Tari stood in front of her small aquarium and slowly sprinkled a pinch of fish food on top of the water. She watched as her pets swam to the top and gobbled the tiny tidbits. Melancholy seemed to be her constant state of mind the past few days. She tried hard not to think about Martin, a seemingly endless task, and concern for her brother constantly plagued her.

The recent curfew that had been placed on the city had put a devastating crimp on the Health Club patriotism. Tari was home now before 8:00 p.m. Alone, with no one to talk to-nothing to do but sit, worry and wait to see what would happen next.

She set down the small box of fish food next to the little five gallon aquarium and walked toward her television. Reaching to push the power switch, Tari stopped just before she pushed the on button. Deciding she had no interest in watching more about scientist, conspiracies, or so called terrorist attacks.

Going to the kitchen, she fixed herself a cup of hot herbal tea. She sat down on the window seat, looking out her bay windows at the stars that adorned the night sky. Leaning back against the wall, Tari sipped at the tea and let her mind drift back to happier times, times spent with the man she had met a few short months before. The man who had miraculously come from those sparkling stars above.

A low knock at her back door startled her from her memories and sudden fear gripped her. She sat listening as the knock came again. Standing, she put her cup down on top of the counter before walking slowly to the door, no one ever came to the back door. Her hands began to shake and she looked around for a weapon. To many news reports about unprovoked attacks on members of the scientific community and rumors of people disappearing made her overly nervous. Looking for the only semblance of a weapon she could find in her small apartment, a kitchen knife she used to cut the vegetables for salads. It lay in the dish drainer on the kitchen counter and Tari picked it up and cautiously reached out for the door handle.

"Who is it?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and to keep her hands from trembling.

"Tare, it's me, Mike," the unmistakable voice of her brother answered in an almost whisper she could barely hear through the door.

"Mike?" Tari slowly opened the door.

Mike Donovan glanced discreetly around the outside before he hurriedly slipped through Tari's back door.

"Mike!" Tari breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she tossed her makeshift weapon into the sink and threw herself at her brother, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so glad to see you! I've been worried sick about you!" Tari exclaimed.

Mike returned his sister's embrace, "I take it you saw the news?"

Tari nodded as the two siblings parted. Her face clouded with uncertainty, "What the hell's going on Mike? Everything's moving so fast. The institutes been closed, my dolphins are gone and people are disappearing! A scientist conspiracy, you being tagged as some sort of terrorist, and this curfew! And Martin..."

Mike cut her off before she could finish, by grabbing both her arms. Anger and distrust were written on his handsome features.

"What has he done? Did he hurt you? I'll kill him!" he growled protectively.

"No, no. . .he hasn't hurt me. . .he would never hurt me! He won't even see me now," Tari's confused fear burst through her blue eyes as she gazed at her brother.

Mike loosened his grip and reached up to softly smooth his sister's dark hair, calming himself as he did so.

"I'm sorry kid...It's just," Mike looked away for a moment unsure of how to break the news to her about what he had discovered.

When he turned toward her again he gently brushed her arm, "Honey I think you better sit down. What I have to tell you, well..."

Mike wasn't sure just how serious his sister's relationship with the visitor had gotten. But he knew she cared about him. He'd seen that weeks ago when he had met the guy at Tari's apartment. It made his blood run cold now, knowing what these aliens really were, and his protective big brother instincts made him want to find this bastard and rip out his reptilian throat with his bare hands. Mike knew without a doubt what he was about to say would devastate Tari, but he also knew she had to know the truth.

Tari looked at her brother bewildered, "Mike, What is it?"

Mike took a deep breath and let it out before he began, "The reason I'm wanted right now is...I know the truth about the Visitors."

"Truth?" Tari questioned.

Mike hesitated before he went on, "They aren't what they seem Tare, they're not... human, they're..." There was no easy way to say it, so Mike took in another deep breath before he let the word fall from his lips, "Reptilian."

Tari stared at her brother in shock before she let an uneasy chuckle escape.

"What? Mike, have you been drinking? Reptilian! ...that's ridiculous!"

Tari submerged her fear, deep down she knew without a doubt her brother would never lie to her. If he told her something it was always the truth. He would never play such a cruel joke on her or intentionally tell her something he knew would hurt her, if it wasn't true. But Tari's love for Martin blinded her, she could not-would not believe such a horrendous accusation.

Mike's tone was dead serious, as was the stern look in his eyes, "Tari, I'm not kidding. I've got it on tape, I saw two of them eat live animals!" his voice was getting louder, "I saw their faces Tari, I saw them! Hell one of them damn near took my head off!"

Disbelief clouded Tari's face and fear clearly mirrored in her eye's. Still she refused to believe her brother.

"No, you're lying Mike.."

Mike took hold of his sister's arms, pulling her closer to him.

"Look at me Tari! You know I would never lie to you. Hell you're the only person in the world I tell everything to. Damn it Tari, I'll show you the tape if you need proof!"

Tears weld up in Tari's eyes as they locked with her brothers. In the back of her mind she herd Martin's voice on the night he had told her he could not see her any more, *There are things about me, about my people you don't know. Things you must never know.*

"Maybe... maybe some of them are like that...but not Martin," She let the words stumble out.

Mike released his grip, realizing his anger and insistence was causing him to be overtly rough. Tari took a step back.

"Tare, please believe me. I wouldn't tell you this to hurt you. You've got to stay away from that guy, please! It would kill me if anything happened to you."

"Martin wouldn't let anything happen to me Mike. He's not like that," Tari's voice began to quiver.

"You don't know that," Mike told her matter-of-factly.

"I do!" Tari insisted, "He's different Mike...I know it."

Mike sighed and a noise outside made him run to the window, he cautiously moved the blinds slightly to look out. A Visitor shuttle hummed as it passed a few feet above the road.

Nervously he returned to his sister, "Come with me! I'll show you the tape and take you to Tony. He'll look after you."

"No! I'm staying here. You've go to go Mike. This is one of the first places they'll look for you," Tari said urgently. She went to the table where her bag sat and retrieved her wallet. Taking out some money she handed it to her brother.

"Now go Mike! Before they find you."

"Then you do believe me," he said hopefully.

"I believe you saw something. Something they didn't want you to and now they are hunting you. But...I'll never believe Martin is part of that," She said as Mike took the money she offered him.

"Please Tari, come with me. I need know your safe," he begged.

"I'll be fine. They haven't bothered me so far. And there's no reason to believe they will. Now go Mike, please!"

Mike looked at his little sister. She was adamant on staying, that much he could tell. Fearing he had been there long enough, and being there longer would endanger her, Mike reluctantly started toward the back door.

He stopped and turned to look at Tari. She was looking at him with a tear in her eye. Suddenly she ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"Be careful Mike," She said tearfully.

He hugged her, "Promise me you'll get a hold of Tony?"

"Alright," she promised, "Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself."

She pushed away from him, "Now go!" she urged.

With one last look at her, Mike carefully opened the door. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he left.