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Wednesday - September 22

As I glance down the empty hallway, I close my eyes and wish I had never gotten out of bed ten days ago. I wish I had just stayed home with Claire and maybe she would be alive today. Claire, baby, what do I do? I don't know what to do!

"Dr. Bennett," says President Mansoor, "Dr. Bennett, please, I beg of you. You must come with us, or we are all dead. Please, Dr. Bennett, I beseech you to come with us."

I hang my head down, turn around and say, "What the hell. Let's go."

Julie is the last to exit my office as the four of us head to the elevator to go to the eighth floor to the conference room.

Ascending in the elevator in silence, I look at the strange man wondering who he is. Neither Julie, nor the president, introduced him. Is he the man behind all of this? Finally reaching the eighth floor, President Mansoor exists first, then Julie, me, then finally, the stranger.

The president walks erect with considerable robust as she opens the door without any voice command and sits in the chair originally assigned to yours truly. I guess protocol doesn't matter anymore. After we've all seated, President Mansoor takes out her cell, hits a single key, speaks in Arabic to someone on the other end, and then disconnects. Julie and the strange man sit silently, like puppets, waiting for their strings to be pulled to fulfill some ungodly command. I sit looking at all three of them wondering what we're doing here and what's going to happen. Then the hidden exit door opens, allowing four people to enter: two men and two women. I intently watch each one as they locate a chair and sit. After each one is settled, I look at Julie and say, "Now what? Who are these people and why in the hell are we here?"

President Mansoor stands and says, "Dr. Bennett, I would like to introduce you to the people who will... no... let me rephrase that... who have changed the world as we know it. Dr. Bennett, you have been scrutinized all of your life by this extraordinary group. They have protected you every moment from the beginning of Project Scrooge. Please, allow me to introduce them to you."

The president begins to circle the table and introduces the person sitting on her left. "Dr. Bennett, this is Dr. Daniel Rosenberg. You haven't seen him since you were three. Do you remember the photo of seven men on your mantel in your home, Dr. Bennett?"

"Yes," I reply.

"Well, Dr. Rosenberg is the man holding the folder: this folder." The president picks up a folder lying in front of Dr. Rosenberg. A folder that has definitely seen its time; worn and torn, it obviously has been around since the beginning of this maniacal scheme. The president lays the folder down and goes to the next person.

"Dr. Bennett, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Is'ad Querish. Dr. Querish is the foremost leading cryogenic scientist in the world. She has successfully frozen and brought back to life twelve people who, until the plague, walked among this planet as normal as you and I." Dr. Querish bows her head to me. I don't reply.

I look at the next person and interrupt the president when she is about to introduce Monica. "I know this person, Madame President. I knew you couldn't be trusted, Monica. You and yours..."

"Please, Dr. Bennett, if you could please keep your criticisms to yourself for now. Must I remind you that time is not on our side." I apologize, shake my head yes, and allow the president to continue.

Moving to the next person, President Mansoor says, "Dr. Bennett, this is Emil Pizcarro. While the photo on your mantel is black and white, Mr. Pizcarro stands next to Dr. Raymond Dorsey, wearing a red suit."

"Red suit?" I repeat.

"Do you remember me now, Dr. Bennett?" asks Mr. Pizcarro. "I gave you a lollipop." He smiles at me as if I'm overjoyed to see him.