were almost there. Josiah could see the border from the rocky ridge they were perched on. It felt good to be so close to their goal. While the trip from Delroy to the Sealand border once took only two days, it had taken their party over three times that. Not only were they forced to travel mostly by night, but they had often had to detour around the construction of new Roachian installations. It had been a long, often tension-filled trip.

But there was the border. After much discussion, everyone agreed it would be better to watch the border patrols for a day to discover the pattern. Then they could sneak across without raising suspicions. Josiah figured all the Roaches were on the lookout for them by now, especially since the escaping scientists were with them.

While it was nothing short of a miracle that the drugs had not worked on MacGregor, Josiah was certain it made the Roaches just that much more angry to lose him. He glanced at the pale figure staring over the rocks. Josiah had heard the conversation between Colton and Mullway the first night. It made him all that more impressed with MacGregor. For an important scientist who was ill and had just been dealt a tragic loss, he was surprisingly humble and considerate. That made Josiah want to get him home just as much as he wanted to get the kids to safety. If their luck held out, they should all be safe on the other side in a day or two. Unfortunately, life had taught Josiah that luck was fickle.

I miss my link with my sons. It's so strange not to feel their emotions as well as my own. I can only hope this is temporary. How much I wish I could fly like those dactyls and just wing my way home. Wait a minute...

Frank tossed another worried glance at his friend, staring out over the valley. Jeff had been strangely quiet since the escape. It probably was due to grief, but he looked sick as well. It angered Frank to see the damage the Roaches had rained down on his friend. Jane suspected that several of Jeff's ribs were cracked. Frank believed her, seeing Jeff wince with pain whenever he climbed in or out of the ORV. Typically, not one word of complaint had passed through Jeff's lips.

Unfortunately, neither had much food. Jeff tried to cover up how hard it was for him to eat, but Frank knew him too well to be fooled. Jeff's metabolism rate was high, so he normally ate almost as much as his teenagers while still staying trim. Weight seemed to be melting off him now. Frank glanced over to where Jane and Casey were fixing breakfast. Maybe Jeff will eat more today.

Also, Jeff had been sleeping way too much. At first Frank had thought it was his friend's way of handling his intense grief, but Jane had mentioned he had slept most of the time in the cell before receiving the medallion. Frank just wanted to get him to a medical facility in a safe place as soon as possible.

The object of his concern suddenly turned in his direction. "Hey Frank, do you guys have any binoculars?"

Frank traded glances with Josiah. "Just a minute," Frank called back. JD reached back into the ORV and pulled out a good pair of binoculars. Josiah quietly took them, then he and Frank joined Jeff on his rocky perch. "What's up?" Frank questioned.

Jeff didn't reply, training the field glasses downward. "Damn," he whispered.

Frank was chilled by the defeat in his friend's voice. "What?"

Jeff sighed then handed the binoculars to Frank. "Look at those dactyls flying over there." As Frank adjusted the lenses for his eyes, Josiah squinted in the direction Jeff pointed.

Once he focused on the colorful, flying reptiles, Frank asked, "What about them?"

"None of them are flying near the border."

Josiah frowned. "You're right. Why are they avoiding it?"

Frank turned his wide eyes back to his friend. "They couldn't have it up this early...could they?"

Jeff shrugged. "They invaded a lot of land at one time. With a fence up, that gives them some security while they get organized before winter."

Josiah turned puzzled eyes to his comrades. "What fence?"

"The Roachians put up a directional microwave fence on the border of their land during the winter," Jeff explained absently, voice full of disappointment. "Roaches can cross it, but it cooks any human to a crisp. It prevents us from retaking the land in winter while they stay in their warm mounds. The fence also hurts the dactyls' hearing, so they avoid them."

Frank carefully set the binoculars down, then violently threw a rock down towards the ORV, muttering curses under his breath.

Josiah stared down at the border, trying to see the invisible fence. "Is there any way to disable it?"

"The equipment that creates the fencing is heavily guarded." Jeff pointed to a mound near the border surrounded by drones. "The covert ops guys have special equipment to get through, but it would be hard to duplicate without the specialized material. The only other way is to fly over it, but you have to climb pretty high up in the atmosphere to clear it."

"Sounds like we need another meeting," Josiah replied slowly. The three men slowly climbed down from the perch to break the bad news to the others.

Jane's face was serious as she stared at Jeff. "Is there any way we can pass through the fence in the ORV?"

Jeff shook his head. "Metal simply focuses the energy and cooks you faster."

"Can you tunnel under it?" JD asked.

"You would have to start a tunnel far from the border in order to not be discovered," Josiah pointed out.

"And that would probably take all fall and winter to dig," Frank added sourly.

"Well," Casey thought out loud, "If we can't go through, can't crawl under, and certainly don't have the wings to fly over it, is there any way to go around it?" Everyone turned to stare at her. "What?" Casey blurted, wondering what she had said wrong.

"Out of the mouths of babes," Josiah muttered.

"Would they extend the fence into the ocean?" Frank asked Jeff.

Jeff nodded his head thoughtfully. "They usually take them out at least a mile or so. To go that way, we'd need a boat. Only there can be some pretty wicked storms brew up this time of year, and then we'd have our own sea barriers to contend with. However, Roaches hate the high mountains. They might not have extended it out over the Talbet Mountain Range."

"If we go that way," Jane added, "I know of a private school at Gillard. We may be able to get supplies there before trekking over the pass."

"We should have enough to last that far," Josiah replied after doing a quick inventory in his head.

"And if we can't take the mountains, perhaps we can pick up some wings." Jane smiled at Casey as she said 'wings'. "There's a small airfield near the school."

"Sounds like we've got ourselves a plan." Frank's scowl finally eased from his face. "Let's check out the map and get on our way!"

Jeff simply sighed, praying Sam was safe.

six days later, Gillard in Sealand Province

"Jeff," Frank called softly, shaking his friend's shoulder.

"Hmm?" Jeff mumbled, trying to pull himself out of the deep sleep he'd been in just moments before.

"We're here," Frank answered glumly. Jeff's eyes popped open, then studied his friend's grim face. A sinking feeling filled him as he climbed out of the ORV. Jane had parked them on a small wooded rise just outside of town. The rest of the group were in a line, staring at the mountains before them, the rising sun throwing deep shadows from the rugged terrain. Wordlessly, Frank handed Jeff the binoculars.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff adjusted the lens for his eyes, then examined the scene before him. He could spot several mounds evenly spaced halfway up the mountain. "Damn," he whispered. The Roaches had protected their flank by running the microwave fence along the mountain side. After a long trip of driving, hiding, scrounging for fuel, and avoiding Roachian installations and patrols, they had run into another obstacle.

"What about the airfield?" JD asked.

Jane halfheartedly waved to the left. "There must be three craters along the runway, and there is nothing left of the hanger." She felt almost sick, leading them all here to a dead end. Jane wanted to get back to her lab, to see if there was some way she could protect the humans from the information she had given to the Roachians. However, it seemed like she might have to continue living with her guilt.

"How well does that fence work in rough country?" Josiah asked, still studying the hillside.

Jeff shrugged. "They usually make it seamless, but sometimes there are holes near the bottom. It'll take time, but it's possible to find one."

"Meaning we'll need a base of operations while we do the scouting," Frank thought out loud. He turned to Mullway. "Where's that school you use to go to?"

Challenger Mountain School, Gillard in Sealand Province

The scene from the top of the hill caused Josiah to step on the brake. They all looked through the windshield at the damage. "They even bombed a school?" Casey whispered sadly.

Jane felt heartsick viewing it. Not only had she spent her last two years of secondary school here, but she had also spent her breaks helping to teach and mentor the young men and women. "I just hope they were given enough time to evacuate."

"Would they have been in session yet?" Frank asked, his scowl deepening.

"Yes, they ran summer sessions" Jane sighed. "They had taken in many teens who had been displaced by the Roaches. Those kids had no place else to go."

Jeff briefly thought of Sam alone, then shoved the thought out of his mind. "Guess we'd better see if there's any building we can hide in for a while."

