When they told him they had a lair underneath the New York city streets… "an underground lair like Lex Luthor had in the first Superman movie," Rath had bragged… Langley had offered to help them secure some aboveground lodgings. Although he didn't say it, they stank, and their post-punk outfits and lifestyle were hardly conducive to a prosperous future.

They had turned him down, intent on making it "on their own." They did accept the alien artifacts he gave them, however, as well as the knowledge that he shared with them. But that was all they said they wanted.

We'll see where they are in a couple years, Langley thought as he bid them good-bye. They're a lot tougher than that Roswell group.

En route to New York City. Fall 2002.

As Bartolli gave the members of the strike team their instructions as to how to deal with the prisoners, Margolin called Agent Harrison. He used his cell phone rather than the airplanes phone, more out of habit than a fear of the signal being compromised.

"What's the progress in Cheyenne, Agent Harrison?" he asked as soon as the young agent picked up.

The man hesitated. "Not good, sir. It appears that the agents there engaged in a confrontation with the teens, and that the kids escaped. “

"Where was this confrontation? “

"It was at the mall, sir, but most of it was apparently away from the public view. Unfortunately, word has leaked out from law enforcement there, largely because of the circumstances. The targets blew out a store window, collapsed part of a concrete hallway on which the agents were standing, and caused a multiple-car accident. It's hard to contain that from the media. “

Margolin gritted his teeth. "Get it contained. No footage on the news. Confiscate all security tapes and whatever else might be around. “

"What about the cover story?" Harrison asked. "Currently, it's very vague, announcing only that these are possible terrorist actions, and that the FBI is looking into it. No descriptions or pictures of the six teens have been disseminated. “

"That's about the best cover story we can go with given the public nature of the… " Something clicked in Margolin's brain. "Did you say 'six teens'? “

"Yes, sir. Max and Isabel Evans, Michael Guerin, Liz Parker, Maria DeLuca, and Kyle Valenti were spotted. Tess Harding was not seen with them. “

Margolin's mind whirled. "Get me visual confirmation on that from the mall security cams as soon as you can, Harrison. We may have a problem. “

"What's that, sir? “

"We're en route to New York City right now, and the army has taken into custody… this morning… Isabel Evans, Michael Guerin, and Tess Harding. “

There was another beat of silence, and Margolin imagined that Harrison was as shocked by the news as he himself was. "I'll work on visuals immediately, sir. “

Margolin clicked off the phone and called for Bartolli.

What are we dealing with here? he thought. How can Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin be in two places at once? Can there be more than one of each of them? Bertram had said that Guerin had evidenced shape- changing powers. If that's true, couldn't the aliens be anyone among them? fust how many of them are there, anyway? Colonel Bertram welcomed his old friend with a hearty handshake. "You're looking well, Matt." It was a lie and the truth all at once. Margolin was so scarred up that he never looked well, but he did seem fit and trim.

Margolin nodded and offered a slight smile. "Thanks, Grant. You too." He gestured to the dangerous- looking man at his side. "This is Bartolli. “

Bertram started to extend his hand, but noticed that Bartolli didn't seem to be one for niceties, so he withdrew it and just nodded.

Eight paramilitary-outfitted agents trooped into the facility behind Margolin and Bartolli. "Sorry I don't have time to play catch-up, Colonel," Margolin said. "We need to see the prisoners. “

Bertram nodded and extended his arm. "Right this way. “

They came down a wide hallway, passing by the armed guards outside the heavy steel doors. A side room had a bank of monitors, each showing the rooms from different angles. A guard sat nearby, keeping a steady eye on the monitors. The three teens were exactly as Bertram had last seen them, strapped to their chairs, immobile.

Margolin leaned in to see the monitors, studying each of them closely. Bartolli's eyes scanned the monitors as well, though not from as close a vantage point.

Pointing at the image of the boy, Margolin asked, "Is this the one that changed his shape? “

"It wasn't exactly his shape," Bertram said. "It was more his face. It was like Mission: Impossible, except it didn't involve tearing off a rubber mask. It was as though his features just melted and reshaped themselves. Damnedest thing I ever saw. “

"Did either of the girls change their faces or display any unusual abilities?" Bartolli asked, his voice raspy. It was the first thing he'd said since entering the facility.

Bertram shook his head. "No, they were pretty well debilitated by the gas the police used. “

"They're about to be even more debilitated," Margolin said. "Colonel, please remove your men from this corridor. “

The guard in the monitor room looked at Bertram, and the colonel nodded. The man left. Bertram stepped into the corridor. "All right, men, please exit the corridor. Take a lunch break. “

After his men had left, the agents of Margolin's who had been waiting in the corridors swiftly moved into position. Canisters were dumped through a resealing chute. Bertram looked back at the monitors and saw them drop into the detention rooms. A barely visible vapor rose out of the canisters.

At first, the teens struggled against their bonds, and tried to hold their breath, knowing they were being gassed again. But after a few minutes, all three were unconscious.

Bartolli stepped out of the room and barked an order to the agents. Bertram watched as they donned gas masks and entered the rooms, unlocking the bonds that his man had put on the detainees and replacing them with cuffs and restraints of their own.

With Bartolli out of the room and headed down toward the detention chambers, Bertram finally saw his chance to speak to his old friend in private. "So, Matt, do you mind telling me what all this is about? “

Margolin regarded him for a moment, his expression unreadable. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm afraid I can't tell you, Matt. “

"Come on," Bertram said. "I did catch these kids for you. And it's not like I'm bad at keeping secrets related to special operations." He knew that Margolin could not have missed his veiled reference to their missions back in the Nam.

Margolin looked at him pointedly. "No. This one's strictly need-to-know. And any further inquiry or investigation into this… would not be looked upon favorably “

He turned to exit the room, then turned back around in the doorway. "Thanks for your help, Grant. And, in advance, for your discretion. We'll take it from here. “

As Margolin walked away, Bertram stared at him. He couldn't be sure, but he felt as if his old friend had just threatened him.

Whoever or whatever these kids are, something very nasty is going down here.

Maria unscrewed the top of the vial she wore on a chain around her neck. The scent of the eucalyptus oil immediately wafted into the air, and she inhaled it deeply. It calmed her, especially in times of high stress.

"Fine, I'll just wait out here then," Michael said grumpily. He was sitting in the VW's drivers seat.

"Oh, sometimes you're such a baby," Maria said, exasperated. "You don't even want us to do this at all. Why do you want to go in, now? “

Michael made a face. "Who said I did? “