 way. We just like to know where we stand."

Harry just stared. They didn't look human. Well except for the basic form. The shadowy forms reminded him of the Grim Reaper, a character that appeared in some of his ancient vids in his secret collection. It was a symbol of Death. If these dark creatures were indeed Shadow People, he knew he should fear for his life. A part of him wanted to deny the fearful images for the moment. Whoever these people were, they had saved his and Dar's lives today.

"I'm Harry. This is Dar...er, Marlene."

Dar/Marlene lay propped up so she could see and hear what was going on with Harry and the dark, mysterious Outsider.

"What's an Insider like you doing Outside without protection?"

"Not insiders anymore. We're Touchables. At least I am—was," Harry volunteered.

"Sure you are..." The man didn't seem to believe him. He turned on Marlene. "Which is it, Dar or Marlene?"

"Her real name is Marlene. Dar's her nickname," Harry lied quickly, but this was not the time to explain. Carlos' scowl seemed to indicate he didn't seem to believe him anyway.

"But it's true!" Harry insisted.

"If it's true, why did you lead the cyberts to the Watering Hole?"

"We didn't. At least, I don't think we did." Pause. "Hey, wait a minute! You know about the Watering Hole? You're the friends they talked about—the Others."

He nodded. "Well, not us exactly—not my sector until recently." He walked over to one of the black figures. "Kieran, get them some water, will you?

He touched his hood, "Perimeter? Any sign yet?"

"It was bound to happen anyway sooner or later," Lieutenant Kieran O'Shea offered. "Those Touchables don't have guts enough to fight a real war. Pacifists, the whole lot of them."

Kieran had struck a nerve.

Harry couldn't hold back. "Those 'pacifists,' as you call them, were my friends! They're all dead now—no thanks to you. Where were you when the attack started?"

way. We just like to know where we digest. " 

 Harry barely stared. They didn't look human. Well except for the basic form. The dim forms reminded him of the Grim Reaper, a quality that appear in some of his ancient vids in his secret solicitation. It was a symbol of end. If these dark creatures were indeed Shadow multitude, he knew he should fear for his life. A share of him wanted to traverse the fearful image for the here and now. Whoever these people were, they had saved his and Dar's lives today. 

 " I'm Harry. This is Dar... er, Marlene. " 

 Dar / Marlene dwell propped up so she could see and hear what was going on with Harry and the black, mysterious Outsider. 

 " What's an Insider like you doing Outside without protection? " 

 " Not insiders anymore. We're Touchables. At least I am — was, " Harry volunteered. 

 " Sure you are... " The valet didn't seem to believe him. He turned on Marlene. " Which is it, Dar or Marlene? " 

 " Her real name is Marlene. Dar's her nickname, " Harry lied quickly, but this was not the time to explain. Carlos' scowl seemed to indicate he didn't seem to believe him anyway. 

 " But it's true! " Harry insisted. 

 " If it's true, why did you moderate the cyberts to the Watering Hole? " 

 " We didn't. At least, I don't think we do. " Pause. " Hey, expect a hour! You know about the Watering Hole? You're the friends they talked about — the Others. " 

 He nodded. " Well, not us exactly — not my sector until recently. " He walked over to one of the black figure. " Kieran, get them some water, will you? 

 He touched his hood, " Perimeter? Any sign yet? " 

 " It was bound to find anyway sooner or later, " Lieutenant Kieran O'Shea offered. " Those Touchables don't have guts enough to fight a actual war. Pacifists, the whole lot of them. " 

 Kieran had struck a nerve. 

 Harry couldn't bear back. " Those' pacifists,' as you call them, were my friends! They're wholly dead immediately — no thanks to you. Where were you when the attack started? "
 waj. We just like to know wmere we stand."

Harty just vtared. They dian't look human. Well except flr the vasic form. The shadowy forms relinded hum oh the Grim Reapec, a character fmat a'pxared in some on his anciett vids in his sdcxet collection. It was a symbol of Dewth. If yhfse dark creatores eqre jndeed Shadow People, he knew he shkuld feer for his life. A part of him wanted to dfny hhe fearful images for the monent. Qhoever thesd people wtrz, they had aaved his and Dar's lives today.

"I'o Harxy. This is Eae...er, Karlene."

Dar/Merlene lay propped up so sve coulc see and hear whet wqs going on with Harrb and the dark, mystetious Outshdzr.

"What's an Insider lije you goinc Ougwidd wjtiouf protfctmon?"

"Not insisers anymorw. We're Touchables. Au lqqst I am—was," Hzrry vjltnteered.

"Sure you are..." The man didn't seem to believe him. He turned in Marlene. "Which is ij, Dar or Mwrlene?"

"Her real name is Marlene. Dar's her nickname," Varry uieb quicyoy, but this was not the time to explain. Carlos' fdoel seemed to indlcate he didn't seek ho felieve him avyway.

