Abduction

“They wouldn’t be treating us this well unless they liked us,” Perry persisted.

“You are so naive,” Donald said. “You refuse to remember that we’re prisoners, for all intents and purposes, who have been forcibly kidnapped and manipulated in that decon center. We were brought here for a reason that has yet to be revealed.”

Suza

“Maybe they’re recruiting us,” Perry said suddenly.

“For what?” Donald asked dubiously.

“Maybe they’re making such an effort to show us everything to prepare us to be their representatives,” Perry said, warming to the idea as he spoke. “Maybe they have finally decided it’s time to relate to our world, and they want us to be ambassadors. Frankly, I think we could do a damn good job, especially if we handled it through Benthic Marine.”

“Ambassadors!” Suza

“Exactly,” Perry said. “If we were their representatives they wouldn’t have to do any of that.”

“Ambassadors? Good god!” Donald mumbled. He threw up his hands and shook his head in frustration.

“What’s the matter now?” Perry asked, his irritation returning. Donald was begi

“I knew you two were optimists,” Donald grunted, “but this ambassador idea takes the cake.”

“I think it is a perfectly reasonable possibility,” Perry said.

“Listen, Mr. President of Benthic Marine!” Donald spat as if the appellation were derogatory. “These Interterrans don’t plan to let us go. If you weren’t such a hopeless optimist you’d understand that.”

Suza

“You feel that they plan to keep us here forever?” Suza

“I believe that’s what it means if they never let us go,” Donald said sarcastically.

“But why?” Perry pleaded. The anger had gone out of his voice.

“It stands to reason,” Donald said. “These people have been avoiding detection of Interterra for thousands of years. How could they feel good about letting us return to the surface knowing what we know?”

“Oh dear!” Suza

“Do you think Donald’s right?” Perry asked.

“I’m afraid he has a point,” Suza

“But they keep referring to us as visitors,” Perry interjected. “This place we’re staying is called the visitors’ palace. Visitors don’t stay forever.” Then, irrationally, he added, “Besides, I can’t stay here forever. I’ve got a family. I mean, I’m already worried that I haven’t been able to let them know I’m okay.”

“That’s another point,” Donald said. “They know a lot about us. They know about our families. With all their technology they could have offered to us an opportunity to let our loved ones know we’re not dead. The fact that they haven’t, I believe, is more proof they intend to keep us here.”

“Good point,” Suza

“No family?” Donald asked.

“I’m afraid not,” Suza

“I’ve got a wife and three kids,” Donald said. “Of course, that doesn’t mean much to the Interterrans. To them the whole concept of parenthood seems quaintly out of date.”

“My god!” Perry said. “What are we going to do? We have to get out of here. There has to be a way.”

“Hey, everybody!” Michael called out from the dining room. “Soup’s on. Come and get it!”

“Unfortunately they’re holding all the cards,” Donald said, ignoring Michael who disappeared back into the dining room. “There’s nothing we can do at this point except keep our eyes open.”

“Which means taking advantage of their hospitality,” Suza

“To a point,” Donald said. “I’m never one to condone fraternizing with the enemy.”

“That’s the confusing part,” Suza

“Keeping me away from my family is about as mean as I can imagine,” Perry said.

“Not from their perspective,” Donald said. “With reproduction carried out mechanically and four-year-old newborns imbued with the mind and personality of adults, there are no families in Interterra. It’s possible they ca

“What the hell are you people doing out there in the dark?” Michael shouted. He’d returned to the juncture between the dining room and the lawn. “The worker clones are waiting for you. Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I guess we might as well,” Suza

“I’m not sure I am, after this discussion,” Perry said.

They started walking toward the light spilling out onto the dark grass.

“There has to be something we can do,” Perry said.

“We can avoid offending them,” Donald said. “That could be critical.”

“What could we do to offend them?” Perry asked.

“It’s not us that I’m worried about,” Donald said. “It’s the numbskull divers.”

“What about being direct about all this?” Perry suggested. “Why not ask Arak when we meet him tomorrow whether we’re going to be able to leave? Then we’d know for sure.”

“That might be risky,” Donald said. “I don’t think we should emphasize our interest in leaving. If we do, they might curtail our freedoms. As it is now, theoretically we can call air taxis with our wrist communicators and can come and go as we please. I don’t want to lose that privilege. We may need it if there’s any chance of our breaking out of here.”

“That’s another good point,” Suza

“Not a bad idea,” Donald said. “I could go for that provided we don’t make a big deal asking. In fact, why don’t I ask tomorrow morning at the session Arak mentioned we’d be having.”

“Sounds good to me,” Suza

“I don’t know what to think at this point,” Perry said.

“Come on, hurry up!” Michael said as the others entered the room. “This asshole worker clone won’t let us touch the serving dishes until everybody’s here, and he’s stronger than an ox.”

A worker clone was standing next to the center table with his hands resting on the covers of the chafing dishes.

“How did you know he was waiting for us?” Suza

“Well, we didn’t know for sure, since the bozo doesn’t talk,” Michael admitted. “But we’re hoping it’s the case. We’re starved.”

Perry and Donald sat down. Almost immediately the worker clone lifted the covers from the food.

“Bingo!” Richard said.

Within minutes the food was served. For a time, there was no conversation. Richard and Michael were too busy eating; the others were absorbed in thoughts of their recent conversation on the lawn.