A Small Gray Dot

I knew what they were thinking, the same thing everyone did when they heard how the Binqua had shafted us.

“That’s why Morgan was upset, Madison. I think she wanted to be with you at that moment and simply didn’t think. She just wanted to leave. Look, I’ve got a plan. Who’s in the room with you?”

“I’m here, Tenn,” said Lowell.

“Me, too, son.” That was Simon.

“And me,” said Buster. “There’re several others here, including some local cops. What do you have in mind?”

“I have a way to take out their main weapon and the thing that’s holding open the anomaly, but I’m going to need help. Are you game?”

“You damned right, I am!” said Buster.

I wasn’t surprised to hear a loud “count me in” from everyone in there.

“Okay. How many of them came after Madison?” I asked.

“About fifty. They had assault style rifles and hand guns.”

“The doctor says there’re around five hundred living on the company grounds so I guess that leaves around four hundred and fifty. Wait, Madison, have you heard from your headquarters in Wilmington?”

“Yes. They’ve not seen any type of activity. I’m thinking Semptor didn’t send anybody there because they thought if they could get Morgan they’d have me and then they’d have the company.”

“Then that means Henderson decided to keep the bulk of his fighters at Semptor to protect their operation. By this time, he’s aware that we know about them, and the doctor says he can get more fighters. We don’t have time to sit around waiting on the government to get soldiers here – that will take too long. Even if they could get them here in a few days – and I don’t believe they can – it would likely be too late. We’re going to have to do this now, today, and we’re going to need everybody we can get. So, Lowell, round up some more fighters – show them one of the bodies if anybody needs convincing – and get here as fast as you can. I’m going to see who we might be able to get here in the neighborhood to help.”

“I’ll get on it, Tenn!” called Lowell.

Madison said, “I’m coming with them, Tennessee. I want to see my sister.”

Understandable.

“Okay. We’ll be waiting.”

I hung up and turned to the doctor. “How many Blue Heaven folk do you think would be willing to help with this?”

“All of them. Anyone who learns about this will be more than willing.”

“Okay. Do you have telephone numbers for some of the people? We can call and get—”

He interrupted. “No, no, we can’t do that. I apologize. I never got around to telling you about the phones.”

I blinked at him. “What about them?” He had said not to use the one in the living room or any of its extensions but he never explained why.

“It’s why we’re using the lab phones. When I began working for Semptor, Henderson insisted on having the line wired so someone at the company could… “audit” is how he put it though it seemed more like snooping to me. He said it was a requirement for working for the company.

“When I asked why, his answer was suspect – a precaution for the welfare of the company and its employees, he said, as though that made sense. Since I only hired on to try and learn about the odd frequencies coming from there, and didn’t intend to remain with them for long, I didn’t ask him to clarify.”

He smiled. “He, of course, didn’t know about the T1 line to my lab. That’s how I run my computers, and how I’ve been able to safely correspond with colleagues who’ve been helpful in verifying the readings I’ve made.”

“Oh.” That explained the equipment on the lab’s wall. “Then I guess we can’t call anyone – which presents another problem. How do we contact them without Henderson finding out what we’re planning?”

“Oh, dear,” said the doctor. “You are correct, that is a problem.”

“I can tell ‘em,” said a voice from the doorway. “I can get them to come to th’ doc’s house. Everybody knows him.”

I turned to see Terry standing there. His face was solemn.

“What are you doing up, son? You should be sleeping,” said Dr. Bennett.

“I was sleep, Doc, but I woke up to go git some water an’ I heard y’all talkin’ in here so I snuck in to listen. I heard what you said about them people at th’ Semptor, ‘bout them bein’ aliens. I wanna help, too. Wasn’t for them, I’d still have my mom an’ dad. I can do it, tell everybody, I mean. I don’t git as lost as everybody. None of the kids do but I’m best at it. I know where everybody lives an’ they know me since I’ve done work for most of ‘em, you know, doin’ errands an’ stuff. Please let me help. I can run very fast.” He stared at us, his anxious brown eyes looking almost black. He waited.

I eyed the doctor. “I thought you said no one here in Blue Heaven died that day.”