Jane directed them around the destroyed Administration wing to the partially standing food commons.

"Now, in addition to shelter, we also need supplies," Josiah told them as they climbed out of the ORV. "Food, towels, dish soap, whatever looks to be salvageable."

"And be careful," Frank cautioned. "Roaches are all too good at hiding in debris."

They each carefully picked their way through the broken plaster and boards. Jeff had gingerly knelt to examine a bent metal pan when he heard the click of a gun. Raising his eyes, he found himself staring into the barrel of a shotgun. "Hello," he slowly drawled.

"Stand up," ordered the fierce voice softly. Jeff hid his pain as he casually stood up, studying the dark-haired young woman staring coldly at him. He gauged she was around Blair's age, though the face was harder than he'd ever seen his son's. She would be beautiful if her expression was not so harsh.

"Bella Torres?" Jane called out.

The barrel lowered from its aim at Jeff's chest. "Dr. Mullway?" Within an instant, the young woman changed from fierce to delighted. She gracefully sprang across the debris to greet the older woman with a hug. "We'd been told you were taken by the Roaches!"

"I had been," Jane explained, giving her a warm smile. She waved a hand to indicate Jeff, who was still keeping a wary eye on the shotgun. "But Dr. MacGregor and I were rescued by his friend and some other survivors."

"Dr. MacGregor!" Bella exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth and turning around. "THE Dr. MacGregor? I'm sorry!" Her face was crestfallen. "I didn't know, sir."

Jeff gave her a friendly smile. Jane noted that its charm worked just as well on the tough girl as it did on her and Casey. "That's okay. I'm willing to forget it if you'd put the safety back on." He gave the gun another pointed glance.

"Oh yeah!" The young woman swiftly clicked it into position.

"Why are you still here?" Jane asked, barely aware of the others from their group walking over to join them. "Weren't you able to evacuate?"

Bella shook her head. "No one expected them to sweep in so fast. We lost a lot of people during the bombing." Frank's scowl deepened as Jeff's eyes grew somber. They both could guess at how many students and teachers had been lost in the destruction. "Then Mrs. Patterson diverted the invading Roaches' attention by blowing up the rest of the Admin building while we rushed the survivors into the caves." Her hand indicated the foothills behind her. Then dark eyes grew even darker. "She had already been severely wounded, so she insisted that Harry and Jack go with us while she stayed behind."

Jane closed her eyes a moment, mourning the loss of her dear mentor and friend. "How many made it to the caves?"

"There's 41 of us." Bella turned and waved. Two teenage girls and a boy climbed out of their hiding spots in the debris. "There's Doc Fraiser, Gail Meredith the language instructor, the driver Jack Dalton, plus Harry Kim and myself who were assisting this summer. The rest are students."

"Hi Judy, Hi Eric," Jane greeted the two she knew.

"This is Lisa Woodrow," Bella introduced the shy young woman hanging back from the others.

"Hi Lisa," Jane gave her a gentle smile. Then she quickly introduced her group. "Do you think there's room for us to stay with you?"

Bella gave her a wide smile. "There's plenty of room."

After helping Bella and her group pick up a few boxes of can goods and other supplies, they followed them back into the foothills. Jeff was impressed at how well hidden the caves were on the hillside. Bella pointed out a spot where they could hide the ORV, then they all picked their way over the rocky terrain. Between the steep climb and his already fatigued body, it was especially hard on Jeff. He stumbled a couple of times on the loose rock, only to have the shy girl named Lisa help him to catch his balance. Jeff gave her a grateful smile and was doubly thankful when Bella led them behind a boulder into a cave.

The cave was cool and dark but the floor was fairly level. Bella and the kids turned on their lights and led them to the back of the cave and through a narrow bend. Josiah was just barely able to squeeze through. Jeff's tired mind hazily noted that it would be almost impossible for drones to get through.

The bend widened, then Jeff realized he heard a generator. Another gradual turn led them to a place of light. The passage opened up into a wide cavern. Inside electric lights, running off the generator he'd heard, circled the center. Jeff spotted five portable camp stoves with several makeshift tables behind them. On the outer edges of the circle were numerous small tents made out of various blankets and canvas material. Several people stopped what they were doing when they noticed the extra people Bella had brought.

"Jane!" A slender woman with deep reddish brown hair broke from the crowd and ran up to greet her friend with a hug. Several more soon joined her around the alumni. Jeff smiled faintly at the warm welcome. Perhaps their luck had finally turned, though it would help if the room would stop spinning. Jeff noted his knees buckling as if they belonged to someone else. He was vaguely aware of Frank and Lisa catching him as the room turned black.

Dad...

Sam?

Dad, where are you?

Sam, I'm right here!

Dad...

Sam! Sam, answer me! SAM!

Jeff jerked upright, wrapping his arms around his throbbing ribs. Once the pain eased and his head stopped spinning, he cautiously opened his eyes. He was inside a small tent sitting on a sleeping pad. Absently, his fingers smoothed a wrinkle in the soft blanket as he studied the empty sleeping pad next to him. He groaned as the memory of his collapse swam through his aching head. What a way to make an entrance.

Still feeling lightheaded, Jeff gingerly stood up. He stepped out of the tent once the world righted itself. Jeff paused once outside, trying to orient himself. To the left he could see JD with three other teenage boys, working to put up another tent. Straight ahead he could see Jane chatting with the woman who had greeted her earlier. They were watching a group of teens washing dishes. Off to his right, Josiah and Frank were sitting at a table, talking with Bella and a burly man about his age in a leather jacket. A young man of about college age was hurrying towards them. Pushing a lock of his straight black hair out of his almond shaped eyes, he unrolled a map onto the table. The others quickly leaned over to study it.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff decided to join Frank and see what was going on. He was only a couple of yards away when Frank spotted him. His friend was by his side in an instant.

"What are you doing walking around?" Frank growled demandingly.

Jeff yanked his arm from Frank's grasp. "I'm all right."

Frank glared at him, not missing the pale face nor the faint catch of pain in Jeff's voice. "Right, and I'm the president's chief advisor." Jeff rolled his eyes at him. "The doc said you need food and rest, bro."

"I think I've rested enough." Jeff was peeved at himself for his fatigue. He had to find a way back to Sam and his body would just have to get with the program. Reading the stubbornness on his friend's face, Frank sighed and walked him over to the table.

Josiah, who had watched the exchange out the corner of his eye, just barely kept the smirk from his face. He'd witnessed several such encounters and had rarely seen Frank win. He stood up so that Jeff could have his seat, then indicated the burly man with his hand. "Jeff, this is Jack Dalton. Jack, Jeff MacGregor." Jeff shook Dalton's hand before taking the seat. "The young man is Harry Kim," Josiah continued. Harry greeted him with a friendly smile. "And you've already met Bella." The slightest hint of a blush crept into the young, yet tough, face.

Jeff gave her an understanding smile, then looked down at the map. "This is the microwave fencing?" Jeff ran a finger along a red dotted line. It looked like a recent addition.

"Yes," Harry spoke up. "Now that the Roaches don't have the patrols like they did when they first invaded, we've been able to do a little scouting."

"Colton says that there can be holes?" Jack asked. "We've been telling the kids to stay away from it, both due to the danger and the possibility of border patrols."

"Sensible," Jane replied as she approached the table. She sat a bowl of soup next to Jeff's elbow, along with a glass a juice. She met Jeff's stubborn eyes with her own.

Knowing she was right, Jeff sighed and sipped the juice, still studying the map. "Holes are not easy to find." Jeff launched into a quick explanation of how to locate areas under the fence.

Next evening

Jeff watched from the tables as Frank slipped into the tunnel, Casey and two other teens on his heels. The adults had decided to set up teams to search for holes in the fence, each consisting of an adult and three of the older teens. Since they had a better chance of staying out of Roachian sight in the dark, they decided to wait until twilight. Jeff tapped his pen against a pad of paper as the last of the teams departed the cave. It was frustrating not to be out with them. Yet Jeff had to admit he was, as Frank had put it, 'in no condition to be traipsing around the mountainside playing tag with the Roaches'. Sometimes Frank sounded just like his mother, Tess.

