But first, you and I must come to an agreement. If you wish to go out on a date with me, you will report the whereabouts of every member of your unit." The woman smiled. "Of course." "Do you think you could persuade your superior to inform you of their whereabouts?" "That, I have no problem with," the woman said, shaking her head. "I'm sure I can ask him. He wouldn't dare refuse." "Good." He smiled. "Have you any idea when you could start this process?" "No, but I can begin this evening." The general nodded. "I'm sure I can arrange a meeting." "Just to be clear," the woman said, "what do you expect me to do when I'm in the middle of a mission?" "Just answer my questions truthfully," the general replied. "Then leave. I don't care if you're on the ground, a satellite, or in orbit." "That will be fine," the woman said. The general reached for a keypad on his desk and inserted it into the computer's data port. He touched the keys and was greeted by the computer's welcoming screen. The general typed his name and date of birth and waited for the system to check. Then he typed in the woman's name. The computer hummed softly and then the word "acceptable" appeared in the prompt box. The general entered the required date range, and then he typed, "All units that are currently on assignment in the field. Any information that I receive from you regarding their physical location will remain between us. Also, you will inform me of any and all changes in their activities, including any new assignments." "What is this about, General?" the woman asked. "It's about your assignment," the general replied. "And what your country expects of you." After he had finished, the general sat back and watched the computer. The time elapsed, and then the prompt appeared. The general pressed the keys on the keypad, and then sat up in his seat. "She never showed up!" the general said. "She's in the middle of a mission!" "That's not possible," the computer's computer said. The general turned to the computer. "Find out where she is right now." The computer began beeping. "It appears she has stopped to use the bathroom." The general turned back to the woman. "Can you hear me?!" The woman did not respond. "Answer me!" the general screamed. He raised his voice, "Answer me, dammit!" * * * * The man sitting in the passenger seat leaned forward to see if he could see anything through the tinted windshield of the car. But there was nothing. There were no lights ahead of him. He had no idea where he was. He couldn't understand why the soldiers were dragging him away from his home. They forced him out of his truck and over to a truck with a tinted windshield. The car idled there with its engine off. He didn't know what was happening, but he was beginning to suspect the worst. The soldiers grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him onto the tinted-windshield car, and forced him down onto the seat. He was terrified and didn't know what was going on. "Why are you arresting me?" he said to them. "I've done nothing. Why are you arresting me?" "Why are you asking us what is going on?" one of the soldiers asked. "You're taking me away. Tell me what's going on. Please. Please, tell me what's going on." The soldier leaned forward in the driver's seat. "How about a good story?" "What?" "I know a story. Have you ever heard the story of what happened to Bill?" "No." "It's a good one," the soldier said, "with the right twist." The man closed his eyes, thinking, trying to think of a good story. "Are you sure you haven't heard the story before?" the soldier asked. "Yes." The soldier pulled out a lighter from his uniform and lit it. "Well then, why don't we put you to sleep and come back when you've had a chance to wake up?" "Why are you doing this? Why?" "Why, indeed," the soldier said. "We'll see if you're able to wake up again." The man shook his head. "You can't do that. I'm human." "Of course," the soldier said. "That's why we're going to put you to sleep." The car turned onto the main road, and the soldiers started making their way towards the edge of town. The tinted windshield gave the town a nightmarish appearance. He didn't want to be out here, not at this time of night, but something compelled him to put his faith in these men. As he looked around, the town was dark and there was no sign of life. "Are we going into the woods?" he asked. "Of course," the soldier replied. "Why else would we be leaving town?" "Then where are we going?" he asked. "Where is the rest of the town?" "There is no town." The man could see the soldiers were getting agitated. He remembered the story. "Bill was a human, wasn't he?" "He was indeed," the soldier replied. "Just like you." "So, where is Bill? Where is the rest of the town?" "Now, now," the soldier said. "Just keep walking." "Where?" he asked. "Just keep walking." * * * * The man was in a small room. The walls were white and a sheet hung on the wall behind him. A door was behind him, and he could see light coming from around it, but not much. "You'll sleep soon," a voice said. He turned around to see what that voice was saying, but there was no one there. He didn't know if he was awake or if he was asleep. But then he began to think about the story the soldiers had told him, and then he remembered who it was the rest of the town was filled with, his friends and family. He wasn't alone, and that thought calmed him. A door opened and he watched as the man brought in an old woman. He took off the sheet and laid the old woman down on the bed. "I'm sorry, this must hurt a little," the man said. "But you won't feel a thing. It'll be over in a second." The woman tried to say something. It sounded like it was coming from far away. She was choking and her eyes were wet with tears. The man grabbed a scissors off the counter and cut the woman's skin. He pulled out a small machine from behind the counter and pressed a few buttons, and then he put the scissors down. The woman's body contorted as she tried to move, but there was no movement. A few seconds later, the machine beeped and the woman's body stopped moving. "That should do it," the man said. He went to the counter and pulled out another sheet to cover the woman. He rolled her body into the sheet, and then he took the sheet off the bed. He began to cut the sheet. "Who are you?" the man asked as he cut. "Are you just some random guy who came to this town?" "That's good," the man said. He cut another piece of the sheet, and then he opened his jacket. He put it down on the bed and then he sliced through the remaining sheet. He grabbed a second sheet off the bed and threw it over his jacket. He grabbed another piece of sheet and stood it up against the wall. He picked up a pillow and laid it next to the first sheet. "I'm trying to see," the man said. "But I don't think I can. I don't know where this thing is going." He grabbed the pieces of sheet he had taken off the bed and began walking back to the counter. "There has to be a way to stop him," he said as he picked up the needle and syringe. He went back to the bed and cut a piece of sheet to place under the woman's arm. He picked up the pillow from the bed, turned around, and used the pillow to hold the woman's hand. He squeezed it once, and then he placed the needle in the woman's arm. "Is that your final answer?" he asked the woman. "Is it the end of the road?" The woman was trying to say something. He couldn't hear it, but he could see that her face was beginning to twist. "What is it?" the man asked. "Bill." He squeezed the woman's hand, which was trying to pull away from him. The woman's body started to shiver. "I know," he said. "I know." The woman squeezed the pillow. "I'm so sorry, I'm so