Society Rules (19 page)

“We—” Baker
slowly
removed
his
sunglasses “—are
the
people
to
whom
you
are
going
to
happily
and
willingly
give
all
of
your
electronic
devices.” All
trace
of
the
lighthearted
conversation
was
now
gone. He
fixed
the
subject
with
a
terrifying
glare.

Will’s
voice
was
cold
as
snow,
and
just
as
soft. “Do
I
need
to
break
it
down
for
you,
or
are
you
beginning
to
get
the
picture?”

The
man
stared
back
at
him,
riveted
to
the
floor
in
his
shock
and
fear.

“Go
get
those
items,
please,”
Will
urged. McKinney
stumbled
backwards
and
fell,
scrambling
to
get
to
the
back
room
where
he
kept
his
computer,
with
Will
on
his
heels.

“I’ll
get
the
video,
man.
Just
don’t
 . . .”
his
voice
tightened
and
broke
off. “Don’t
go
near
my
kid,
okay?”

“If
you
are
wise,
you’ll
have
nothing
to
fear.
You
saw
nothing
out
there
on
Mystery
Hill.
You
thought
you
did,
but
when
you
got
home,
you
realized
that
maybe
you
had
a
very
vivid
dream,
that’s
all.”

Will
moved
very
close
to
the
man
who
was
frantically
unplugging
the
modem
and
pulling
cords
from
the
wall,
until
he
was
right
up
against
his
shoulder. The
man
froze
once
more,
breathing
rapidly.

Will
could
smell
the
sickly
sweet
scent
of
alcohol
on
his
breath.

“You
will
speak
to
no
one
about
your
experience.
Not
the
encounter
with
the
non-humans
you
think
you
saw,
and
most
assuredly
not
from
us.
We
will
know.
There
are
no
means
of
communication
that
will
be
safe
for
you
to
use
from
this
point
in
your
life
forward.
We
are
always
there,
always
watching,
and
above
all,
always
listening.
Your
every
move
will
continue
to
be
monitored,
as
will
the
people
most
important
to
you.”

He
continued
his
assault
on
the
subject’s
personal
space.

“I
sincerely
hope
you
are
absorbing
this
warning
in
the
right
way.
The
next
move
we
make
would
be
a
visit
with
those
you
care
about,
and
I
don’t
want
it
to
come
to
that.
I
am
confident
that
you
would
not
like
it
either.

“Not.
At.
All.”

Will
leaned
closer
still.

“Believe
me,
Mr.
McKinney
 . . .
we
will
know.
And
our
reaction
time
would
surprise
you.”

The
man
resumed
shaking
in
his
boots,
and
began
literally
throwing
electronics
through
the
bedroom
door.
He
gasped
as
a
huge
man,
also
dressed
all
in
black,
entered
the
hallway
with
a
large
crate,
and
tossed
everything
into
it,
and
stalked
out
of
the
house
without
a
word.

Will
gently
steered
the
subject
back
into
the
living
room
and
with
a
sudden
and
violently
unexpected
shove,
slammed
the
man
down
onto
the
couch
with
such
force
that
it
scooted
backward
several
feet.