Closing his eyes and taking as deep a breath as he dared with his ribs, Jeff forced the frustration out of his mind. He attempted to feel for Sam, but again ran into the barrier. Another good reason to allow himself some rest. Apparently his mind needed to heal as well as his body. Not that he planned on being idle. There were still many other things that needed to be worked out. Jeff turned the pen to the paper and started scribbling.

Of all the chores, Lisa hated carrying water the most. It was a long trip down to the underground river that flowed through the cavern below. Once full, the buckets were really heavy. Simply due to the location, you were carrying the full buckets uphill. Then if you weren't careful, the water would slosh all over, getting your clothes and shoes soaked. She was always so glad to finish filling the water barrels.

She glanced at Dr. MacGregor as she brought in the last buckets. He kind of reminded her of her dad with his long arms and legs. Then he had a really nice smile like her dad, too. Her dad's smile had always made her feel good. She could still remember him smiling and waving as her train left for Gillard. If she had known that have would been the last time she'd see him, Lisa would have hopped off that train and ran back to him. But he wanted her to go so she'd be safe, so she had gone.

Not that she'd been that much safer. Thoughts of the bombing still sent a wave a fear through her. Only by crawling under the heavy workbench in the art room had Lisa survived. The fact that she'd managed to pull 10-year-old Cassie under the bench with her had won the girl's devotion. Doc Fraiser's daughter often tagged along behind her when she could.

Lisa spared another glance at the scientist as she dumped the water into the barrel. News always traveled fast within the group of teenagers, but the story about the new people had broken speed records. She had heard all about what the Roaches had done to Dr. MacGregor and how they had threatened his son because the drugs didn't work. Bella said that her friends back in Glendale had met Sam MacGregor and thought he was pretty cool. Lisa hoped he was all right, if only for Dr. MacGregor's sake.

Setting the bucket down, Lisa frowned when she noticed Dr. MacGregor absently wrapping his arm around his ribs. It had really scared her when he had collapsed yesterday. She had overheard Doc Fraiser say that he had several cracked ribs, yet he didn't like taking the pain meds she'd given him. Lisa didn't want him to be in pain. Without much thought, she walked over to the cool box and pulled out some juice. Pouring it into a glass, she replaced the jug, took a deep breath, and walked over to the man at the table.

Jeff glanced up when he heard the light shuffle of steps against the cavern's stone floor. The young teen who had helped him into the caves approached the table hesitantly. "Hello, ah Lisa, right?"

A shy smile stretched across her face. Jeff noticed it was a rather sweet smile. "Yes, Dr. MacGregor." She sat the glass of blue juice on the table in front of him.

Jeff stared at it a moment, feeling his stomach cringe at the thought. "Thank you, Lisa, but you didn't need to bring me anything."

"I thought you could use some juice to take with your pain meds," the girl suggested ingenuously.

Jeff blinked, noting his aching ribs as he realized he'd been had. This girl was better than either Frank or Mullway. Raising his eyes to meet her eager ones, he could only concede defeat. "All right, thank you." He pushed the pad of paper away as he gingerly slipped his hand into his pocket to retrieve the bottle.

Lisa leaned over the table to look at his writing. "What are you doing?"

"I'm doing some logistics," Jeff replied. He tossed a pill into his mouth, quickly swallowing some juice to send it on its way. He grimaced as his stomach protested, but it seemed to stay down.

"What's logistics?"

"It's a fancy word for making sure you have everything you need when you need it for a project." Jeff slid the pad so Lisa could read it, too. "When they find a hole in the fence, we have to figure out how to get everyone out and to the safe zones without getting caught."

"Wow, I hadn't thought about that yet," Lisa replied admiringly. "I guess 47 people is a lot to send through a small hole and get away before the Roaches see us."

"Well, we do have surprise on our side." Jeff shot her a smile. "They probably don't know we're all here." Jeff pushed out the fact the Roaches were probably searching for him. That Chosen One seemed pretty determined to make Jeff talk. He prayed that the kids wouldn't be hurt in an effort to reach him.

Lisa was looking at the map. "How far do we have to go?"

"Well, I'm hoping they aren't planning to push their border further north before next spring, since they have the fence up." Jeff lightly ran the pen over the fence on the map. "Most likely they'll do a few more bombing runs to make sure the humans don't sneak back here."

"But how could we, with the fence up?"

"Some of the commando units have devices to get through the fences. Unfortunately, I don't have the classified materials I'd need to make one." Jeff sighed, thinking of how easy he could whip one up if he had his lab. "So I'm guessing the closest bases would be here on the Toga River, the Front Ridge base, and the naval base at White Shores." He pointed to each one with his pen.

"The Toga base would be closest," Lisa remarked.

"Yes, but we'd have to walk across the plain here, and that would be wide open with few places to hide. Front Ridge would be a little farther, but we could hide in the mountains and this canyon for most of the way."

"What ya doing?" They both looked up in time to see a young girl hop onto a chair opposite them.

"Cassie, shouldn't you be in bed?" Lisa asked, exasperated.

Cassie shook her head, her strawberry blonde ponytail swinging back and forth. "Mom's busy looking at Davey's leg."

Jeff gauged the child to be about 10 years old. "Aren't you a bit young to be going to the Challenger school?" he asked with a smile.

She grinned back at him. "I just live here. Mom's the doctor."

"Ah, your Dr. Fraiser's daughter, Miss..."

"Cassandra, but you can call me Cassie."

"All right, Cassie." Jeff felt a small pang in his heart, his thoughts drifting back to his son who had found him at around the same age as Cassie. He swiftly turned his thoughts away from Blair and concentrated on the girls at the table. "Are you waiting for your mother to tuck you in?"

Cassie nodded. "She promised me a story, but she gets busy. Do you know any stories?"

Lisa noticed the sadness that sprang into Dr. MacGregor's eyes. But almost as quickly, he ran a hand over his face then smiled at the girl across the table. "Sure I do. Have you ever heard of sentinels?"

At the chorus of 'yeahs', Dr. MacGregor smiled and began his story.

"... Keegan leaned out from the bank, Harry holding tightly onto Keegan's legs. They had one chance to grab the little girl before the current swept her further downstream toward the dam..."

Dianne Fraiser paused, surprised at the sight before her. At least twelve of the eighteen students left in the cavern had gathered around one of the tables. At the center was Dr. MacGregor telling a story. While she wasn't surprised to spot her daughter at the table, she wouldn't have thought the young teens, mostly ranging from 12 to 14, would have admitted to being interested.

However, it became clearer as she continued to listen. MacGregor's deep voice was warm and enchanting, drawing the audience into his tale. It was a tale of adventure and heroism, just the kind kids of any age liked. While Dianne had read some of the sentinel legends, she had never read one that was at such a personal level. It was almost as if the story-teller had been there, personally witnessing the events as they unfolded. No wonder the teens were enjoying it.

As Jeff finished the story, Cassie immediately jumped in. "Tell us another one!"

Dianne walked up to the table. "Maybe some other time. Right now, you need to get to bed."

"Mom," Cassie pleaded.

"Bed." Then she looked at the other kids at the table. "Same goes for the rest of you. Since the others will be out most of the night, it's up to us to keep things running around here tomorrow." Her announcement was followed by mumbles and groans, but all the kids pulled back from the table and scattered to their respective tents. She heard Lisa thank Dr. MacGregor for explaining 'logistics' and watched the girl wander over to her tent. Following Cassie to bed, she wondered how Dr. MacGregor had been able to reach the girl when the rest of them had failed. Whatever the means, she was glad to see it.

When Dianne walked back to the common area later, she spotted MacGregor still sitting at the table, head resting in his arms. Concerned, she approached him. "Are you okay?"

Jeff raised his head and gave her a sad smile. "Yeah."