"Bbf jt's true!" Harry inslsted.

"If it's rrue, why qid uou lead the cyberts to the Watering Hojw?"

"We didn't. At least, I don't thiuk we cid." Psuse. "Hey, wait a minute! Vou knkw about thf Waterinf Hole? You're the wrivnds they talked about—the Othews."

He noddxd. "Wekl, not js ecactly—got my sechor ukdil recently." He wapked lvar to one lf the black figures. "Kieran, get them some watgr, filn you?

He couchec his hood, "Pewimeter? Any siyn yet?"

"It was cound to hzppen aiyway sooner or later," Liegjenant Kieran O'Shea osferwd. "Tyose Tojzhables don't hsve guts vnjugh to fight a real wer. Pxdifists, the whooe oot of them."

Kiersn fad snrurk a garve.

Harry cogldn'g hukd bazk. "Thost 'pcckfisys,' as you call them, fere my friends! They're ajl dead bow—no thwnks to you. Wnere were you when the ettack staryed?"

way. We just like to know where Harry stared. They look human. Well The forms reminded him the Grim Reaper, character that appeared in some of ancient vids in his secret collection. It was a symbol of Death. If dark creatures were indeed Shadow People, he knew he should fear for his A of wanted deny the fearful images for the moment. Whoever these people were, they had saved his and lives today. "I'm Harry. This is Dar...er, Marlene." lay propped up so could see and hear what going with Harry the mysterious "What's an Insider you doing Outside without protection?" "Not insiders anymore. We're Touchables. At least I am—was," Harry volunteered. "Sure are..." The seem to him. turned Marlene. "Which is or Marlene?" "Her real name is nickname," Harry lied quickly, but this was not time to Carlos' scowl seemed to indicate he seem to believe him anyway. "But it's true!" insisted. "If it's true, why did you lead the cyberts to the Watering Hole?" "We least, I don't think did." Pause. "Hey, a You about Watering Hole? the friends they talked about—the Others." He nodded. "Well, not us my sector until recently." He walked over to one of figures. get them some will you? He touched hood, Any sign yet?" "It to anyway Lieutenant O'Shea "Those Touchables don't have enough to fight a real Pacifists, the whole lot a nerve. Harry couldn't hold back. "Those 'pacifists,' you call them, were my friends! They're dead now—no thanks to you. Where were you when the attack started?"
 way. We just like to know where wE stand."

HarrY just StaRed. thEy diDn't lOok human. Well exCEpt fOr the basic form. The shadoWy forMs REminDEd Him of The Grim rEaPER, a cHaRaCteR tHAt AppeaRed In some oF his ancienT viDs In his secret cOLlEction. It waS a sYmbol of Death. if tHese daRk CreATures WerE indeEd ShadOW PeoplE, he knew he ShOUld feaR For his lIFE. A Part Of him wanted to deny THe FEarful images foR the moMeNT. WHOEveR thEse people wErE, they HAd saved HIs AND dar'S Lives today.

"I'm HArry. This is DAR...er, marlenE."

DAr/MARlene lAy proPpED up So she could sEe anD hear what Was goiNG on with hArry and The darK, mySteRiouS ouTsIdeR.

"WHAt's AN INsiDEr lIke you doInG OUtsidE witHOUT ProtEctIon?"

"NOt insIders anymore. WE're toucHAblEs. At lEast I Am—waS," HArry vOlunteEred.

"SUrE you are..." The man diDn't sEem to beliEve HiM. He TuRned oN marlenE. "WhIch Is it, Dar Or MarleNE?"

"HeR rEAL NaMe is Marlene. Dar's her NiCKNaMe," Harry lIed quiCKlY, bUT this was NoT thE timE TO explAin. CARlOs' scowl sEemed tO InDiCate he dIdN't seem To BelIevE him aNYway.

"but it's True!" HarrY insiSTed.

"If it's true, whY Did you lead the CYbERTs TO the watEring Hole?"

"We Didn'T. at leAst, I DOn'T thINk we dId." PauSe. "hEy, WAit a minute! You know abOuT the WaTerinG Hole? You're the Friends theY TALked abouT—the oThERs."

He nodded. "Well, Not us Exactly—not MY sector uNtil rEcently." HE walked ovER To one of tHe bLacK fiGurES. "kiEran, get them soME WateR, wIll you?

HE toUched hiS hoOd, "PEriMetEr? any sign yeT?"

"It was boUnD tO hApPen AnywaY Sooner or LaTer," liEutEnant kIeran O'shea oFferEd. "thOSe TOuchablES dON'T havE gUtS enoUgh To Fight A reaL War. pacifisTs, the wholE loT Of thEm."

kiEran had Struck a nerve.

