Ruins

“The humans have been running a guerrilla campaign for the full length of the occupation,” said Cedric. “Tell us about the biological weapon.”

“What biological weapon?” asked Ariel.

“Tell us about the rocket strikes in Plainview,” said Cedric. “Where did they get the rockets? Where are the ringleaders hiding?”

“We don’t know any of this,” Ariel insisted. “We’re not part of any resistance—we’re just trying to protect these children.”

“You’re fleeing the site of the largest human counterattack in the history of this occupation,” the Partial said firmly. “You are involved, and you will tell us what you know.”

Ariel tried to visualize the map in her head, the old roads of Long Island laid out in her memory. They had left East Meadow through Levittown, and then Bethpage, and then . . . Plainview. We were in Plainview this morning, she thought. There was no rocket strike, no attack of any kind. Maybe it happened since we left? But that’s only been a few hours—

The noise I heard, she thought suddenly. I heard a noise, something big and distant, and then the engines stopped, and then a minute later they left. Was that the attack? A human resistance movement attacked Plainview, barely minutes ago, and the patrol chasing us was called back to help. These two aren’t here to capture us, they’re here to interrogate us.

She opened her mouth to respond, but Cedric and the other Partial stood up, in almost perfect unison, glancing at each other and then all around the room. Ariel couldn’t tell if they looked scared or just confused.

“What the hell is that?” asked Cedric.

“It’s getting closer,” said the other.

Ariel glanced at the other women, crouching lower and huddling closer for protection. Ariel pressed herself to Isolde’s side, feeling the gun tucked under the girl’s shirt. “I’m taking this,” she whispered.

“They’re feeling something on the link,” whispered Isolde, nodding as Ariel took the handgun.

“Think it’s Nandita?” asked Xochi.

Ariel shook her head. “I’ve seen Nandita do her thing once before, and it was nothing like this.” She looked at the Partials again and saw them consolidating into better cover.

“Do you have any more weapons?” asked Cedric. It took Ariel a moment to realize he was addressing them.

“What’s going on?” asked Ariel.

“Something’s coming,” said Cedric. “If you have weapons, get them ready.”

“It’s got to be Nandita,” whispered Isolde.

As if in answer, Nandita stumbled through the door, practically walking backward. To Ariel’s shock the Partials noted her only mildly, keeping their weapons trained on the door. “Get down!” they shouted. She scrambled for cover, her eyes wide. Cedric’s voice was hard as steel. “Did you see it?”

“No,” said Nandita, “what is it?”

“We don’t know,” said the other Partial, “but we’ve heard stories.”

Ariel stared at them in shock, wondering what could be so terrifying as to make the Partials abandon their interrogation, and Nandita abandon her hiding spot. A heartbeat later she decided it didn’t matter what it was—if they were scared of it, she was too. She brought up Isolde’s handgun, a thick semiautomatic, and saw Xochi do the same with Madison’s. They waited, crouching in the ruins, their eyes trained on the door.

And then it came.

Ariel felt it first—not with her body, but somewhere in her mind. It was a presence, simultaneously massive and invisible. She staggered, and saw Isolde do the same. It’s the link, she thought. We’re feeling it on the link. Khan, quiet a moment ago, began screaming, almost as if he could feel it too.

A shadow crossed the doorway, and moments later a massive shape appeared—humanoid, but wildly inhuman. It was dark red or purple, covered with what looked like rough plates of hide armor; Ariel couldn’t tell if they were part of its body or something removable. It was so large it had to stoop to look through the door, and considered them a moment with tiny black eyes. Its voice was deep, though Ariel saw no mouth.

“It’s time to get ready,” said the thing. “Prepare yourselves for snow.”

“Who are you?” Cedric demanded, but the creature ignored the question.