He looked exhausted, his darkly circled eyes and ruffled fine hair making him look so vulnerable. Dianne was still worried. "How are your ribs?"

"All right." Jeff chuckled. "Lisa managed to con me into taking a pain pill."

Dianne gave him an answering smile while mentally applauding the girl's initiative. "That's good. Lisa hadn't been with us too long before her father died, and she's been so withdrawn ever since. It's nice to see her taking an interest in things again."

Jeff frowned. "Roaches?"

"Yes. He was the owner of Woodrow Manufacturing in Greenwalk. When the front lines appeared to be faltering this spring, he sent his daughter to us while they prepared to evacuate. We received word that he had died helping his employees escape when the Roaches invaded. While Lisa is always the first one to pitch in when we need help, she doesn't interact with people much."

"Your daughter seems to worship her."

"I'm very grateful to her, too. She saved Cassie's life during the bombing." Seeing the sadness reenter his eyes, Dianne tried to change the subject. "Where did you pick up that story? The kids loved it." When the sadness deepened in his face, she wondered if she'd made a mistake.

Then like magic, he seemed to shake off the darkness. "Oral family history. My grandpa Harry use to tell me the stories when I was a kid, so I told them to my boys. They loved hearing them, especially when they were scared or sick."

Realizing it was grief she had seen before, she tried to turn the subject again. "Family history?"

"Yep. Keegan was Harry's grandpa and originally told the stories to him."

Dianne was surprised. "I hadn't realized any of the Guide families were still around."

Jeff shrugged. "The Center believed that the talent couldn't be passed on through the female side. Since we descended through Keegan's daughter, they didn't pay us much attention."

"Did you ever get to visit the Center before it was destroyed?"

Jeff slowly shook his head, a slightly bemused look on his face. "Harry was going to take me one year for the Gathering Festival. He was certain I had the talent and wanted to get me tested. Then all of a sudden, he told me we weren't going and refused to discuss it."

"That must have been disappointing."

"Just as well," Jeff chuckled. "That was the year the mountain blew and destroyed everyone and everything there. I don't know what happened to change Harry's mind, but I've always been grateful that he did."

Dianne chuckled with him, filing it away as one of those times when a higher power seemed to be working. This man had been so instrumental in developing the few defenses the colony had, she hated to think where they'd be if he had died as a child. Which reminded her that he was far too important to be allowed to become rundown again. She didn't want to be known as the doctor who lost the famous scientist. Besides, she was really beginning to like him. "Now, do I have to chase you off to bed, too?"

Taking in the fire entering the woman's eyes, Jeff shook his head. "No Doc, I'll be a good boy and head for bed." He gingerly rose, picked up the pen, pad and map, then walked to the tent he was sharing with Colton. He turned, gave her a brief wave, and ducked inside.

Dianne smiled and waved back. She really WAS beginning to like him.

Four weeks later, caverns in Challenger Mountain

"Why do the Roaches hate us so much?"

Jeff looked at Darla, noting the seriousness on the blue-eyed blonde's pretty face. Glancing around at the other students sitting at the table, he realized it was a question they all wanted answered. Even JD was focusing all his attention on him, waiting. Considering what all these kids have been through, Jeff couldn't blame them.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff carefully chose his words. "Well, the Roachians need more land and see us as outsiders. We came from somewhere else, and we've never been able to communicate with them very well. They feel we're taking up space on what is essentially their planet and thus rightfully belongs to them."

"Why do they need more land?" Lisa asked. "They have the other three much larger continents where it's warm. Why can't they just let us have this small one?"

"The Roachian population is growing very fast. They have already filled up the other continents, thus they want more land to expand into."

Steve looked puzzled, his normally cheerful face just as serious as the others. "Why are they growing so fast?"

Jeff sighed, realizing this was not a simple question, thus requiring a long answer. He pulled a pad of paper towards him and picked up a pen. The ten teens drew in closer so they could see. "Well, you all know that each group of Roachians are led by their Queen." All the heads nodded as Jeff drew a big Q in the center of the paper. "Each Queen has a circle of smaller females called her court. They become her advisors and do most of the Roachian technology research and development." Jeff made a circle of C's around the Q.

"It's the females who live in the Queen's Tower, right?" Steve asked.

"Right." Jeff drew a circle around the Q and Cs. "It is here that the Queen lays and nurtures the eggs that become drones. Once mature, they form her army. They carry out her plans, manage her affairs outside the Tower, and defend the Queen and her territory from outsiders."

"They're the ones who live in the Mounds," Casey added.

"Right." Jeff printed several groups of Ds around the Queen's Tower, and drew circles around each one. "Meanwhile, the female court members produce the workers, who do all the manual labor." He made lots of dots in and around all the other marks to signify the workers.

"Then where do the Chosen Ones come from?" JD asked.

Jeff smiled. "The Chosen Ones are drones who prove themselves to be superior in some way. They tend to be the strongest warriors, the most innovative leaders, the sharpest minds, and sometimes, just the most handsome." The girls giggled as the boys rolled their eyes. "Once the Queen has 'chosen' them, they come to the Tower and she feeds them her 'royal jelly'. This substance transforms them. They grow bigger, their coats gain a purple hue, wings develop on their backs, and their hormones are activated." Now all the teenagers were giggling. Jeff stifled his own smile and continued. "They then mate with the Queen and her court when they call. All the other times, each Chosen One runs his own Mound, with his selected drones and workers. As long as the Queen is pleased with him, he will continue to get the royal jelly and stay in control.

"Now, every so many cycles, the Queen will also produce other females, who become new court members, and sometimes a junior queen. When the junior queen has reached maturity, she has to make a decision between three options. She can challenge the senior queen to a fight to the death, and if she wins, she takes over the Tower. However, if the senior queen is young and healthy, it may be a tough battle where even the winner is badly injured. Thus, that's not always a good option. The junior queen's next choice is to challenge a Queen from another tower. However, she must get past all that queen's drones in order to challenge her. Which isn't very smart unless the other queen is weak and dying, then her drones will let the challenger through uncontested. If all the other queens are strong, then she falls back on her third option, which is to gather a group of young drones and junior court members, move to an unclaimed piece of land, and mark her own territory. This is a good deal for the drones, because they have a better chance to gain recognition and thus become a Chosen One. It is also a good deal for the junior court members, because it is easier for them to become senior court members. And it is certainly the better deal for both the queens, because neither has to risk a vicious fight to the death.

"This is where the problem starts. You see, the Roachians have developed to the point where the general population, and especially the Queens, live a lot longer than they use to. So there are many more junior Queens being born than senior Queens dying. Thus more are taking the third option."

"Even when that means they have to fight us?" Lisa asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, because there are also more drones being born, who are willing to give up their lives for their Queen..."

Dianne and Mullway stood several yards away from Jeff's table, watching his group grow from the original ten to somewhere closer to twenty. Even Harry Kim had join the teens to hear Dr. MacGregor's explanation. Dianne smiled. "He is so good with the kids. They all love listening to him, whether he's explaining a scientific principle or telling one of his stories."

"And you know they are absorbing every word," Jane added. She looked up as Frank joined them. "Has Jeff taught before?"

Frank shook his head. "He's been too busy with research. The only time he'd get to teach was with his sons. Blair and Sam were usually so far ahead of their respective classes, Jeff would work with them at home to keep them interested and steadily progressing."

"He must be great with them," Dianne commented, continuing to watch Jeff fielding questions.

"Jeff is very close to both boys. They are the only family he has by blood."

"By blood?" Jane questioned.

Frank cracked a smile. "My family considers Jeff as part of our family. Plus he has several close friends who are very protective of him. Jeff just has a way of getting through to people. So does Sam, and Blair was even better with people than Jeff. He'd been interning at the Refugee center in Sealand, and by all accounts doing wonders with the people." Frank closed his eyes, deeply feeling the loss of the bright young man.

Sensing Frank's grief, Mullway asked, "Is it time for the meeting?" At Frank's nod, she walked over and tapped Jeff's shoulder. Jeff glanced up, caught Jane's eye, then gently disengaged himself from the kids. Harry Kim also followed.