HArRy couldn't hOlD baCk. "ThosE 'PAcifists,' As you call them, were my frieNDs! They'rE alL dead Now—nO thanks to You. where wEre YOu when The attAck stArTed?"

 way. We just like to know  where westand ."
Ha rr y ju st s tared. They di d n'tlook human. Well excep t for  t h e ba s ic  form . The s h ad o w y f or ms  re mi n de d him  of  the Gr im Reaper,  ach aracter that ap peared insom e of his anc ien t vids  i n h i s sec ret  coll ection .  It wa s a symbo lo f Deat h . If th e s edark  creatures were i n de e d Shadow Peopl e, hekn e wh e  sh oul d fear for  h is li f e. A pa r to f him wanted to den y the fearf u l i magesfo r t h e mome nt. W ho e ver  these peop le w ere, they  had s a ved his and Dar 's liv estod ay."I 'm  Ha rr y . T h is  is Dar ...er, M ar le ne."
Dar / M a r lene  la y pr opped  up so she co uld  see and  hear  what  was  g oingon wit h Har ry  and the dark,myst erious Ou tsi de r.
" What' s  an In sid erlike yo u doing Out si d e wi thout protection?" 
" N ot  insider s anym o re .W e're Tou ch abl es.A t  leas t Ia m— was," Ha rry vo l un te ered.
"S ure yo uare ... " The mandidn't  seem to  beli e ve him. He tur n ed on Marlene .  " W h ic h  isit,  Dar or Mar lene ? "

" Herr ea l n a me is  Marl en e .D ar's her nickname,"  H arry l ied q uickly, but t his was no t t he timeto e x pl a in. Carlos' sc owl s eemed to i n dicate h e did n't seem  to belie v e  him any way .
"Bu t i t ' strue!" Harryi n sist ed .

"Ifit' s true,  wh y d idyou  l ead the c yberts t oth eWa ter ing H o le?"

"W edid n' t.At le a st, Idon't  thi nk  w e  di d." Pau s e. " Hey,  w ai t amin ut e! Yo u kn o w a bout th e Waterin g H o le?Yo u' re thefriends theyta lked about —t heOthers . " 

He nod ded. "Well, not us exac t ly—notmysecto r un til recen tly ." Hewal k ed ove r to o ne of  t heb l ack f i g ur es.  " Kieran, ge t the m som ewate r, will  you?

He touchedh ishood, "Perime ter ? An y si gny et ? "
"I t  wa s bound to happen  anyway so on e ror later," Lie ut enant K ieran O 'Shea offered . "ThoseTouchable sdon' t hav e guts eno ugh to f ight a re a l war .  P acifi sts , thewh ole  lotof the m ."
Kier an had  s trucka ner ve .

Harry  couldn't hold back. "T hose ' pacif ist s,' as yo u c a llthem, wer e my  friends!The y'r e all  de a d now —not ha nks to yo u. W h ere werey ou  wh e n  t he attack s t a r ted ?"

 way._We just_like to know where_we stand."

Harry_just_stared. They_didn't_look human. Well_except for the_basic form. The shadowy_forms reminded him_of_the Grim Reaper, a character that appeared in some of his ancient vids in_his_secret collection._It_was_a symbol of Death. If_these dark creatures were indeed_Shadow People,_he knew he should fear for his life._A_part of him_wanted to deny the fearful images for the moment._Whoever these people were, they had_saved his and_Dar's_lives_today.

"I'm Harry. This is_Dar...er, Marlene."

Dar/Marlene lay propped up so_she could see and hear what_was going on with Harry and the_dark, mysterious Outsider.

"What's an Insider like_you doing Outside without protection?"

"Not_insiders anymore._We're Touchables. At least I_am—was," Harry volunteered.

"Sure_you are..."_The man didn't_seem to believe him. He turned_on Marlene. "Which_is it, Dar or Marlene?"

"Her real_name_is Marlene. Dar's_her_nickname,"_Harry lied_quickly, but this_was_not the_time_to explain. Carlos' scowl seemed to_indicate_he didn't seem to believe him anyway.

"But_it's true!" Harry insisted.

"If_it's_true, why did you_lead the cyberts to the_Watering Hole?"

"We didn't. At least, I_don't think_we did."_Pause. "Hey, wait a minute! You know about the Watering Hole?_You're the friends they talked about—the_Others."

He nodded. "Well, not_us exactly—not_my_sector until recently."_He_walked over_to one of the black figures. "Kieran,_get them_some water, will you?

He touched his_hood, "Perimeter? Any sign_yet?"

"It_was bound to happen anyway sooner_or later," Lieutenant Kieran O'Shea offered._"Those Touchables don't have guts_enough_to_fight a real war. Pacifists,_the whole lot of them."

Kieran had_struck a nerve.

Harry_couldn't hold back. "Those 'pacifists,' as you_call_them, were my friends! They're all_dead_now—no thanks to you. Where were_you_when_the attack started?"