Frank studied his friend as Jeff walked over to join them. While he seemed to be moving easier, fatigue still clung to his much too thin body. Frank wasn't sure how much of it was grief and worry, but Dianne felt it was partly due to the aftereffects of the drugs used. Whatever the cause, the best thing for Jeff was to get him back home. Frank suspected a hug from Sam would do wonders for him. Unfortunately, that didn't appear to be happening any time soon.

They joined the rest of the adults in a side cavern. Since it was raining hard outside, all of the teams were staying in for the night. Dianne looked around the circle, noted the tired expressions. She had a feeling the news wasn't going to be good.

It wasn't. Harry rolled out the map, and pointed out the sections of the fence they had checked. "We have a couple more areas to cover, but so far we haven't found any hole except this one." Harry tapped the map with his pencil.

"And that's the one which is only a foot high, right?" Jeff commented, his face reflecting his deep concentration.

"Right," Josiah confirmed. "Little Cassie might be able to get through, but I doubt anyone else could."

"Not much to show for a month's worth of work," Frank sourly commented.

"Is there any way to contact one of the military units and have them reach us?" Gail asked.

Jane shook her head. "The Roaches would pick up the signal."

"It would be like painting a big, red target on us," Frank added. "We'd be long dead before our people could organize a rescue party." Except for Jeff, whom the Roaches would probably snatch up and torture again. Frank felt himself tense at the thought. There was no way he'd allow them to touch his friend again.

"So we are going to have to find another way out," Dianne commented thoughtfully.

"I've been trying to pull enough pieces together for a plane," Jack inserted. "However, the bombing hasn't left much."

"Where are you working on it?" Josiah asked in surprise. "There's no way you could bring it in here."

"There's a shed a little ways to the south," Jack pointed out the location on the map. "I work on it when I'm sure there's no Roaches around."

"Still sounds dangerous." Jane replied.

Jack waved off her concern. "The old pilot in me has to try."

"JD and I could help you," Josiah thought out loud. "Perhaps have a couple of the older kids play lookout while we work."

"I could help, too," Bella added.

Jack gave them a big grin. "I can always use the help."

"What if we moved it to the outside cavern?" Frank suggested. "That way you'd have more cover."

"That could work," Jack agreed.

"But would the noise alert the Roaches we're here?" Dianne waved her hand to indicate the cavern complex. "If we're discovered, they could decide to bomb us, or at the very least, barricade us in. That would make things pretty difficult if we couldn't go out for supplies and such."

"True," Frank conceded. "We'd better stick with the shed."

Jeff was still studying the map. "Do any of the caverns lead to the other side of the fence?"

The campus people all looked at each other, trading puzzled looks. Dianne turned back to Jeff. "I don't think so, but there are several unexplored passages. I don't think anyone knows how complex it is."

"That might be another option to check out," Jeff explained. "While one group works on the plane and another finishes searching along the fence, the rest of us could start searching for another route out."

Everyone nodded, then began discussing how to make it work.

Four days later

It was the 17th day of the Tenth month. She was now fourteen years old.

Before, birthdays were special. First, her Dad would wake her up with a surprise. When her mother was alive, she'd fix Lisa's hair up in ribbons and braids. Then after school, Dad would take them to a place of Lisa's choosing for dinner. After dinner she would get a present, something Dad had picked out just for her. Then on the closest weekend, Dad would throw a party for her with all her friends. Lisa had always looked forward to her birthday.

Yet here it was and Lisa felt anything but special. No one knew it was her birthday. She couldn't expect any presents or surprises. Worst of all, she now knew it wasn't the gifts or the dinner or the party that had made it special. It was her Dad's love that had made it special, made her special. Lisa had never felt his loss so keenly as she did today.

She managed to get through breakfast without embarrassing herself. She was on water duty, so thankfully she didn't have to make conversation as she would have on dishes or laundry. As soon as the barrels were full, Lisa turned to leave the area. She wasn't in the mood to map passages in the mountain, or watch for Roaches, or even listen to one of Dr. MacGregor's stories. She just wanted to be alone.

A high voice behind her broke her preoccupation. "Lisa, where ya going?"

"Not now, Cassie," Lisa harshly told her, still walking out of the main cavern.

"But Lisa..."

Lisa spun on her heel to confront the girl. "I said NOT NOW!" Cassie recoiled from the older girl's wrath. "I want to be ALONE." Not waiting for an answer, Lisa turned back to her goal. She slipped into a passage off the main cavern. Since it lead to the south instead of east into the mountain, no one had bothered with it. Lisa knew she would be left alone. Brushing back tears from her suddenly blurry eyes, she flipped on her light and picked her way through the stalagmites.

Outside of the passage, Cassie also brushed away a tear. Now upset herself, she turned back to find something else to do.

One hour later, lower cavern

Jeff finished tightening a screw, then handed the communicator to Casey. "Now try it."

Casey held down the switch on the side. "Darla, can you hear me?"

"Sure can," the girl's voice crackled across the speaker. Casey looked up to see Darla give her a thumbs up from across the underground river.

"Thanks, Dr. Mac!" Casey dashed over the makeshift bridge Jeff and Frank had put together with help from a couple of the boys. She joined Mullway, Colton, and the other teens who were roping up to enter one of the cave entrances on the other side. Jane carefully formed a harness from a thin white synthetic rope, then helped Casey step into it. The extra strong rope was one of the safety measures Jeff had devised. It was to keep the spelunkers from getting lost, while the small communicators helped the support team keep tabs on the explorations. Jeff figured the radio signals wouldn't reach the surface above, yet provided a safety net in case the exploring became dangerous. Jane gave the rope a jerk to test the knots, then signaled for Steve to start. The gangling teen sent a high sign to Jeff across the river, then stepped into the passage.

Once the last teen had disappeared from view, Jeff leaned back and rubbed his eyes with the palms of each hand. For some reason, he had been strangely tense lately. Feelings of fear and guilt seemed to flow and ebb through him without cause. Even his sleep had been restless as a small headache had plagued his waking hours. He had briefly wondered if some of Sam's emotions were somehow getting through to him, but he couldn't break through the barrier to know for sure. It was probably just his imagination. Hopefully, that was it and he wasn't getting sick.

"Bro, go get something to eat."

Jeff reluctantly raised his eyes to meet Frank's stern gaze. "I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask if you were hungry," Frank pointed out. "I said go get something to eat. We have everything under control here. In fact, go take a nap."

"Frank..."

"Go. I know you haven't been sleeping lately and you need the rest."

Studying Frank's scowl, Jeff sighed and slowly stood up. That was the drawback of sharing a tent -- there were few secrets in the cramped quarters. By the time Jeff had hiked up the sloped trail to the main cavern, he had to admit he was tired. Perhaps a nap was a good idea.

"Dr. MacGregor!" Jeff turned to see Gail rushing over to him. "Is Lisa with the spelunking group?"

Jeff blinked in surprise. "No, I haven't seen her all day."

"As far as I can tell, no one has seen her since breakfast. She didn't go with Dianne's supply run, nor did she leave with the plane repair group, nor was she in the class I taught this morning. Yet she doesn't seem to be anywhere in the main cavern. Normally, she's the first one to help with the cooking. It isn't like her to disappear."

Jeff felt his tension rise. He was becoming quite fond of the young teen. Trying to reassure himself as much as the instructor, he replied, "I'm sure she's around somewhere. Why don't you go back to the lunch crew and I'll look around." Gail thanked him profusely, then turned back to the center area. Taking a deep breath, Jeff pulled his thoughts together. If anyone knew where the teen had gone, Cassie would. His fatigue forgotten, he strode over to the Fraisers' tent.

Cassie sat outside, playing with a ball and the oddly shaped jacks that Dalton had made for her. However, Lisa was nowhere in sight. Jeff knelt down beside her. "How're you doing, Cassie?"

Shrugging, the girl bounced the ball against her hand. "I still have trouble getting sixsies." The dejection in her voice was easy to hear.

"That's because your hand isn't big enough yet." Jeff gently spread the fingers on her other hand, then scooped up six jacks to place in the palm. Cassie giggled when a jack fell out. "See, once your hand grows a little bit bigger, it'll be easier."

"But it just seems to take so long to grow."

"It does now, but pretty soon you'll get so big, you'll wonder where all the time went." Jeff shared a smile with the girl, shoving thoughts of his own grown boys out of his mind. "Honey, have you seen Lisa lately?"

Cassie's face immediately turned glum. Bouncing the ball again, she looked away. "Lisa yelled at me."

"Why did she yell at you?" Jeff asked nonchalantly, not wanting to transmit his concern to the girl.

"She just yelled at me." Cassie paused for another bounce of the ball. "She went in a cave passage and wouldn't let me go with her."

Jeff felt his stomach sink to his toes. Calmly, he asked, "Could you show me the passage?"

Cassie frowned up at him. "Is Lisa in trouble?"

"Nah," Jeff denied. "I just want to make sure she doesn't miss lunch."

"Oh," Cassie replied. Jeff wasn't sure from her tone whether she was sorry or not. "Okay."

Jeff walked alongside the girl as she led him towards the southern end of the cavern. She pointed to the dark opening, tucked behind an offshoot of the wall. Jeff pulled a light from a loop on his pant leg. Switching it on, he aimed it into the passage. It wasn't quite high enough for his full height, but more than enough so he could travel without crawling. He turned to the girl. "Cassie, I want you to go back to Miss Gail and tell her I'm looking for Lisa. Okay?"

"Yes, Dr. Mac," Cassie replied, picking up on the nickname Casey and JD had given him. She turned back, her step lighter having been given such an important assignment.

Jeff took a deep breath, released it, then entered the passage.

Lisa had found a dry spot to sit up off the muddy floor. Curling up on the raised platform, she absently scraped at the mud on the wall, trying to sort out her emotions. Finally, the tears ran down her face as the grief became overwhelming. She cried for her tall, brave father. She cried for the mother she barely remembered. She cried for her Nanny who had died a year ago. She cried for her friends who had not escaped before the Roaches invaded. Then she cried for herself. Misery sank her deeper into despair, being dragged down with feelings of abandonment and loss. Why was she still here, when everyone she had loved was gone? It didn't seem very fair to be left alone.

Jeff heard the heart-wrenching sobs as he followed the footprints in the clay mud. Swinging his light in the direction of the sounds, he walked around a bend and found their source. Any thought of scolding the girl fled in the face of such misery. He softly walked over to her, then laid his hand on her shoulder. "Lisa?"

Tear-drenched eyes raised to meet his. "Dr. Mac?" she hiccuped.

"I'm right here, Honey." Laying his light to the side, Jeff then gently drew her into his arms, comforting her as she continued to cry on his shoulder.

Once her sobs had quieted into an occasional hiccup, Jeff pulled her back far enough to look into her red and swollen eyes. Gently cupping her face with his hand, he asked, "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Lisa sniffed, then hoarsely explained. "I miss my Dad. He was all the family I had, and I'm all alone now."

Jeff draped an arm around her shoulder, giving her as much comfort as he could. "I know how hard it is, Honey." He drew her closer, Lisa tucking her head under his chin. Jeff quietly searched his mind for a way to comfort her. "It is overwhelming, being left alone. There was this boy I knew once who felt overwhelmed by it, too. His parents had died in a flash flood when he was younger than Cassie."

"What ha-happened to him?" Lisa hiccuped.

"He went to live with his grandfather. At first, it was really strange, because the grandfather was old and grouchy sometimes. There were a lot of strict rules he had to learn, a lot more than with his parents. But after a while it wasn't so bad. The grandfather was always there for him, going to school functions and sticking up for him when someone treated the boy unfairly. He would tell the boy wonderful stories that always made him feel good."

"Just like you do?"

A sad smile full of bittersweet memories crossed Jeff's lips. "Just like me. But then one day, when the boy was only a little older than you, the grandfather died. It was really hard on him, because the grandfather was all he had. Or that was what he thought."

"What happened then?"

"He finished school, then he traveled to a far away island, hoping to get away from his sadness. He met many different sorts of people and learned a lot. Then he went on to get more schooling in another far away place. But do you know what he found out?"

"What?"

"That while his grandfather and parents were gone, their legacy still lived on inside him. It was up to him to make the most of his life, so that they would have been proud of him. He also discovered that while he had no family, he still had lots of friends who worried and cared about him. Some even became like family, so he didn't feel so alone. He went back to his grandfather's house, married a wonderful woman, and made his own family." Jeff gave Lisa a squeeze. "So see, no matter how bad things seem right now, your life will get better. You just have to keep doing the best you can, and continue to grow into the woman your father would have been proud of. You are his best legacy. Okay?"

"Okay." Lisa wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Is there really a boy?"

"Yes, there really was a boy. In fact, that boy was me."

Lisa pulled back and looked at him. "You?"

"Yep, me. So see, it does get better. I won't say it's always easy or ever stops hurting, but it will get better."

"Thanks, Dr. Mac."

"You're welcome." Jeff stood up and brushed his hands against the mud on his knees. "The laundry detail is going to love us."

Lisa giggled at the sarcasm and accepted his hand so she could rise to her feet. Then she remembered something she had seen. "Dr. Mac, what is a 'Venturer'?"

"A Venturer?" Jeff asked, puzzled. "A venture is a risky project or undertaking. Or do you mean an adventurer?"

"I don't know." Lisa turned to the wall next to the platform. "I saw it here on the wall." She pointed her light at the word she had seen.

Jeff spotted the block letters, VENTURER. A feeling of destiny lifted his hand to the wall, where he rubbed off the mud before the 'V'. His efforts revealed two more letters.

"I guess it is 'adventurer'," Lisa commented.

"More than that," Jeff whispered reverently. He pulled his shirt sleeve over his fist, and began to brush off the mud on the platform Lisa had sat on.

"You know, you are not going to win any more favors from the laundry crew by doing that," Lisa pointed out, trying to remember when she was up for that detail.

"This is much bigger than laundry," Jeff absently explained, his excitement growing. He pulled out a screwdriver from a pants pocket, using it to chip at the mud.

"What is it?" Lisa asked, mystified.

"Our ancestors first came to this world in five shuttles," Jeff softly recited as he continued to chip off the hardened mud. "Two crashed out on the Leesborough plain, one was used for housing equipment until it was destroyed in a fire, and the fourth sank in the sea. The fifth one was used until the first skirmish."

"The War between the Techs and the Naturalists," Lisa remembered from history.

"Right. The Techs were afraid the Naturalists would destroy the craft, so they hid it away in a sanctuary for future use. However, the ones who hid it were killed, so no one knew where it was. Its name was Adventurer."

"So you think it's here?" Lisa asked in surprise.

Removing the last of the mud, Jeff's face broke out in a wide grin. "I know it is now." With his knife, he managed to release the lock. Lifting the hard plastic lid that had protected a panel of controls, Jeff then pushed a button.

A loud creak echoed along the passageway. Jeff and Lisa turned in time to see a section of wall slowly move forward, scraping centuries of mud ahead of it. Cautiously, Jeff crept to the opening and shone his light inside, Lisa on his heels.

The light revealed a large, curved wall. Swinging the light around, Jeff realized the white wall was the hull of a huge craft, similar to the ancient designs he had studied.

"Is it....?" Lisa's voice trailed off as she tried to comprehend how large the thing in front of her was.

"It is," Jeff replied with a reverent tone.

Lisa pointed her light along the right side, eyes wide as she took in the length. "If this was just a shuttle, just how big was the ship that brought the ancestors here?"

"Gigantic." Jeff shone his light to the left and up. He could barely make out the pilot's window.

"JEFF! LISA! Can you hear me?"

Jeff turned back towards Frank's voice, eager to share their new discovery.

two days later, Gillard

Steve Hiller surveyed the debris before kneeling next to the broken box. As one of the older kids, he felt responsible for his group's safety. So far they had managed to avoid the Roaches on the supply runs, but as Mr. Colton had said, there was always a first time. Though they had enough stashed in the caverns to last at least a month, it only made sense to pick up more while they could. The demolished grocery store had been a treasure throve.

Pulling away the soggy cardboard, the teen drew out a can. He gingerly turned the can around so he wouldn't damage the soaked label. Red Peas. Yuck. Oh well, guess it's food. Steve untied the sack on his belt and began tossing the cans into it.

About half-way through, he again stood and checked the group. To the right, Harry was helping little Caro lift some boards. In front of him, Eric was shoving something into his sack, though Steve couldn't tell what. To his left, Jill was struggling to roll a hunk of concrete away, her red braids swinging with the effort. Steve made a mental note to help her once he'd picked up all the red pea cans. Then he turned his head to check the slope behind him. Nothing there. Steve folded his gangling body back down to the ground, a feeling of unease still pricking at his conscious. He again dismissed it, telling himself that he was just disappointed that he wasn't on the spelunking or the shuttle details. He had had fun exploring the passages and was just as curious as the rest about the shuttle Dr. Mac and Lisa had found.

Yet the unease continued to plague him. Once all the cans were in the sack, Steve again stood up and surveyed the area. Only this time his eye caught movement. Squinting, Steve was just able to distinguish a bit of brown in the debris field. Roaches.

Thinking fast, Steve realized that they were too far away from the caverns to make a run for it. Nor did he want to lead the natives to their hideout. They had only one other option left. Casually, he swung his sack over his shoulder and picked his way over to Jill. "Head slowly for the school," he whispered in her ear.

"But..." Jill began.

"Roaches." Jill looked up into his eyes, fear draining her face of color. "Just get to the tunnel. Grab Eric on the way."

As Jill worked her way over to Eric, Steve caught Harry's eye. He flashed the signal for Roaches. Harry glanced at Jill, then began to usher Caro in the direction of the school.

Steve picked his way after them, then risked another glance behind him. The sight of ten drones storming up the hill froze him for a moment. Then the adrenaline kicked in. Turning back, he shouted, "RUN!"

Plane shed

Josiah had been trying to figure out whether the manifold in his hands was replaceable when Casey slid into the shed. "Roaches!" she managed to say breathlessly.

"Where?" JD asked as he and Dalton turned from the propeller they were repairing.

"Down ~gasp~ by the ~gasp~ store."

"Harry's group?" Bella asked sharply, her wrench dropping unnoticed to the floor.

"R ~gasp~ Running ~gasp~ to the school."

Josiah felt his stomach sink. That was a long run with Roaches on their tail. He grabbed a rifle resting against the wall. "JD, get the rest of the lookouts and head for the foothills. You, too, Casey. The Ridger bushes should provide you enough cover to get to the caverns."

"Where are you going?" JD asked as he picked up two more weapons from the workbench and handed the rifle to Bella.

"Give the kids some cover?" Jack suggested as he checked the slugs in his own weapon.

"Exactly." Josiah turned back to JD and Casey. "MOVE!" Both kids dashed out of the shed, Josiah, Bella and Dalton right behind them then turning towards Gillard.

They raced to a high point overlooking the town. They quickly spotted Harry and his group running towards the school, Roaches only a hundred yards behind them. Suddenly, the lanky teen at the rear of the group stumbled, grabbing his upper arm. In unison, the three swung their weapons down to aim at the natives. Josiah dropped the lead drone while Bella nicked the one who had fired on the teen. The other drones were forced to take cover.

Once Josiah was certain they had the drones pinned down, he searched for the students. Harry was ushering the teens through an alley. The teen who had been hit was last, but he appeared to be keeping up with the rest. Then Josiah spotted another patrol of drones on an intercept course with the group. "Can you two keep them pinned down for about 15 minutes?"

"No problem," Bella calmly replied, reloading her weapon.

"Good, we have more Roaches after Harry's group so I'm going to help them." Josiah turned to Jack. "Let's switch."

Jack eagerly traded his shorter range weapon for Josiah's rifle. "Good luck."

"You, too." Then Josiah was gone, slipping back down the ridge.

"Boy, for such a big man, he can move," Jack commented as he took aim at a drone poking his head over a boulder.

inside the caverns

Jeff awoke with a jerk, his head shooting up from his arms resting on the table. For a moment, the sudden rush of fear that had wakened him continued to vibrate through his body. Then it swirled to an end, leaving Jeff breathless.

"You okay, bro?"

Jeff raised his eyes to meet his friend's concerned brown eyes across the table. Taking another deep breath to calm his pounding heart, he released it and replied, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Both Frank and Lisa were still studying him, unconvinced. "Who's Jim?" Lisa asked.

Jeff blinked at her in confusion. "Jim?"

"You muttered 'Jim' just before you shot up off that table," Frank explained, his scowl deepening.

"I don't know any Jim, at least not since grade school." Jeff slowly rubbed his face with his hands, trying to wake up. "How long have I been out?"

"About an hour," Lisa replied worriedly. "Maybe you shouldn't be spending so much time with both the spelunking and the shuttle."

"Sounds like good advice to me," Frank added, still studying his friend. He turned to the teen. "Why don't you get a glass of juice for him?"

"I'm okay," Jeff inserted, hating the way they were talking around him.

"I think we still have some tartberry left," Lisa told Frank as she walked away.

"Hey, don't I have a say in this?" Jeff asked, exasperated.

"No," both Frank and Lisa said in unison. Jeff rolled his eyes and took another breath.

Frank was still watching him. "What was your dream about?"

"It wasn't a dream," Jeff pondered out loud. "It was more of a sudden rush of feeling."

Frank's face turned worried. "Do you think it was Sam?"

Jeff shook his head. "I don't know. Every time I try to feel for him, I keep running into a barrier."

"Maybe..."

A large bell near the outside passage began to ding. Frank and Jeff exchanged glances. That was the signal for trouble, especially Roach trouble. Instantly, Frank turned towards the passage and ran, Jeff on his heels.

Gillard

His arm felt like it was on fire, blood flowing under his hand and through his fingers. Yet Steve didn't dare slow down. It didn't matter how bad the wound was if the Roaches caught up to him. He thought he had heard shots coming from the ridge above Gillard, but he'd been too busy running and bleeding to check.

Glancing ahead, he quickly made sure everyone was still there and moving. While his long legs would have normally out raced the younger kids, the rubble they were climbing through had slowed him down to the point of barely keeping up. Nor was holding one arm with the other hand helping. He couldn't move his arms to maintain his balance like the others, making him even slower.

Risking a glance over his shoulder, Steve spotted another group of Roaches about two hundred yards behind him and to the left. In what felt like slow motion, he tried to scramble over a chunk of concrete as one of the Roaches took aim. He shouted for the others to duck though he knew he was the intended target. For a brief moment, he was certain he'd be dead before he took the next breath.

Then a shot rang out. The drone with the weapon dropped to the dirt, the rest of his patrol ducking down into the debris. Steve glanced up to see Preacher standing on a rock above, waving him on. He didn't need to be told twice. Steve scurried over the concrete and continued on to his goal, feeling a tad safer with Preacher behind him.

Cavern entrance

Frank, Jeff, Dianne and Lisa were just exiting the tunnel when the group from the shed entered the first cavern. Frank immediately focused on JD. "What happened?"

"Roaches are after Harry's group." JD breathlessly explained.

"Preacher, Mr. Dalton and Bella went to give them some cover," Casey rushed in as JD took a breath.

"It looked like they were all heading for the school," JD finished.

"The school?" Jeff asked.

"There is a tunnel that leads from the school to the foothills." Dianne explained. "It would be closer than trying to make the caves themselves."

"Can the Roaches get through the tunnel?" Frank questioned as he counted the kids coming in.

Dianne frowned. "I don't know. They might."

Jeff glanced at Frank. "Think we'd better give them some help?"

"Probably better." Frank took two steps, then turned around. "Where's the entrance for the tunnel?"

"I can show you," Lisa piped up.

Jeff bit his lip a moment, hating to risk her. But Dianne needed to stay in the cave in case there was more trouble. "Okay, let's go." He, Frank, and JD quickly followed the girl.

It was only a few paces before they reached a dark tunnel, the entrance covered with brush. Lisa easily slipped inside. She turned on her light, then continued to lead the men down the cement tube.

Steve stumbled, falling hard on his knees and one hand. He choked back a cry, trying to save his breath for rising to his feet.

Before he could push himself off the ground, Josiah slipped a hand under his good shoulder. "Just a little further, son." He helped Steve up and they continued to run after the others.

Jeff quickly examined the debris around the tunnel as they exited. Some of the surrounding buildings were only partially destroyed. He glanced back at the tunnel. It wasn't as well hidden as the other end. If the drones searched for it, they could find it.

"You three stay here. I'm going to see how close they are," Frank ordered.

"I'll see what we can do to stop them here," Jeff called back.

"How can we do that?" JD asked.

"What's that building?" Jeff pointed to a structure near the tunnel.

"That's the old pump shed," Lisa replied.

"That building?"

"The old garage."

"Okay, you two, this is what we're going to do. JD, I want you to find a battery and some jumper cables. Lisa, gather up as many old lubrication cans and fuel bottles that you can find."

"What for, Dr. Mac?" JD asked.

"You two are about to get your first lesson in Bomb Making 101."

Frank could see the kids, Harry and Josiah scrambling over the remains of the school, eight Roaches only a hundred yards behind them. He brought his rifle up to his shoulder and aimed for the lead drone. Two shots later, the lead drone was down and his followers were diving for cover. Frank took another look at the group, noting the blood on Steve's arm. Frank's scowl deepened as he again shot at the drones. He liked the young man who could so easily switch between clowning and serious, reminding him of his youngest brother, Billy. No way a Roach was getting another shot at him.

Within minutes, Eric and Jill had reached his position. Frank waved them on towards the tunnel, then lifted Caro over the large chunk of concrete she was having trouble climbing. He again shot at the drones to keep them in their hidey holes. Then he held out a hand to Harry.

Harry whispered, "Thank you", turning to check on Steve.

"Josiah's helping him. You get the rest of the kids in the tunnel, and tell Jeff to finish up quick," Frank advised as he quickly reloaded. Three more shots later, Frank knelt to help the wounded teen over the debris.

Josiah turned and shot a few more rounds behind them. "How much further?"

"The tunnel's on the other side of that building," Frank replied, pointing to the pump house.

"How're we going to keep them from following?" Josiah again wrapped an arm of support around the gray-faced Steve.

"Jeff's working on it," Frank replied. He shot over the debris to make sure any brave drone would think twice before following. Then he trotted behind Josiah and Steve.

Jeff was waiting behind the building. "Keep going," he told Josiah, sending a worried glance at Steve.

"Jeff?" Frank questioned.

"Taken care of," Jeff replied, stringing a wire low across the opening Frank had just stepped through. Once the wire was in place between two slabs of concrete, he turned to follow the rest.

Moments after the humans had disappeared, the patrol of drones entered the last place they had been seen. The legs of the lead drone unknowingly missed the wire placed across the former threshold. However, his long, thick tail did not. Pulled by the forward motion, the wire connected with another, sending a spark of electricity through them. Swiftly, the spark ignited the pile of old fuel cans and bottles. Before the drone realized he felt something, it was too late. A huge explosion at a stress point of the weakened pump house wall demolished the rest of the structure, burying the patrol under the debris.

Next Day, inside the cavern

"So Steve is going to be all right?" Frank asked at the adult meeting. He had been worried about the kid.

"He'll be fine," Dianne replied with a smile. "It's basically a flesh wound. The biggest problem will be keeping him from moving it too much until it's healed."

While everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they knew it would be short-lived. Jack, Frank, and Josiah had been strangely quiet since returning on their scouting mission. They all suspected their news wasn't good. The silence lengthened until Jane became impatient. "You might as well tell us. It won't get any better by making us wait."

Josiah traded looks with the other two, then sighed inwardly. Guess it was the job of a reverend to break bad news. "We didn't go very far from the caverns. It seemed that every single Roach patrol in the area is combing Gillard and the school."

"Have they discovered the tunnel yet?" Jeff asked.

"It doesn't look like it," Jack reported. "We think your explosion hid the entrance at the school. But we figure it's only a matter of time before they find the shed with the plane."

"So that option is out," Bella commented sadly.

"Do you think they will find the caverns?" Dianne asked.

"We don't think so," Josiah replied slowly. "It looks like they are trying something else first."

He, Jack, and Frank again traded uncomfortable glances. Then Frank took a deep breath and looked straight into Jeff's eyes. "They are broadcasting a voice message, saying if the Chosen One MacGregor would give himself up, they would let the rest of us go." The reaction was instantaneous.

"No way!"

"Never!"

"You have GOT to be kidding!"

"As if we would!"

The only two that remained quiet were Jeff and Frank, gazes locked onto the other. Once the chatter died down, it was as if there was no one else in the room. Still staring at his friend, Frank forcefully declared, "Don't even THINK about it."

Jeff sighed and averted his eyes. "I would in a second if I thought they'd do it."

"But you know they won't. We'd be slaughtered the moment you were in their custody."

"I know." Jeff again met Frank's gaze. "I just wish I could so the kids would be safe."

"And just how safe would those kids be if the Roaches forced you to talk?" Frank pointed out. "Even if we did make it back, how long would the lines hold?"

"Frank's right," Jane inserted. "You are just as important as the kids." Jeff just rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you are," Dianne quietly refuted. "Nor would any of those kids forgive us if we allowed you to do it. They wouldn't let you do it, period." Nor would we.

"Even the Roaches know how important you are," Harry pointed out. "They're calling you a Chosen One. Doesn't that mean they're acknowledging you as a top human leader?"

Jeff just shrugged his shoulders. Frank barely kept from sighing. The humbleness that was so much a part of Jeff's character prevented the scientist from realizing he WAS important. Frank knew that the only thing stopping Jeff from giving himself up was the fact he knew the gesture would be in vain.

"So, what do we do now?" Jane asked, turning the conversation away from an avenue they were all against."

"Guess our only option is to continue searching for a passage that leads to the other side of the fence," Josiah replied.

"Not necessarily," Jeff inserted thoughtfully.

"Jeff, we've already ruled out you giving yourself up," Frank scolded impatiently.

Jeff rolled his eyes again. "That wasn't what I was thinking. There is the shuttle."

"Do you think it'll fly again?" Jane asked.

"I need to look it over some more, but it was put away with long term storage in mind. We may be able to restore it to its working form."

Everyone looked at each other, then leaned forward with excitement.

Two weeks later, inside the shuttle

Quietly, Lisa draped a blanket over Dr. MacGregor. He had fallen asleep in the pilot's chair while checking over an instrument panel. Not that it surprised her considering the time. In spite of the fatigue and loss of appetite that the scientist still struggled with, he had been working long hours on the shuttle. It had become an unspoken code among the teens that if Dr. Mac fell asleep, no one disturbed him. Yet it worried Lisa. He didn't seem to be getting any better and she feared he would fall ill. Who knew what kinds of germs were floating in the dust they were stirring up?

Sighing, she turned back to the circuit board she and Steve Hiller were testing. After glancing at Dr. Mac then giving Lisa a reassuring smile, Steve turned back to their work. Lisa took a moment to again survey the craft. It was such a wondrous machine, so simple yet elegant, every detail and space utilized for a purpose. While some of the materials used in its construction were familiar, many were substances she had never dreamed of. The thought of tiles that could withstand the heat of falling through the atmosphere, yet keep the craft from burning up like a meteor was almost beyond her comprehension.

It had also been well preserved. This particular chamber was much drier than the rest of the cavern system, preventing moisture from ruining the electronics. So far there had been only a few things that had needed to be replaced. For someo